Super Mario 3D Land

This article is about the 2011 video game. For the stage in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, see 3D Land.

Not to be confused with Super Mario Land or Super Mario 3D World.

Super Mario 3D Land
North American box art For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer	Nintendo EAD Tokyo Brownie Brown
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Nintendo 3DS
Release date	Retail: Template:ReleaseNintendo eShop: Template:ReleaseNintendo Selects: Template:Release
Genre	Platformer, Action-adventure
Rating(s)	ESRB: - Everyone PEGI: - Three years and older CERO: - All ages ACB: - General USK: - Six years and older RARS: - All ages GRAC: - All ages GSRR: - Six years and older
Mode(s)	Single-player
Input	Nintendo 3DS: Gamepad

Super Mario 3D Land is a single-player game in the Super Mario franchise for the Nintendo 3DS, released in November 2011, and is the first Mario game overall for the console. This is the second 3D Super Mario platformer for a handheld device (with Super Mario 64 DS being the first and an enhanced remake of the first 3D platformer adventure) and, as noted by Reggie Fils-Aime at E3 2011, the first 3D Mario platformer to be built from the ground up for a handheld system. It is closely based on side-scrolling Mario games, but it is a 3D platformer in the vein of games like Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy. The game was created by the same development team that worked on the Super Mario Galaxy games and Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, currently part of Nintendo EAD Tokyo. It received a sequel entitled Super Mario 3D World, which was released for the Wii U in November 2013. The game requires 2315 blocks if it is bought off the Nintendo eShop.

Story

Bowser capturing Peach

Outside Peach's Castle stands the Tail Tree, a stripe-tailed tree with Super Leaves on its branches. All of the Mushroom Kingdom is familiar with the tree. One night, a huge storm blows all of the leaves off, as Bowser laughs in the background.

Later on, when Mario and three Toads (red, yellow, and blue) check the Tail Tree, they discover that the Super Leaves are gone. However, the yellow Toad notices a hovering letter near the tree, and the group of four goes to investigate. Mario grabs and opens the letter, and a picture of Bowser holding Princess Peach captive with Super Leaves flying in the background pops out. The message shocks the three Toads and Mario, and immediately, Mario and the three Toads run to save the Princess. Throughout his adventure, Mario receives more letters about Peach's predicament and about various stages of Bowser's Super Leaf-related plan.

Inspired by Mario's courage, Peach ultimately attempts to escape from Bowser and his army, but she is soon recaptured. Mario travels through World 8 and defeats Bowser, only to be tricked by a fake Peach sign, as Bowser escapes with the real Peach. Mario eventually finds Bowser's lair, but before they can battle, the floor beneath them breaks and they fall. After being chased through various obstacles, Mario manages to press a switch making the bridge under Bowser collapse, sending Bowser into a pool of lava. At last, Mario and the three Toads find Princess Peach and, using their Tanooki powers, bring Peach back to her castle.

Peach attempting an escape from Bowser and the Koopa Troop

After that, a short cutscene appears with a letter floating down in World 1-1. It shows that Luigi was kidnapped. Mario then sets off to save Luigi. After rescuing him in Special 1-Castle, he becomes a playable character.

After Mario beats Special 8-Castle, another cut-scene appears. Another letter has floated down on World 1-1, and the three Toads who accompanied Mario in his adventure investigate while in their Tanooki forms. To their surprise, Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach once more. Then, Mario or Luigi must defeat Bowser in World 8-Bowser's Castle2 again. After that, a picture of Tanooki Peach is unlocked. Once five stars are present on the profile, Special 8-Crown, the very last level, is unlocked.

Gameplay

Mario in World 1-1.

The levels of Super Mario 3D Land are much more linear and compact than the other 3D titles, more along the lines of the side-scrolling games. All levels have a time limit and even feature Goal Poles, a staple of the original Super Mario Bros. and the New Super Mario Bros. games, as opposed to Power Stars or Shine Sprites, as the level goals. To enter vertical pipes, the player must press or ; for the first time in the series, the player can re-enter areas through pipes at will (for example, after being transported to the above-ground Goal Pole in World 2-2, the player can go back down the pipe to return underground). The graphics of the game greatly resemble those of the Super Mario Galaxy games, while the levels show visual similarities to the New Super Mario Bros. titles. Game-play also takes cues from Super Mario Sunshine, notably tight-rope walking. Unlike the 2D Mario games, the level themes in a world tend to be more random, like the galaxies of the Super Mario Galaxy games, instead of focusing on a particular setting per world.

Due to the merging of the 2D and 3D play styles, Mario's moveset is more limited than in the previous Super Mario games; he does not dash as fast, and thus cannot jump as high or as far as in past games; he also cannot Double Jump or Triple Jump for the first time in a platforming game since Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. Mario can also no longer Spin Jump, fly (in Tanooki form, unlike in Super Mario Bros. 3), grab and/or throw objects (such as Green Shells), hold onto ledges, or attack without power ups. However, he can still Wall Jump, Long Jump, Ground Pound, Sideways Somersault, and Backwards Somersault. Other controls take cues from the 2D titles; Mario can crouch and slide while running, which now requires the use of a run/attack button, like in the 2D games. In addition, the Backwards Somersault works like the Power Squat Jump does in Super Mario Bros. 2. Finally, Mario has a new roll move that can be used to hit blocks from the side and fit through small gaps.

Tanooki Mario in World 2-Airship.

While giving examples of how the Nintendo 3DS enhances game-play, Shigeru Miyamoto has stated that hitting blocks from underneath in 3D Mario games would be easier with stereoscopic 3D. Thus, blocks are more prevalent in this game, unlike the past 3D games, where blocks were few and far between. Three Star Medals (which have a similar design to the Comet Medals from Super Mario Galaxy 2) are found in each level, and collecting all three is part of the level's challenge, like the Star Coins in the New Super Mario Bros. games. + Clocks can be picked up to give the player additional time to complete the level, a mechanic only seen previously in Super Mario Galaxy 2's Speedy Comet missions.

Mario's health system is now based on the side-scrolling titles rather than being a numbered health meter: Mario becomes a cap-less Small Mario when damaged, while power-ups give him an extra hit point and new abilities. These power-ups include the Super Mushroom, the Fire Flower, the new Boomerang Flower, the Statue Leaf (replacing the Tanooki Suit), and the Super Leaf, the last of which had not been seen since Super Mario Bros. 3. Notably, the Fire form, unlike its previous 3D appearances in Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel, no longer has a time limit imposed on it and is retained until Mario is hit, as in the side-scrolling games. The Item Storage from New Super Mario Bros. also appears in this game.

As in Super Mario Bros. 2, when Mario loses a life, he respawns in his Super form instead of his Small form. Similar to New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the game has features to help the player if they lose too many lives in a stage. When the player loses two lives in one level, a flying Roulette Block appears. When five lives are lost, an Assist Block containing an Invincibility Leaf appears, which makes the player invincible for the duration of the level. Finally, when ten lives are lost, an Assist Block with a P-Wing appears, which warps the player directly to the Goal Pole. Unlike previous Mario games, the lives counter in Super Mario 3D Land extends beyond 100 and goes up to 1,110 lives (after reaching 1,000, 1,100 and 1,110 lives, the hundreds, tens, and units digits respectively are displayed as a crown). This life counter is also included in New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario 3D World.

The game also makes extended use of the Nintendo 3DS hardware. When the player uses a cannon or the binoculars, the Nintendo 3DS gyro controls can be used to aim by moving the 3DS. The game also includes a StreetPass option, whereupon encounters, Mystery Boxes and Toad House items are exchanged between players. Items in Toad Houses sent by another player are recorded, including the amount of items sent by the user.

By clearing Special 1-Castle, Luigi is unlocked as a playable character, and can be swapped in or out by pressing the "M"/"L" button in the bottom corner of the touch screen on the world map. As in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Luigi jumps higher than Mario, but has lower traction.

Controls

• : Move, enter a horizontal Warp Pipe.
• /: Choose level, Jump, Wall Jump, Swim.
• /: Dash, throw Fireballs (Fire Mario), throw a Boomerang (Boomerang Mario), Tail Whip (Tanooki Mario).
• Hold (/): Slow fall (Tanooki Mario).
• /: Crouch, Slide, enter a vertical Warp Pipe/Cannon.
• (/)+: Crawl.
• (/)+(/): Ground Pound, transform into Statue Mario (Tanooki Mario with scarf).
• Hold (/)+(/): Crouch Jump.
• Reverse +(/): Side Somersault.
• (/)+(/): Roll, Tail Spin (Tanooki Mario).
• +(/)+(/): Long Jump.
• +(/)+(/)+(/): Rolling Leap.
• /: Pause menu.
• : Left/Right, change camera angle. Up, enter normal view (objects on the screen pop-out more). Down, enter extended depth view (the objects push further into the screen).

Characters

Playable

Character	Advantages	Disadvantages	Availability
Mario	Balanced		From the start
Luigi	Jumps higher	Lower traction	After saving him in Special 1-Castle

Supporting

• 

  Princess Peach

• 

  Toad

• 

  Toads

• 

  Little birds

Enemies and obstacles

New

Image	Name	Description
	Baddie Box	Releases infinite enemies when Mario is near.
	Biddybud	Enemies resembling ladybugs that walk in a set pattern, usually in groups.
	Big Cosmic Clone	Larger Cosmic Clones that can break Brick Blocks.
	Big Tail Goomba	Bigger versions of Tail Goombas that have a bigger tail.
	Blokkablok	Enemies that move around a set pattern and are made of ? Blocks and Brick Blocks.
	Coin Coffer	Invisible enemies that dispense coins when hit, and are similar to Moneybags from previous games.
	Draglet	Small dragons that shoot Fireballs at the player.
	Fake Block	Hides among real Brick Blocks, and when approached, chases the player, attacking them with their tails.
	Flophopper	Attacks by flipping themselves around to move in a set area, with one half that can be jumped on and another that is full of spikes.
	Goomba Tower	A stack of two or more Goombas that act just like regular ones.
	Inky Piranha Plant	Piranha Plants that spit ink that covers the screen, blocking the player's view.
	Morty Mole	Large Monty Moles that take two regular stomps to be defeated.
	Para-Biddybud	Flies around in a set pattern in levels, often appearing in groups.
	Peepa	Ghosts that either stay in a stationary position and move around through a set area in order to hurt the player.
	Prongo	Enemies that chase after the player and dive in a attempt to headbutt them.
File:SandmaarghSM3DL.png	Sandmaargh	Enemies that travel in sand and attempt to bite and damage the player.
	Spike Bar	Rotating spike balls, similar to a Fire Bar.
	Spike Eel	These enemies stay in holes and swim in Mario's way, similar to Maw-Rays.
	Stingby	Enemies resembling bees that chase the player horizontally when they spot them.
	Tail Bob-omb	Bob-ombs that descend slowly until they land on the ground, exploding soon after.
	Tail Boo	Boos with tails that tail whip if the player looks at one to stop it.
	Tail Bullet Bill	Bullet Bills that tail whip after traveling some distance.
	Tail Goomba	Goombas that jump in the air and descend slowly, performing a tail attack when they land.
	Tail Thwomp	Thwomps that jump and float, moving on a set path.
	Wallop	Enemies that mimic the player's movements, such as moving and jumping.

Returning

Image	Name	Description
	Banzai Bill	A large Bullet Bill that is fired out of a Banzai Bill Cannon.
	Banzai Bill Cannon	A cannon that fires Banzai Bills.
	Big Boo	Large Boos that act similarly to their regular counterparts. They appear in only a few Ghost Houses.
	Bill Blaster	A cannon that shoots Bullet Bills and Tail Bullet Bills.
	Blooper	Chases the player through water, with irregular movement.
	Bob-omb	Enemies that chase the player and explode after chasing the player for a set amount of time, and can be thrown by Rocky Wrenches.
	Boo	Ghosts that chase the player and stop and cower when looked at.
	Boomerang Bro	Enemies that jump around and throw Boomerangs, some of which drop Boomerang Flowers when defeated.
	Bullet Bill	Enemies that are fired out of Bill Blasters, and fly in the direction that they where fired from.
	Burner	Objects that spew flames to block the players path.
	Chain Chomp	Enemies that are attached to a pole and charge at players that come near them.
	Cheep Cheep	Fish that swim in water in a set pattern, often in groups. Occasionally jumps out of water in order to hurt the player.
	Cosmic Clone	Enemies that chase the player while mimicking their movements.
	Dry Bones	Undead Koopa Troopas that chase the player and, when hit, regenerate after a couple of seconds.
	Fire Bar	Fireballs that rotate around a block.
	Fire Piranha Plant	Piranha Plants that spit out fireballs towards the player.
	Fuzzy	Enemies that move in a set pattern on tightropes, often in groups.
	Giant Spiked Ball	Larger versions of Spiked Balls that can destroy their smaller counterparts.
	Goomba	Enemies resembling shiitake mushrooms that charge towards the player if they spot them.
	Grinder	Saw blades that slice out pieces of wood in World 7-5.
	Hammer Bro	Enemies that jump around the stage and throw hammers at the player.
	Koopa Troopa	Turtle-like enemies that walk in a set path and when jumped on, hide in their shell, which can be kicked.
	Lava Bubble	A ball of lava that jumps out of lava, often in groups.
	Lava Geyser	Geysers of lava that can elevate platforms to allow the player to reach usually out-of-reach areas.
	Magikoopa	Enemies that teleport around the stage and shoot magic at the player.
	Magmaargh	Enemies that travel thought lava in a set pattern.
	Monty Mole	Enemies that pop out of the ground and patrol a set area, occasionally in groups.
	Paragoomba	Winged Goombas that fly vertically and horizontally in order to hurt the player.
	Piranha Plant	Plants that try to bite the player by lunging at them.
	Pokey	Tall cacti that move around in a set pattern, with individual segments that can be taken out to make them shorter.
	Porcupuffer	Pufferfish that swim back and forth, and occasionally jump out of water to hurt the player and can even break bridges.
	Rocky Wrench	Lid-wearing enemies that hide in a hole and occasionally pop out to throw either wrenches, Bob-ombs or coins.
	Spike Pillar	Objects that charge backwards and then charge forwards in order to hurt the player.
	Spiked Ball	Balls that roll around and can damage the player.
	Spiny	Spiked turtles that charge towards the player when they see the player.
	Swing Spike	Giant spiked balls that move back and forth like a pendulum.
	Thorny flower	Plants that hurt the player if they touch them.
	Thwomp	Floating enemies that try to crush the player if they walk under them, and can also be used as a platform or wall.

Bosses

Bosses
white		white		white
Disguised minions of Bowser who breathe fire, swing their tails, and jump around on collapsible bridges.		A big brutish Koopa that spins his fists around his arenas.		A female Boom Boom that throws boomerangs.
Levels		Levels		Levels
World 1-Castle World 5-Castle		World 2-Airship World 3-Airship World 7-Airship	Special 4-Airship Special 6-Airship Special 7-Mystery Box Special 8-Crown	World 4-Airship World 6-Airship World 7-Airship	Special 4-Airship Special 8-Crown
white			white
At first fights like his copies, but for the final showdown becomes far more persistent and aggressive, gaining several new behaviors.			Bowser's skeletal counterpart, who fights like the Tail Bowsers.
Levels			Levels
World 8-Bowser's Castle: Part 1 World 8-Bowser's Castle: Part 2			Special 1-Castle Special 5-Castle Special 8-Bowser's Castle

Items and objects

Power-ups and forms

A power-up chart.

Power-up	Transformation	Description
New
Boomerang Flower	Boomerang Mario	Lets Mario throw a boomerang to hit enemies and collect items from afar.
Invincibility Leaf	White Tanooki Mario	Appears in an Assist Block after losing five lives in a (skipped) normal world course, which makes the file's stars lose their sparkle. Gives Mario permanent invincibility for one course only, alongside the Tanooki form's abilities.
Statue Leaf	Statue Mario	Turns Mario into Tanooki Mario (with a red scarf) and also lets him turn into Statue Mario instead of ground-pounding.
Returning
N/A	Small Mario	This is Mario's weakest form, as he loses a life if he takes damage in this form. He also cannot break Brick Blocks, and he only gets Super Mushrooms from blocks.
Super Mushroom	Mario	Mario starts each life in this form. Taking damage only reverts him to Small form, and he can break Brick Blocks and find other power-ups in blocks.
Fire Flower	Fire Mario	Lets Mario throw fireballs, which bounce off walls and vanish after two seconds, to hit enemies and light torches.
Super Leaf	Tanooki Mario	Lets Mario slow his falls and tail whip objects and enemies.
Super Star	Invincible Mario	Briefly makes Mario invincible, letting him gain extra lives upon running into five or more enemies.
P-Wing	N/A	Appears in an Assist Block after the player loses ten lives in a (skipped) normal world course, or within certain Mystery Boxes. Sends Mario straight to the Goal Pole.
Support items
? Box		Lets Mario collect inifinite coins while moving. Gives an extra life if brought to the Goal Pole.
Propeller Box		Lets Mario fly upward and descend slowly. Gives an extra life if brought to the Goal Pole.

Other items and objects

This section is under construction. Therefore, please excuse its informal appearance while it is being worked on. We hope to have it completed as soon as possible.

Image	Description
New
Assist Blocks	Assist Blocks contain an Invincibility Leaf or a P-Wing. Appear after five or ten lives are lost, respectively, in the same course, and make the file's stars lose their sparkles upon doing so. They cannot appear in the Special Worlds.
Binoculars	Let Mario see further into the course. Toads can also be spotted and usually give a power-up or Star Medal once found.
Board	Fake cutouts of objects. May give items when broken.
Coin ring	Gives five coins when passed through.
Directional Block	Move in the indicated direction when hit.
Flip Panel	Form temporary pathways when activated.
File:Nocoverart.png Flying Coin Block	Winged Coin Blocks that only lose their wings once empty.
File:Nocoverart.png Flying Roulette Block	A winged Roulette Block that appears when Mario loses two lives in the same course.
Long ? Block	A three-block-wide ? Block that holds three coins or two coins and a power-up.
File:Nocoverart.png Long Coin Block	A three-block-wide Coin Block that gives up to 30 coins.
File:Nocoverart.png Long Empty Block	The result of hitting a Long ? Block.
File:Nocoverart.png Long Note Block	A twice-as-wide Note Block.
Mystery Box	Lets Mario enter a time-limited bonus room.
Star Medal	Unlock courses when enough are collected. Most courses have three; they can also be found in Mystery Boxes.
Switchboard	Move along tracks according to which arrow Mario stands on.
Tail Wheel	Elevate cetain structures when spun by Tanooki Mario's tail whip.
Warp Box	Sends Mario to another part of the course.
Returning
1-Up Mushroom	Gives Mario an extra life.
+ Clock (green and blue)	Adds 10 or 100 seconds to the time limit.
? Block	Contains a coin or a power-up.
Bone Roller Coaster	A bony platform that moves on tracks in Bowser's second castle.
Brick Block	Blocks that cannot be broken if Small Mario hits them.
Cannon	Used to fire Mario further into a course.
Checkpoint Flag	Has Mario spawn near it if he loses a life after activating it.
Coin	Grants an extra life for every 100 collected.
File:Nocoverart.png Coin Block	Gives up to ten coins when repeatedly hit.
Crate	Break when hit. May contain coins or power-ups.
Donut Block	Fall slowly once stood upon.
Empty Block	A used-up ? Block.
Face block	Briefly spawned in paths from hit ! Blocks.
File:Nocoverart.png Flying ? Block	Winged ? Blocks that fly in patterns.
Green Shell	A Koopa Troopa's shell, which can be kicked to hurt foes or hit blocks.
Goal Pole	The end of a course. The higher it is grabbed, the more coins are earned; a 1-Up and golden flag are given for reaching the top.
Hard Block	A block that cannot be broken.
Lift	A platform that moves to and from areas.
File:Nocoverart.png Mushroom Trampoline	Mushroom platforms that can be bounced on.
File:Nocoverart.png Note	Spawned by P Switches. Gives a power-up or 1-Up Mushroom if all are collected.
Note Block	Blocks Mario can bounce on.
File:Nocoverart.png P Switch	Cause all sorts of events to happen when pressed.
Poison Mushroom	Purple mushrooms that appear out of ? Blocks and chase the player. If the player touches one, they get hurt.
Red-Blue Panel	Platforms that flip over when Mario jumps.
File:Nocoverart.png Red Coin	Five are spawned by passing through a Red Ring nearby. Award a power-up or 1-Up Mushroom if all are collected.
Red Ring	Briefly spawn five Red Coins when passed through.
File:Nocoverart.png Rock	Can be kicked to break them.
Roulette Block	A clear block that scrolls through power-ups; releases the item displayed when it is hit.
Super Note Block	Sends Mario to Coin Heaven when bounced on.
Warp Pipe	Takes Mario elsewhere when entered.
Wood Block	An inert block made of wood.

Worlds

World	Preview	Description
Normal worlds
World 1		A simple grassland world. The boss is a Tail Bowser.
World 2		A yellow plains world. The boss is Boom Boom.
World 3		A blue meadow world. The boss is Boom Boom.
World 4		A mushroom forest world. The boss is Pom Pom.
World 5		A canyon and mountain world. The boss is another Tail Bowser.
World 6		A cloud-themed world, with a second encounter with Pom Pom.
World 7		A dark forest world with both Boom Boom and Pom Pom as bosses.
World 8		The eighth and final world, which is a quintessential volcanic valley, with Bowser as the boss.
Bonus worlds
Special 1		The first bonus world is a mint green grassland, like its original counterpart.
Special 2		The second bonus world is a dark yellow plain.
Special 3		The third bonus world is a dark blue meadow.
Special 4		The fourth bonus world is a green jungle with yellow mushrooms.
Special 5		The fifth bonus world is a brown desert.
Special 6		The sixth bonus world is a gray cloudy sky with a moon hanging over it.
Special 7		The seventh bonus world is a pink forest with snow descending from the sky.
Special 8		The final bonus world is a yellow Super Mario Bros. 3-styled area, rather than copying its normal counterpart.

Other locations

• Toad Houses - They work like they do in Super Mario Bros. 3, but StreetPass friends can send gifts to the Toad House that contain items.
• Mystery Boxes - Mario can go inside them, and they contain various different tasks, such as defeating all the enemies in the box. After completing the tasks, Mario receives coins, 1-Up Mushrooms, and/or a Star Medal. Friends via StreetPass can also send the player Mystery Boxes, which always contain at least one Star Medal.
• A room with colored blocks that cause an optical illusion, where Mario can train and learn movements. It is accessed by remaining idle at the end of the title cutscene. The room strongly resembles Peach's Castle.

Staff

Main article: List of Super Mario 3D Land staff

Development

Game screenshots as seen at Game Developers Conference in 2011.

Super Mario 3D Land was first mentioned in an "Iwata Asks" interview with Shigeru Miyamoto in October 2010, where he confirmed that a brand-new Mario game for the Nintendo 3DS was already in development, but had not yet been given a proper title. It was known by its tentative title, Super Mario, at the time. In November 2010, Shigeru Miyamoto announced that both 2D world and 3D world Mario games were in the works for the 3DS. Four screenshots were available on March 2, 2011, and the game was officially announced during the Game Developers Conference, under the name Super Mario. The logo had a Raccoon Tail on the "O" letter, similar to that of Super Mario Bros. 3's logo, which had Raccoon Mario's tail shadow behind the "3". Available screenshots of Super Mario revealed that the game is a 3D platformer and the game was stated to be developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo's same team which had previously developed Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel, as shown how a Goomba runs after Small Mario. It even contained features from the 2D Mario side-scrolling games. Satoru Iwata stated that a more official announcement would be shown at E3 2011 on June 7. According to Iwata, "it will be a game that will come with the kind of surprises and fun that only the 3DS can offer." Shigeru Miyamoto has stated that the development took over two years and started with 2 to 30 staff members working on the game.

In a later interview, Shigeru Miyamoto described the title as being a combination of Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario 64, with a little bit of New Super Mario Bros. and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. He mentioned there would be an option for a fixed camera system, very similar to the one in Super Mario 64, to demonstrate depth and the 3DS's 3D. He added, however, that it was tough to describe it, before mentioning that not only would the title be shown, but that it would also be playable at E3 2011. Shigeru Miyamoto explained that playing it will give fans a better idea of what it's like. He also commented on the speculation regarding the temporary logo, already confirming that the tail on the end of the logo's "O" was a hint at the return of Super Mario Bros. 3's Tanooki Mario.

The four-level demo.

The game was given a full reveal with a trailer at E3 2011 and was playable on the show floor, as previously stated. It was announced that the game was targeted for a release by the end of the year. Attendees were allowed to try the game for themselves in four different levels - a standard plain area, an underground area, a level of switch-activated platforms, reminiscent of a few galaxies from the Super Mario Galaxy titles, and an airship level ending in a fight with Bowser's henchman, Boom Boom. In addition, the E3 2011 trailer and the conference trailer were put up for download on the 3DS eShop for a limited time. By playing the trailer on their 3DS, viewers could then see the game in stereoscopic 3D for themselves.

The main ambition of the design team was to "reset" the conventions of 3D Mario games, which were mostly designed for home consoles. One of the ways of doing that was to create short, pick-up and play levels more suitable to a handheld, as opposed to the Super Mario Galaxy series, and more specifically Super Mario Galaxy 2, which director Koichi Hayashida described as a "Manchu Han Imperial Feast". Additionally, according to Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto, the term Land was used in the title to pay homage to past Mario titles, like Super Mario Land and its 2D art style.

The developers also wanted the game to serve as a jumping point for players that liked 2D Mario, but did not want to play the 3D installments. One of the solutions was to eschew the exploration-based level design of the traditional 3D Marios so that the players would not get "lost", and return the focus on reaching the end of linear levels. The levels were carefully designed to lead the player toward the end goal. However, the developers included Star Medals hidden throughout the levels to cater to the 3D Mario players and thus bridge the two game design sensibilities.

The development was heavily affected by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Damage to the train network led to developers visiting the Kyoto office to be stuck there, and fear of aftershocks and radiation emanating from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant caused several developers to lock themselves in their homes. These events made Nintendo unsure of whether the development could continue in Tokyo. Tired of not doing anything, Hayashida risked sharing his personal contact information with other members. This led to a web forum being set up so that work could be continued while the Tokyo office was closed.

The developers were pressured to finish the game in time for the 2011 holiday season, which led to parts of Super Mario 3D Land being outsourced to other Nintendo-affiliated developers such as Brownie Brown, something that did not typically happen with Mario games at the time.

Shigehisa Nakaue designed the 2D art seen in Peach's letters in the game, making it the first Mario game to use this art style in-game.

Nintendo eShop description

American English version

Platforming with serious depth! With the 3D visuals of Super Mario 3D Land, players can see exactly where floating blocks and flying Paragoombas are, so that they can jump and stomp with the precision of the pros. Expert gamers will appreciate the way 3D graphics reveal the true challenge of the levels, so that they can focus on nailing the perfect jump or shaving precious seconds off their speed runs, while new players will find that 3D makes platforming simple to grasp and satisfying to master.

Try on Mario's Tanooki Suit, and put some spring in your step! While longtime gamers will delight in using Tanooki Mario's tail-spin attack to sweep enemies off their feet and fluttering through the air to land super-long jumps, a new generation will learn what makes this classic suit a fan favorite. But even seasoned players will be in for a surprise—Mario's enemies may be sporting the familiar Tanooki tail too!

Mario at his very best! Mario™ returns to his roots in his first 3D platforming adventure designed exclusively for a handheld system. From the frantic race-against-the-clock dash through the Mushroom Kingdom to that final leap to grab the top of the flagpole, this eye-popping addition to the Super Mario™ series combines everything that makes Mario great from one generation to the next.

British and Australian English version

SUPER MARIO 3D LAND reinvents everything fans love about Mario gaming with the first platforming environment in true 3D, presenting a 3D Mario game that plays like a 2D Mario game! Players will experience an exhilarating new sense of depth, distance and speed while running, jumping and stomping on enemies throughout the levels.

Among other outfits for Mario, the fan-favourite Tanooki Suit makes a comeback. Use the Tanooki Suit’s tail to attack enemies or float gently down from great heights.

Accessible and challenging in equal measure, SUPER MARIO 3D LAND offers new and familiar abilities that add unique gameplay strategies to the adventure! Make your way to the end-of-level flagpole using Mario's signature moves- or try to apply his new skills in challenging ways if you dare to discover every hidden shortcut and secret!

Reception

Super Mario 3D Land received critical or extremely positive acclaim.

In general, the overall utilization of the capabilities and possibilities of a three-dimensional installment were praised in comparison to those of later entries. In spite of the main game difficulty being critiqued alongside occasional missed opportunities, the game itself performed outstandingly.

The game received very high ratings, with an 80% rating on both GameXplain and Edge as well as a 90% rating on both Joystig and N-Zone. Additionally, it has received a 95% or 9.5/10 on GameInformer and a perfect score of 5/5 or 100% on GamePro.

Reviews
Release	Reviewer, Publication	Score	Comment
Nintendo 3DS	Audrey Drake, IGN	9.5/10	"Super Mario 3D Land represents the first 3DS title to fully make use of the system's capabilities. With an expertly balanced difficulty progression, dazzling level design and masterful Power-Ups, this is the ideal 3DS experience. Most of the first eight worlds fly by a bit too quickly, but with extra content you unlock afterward, medal challenges in each level and StreetPass allowing you to best your friend's times, you'll still find plenty of replay value here. As an experience, Super Mario 3D Land gets deeper the longer you play, as you sink into its particular groove and learn to appreciate it as a unique title - one that is separate from yet beautifully derivative of the entire Mario franchise. As a whole, 3D Land is brilliant and addictive, and should do for 3D-enhanced platforming what the original Super Mario Bros. did for 2D platforming. If you own a 3DS system, you have no choice - you simply must own this game."
Nintendo 3DS	Christian Donlan, Eurogamer	9/10	"3D Land is great, but it isn't perfect. Compared to the fluffy, nostalgic warmth of the Tanooki suit and its twin, the Statue Leaf, both the Boomerang Flower and the Propeller Box feel like missed opportunities, the former making for a slightly fussier take on the Fire Flower, even if it is good for capturing distant trinkets, just as the latter remains firmly under the shadow of New Super Mario's various whirligigs. Seasoned players, meanwhile, will get through the first half of the game a touch too quickly, finding much to enjoy but little to truly challenge them. It can feel, for a few hours at least, like a very slight disappointment."
Nintendo 3DS	Maxwell McGee, GameSpot	8/10	"Some of the other features also lack creativity. With StreetPass, you can restock your exhausted mushroom houses and challenge cubes simply by passing other 3DS users, even if they don't have the game. This makes it especially easy to rack up star coins, since the challenge cubes are generally a breeze to complete. The gyrometer is used at binocular stations in certain stages. These stations let you search out hidden toads that shriek with delight and throw star coins or other power-ups at you. Despite the fact these features lack the imagination seen in the game's level design, Super Mario 3D Land is still a delight. With well-realized stages and responsive controls, it's an easy recommendation for all action-loving 3DS owners."
Aggregators
Compiler		Platform / Score
Metacritic		90
GameRankings		90.09%

Sales

As of September 30, 2019, Super Mario 3D Land is the 6th best-selling game for the Nintendo 3DS, having sold 12.60 million units worldwide, and caused a great boost in 3DS sales. It is also the fastest-selling portable Mario game ever. As of March 31, 2022, it sold 12.85 million units worldwide.

Promotion

Outside and inside the Exclusive Mystery Box

On November 12, 2011, to celebrate the launch of Super Mario 3D Land in North America, Nintendo set up an event in Times Square's Military Island in which attendees would be able to play in a real life mock-up of the game environment, as well as a chance to play the game a day before the official release. In addition, many attendees were also given free Tanooki ears and tails, as well as free slices of mushroom pizza from a "Mushroom Kingdom" pizza truck to the first 1,000 attendees who tweeted the "#SuperMario3D" hashtag and an exclusive early sale of the game at the Times Square Toys "R" Us.

From 22 November to 24 December 2013, North American 3DS users that went to a Nintendo Zone could receive an Exclusive Mystery Box from Mr. Hayashida, the producer of Super Mario 3D Land.

Glitches

Main article: List of Super Mario 3D Land glitches

Baddie Box lag

Baddie Box Explosion being executed.

If Invincible Mario or White Tanooki Mario ground pounds onto a Baddie Box, the game starts to lag as the box explodes. The "explosion" continues and the game lags until the player jumps off of the exploding box. A harsh grinding sound is heard during the explosion, and a sound resembling that of a beanstalk coming out of an item box (in Super Mario Bros.) can be heard as Mario crouches when the player holds or (beanstalks like this do not appear in the game). It is possible this sound is simply the sound Mario makes when he crouches, but distorted so much by the explosion it sounds like a beanstalk. The glitch can only be done on levels where Baddie Boxes appear, such as World 2-4, 5-Castle, and Special 1-3. Both Worlds 2-4 and 5-Castle require White Tanooki Mario, making Special 1-3 the only stage where the glitch can be executed after the level has been beaten once and the only stage where it can be executed by Luigi.

Die in a Warp Box

To perform this glitch, Mario needs to go to the airship of World 2. Then, he should enter the first Warp Box. The player should reach the end of the bonus airship, but Mario should not enter the Warp Box at the end. Instead, the player should press the left camera control button so that the camera turns to the left. Wait until the Warp Box is offscreen then immediately go inside the box before Mario loses a life. If performed correctly, Mario should lose a life while the camera pans back to the main airship.

World 1 Bowser Softlock

During the boss fight with the Tail Bowser on the castle in World 1, the player must use Tanooki Mario to glide across the gap between the bridge and the platforms at the start of the fight then press the switch when the Tail Bowser jumps to the left. If done correctly, the bridge collapses with the Tail Bowser off-screen, and the game nevers end the cutscene. The player, however, can still exit the level.

Camera Clip

In Special 1-3, if the player aims just above the blocks on the edge of the platform in a cannon, the camera clips in for a short period of time.

Pre-release and unused content

Main article: List of Super Mario 3D Land pre-release and unused content

While the Super Leaf and P-Wing returned, and Hammer Mario was succeeded by Boomerang Mario, director Yoshiaki Koizumi stated that more classical suits and powers were to return, but none appear in the final product. The Goomba's Shoe was once considered, but was later rejected.

A grassy spacious area and a level with many Donut Lifts, platforms, and Arrow Blocks were shown, along with an array of rotating platforms which would go on to be World 4-3. Though while said to be cut from the final product, these areas might have evolved into World 2-1 and World 8-1 in the final product. The screenshots of these areas show that they use a camera angle not used in the final game, implying that the game would have had more dynamic camera angles.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Super Mario 3D Land.

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  Tanooki Mario

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  Kitsune Luigi

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  Tanooki Toad

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  Boom Boom and Pom Pom on their airship, along with a Tail Bullet Bill

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  Artwork featuring various characters and enemies in the game

Media

For a complete list of media for this subject, see List of Super Mario 3D Land media.

Trailer 1 - The game's trailer.

File infoMedia:SM3DL Trailer.ogv 1:15

Trailer 2 - The game's second trailer as seen at Nintendo 3DS Conference 2011.[video 1]

File infoMedia:SM3DL Trailer2.ogv 1:06

Trailer 3 - The game's third trailer.

File infoMedia:SM3DL Trailer3.ogv 1:23

Title Screen - The title screen theme.

File infoMedia:SM3DL-Title Screen Theme.oga 0:30

Overworld - The main overworld theme.

File infoMedia:SuperMario3DLandTheme.oga 0:30

Help:Media • Having trouble playing?

References to other games

The overhead view in World 5-2

• Donkey Kong: In the final battle with Bowser, Bowser throws barrels at Mario, similar to Donkey Kong.
• Super Mario Bros.: Mario's original sprite from this game appears as his world map icon on the touch screen. World 1 is 4 levels long (if one ignores the unlockable World 1-4), similar to the world layout of this game. World 1-2 is an underground level with a secret exit over the ceiling leading to a Warp Zone to the next World, exactly as World 1-2 did in this game. Fake Bowsers return as Tail Bowsers with a similar battle style. The first Tail Bowser battle is modeled after the original one, and it is still a disguised Goomba. A cover version of the main theme from this game plays in Coin Heavens, World 2-3, and Special 1-3 (Mario also hums the theme in the cutscene between Worlds 5 and 6). World 2-3 also contains platforms shaped like sprites of Mario, Peach, Luigi, and both Super and 1-Up Mushrooms from this game; the end of the level is designed like the commonly seen end of levels in this game. Special 1-3 contains platforms that are shaped like sprites of a ? Block, a Goomba, a Cloud Block, a Bullet Bill, a Cheep Cheep, and three fireballs; the end of the level is designed like a level set at night in this game. A cover of this game's "level clear" music also plays upon clearing World 2-3 and Special 1-3. The "crown award" used to represent obtaining extra lives over a certain amount returns, but now 3 Crowns appear instead. After defeating Bowser and clearing World 8-Bowser's Castle: Part 1, Mario looks onward in a stance resembling his idle sprite from this game.
• The Legend of Zelda: World 5-2 is designed as a homage to the temples from The Legend of Zelda in honor of the series' 25th anniversary, even with the camera set in an overhead view. Also, there is a room with four torches. If Fire Mario lights all torches, the secret-finding sound effect from this game plays, and a door leading to the second Star Medal opens.
• Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels: The special worlds may be inspired by this game's relationship to Super Mario Bros., being harder levels maintaining the same world structure as the main game, as well as exclusively featuring Poison Mushrooms. Luigi retains his unique physics (He jumps higher than Mario, but has worse traction). The phrase "THANK YOU!!" appears in the true last level, but is in English instead. The boss battles ending with Mario/Luigi continuing on to the flagpole instead of simply after the boss's defeat resembles World 9-3 from this game.
• Super Mario Bros. 2: The Backward Somersault works just like the Power Squat Jump from this game. Mario and Luigi start each life in their Super forms, just like in this game (This is also similar to the prior 3D titles).
• Super Mario Bros. 3: Many elements from this game, like Tanooki Mario, Boom Boom, Jump Blocks, and Super Leaves return; the Boomerang form is based on this game's Hammer form. Remixes of the Toad House theme from this game plays while outside and inside a Toad House. The backgrounds of some cutscenes between worlds (such as after completing World 2) have hills and item sprites reminiscent of this game. Some levels have the cover versions of this game's Athletic and Airship themes from Super Mario Galaxy. The background of Special 8 highly resembles a level from this game, even having the same ground style.
• Super Mario World: Some enemies, such as Grinders and Porcupuffers, return from this game. The backgrounds of some cutscenes between worlds strongly resemble those of Chocolate Island. The sound heard when Mario exits a level after beating it in this game is present in Super Mario 3D Land after Luigi's letter is seen. Also, in the E3 2011 demo, a Jump Block would make the sound when Yoshi is mounted occasionally. The Item Storage returns. World 4-2 may be a reference to Vanilla Secret 1, World 5-4 a reference to Valley of Bowser 1, and Special 5-5 a reference to Donut Ghost House. Also, in the letter received when World 3 is completed, Mario's jumping out of the bubble may play the jump or Cape swing sound effect from this game. Certain note sets play this game's bonus room theme. The beginning of the castle levels' theme music plays a rising scale, similar to this game's castle theme.
• Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS: Mario's voice when falling from a high place is reused during the cutscene before Bowser's last fight, and a sped-up version of it is used when Mario falls to death. Boos and Chain Chomps also have their iconic voices from this game.
• Super Mario Sunshine: Tightropes return as a game mechanic. The platforming concept of horizontally rotating platforms is featured in a few levels. Also, the cutscene before the true final battle features Bowser trying to smash Mario, but accidentally breaking the floor instead, causing the two to fall to another part of the castle. This is similar to the cutscene before Petey Piranha's first battle; in both cases, Mario and the boss look around as the floor cracks just before they fall.
• Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga: Tail Goombas look and tail whip like Tanoombas, but they lack the raccoon ears and leaf on their heads.
• New Super Mario Bros.: Star Medals are similar to Star Coins. Some flowers and bushes have a similar design to the ones from this game. Also, some levels share a similar design. Most enemies keep their designs. Dry Bowser also returns.
• Flipnote Studio: The background music from Special 8's map is based on the Mario Drawing Song.
• New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Upon getting the maximum amount of lives (1,110 lives), Super Mario loses his hat, and Small Mario conversely gains his hat. The Propeller Block returns in the form of a wearable item. Flophoppers act comparably to Bramballs, as they walk around, and for every step they flip 180 degrees, and have similar suction cups feet. Stars are earned for completing certain achievements in this game as well. Also, some voice clips for Mario and Luigi are reused like, "Let's-a go!", "Here we go!", "It's-a go time!", and "Let's-a play!".
• Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2: Many level obstacles return from these games, along with some of the levels' music. The Blue and Red Flipping Platforms return, but they are activated by jumping. Flophoppers are similar to Swaphoppers, and Cosmic Clones and Magmaarghs return. Also, a lot of the voice clips, sounds, and enemy animations and behaviors are reused. The yellow switch that changes the camera angle in secret rooms from has the first-person mode eye icon from these games. World 3-5 and Special 5-4 may be references to Sweet Sweet Galaxy, World 7-5 a reference to Puzzle Plank Galaxy, and Special 5-1 a reference to Flip-Swap Galaxy. Also, a strange, ghostly entity can be seen in the woods near the flagpoles of ghost houses, which bears resemblance to the three, strange, black Kodama-esque figures (Hellvalleyskytrees) seen in the background of Shiverburn Galaxy. Five tracks return from Super Mario Galaxy: the Airship theme, the Sweet Sweet Galaxy theme, a cover version of Flipswitch Galaxy's theme, Ghostly Galaxy's mansion theme, and the Cosmic Mario theme. There is also one track returning from Super Mario Galaxy 2: the theme used on Bonus Planets. The "tick-tock" that is heard when a timed ground-pound switch in the Super Mario Galaxy series is activated is used for when a P Switch has been activated. Most of Mario and Luigi's voice clips are also reused from these games.
• Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story: The castle music in Super Mario 3D Land is similar to Bowser's enemy battle music. Also, when Mario does the Rolling Long Jump or Tail Whips while crouching as Tanooki Mario, the voice clip of Mario saying "Wahoo!" from this game is heard sometimes.

References in later games

3D Land from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

• Mario Kart 7: For the new design of the Leaf Cup, the leaf from Super Mario Bros 3 is replaced with a Super Leaf from Super Mario 3D Land. Stingbies return in the Honeybee Hive, and Cardboard Goombas also return in Piranha Plant Slide.
• Mario Tennis Open: The modern Tanooki Suit design is unlockable as a costume for a player's Mii in the game, plus a racket was made to fit it. Inky Piranha Plants also return in the Special Game, Ink Showdown.
• StreetPass Mii Plaza: One of the Puzzle Swap panels in the StreetPass Mii Plaza app for the Nintendo 3DS is of Super Mario 3D Land.
• New Super Mario Bros. 2: The Invincibility Leaf, Peepas, Coin Coffers, and Goomba Towers return. Also, the Gold Block works like the ? Box, but produces coins more frequently. The Super Leaf also reappears with the same design. Stars can be earned on the files, like in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Also, the max amount of lives are 1,110, and it appears as three crowns, like in Super Mario 3D Land.
• Paper Mario: Sticker Star: The Poison Mushroom has the same design as in Super Mario 3D Land.
• New Super Mario Bros. U: Some of Boom Boom's voices in Super Mario 3D Land are reused.
• Mario & Luigi: Dream Team: Big Tail Goombas and Inky Piranha Plants appear as enemies in this game.
• Super Mario 3D World: This game is a sequel to Super Mario 3D Land. It retains many elements from Super Mario 3D Land, including the Boomerang Flower, ? Box, and Invincibility Leaf.
  • Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury: Cat Boom Boom's second fight is similar to Boom Boom's fight in Special 4-Airship, as they both take place on top of retractable spikes.
• Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze: One of Donkey Kong's idle animations includes him pulling out a blue Nintendo 3DS, on which he may play Super Mario 3D Land. The sound effects heard suggest he stomps on a Goomba.
• Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: The Boomerang Flower returns as an item. The Biddybuggy resembles a Para-Biddybud. Tanooki Mario is an available racer via add-on content, and his tricks reference his new animations and feature Statue Mario's redesign.
• Mario Golf: World Tour: The modern Tanooki Suit and Boomerang Mario designs are unlockable as costumes for the player's Mii in the game, plus golf balls and clubs were made to fit them. The Boomerang Flower becomes a usable Item Shot, and it drastically increases the curve of the ball's path.
• Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS: A stage called 3D Land is based on Super Mario 3D Land.
• Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker: The beach theme of this game was reused, for the level Briny Bowl Swimming Hole.
• Mario Party: Star Rush: One of the themes in Rhythm Recital is the main theme from Super Mario 3D Land.
• Super Mario Odyssey: Statue Mario's redesign from Super Mario 3D Land appears when Mario captures a Jizo. The Tail Tree appears in the Mushroom Kingdom. Stingbies gain an urban counterpart in this game, and Coin Coffers return. The Lost Kingdom's regional coins borrow from the redesign of the Super Leaf in Super Mario 3D Land. The invincibility theme, used when any Mario amiibo is tapped, is taken from Super Mario 3D Land.
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: The 3D Land stage returns in this game. Boom Boom and Pom Pom appear as spirit using artwork from Super Mario 3D Land.
• Mario Kart Tour: The Boomerang Flower and Coin Box return as Special Items. Tanooki Mario reuses his artwork from Super Mario 3D Land.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	スーパーマリオ ３Ｄランド[?] Sūpā Mario Surī Dī Rando	Super Mario 3D Land
Chinese (simplified)	超级马力欧 3D乐园[?] Chāojí Mǎlìōu 3D Lèyuán	Super Mario 3D Wonderland
Chinese (traditional)	超級瑪利歐 3D樂園[?] Chāojí Mǎlìōu 3D Lèyuán	Super Mario 3D Wonderland
Korean	슈퍼 마리오 3D랜드[?] Syupeo Malio 3D Laendeu	Super Mario 3D Land

Trivia

This trivia section is overly long. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections and articles.

• Super Mario 3D Land is the first installment in the Mario series overall (excluding crossover installments) to be officially localized to Dutch, Portuguese, and Russian.
  • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is actually the first game with Mario officially localized to Dutch. However, it is a crossover game and it is localized and published by Sega. Nintendo also stated on its official news update: "SUPER MARIO 3D LAND™ and Mario Kart 7 include for the first time (in the Mario series) fully Dutch screen texts."
• Because Super Mario 3D Land was developed and released before the Nintendo 2DS was produced, the game does not recognize when it is running on a 2DS system and still displays the 3D icons that indicate the available 3D viewing modes at the beginning of every level. This does not affect the actual gameplay; attempting to switch the 3D viewing mode has no effect and the game is still fully playable on the 2DS.
• This is the last 3D Super Mario game where the "Super" in the title is colored, rather than solid white.
  • Additionally, this is the first Mario game to use the current font for some in-game text and logos.
• Super Mario 3D Land has a reversible cover, with the inside depicting red-outlined characters, enemies, and items over a white background.
  • Although the outside cover may change based on the region, the inside cover always looks the same.
  • This reversible cover was not used in the Nintendo Selects version of the game.

External links

• Launch Trailer
• Official American Website
• Official European Website
• Official Oceanian Website
• Official Japanese Website
• Official Chinese (Hong Kong) Website
• Official Chinese (Taiwan) Website
• Official Chinese (China) website