Super Mario 3D Land

2011

platform
adventure
action
single player

The story

Super Mario 3D Land is the second 3D Super Mario platformer for a handheld device, and the successor to Super Mario Galaxy 2. The game is closely based on side-scrolling Mario games, as it combine elements from both traditional 2D Mario games and modern free-roaming 3D Mario games. It also introduces elements into the series, including power-ups and gameplay mechanics.

What it’s like

Bright, toy-like polygons glow on the small 3DS screen, with saturated primary colours against soft pastel skies and the stereoscopic depth giving the stages a diorama quality. Its levels are compact, tidy boxes of lush grass, sandy ruins, watery caves and haunted mansions, framed mostly side-on in the manner of classic 2D Mario, then swinging into fixed-camera depth when the path turns. The score is bouncy and chiptune-flavoured, with cheerful jingles that rise and fall with every coin and stomp. Vibe: sunny, playful, low-stakes calm with a snap of challenge. It suits a commute, a lazy afternoon, or a short burst before bed. Pacing is brisk and tightly built, each stage a self-contained puzzle of jumps and power-ups, and the emotional register stays light and affectionate. Violence is cartoonish: enemies are stomped, flicked or fireballed and vanish in puffs, with no blood, no gore, and no real fear beyond a few spooky ghost houses. It is for players who want precise, satisfying platforming with a gentle, nostalgic warmth.

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