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When this game was first revealed many were unimpressed as it seemed like a rehash of the 3DS game super Mario 3D World. Then we saw more and saw how wrong we were. This game is amazing. It is the culmination of all Mario games and a mix of old and new. Before even going into the multiplayer aspects I have to say that this game has so much to offer.
There are many secrets to unlock (including a 5th character), so many modes of gameplay and so much innovation. Whether it's the double cherry that creates copies of your character or the powerups that let you fight ghosts or the throwbacks to old powerups like the Kuribo's shoe, this game has it all. There are levels with Music reminiscent of Super Mario 64, Boss battles that are incredibly fun and amazing visuals throughout. This game must be seen to be believed. Running at 720p (upscaled to 1080p) at 60 fps, the game is gorgeous! At times you will simply stop and look and admire the visuals.
Speaking of the levels there is so much variety putting this on the same playing field as the Galaxy games (made by the same team) and other 3D Mario games. There is a level with silhouettes, a level that plays like an overhead shooter (with the double cherry as special powerup) and a Mario kart themed level and that's just some of it. The levels start out somewhat easy but this is to ease you into the game. It gets harder as you progress and it makes you want to play until you beat it.
The music is amazing and varies between big band music and orchestral remixes of older Mario music. It really fits the game well and you will want to listen for hours.
Now about the multiplayer, it's fun but be warned, the more players, the more chaotic it becomes. This isn't a bad thing though. Playing in single player and then in multiplayer will give you very different experiences. Playing with four players locks the camera up while playing in single player or with less than 4 characters allows freer roaming camera angles. As for controls, there are so many options, ranging from the gamepad, to the pro ctontroller, thewiimote to the nunchuck and the classic controller and they are all awesome!
While there isn't online co-op, the truth is that online co-op isn't needed and the game is fun without it, however there is an option to go online and submit your playthroughs of level and access other peoples' playthroughs and race against other peoples' ghost data. There are also stamps that can be obtained in the game and shared on miiverse and take part in the online community.
The different modes in this game are amazing, whether its speed running with the clock starting at 100 seconds, or the bonus levels, there is so much variety offered (including a hidden bonus game) and the game never stays constant and is always changing things up. There is no way to get bored and so much to unlock. This is the reason to buy a Wii U right now if you haven't yet!
This game marks the beginning of a new era of awesomeness for Nintendo and the Wii U. Its time to get hyped!
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Color me surprised. I thought there was no way Nintendo could possibly match the Super Mario Galaxy games in terms of quality and creativity, and yet, somehow, they have with this gem. Super Mario 3D World has somehow taken the core premise of Super Mario 3D Land (it itself a fantastic Mario game and essential for any 3DS Library) and launched it into the stratosphere with exceptional execution, staggering density of content, and breathtaking creativity. It's amazing to me how a game that is, at its core, centered around the simple joys of running, jumping, exploring, and playing, can be so full of brilliance and inspiration. If it's not already obvious, my wife and I both absolutely love this masterpiece. This is a *huge* game full of ideas and concepts both new and nostalgic, and while I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum, this will be a long, detailed review. It's the only way to do such a wonderful game justice. Either jump ship now or continue reading, you've been warned.The story in Super Mario 3D World is as simple as it is in any Mario game, but 3D World's story is noteworthy simply because Peach's kidnapping is not the plot device used to introduce the exquisite gameplay (it also shows Mario and Luigi actually fixing something as plumbers, something I cannot recall a main series Mario game showing before, so that's special :D).While going for an evening stroll, Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Blue Toad stumble across a clear pipe, out of which pops a unique pixie-like princess from the Sprixie kingdom. She then informs them that Bowser has attacked and taken over her kingdom and requests help when, all of a sudden, Bowser pops out of the pipe, kidnaps this new princess, and absconds back into the recently conquered Sprixie Kingdom. Our four heroes give chase into the pipe to help their new friend, like any good Samaritans would do, thus beginning 3D World's platforming euphoria. Interspersed throughout the adventure are very simple cutscenes that are enjoyable and appealing.
The visuals in 3D World are exceptional. This is the first Mario outing in genuinely glorious HD, all at a smooth 60 fps, and it is beyond gorgeous. I've always loved the art design in Mario games. The focus on clean, imaginative style and vibrant color has always made Mario games stand out as some of the most beautiful releases on their platform, and 3D World is no exception. Impressive lighting effects and exceptionally well done textures make levels like Bowser's oceanside castle during a sunset, or sunny grasslands, or snowy wonderlands such beautiful, enchanting playgrounds to run and jump through. Character designs, whether friend or foe, are all very nostalgic and the new ones feel very fresh at the same time. Seeing classic enemies like Chargin Chuck from SMWorld is so nostalgic. The audio is equally charming, with many iconic sound effects returning. The real audio highlight, however, is the soundtrack. Anybody worried that this game would drop the beautiful orchestrations of the Galaxy games can rest easy. Whether the tracks are reminiscent of the symphonic majesty of the Galaxy soundtracks or more of the jazzy 3D Land variety, all songs in 3D World are super catchy and full of warm nostalgic magic, as befits a Mario game (even brand new songs immediately cultivated nostalgia in me). You'll be humming the tunes long after you turn off the game. From a visual and audio perspective, this game is a definite winner and a showcase for the Wii-U.
I've always loved the core concept behind Super Mario 3D Land/World: Take nostalgic gameplay concepts and goals from the classic Super Mario Bros. 1-3 and Super Mario World, and play through them from Mario's perspective in a 3-D game with all the refinements and conventions 3-D Mario games have introduced over the years. It's a perfect marriage of classic conventions and creative innovation, made so that fans of every style of Mario can enjoy themselves. For example, each level has you going for the end-pole as your goal, just like the 2-D Mario classics. However, each level features three green stars (first seen in Galaxy 2) that encourages 3-D Mario style exploration of the levels in order to collect them, and the levels are so well designed and massive, you'll enjoy every second you spend exploring them. It's a marriage of two different Mario styles that compliment each other very well and offer something to every Mario fan. That's great. The world map may seem to be styled after the New Super Mario Bros. games at first glance, except that you're given free rein to run all over the whole thing like some sort of 3-D playground overworld, another example of 3-D and 2-D Mario combining into something new and special, appealing to everybody.
When you turn on a Mario game, what do you except from the gameplay? Perfectly refined, intuitive control mechanics that make the character on screen feel like an extension of yourself? What about insightful, brilliant level design that perfectly compliments these mechanics and gives lots of variety to the experience? You'd probably want plenty of power ups to give even more satisfaction to the experience too right? Thankfully, 3D World nails every one of these core aspects, and expands them to previously unseen heights through new ideas and flawless refinement.
Even the controls feel like a perfect marriage between classic and modern Mario games, resulting in an entirely new experience. Like the classic 2-D Mario games, you can't double or triple jump, which is jarring at first but ultimately makes for unique, old-school gameplay that feels new for a 3-D Mario game. The rolling spin and rolling long-jump (returning from 3D Land) are wonderful additions to Mario's acrobatic repertoire. Jumping and stomping on enemies has never felt more satisfying. On the new side of things, you can knock shells off of Koopas and, in addition to throwing them as always, you can go inside and ride them as they slide along the floor. Talk about a blast! The new clear pipes introduce a ton of new gameplay possibilities too, such as choosing which branching paths to take, how to dodge the obstacles or enemies that can use the pipes too, or being able to hurl fireballs inside. So many new gameplay concepts, and all are super fun.
What's awesome about all of this is that you get to choose between several equally well-designed characters to play as, and all offer unique abilities and traits. Mario is an all-around balanced character, Luigi's controls are more "slippery" and he jumps higher, Peach runs slower but can hover like in SMB2 which makes her good for beginners, and Blue Toad runs faster than the others but he drops faster after jumps. That's not all, as there is an unlockable character with their own unique abilities and gameplay style too! This is such a great aspect of 3D World. Having so many unique characters practically guarantees that gamers of any skill level or play style will get the most out of their experience with the game, and that's awesome. Bravo Nintendo!
The suits that return from 3D Land (Tanooki, Fire, Boomerang Bros., propeller box, etc) all play extremely well and are super satisfying to use. New suits/items, such as the already-iconic Cat Suit or the new canon box fit in with the rest very well. The Cat Suit is ridiculously fun. Others are bizarrely appealing, like the double cherry, which creates a new clone of your character each time you grab one. Imagine the hilarious chaos that results from 10-12 fire balls bouncing around hurled from 5-6 Marios with fire suits. Boss fights that incorporate the double cherry are super fun too. There are many new items you can grab and carry along with you, like a baseball to throw at enemies, or potted Piranha plants that can rapidly eat enemies and other obstacles. Of course, these are just a few examples, and the game features many more.
The utterly brilliant level designs compliment the gameplay mechanics beautifully. There are so many new level ideas for a 3-D Mario game too, including but not limited to: riding a Loch Ness Yoshi monster through a tropical paradise, a level exploring a Japanese-style castle, a light/shadow/silhouette themed sewer level that really messes with your perception of size and distance, a level based on the classic Super Mario Kart (complete with overwhelmingly nostalgic music), the Captain Toad puzzle levels, the mystery houses, the speed run levels, a golden express segment that makes New Super Mario Bros. 2 look conservative by comparison... I could go on forever. Although a bit on the easy side, boss fights in the game overall are better than they were in 3D Land, full of variety and new ideas (and I LOVED the Bowser fights in 3D Land, by the way). Seriously, this game is bursting with creativity. New concepts are introduced at a breathtaking speed. Much like Galaxy 1 & 2, Super Mario 3D World feels like standing before a seemingly bottomless well of brilliant new ideas. If it doesn't top Galaxy 1 or 2 in that respect, 3D World at least matches them. That alone is impressive, especially since the overall focus of 3D World is more "conventional" in comparison to the mind-bending Galaxy games. The fact that it is easily as big as the first Galaxy game makes this even more amazing. Once you beat the main worlds, several more pop up, and the farther you get into the game, the more challenge there is to be had. This game has a fantastic density of content.
Another aspect that makes Super Mario 3D World a milestone for the series is its excellent multiplayer. This is the first 3-D Mario game to implement multiplayer and it is incredible! I was worried this would have the lazy multiplayer of the NSMB games where all characters play the same and offer no real variety, but thankfully 3D World delivers the goods. Each player gets to control a unique character (no generic, recolored Toads for player 4, thankfully), and as I said earlier, each character controls uniquely as well, so everyone will have their own experience! It also never become frustrating like it does in the NSMB games, where other players too often become obstacles to your enjoyment rather than enhancing it. In 3D World, it's super fun and really hearkens back to the old days where playing video games with friends and loved ones on the couch was a bonding, joyful experience. Any game that my wife and I bond over always gets bonus points in my book, and 3D World is superb in that regard. The game is so well designed that you will get the most out of your time with the game, regardless of whether you're playing alone or with others. That's awesome. Bravo Nintendo!
You might wonder how 3DW functions as a Wii-U exclusive and what features there are. Well, for starters, the touch screen and mic are used in several, unique ways that affect the levels you play through, adding complexity to the mix. The gyroscope can be used to get different angles in the levels, which is really helpful for finding collectibles. There are so many other things you can do using the gamepad, it's easy to lose count. Personally, I find the gamepad a lot more useful with more complex series, like The Legend of Zelda for example, but it works surprisingly well in 3D World. Miiverse is also utilized in the same fun way it was in NSMBU, but has been deepened with collectible stamps hidden in the levels that adds spice to messages. I like the Miiverse system here, it's a nice novelty at the very least. Overall, the Wii-U exclusive features don't feel like gimmicks, thankfully, and the game works well because of them and not in spite of them, which is all I ask for.
So, to all you who stuck around with this review, I really cannot emphasize it enough: this game is an absolute masterpiece. I really can't think of a single flaw or complaint to say about the game. Nintendo EAD has been on a roll for years with 3-D Mario releases, and with each new game, I always doubt and worry that they can't possibly top the game that came before it. With Super Mario 3D World, they have indeed continued their streak of top-tier quality. It may not have the brilliant gravity defying concept of the Galaxy games, but the sheer amount of creativity and innovation they poured into this game despite it being more "conventional" in its style just astounds me even more. The huge addition of well-executed multiplayer makes this a 3-D Mario milestone in yet another way. I bought this game at my local *cough cough* as soon as it opened and have been playing since then (alternating with The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, another masterpiece). In addition to its awesome creativity, this is one of the most celebratory Mario games I've ever played too, filled with salutes and homages that pretty much every Mario fan can appreciate and enjoy to the fullest. So do I recommend it? Oh yeah, you better believe I do. This is the undisputed Wii-U "killer app" and is an absolutely essential game for any Wii-U library. I'd even say the game is worth buying the system over. Seriously, it is such a masterwork in game design. Buy it immediately, enjoy the game either solo or with others, and experience another magical masterpiece with Nintendo's famous plumber hero.
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I've been playing this game for 9 hours straight so far and I'm loving every minute of it.I'm the kind of person to take my time with video games! I like to find little secrets and hidden passages. So far I've gotten every green star (and stamp) in every level up until 6-2. I need to take a rest though. My eyes are killing me!
Anyway, more about the game!..
It is absolutely a MUST if you have a wii u. It's got those occasional classic frustrating levels, but it's got so much more this time around since the last installment of the super mario series.
For starters, it is very creative! There are many little details you'll notice in this game that will make you go "OH MY GOD... LOOK AT _____ !. Me, my two little brothers, and my sister were playing multiplayer for about an hour and it was MADDNESS! So many laughs and so much fun! It's pretty much like new super mario bros, except you can walk in all directions and (obviously) do more intricate things!
The artistic design to this game is amazing as well, I can't express how happy I am to see mario in HD. The worlds look more beautiful than ever!
I also enjoyed the throwback looks they gave the characters icons! Made me feel like I was little kid again! I also enjoyed the fact that on the map, you're not secluded to just using the directional pad to automatically move you from one world to the next.. Nope! You walk around the map in free direction!!! Amazing!!
I give it a 10/10 I love it!!! Worth the money for sure.!
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