Super Mario 3D Land is the best Mario game since Mario 64.

I've been playing this masterpiece for a week now, and I can't get enough of it. Best Mario game of all time, and one of the best platformers of all time.
 
Kangi said:
You people are breaking my heart. Sunshine was the best 3D Mario.
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How? Did you just love the tropical theme that much? Sunshine was a decent game, but only due to carrying on the core controls from 64. The game itself just lacked focus and content.

The levels were big and open like in 64, and with the addition of Fludd, platforming was even less of an issue most of the time, but the objectives were completely linear aside from the hidden shines and blue coins, so it wouldn't really satisfy people who like platforming or exploration.

Then, there's the lack of stages and actual content. Half of the game is basically collecting blue coins due to that issue, in an attempt to reach 120 "Shines". The parts where Sunshine shined the most was exactly when it dropped its core gimmick and threw the player to the void areas, but even then the last one was very weak with the focus on getting thrown around by npcs.
 
VARIA said:
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While I don't agree with it being a greater gamer than Galaxy 1 & 2, I will admit that this shot shows exactly what 3D Mario games should be.
 
Definitely not better than the Galaxies. It lacks the sense of awe that Galaxy 1 inspired, the insanely tight level design of Galaxy 2, and the general playfulness of them both. I didn't want it to be a Galaxy retread, because it needed to be its own thing as a portable game, but it's let down by the easier first half and some overly liberal re-use of assets.
 
No, absolutely not.
The game just feels so slow, and I don't want to go back to it at all.
And it's shorter to get through completely as well, so that really hurt it for me too.

Definitely my 2nd least favorite Mario platformer of the last 10 years.
Some levels were really good though.

I will never play another 30 FPS platformer again.
 
The short bursts provided in the levels were pretty great. I still enjoyed Sunshine more than 64 and Galaxy is better than Sunshine, so...

I never did play the harder levels on SM3DL but I don't feel like I'm missing much.
 
I think I hold 3D Land in about the same esteem as I hold the Galaxy games: they are all fricken excellent.

But I still think Super Mario 64 is the pinnacle of 3D Mario. Nothing has ever come near to how amazing that game is.
 
mario 3d land is easily as outstanding as mario 64 and the galaxies. I am very glad that this franchise is in capable, young hands and will continue to deliever innovative platforming that is beyond perfect.
 
IMO, 64 really wasn't that good. I have no childhood nostalgia of it to make me think otherwise, but then, o the flip side, I adore the original SMB, which has earned me more than a few weird looks. :lol

3DL seems to be pretty damned universally loved though, and I'll go for that.
 
It's my favorite Mario game since World but would it kill them to create overworlds with consistent themes instead of having an ice level, a desert level and a water/island level in the same world?
 
Great game but not close to the galaxy series, it was just too easy throughout for me, and yes i did all of the levels even the FINAL level
 
ramparter said:
While I don't agree with it being a greater gamer than Galaxy 1 & 2, I will admit that this shot shows exactly what 3D Mario games should be.
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Analog stick/circle pad + run button makes little sense to me though and I do not like the timer either (i.e.: replaying a level without a timer or timer-less DLC levels would be appreciated).
 
Panajev2001a said:
Analog stick/circle pad + run button makes little sense to me though and I do not like the timer either (i.e.: replaying a level without a timer or timer-less DLC levels would be appreciated).
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Kind of curious, is the timer even an issue with the levels themselves? Are you actually hitting the time limit or do you just hate that it's there?
 
Awesome game yeah, but linear at best. Although it felt like a 3D version of Super Mario Bros. 3.

If a sequel was to be made, make a real world map, multiple paths and secret exits.

As a Mario fan I was both pleased and disappointed by this game. The disappointment lies in the fact that it was so linear. Mario games typically are about exploration. 3D Land has you explore a little bit, but if I remember correctly, this game was meant for people who wanted to play Mario games that didn't like the 3D ones (exploration, collecting stuff, objectives etc). So they did a great job doing that, but took out some of the exploration and world/map hub and objective fun in the process.
 
Berordn said:
Kind of curious, is the timer even an issue with the levels themselves? Are you actually hitting the time limit or do you just hate that it's there?
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In regular stages, since you rarely get close to running out of time, it makes no sense.
But there are stages where you start with little time and have to rush, or start with like 10 secs and have to collect clocks to get more time, so it makes sense for those.
I don't think is a good idea introducing a time mechanic half the way in when you could have it from the beggining, teaching the player they can grab clocks and that.
 
It's a great game that maybe captures the Mario style more accurately than the galaxy games because of the multiple references to SNES titles, but I wouldn't call it better than M64 or the Galaxy games based on that alone. Really, the Mario games are so consistently good you really can't draw a line between the good and the bad games.

I don't really like the NSMB games though. Maybe I just haven't played the most recent ones and they got better.
 
I still think the Galaxy games are better, but 3D Land is still an excellent game regardless. It really is that perfect implementation of 2D Mario into 3D Space.
 
I've just got the game, so I haven't made it to those "magical" levels you guys keep talking about. I still think its amazing. It's use of 3D is unbelievable. The stages are wonderfully designed, and the callbacks are just right. Best Mario? Who can say, but it is definitely top shelf.

You guys make me want to play Galaxy 2, but I gave away my Wii before it came out.
 
Anteo said:
In regular stages, since you rarely get close to running out of time, it makes no sense.
But there are stages where you start with little time and have to rush, or start with like 10 secs and have to collect clocks to get more time, so it makes sense for those.
I don't think is a good idea introducing a time mechanic half the way in when you could have it from the beggining, teaching the player they can grab clocks and that.
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Don't the timed levels drop you right on top of a clock when you spawn, showing you exactly how they work?
 
I need to get back to this. I abandoned it after the 30fps made everything feel really sluggish, especially as I came to it off the back of some 60fps games.

But I'm fine with Luigi's Mansion so I'll try 3D Land again soon.
 
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