You should note, however, that Mario enthusiasts will most likely be left wanting more rather quickly. Super Mario 3D Land is a rip-roaring success, and will no doubt fuel hundreds of thousands of 3DS purchases this Christmas. Levels are also timed, similar to the very first Mario title - although it's easy to forget this since you'll rarely even come close to running out of time, even when you go hunting for those last few Star Coins in each level. Goombas, Whomps, Chain Chomps, secret warp zones, flagpoles at the end of each level - it's all been built to accommodate both new players and Mario veterans. The tail isn't the only blast from the past, as 3D Land is packed with nostalgia-inducing material. It adds a dimension to Mario's handling, making this Super Mario 3D Land feel palpably different from a lot of previous Mario titles. You'll find that the power-up is available during pretty much every level, and you'll use it often. The Tanooki tail power-up features heavily in 3D Land, allowing Mario to hover slowly downwards and bounce to greater heights that he usually can. Hopefully, more games will pick up on this feature, as it genuinely could make the console more accessible to more gamers. Pressing up and down on the D-pad allows you to choose the type of 3D you want - the effect can go 'into' the screen or come 'out' of it. The stereoscopic 3D is used to great effect, too, with special 'Mystery Box' levels that purposely mess with your mind and place platforms in such a way that you can't tell which are in front and which are behind Mario.įor those people who find the 3D effects nauseating, Nintendo has found a solution. The game looks fantastic, with graphics that are on a par with Mario Sunshine. Levels are usually linear in their layout, with worlds hovering above falls into oblivion and featuring a variety of classic Mario enemies scattered about.
It offers gameplay that's a mix of New Super Mario Bros, Mario Galaxy, and hints of other past titles. Super Mario 3D Land won't surprise you very often. But it's nice to know that you're finally getting that quality, original 3DS title that you've been waiting for. If you've already bought a Nintendo 3DS, you don't really need to read this review - you were always going to buy Mario anyway. But it's still an absolute delight, with ideas taken from past titles in the franchise, merged together with some excellent stereoscopic 3D concepts.
It may not be the best handheld Mario game. Super Mario 3D Land is not the best Mario game ever. In fact, it's even more disappointing that we've had to wait eight months for a true Nintendo classic to pop up on the system.Īnd here it is, in the form of the world's favourite plucky red plumber and his Goomba-bashing, fire-flowering, flagpole-jumping antics. It was disappointing when the Nintendo 3DS didn't launch with a truly killer title to play on it.