VideoGame Switch Version: An enjoyable fusion of classic Mario and new twists
I enjoyed Super Mario 3D Land when it came out on the 3DS, but ended up missing 3D World due to taking a pass on the Wii U. As such, I was glad to have a second chance to play 3D World, as well as Bowser's Fury, on the Switch, so I recommend it to Mario fans.
Like most Mario platformers, the story doesn't really matter, except that you end up fighting Bowser again.
The game is similar to 3D Land in that it's a retro-style Mario platformer in 3D. Most of the levels are linear, but some stages have multiple routes to the finish or other features that take advantage of the game being set in three dimensions. Each level also has three green stars and one stamp(although many of the secret levels lack the latter), which rewards careful exploration and gives you reason to replay the levels.
3D World effectively builds on 3D Land. It adds a Cat Suit that lets you climb on walls, a cherry that clones your character, as well as other new features. The new powerups are effectively used, since not only will they make getting through stages easier, you will often be required to use them to obtain green stars or stamps.
If I had to name a flaw with the game, it's that it's relatively short and suffers from Fake Longevity. If you want to 100% the game, you need to not only complete all stages, but:
- Collect all green stars and stamps. This is reasonable enough.
- Reach the top of the flagpole in each level. This can be easy or difficult depending on the stage and your powerups, but won't have to go too far out of your way for this one.
- Complete every stage with all playable characters. This is just tedious.
Despite that, you don't have to do all this. The game is easy enough to complete for casual players, especially since it offers a Raccoon Suit with invincibility if you die often enough, but it offers increasingly difficult optional levels to challenge skilled players.
The Switch version has Bowser's Fury, an open-world Mario game that involves Mario collecting Cat Shines in gameplay reminiscent of Odyssey, in order to power up the Giga Bell in order to fight Fury Bowser. This is a nice change of pace that provides a distinct experience from the main game, even if it's relatively short. I was able to collect all 100 Cat Shines and complete the game in about 5-7 hours.
While Super Mario 3D World is relatively short, it still delivers a classic Mario platforming experience that still manages to innovate and build on its predecessor, so it's well worth playing.
VideoGame A fantastic distillation of everything Mario should be about
Super Mario 3D world represents something interesting. While Mario Galaxy 1 is my personal favourite Mario game, and a game I find superior to this one, I get the feeling that this game is the culmination of many years trying to create a "perfect" Mario game, accessible to casual gamers and hardcore gamers alike, in a 3D environment. I feel it's the best attempt at distillation what Mario IS about, even though it's not my absolute favourite entry in the series.
To me, the essence of Mario is fun, accessible, if not always easy platforming, with a focus on linear obstacle courses and with plenty of charm along the way. This is vital to my opinion, because in my opinion 64 at the very least betrayed this formula, while 3D world largely adheres to it.
It picks up elements of numerous Mario games and puts them in a blender. Linear level design? mall/big/powerup health system? check. Collecting stars to progress through the game? Check. Creative one-level gimmicks, straight from Galaxy? Check.
The game is separated into many short levels, and they are successful partly because they don't outstay their welcome. Most of them focus on one particular obastacle/gimmick. For example, There's Mount Must Dash, A Mario kart style level with a lot of focus on dashpads. There's Puffprod peaks, where the touch screen is used to pull blocks out from the wall as platforms. Most levels feel unique, and because of this are replayable and memorable.
There are 4 playable characters, while alters how the game is played, and different playstyles will be suited to different characters. I, for example, mostly stuck with Luigi for his high, floaty jumps. Players who like to rush through the stage or speedrun will find a liking for Toad. And players who want a little extra distance in their jumps can use Peach.
The graphics are beautiful. Galaxy may have it slightly beat in Art style, but the splendour of the graphics cannot be ignored. I have an SDTV for god's sake, and it still looks fantastic! The music largely follows suit, as a mix of classic style themes and Galaxy esque orchestra.
I enjoyed 3D land, and this is definitely a large improvement. If you somehow knew someone who hadn't played Mario before, you should probably show them this one first. I don't feel it's the ABSOLUTE best Mario game, but definitely ONE of the best.
Don't miss out on it.
VideoGame It's Super Mario in 3D alright, but it's more Arcade than World
Like Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, this is one of those games that I really enjoyed playing, but which somehow feels like it's missing something.
3D World has some of the most creative level designs the Mario series has yet seen. There are finally some very original locations, such as trains, a disco circus, and even an SNES Super Mario Kart-themed level. The cat suit, and how it opens up the world by letting you climb walls, is probably the best power-up the series has yet had, while others such as the double cherry are fun to mess around with. My 5-year-old nephew was laughing as five copies of Luigi ran around the level and he tried to control them all.
One thing that bothers me about the levels, is that they're self-contained largely single-gimmick obstacle courses that are suspended in the air. Seeing all these little boxes floating around in a largely empty and flat world map, representing self-contained levels just felt very disconnected, and unlike in, say, New Super Mario Bros. U, I didn't feel like I was actually exploring a world, but instead jumping into themed challenge boxes. I'd actually rather have Invisible Walls surround a level that has a real setting, than the way they did it here.
The other thing is that the levels don't encourage exploration as much as I'd like. There are nice out-of-the-way items and hidden secrets, but few alternate routes. Ironically, the 2D games had levels that felt like they had more freedom, but it does look like they're at least trying. However, the timer sure doesn't help. I like to take my time and explore, and both the level designs and timer are working against me on this one.
However, where the game truly shines is in multiplayer. During Thanksgiving, I tried out multiplayer with my brothers, sister-in-law, and nephew. It was a blast. The multiplayer is still chaos, like with the 2D games, but now you get to split up slightly, like having one player slide through a pipe while another walks on top of it, or one player tries to jump up a wall while another, wearing the cat suit, simply climbs it.
It makes sense. In single-player, I crave a more immersive experience, an actual "world" to live in. In multiplayer, fun is the bigger issue. And multiplayer greatly succeeds.
VideoGame Perhaps the best game of all time?
I seriously believe that this game could contend for the title of "Best game of all time". Its difficulty is fair (and I started playing after I'd beaten the unfairly hard Sonic Lost World, mind), its characters and settings are charming and top-notch, the soundtrack is delightful, the level design is perfect, and the graphics are beautiful. Every single part of this game oozes with touch and care, beating out even New Super Mario Bros. U (which I still like, mind), and it's at least as good as its fore-bearer.
10/10
VideoGame Bowser's Fury review: Not to be missed.
Cases like this don't permit me to review the original and its spinoff...3D World is a great platformer with terrible completion requirements. There you go for that review. Now I'm here to talk about the Switch port's side campaign, Bowser's Fury, which is not so much a side story as a mini Mario title and a legitimate entry in the 3D series.
The game starts with Mario falling down a paint portal into Lake Lapcat, an open map, where he is soon attacked by a terrifying kaiju-styled Bowser until he grabs a Cat Shine. Some islands rise, Fury Bowser is driven back by the light of a lighthouse powered by the Shine, and you explore and team up with Bowser Jr., desperate to return his dad to normal. There are a lot of Sunshine references in this game, which is pretty fun, but the gameplay style is more like Odyssey with some unique touches. Mario's moves are similar to Odyssey and the Shine collecting exploration is much like Power Moon hunting. However, the game is still based on 3D World with its enemies, objects, and power-ups. I loved the ability to store five reserve power-ups of each type to be selected and used at any time, making death less likely and progress more about selecting the right item rather than retrieving it. Bowser Jr.'s aid can be set to preference, and he can be directed to pick up items and paint graffiti for power-ups on certain spots, as well as being a controllable player 2. Each island in the lake has five associated Shines and they reload with a new mission each time you return until you have them all, like an early 3D Mario's separate missions with no loading times. There are several Shines unassociated with an island, and Plessie returns as transport to navigate quickly (warping is unlocked later).
Fury Bowser is the main gimmick, being a threat on a timer, arising from the lake and awakening every few minutes, reminiscent of The Imprisoned or the Blood Moon from Zelda. His attacks are dangerous but necessary to break special blocks hiding Shines, and he'll leave either by collecting a Shine during the attack (which deals small damage) or by waiting it out. Shines unlock the Giga Bells, which allow Mario to fight Bowser at an equivalent size, and the boss fight(s) are designed to the current standard of open strategy and multiple ways to attack or interrupt a pattern. Defeating him unlocks the next zone of islands, though he comes back twice and at the end, he'll awaken and not go away until defeated forever. The final boss may be the first time I've laughed at a Mario climax.
This game is short but feels fairly complete, and I'd consider it a full title in the series despite its length. It's satisfying (not too difficult or padded with easy fluff) and offers some top-notch atmosphere and comedy as well as more of what we love. Unfortunately for some, I think this game is reason enough to buy the Switch port. If you're a Mario fan, don't miss out.