DISCLAIMERS:
- the game was played on the Wii U using the version of the game intended for United States audiences
One year after the launch of the Wii U, Nintendo finally released the console’s first (and only) 3D Mario game, Super Mario 3D World. The game shares a lot of similarities with the 2011 Super Mario 3D Land on the 3DS, with both games sharing the same 2D Mario turned 3D style. The game fits into the linear 3D Mario series with the Super Mario Galaxy games. This review will judge the game on its own merits.
[spacer height=”20px”]
The majority of the game is played with a selection of characters and up to four people. All of the characters control similarly enough to make any stage fully completable with them. Every character can walk, jog, eventually run, long jump, ground pound, wall jump, pick up objects, use power ups, and do many other standard 3D Mario moves, with the most obvious omission being the dive from Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. The relatively abstract levels compared to most 3D Mario games makes this 3D Mario one of the most content filled released at that point. This game’s gimmicks, like the transparent pipes that are filled with collectables and enemies and allow the player to change directions at intersections, the cherry power-up that spawns a copy of the player that picks up the power-up that is controlled using the same inputs as the main player, the cat power-up that allows the player to climb up walls and dive in the air, and many other gimmicks, are all well executed, if somewhat lacking in terms of meeting their full potential due to no levels requiring players to have certain power-ups. The levels are all well designed, with no levels that stand out for their lack in quality. A few levels require the use of the Wii U GamePad though, which might be an annoyance for some players. Thankfully, or possibly not thankfully for some, the Wii U GamePad never introduces any particularly complex mechanics during the few levels that it is present. The Wii U GamePad is also required to complete the various Captain Toad levels. In these levels players control Captain Toad and a 3D camera as Captain Toad attempts to reach certain places in a 3D diorama without being able to jump. This provides a nice break from the rest of the game, though the small amount of these levels never allows this concept to grow as much as it could. Players who are interested in more of these Captain Toad levels should look towards Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker that released a year later on Wii U and again four years after its original Wii U release on Nintendo Switch and 3DS. These Captain Toad levels and the rest of the levels in the game are visited through the 3D overworld in this game. This overworld features many secrets and different paths that are worth finding. The overworld is also split up into various worlds like in Super Mario Bros. 3. Traveling through these worlds is never frustrating despite the somewhat slow speed that the player moves at. Players can also teleport between worlds using the menu. There is also a secret twist on a retro game hidden somewhere in the game that is a fun distraction. The gameplay of Super Mario 3D World is overall well made and designed, if a little shallow in some places.
[spacer height=”20px”]
The multiplayer in this game is arguably the greatest multiplayer Mario platforming game ever creates. There are still many struggles with the camera following up to 4 players, but this is the best implementation of a camera that follows 4 players in a 3D space so far. Every player plays as one of the choices from the single-player mode, though only one player can use each character. Power-ups blocks give as many power-ups at there are players and also use the same rules for which power-up they give as in single-player, which can add an extra layer of strategy to get every player the best power-up. Players can also come back in bubbles with no power-ups if they die and at least one other player is still alive. Not every interaction has to be friendly in this game mode, though. Players can also pick up other players and throw them, which can be used to kill players or put them in uncomfortable positions. The highest scoring player at the end of every round gets a glowing crown that they wear during the next level. This makes the score more relevant than it has been in arguably any Mario game to this point. This crown can also be lost if the holder gets hurt while wearing the crown, allowing other players to pick up the crown off the floor, adding an extra layer of competition. Overall Super Mario 3D World is arguably the best 3D platformer released to that point.
[spacer height=”20px”]
To fully complete the game like the author has, the player will need to achieve much more than just beat every level and make the credits roll. Players will need to collect the sometimes particularly well hidden stamps and multiple green stars in every level. Collecting the green stars unlocks more levels with more green stars to collect until the game finally runs out of levels. The player will also have to reach the top of the flag pole in every level and beat every level with every character if they want to completely finish the game. Although the reward for going all the way is not particularly worth it, especially with stamps that were used to add images to Miiverse posts being mostly useless with Miiverse shutting down as of November 8, 2017, doing everything is still a fun experience.
[spacer height=”20px”]
Super Mario 3D World is extremely impressive technically. The game runs at a high resolution and a solid 60 FPS as far as the author could tell, even with multiple characters on screen. The various lighting and visual effects impress too. The only glaring issue is the pop-in that visible in essentially
only one level because of how the camera is placed. The environments are also rather repetitive, with the game seeming to be made out of building blocks in many areas, though this compromise is likely what allowed the game to have so much content. Overall Super Mario 3D World is one of the most impressive Wii U games visually.
[spacer height=”20px”]
Super Mario 3D World is also extremely well-made in terms of sound. The sound effects fit in perfectly with the Mario universe and the voice acting still sounds like how Mario characters have always sounded. The music, while it may never become as iconic as the music in some other Mario games, especially as not all songs are full original, is all well-made and none of it becomes annoying to hear even after fully completing the game. Super Mario 3D World meets the quality standard of Mario games in terms of sound.
[spacer height=”20px”]
There is basically nothing to discuss in terms of plot or development of the Mario universe in this game. It is has the same story as every other Mario game, though there is a small twist towards the ending of the main game that this review won’t spoil.
[spacer height=”20px”]
As a whole Super Mario 3D World is very much worth paying full price for. While it may not have quite as much content as something like an open world role-playing game, the game still has an extremely large amount of unique content to experience with very little fluff in-between.
[spacer height=”20px”]
Overall the reviewer would give the game a 9.5 out of 10.
[spacer height=”20px”]
If you decide to purchase this game through one of the links below this blog will receive a commission.
[spacer height=”20px”]
