37| Super Mario 3D Land

Released: November 13th, 2011

Available On: Nintendo 3DS

Super Mario 3D Land is the best Mario game I have ever played. I realize that this isn't a popular opinion, as most prefer Super Mario 3D World. To many that was a game that took the good things about Super Mario 3D Land, but expanded upon it. While I agree with that to an extent, I still feel that Super Mario 3D Land is the better game. Solely due to the fact that I feel that the level design is much tighter as, as well as the stages being much more inviting to come back to.

The best way to explain Super Mario 3D Land is that it is the most accurate interpretation of the traditional 2D Mario games in a three dimensional space. While Super Mario 64 was a great game, it wasn't really that "Marioy". For starters, rather than following a set path with a clear end, for the most part Super Mario 64 was open ended with multiple ways to complete each stage. While the level design was great, going through them focused a little too much on the running aspect of platformers than the jumping aspect. Being that Nintendo likes to reinvent the wheel with many of their franchises, they made sure that Mario is no exception. Every debut 3D console Mario changes the formula significantly. Super Mario 64 practically invented the genre. Super Mario Sunshine added a unique water gimmick. Super Mario Galaxy rewrote 3D level design and heavily incorporated gravity in the mix. People were obviously speculating of what Nintendo would do for their next console based Mario game. It turns out that Nintendo would surprise fans twice over. The first thing is that the next big Mario game wouldn't be on the big screen, but on the small one. It would be exclusive to Nintendo's, then new, handheld the Nintendo 3DS. The second is that it is a game that reinvented the wheel by taking the game back to its roots.

While the game is certainly three dimensional both in gameplay and in visual effects, it heavily emulates the traditional 2D Mario gameplay. Each level clearly has a set path the player has to follow. While the levels certainly aren't as linear as say Crash Bandicoot, they certainly aren't open ended. The player follows a set path as they hop on platforms, jump on enemies, and collect coins and power ups. To accompany the throwback even more, the powerups are done in a "suit system" just like the 2D games. Mario physically grows when he collects a powerup as he practically doubles in size. Even the classic draining sounds accompanies him whenever he gains or loses a power up. Mario keeps running along the area until he gets to the end goal, which is a flagpole. Mario jumps as high as he can trying to reach the top of the flagpole to finish the level. The game is exactly what people have theorized for years of what an alternative 3D Mario could be like.

To blur the lines between 2D and 3D style gameplay even more, the game is played in an pseudo overhead/isometric perspective, much like many Game Boy Advanced games. This gives a lot of advantage to the player as the perspective is clearly defined, which is enhanced even more by the 3D effect put out by the system. It also conveniently shrinks the models and textures, having the game's graphics looks notably cleaner. The game is colorful and is easy on the eyes, but doesn't take a daring art style so that everything is easy to spot out.

What makes this game stand on top of the other games in the series are the levels. They are very well designed and varied. While the game has the token haunted mansion levels, lava levels, underwater levels, and what not, it also has added many new types of stages to the mix. Most notably, to me, are the "beam stages" where Mario hops on various beams like a trampoline to scale the territory. Each of these levels are finely crafted and tuned with the trademark Nintendo polish. To add on to that, they are also fairly short as they can each be completed in only a few minutes. This leads to a lot of replayability. What's more is that the game is on a handheld which complements the short burst playstyle very well.

That said, there are a few things that Nintendo has kept from the Super Mario 64 formula. First is that while each level can only be completed by reaching the end goal, there are still stars hidden around the each level that the player can collect. The more stars the player has, the more levels they can open up. To add on to that Mario still has most of his trademark moves from Super Mario 64, including the back flip, the skip, and the butt pound. In a way, this makes the game feel like a "best of both worlds" situation.

Two years later Nintendo released a direct sequel called Super Mario 3D World. It was pretty much the same exact game with prettier graphics, multiple characters, online features, and a multiplayer component. While the game is also very good and the new features are welcomed, I feel that the level design is lacking compared to the original. The levels are either too difficult for their own good or are too easy. Checkpoints are either too close together or are too far apart. And the pacing in just isn't as tight as it was in 3D Land. So while I feel that 3D World is a great game, it is notably less in quality compared to 3D Land.

No matter how you look at it, the Super Mario series is the most important franchise in gaming. It has been dominate for over thirty years as one of the top selling gaming brands in the world. This is large due to the appealing and quality gameplay, as well as a bit of a nostalgia. I realize that many will harshly disagree with my choice and state that 3D World is the superior title. I realize that many more currently have their heads spinning that none of the Galaxy games will be on my list. But to me, I feel that 3D Land is the best Mario game out there to date.

I'd put 3D Land ahead of World, which sacrificed too much for the sake of being a multiplayer game.  Also not too fond of SMG2, but the original Galaxy trumps 3D Land as far as I'm concerned.  Galaxy was in a way also a step back to the 2D Mario games of old, where there was a clear parcours to be cleared in many of its levels, while still leaving the door open for some larger area's à la Mario 64 and Sunshine.

I enjoyed 3D land a lot as its simple concept and clean visuals allowed it to be more challenging in area's, but after the visual splendour of the galaxy games, I felt that 3D land fell a bit flat.  There was a lot of joy to be derived from just moving Mario through these levels, but it was lacking in spectacle.

On a side note, there's no game that does movement like Mario does.  Just controlling Mario is fun in a way that no other game is.  Best times I had with Sunshine was when I was just mucking about in the levels.