| Platform | OVERALL |
|---|---|
| Nintendo 3DS | 9.00 |
| Overall | 9.00 |
|
Super Mario 3D Land is the closest hybrid between 2D Mario and 3D Mario we have ever seen. The level design and structures resemble the 2D levels while Mario's movements and skills are taken from the 3D games. Borrow some of the best elements from Galaxy, mix it all up and you have yourself the best handheld Mario title of all time. 3D Land starts off very easy but don't let the laughable difficulty sway you. This game is pretty massive and will reach a point where your platforming skills will properly be tested. The first time you play through the game, 40+ levels, it is a fun romp but it is missing the challenge. Afterwards you unlock what is basically a remixed hard mode where you replay all the levels again but this time they are arranged differently to make it much more challenging. You play the levels in a brand new order so it doesn't feel like you are just playing the game again. In total there are over 80 levels with many secrets to find so in terms of content the game is stacked. Mario as always controls like a dream and everything feels right about the mix of 3D with more 2D like levels. Gone are large open areas, instead it is mostly small paths that have some width to it to allow you to run around a 3D space. The game is at its best when you are going from side to side to in and out to diagonally into a level. The game plays with perspectives beautifully which gets enhanced with the amazing 3D effects. Level design is where I had my issues as you get a taste of Galaxy like levels but this game never reaches the highs of the Galaxy games. Neither is it as well crafted as the best 2D Mario's of days old. Too many levels are simple concepts that don't impress. The many powerups as always are fun but I found them to be unbalanced or something, as if you used them more as an aid than a gameplay mechanic. Yes I know a powerup by definition should be an aid but since SMB3 the powerups have been used in ingenious ways and outside a few hidden coins that require a powerup they never shine in the way powerups do in Galaxy. It may not be the best Mario adventure but it is a damn great one and again definitely the best on handhelds. This game is a showcase for the 3DS as the game makes the most out of the 3D effects. No it does not effect gameplay, it never will, it just looks damn cool. There are some great new music tracks and of course a mix of oldies. This was the best game the 3DS had to offer (RE has that honor now) and like clockwork another gem by Nintendo. |
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Posted by Dvader Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:17:39
Recently Spotted:
*crickets*
Each eye takes a 2D ' picture' of the 3D world, but because each eye sees the same object from a slightly different vantage points, each picture is slightly out of phase with each other.
So we have two 2D pictures which are shifted from each other and our brain combines these images into a single 3D image.
This depth cue is called stereopsis
The 3DS gives you two 2D images that are shifted from each other that are combined in your brain to create a 3D image. It is the exact same procedure. And it allows you to see and judge depth.
The 3DS is missing some 3D cues, like accommodation and convergence, but the stereopsis does provide you with an extra and effective depth cue you would not have otherwise.
And there are definitely some green stars floating in mid air in Galaxy 2 that would have been much easier to get with better depth perception.
Also all the other points you made about changing the view points and manipulating objects are shit. We are talking about seeing 3D, not touching and manipulating objects.
I dont see much benefit and that alone does not add anything meaningful to gameplay. There is no way that this effect can really change gameplay, I am open to your ideas though.
Tell me why does no 3D platformer has a level where you jump from one tiny enemy to another in mid air, like the sky level with those red flying beetle things you see in SMB3 and NSMBWii? Because you have no way of judging depth. All the other depth cues you have are worthless in mid air.