Super Mario 3D Land News
January2023
Random YouTuber Speedruns Touching Grass (In Every Mario Game)
Ground theme
"Touch grass" has become the rallying cry for angry people on the internet, and it's most often levelled at gamers. It's shorthand for "go outside", or simply "oh my god the thing you're complaining about is SO TERMINALLY ONLINE that you really should go and do something that isn't sitting at your computer yelling at strangers on the...
November2021
Talking Point Super Mario 3D Land Turns 10 - Was It The Best '3D' Game On 3DS?
The golden era of stereoscopic 3D
Ten years ago on 3rd November 2011, Super Mario 3D Land made its debut on 3DS in Japan. It's not typically held up or remembered as a glorious entry of the Mario series — indeed, at the time of writing it inexplicably doesn't rank on our dynamic reader-rated list of the 50 best 3DS games — but several of us in...
April2021
Random The Low-Poly Animals Twitter Account Is A Must-Follow
Why is Ditto shaped like a T-shirt
The low-poly days are far behind us, but many of us still have a soft spot for the work that artists and modellers had to do back when consoles couldn't handle curves. Low-Poly Animals is a (relatively) new Twitter account celebrating and chronicling some of the creatures that we might have taken for granted back...
January2021
Feature Remembering Super Mario 3D Land, 3D World’s Oft-Forgotten Predecessor
A stepping stone in Mario’s history that’s worth a second look
You don’t need me telling you how 2020 was a challenging year, but for dedicated Super Mario fans there were small comforts to be found. After months of rumours, Nintendo celebrated the series’ 35th anniversary in dramatic fashion and this brought about no end of content. Before...
August2020
News Zelda, Mario And Animal Crossing Appear In Latest My Nintendo Rewards (Europe)
Plus some of the most popular 3DS themes
The latest batch of My Nintendo game discounts for Europe has now gone live, giving players the usual chance to grab a handful of games at reduced prices. There are some pretty big names on the list this time around, with major Mario, Zelda and Animal Crossing games all available at discounted rates. As...
August2019
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (August 17th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Another busy week has been and gone, this time bringing with it hints at SNES games coming to Switch and the revelation that Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma teased the upcoming Zelda: Link's Awakening remake years ago! Well... As we've finally reached the weekend, it's time once again to sit back, relax, and chat...
News Get Discounts On Super Mario Games And More With My Nintendo Rewards (Europe)
Including a Game & Watch collection
The latest batch of My Nintendo game discounts for Europe has now gone live, giving players the usual chance to grab a handful of games at discounted prices. There are a handful of Super Mario games to choose from this time around, as well as a couple of Yo-Kai Watch games and more. As always, you can take...
February2019
News Get Discounts On Mario Party Games, Physical Kirby Goodies And More In North America
Zelda! Dr. Luigi! Mario Pinball!
The latest North American My Nintendo rewards have gone live, offering a nice selection of titles at discounted prices across Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. We have several Mario titles up for grabs, including two Mario Party entries, as well as Animal Crossing, Dr. Luigi (possibly building the hype for the upcoming Dr...
January2019
News The Top 10 Best-Selling 3DS Games (As Of December 2018)
Pokémon here, Pokémon there
As part of its Q3 2019 financial update, Nintendo has provided up-to-date lists for its best-selling games across current consoles. We've already shared the current top ten best-selling Switch games, but what about the 3DS? Well, as it happens, the top ten 3DS games are exactly the same now as they were three month
January2018
$19.99 bargains
After some speculation a few weeks ago, it has now been confirmed that Nintendo Of America will be bringing three stone cold 3D classics to the budget Nintendo Selects range. These games are none other than Super Mario 3D Land, The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Ultimate NES Remix. They
October2017
News Three More 3DS Games Are Joining the European Nintendo Selects Range
Luigi! Kirby! Mario!
Buying copies of all your favourite first-party Nintendo games can start to get expensive; usually the company's top titles remain at full price across all stores, holding on to their value for all eternity. It is no surprise then that when games are added to the Nintendo Selects Range, offering the full game for a fraction of...
August2016
News Nintendo of America Expands Nintendo Selects Range and Unveils Small New 3DS Bundle
Wii U game + amiibo bundles are coming, too
Nintendo of America is jumping into the 'back to school' craze, but its latest announcements are good news for fans of all ages in North America. It's expanding the Nintendo Selects range, releasing a rather nice small New Nintendo 3DS bundle, and also planning some Wii U game + amiibo bundles. First of...
November2015
News Nintendo of Europe Launches Its Cyber Deals Weekend With Four Major eShop Discounts
Today only
While Nintendo of America has opted to put a whole range of titles on discount across an extended weekend, Nintendo of Europe is going for a different approach. It looks set to highlight a series of daily deals across four days, and has announced four retail games that are reduced today (27th November), on the eShop. Each system gets two...
September2015
Mario History Super Mario 3D Land - 2011
Literally 3D Mario
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. Super Mario 3D Land wasn't the first 3D Mario to grace a Nintendo portable - that honour goes to Super Mario 64 DS - but it was the first original game of its...
March2015
Feature Ten Must-Play Games for the Nintendo 3DS
As voted for by you to celebrate four years of the portable
With the 3DS now four years old, and now that the New Nintendo 3DS has brought us another iteration with a whole load of features, we decided it was a good time to take stock of ten definitive experiences on the system. To that end we listed 50 retail games - the eShop will have its own...
Video Nintendo's Four Step Stage Design Is Why You Love Super Mario Games So Much
It's all about Kishōtenketsu, apparently
Ever wondered why Nintendo games - Mario ones in particular - are able to hook you in so effectively? Well wonder no more, as the excellent YouTube channel Game Maker's Toolkit is here to explain exactly why these sublime experiences are so compelling. In the case of Super Mario 3D World, Game Maker's...
November2014
Video The Top 10 Mario Platformers, As Selected By You
You voted, and the winner is...
Way back in August, we asked you wonderful readers what your favourite Super Mario platform game was. You voted, and from those votes we came up with a Top 10 list, which we have immortalised in this video. If you ever played a Super Mario game, then you must be curious about what game is number one, right? Could it...
August2014
Poll Which Is The Best Super Mario Platformer?
2D or 3D, old or new, you decide...
Not too long ago we asked you to vote for the best Legend of Zelda game; plenty of you participated. You made the impossible decision, as it's never an easy pick with so many world class games on the list; in the end the iconic and memorable The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time seized the crown. We r
Feature The Ten Best 3DS Games For Your Kids This Summer
Child's play
Nintendo's 3DS family of console owes its success to its uncanny ability to appeal to players of all ages, but like so many of the company's products, the core of the range is designed around appealing to the younger end of the spectrum. Like the DS before it, the 3DS — and its sibling, the 2DS — is proving to be the perfect...
April2014
News Nintendo of America is Cutting the Price of Five Top 3DS Games
All for $29.99 on the eShop and in stores
In a move that's sure to tempt those yet to pick up all of the hottest titles on 3DS, Nintendo of America has announced a price cut — starting on 22nd April — on five major retail games; these include the three biggest-selling games of all-time for the system in the region. All five games will drop to...
March2014
It's quite a tour
The daily Miiverse posts from Masahiro Sakurai for Super Smash Bros. on Wii U and 3DS remain a highlight, as even on days without major reveals there are often some tasty details for fans to enjoy. Today's post goes above and beyond, however, as Sakurai-san gives us a tour of what promises to be a particularly dynamic stage in the...
February2014
News Nintendo Confirms Club Nintendo Promotion for Free Pokémon X Or Pokémon Y Download
3DS or 2DS and one game required
Late last week a promotion leaked by Toys "R" Us emerged, in which new 3DS owners would have a chance to grab a free download of Pokémon X or Pokémon Y. Nintendo of America has now officially confirmed details that reiterate the promotion as targeted at new owners, or alternatively those that simply haven't...
Both scoop best game accolades
If you're a Nintendo fan, then you'll obviously be aware that both Super Mario 3D World and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds were two of 2013's best video games. However, it's always nice to see the wider world recognise this fact, which is precisely what happened at the 3rd annual New York Video Game Critics...
November2013
News Nintendo of Europe Launches Free Super Mario 3D Land Promotion for New 3DS Owners
Great for newcomers
Nintendo of Europe has today announced a promotion to encourage new 3DS owners to register their systems, buy a game and — by extension — perhaps get a taste for Wii U-exclusive Super Mario 3D World. It's been announced that those that register a new 3DS or 3DS XL — and one of 15 games — on Club Nintendo between 27th...
News Miyamoto: Nintendo Has Unfinished Business With Super Mario Galaxy Series
Release of Super Mario 3D World got in the way
Following on from Super Mario 3D World producer Yoshiaki Koizuma comments about the possibility of the Mario series returning to an open-world style approach if there was enough demand for it, EAD General Manager Shigeru Miyamoto has now assured fans in the latest Iwata Asks Interview that the...
Miyamoto & Co. take Iwata through the warp pipe
Nintendo President and CEO Satoru Iwata exercised his gift of gab yet again in the latest Iwata Asks, this time leaving no koopa shell unturned in a rousing discussion with the developers of Super Mario 3D World. Legendary Nintendo producer Shigeru Miyamoto sat down with his fellow 3D World designers...
September2013
News Well, Here's an Awesome Tanooki Mario Statue
Yours for just $199 US Dollars
We do like Nintendo memorabilia here at Nintendo Life, as anyone that follows our Instagram account can see. So when First 4 Figures announces a planned range of Super Mario statues that are officially licensed by Nintendo, you can bet we're interested. The first in this new range is set to be a beauty, too. It's a...
June2013
News Nintendo Defends Influx of New Mario Titles
Too much of a good Mario?
There’s no doubt Nintendo has been putting its world-famous plumber to work. Since New Super Mario Bros. Wii in 2009, there has been at least one new Mario platformer released each year. The pace has felt even faster recently, with the expected December arrival of Super Mario 3D World marking the third Mario platformer...
Feature Our Top 10 3DS Games - Summer 2013
The favourites so far
With E3 2013 now a little over a week away, we expect a lot of talk to focus on the Wii U and its competitors, as the home consoles prepare for a battle at the retailers this Holiday season. And yet, we feel we should take another opportunity at this juncture to show some love for the 3DS, the handheld that overcame a rocky...
February2013
News Nintendo of America Offering Free Retail Game To New 3DS XL Buyers
Provided you register Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity or Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon as well
Recently Nintendo of Europe gave people the opportunity to download a copy of a new game free of charge by simply registering a 3DS XL on Club Nintendo. That deal is now over, but Nintendo of America has just started a similar offer. The new...
News Super Mario 3D Land Sales Outpacing Super Mario Galaxy's In First Year
Mix of 2D and 3D appealed greatly in Japan
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata held a Corporate Management Policy Briefing recently in which he explained how the video game market had begun to contract in recent years, meaning hardware and software sales were flagging. There has been some cause for optimism this week, though, with the revelation that...
November2012
News Wii U Wasn't The Only Nintendo Hardware Launch In Europe This Month
We go hands-on with the gorgeous white 3DS XL
Nintendo doesn't do things by halves. November may mark the release month of the Wii U console in Europe, but that hasn't stopped the company from pushing out another piece of tech in the same time period. Today marks the release of the white 3DS XL Super Mario 3D Land bundle in Europe, which follows...
News Nintendo of Europe Gives Free Retail Game to 3DS XL Owners
Download delights
Club Nintendo is a nice extra for Nintendo gamers, though we imagine there are a few that don't necessarily bother to go through the process of logging in and completing surveys for all of their game or hardware purchases. That may change due to a handsome new promotion for 3DS XL, as Nintendo of Europe is offering a free retail...
News Nintendo Brings Heat to Black Friday With Flame Red 3DS Deal
Includes Super Mario 3D Land on the system
The Black Friday weekend is almost upon us, an annual shopping frenzy in North America that's gradually creeping into retailers in other territories. Naturally, companies are seeking attention and offering tasty deals to part you from your cash, and Nintendo's no different. It's been confirmed that,...
News Exclusive Chinese 3DS XL Models Revealed
Feast your eyes on these bad boys
Distributor of Nintendo products in China, iQue, have revealed 3 gorgeous 3DS XL models which will launch this December 2012 exclusively for the region. No price tag has been put on the models as of yet. Below you can check out the 3 models: Mario White, Mario Silver and Mario Red & Gold (Limited Edition), and...
October2012
Nintendo Download 18th October 2012 (North America)
Time to get stylish, pose for the camera, go fishing, fly a spaceship and more
North America has enjoyed some busy Nintendo Download updates of late, with plenty of variety to choose from. This week is no exception with something for everyone, and the odd surprise, so let's get on with it. 3DS Download: Sparkle Snapshots 3D (Nintendo, $5.99) —...
News Super Mario 3D Land Shortlisted for GameCity Prize
Probably won't win though
A squirreled-away secret panel has whittled down a long-list of 18 games to a shortlist of just seven for this year's GameCity Prize. The GameCity Prize was launched as part of GameCity6 in October 2011. Minecraft, the open world building title and phenomenal success from Mojang founder Markus ‘Notch’ Persson, was the...
September2012
News Super Mario 3D Land Clone Hits iPhone, and Looks Rubbish
Making Mario mad
While the iOS and Android platforms have some blockbuster downloads that have been downloaded millions of times, they also have quality control that's as effective as a Power Glove. We present to you 3D Cartoon Land: Safari, which is a rather blatant copy of Super Mario 3D Land, the same in everything except graphics, design, tight...
August2012
News Nintendo In The Game For Golden Joystick Awards
Your votes can help
It's awards season, once again, with nominations for the 30th Golden Joystick Awards now confirmed and Nintendo games or exclusives featuring in a number of categories. These awards are decided entirely by the public, so if you feel that the big N deserves a chance to win you can have your say. Below are the nominations for...
Feature Our Favourite Super Mario Games
The impossible list
With New Super Mario Bros. 2 about to hit stores, it's prompted a lot of debate about the Super Mario series as a whole. We decided that we'd take on the list that cannot win, and declare Nintendo Life's favourite Super Mario games. In total, 16 members of staff rated their top 10 Super Mario titles from a list of 14. Only games...
July2012
Mario returns with an uncharacteristic greed
When Nintendo announced New Super Mario Bros. 2, reactions were certainly mixed. Many greeted the news with immediate excitement and anticipation, whereas others were less enthusiastic about what they felt to be underwhelming news of a predictable sequel. Whichever side of the argument you fall on,...
June2012
News Mario and Kim Cattrall Star in New 3DS Advert
Run Mario run!
Advertising in video games is a funny business, and we've seen Nintendo hook up with a lot of different celebrities to promote Wii, DS and 3DS in recent years. The latest team up is with Kim Cattrall, of Sex and the City fame, who appears to promote Super Mario 3D Land and, sorry North Americans, the Ice White 3DS system. It's a...
April2012
News Mario's Presence in UK is 'Smallest in the World'
"We need to promptly improve this situation"
It's become apparent from the weekly UK software charts that Nintendo titles are struggling to make a significant impact in the country. Today's financial report statements from Nintendo revealed an interesting statistic about the sales of Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 throughout Europe, and the...
News Super Mario 3D Land Director Shares Level Design Inspirations
Similar to four-panel 'Kishōtenketsu' comics
Super Mario 3D Land has been the recipient of critical acclaim and big sales figures. It was also the first 3D Super Mario title developed exclusively for a handheld, posing interesting challenges for Director Koichi Hayashida and his team, such as finding a way to provide short levels that are also...
Feature The Super Mario Renaissance
We've never had it so good
When we think about Mario's glory years, it's easy to get lost in nostalgia. We might think back to the first time we played Super Mario Bros. and learned what a platform game was really capable of. We might think back to Super Mario World, which expanded upon the ideas of its predecessors in so many ways that felt natural...
March2012
News Super Mario 3D Land Director Wanted Cape Mario
Fluttering in 3D
Last week's Game Developer's Conference was clearly an ideal opportunity for Nintendo's brightest to talk about the company's main mascot. Koichi Hayashida, a key figure in all things Mario nowadays, revealed that Mario could have had a skateboard, amongst other things, and that he wanted Donkey Kong and Pikmin cameos in Super Mario...
News Bathe in the Glory of Miyamoto's Development Wisdom
Quotes from the master
Shigeru Miyamoto knows a thing or two about making games. As general manager of Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis Division he's worked with staff including Yoshiaki Koizumi, Takeshi Tezuka and many more. One of his protégés is Koichi Hayashida, director of Super Mario 3D Land, who took to the stage at GDC 2012 yesterday and...
News Super Mario 3D Land Could Have Had Skateboarding
Cockroaches too
Super Mario 3D Land director Koichi Hayashida took to the stage at Game Developers Conference and revealed some of the stranger ideas Nintendo's EAD team cooked up but ultimately left out of last year's platformer. Among the oddball ideas were a pro skater Mario, where the plumber rode a Koopa shell around a half pipe; an elongated...
February2012
News Zelda and Mario Up for Multiple BAFTA Awards
Can they conquer HD?
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is up for BAFTA Game of 2011 — the only award decided by a public vote — but the BAFTA board itself will have to decide if Link's most recent adventure deserves awards for Best Game or Game Innovation at the upcoming ceremony. Zelda's not the only flagship Nintendo franchise nominated:...
News 3DS Big Three Keep on Selling in Japan
Nearly 4 million served
Nintendo's Christmas trio of top titles continues to sell in Japan into January, with Mario Kart 7, Super Mario 3D Land and Monster Hunter 3 G still topping the country's sales charts. Between them the games have sold 3.94 million copies in Japan, an incredible figure as the most recent hardware sales put the machine at 3.6m...
