goes about a billion dollars deep and is also known as a “record financial loss,” and

then there’s the figurative hole, which is the fact that video game retailers have

more dust on their 3DS shelves than must-have titles.

It would take a serious jump for Nintendo to finally clear that hole, some magnificent

leap from a bad dude for whom even the most gaping chasm is a simple matter of finding

a leaf.

Fortunately, Mario brought one.

This isn’t the first time Mario has proven a console’s potential. This isn’t the

first time he’s made every other game on a system seem like it wasn’t even trying.

This isn’t the first spectacular Mario game, but given the circumstances, it does feel

special. Super Mario 3D Land isn’t the best Mario game of all-time, but I’ve got a flower

and three mushrooms that say it’s pretty damn close.

The first major 3DS game developed by Nintendo that isn’t a remake of a game from the last

millennium, Super Mario 3D Land is an incredible release if only for the design expertise it

displays...and seemingly without effort. From the moment he steps into the screen, it’s

as if Mario walks with a swagger, like he’s telling the rest of the industry...

“Hey, look...an amazing 3DS game. You uh, you guys couldn’t do this on your own?”

That quality can be attributed to a lot of things, but its masterful game design is the

foundation. There’s not much here you haven’t seen before—this isn’t as inventive as

the Galaxy games, for example. But the genius of Super Mario 3D Land is its balance and

how it incorporates nearly three decades of the plumber’s evolution into a single experience...delightfully

familiar, yet viewed from a whole new perspective.

There is, of course, a literal component to that new perspective. 3D Land uses stereoscopic

3D graphics, but it uses the effect more completely than we’ve ever seen in a 3DS release. 3D

Land is designed to be played in 3D, so there’s actually a degree of precision gained when

you turn up the slider. Whether you’re jumping, stomping or Tanooki-ing, having that visual

depth is a key component of 3D Land’s gameplay.

But that new perspective has to do with more than just the 3D effect. There’s an interesting

rhythm to 3D Land. One level is open, bringing to mind Mario 64, while the next is a more

linear experience, almost 2D in its feel. Meanwhile, you find items from Mario 3 scattered

across levels inspired by Mario Galaxy. 3D Land manages to be a comprehensive Super Mario

experience without ever feeling stale. It’s still clever.

And perhaps that’s the game’s greatest achievement.

Of course, with a game this good, achievements are abound. In addition to its masterful design

and system-justifying use of 3D, the game also impresses from a technical perspective.

3D Land is the best-looking 3DS game to date. The colors just pop off the screen, the beneficiaries

of crisp textures and some really impressive effects. Throw in even the slightest details,

like the dandelion seeds that drift into the air as Mario walks by, and you have the kind

of super-polished, console-quality exclusive the 3DS has been sorely missing.

As well as the best Nintendo game in a long time.

Super Mario 3D Land is a very special game, perhaps the first Super Mario title to transcend

categorization as 2D or 3D and capture the essence of the entire series. It doesn’t

reach the heights of the Galaxy games, but you’ll be floored by its attention to detail.

You’ll love its fan service. You’ll adore its blend of old and new, and as always, almost

helplessly...you’ll smile with the plumber.