Super Mario 3D Land Review

6/10

Nintendo has a history of being up and down and... up and... down, but they tend to bring pretty good games regardless of what time they do it, however, there was a time where there really wasn't much going on for them and it's weird because I am talking about the time they released the Nintendo 3DS. The Nintendo 3DS had quite a weird release, releasing for 250$ and honestly with not a lot on their catalogue, and what it was wasn't too impressive, but it was enough to showcase what the 3DS was capable of, specially with their brand new 3D feature, which as time went on, this feature didn't feel that "unique" and it wasn't too utilized through the years of the 3DS times. You combine all these events and you kinda just get this game!

This is a game that tends to be a lot of people's favourite despite agreeing that is really not one of the series best, but I can't deny the game is a decent time

It sticks to the more linear design that Galaxy had and it does have a few differences from earlier games by its linearity. The game also looks what someone would expect for a Mario game, and it does share similarities in the geometry other games established on the series; it does actually feel like the mushroom kingdom. Usually games released at this time were the New Super Mario Bros. series, and having a similar style as them makes this game cohesive to them, and it does feel a New Super Mario Bros. game but with a 3D perspective.

This game is an example for showcasing the console's power and potential, and it does have some of the best 3DS 3D usage on the system (not a very high bar), and I love when console enhance the experience with their new features and quirkiness, Mario is a series that consistently does this very well.

However, I really do think this game suffers problems that this era of Nintendo was having, it feels very "safe", very ok, but nothing that stands out between other entries, specially 3D ones. Despite being a game that knows what it's doing very well, it does not try to go a step forward and that's probably my biggest problem with Super Mario 3D Land. We all know this game is great, but we also know it isn't something that will blow us up, which makes the whole experience feel kinda unexciting.

I am also not really the biggest fan of the power-ups for this game, you have your usual Super Mushroom and Fire Flower, but coming back and the first time in a 3D game is the Tanooki Leaf, which was brought back for other games like Mario Kart 7 and New Super Mario Bros. 2, and it does allow for very cool and smooth mobility with Mario while providing a bit of horizontal reach for defeating enemies, is a bit of an all-around power-up, but I do wish they used another power-up, there is room for creativity and there wasn't a lot of need to bring the Tanooki Leaf back, it kinda makes it so there is no unique power-up in a series that usually does... This one is no exception with the Boomerang Flower, but it felt a bit like a nothing-burger and kinda feels a bit too similar to the Fire Flower in practise despite being more interesting to attack with it, but other than that, both of these are nothing too special.

What it's special is honestly the levels themselves, these are pretty good ones and surprisingly distinctive, you may take a bit to rember a few levels here and there but most of them feel like their own thing, usually a common problem with Mario as a series is distinction and they managed to make levels that feel very solid, fun and weirdly enough it has more exploration than you may think despite being a linear game and less open in the enviroments of it.

I do wish the Special Worlds had more oomph to them, it feels like a collection of challenges or tweeked levels you already played, these are optional so it isn't the worst thing ever, but they definitely could have had more to them and make them stand out but sometimes Mario feels like that.

Usually Mario games have things that stand out but this one, and it is a bit of a shame that it is way. Super Mario 3D Land just feels like a game that's not particularly bad but it doesn't feel like that good of an experience, kinda just that Mario game where you will get fun and that fun is good but nothing really that gets you thinking about this game for a long time.

It paces things well, the bosses are... bosses, it has fun ideas, the movement with Mario is really good, but it doesn't try to get that "oomph" that you may look for.

Still! Pretty fun!