Super Mario 3D world review

Multiplayer

As fun as it was to play with each character, the real fun behind them is bringing up to four friends to enjoy the ride with you.

The additional space offered by these 3D levels allows multiplayer to thrive in a Mario platform game like never before. It was great trying to navigate the controlled chaos with some friends. And the emotions we felt throughout the game ranged from euphoric success to maddening failure.

Above all, it is never fully cooperative and it is never fully competitive. I can say with certainty that “team up” with friends in Super Mario 3D World it never produces a dull moment.

Presentation

Nintendo injects Super Mario 3D World with a playful charm that permeates images and audio. The glossy art style helps characters and objects jump off the screen. The best thing is that I have never lost track of my character even in the midst of madness.

I wish a little more effort had been put into rendering the backgrounds. Often they are satisfied with bland and confused plots that repeat themselves in immensity. Likewise, Nintendo can take the minimalism of some ground and wall textures a little too far. This results in a flatness that seems at odds with the expressive characters and level obstacles.

Thankfully, the soundtrack maintains a sense of bouncy fun that complements the game’s lighter tone. Specifically, I hummed Bowser’s main theme and Las Vegas-style theme for days after I finished playing.

Final verdict

Super Mario 3D World isn’t the most groundbreaking or experimental Mario game ever released, but it does show a respect for the series’ platforming roots and executes the potential of Mario multiplayer in a way that few games can match. Certain levels will stay with me for some time thanks to their memorable creativity.

I will definitely get my Wii U back whenever I have a group of friends willing to help me save those fairies. And maybe throw each other off the cliffs. Or Nintendo could bring it to the Switch. Please bring it to Switch.