This informs the player that the damsel in distress Princess Peach is elsewhere, and implies that the defeated boss was a decoy and the game is continuing.
[4] Meghan Sullivan of IGN called it an unforgettable quote in video game history, and a "super effective metaphor for life".
She noted that, metaphorically speaking, there is "always another castle" that needs the hero, but also stated that each life can be rewarding nonetheless, and that with enough perseverance, the princess can actually be rescued.
He cited its repetition throughout the game as evidence of the Nintendo designers' delight at "yanking" away the player's hope, evidencing its use in Super Mario 3D Land that "the message is still the same 29 years later".
[6] Gabrielle Trepaniér-Jobin, writing in Gaming Representation, argued that Princess Peach's use of the line as a prank in Super Mario Bros. 3 depicts her as less dependent and subordinate than in previous games, going against the notion shown in the original Super Mario Bros. that a woman is indebted to her rescuer.