Once again Mario must traverse many different worlds and save Princess Peach from the evil King Bowser. The red juggernaut returns in a new adventure in Super Mario 3D Land and delivers the joyful experience that is notorious about the franchise. Although the developers attempt to fully utilize the 3DS’s functions in an engaging ways the ultimate experience comes from Mario’s adventure.  

Super Mario 3D Land takes place in a series of beautiful worlds that range from snowy pastures to dusty plains. Each level is diligently detail and resembles stages within older titles while maintaining a new experience. Each world is littered with a series of iconic enemies, special star coins, and power-ups that make great use of the intractable environment and remain loyal to traditional looks. 

The developers also utilize every aspect the 3DSes capabilities. The 3D effect can be used for the entirely of the game, but it is always a option. Also included is the gyroscope function that allows players to control the large binoculars to seek Toads out and unlock hidden delights. The 3D function is definitely well used within this title.

Super Mario 3D Land definitely looks amazing. The various environments throughout 3D Land are bright, colorful, beautiful, and smoothly animated. Each stage is nostalgic to games like Super Mario Galaxy and New Super Mario Bros. giving them that old and new feel that is rare within titles. The 3D effect allows from excellent depth-of-field effect especially during underwater and aerial sections of the game. The look of Super Mario 3D Land is charming and automatic suits the atmospheric allure that is Mario.

As expected from Mario titles you will jump, run, and use power-ups to complete each stage to progress to the next. Within each stage you will follow a specific path that is more focused on time completed that exploration. You will also use an assortment of power-ups that range from old and new favorites return such as the fireflower that, boomerang, propeller box, Tanooki Suit, P-Wing and the White Tanooki Suit. Each power-up grants Mario a set amount of abilities such as the new assist power-ups like the Invincibility Leaf, which appears after 5 deaths, grants Mario the White Tanooki Suit making him impervious to death unless he falls off the stage and the P-Wing, granted after 10 deaths, instantly transports the player to the end of the stage. These assist power-ups are only available if you haven’t beaten the stage or in the challenge levels and are completely optional.

The controls within Mario’s latest adventure attuned for optimum mobility and the difficultly can be tailored to either casual or hardcore gamer. Mario controls and maneuvers with incredible ease due to the 3DS circle pad. Navigating throughout each stage won’t be difficult for Mario veterans, however those seeking a challenge can find one after completing the game. Super Mario 3D land offers an array of challenge stages that mirror the original levels and includes alterations such as time-attack to cosmic Mario chasing you around the level. Together these stages rise the difficultly of the game and can unlock certain surprises such as another talented sibling. There are also three star coins hidden within each level that are sometimes required to unlock stages and move forward. 

Nintendo attempts to encourage players to play around other 3DS owners by implementing certain benefits. Street passes unlock mystery boxes by simply being near other 3DS owners, even if they don’t have the game, which are timed challenge rooms that if completed award the player with power-ups and sometimes star coins. However these options lack the creative nature of the level design and ultimately fall short of anything spectacular. 

The soundtrack and voices of Mario 3D Land is extracting from pervious Mario games. 3D Land holds an assortment of new and old songs from Mario’s lineage and every song and sound was directly relatable to past Mario games, ensuring that the player never forgets the memorable rhythm of Mario.

Super Mario 3D Land is a great addition to Mario’s extended library of titles. Although the 3DS functions fail to deliver anything creative, like the level design, they still function well within the larger game. However Super Mario 3D Land is a game that offers a large amount of content and gets deeper the longer you play it. Super Mario 3D land is engaging experience with well-constructed stages and an accurate control that makes this title an excellent recommendation any 3DS owner.

Adam Siddiqui, NoobFeed
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