Super Mario 3D Land

Super Mario 3D Land (Japanese: スーパーマリオ ３Ｄランド) is a game of the Super Mario franchise for the Nintendo 3DS. 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. As noted by Reggie Fils-Aime, president and COO of Nintendo of America, at E3 2011, this game marks the first time a 3D Mario platformer has been built from the ground up for a handheld system. 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. As it is a new installment in the main Mario series, Super Mario 3D Land follows Super Mario Galaxy 2 in this respect.

The game was released in Japan on November 3, 2011, and will be released in North America on November 13, in Europe on November 18, and in Australia on November 24.

Story

The leaves flying during the storm.

Mario and the three Toads gazing at the flying letter containing Peach's misfortune.

There is a Tanooki-tailed tree with Tanooki leaves on its branches outside of Princess Peach's Castle. All of the Mushroom Kingdom is familiar with the tree. One night, a huge storm blows all of the Tanooki leaves off. The next morning, Princess Peach goes outside to see if the tree is okay, but during her inspection, Bowser once again kidnaps her.

Later on, Mario and three Toads (Red, Yellow, and Blue) go looking for the princess. Eventually, they discover that she is missing and the Tanooki leaves are gone too. Yellow Toad notices a hovering letter near the tree, which the group of four go to. Mario grabs and opens it, and a picture of Bowser holding Princess Peach with Tanooki 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 Princess Peach.^{[video 2]}

Princess Peach's capture.

File:Tanooki Tree SM3DL.jpg

Mario and Peach sitting on the Tanooki-tailed tree in the ending.

Mario went through 8 worlds to get to Bowser, and after being chased through various obstacles, he managed to press a switch, which made the bridge under Bowser collapse, sending Bowser into a pool of lava. At last, Mario and the three Toads found Princess Peach, and, using their Tanooki powers, bring Peach back to her castle.

After that, a short cutscene appears with a letter floating down in World 1-1. It appears to be Luigi being kidnapped by Bowser's minions. Mario then sets off to save Luigi.

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. Levels have a time limit and even feature flagpoles, a staple of the original Super Mario Bros. and the New Super Mario Bros. games, rather than Power Stars, as the level goals. When Mario is defeated, the "Too Bad" banner from every 3D Mario platformer since Super Mario Sunshine is displayed, but a circle covers the screen instead of a Bowser face. To enter pipes, the player must press the button. 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.

Tanooki Mario in World 2-Airship.

While giving examples of how the Nintendo 3DS enhances gameplay, Shigeru Miyamoto has stated that hitting blocks from underneath in 3D Mario games would be easier with stereoscopic 3D. Blocks will be more prevalent in the title, unlike past 3D games, where blocks were more few and far between. Star Medals that have a similar design to the Comet Medals from Super Mario Galaxy 2 will be found in each level, with collecting all three being part of the level's challenge, like in the New Super Mario Bros. games. green Timers can be picked up to give the player more time to complete the level, the latter a mechanic only seen previously in Super Mario Galaxy 2's Speedy Comet missions. Mario himself returns with some of his trademark 3D abilities, such as the Wall Jump, Long Jump, and Ground Pound, and is now capable of performing a somersault, which is done by crouching while moving. Because the Long Jump is now performed through a somersault, it includes a front flip during the jump, but is functionally identical. Mario's health system is now based on the side-scrolling titles rather than being a numbered meter: one hit shrinks Mario to a smaller size and removes his cap, while power-ups give him an extra health point. These power-ups include the Super Mushroom, the Fire Flower, the Star, the Boomerang Flower and the Super Leaf, the last of which has not been seen since Super Mario Bros. 3. Notably, the Fire Flower, 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.

There are at least four returning tracks from Super Mario Galaxy: the Airship theme, the Sweet Sweet Galaxy theme, a remixed version of Ghostly Galaxy's mansion theme and the Cosmic Mario theme . There is also 1 track returning from Super Mario Galaxy 2: the theme used on Bonus Planets.(The Peewee Piranha boss theme was also present during the battle with Boom Boom at the E3 Demo as placeholder music. The track is nowhere to be found in the full game). 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 jumped on.

Controls

• : Move.
• : Choose level.
• /: Jump, Wall Jump.
• Hold (/): Slow fall (Tanooki Mario).
• Hold (/)+: Dash
• /: Crouch, enter a Warp Pipe, enter a cannon.
• (/)+: Crawl.
• Hold (/)+(/) or +(/): Somersault.
• +(/)+(/): Long Jump.
• (/)+(/): Ground Pound
• Hold (/)+(/): Backwards Somersault
• /: Shoot Fireballs (Fire Mario), attack with tail (Tanooki Mario).
• : Pause menu.

Nintendo eShop Description

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.

Confirmed Characters

Playable Characters

• Mario
• Luigi

Villains

File:SM3DL Boombooms.jpg

Boom-Boom and his female counterpart Pom Pom.

• Bowser
• False Bowsers^{[video 1]}
• Boom Boom
• Pom Pom
• Small Mario version of a Cosmic Clone
• Giant Small Mario Cosmic Clones
• Dry Bowser

Supporting Characters

• Princess Peach
• Toads

Enemies

• Goombas
• Paragoombas
• Tail Goombas
• Giant Tail Goombas
• Golden Tail Goombas
• Goomba Towers (the Japanese name is タワークリボー, Tawākuribō)
• Piranha Plants
• Venus Fire Traps
• Black Piranha Plants that spit ink on the screen.
• Koopa Troopas
• Hammer Bros.
• Boomerang Bros.
• Dry Bones
• Magikoopa
• Boos
• Big Boos
• Tail Boos
• Bob-ombs
• Tail Bob-ombs
• Bill Blasters
• Flying Bill Blasters
• Bullet Bills
• Tail Bullet Bills (the Japanese name is しっぽキラー, Shippo Kirā)
• Chain-Chomps
• Banzai Bills
• Monty Moles
• Mega Moles
• Rocky Wrenches
• Rocky Wrenches that throw Bob-ombs
• Thwomps^{[video 1]}
• Tail Thwomps
• Bloopers
• Cheep-Cheeps
• Porcu-Puffers
• Fuzzies
• Spinies
• Spiky Plants^{[video 2]}
• Moneybags
• Pokeys^{[video 1]}
• Podoboos
• Biddybuds - Ladybug-like enemies that resemble Soarin' Stus
• Para-Biddybuds
• Tower-shaped enemies (the Japanese name is Donpyons)
• Enemies that rises from the sand. Possibly the sand equivalent to Blaargs
• Magmaarghs
• Spike-shelled enemies with suction cup feet. Their appearance resembles Swaphoppers and they attack like Bramballs
• Spiked blue stone-like enemies (the Japanese name is ツノヘい, Tsunohei)
• Brick Blocks with angry eyes and tanooki-tail (Japanese name ニセブロック, Niseburokku)
• Green spiked point enemies with a long block tail
• Meragon (Japanese name)
• Bee-like ememies (the Japanese name is ハッチン, Hatchin)
• Purple eels
• Ball 'n' Chains
• Spiked Balls
• Rotating bars made of blue spiked balls
• Blue spiked cubes
• Blue spiked cilinders or prisms that roll
• Firebar
• Grinders

Mario's Transformations

A Power-Up chart

• Small Mario
• Super Mario
• Fire Mario
• Tanooki Mario
• Statue Mario (using a Statue Leaf).
• Boomerang Mario
• Invincible Mario

Luigi's Transformations

• Small Luigi
• Super Luigi
• Fire Luigi
• Boomerang Luigi
• Tanooki Luigi
• Statue Luigi (using a Statue Leaf).

Koizumi has also stated that more retro power-ups will be returning.

Confirmed Features

Power-Ups

• Super Mushroom
• Super Leaf
• Fire Flower
• Super Star
• Invincibility Leaf (appears after the player loses 5 lives in a level)
• Boomerang Flower
• Statue Leaf

Other Items

• Question Blocks
• Flying Question Blocks
• Used Blocks
• Brick Blocks
• Coin Blocks
• Donut Lift
• Jump Block
• Propeller Boxes
• Mystery Boxes
• Rectangular Jump Blocks
• Rotating multicolor blocks (red, yellow, green, and cyan)
• Purple blocks with arrows on their sides, Mario can hit them to push them higher
• Yellow step block that changes camera angle
• Roulette Blocks
• Rectangular Coin Blocks
• Green ! Switches
• Elevators
• Coins
• Star Medals
• 1-Up Mushrooms
• Poison Mushrooms
• Green reproducing panels that resemble Snake Blocks and Flipswitches
• Binoculars
• Flagpoles
• Checkpoint Flags
• Warp Pipes
• Green Shells
• P-Switches
• Cutout-like Goombas, 1-Up Mushrooms and Warp Pipes that slightly resemble those of Handfakes
• Crates
• Green and blue Clocks
• Cannons
• Red Rings
• Red Coins
• Green platforms used for traveling down rails with arrows indicating which direction
• Bouncy orange platforms with yellow dots
• A P-Wing in a block that teleports Mario to the end of the course (it appears after the player loses 10 lives in a level)
• Red and blue platforms that strongly resemble Flip-Swap Platforms, but are instead activated by jumping
• Rainbow Notes, activated by a P-Switch
• Rings that give the player five coins when passed
• Stretch Blocks
• Blocks with Bowser symbols on them that release Goombas
• Rainbow Jump Blocks that often lead to a Coin Heaven
• Flying Roulette Blocks
• Small Rocks that Mario can kick into Warp Pipes and 1-Up Mushrooms pop out.
• Coin Blocks that Mario can go in (like the Propeller Box) and punch out coins from the inside, temporary called hatena boxes.

Worlds and Levels

World 1

World 1 of Super Mario 3D Land is a green grassland that features tall mushroom hills and flowers. As this is the start of Mario's adventure, the levels of World 1 are rather basic.

• World 1-1: A grassland level with many colored blocks. This level introduces Cheep-Cheeps, Goombas and the new Tail Goombas
• World 1-2: An underground area. There is a secret Warp Zone-like area. The stage's music is the Super Mario Galaxy remix of the Super Mario Bros. underground theme.
• World 1-3: A Mountain stage. Template:Conjecturaltext is used to send Mario to a Coin Heaven area.
• World 1-4: A dock-like stage where Mario can use platforms in rails with arrows to choose the direction. The background resembles Jolly Roger Bay. This stage must be unlocked by having 3 Star Coins.
• World 1-Castle: A lava area with firebars and a Meragon where a False Bowser (A Tail Goomba) is fought.

World 2

World 2 is a yellow field with small plants and rectangular hills.

• World 2-1: A plain with stones and a castle-like building.
• World 2-2: An underground castle-like area with poisonous water and reproducing platforms.
• World 2-3: A level that contains giant 8-bit Mario, Peach and a Super Mushroom platforms, similar to Toy Time Galaxy and Mario Squared Galaxy. The final area is based on Super Mario Bros. design. This level's theme is a remix from Super Mario Bros. overworld theme.
• World 2-4: An area with red and blue flipping platforms with boxes that have Goombas coming out of them.
• World 2-Airship: A level with many airships. At the end, Boom Boom is battled. The stage's music is the Super Mario Galaxy remix of the Super Mario Bros. 3 airship theme.

World 3

World 3 is a blue field that contains plenty of trees and grass.

• World 3-1:A desert area with a cannon. Also an overhead view, which contains Pokeys, quicksand, and a Thwomp.
• World 3-2: A water stage with Bloopers and Cheep-Cheeps.
• World 3-3: An area with many Donut Lifts. Walls and platforms are made of yarn, as well cubes in the background.
• World 3-4: A snow area with many tightropes and Fuzzies.
• World 3-5: An area with cookie and white chocolate platforms. In this level Para-Biddybuds are found.
• World 3-Airship: An airship level in nighttime with Bob-ombs and Spike Pillars. Boom-Boom is battled here, this time with treadmills moving in opposite directions on the floor.

World 4

World 4 is a pale green world with small to gigantic-sized mushrooms.

• World 4-1: A forest area with many large trees and a giant tree trunk with the same aforementioned Para-Biddybuds.
• World 4-2: An underground level with Stretch Blocks and it has many blocks.
• World 4-3: A Castle like area with many colorful blocks and the new Brick Block enemy.
• World 4-4: A dark Ghost House with a new ghost enemies and a Big Boo.
• World 4-5: A Sky level with Green Panels and the new Bee enemy.
• World 4-Airship:An airship level with Rocky Wrenches and Boomerang Bros., where Pom Pom is first battled.

World 5

World 5 is an orange sunset cliff area with cacti.

• World 5-1: A cliff area with Boomerang Bros. and Tail Thwomps.
• World 5-2: A dungeon-like level with Spinies and lava that is played from an overhead view, as a homage for the 25^th Anniversary of The Legend of Zelda.
• World 5-3: A level in the sky with many moving platforms and blocks with spikes. The new Bramball like enemy appears here.
• World 5-4: An underground level with Monty Moles, Rocky Wrenches and Mega Moles. Also Warp Pipe cutouts are found here.
• World 5-5: A sky level with platforms made of checkered grass and land. Clouds and Propeller Boxes are found in this area. In the background, there is a vast body of water with wind turbines.
• World 5-Castle: Another castle level featuring Dry Bones, Lava Geysers, Meragons, Thwomps, Hammer Bros. and Rotating Cylinders where another False Bowser (a Magikoopa) is fought.

World 6

World 6 is a light blue area with many clouds.

• World 6-1: A tropical island area with palm trees and large waterfalls.
• World 6-2: A pyramid ruins with elevators, spikes, and Pokeys.
• World 6-3: A haunted house stage with Boos. Also features a Giant Piano, A block maze, and tightropes leading to stairs with blue timers.
• World 6-4: An area with different colored platforms that alternate themselves whenever Mario jumps. The mechanic is similar to that of the Beat Block Galaxy.
• World 6-5: An icy place with many orange jumping blocks.
• World 6-Airship: An airship level featuring Spike Pillars and Rocky Wrenches. Pom Pom is battled here, and the arena's floor is covered in fire on the side of the platforms.

World 7

World 7 is a purple forest with many plants and trees.

• World 7-1: An underwater level with purple eels.
• World 7-2: An underground level with spiked cylinders that move back and forth
• World 7-3: A snow mountain area, with tightropes, Fuzzies and Ball 'n' Chains.
• World 7-4: A level inside a clocktower, similar to Tick Tock Clock or Clockwork Ruins Galaxy. There are many metal gears, spinning platforms and glass tunnels.
• World 7-5: A level similar to Puzzle Plank Galaxy, it includes many Grinders and different Goombas.
• World 7-Airship: Airships at night with many moving gears and bolts, Boom Boom and Pom Pom both have to be defeated.

World 8

World 8 is a lava-filled red area with a castle wall in the background.

• World 8-1: A sunset level that features a corridor with Spiked Ball shooters. In another area, Mario can use a "hatena box". In the background, there are many mountains and pipes silhouettes.
• World 8-2: A forest with Fire Shooters and spiked enemies.
• World 8-3: A place with many green rotating platforms, it has Rocky Wrenches in the level.
• World 8-4: A ghost house with Boos and lots of moving platforms.
• World 8-5: An underground level with flipping platforms. Bullet Bills and Banzai Bills appear in the level.
• World 8-Castle: A castle level in which Bowser is fought. Magmaarghs appear in the level, but are smaller than usual.
• World 8-6: A castle level with rolling platforms and many Magikoopas.
• World 8-Bowser's Castle: Another level that takes place in Bowser's Castle with a creature similar to a Bonecoaster. The final battle with Bowser takes place here.

Special Worlds

Special 1

• S1-1: A replica of World 2-1 but with a sunset background. It has different enemies like Spinies and Statue Leafs and Poison Mushrooms appear in the level.
• S1-2: An underground level the same as World 1-2 but it includes Spinies and blue spiked blocks. Cosmic Mario Clone appears here.
• S1-3: A level that is similar to World 2-3 but it includes enemies and items and and the level takes place at night.
• S1-4: A beach level with Boomerang Bros. and Paragoombas.
• Special World 1-Castle: A unknown level that needs 110 Star Medals to be unlocked.

Special 2

• S2-1: A stage where the screen is scrolling up. It has Piranha Plants and the music is a remix of the main theme.

Others

• Toad Houses - They work the same way as 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 will receive Coins, 1-Up Mushrooms, or a Star Medal. Friends via StreetPass can also send the player Mystery Boxes.

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 Super Mario Bros. 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 Bros. at the time. In November 2010, Shigeru Miyamoto announced that both 2D world (side-scrolling) 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."

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 playable levels 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 was put up for download on the 3DS eShop. By playing the trailer on their 3DS, viewers could see the game in stereoscopic 3D for themselves.

Trivia

• According to Shigeru Miyamoto, the term Land is used in the title of this game to pay homage to past Mario titles, like Super Mario Land and its 2D art style.
• The yellow switch that changes the camera angle from this game has an eye icon. This eye is the same as the one seen when in first-person mode in the Super Mario Galaxy games.
• The game has an area with coins forming the word "3D". This is probably a reference to Super Mario Bros. 3, which has a room with the number 3 made of coins.
• In World 1-2, it is possible to do the "Unlimited 1-Ups Trick" that dates back to Super Mario Bros.
• This is the first Mario platformer game since Super Mario World where Mario can't Triple Jump (released 21 years prior). This is also the first 3D Mario platformer game where he can't perform this move, although Luigi will be able to.
• Super Mario 3D Land is the first installment in the Mario series overall (excluding crossover installments) to be translated to Dutch and Portuguese.
  • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is actually the first game with Mario translated to Dutch. However, it's a crossover game and it's translated and published by SEGA. Nintendo also stated on their official news update: "SUPER MARIO 3D LAND™ and Mario Kart 7 include for the first time [in the Mario series] fully Dutch screen texts."

External links

• Official Japanese Website
• Official American Website
• Official European Website
• Official Australian Website
• Super Mario 3DS at Nintendo 3DS blog
• Video showing Super Mario for Nintendo 3DS at GDC2011
• YouTube - What is Super Mario 3DS? (IGN Analysis)
• Super Mario 3DS - E3 2011 Trailer
• Nintendo Network @ E3 2011 - Games