| Pros: | Cons: |
| Amazing 3D Graphics | Too many over-used and re-used songs |
| Fun, energetic soundtrack and sounds | More content and challenge would be nice |
| Perfect blend of 2D and 3D gameplay | Some minor issues (bosses, controls, variety) |
| Fun new enemies and suits | |
There is no longer an excuse to not have a 3DS. If you don’t own a 3DS then you must buy one now without any question. My highest rated game on the site is Ocarina of Time 3D which received a 9.8, and I’ll tell you now that Super Mario 3D Land did not quite beat that score, but what it is however, is the best original 3DS game so far. I could go on forever about how good it is, but in the interest of playing Skyward Sword which came out the same day I wrote this, I’m going to keep it short.
The game’s graphics have flawless detail and camera work on them that always frames the action quite impressively. Mario looks as good as he does in Galaxy and there is tons of varying character models. The game loses something in 2D however, and I recommend play it in 3D, or not at all. The 3D mode makes the brilliant, vibrant worlds come to life like never before and makes gameplay much easier. Even after a week of playing, the 3D effects are my favorite part of the game, tied with the gameplay itself. This is by far the best looking 3DS game, and the best 3D in any video game to date.
The sound effects in the game work well and range from coin chimes to Mario jumping. Every song in the game is well done and sounds great especially the extra amazing Main Theme from the game and its trailers. My only problem with the sound is that the main theme is used in too many stages, and that many songs are altered versions of songs from Super Mario Galaxy making them seem too familiar. Besides this the audio is superb.
Whereas the game appears in 3D, the gameplay truly is a flashback to the 2D glory days. In this regard, I’d like to state that the gameplay here is better than the 2D games thanks to the 3D influence it received. Tons of new ideas are present in this adventure including new enemies and new (reinvented) suits such as the Boomerang Suit which allows Mario to throw boomerangs, and the Tanooki Suit, which should require zero introduction. The gameplay here is outstanding, the only issues I faced was the lack of difficulty in worlds 1-8 in which only world 8 was slightly challenging. I also found the bosses with the exception of Bowser to be easy and unvaried. Finally whereas the controls worked well, I found Mario’s new rolling move to be awkward to use.
With only eight worlds, Super Mario 3D Land doesn’t appear to have much to offer. And based on the first eight worlds you’re not going to have too much content. Thankfully, the game packages in another 8 worlds after the first eight. The only problem with these is the fact that they are similar to the first 8, just with more challenge. They are a nice addition, but the adventure is still a bit lacking on content overall. However, if you wish to unlock the final level, you’ll need plenty of time and patience to do so, you must beat every stage as Mario and Luigi, collect every star coin, beat Bowser, and get every gold flag at the end of every stage. This will take you a while.
Super Mario 3D Land is definitely not the best Mario game ever, perhaps not even close. But what it is, is an outstanding 3D adventure that is not only the best 3DS game to date (and maybe will always be), but it is also my new favorite handheld game of all time. With amazing gameplay, and outstanding 3D graphics this adventure is not to be missed. And if you’re worried about being bogged down by another boring Mario story, don’t worry as this game has approx. a total of 60 seconds story value overall between cut-scenes and 3D pictures presented to the player. If you do get Super Mario 3D Land, then I have one word for you: Enjoy!
| Graphics: Superb 3D effects, amazing camera, frame rate, detail, colorful world 10.0 |
| Audio: Great tracks and sounds, main theme is over-used, too many re-used themes 9.5 |
| Gameplay: Perfect blend of 2D and 3D gameplay with fun suits, enemies, and worlds 10.0 |
| Gameplay Amount: Only eight worlds but double that content overall 9.5 |
| Overall: The best 3DS game so far, the best handheld game ever, one of Mario’s best 9.5 |
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