Super Mario 3D World Review - Essential for WiiU

Let’s start with exactly what you want to hear: Yes, this game is totally worthy of being called a true 3D console Mario game, and yes, even as a hardcore Mario fan you will find this game challenging. Nintendo EAD have once again proven that their imaginations are only matched by their artistic vision.

That sounds like a lofty claim, but let me try and prove to you it’s all true.

 

To start with, Super Mario 3D World is basically the sequel to the 3DS title Super Mario 3D Land, a game which gave the 3DS a much needed boost when it had a dearth of titles nearer the beginning of its life. But even though 3D World is a sequel to a handheld game, it doesn’t feel like a handheld title at all.

The plot is simple, the Sprixie royalty has been kidnapped by Bowser for nefarious reasons. Reasons are never elaborated upon, but Bowser doesn’t need a reason to be a nuisance. Mario, Luigi, Toad and Peach all follow into the Sprixie kingdom and start reversing Bowser’s evil deeds by, of course, running and jumping through levels, collecting stars and getting to the top of flagpoles. The new power-up this time around is a cute Cat Bell, giving your character a sweet little catsuit, with a scratch attack and the ability to climb walls. This opens up many new areas in levels that in other Mario games you simply wouldn’t consider.

 

 

Everything feels very reminiscent of Super Mario Bros. 3, as did Super Mario 3D Land, and that’s no bad thing, considering it’s often said to be the favorite 2D Mario game. Mario controls much like he did in 3D Land, with many of his jumps, including the Long Jump returning, offering veteran Mario players familiar groundwork to start finding the best way to traverse levels and defeat enemies.

And that, is probably Super Mario 3D World’s one downfall. The enemies. Many Mario favorites return, but too many enemies turn up too often. Bosses are fun to play, but are too few and far between, and often too easy. But luckily, that’s a trend that doesn’t stay for long. Later stages in Super Mario 3D World offer a huge challenge, even to Mario veterans, especially if you go for all the collectible items in a stage. Many are often hidden in locations you would scarce think to look, or hidden in plain sight, with small visual cues letting you know to investigate further. The hunt for collectibles is almost as fun as the creative levels themselves, which rarely repeat ideas, keeping things fresh throughout the game’s Worlds.

 

 

One thing Nintendo has much bragged about Super Mario 3D World is that it is the first 3D Mario platformer with multiplayer, and the multiplayer is great. Players can pop in and out during levels, so if you’re playing and someone wants to join they can do so at any point. The game’s four characters each have their own abilities, and happily, you can randomize which character you use at the beginning of each stage, or choose for yourself. This allows the chance to really experiment with each of the characters different abilities, such as Luigi’s higher jump, Peach’s mid-air hover, and Toad’s faster running speed. Every stage feels great to player singleplayer, and replaying stages with friends feels fresh every time and is incredibly fun. This is Nintendo genius in its purest form.

 

 

Graphically, Super Mario 3D World is one of the best looking games on Wii U. Textures are surprisingly detailed, and the entire world has tiny details which are barely noticeable at first glance. Enemies do appear quite lively, stages are some of the most colorful I have seen in any game, and that is high praise indeed. Running at a constant 60FPS 1080p, even with four players on screen, each with their own clones. Wii U proves that Nintendo’s artistic stylized worlds can be good enough, graphically, to compete in this new console generation, even with a significantly weaker console.

The music playing throughout the game is of some of the highest quality you will hear in any Nintendo game. From retro remixes to brand new tunes, everything feels as creative and colorful as the game itself. Many tunes are jazz-inspired and are immediately catchy. I found myself humming tunes after playing levels, and even standing still in the overworld to enjoy some addictive beats in select areas. Everything about Super Mario 3D World is something you want to really absorb and embrace.

 

 

I can’t stress this enough, whether you’re a Mario newbie or veteran, it doesn’t matter, Super Mario 3D World has enough diversity and creativity to keep long-time fans happy as well as complete newcomers. Early stages feel easy, but are pretty and creative enough to hold your attention, whilst later stages had me wasting in excess of 20 lives whilst trying to grasp all collectibles in a stage. That, combined with expansive post-game surprises will keep the pros satisfied.

The key here is fun. Nintendo has delivered a game which is all about adventure. If I could even begin to describe how much I was smiling, even whilst repeatedly dying, I would. All I can really say is that if you are a fan of games, then this is absolutely worth your time.