FAQ: Your Super Mario 3D Land Questions

As for the map itself, it's broken down into Worlds, each of which is a single straight line. Nothing special, really.

Indeed. To me, without any kind of framing in the map to give it an overarching sense of adventure, it'll likely just feel like a "3D Mario Level Pack!" instead of a truly significant new entry in the Mario series. That's how I felt about Galaxy 2; it was a level pack for Galaxy, but never felt like its own game with its own vision and frame. Just think back to all the great Mario games of the past... each one felt like entering an entirely new world or era, with something surprising and exciting to frame all the stages: the new overhead maps of Mario 3, Dinosaur Land in SMW with all its areas and secrets, those mysterious castle hallways and secret rooms to explore in 64, the wonderful, living playground of Delfino Plaza, or the fantastic opening journey from the festival to that floating spaceship with Rosalina. Here we have... some 3D levels.

Oh well, I do like the sound of the CirclePad+RunButton. With the diminished range of the circle pad, the difference between running and walking wouldn't end up playing any significant gameplay role without it. A real run button should restore the quick toggle between the two states.

Looks really cool.

The map and the way the medals are used is disappointing but at least the level design looks great.

This is definitely a day one purchase for me.

can you change the games controls to make A jump or B jump

Hey, thanks for answering my question guys! That was pretty awesome, haha. In my opinion, playable characters could be a surprise. Koizumi stated in an interview with the site that he 'looks forward to us finding out'. So maybe we have a surprise or two in store. Luigi as a playable character is given, since everyone wanted him in 64 and then they were all so happy he was in Galaxy 1 and 2. Wario or Toad at least could possibly be playable. A slight possibility, nonetheless. I hope that's true though. I'd love to play either of them in 3D space (not counting Mario 64 DS, or Wario World).

dont want to know anything in advance.want to discover it for myself..canny wait

@warioswoods: my sentiments exactly on the hub worlds and level maps. I am "AJ" (that's my name) who asked the questions concerning the maps. That was before they posted the new screenshots. I really feel like Super Mario world was the greatest 2D Mario, and the expansive overworld map made it all feel connected. And unlike Mario 3, the worlds had names instead of numbers. Yet I fear the concept of a fully-explorable 3D hub world with portals to areas featuring free-range exploration, as in Mario 64 and Sunshine, is becoming lost. Mario 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy 1 all had excellent hub worlds. Galaxy 2 had the Starship Mario, and beyond stellar gameplay, but the 2D world maps and lack of a story felt cheap to me. Now with Super Mario 3D Land it seems they have taken a step backwards by making apparently one-dimensional world maps (basically, a strait line from start to finish). And once again, with each game, they are making 3D worlds more like the old 2D Marios, with run-and-jump obstacle courses and floating objects/platforms, rather than creating original 3D environments ripe with exploration. Whilst I agree it makes the game more accessible to speed-run enthusiasts and novices alike, I always felt that part of the fun of playing a 3D platform game was finding all the secrets crammed everywhere.

This game looks good, BUT next Mario (2D or 3D) HAS to have a world map like in SMW or a hub area with secrets like in SM64 and Sunshine (Galaxy´s hub area was the worst of the three so I didn´t incude it into my list). That straight line map just looks so ridiculous.

Yay my question was answered!

Hmm, you start as Super Mario, and then get smaller. Seems odd to me that they would do it that way after making such a big break from health meters of other 3D Mario games.

Wow, My question was actually answered.

My question has been answered! Anyway, I'm skeptical about the difficulty in this game, as what we've seen looks really easy. I'm also worried that the game wouldn't have as much content as NSMB, which had multiplayer, and awesome minigames. Otherwise, the game looks really good, but it seems that it was rushed for a 2011 release, unlike NSMB, which came out a full two years after the DS was released.

IGN found artwork of the Boomerang Suit...so that should be fun. lol
Also, NL....BEAT BLOCKS! WHERE ARE THEY?! xD

EDIT: here's the new suit.
http://ds.ign.com/articles/119/1199009p1.html

@luffymcduck "(Galaxy's hub area was the worst of the three so I didn´t incude it into my list)"
Yup. Galaxy’s was only put in for the sake of having one, it just became an obstacle. Pretty shameful.

I may pass on this game for a while because it looks a bit too predictable. Might as well be Galaxy 3 considering the changes, the 3D/2D series mutation is now complete.

will there be other playable characters other than mario?

^ I hope the Luigi statue indicates something.

@Doma

I partly disagree. Galaxy's hub was not as complex or fun as Mario 64 or Sunshine, to be sure, but that aspect of Galaxy was still infinitely better handled than its sequel. Not just the hub itself, but the way you reach the hub--after that dramatic festival intro and landing on your first 3D planet, chasing that rabbit--gave the trip to space and planets a real sense of wonder, like nothing you'd ever played before. More importantly, the mystery of Rosalina and the storybook was the real heart of the hub world. I love that book; I'd pay quite a lot for a coffee-table version of it. It was a perfect children's story, full of wonder but also sadness and loss, and composed with beautiful drawings. Plus, the hub had little bits of foreshadowing (the red luma with his 'secret', etc) and development as you slowly lit up more and more of its areas.

@Stardust

Yep, right now it's Koizumi (director of Sunshine and the first Galaxy, a fan of storytelling and of the 'playground' experience - "I wanted to simulate child's play. That was the first priority") versus Miyamoto (insisted on having no story and no hub for Galaxy 2, emphasized return to linear levels), and the latter is winning. This is one of those rare cases in which I'd like Miyamoto to take a step back and let the talented people under him take things in a new direction.

Dang. This sounds less and less fun as time goes on. First, I thought it would be similar to SMG2 and have 50 or so levels, but 242 exits/stars or so. But with 5-7 levels in 8 worlds that's only 56 levels.

Personally, I love barebones map design: I'm an immediate type of person, and the linear map of Galaxy 2 was one of the main reasons I loved that game. But it's the gameplay that really matters, and so far this game is looking swell.

Also, with the inclusion of the Boomerang Suit, the Hammer suit is totally confirmed.

THIS OR SONIC GENERATIONS? MY GOD, I'M SOO CONFUZZLED!

What's strange is that I cannot seem to get a handle on what exactly this game is going to be like but MAN do I want it.

While I too would have preferred a SMW/NSMBW type map or 64-like playground hub, I still think this game will be great. I think with this one it's important to remember that this is a portable game, not a big, long, epic console adventure. They've brought the fan service stuff big time in this one, every screen shot and trailer just looks like pure joy, so it'll be a fun game to just play over and over and over again just like the other portable Marios before it.

I ALREADY POSTED A LINK! xD

The hub worlds of some Mario games are overwhelming to me, I feel like the game is too large to attempt completing. The linear map of Galaxy 2 showed me up front everything I completed and what was next, I don't see why it needs to be hidden away in rooms in a hub world. I believe I will enjoy this game more than either Galaxy games, partly because of the linear maps and overall streamlined feel the game seems to have.

I don't mind hub worlds...I dunno what to say about the Galaxy games, since they were just....there. But games like Sunshine and Mario 64 had fun hubs, especially when Sunshine had hidden Sprites and secret paths and whatnot. (dunno if 64 had stars in the hub, but it did have secret rooms) But Galaxy was...I dunno..."mrh", Galaxy 2's is just there and I never really bothered with it.

I agree with Mully. Just because the game has a linear map system doesn't mean that hub worlds are dead. For future games I hope they combine Galaxy 2's hub with 64's. A big open world to explore and interact with characters, but all the levels in one place so you can boot up the game and start conquering levels immediately.

a Run button?

darnit, i'm not liking the sound of that

Why are people complaining about a Button? Don't want to run? Don't. So nitpicky.

my name is Matthew that is me thanks so much guys

^ I think for most everyone, including myself, it just seems odd to have a "run" button, unless it is the same as running in other Mario games: holding down a button, as opposed to toggling one (on/off).

The hub (not the tv network!, lol) - I enjoyed 64's hub(b/c it's containing secrets/levels, & it's overall design of a castle was pretty cool to me; I remember a very long time ago thinking how cool it was for all that, & that this was 1st time Mario could expire outside levels.).

While Sunshine's not one of my favorite 3d Marios to date, its hub had stuff; somewhat out-there-in-the open, like Sprites, making the Sprite sound, giving away that there was something there. Other Sprites were hidden, & had to be found by completion of certain tasks. There were secret levels/areas accessed from the hub, but not as many as from 64.

Galaxy felt to me, like the sequel to 64 that Sunshine should have been, in medium part due to the hub. I also enjoyed the secret areas.

I can't make an opinion on Galaxy 2, since I don't own it.

While I'm on the subject, I always enjoyed SMB3's map design better than SMW's. Then again, SMW had the map that had topographical changes, as this was of course possible on the SNes. I guess I would probably enjoy a healthy combonation of the 2.

Regarding hub worlds, I personally would like to see a SMB3/World style map (perhaps more impressive graphically, though not extravagant for the sake of it) where you wouldn't actually know whether the level was 2D, 3D, 2.5D, or whatever until you entered the level.

@35

It's not just the map, but the combination of map, story, and presentation. I'm talking about how the game frames itself, wrapping something of significance around the set of levels. Previous Mario entries felt like new experiences due in large part to how they framed the level gameplay; it was something stunning to walk into Peach's castle for the first time (64) or to see the expansive, secret-filled terrain of Dinosaur Land. It was also a wondrous thing to be launched into the stars from the festival at the beginning of Galaxy, with the storybook unfolding slowly to explain the mysterious Rosalina and role of the Lumas.

But Mario 3D Land gives us nothing: Hey, the leaves were taken... here's some levels!

@NintyFan

Well said. I agree.

i hope they still have ice flower & penguin suit & blue shell

also something like a hammer suit and a singer suit which makes the enemies go to sleep for a short ammount of time and maybe a ninja suit which could make you throw shurikens and run faster also jump higher

@36 warioswoods

I must say that I agree with you. I don't mind selecting levels from a simple line like in this game, but I don't want them to lose the story and presentation. The reason I to this day haven't been able to decide which of the Mario Galaxy games I prefer is that the second one just doesn't feel as much like a complete experience. The story is dumbed down, and everything outside of the actual levels just seems to lack polish.

If I got to decide, the next 3D Mario game would have a hub world like Sunshine's (not like Galaxy's which just felt empty and boring), but all levels are easily accessed from one point. Of course it would have a story like Galaxy's, not simply a short explanation as to why Mario is on another adventure like in the NSMB games, Galaxy 2, and this one.

video game snobs trying to wax lyrical about games swilling and spitting map mechanics.thankgod most people just play games and dont act like they invented them.game be out soon yippee...

So to warioswoods and everyone else who is decrying the lack of a hub or a less streamlined map, are you saying that this will make the game any less fun? I feel like Galaxy 2's general feel of being a collection of levels was also heavily based on the fact that it was essentially an expansion pack of Galaxy 1, not just because of the scaled-down world selection. SM3DL is a brand new game, though, with all new gameplay mechanics, enemies, levels, etc. I'm not going to let the lack of a sandbox to play in or a sophisticated map system make me miss out on Mario's first ever original 3D portable game.

@warioswoods

Don't forget that this is on a handheld. The last thing I wanna do when I'm in the bus is waste my time getting to the level. It is better fitting for a handheld to jump straight into the action.

And if anything, the next 3D Mario hub should be like Super Mario 64. Sunshine's is too big, and Galaxy's is too empty.

Well, I just like to complain and judge little things like this; half the fun of Mario games for me now (I'm getting old and have sure been playing these for ages >_<) is seeing where the creators and designers take the series next. Nintendo is often criticized for resting on its key franchises, but the fact of the matter is that they're absolute geniuses at taking something classic or established and moving it in a new, surprising direction. I expect that from each new entry, and I generally can't wait to see what they come up with next.

RIght now, Nintendo seems to be in a different phase with Mario: not extending or adding to the gameplay concepts, but simply refining and consolidating. It's like Miyamoto is trying to distill the perfect synthesis of the past games (2D and 3D) but keep its presentation about as simple as the very first NES entry. I'm interested in what he's doing, but I'm worried about stepping backwards too much rather than forwards. You can do both; Galaxy was an amazing restatement of the Mario formula yet also felt like a Mario game from the distant future, taking us where we never thought the series could go. Since then, however, they don't seem so ambitious, and they're also slowly abandoning everything unique about the 3D entries.

But I'm sure I'll still have a great time playing this one.

I am a bit worried about difficulty. i am one of few that did not enjoy new super mario bros cause it was just too easy. now when i play it again i cant get past second world cause it isnt entertaining for me anymore

@ibeatz
a ninja suit? they're probably never going to have that because in the new games, they had power-ups that were related to old power-ups or enemies, the penguin suit was something that would be useful and only obtainable for certain levels. I can't even imagine Mario in a ninja suit, and the singer suit would be a cheap rip-off of a jigglypuff from SSB. think rationally about this, what would a plumber with a mustache look like in a ninja suit? The starman already makes you jump a little higher and move faster. the fireflower lets you shoot long range attacks. what would be the point of a ninja suit. I'm just really pissed that you suggested that, I'm not trying to be mean.

@wariowoods

To me, and lots of other people who prefer 2D Mario to 3D Mario, the series is truly evolving to our tastes with SM3DLand. I like Super Mario 64, and Sunshine, but both of these games, especially Sunshine, can't compare to, say Super Mario World. Galaxy was a step in the right direction, and this is 2 steps. Plus, this is on a handheld, and I don't think handheld Mario titles bring the series forward or backward, all they do is collect fun elements of Mario game for little chunks of fun on the go. And they are evolving 3D Mario, by inspiring you to return to stomping and hitting blocks, which, IMO, is much much better than exploring around. My only gripe with SM3DLand is that it looks too easy.

and about the map, honestly I think that the hub was a ton better. I liked exploring the map, finding hidden levels, and maybe getting extra stars like in sunshine. I think that they should make a 3D version of the SM64DS, because I thought that was brilliant, taking an old game and adding new aspects and more characters to play as + minigames, but I would like a whole new hub to explore with whole new worlds, but they're having a hard time doing that because they already took good ideas, but messed up and made it a bad game. To be honest, they should take a thousand players from the US and Canada and give them a line up of all the games, and they could write suggestions on how to make it better, and how they would like the games to be like, and suggestions on how to make the new games. I don't think that nintendo is taking young players and asking them how they'd like the games becuase it's mainly adults thinking about it, and they're more worn out. the younger people have stronger minds and can imagine up whole new worlds for mario to explore. If it were up to me, I would move to Japan and work at the Nintendo headquarters as one of the game designers, because i have some really good ideas, but I don't know how to contact nintendo and send them ideas on new games.

this game is so over hyped.

if you've played one mario, you've played em all.

where the eff is my pokemon?

@49: LuxMaster I really feel like Nintendo should take a clue from PS3's Little Big Planet and design their next 2D Mario Game (NSMB Wii-U if you will) with a built-in level editor and an online interface to share the Mario levels people created. Then they could hold design contests, etc within the channel. But of course, this is Nintendo, not Sony we are talking about here.

@warioswoods
I'm surprised at how much you enjoy the world maps in Super Mario World and Land 2. I thought they were visually nice, but a huge pain to backtrack through. I thought New Super Mario Bros. Wii had the best compromise--a visually striking map that gave the levels a sense of place, but it was also a cinch to to warp between worlds.

apparently boomerang suit will be in this game (just thought i would mention)

Eh, personally I prefer my Mario games to be simple and not so heavily story driven. Something that I can play pretty quickly and be simple, platforming goodness. If I ever need the story telling aspect, Intelligent Systems and AlphaDream's takes on Mario are a better fit (not to mention Square's one time event). For the most part, it seems Mario does best with humour in the story.

I liked Sunshine and Super Mario 64 for the ability to get Shines in different orders (also for doing random things). That being said, I didn't like how Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy required so much running around to get to certain levels. Sunshine was fine, for the most part, since it was pretty straight forward when it came to actually finding the world entrances.

@Kid_A Were there special requirements for using the cannons in each world? I don't think I ever figured them out, even after getting every single one of those special coins in the game (including the special world).

I don't play Mario for the story that's for sure. I like a simple world map like in SMB3, or a liner level select with nice backgrounds like in Yoshi's Island. Level select in this one seems a bit too simple for me, but it's not a big deal.

@carson
If you've played one Pokemon, you'vs played them all.

@StarDust

Nah, I'd rather keep Mario Mario. Level editors aren't what I play Mario games for, and if I wanted a level editor, I can get LBP.

Sent a message
Looks good game, too

No harm done luxmaster

But i hope there is some awesome new suits

I hope this game will have the Ice Flower power-up like in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. But even with suits they have already shown ( The Tanooki Suit, The Fire Flower Suit, The Starman, and more recently the Boomerang Suit) this game will be one for the ages. Hey quick note does anybody remember the article on IGN the suggest that there will be reference from the Legend of Zelda in the form of a level somehow? If that actually makes it into the game it would be EPIC

PRE-ORDERED :D:D

No SMW-esque map? That makes another game series I can add to my list of never playing again. I'm sick of paying $40 to support Nintendo's laziness. That leaves Kirby's Return to Dreamland the last game worth looking forward to this year because Skyward Sword will just be more new Zelda garbage like TP,WW, MC,PH, and ST. Where is a new Star Fox, F-Zero, and proper DKC game?

Looks so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@PSICOffee (61)

Want some cheese with that whine?

Skyward Sword looks amazing. The 3D Zelda games have been my favorites in the whole series.

This game just keeps sounding better and better.

Ah, so this is where the real Mario discussion is at. This needs to be taken to the forums where it's easier to keep updated.

While Galaxy 2 struck me as laziness, my guess is Nintendo was rushing to get this out for holiday once 3DS start to sink and just didn't have time for a map.

At least, I hope that is the case. They can't honestly think this is better. A map is actually quicker to navigate and is much more interesting than a level select. A map let's you feel like there is a greater world where each level is a part of. SMW and SML2 handled this particularly well.

The lack of a map probably won't diminish the immediate experience much for me, but it will affect how it's remembered, as I tend to remember games by the general whole rather than particular parts, and there will be nothing to tie everything together without a map or hub.

I can tell you all sorts of things about SMW and SML2 because when I remember one thing, I remember something else in relation to it on the map. SMB1 is one of my favorites, but unless I've played it recently, I can't remember much beyond 1-3 in detail, and what I can recall will have no place whatsoever... just random thoughts from somewhere in the game.

Might seem insignificant, but it's the games that stick with us that we talk about most — and talking about games is at least half the fun for me — and the ones we will want to revisit the most, while other games gradually dwindle to nothing more than a check mark on List of Games I've Finished.

In my opinion, this is a huge step in the right and original direction.
Shure I like exploration...but Mario was a platformer, and It's good to see that Miyamoto still remember those days.

You can always find exploration in other games, and probably in future Mario titles...but the objective of this game was pretty clear from the beginning, it's a new Mario game made from scratch and developed for a handheld system, with the core mario gameplay.

Even Miyamoto said: "We wanted to challenge players to start stomping again" (This comment was made in a developer video as I remember)

This is the original formula at it's best, and for me, this is not a lazy job at all, especially when you have to incorporate something that became common and make it the core of the gameplay again.
I don't mind playing the new Mario games, but I'm pretty shure that a lot of people would still prefer the old titles.
I'd love to see something like Super mario 3D land explored even further. I can already imagine a full game just like this, with tons of levels to beat on Wii U! T__T

(Instead of making so many sport games featuring Mario, Nintendo could stop for a moment and develop a game like this sometimes, together with the modern Mario games.)

I would like to see this as the new direction, but it's possible this is just a new handheld direction while a Wii U Mario would be more like Galaxy. Hoping that's not the case, but we'll see.

For the record, Nintendo's EAD Tokyo team makes the Mario games. The sports games are handled by Camelot and other companies. There is no reason to believe stopping production of one would help them increase production of another.

@Adam Oh,my mistake about the sports games, I've just logged in and I was about to edit and remove that part because I was not so shure about that comment, but since you already answered, thanks! xD

Yes, I think it's possible that this is only planned for this game, but it would be nice to see Nintendo working at least on 2 variatons of Mario games! And as you said, We'll see.

The merging of the 2D/3D games is a crappy direction imo. You can't expect elements from both series to go hand in hand, they're better off being separate.

And really, we've seen enough from the Bros. series already, it's gotten tired. SMB3 and SMW were the best (3 > W), it's not like we'll ever see a game of the same quality again, since they just keep rehashing stuff from those 2.
I'd rather they focused more on the 3D games now - a real successor to Mario 64 and Sunshine is what's needed.

I hope they have blue shell, ice flower, penguin suit, hammer suit, rock mario from mario galaxy and cloud mario from mario galaxy

Nintendo should make mario galaxy 3d

@70 I can understand not wanting reused power-ups and side-scrolling stages (not that it bothers me), but I think the power-up system being reimplemented is absolutely a positive direction for the 3D games and I like that they're at least trying a more linear style level design like the old games — not that this is new, Galaxy was sort of like that, though it didn't feel the same since you still had to replay the same galaxies for different stars.

Really, this doesn't look all that different from Mario 64. It seems to take more inspiration from 64 than any of the other 3D games did, thematically at least, though I would like to see a game that is closer to Mario 64 2. It was my favorite of the 3D ones, mostly because of the castle.

@Adam

I tend to remember games by the general whole rather than particular parts, and there will be nothing to tie everything together without a map or hub. I can tell you all sorts of things about SMW and SML2 because when I remember one thing, I remember something else in relation to it on the map.

Thank you, I couldn't say it better myself. That's what I'm talking about with the importance of a map; it frames and unites the levels so that they feel like part of a more unified, memorable journey. It's actually hard for me to be all that excited about this game now that I've seen the level select. I'm sure it'll be a joy to play each stage, but... it's just missing something like this.

Its absence hasn't put a damper on my hype, but mostly because of the context of the release. This and Zelda were never going to be more than a distraction while waiting for MK7.

Plus, it's a return to everything I like about Mario other than the map (retained power-ups, power-ups as health, Mushroom Kingdom, linearish levels, furries, etc.), so it will at least be a huge step toward my ideal 3D Mario, which is interesting because it wasn't until Galaxy that I was able to pinpoint what was missing. I wondered if we'd ever see this kind of game, and so soon after, they read my mind.

I do like that they're bringing the power-up system to 3D, along with the run button. Linearity... not so much.

I certainly loved NSMBWii, but those 2D games have an arcade quickness (demonstrated in those Super Skills videos) that I'm not seeing in the videos for 3D Land; I'm not sure 3D is really a workable medium for that kind of speed gameplay. On the other hand, 3D is a great medium for mixing in explorative, open gameplay, so I hate to see that dropped.

(And... MK7, huh? Let's hope it doesn't disappoint. The videos so far haven't done it for me, but I have high expectations.)

@76 There's no need to be defiant.

Can Tanooki Mario fly or turn into a statue?

I agree about the quickness, but there are enough 3D levels that already channel a good bit of that linear-ish goodness for me: Bowser 64 levels, FLUDDless Sunshine levels, and single-star galaxies. Two main differences though: One, they are mostly somewhat abstracted. I wonder if when themed they'll look too empty. Two, they are exceptions. A game full of levels like that... not sure if they'll keep my interest so long. If SM3DL is indeed more like that kind of level, I guess I'll find out soon.

I do like exploring the 64 levels though, just not so much the later 3D ones. It's my hope that Nintendo does its best to realize the qualities of the 2D games in 3D, because even if they can't do it, well, then we know no one can, and we can stop wondering. It is an experiment that needs to happen. So far they have only really made the occasional nod to Mario's legacy.

(And yea, MK7. Looks like MKDS2, which is good enough in my book. Hard to judge by videos though. You never get a feel for a track by looking at someone drive it for two seconds then cutting to another clip. And I'm still crossing fingers that the 7 item is a character-specific item like DD.)

@MasterGraveheart No and no.

The problem with this is that it doesn't seem very ambitious. It looks like it was rushed. I like the direction they're taking (turning 2D Mario into 3D), but I haven't seen enough that made me go, "want!" If I wasn't a 3DS owner, I wouldn't really have cared about the game. Nintendo needs to take this game further with a sequel or something, like James said in the podcast. I'd rather have the game delayed another year for multiplayer and minigames like in NSMB.

Does the game have any charm or is it fairly generic?

Does it actually make ANY allusions to the "Land" series beyond its name and portability?

Warioswoods and I definitely share some common opinions. The more I think about it, there's perhaps a good chance that the gameplay in SM3DL actually may be the perfect marriage between the 2D and 3D playing styles we have all come to love. I know that there are people in both camps who favor one style over the other, and I am one of those who felt they should have remained distinct from one another. The time limit definitely streamlines the experience by encouraging players to run the course to the finish line rather than simply playing around. I was initially hugely disappointed by the 2D World maps in Galaxy 2, and the fact they for the most part replaced lovely Rosalina with ugly "Fat Purple Luma Dude", but many of the worlds in Galaxy 2 had a level of polish that went above and beyond anything I'd hoped for. In other words, the gameplay was spectacular! In the end, I enjoyed playing the game even moreso than Galaxy 1. But, as many people will agree, first impressions are everything, and my first impressions of the game were not that great. And I feel like the presentation of Super Mario 3D Land will suffer even moreso.

Despite featuring beyond-stellar gameplay and level design, I still feel like Nintendo is taking some lazy shortcuts regarding the menus, maps, and plotlines. My question is, why do this? Imagine recieving the most exquisite birthday gift you could possibly imagine wish for, only to find it has been wrapped in brown packing paper, and tied down with twine instead of ribbon. Rather than having a nice pretty label with your name printed on it, it is merely scribbled on the brown packaging with a sharpie marker. Your initial reaction will no doubt be dissapointed. That's the direction I feel Nintendo is going with these latest Mario games: They are basically taking a triple-AAA, top-tier gameplay experience, and brown-bagging it for the presentation. Why, Nintendo, why keep doing this?

Here's hoping that the world selection map on the final game looks better than these hideous beta screenshots.

According to Nintendo Power there is no triple jump. Check again and get back with us.

@StarDust

I think it's because Miyamoto is doing his best to make it come out this year. To develop a game that quick, you're gonna have to skip over a lot of things like the maps. SMG2 has a linear map because it was developed in less time than SMG1. This is one of the few Nintendo games that seem rushed this gen.

I like brown bags.

love the caption to the first screenshot

@RYBlast: I see your point; however you must keep in mind that SMB1, SM World, and SM 64 were all launch titles in the NA region, and none of those three games felt rushed to market in any way.

Somewhere around the release of Game Cube, Nintendo started slacking off with the launch titles. Even so, flagship titles Sunshine and Galaxy were both nearly a year late, yet neither showed any lack of polish whatsoever. On the other hand, 3DS's flagship title, Super Mario 3D Land is, in it's current state, like a half-baked pizza being taken from the oven. If it needs a couple of extra minutes [months] to brown the crust, then put the pizza back in and finish baking it! But as I have already stated, right now we only have the beta screenshots, probably from an old build. If history is of any indication, sometimes the final engine of a game can be made to look a lot nicer. Hopefully, this is the case with Mario 3D Land, but I still don't see them breaking apart the linear monotony of the level maps. At least throw in a token Warp Zone or two, for Pete's sake...

@SamuraiShyGuy I don't actually have the game with me to try, that was going off memory of a few hours weeks back, hence "from what we remember".

@StarDust None of these games were rushed, though, especially SM 64, where Nintendo has taken a lot of time developing it. SM3DL looks rushed. Miyamoto said that they couldn't program Tanooki Mario to fly in 3D, which is just.... I'm sure that Nintendo has the ability to make Tanooki Mario fly, if they were taking their time.

I agree about the extra couple of months. They can add new game modes, up the difficulty, add multiplayer, make Tanooki Mario fly, etc.

@StarDust @RYBlast

SMB1 was not a launch title in Japan, where it was released 2 years after the system launched, and Super Mario World was rushed according to Miyamoto. I think it turned out fine, and I'm not sure what is missing due to its being rushed (it is rather short, so maybe just more levels, but the world map seems full enough to me).

So really, there is no way to generalize how Mario games are developed. They haven't always been launch titles (Famicom, Cube, Wii) and when they have been, one out of two times it was rushed. And even the one time it wasn't, Mario 64 had been in development as Mario FX for SNES for a good while before, so they had a good headstart on that one. I've heard SMW was originally to be SMB4 on NES, too, actually, but I don't know that they really put much work into that before switching to SNES.

Considering Galaxy 2 came out not two years ago, I think it's safe to say this had to be rushed. You don't make a Mario game from scratch on a brand new system in 18 months or so without rushing at least a little. Considering how good it looks, I can't blame them. It looks like they pulled it off, and 3DS needed it.

@Adam

Good point about SMB1. Didn't really notice that the Famicom came out that earlier in Japan.

And the game looks good, and it will be one of the best games on the 3DS if it manages to be difficult, but it could use more content. Part of why I love NSMB so much is its content.

How can you say it needs more content... you haven't played it yet... They could have used every bit of space on that cartridge, and you'd have no way to know yet. I'm hoping there are a lot of levels.

@Adam

Until now, I haven't seen enough content.

We must mean different things. A trailer can only show you two minutes of content. No game would be any different.

@RYBlast

Not enough content? What do you want? Online multiplayer?

@SamuraiShyGuy

No, I want different modes, a better map, and minigames.

Maps aren't content, just a different kind of level select menu.

The vast majority of single-player games do not include a collection of mini-games. SM64DS offered some because they were just remaking an older game and needed to increase its value; NSMB just rehashed most of the same mini-games from that game.

@adam: you claim Super Mario World seemed rushed. Maybe. I always felt like the area map and level design of the Chocolate Mountains (Zone 6) seemed to have a little less polish than previous areas.

I was aware all along that Super Mario Brothers was not a launch title in Japan, which is why I added "in NA region" in my post.

Looking back, Super Mario Galaxy 2 didn't really seem rushed either. It had a shorter development cycle, but the game engine was already perfected. It and Galaxy are two of my favorite Wii games.

But I agree with RYBlast, that SM3DL is rushed. But we will see when it gets released, by compairing the beta screens to the final product.

@adam: I disagree with your conclusion that level maps are not "content". The maps/hubs often make up the initial first impressions of a game, and serve as a lasting reference point in the gamers mind. It took me a while to realise how gorgeous the subtle hues of the galaxy backdrops were on the Galaxy 2 menus. The fact that the sky behind the Starship Mario changed depending on what world you were parked on, added polish to that feeling of traversing the universe. So yes, backgrounds, graphics, levels, physics, items, enemies, and yes, maps all play a roll in contributing content to a game. It's just that I feel, thus far, SM3DL to be severely lacking in the maps department. But again, we will see if anything is changed upon release.

EDIT: 100 posts, yay!

Hubs can certainly be content, particularly a hub like that of M64 or Sunshine (I still love that square, haters be danged). Likewise, while 2D maps often belong to "presentation" more than content, I'd argue that it isn't always such a simple divide. There's no question that the artwork, secrets, and layout of the maps in SMW were just as significant to me as any in-level moment of the game. The way everything linked up to the five hidden connections of Star Road was fantastic.

And, remember the maps changing to autumn after you complete all the secret levels? It's those touches that made it such a great game.

@StarDust
"maps/hubs often make up the initial first impressions of a game, and serve as a lasting reference point in the gamers mind"

I agree and understand your point there, but the fact that this game doesn't include a map is not something that should be considered a disappointment or something that would affect the game in a bad way, especially if you compare SM3DL with the original SML. Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I can remember...in that game you had to unlock the stage selection after beating the game, and the stage selection was a simple world 1-1, 2-1, 3-1. Maybe their choice was to make an allusion to that game, that was the first Mario game on the Gameboy (just like SM3DL on the 3DS now), but that simple stage selection is now represented in a line with a cool preview of each level (rotating and in -->3D<--) wich is pretty cool and effective xD

In my opinion, just the idea of this game is ambitious enough. Miyamoto is offering the classic 2D gameplay in a 3D environment for the first time, and trying to retrieve what was lost when Mario went 3D!

I think it's too soon to compare this game with Mario Galaxy. o.o

Hubs and maps aren't the same. You can actually play in a hub. A map is a different way of presenting a level select. You wouldn't see an HD remake of a game say "All New Content!" if it's just new graphics and menus, but you might if it had new levels, items, etc. We disagree on definitions, nothing else. Much of what Stardust said I said earlier, so obviously I am not downplaying the role of the hub or map. I love both and have already stated how significant each is to my experience.

Speaking of hubs maps and content, it would be interesting if (assuming they follow up on SM3DL's style of game play) in they were to try an overworld map in 3D that you could walk around in like a weird mix of Mario's normal hubs and a Final Fantasy / Zelda 2 -like map, if you follow. Have Mario run around and jump over hills and such to hit ? blocks that bring him to a level, with mountains and such blocking his path but being destroyed / reformed like in SMW when you complete a level to open a path.

And about the launch titles, Stardust, I didn't say SMW seemed rush. I said Miyamoto said it was rushed. His words, not mine. I'm pretty happy with the result. As for the NA launch thing — my bad, misread it, though it doesn't change my point. A rushed Mario to sell a system isn't new.

Miyamoto on SMW: It seems like every time we do a Mario game, four more people join the team. Sixteen people helped with Super Mario World, and it took us about three years to make. source

I'm sure he must have also complained about it being rushed, somewhere, but 3 years doesn't sound all that rushed. Based on when Nintendo finished Galaxy 2 and how they were talking about a hypothetical 3D Mario when the 3DS was first announced, this game's development was likely much shorter than 3 years. Anyhow, I don't really know about what went on behind the scenes, but SMW was easily the most polished and complete Mario yet, in my mind. I know, not as many levels as some other entries, but the levels felt more varied and surprising.

On maps, I know that we're arguing tiny differences in definitions, but I simply don't agree that a map is only a level select. It certainly can be that simple, but SMW (and even SMB3, to a much lesser extent) made it a part of the gameplay. It's not just a coating; the map offers crucial hints as to where there might be a secret path or world, or teases you with an unreachable pipe, and observation of it can be necessary to completing an area like the Forest of Illusion. Also note the paths that open or close in SMB3, and the airship blocking various routes as it moves.

One more Shigeru quote - I just found this one, and it comes in an article that does mention he once called it rushed, but now he's citing it as an all-time favorite: Super Mario World is something that included of course all the action you saw in Super Mario Bros., but it also had the map features, so it also had that element of players having to think about where they were going and what they were going to do next - emphasis mine ; )

@warioswoods Aah, so that's the definition of map you meant!

It seems, however, that Miyamoto is currently focusing on gameplay. Miyamoto is very careful while explaining the objective of the game (it's a 3D Mario that plays like a 2D Mario game), and not making it in a way that you need to play with stereoscopic 3D. He's also very specific when he says that this game will help people to discover what is good about 3D gaming. (For a strange reason, I just couldn't post the link for the interview..after trying more than 30 times lol, so just search on youtube for this video: Super Mario 3D Land Interview English version)

If you stop to think about this, when Super Mario World was made...the basic Mario gameplay was polished and ready for the next step, with new modifications and content. This is the first time Miyamoto is trying to merge 3D with 2D mechanics, so before expanding the game in a more immersive (and expensive) way, he wants to test the public's reaction to it's gameplay. Well, that's what I think at least, I'd do this, and that's why I said some posts above that:

"I'd love to see something like Super mario 3D land explored even further. I can already imagine a full game just like this, with tons of levels to beat on Wii U!" And when I said "full game", I was thinking about Super Mario World, wich was the last Mario game I've owned and my favorite (not the last I've played though)

The gameplay of SM3DL drew me back to Nintendo instantly, now I'm planning to buy the 3DS and the Wii U. I never thought I'd see this kind of gameplay again.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and suggest something: Back at e3 2010, Nintendo announced that there would be 2D and 3D Mario titles released for the 3DS. Yet now we have Super Mario 3D Land coming out, witch consists primarily of 2D playing styles in a 3D environment. I find it concievable that both projects got merged into one game, because there is no evidence of another Mario platform game being released any time soon. If so, it certainly explains the current direction this game is taking.

I should have just called this "Your Super Mario 3D Land Map Questions".

I'm disappointed with the inclusion of levels. Nintendo should have made a Mario cartography game.

I looked up the quote just the other day (from IGN's history of Mario article). Either they make stuff up or Miyamoto wanted more than three years.

About the map thing, I was responding to someone wanting "more content," whereas a map, if content, would be better content, not more content. I would never bother to make the distinction of whether it's called "content" or "presentation" or "banana nut bread" or whatever except in response to how someone else seemed to define it. As I said, I am a Map Fan myself.

Think of the Mario game as an exquisite dessert at a fine restaraunt. The gameplay is the flavorful experience of eating it, but the presentation of how it looks on the plate, aka presentation, is also very important part of the experience. A blueberry cobbler, for instance, may look like slop on a plate, but taste absolutely delicious. That is presumably the situation with SM3DL. Great gaming experience; sloppy presentation. So, if the chef values his reputation, he/she will place every bit as much thought into the presentation of the dessert, as he/she does perfecting the recipie. And quite clearly Nintendo, while clearly excelling with the experience, they have failed somewhat in the presentation department. So while the gameplay is delicious, the overall impression when the gamer first views the game, is slightly less palletable.

@Adam I also like maps but I'd rather have a good hub. I'm currently playing Super Mario Sunshine again and loving exploring Delfino Island again.

I also believe that this game was fast-tracked for release this year.

Level editor please. Do it Nintendo.

The Mario vs DK games have excellent level editors. Imagine a full-fledged platforming adventure with a robust level editor... It might not work for a 3D game, but 2D games like New Super Mario Bros. would be much better with one.

Im glad raccon mario is back

I Have 2 giltches One is were ur white tanooki Mario And u Ground pound on a baddie box ur 3Ds Makes A Harsh Grinding Sound Glitch number 2 Is on level 1-2 After u Pass the Check point flag Go into the koopa troopa room then jump on the triple Block on The Ground Wait Until koopa Troopa Comes near the block Then Run on him then leave ur 3Ds And u Get Infinite One Ups! Plz Try these