The high jumping plumber is back in his most 3D adventure yet, Mario 3 style!
Since its launch, the Nintendo 3DS has been struggling due to the lack of original first-party games. Can Nintendo’s cheerful Mascot’s arrival on the system give gamers a major reason to take notice of the system? Find out after the jump…Let’s a go!!!
[Disclaimer: Nintendo has graciously provided us with a review copy of the game]
Before we get started, let me just express how fond I am of the Mario series. Like many of you, I have been playing Mario games since I could first hold a controller. My personal favourites have always been (aside from the original Super Mario Bros.) Super Mario Bros 3, Super Mario World and Mario 64. To me, those games were the high point of the plumber’s career, and his respective systems. Sure, there have been mis-steps along the way (Super Mario Sunshine for example), but the series has continued to re-invent itself for new generations.
What I mean by this is that it has always tried to keep itself fresh, all while giving gamers bits of Nostalgia. This aspect has never been as apparent as the last few years with the re-introduction of Yoshi, Bowser’s seven Koopa Kids and flying air ships in Super Mario Galaxy 2…. but as nostalgic as that experience was, Nintendo has just cranked the retro meter to 11 with Super Mario 3D Land.
“Here we go!”
Sure, gamer’s won’t find themselves riding Yoshi…but the game re-introduces such things as the Tanooki Suit (Racoon Mario), Bower’s ground stomping minion Boom-Boom, and proper Air-Ship sequences reminiscent of Super Mario 3. In fact, if anything this game is the lovechild of that game, Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy. There are even numerous callbacks to Super Mario World and the original that started it all. These elements include musical beats, 2D retro sections and 8-bit atmosphere.
So if everything sounds too familiar, how exciting and good can this game possibly be? Well, what if I told you that it’s absolutely thrilling and novel in every way! Sure the story is completely predictable… Bowser kidnaps princess Peach. The twist is that a tree filled with Super Leaves tosses its Tanooki-suit granting power-up across the kingdom in a storm. The result is that Mario must rescue the princess and deal with levels filled with enemies endowed with Racoon tails. It’s amusing to say the least when Goomba’s, hopping brick blocks and even Bowser are seen with a bushy tail.
You’re not the only one who can sport a bushy tail!
It has been nearly 20 years since Racoon Mario arrived in 1988’s Super Mario Bros 3, and this game reminds us of why its has become a cult symbol of gaming. The only change here is that you can’t build a running stride and fly. Instead it simply provides you the ability to glide, knock low sitting blocks and turn dials to reveal new parts of the level. I attribute its missing flight ability to the way the game is structured…and the inclusion of propeller blocks to take you up in vertical lines…
Basically, Super Mario 3D Land uses a self-guided, or if you prefer pre-determined camera. This is most likely due to the notorious absence of a second circle pad. As a result, the level is decidedly more akin to Mario’s NES and SNES platformers than his latest adventures. However, this isn’t a bad thing. The levels have multiple secrets and are easier to decipher, especially since playing a portable system.
You can collect and use a secondary power-up whenever you like by tapping the bottom screen!
The levels are presented in 3D on the extremely horizontal world map, with the location spinning in 3D at the top, and the trail shown in 2D with a retro mario on the bottom screen. It’s charming, but does make me crave the days of numerous branching paths, instead of this simplified presentation.
That footnote aside, there’s nothing wrong with it and the game sports more than enough levels and variety to keep you entertained.
The game is simply bustling with refined gameplay, charm and nostalgia. Above all else, you’re probably wondering about the game’s use of 3D. Is it good, or does it give you motion sickness? Well I am glad to say that this is the game that has finally sold me on Nintendo’s decision to include auto-sterioscopic 3D.
The 3D effect in the game is incredibly well done and implemented so subtly that you soon begin to realize that it makes the experience really pop out and the platforming more organic. Everything from the platforms, to enemies and distance falls are incredible. I have literally found myself gasping at such events as spiked drills coming racing towards my face, Mario flinging out of the screen and burst of lava flowing up and through the landscape.
Of course, I constantly toggled the 3D on and off in awe and delight. This game makes and wins the case for the technology. The only glaring issue is that as a handheld, you are constantly moving the system…it’s not solidly placed as a TV (or dare I say…”The Virtual Boy”!). Any and all movements have the ability to undo the effect, turning it into a blurring experience. And like you may already know, having friends watch is incredibly hard as they must have their head be exactly at the right angle (pretty much were your head is)… so I had to turn off the 3D effect just for the benefit of my brother, who wanted to watch parts of the gameplay (he was lured in by the nostalgic soundtrack!).
Thankfully, Nintendo has eased the use of gyro movements for this game, as that would cause nothing but a blur fest. An example is the use of binoculars to search for mushroom people in the landscape. These guys scream out and often throw out a special star coin (there are 3 in the levels that must be collected to open secret bonus stages) and 1-Up mushrooms. Yes, you can tilt the system to look around in first person mode, but you can also navigate with the circle pad….which is what I mostly did.
Boom-Boom is joined by his all-new female counterpart Pom-Pom, and she likes throwing boomerangs.
Excellent graphics (Wii quality!), music, 3D, gameplay and nostalgia aside….the game is also very challenging and forgiving. Sure, the first few worlds are a breeze, but the gradual difficulty soon catches up to you. Nintendo’s answer is to have a star-powered Tanooki suit become available to you if you’ve died multiple times. This is a much better solution that their recent Super Guide from Galaxy 2 which would allow you to put down the controller and watch the game play itself (what is this Sonic the Hedgehog…oh no he didn’t!!!)
And just to give you a sense of what else is new as I wrap this up….The game includes all-new time adding clocks, Boom-Boom’s female counterpart Pom-Pom, cardboard cutout decoys of enemies and power-ups, and top down levels that really pop the 3D in your eye with each jump! Trust me, its a package brimming with old and new, and much love for the fans and pitch-perfect game design.
OVERALL SCORE:
You can tell that I am incredibly impressed with the game and the overall experience. This is the first entirely original 3D experience on the system that I would consider not only a “must own”, but a system seller. Of course, we’ll need a few more games to justify the console, but this is a fantastic start. If this was here hen the system launched, Nintendo’s fanbase would be singing happier tunes. Simply put…please Nintendo… don’t ever make us endure another system launch without a new Mario adventure ever again!
I give Super Mario 3D Land a “must own” recommendation of 9.6/10
PROS:
-Best use of 3D in a game I have ever seen.
-Charming, filled with Nostalgia.
-Impecable level design, highly addictive.
-Amazing graphics.
-Features the long awaited return of the Tanooki Suit, Air Ship levels and Boom-Boom!
-Accessible to beginners and challenging for experts (if they don’t choose to use the Star-powered Tanooki suit).
-Best reason to own a 3DS.
CONS:
-Boss battles are a bit too uninteresting and easy.
-Early levels are beyond easy, which gives the false impression that things won’t ramp up…and they do!
Here’s a gameplay video to show you what you can expect in the game:
Digg this Blog
Share on Facebook
WatchMojo on Twitter
WatchMojo on YouTube
Add to Favorites
WatchMojo Newsletter
