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Cartridge: Super Mario 3D Land

Started by pikarceus
(2012-05-29 18:02:17)

pikarceus (2012-05-29 18:02:17)

A bringing together of the old and new.

Nintendo has always been able to keep its Mario titles fresh and exciting, if not always original. Super Mario 3D Land has very little originality, the entire game leans heavily on past adventures, but so many elements from so many Mario games are cobbled together in a never before seen way that will enthrall the player.

The goal in Super Mario 3D Land is the same as most Mario games. Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser, and you have to rescue her. But Mario has taken a break from exploring the galaxy, he is returning to his roots in the Mushroom Kingdom.

My first impression on this game is how similarly it plays to past games. It feels like New Super Mario bros on a 3D plane with some Galaxy elements tossed in. Mario can crouch, long jump, triple jump, wall jump, almost everything he could ever do is here. Mario no longer has a pie chart health bar, instead he now starts at Super Mario size, and a hit will shrink him down and leave him hatless. This is a 3D game, so there is a fair amount of exploring to be at hand, but it is no longer as expansive as past 3D Mario adventures. Levels are linear, it is very difficult to get lost, and some levels have the camera change to make it seem on a 2D plane. All of Mario's enemies are here, Goombas, Koopas, Bullet Bills, and Bowser himself. They even have a new twist, some now have Tanooki Tails sprouting out of their behinds, which allow them to swipe at you, making them twice as dangerous. Bowser even has one himself. And Mario too! The Tanooki Tail power-up plays a key role in this game, you can hit enemies and blocks with it, and go into something of a jumping hover, which greatly helps in the more difficult platforming sections. There are other power-ups, like the boomerang, and the Fire Flower which returns, but none are as essential to the gameplay as the Tanooki Tail. The game is also chock full of hidden areas, and easter eggs, dedicated fans will have a lot of fun with this. Super Mario 3D Land also uses StreetPass to exchange mystery boxes, which can contain power-ups, coins, and Comet Medals. The game even uses the gyro sensor in some parts, such as aiming Mario when he is in a cannon, or it is used when looking through binoculars. These don't add a huge amount to the game, but are nice touches.

Graphically Super Mario 3D Land looks on par with New Super Mario Bros Wii, but lacking the sheer detail of the Galaxy games. In some minor parts of the game, it successfully apes Galaxy's graphics, but as a whole it just doesn't look quite as good. The vibrant colors are amazing on the eyes though. The 3D effect is revolutionary, it actually affects gameplay. In some areas, you have to leap blocks to get Comet Medals. In 2D mode you can't judge the distance correctly and will fail. Turn on the 3D, and suddenly the positions of the blocks become much more clear. The 3D not only affects the gameplay, it drags you into the world of Mario and immerses you in the game.

The sound? Past Mario games. That's really all I have to say. Your ears will be bombarded with tunes and sound effects you have nearly forgotten, or ones that are still fresh in your head. Some sound tracks have been untouched, others have been completely revamped. But it all sounds great, along with the few new sounds Nintendo threw in there, including an excellent homage to another big franchise.

The content in this game has sparked a good amount of controversy. I can say that it isn't the amount of content that is at fault, it is the difficulty of the main part of the game and the length of the levels that is the problem. Until the end of World 8, you will be skipping through this game. I haven't gotten a single game over, in past Mario games I would get dozens. The game gets harder though, once you beat World 8, the content is doubled, and new challenges await that you will no longer completely breeze through. Super Mario 3D Land isn't short by any means, it just doesn't live up to the vast adventure of the last entry in the series.

In conclusion, Super Mario 3D Land represents almost everything that is good in Mario and what he represents. Nearly half the game is an effortless cakewalk, but you are rewarded with a truly incredibly final boss fight that tops all the ones that came before it. The graphics may not be detailed, but they will easily pull you in, and the sound is brimming with nostalgia along with a mind boggling mix of 2D and 3D gameplay. Super Mario 3D Land may not set new standards for the franchise, nor is it the most memorable Mario game out there, but it is still a game you want to experience.

Overall: 8.5/10