Super Mario has had many experiments with 3D, and many of them essentially felt like they weren't even related to the original series. Super Mario 64 had you visiting open-world levels searching for stars. Super Mario Galaxy returned closer to the roots of the series: go from point A to point B and navigate the obstacles. Super Mario 3 D Land, however, feels pretty much exactly like the classic games, except in 3D.
Gone are levels that have a strong sense of location and feel like an explorable mini-world. Personally, I enjoyed those, but this is a different take on the franchise. In their place are levels that simply throw an obstacle course and background scenery at you. Some feel like locations, but others are just plain "levels" and nothing more. It's basically the level design philosophy of the old games.
The auto-camera is perfect. It shows you everything you need to see: what's in front, behind, above, below, and to the sides. The levels are designed with the fixed perspective in mind, and they work great. The levels aren't really meant to be explored, but there's some out of the way surprises here and there, along with the hidden giant star coins to collect. Navigating jumps in 3D works very well with the 3D display, and some levels use the 3D effect very well.
The challenge of Super Mario 3 D Land increases over time. It starts out as what might be a pushover to many, but at the same time, a good introduction to the mechanics of the game and its clever level design. The game is very forgiving at first, giving out power-ups if you die too many times in one level. Nintendo seems to really want people of all skill levels to enjoy the game.
Key phrase: ALL skill levels. Things ramp up in World 8 (although the mercy power-ups remain), but after you beat the game, it's time for the 8 "Special" Worlds. These contain remixed versions of existing levels, harder versions of existing levels with challenge conditions such as a time limit that must be repeatedly replinshed or a shadow clone that mimics your moves exactly and harms upon touch, and there are also some brand-new levels as well. And NO mercy power-ups. While I really like the new levels and many of the remixes, the challenges annoy me and the game overdoes them near the end, in my opinion.
The true 3D successor to the 2D Mario games
Super Mario has had many experiments with 3D, and many of them essentially felt like they weren't even related to the original series. Super Mario 64 had you visiting open-world levels searching for stars. Super Mario Galaxy returned closer to the roots of the series: go from point A to point B and navigate the obstacles. Super Mario 3 D Land, however, feels pretty much exactly like the classic games, except in 3D.
Gone are levels that have a strong sense of location and feel like an explorable mini-world. Personally, I enjoyed those, but this is a different take on the franchise. In their place are levels that simply throw an obstacle course and background scenery at you. Some feel like locations, but others are just plain "levels" and nothing more. It's basically the level design philosophy of the old games.
The auto-camera is perfect. It shows you everything you need to see: what's in front, behind, above, below, and to the sides. The levels are designed with the fixed perspective in mind, and they work great. The levels aren't really meant to be explored, but there's some out of the way surprises here and there, along with the hidden giant star coins to collect. Navigating jumps in 3D works very well with the 3D display, and some levels use the 3D effect very well.
The challenge of Super Mario 3 D Land increases over time. It starts out as what might be a pushover to many, but at the same time, a good introduction to the mechanics of the game and its clever level design. The game is very forgiving at first, giving out power-ups if you die too many times in one level. Nintendo seems to really want people of all skill levels to enjoy the game.
Key phrase: ALL skill levels. Things ramp up in World 8 (although the mercy power-ups remain), but after you beat the game, it's time for the 8 "Special" Worlds. These contain remixed versions of existing levels, harder versions of existing levels with challenge conditions such as a time limit that must be repeatedly replinshed or a shadow clone that mimics your moves exactly and harms upon touch, and there are also some brand-new levels as well. And NO mercy power-ups. While I really like the new levels and many of the remixes, the challenges annoy me and the game overdoes them near the end, in my opinion.
Aside from those flaws, this is a great game.