The Nintendo 3DS has had a rough first year on the market. Forget about the extreme price drop and low market penetration, and pause for a moment to reflect on the death of good original software on the handheld. Nintendo’s portable has received a couple of great N64 ports, but that’s simply not going to cut it in the face of today’s enormous array of portable options. Thankfully, Super Mario 3D Land has finally arrived and Mario’s latest platformer will put a smile on any gamer’s face.
Younger gamers won’t get the overabundance of references, but Mario 3D Land pulls liberally from fan-favorite NES release, Super Mario Bros. 3. Anyone who has paid even the slightest attention to the game up to this point is already well aware of the return of the Tanooki Suit. Yes, Mario can once again grab Super Leaf power-ups that outfit him with a raccoon suit that extends his platforming capabilities.
Back in Bros. 3, the plumber gained the ability to outright fly and turn into an impenetrable stone version of himself when he collected a Super Leaf – not so this time around. Instead, Mario merely gains the ability to glide through the air after a jump or fall. That might sound like a trivial upgrade, but it’s actually a real game-changer in practice.
Again, Super Mario 3D Land has more in common with Mario’s third numbered adventure than it does modern releases such as Super Mario Galaxy, but EAD Tokyo also sprinkled on a coating of what it learned from developing those Wii platformers. Nintendo came to the realization that the “go anywhere, do anything” Mario games that have been so prevalent since the N64 era have had a polarizing affect on gamers. While many, such as yours truly, absolutely adore them, plenty of others don’t much care for them and yearn for the simpler days of running from one point of a linear level to another.
That’s exactly what players are tasked with doing in 3D Land; however, it’s not quite as simple as it once was. There is a definitive start and finish point in each board, and it is almost always immediately obvious what direction must be moved in to get to the end. Land’s world takes a sort of “go anywhere as long as you’re going in a certain general direction” approach, though. After easing you into the design in the early going, the designers then start throwing some incredibly challenging platforming feats your way in the latter half of the title.
Thus, the floating ability mentioned earlier that is granted by Super Leaves basically becomes an essential ability in a number of circumstances. Flipping, swinging, rotating, bouncing, disappearing, and infinitesimal platforms must be traversed with acute accuracy. EAD Tokyo has done a fantastic job crafting enjoyable stages that will test even veterans of the genre. There is no shortage of intense moments of leaping from ledge to ledge during which that slight extra distance gained via shaking the raccoon tail is the difference between life and death.
The ease of attaining 1Ups and the presence of halfway flags in most levels prevent it from ever getting frustrating, but anyone who plays this game will die – probably often enough to have Nintendo take pity on you and offers up a leaf that turns you into an unstoppable force. Fret not, hardcore chums: picking them up is completely optional.
Just about all of Mario’s foes have access to Super Leaves as well. Boomerang Brothers are back, too, and this time Mario can do a little table-turning of his own by grabbing a Boomerang Flower and winging some back at the game’s various baddies. Power Stars and Fire Flowers are also back, and fireballs now bounce off of walls. There are a few other interesting power-ups in the game, but nothing that stands up to those from Super Mario Bros. 3.
Moving Mario through levels is mostly a joy and jumping feels as smooth and accurate as it always does in these games. Modern moves (OK, so 1996 isn’t exactly modern anymore; but it is in comparison to Mario’s strictly 2D days.) such as the long jump, butt slam and back flip make a return as well. For some inexplicable reason, the designers felt the need to mess around with the controls for that last one. Hitting back simultaneously with the jump button while crouched doesn’t always work right and causes some problems.
On top of that, they failed to put in an option for inverting the axis when peering through telescopes and cannons. This doesn’t come up all that often, but, for anyone who plays inverted, it’s a hassle when it does.
Airships, Tanooki suits, the Koopa Kids, flagpoles, and plenty of classic tunes make this game a celebration of one of Mario’s greatest outings. Inventive new platform types keep the experience fresh and challenging. Its eight worlds can be blown through in a hurry and there are some small control issues, but Super Mario 3D Land is a smart pickup for any 3DS owner.
