Super Mario 3D World Review
by Cooper McHatton
You ready for hundreds of words of nonstop praise for one exceptional game? Good, let’s hop right to it then!
From top to bottom, Super Mario 3D World
VISUALS
Super Mario 3D World’s visuals are nothing short of marvelous. Hyper realism wouldn’t really suit Mario, but they certainly hit the nail on the head with exactly the right style of visual. It’s like looking into a magical realm full of bright colors that bridges on a box of living toys.
Beyond the visuals, the game also boasts 60 fps graphics that allow for Mario and pal’s every move to be rather stunning. Character’s heads turn and watch bad guys as they run past, little bits of fur bounce around, bell power-ups glisten, and puffs of smoke follow Mario as he moves. A number of particularly remarkable levels blew my mind with rain that visibly soaked the characters, covering each of them in a cold, wet sheen as it pattered and splattered all over the screen. The visuals also improve the multiplayer immensely allowing all the characters to be crystal clear even when quite tiny.
MULTIPLAYER
Multiplayer in Super Mario 3D World is some serious fun. 1-4 players can tackle the entirety of the game together playing as characters that each handle slightly differently. Mario is equal in all skills, Luigi runs faster and jumps higher with slippery controls, Peach can float briefly, but moves slower, and Toad runs fastest, but has a different, heavier weight to him.
The game lets players drop in anytime and drop out whenever not in levels. When playing as a group, players are ranked at the end of levels by score, and the player with the highest score gets a crown that scores extra points in the next level. Players also all share the same lives, so while you can be competitive, teamwork is crucial.
The game moves from single player to multiplayer effortlessly. Neither experience feels less polished, the game works wonderfully whether you are with your whole family, a friend, or on your own. Each level is designed for comfortable play no matter how many players are in the game.
LEVELS
The levels, oh the levels are marvelous. Each is so very different from the next, always changing and adding things to the formula. Levels jump from expansive spaces to tiny speed runs to tribute levels to other Nintendo games (both a Mario Kart and Zelda-ish level appear). The variety is a treat, from the power-ups to the enemies, the game never ceases to bring about excitement. I won’t speak about the levels any more for fear of spoiling surprises for you.
MUSIC
The music runs rampant from old classics to jazz to a wily guitar that plays when you encounter Bowser. It perfectly compliments the beautiful madness of the game.
MIIVERSE INTEGRATION
The Miiverse integration in the game is some of the best I’ve seen. You have the option of posting to the Miiverse after any level, or any time on the map. Stamps are found sprinkled throughout levels and are used to cover these posts in Mario characters. Depending where you are, the game displays posts by other players who are doing the same things as you making it a wonderful, community experience.
A LONE COMPLAINT
The only complaint I can make is about what Super Mario 3D World is not, which is Super Mario Galaxy. While Super Mario 3D World is superb in it’s own right, it doesn’t quite have that grand feeling of the Mario Galaxies, or of Super Mario Sunshine, or Super Mario 64, it feels more in line with Super Mario 3D Land and the New Super Mario Bros. games. Now, I don’t know if that’s a bad thing. The bite sized, linear levels in large quantities are extremely fun, and the multiplayer certainly puts this game in a position to be played much more often in our house, but something still yearns in me for a 3D Mario with a bit more depth.
Oh, and on a personal level, as cool as the cat suit is in game, I’m not fond of the animal lately (neighbor cats have been terrorizing our birds), so Mario meowing makes me cringe almost every time.
ONE LAST THOUGHT
Though $60 always seems too expensive for a video game, I would unquestionably pay it twice over. This is the dangerous thing about Nintendo, it doesn’t matter whether or not their consoles are powerful enough for the latest super dark games about killing things with guns, I will give them all of my money on any occasion to play with Mario again.
IN CONCLUSION
Simply put, Super Mario 3D World is a ridiculously fun game. It is endlessly surprising and full of new ideas. A level doesn’t go by where something new isn’t added. It’s easy to pick up and play, yet offers enough options where you could spend hours and hours mastering it. I look forward to playing it again and again and talking it up as the reason to buy a Wii U.
*Cooper’s thoughts on Super Mario 3D World first appeared on his site Cooperdiem.
