Super Mario 3D Land is, in my opinion, easily the most underrated and underappreciated 3D mario game. People have recently been praising Super Mario 3D World, but many of its creative ideas came from this game. This game is just so cozy, I can’t describe it. The gross plastic aesthetic from 3D World is completely absent. Most of the soundtrack was once again stolen later from 3D World. The game is generally easy, but that is okay with me. The level environments in mario games are typically grouped into worlds. This can easily make the player feel tired of them. However, in Super Mario 3D Land, the level environments are randomized with each level being different from the last. Unless a game is trying to make a full, complete world, I much prefer this way. The gameplay while being in 3D takes more from 2D mario than 3D by featuring distinct linear levels. The tunici leaf from Super Mario Bros. 3 returns, but you can’t fly this time. This makes sense as it would break the game, yet it’s still disappointing. Even though I like different environments from each level, the environments themselves aren’t interesting at all. They are just generic mario themes for the most part, but the clock level was fun. Another complaint I have is that the movement is very mid. The sideflip, crouch jump, and long jump all feel underpowered, like they just don’t quite provide enough of a boost to use. And sometimes the run button doesn't work for me. In general, this is a cozy must play on the 3DS that I hope gets a Switch port soon (side note, how did Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon get a Switch port before this game, Animal Crossing New Leaf, and Kid Icarus Uprising? It is a little frustrating).

whatever. the bowser fights being extended platforming challenges is honestly a lot more interesting than any bosses the series had done before but the rest of the game is sloppy seconds from the galaxy games wearing the aesthetics of better games from the 80s. also since it's a near-launch title it has to bear the burden of justifying the system's gimmick, which means it frequently intentionally picks bad camera angles to goad the player into turning up the 3DS's trademark headache and motion sickness slider. gross.

Love to bask in the warmth of a great platformer, but Mario has never done much for me. The sterilizing Nintendo touch saps joy and I have no nostalgia for anything associated.

I like the subtle weirdness of this one. It's quick and to the point and there's an enjoyable simplicity. Bosses are never interesting in Mario so that the ones here are basically all the same feels more like a concession to that fact rather than a misstep.

Also, the way this game plays with perspective is more interesting than anything Wonder did.