Super Mario 3D Land Review

P.S. Sorry for my absence over early fall, everyone, it was a rough time for me. But now I'm back as we head into what I think might be the greatest holiday season for not only video games, but movies and tv as well.

Super Mario 3D Land Review (3DS)

Nintendo promised earlier this year, that Mario's first 3D outing would be his best. Super Mario 3D Land mashes-up both the 2D side-scrolling Mario with the 3D exploration Mario. The result? A game that feels fresh and exciting, even though you won't find a lot of new things.

The story, as in most Mario games, is as simple as can be. A special tree in the Mushroom Kingdom is hit by a storm, and all of its leaves have blown off, the leaves have been scattered around the Kingdom in the form of Tanooki tails (more on that later). Mario and toads stumble upon this tree in the morning, and notice a letter from Bowser and, yes, once again, he has kidnapped Princess Peach. The story isn't meant to be all cinematic and plot-like, because that's the beauty of Mario games. Its simple story is enough to keep you interested, and it makes up for lack of story in the gameplay department.

Super Mario 3D Land, like said above, is a mix of 2D and 3D Mario. I think of the game as a blend of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario Galaxy, and the result is something magical. The game is set-up in 8 worlds, with more being unlocked after completion, and Mario ventures through each level in the worlds, usually 5, to reach Bowser and rescue Peach. There is a fun little "world map" that represents each level, and Mario can jump between worlds and access toad houses this way. Each level contains 3 star coins for Mario to collect, and these can be brutal towards the end. The levels themselves start very easy, and a Mario veteran could breeze through the first 8 worlds in about 5 hours. Upon completion, however, a special counterpart to every world is unlocked, and these contain extra challenges like time constraints or Cosmic Marios, and I died a ton during these.

The most refreshing part of Super Mario 3D Land is its levels and gameplay. Each level has a flag at the end, and a time limit, which makes it feel like 2D mario. However, the levels encourage exploration, and there are hidden alcoves and lots of other areas to explore, making it feel 3D, as well. Power-ups are aplenty in Super Mario 3D Land. The Tanooki leaf is back, along with its tail-swiping and fluttering abilities, and a new leaf is unlocked after you beat the game. Mario's signature Fire Flower is back, along with the regular Super Mushroom. New is the Boomerang Suit, which gives Mario the ability to throw boomerangs, perfect for getting flying enemies or multiple Goombas at once. Also, a Propeller Box is returning from New Super Mario Bros. Wii, which allows Mario to soar to great heights. The only problem I found with these were that they felt too common, and a power-up felt more of a regular, rather than an exciting surprise. They're a lot of fun, but the game seems to just give you these out for free. Mario controls just like he used to, and you'll be running and jumping in no time. The only problem is some of his moves, like long jump and high jump, aren't even necessary, unlike in Super Mario Galaxy 2, and I completed the game without even realizing that they were there. This discourages fast movement and shortcuts, which limits replay value.

Here's my one problem with the game: difficulty. The game starts out slow, and I barely died on my way to World 8. Sure, it picks up at the end, and Mario vets shouldn't be turned off by the early easiness. The problem is there are many additions to the game that make it easy. First, Mario starts each level as Super Mario, so he can take two hits at the beginning instead of one. Second, power-ups are everywhere, giving Mario extra support. 1-Ups aren't even difficult to get, and bonus rooms are all over each level. Getting to the top of the flagpole isn't nearly as hard as it used to be, and I finished World 8 with over 100 lives, which shouldn't be right. If you die, you get free power ups instantly, and a golden Tanooki suit and P-Wing make the game even simpler.

The 3D effect in Super Mario 3D Land is astounding. This game was clearly made for 3D, and it shows. Special rooms are impossible to play without the 3D, and cleverly hidden coins make for interesting 3D puzzles. Bullet bills and fireballs come right out the screen, and you even have the option to choose pop-out 3D or depth 3D at the start of each level. The soundtrack is nothing special, and I would have preferred to see more orchestral pieces akin to Galaxy, and less happy, jumpy tunes, but the soundtrack is still very catchy and fun. There's no multiplayer option, but you can share your completed bonus boxes with friends, and it's fun to compete for best times on each level.

Super Mario 3D Land is an excellent mix of 2D platforming Mario and 3D exploration Mario. The level design is brilliant, as is the wonderful 3D effect. The only turn-off is difficulty, but that's no reason to shun this wonderful 3DS title.

Pros:
Fantastic Level Design
Clever Mix of Old and New
Great Graphics and 3D

Cons:
Easy as Pie!
Limited Controls

Overall: 8.5/10.0