Super Mario 3D World Review:
Because jumping never gets old.
Super Mario 3D World is the latest main platformer game in the Super Mario Bros franchise. This already titanic if not god-like gaming monster, icon and ruler of its own genre just got its first 3D platformer-oriented entry on the Nintendo Wii U. Adopting a very similar approach to that of Super Mario 3D Land for the Nintendo 3DS but taking a bigger focus on multiplayer mechanics and a kitty cat related extravaganza that end up making it an amazing multiplayer experience. Now if we're really honest, it doesn't bring much that is new to the table, but in true Mario and Nintendo fashion it's one of the best platformers ever created when it comes to gameplay and level design.
Summary: For any of you living under a rock, inside it or being a rock yourselves, I'm going to go out of my way to explain you guys about the most well-known video game franchise in history. Super Mario games are usually about a quirky Italian plumber who's love interest: Princess Toadstool or Peach is usually kidnapped by the king of a bunch of turtle creatures called Bowser who's always had a thing for stealing her away. In one way or another Mario has to figure out a way to reach the foul creature's lair and rescue the princess back from it's clutches. To any of you who might have only played a Mario Sport related or Party game: those are just "Super Mario" characters taking a vacation and getting fit to do more platforming when summer's over.
2 words: Cat suits
Now it just seems silly to talk about a game that is most likely already very well depicted inside your heads, so we're going to talk about the particular aspects of this entry that make it pop out from the rest.
The Multiplayer
Super Mario 3D World is a very ambitious project because it aims to give comfort and a nice cooperative yet competitive approach to multiple players when it comes to 3D platforming, something that almost no games have managed to pull off effectively up to date. The result? It works, astonishingly well, as a matter of fact. First of all, you can play the game with a single Wiimote, a Wiimote + Nunchuck, the Wii U Gamepad or the Wii U Pro Controller. All of them control beautifully and provide the player with the same amount of button input complexity, all of it. The game uses a score oriented approach to reward the best scoring player at each stage with a crown that can be fought over throughout the next level. What it does is provide the crowned player with a bonus that further ensues said player stays king or queen of the play session. I happened to play through the entire game with friends and the amazing local play feeling that comes from screwing each other, collaborating to find hidden collectibles and/or reach secluded spots is the same that you got from many other games back in the N64 or PS1 era. It is so palpable, it really makes the whole game be played in multiplayer a must.
it's this frantic race and mayhem that really evokes those amazing feelings
Another aspect that should be mentioned is the character choice the player has to make. Just like when Super Mario Bros 2 hit the shelves in North America back in 1988 you can choose to play as Mario, his younger brother Luigi, Princess Peach or Toad, and they all show the same differences they had back then, Mario is well rounded and his controls are the tightest, Luigi jumps really high, Toad is the fastest and Peach can stay afloat for a bit after she jumps. So players can develop a sort of fondness to their respective character and use their exclusive advantage to aim for the highest score.
Story, Progression and Collectibles
The story this time around is the most forward we've seen since Super Mario Bros hit the NES, you get about 15 seconds of a non-spoken and dialogue-less cinematic showing Mario, Luigi, Toad and Peach taking a stroll through mushroom kingdom when Bowser basically pops out all of a sudden and shows them he kidnapped a bunch of fairies and leaves. Afterwards, they all follow him into a pipe that leads to "Sprixie Kingdom" a place very similar to Mushroom Kingdom aside from some unique, never-before seen power-ups and a handful of newcomer enemies as well as some pretty antique ones Nintendo decided to re-visit.
this is part of that cinematic so sorry for being spoiler-y you still have 14 more seconds to discover on your own *wink*
To be bold and straight forward, the game consists of about 8 levels with a few more difficult ones to challenge yourself with once you're done. It implements the whole "hidden stars" system to collect and get rewards from. You can also scavenge for Stamps to use on Miiverse, most of the time there's one per stage and therefore a ton of them in total.
It seems kind of silly to talk about Mario power-ups as part of the review but some of them really affect the whole scheme of things this time around and do some really cool things that are worth talking about.
Cherries: The cherry power-up basically gives you one more, well... "you". As a result you can control multiple characters that all follow the same movements. This can also have synergies with every other power-up, so if you're "fire" Mario and pick up a cherry you'll control 2 "fire Marios" which is just blazing! Actually, this also offers a player who's going through the campaign in "Solo" mode the opportunity to activate multiple character switches and solve puzzles he would not be able to otherwise.
you've got to admit that looks pretty cool. Cmon.
Cat-Suit: For many, this upgrade seemed childish and unnecessary, thankfully it was one of the main focuses for the game's level design. It is pretty much the most powerful and versatile power-up in a platforming Mario game ever and that's including the Invincibility Star. Simply because it allows you to damage most enemies from a safe distance and traverse virtually any obstacle that might come your way.
depicted: Mario's most powerful, agile and brutal form
There are of course a couple more power-ups to be mentioned but they're worth finding out for yourselves and are very stage specific.
As for progression, the game seems hectic and way too open for a platformer at first. But when all the players get accustomed to the controls and pacing, the game brilliantly makes them each plan their own fastest, most efficient routes and every level is basically turned into a flashy race full of opportunities to show off and get ahead of the competition. Difficulty-wise, it takes it's time to demand anything big from the player for a while but after about 50% of the game is done, the players who've been paying attention and learning the ropes really start to shine. At the end of the game it really gets as hardcore and unforgiving as a 3D platformer can get.
believe me, when you get to this stage you'll throw your controller to the ground because its so hard omfg sh- *grunt* f-ck!
So no more beating around the bush or should I say "jumping over" it? haha lame joke I know. Let's rate this thing:
Visuals: Super Mario 3D World looks beautiful and runs smoother than a F1 race car. At no point during my 4 player campaign did a screen filled with cats, goombas, fireballs and the like stutter for even a second. The Sprixie Kingdom while very similar to the Mushroom one has its own unique feel and makes the game feel like a very beautiful, simple, yet stylized new Mario game and not a "New Super Mario Bros" aesthetic-wise. 8.7/10
Gameplay: Mario games are sort of confined to the very old traditions they set for themselves throughout the years and therefore lack their previous potential to innovate. Despite this evident obstacle, the game managed to feel fresh thanks to its absolutely perfect and "over the years" polished controls, the exciting multiple routed layout of the levels and the very minor yet effective mechanics mentioned earlier such as the cat suit integration and focus and the character-specific player choice. 9.5/10
Story: Most Mario games that exist make a mild effort to set a story in motion and make the player feel at least slightly engaged with the situation at hand. Be it through the centuries old "Damsel in Distress" plots or just a plain old hero's quest, but Super Mario 3D World cuts out even the slightest of those tropes and uses an extremely short cinematic intro to get your game on, which is welcome. Let's be honest, no one cares why Bowser is being evil this time around or how Princess Peach got kidnapped. 6.3/10
Music: This game's soundtrack is just amazing, maybe it's strongest point if you're really sensitive and caring about a game's score. There are simply too many well composed catchy and moody tunes that vary almost endlessly and fit the diverse scenery of Sprixie Kingdom. It's just too cool and a blast to listen to even when you're not playing the game. 9.8/10
Final Verdict:
Super Mario 3D World just exists to show off Mario and Nintendo's seemingly unreachable mastery at making platformer games. It brilliantly takes on a multiplayer concept that is pretty much impossible to execute perfectly and SM3DW just falls short on very scarce occasions camera-wise, nothing else. Other than that, it is a wonderful multiplayer and high score single player experience that makes you get those pleasant nostalgic local multiplayer chills down your spine. You know, the ones you got many years ago on the N64 and PS1 era when most of us were so young and so cheerful. Super Mario 3D World can make you feel that way again which is rare, powerful and very difficult to pull off, so it earns a:
8.5/10
*Hey guys, sorry I was away for so long and didn't post anything in a while, college got tough and a lot of things happened, mainly I was running low on time and games to play, I hope to get back on the horse pretty soon and keep up the reviews.
**Also, I'd like any of you that actually read this far please inform yourselves about the situation we are currently living in Venezuela, it is a tragedy and we really need the global eye staring at us and supporting us even if its just wishes and good intentions from afar, thank you very much for reading and have a good day.
