Great sequel to Super Mario 64 with better powerups

Almost all of the excellent 3DS titles so far have been graphically upgraded ports of older games. They are fine as far as they go, but this system has been lacking a true stellar first-party title for a while now. Nintendo has finally remedied this with their latest Super Mario Bros. release, Super Mario 3D Land. Having obtained a copy of this game and played through it fully, I can say, in all honesty, that this is by far the highest quality Mario hand-held game ever released. As others have noted, this game is a kind of celebration of all things Mario, and it takes its inspiration from earlier titles in the series, most notably Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Bros. 3. I honestly can't find anything wrong with this game, aside from perhaps the strange Tanooki obsession that seems to have gripped the developers of this game, as EVERYTHING has a Tanooki tail in this game.

While there is a relative lack of difficulty to be had in the game's first eight worlds, it is in the game's subsequent eight worlds of bonus content, which can be unlocked after completing the main campaign, that truly tests the more seasoned Mario veterans. With this said, however, the first eight worlds are still a wonder to play through, and there is a moderate level of difficulty to be had in locating all three of the stars in each level. This game seeks to please people of all skill levels, and if you are truly looking for a challenge, the game will deliver one.

The power-ups here are far more inventive than I've seen in most Mario games of the past. Mario can, of course, still change into Fire Mario, who shoots enormous fireballs at his enemies. The Tanooki suit has, of course, returned, and I dare say you will probably play through most of the game with this power-up, as Tanooki leaves tend to be handed out like candy in the levels. The suit doesn't fly, unfortunately, but Mario can glide, tail whip, and, in the bonus worlds, briefly turn into a statue. A new one I've not seen before is the propeller power-up, which allows you to engage precision aerial tasks. Finally, there is the fantastic boomerang upgrade, which allows Mario to access previously unreachable items and to take out almost all enemies.

One can also play as Luigi in this game after participating in the second set of eight worlds, which helps to spice up replays of this game nicely.

The 3D effect is vital to fully enjoy the game here. It is utilized in such a way that it actually enhances gameplay! This intelligent usage of 3D is a good initial argument for the 3DS' 3D not being a mere beautiful gimmick.

There is even an interesting use of the streetpass feature in this game. When your 3DS is in streetpass mode and you pass someone else with a 3DS, it has a chance of sending you a small bonus level that'll help you rack up more stars.

Finally, but not lastly, there are three save slots here, something I appreciate immensely when giving the game to other people when they want to take it for a spin!

The large amount of levels, steadily increasing difficulty, beautiful graphics, intelligent use of 3D, and compelling gameplay all make this game an absolute must-buy. Get this game! If you don't own a 3DS, then get one and get this game! Between this and the new Mario Kart, the 3DS should have a very strong holiday season.