Video Game Review: ‘Super Mario 3D Land’ is Best Nintendo 3DS Title

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CHICAGO – Nintendo has arguably received more negative press than at any other time in their existence regarding the lack of must-own titles for their newest product, the Nintendo 3DS. Why upgrade to 3D if there are no games that demand it? Every single console has been driven by the software available for it. You got an Xbox because you HAD to play “Gears of War.” Your friends who played “Uncharted” guilted you into a PS3. Will “Super Mario 3D Land” finally be THE title for the Nintendo 3DS? Yes and no.

The first thing one notices about it is that “Super Mario 3D Land” is a surprisingly nostalgic title, something that will play most effectively to those of us who have been loyal to the legend of Mario saving the Princess from Bowser for decades. It reminded me of those early days of the original “Super Mario Bros.” much more than I expected. So many of the elements that have worked about this franchise for decades (I know, I feel old too) are at the core of what works about this one.

Super Mario 3D Land
Photo credit: Nintendo

At the same time, this is the FIRST Nintendo 3DS title in which it doesn’t just feel like the 3D is being used a gimmick. It’s an essential part of the gameplay. You can turn it off (as you can with all Nintendo 3DS games) but you’ll be totally screwed, as much of the platforming requires the depth of field provided by the 3D. In many ways, the hybrid of old-fashioned gameplay on a next-gen device is the game’s greatest accomplishment. It’s as if Nintendo is making it clear to people potentially turned off by the 3D that what they should expect from this system is not that radically different from what they know and love, just the next logical step forward.

Super Mario 3D Land Photo credit: Nintendo

The structure of “Super Mario 3D Land” is incredibly simple and will be instantly familiar to anyone who’s played previous “Mario” games, especially fans of the original Nintendo franchise. Bouncing off Goombas, hitting blocks, even levels with ghosts who freeze when you look at them — I was constantly reminded of my youth, days spent not just playing the first three “Super Mario Bros.” games but dreaming about them. It’s as if the developers went back to the original concepts for Mario and asked themselves, “Where can we add depth to the platforming?” The worlds aren’t nearly as vast or well-designed as the brilliant Nintendo Wii “Super Mario Galaxy” games but no one should expect that on a handheld. They feel like traditional “Mario” levels pulled at the edges, which makes for some interesting gameplay dynamics.

Remember the giant bullets that gave you fits in the original games? Imagine them coming right at the screen instead of side to side. Remember the flowers that would pop up out of the green pipes and ruin your day? Picture them spitting at your screen and blocking it with dirt. The developers of “Super Mario 3D Land” could have really over-emphasized the 3D effect, making a game that didn’t feel enough like the original series to work for its fans. That’s absolutely not what happened here. This title was clearly made with a love and respect for its ancestors that’s too often missing from sequels or reboots. They didn’t need to reinvent the wheel to make this a hit and so they didn’t.

Super Mario 3D Land Photo credit: Nintendo

But did they do enough? There are levels in “Super Mario 3D Land” that feel a bit too slight. Either they’re too remarkably easy (and not just to complete but also to find the three coins hidden on every level) or they’re incredibly short. The game gets significantly more interesting after the initial eight worlds are defeated and the gameplay is cleverly turned on its head, but there is enough repetition in the first few hours of the title that I wonder if that won’t hold it back from being the must-own game that Nintendo really needs for their latest console. I also wish there was a bit more refined increase in difficulty. By the eighth world, I was still breezing through levels in what felt like record time, hoping for a new challenge or new aspect of gameplay to unfold. After the first world, you’ve pretty much seen all that “Super Mario 3D Land” has to offer for the next few hours (until after world eight) and I hoped for a bit less repetition. It’s a great song, but I wished the melody would switch up a bit more regularly than it does.

So, is “Super Mario 3D Land” the must-own game to push the Nintendo 3DS over the edge as a platform? I don’t think so. It’s one of those games for which I would say anyone who owns a Nintendo 3DS simply must play. If you get a 3DS for Christmas, this should be what you use your gift card money shortly thereafter. However, it’s not quite compelling enough to make up for the fact that it’s one of the few good-to-great games for the system. It’s a must-own game for people who have a Nintendo 3DS but it doesn’t quite make the Nintendo 3DS a must-own as a system. Hopefully, that will come soon or there may not be many more chances to own a Nintendo 3DS at all.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com