here’s been a fan rumour doing the rounds for several years that claimed the events depicted in NES title Super Mario Bros 3 took place on a theatre stage.
The reason? There are a handful of visual markers pointing to such a fact. The game opens, for instance, with the raising of a red curtain, and some of the assets on the title screen have a shadow, as if they were hung in front of the background.
The theme continues in the game, too, where blocks are not only shadowed but also appear to be screwed into the level itself. Platforms, meanwhile, are suspended by ropes from above.
In addition, levels end by passing into a black area, almost as if Mario were exiting the stage.


http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/miyam...rumour/0155789