Super Mario 3D Land - Nintendo 3DS Game Review

As a Nintendo 3DS owner I feel like my money has been spent on the future rather than the present. The majority of games that made me excited for the 3DS have either been held back by Nintendo or set back for later release dates. Kid Icarus Uprising is the main reason I chose to purchase the latest Nintendo Handheld, however with that pushed back to somewhere in early 2012 hopefully, my choices have been few and far between. Mario is the mascot of Nintendo and always provides fans with great games from every genre, I was extremely thrilled when Super Mario 3D Land was announced, as well as Mario Kart 7. As we look forward to some of the big titles that will be hitting the 3DS I finally start to feel like this was a good investment and 3D Land is definitely the way to kick things off.

What you notice from the beginning of 3D Land, is that this is the first game truly made for this system and it's 3D effects. Playing in 3D actually makes the game less frustrating and allows you to choose if the effects pop in or out of your screen. The games I have played for the system so far have only felt like they have used "depth" as a way of showing off the 3D gimmick, but in 3D Land gameplay is integrated with the 3D effect making for a much better 3D experience.

There are sections in the game when a 3D symbol is actually alerting the player to turn on the 3D because these sections of the game require 3D to be able to complete some of the tough platforming stages that haunt players later in the game. The developers have managed to create a platforming experience matched by no other, because rather than using 3D as a gimmick like all other games on the 3DS, 3D Land implements new mechanics that make the player rely on the 3D effects to complete some of the more challenging sections of the game and this is exactly what I wanted to get out of my gaming experience when I purchased a Nintendo 3DS. Seeing Mario bounce out of the screen after jumping on a mushroom or dropping down to a lower level truly feels like more than just a sense of depth.

The game does start off fairly simple, mixing together the best of the classic 2d era with some of the ore modern aspects of games like Super Mario Galaxy. While the game starts off easy, it always remains enjoyable and never allows the player to feel like the game is a simple walkthrough, the enjoyment each of the wonderfully crafted and beautifully designed levels bring is one of the highlights of 3D Land. For any gamers like myself who enjoy a challenge, just hold on until World 8, that's when you can expect a tough challenge.

From World 8 onwards new mechanics are introduced which change the gameplay and test the ability of the player much more than the beginning 7 do combined. The medal collectors out there are in for a rough ride, it can be quite a tough task locating them all in each level but this is not a bad thing, rather than frustrate the player it tends to just make you more addicted and keeps you playing for longer.

One thing I was really impressed with was the level design. Each world seems like it was created by a different team, because each is unique and wonderful in it's own way. These memorable levels rival even the classic Super Mario games and you can see they took allot of inspiration from Super Mario Galaxy 2, one of the more recent games in the franchise that fans have adored for many of the same reasons.

If you take the time to explore each area carefully you can expect to find a ton of hidden gems just like in previous Mario games. The game also forces players to plow forward with the time limit attached to each level, this can be extended by gathering clocks scattered throughout the levels but just having this time limit forces players to jump before thinking in many cases, creating a much more fast paced and well rounded platformer.

There are a number of power-ups to gain in the game which are integrated with the gameplay to create tougher challenges and obstacles. These power-ups are fun to use and each has it's own unique advantages. The Tanooki Tale allows the player to float, just as you could with Yoshi in Super Mario World 2. The Boomerang Suit allows Mario to toss a Boomerang at an enemy. My only criticism is that with the Tanooki tale the game is much easier, basically it allows you to float and gives you just enough time to recover from a jump that is in the wrong direction, or leading to certain death. The Boomerang can become quite useful because if you manage to hit the angle just right, you can attack flying foes that trouble your path ahead. On the other hand the game manages to balance itself out by making you loose any of these abilitys if you get hit just once by an enemy, this makes each suit a treasure you won't want to let go of, especially in the later levels which can be some of the hardest stages in any Mario game.

I have mentioned the Super Mario Galaxy series quite a few times in this review and that is just because this game is simply a scaled down version of a Galaxy game. By scaled down I mean the levels aren't as open as a Galaxy game, they are more like a classic 2D Mario stage with 3D elements from Galaxy implemented into the game to make the world feel bigger than it actually is. Each of the worlds are stunning and definitely provide some of the best graphics we have seen on the Nintendo 3DS to date. Bright vibrant colerfull creatures and objects burst out in beautiful 3D which has never looked this good before. The little touches make the difference here, so many other games have gotten away with simply being in 3D, Mario is in 3D but at the same time it looks great and this is the difference. This game has set a high standard for 3DS games to match in the years to come.

If you are a Nintendo 3DS owner like myself and haven't gotten everything you expected so far, please don't panic just yet. Super Mario 3D Land is the beginning of great things to come for this little handheld console and things can only get better. 3D Land contains a beautiful world with some well designed stages that will test even the best platformers out there. It is the best game so far and it shows just what is capable with the 3DS. If you like platformers, or just want something fun and charming to buy this holiday season then Super Mario 3D Land is just what you are looking for.

3D Land is the start of great things to come 9/10








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