Super Mario 3D Land

Review from Jae - Wednesday, 14 December 2011 @ 9:05am

Nostalgia is a big thing when it comes to Nintendo games. We all know the common names; Mario, Zelda and Metroid. When it comes to mainstream titles in these series there is always a high expectancy in gaming standards and I'm glad to say Nintendo almost always deliver. Super Mario 3D Land doesn't buck this trend, it takes it to where it needs to go on Nintendo's latest platform.

Now most of us are sceptical of stereoscopic 3D. It's considered gimmicky and a talentless way of extending the current generation of gaming. I find this a false interpretation of a medium that hasn't reached near its potential. SM3L is just the beginning of where this technology can take us. SM3L makes such good use of 3D it could take me hours to explain its mechanics. In a simple scenario imagine you have a bunch of "?" blocks that need hitting but they're in three dimensions. I don't mean 3D with a freely controlled camera angle, I mean in an almost fully fixed camera position. Using stereoscopic 3D you can view the blocks that sit behind each other and even view blocks or secret power ups that are hidden from plain sight. You can really see this effect in a few of the tunnel rooms. The game even gives you a hint to make sure you switch 3D on in order to view all the blocks in sight. It kind of makes me sad for the minority that can't view 3D on the machine, you're missing out on an experience that is fun and rewarding.

Apart from the 3D SM3L uses other features of the 3DS to demonstrate how they work in games. On certain levels you get a periscope which you then hold your 3DS and move it around to move your binocular view in order to see what is coming ahead on the level you're traversing. Its not a key part of the game but rather a complimentary one that gets you using the gyroscope of the system for something other than AR games. SM3L also has streetpass features in which swap data with passer-by players so that you can see how well you complete levels against others. Again it's a complimentary feature rather than a necessity.
We use to think Super Mario 64 was that great transition from 2D to 3D. SM3L takes the nostalgic elements of 2D Mario titles and brings them to life in 3D. Things such as the end of level flag pole jumps, destroying the bridge to drop Bowser in a boss level, bonus levels up in the clouds and the Tanooki suit are all parts of the series we remember and love. Nintendo are hitting that soft spot in all of us with these features and I have to admit it puts a smile on my face to see them return.
Whilst I'm talking about the Tanooki suit expect to use this power up quite frequently in the game, this time though the suit doesn't allow you to fly, rather is lets you flutter in the air after a jump much like Yoshi's abilities in past Mario games. There is a propeller block powerup which allows you to reach higher heights, the staple flower power and a boomerang suit which has you donning a blue shell on Mario's back. I like that Mario doesn't rely on too many powerups it keeps the concept simple and allows the complexity to shine throughout the level design.

With the level design you have to appreciate the diversity and artistic manner in which they're presented to you. You may notice that levels seem a little more compact than you are use to. I'm not sure if this is deliberate seeing that the game is on a portable system but I do like it. It suits me since gaming in short bursts on the go is all I can afford, yet I desire to play a game that doesn't involve flinging birds into pigs or playing with a deck of virtual cards.
If I have to find a fault with the game it's this generation's Nintendo trait of difficulty. I know the idea is to broaden the games' appeal but the level of difficulty in the first 8 worlds is really for babies. I let a friend who hadn't played a 3D Mario game before jump into world 4 and he died a few times in which the game decided to start him with a shiny Tanooki suit. It was like having the suit plus unlimited star power for the entire level. I would prefer if the game gave you a default at the beginning to turn off such aids as they're really not appealing to those of us that have grown up playing Mario for over a decade. I don't want to hark on this, it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the game, it was simply something I could've done without. By world 5 I had almost 100 lives in the bank so that gives you some perspective of the generosity and difficulty of this title. So very different from the Super Mario Sunshine days (that game was so hard on some levels!).

Pros

• Finally a game that puts the 3D into 3DS.
  
• Nostalgia is in it's finest with this game.

Cons

• Easy difficulty level.