ploot said:

I find the controls to be pretty stiff. Mario seems to never get good momentum when doing the flagpol jumps either. Am I the only one?

5-2 was brilliant. I just wish it was longer.

I had the same problem. I think you're supposed to long-jump those (run+crouch+jump), since Mario's standard run-jump is somewhat piddling in this game.

On the note of controls, it seems there's a bit of a learning curve there. The long-jump mechanics seem to work a bit differently than they did in SM64 and the Galaxy games. Maybe it's me botching the duck, but it seems like you have to be crouched for a little longer than in the past. I've died a handful of times due to a flubbed long-jump.

I definitely noticed that you need to have a small buildup of momentum to get the correct distance on a running jump. It's just like in the 2D games, actually. I haven't used the long jump much, but, I was disappointed to find out that there is no triple jump.

@anon_mastermind Yeah, you need a bit of a running start to get the longer standard jump. What messes me up sometimes is that you gain speed running almost instantaneously, but if you jump within that first split second, your jump speed slows down (a lot) to the normal speed even though you're running faster than that. Kind of a nitpick, but it did kill me a number of times.

Honestly, the special jumps aren't very useful at all, I've found. Only when you have absolutely no room to run do they provide an advantage over a regular jump. The charge backflip barely goes higher than the regular jump, and the long jump is actually shorter than the running jump. And the somersault and somersault jump don't seem useful much of anywhere, except when breaking crates or something.

@rebonack

Yes, thats what he means. When I got to the 3rd world, I shook it. Cool.

For the levels that end with a Bowser battle: So far Ive only encountered 1, which was the first world. I ended up just running pass Bowser, got to the end of the bridge and I hit the switch which dumped Bowser in the fire. I didnt have the fire suit. So, what I am asking, is there more than one way to defeat Bowser on those levels? Could I have used the fire power like in the older games? Also, Bowser has the racoon tail. I was going to try grabbing it to see if that would work, but since I was at the end of the bridge, I wanted to be safe than sorry.

Thanks.

@gamewizard65 Yes, you can beat Bowser in other ways (only one that I know of, but yeah).

2-4 just kicked my ass. I don't know if it was the camera or what, but I died like 20 times.

It's also weird to play the game without the ledge grab. I'm so used to it being in a 3D Mario game. I kind of like that it makes the game harder, but it also kind of frustrates me when the camera isn't giving me the best angle and I fall by accident.

@PogueSquadron

Yea, I am used to some of the movies from the console Mario games and that is what is messing me up alot as well.

Yeah I feel like in Galaxy, I would've just made Mario run a little bit slower, but in 3D Land, he's either walking or running, so I kinda don't feel like I have that fine tuning there in regards to his speed.

Then again, I did perform noticeably better when I slowed down and made Mario walk in that level.

I really don't run that much. I actually like the speed of the walking. I like taking my time and exploring everything. Thats why I got kindof bummed in the first level when I noticed the music speed up and I realized there was a timer and I was only about halfway thru the level. But then I got kindof happy when I found the clock that added more time.

I guess if I had one complaint, it would be the timer. Whereas in the ealier 2D Mario games, I always seemed to have enough time, but in this Mario game, I have been getting the fast music more than what I would like. Maybe Ive become too used to the console Mario games, like galaxy, but I like to move around at my own leisure. Overall, its not that big of a deal. I will get used to it.

I had no clue the long jump was in this game. Craziness that I didn't try it! And yeah, I never let go of the Y button.

I enjoyed the last boss. His barrel throw made me lol.

The post-game stuff looks like a LOT of fun. This is also where the statue ability appears.

My brief impressions! with very little spoilers.

I didn't have a chance to play the game all day as I had hoped for, but I have made it to 4-5 so far.

My oh my, what an incredible experience! First of all, the fan service in this game is off the charts! You just have to appreciate all the Mario references and nods to the previous games. Super Mario Bros. 3, obviously, is the main reference point. Seeing old enemies show up in new ways is a joy, like the Goombas stacked up on top of each other (like their own version of Pokey), or the cool nod to Super Mario Bros. after fighting "Bowser" in World 1, finding out it's an imposter, then rescuing Toad (Our Princess is in another Castle). The airships are amazing. As much as I loved them in the Galaxy games, they just feel so perfect here, and feel much closer to the source material than ever before (SMB3).

And aren't the postcards that Mario receives in between worlds just delightful? It seems like a harsh clash of art style to go from the polygonal world to the nice, flat 'cartoon' look, but it works so well. Those postcards bring back good memories of the instruction booklet art from games like SMB3 and SMW.

The game truly feels like a 2D Mario game that has been slightly expanded to the 3D plane. I can't help but feel that the game would simply not work quite so well without true stereoscopic 3D (besides obvious parts of the game where 3D is 'required' to find the hidden elements). Levels are so well created and feel very tight, while still allowing room for exploration.

And man, the 3D visuals do not cease to amaze me. There are just so many times you have a breathtaking view, deep into the level... being able to see the very end of the level, as far away as it is. Or, better yet, getting a true sense of extreme height, as you soar on platforms dangerously high above solid ground, navigating your way and making sure you 'don't look down!.'

The game begins easily enough, probably a bit too easy, and I was blazing through World 1 without ever having to search too hard to find all the Star Medals.

But at the point of the game where I'm at now, I've started facing tougher challenges and mastering some of the trickier maneuvers, especially for some of the Star Medals. At this point I've started missing some, here and there. I usually jump right back into a level if I missed one, and I either find it and say "wow, that was clever," or simply cannot find it.

I see Boom Boom and I long for the Koopa Kids. But hey, we got them in NSMB Wii, so it's all good!

---

gamewizard65 said:

One last thing, I went to check out the instruction booklet and man, this has to be the shortest instruction booklet ever! Basically, you open it up and it fold out again, so basically you are looking at 4 equal sections. And basically, there are only 3 pages of instructions! Wow! Not that I ever read the instruction booklet for a Mario game, except when I was younger. I guess it probably saves Nintendo some money.

That's because they've moved the main instruction manual to the 3DS itself, it's now a click away on the Home screen, for you to peruse and study. You can even bring it up while you're playing (your game is suspended for the time being). In fact, most downloadable games like the VC Game Boy games have these digital instruction manuals.

@roykoopa64

Yea, I knew about the VC digital instruction manuals, but I didn't realize that Mario 3D Land had them as well.

Now, I am not really complaining here at all, but in all the reviews Ive read and even the impressions here on NW, everyone goes on about how Mario 3D has some of the best 3D.

While I think the 3D is just as good as other games, I just have not really noticed it being the best. Actually, OoT is still the game that impresses me the most as far as 3D is concerned. I will admit, all of the 3D games on the 3DS look better in 3D than 2D. I am a huge fan of 3D. The only think I do not like is if I start moving my hands too much, then the 3D effect gets blurred, ect. THe 3D window on the 3DS is just alot smaller than what I ever thought it would be.

I'm not trying to be a downer here, cause I think as far as graphics goes, Mario 3D Land has the best out of all the 3DS games I have played. Now, that may have something to do with me loving bright colorful graphics. But so far, I have not been overly wowed with the 3D and I definatly have not noticed it helping me out like Shiggy said it would.

I guess, the way everyone was talking in reviews and all, I was really expecting to see alot of stuff popping out at me way more than other games, ect. Now, Im only on the 3rd world, so maybe as the game goes on the 3D will impress me more. I even chose the option of having the 3D popping out at more instead of the other way around. I will say the 3D is just as good as in all the other games I have played.

All I have to say now is that the game REALLY shines after you've beaten it.
I was slightly underwhelmed with the main quest but man oh man the special levels are FANTASTIC.

So does anyone know if there's a life cap?

I just reached 7-4, and am sitting at 105 lives. I got all excited when I hit 99, thinking there'd be some kind of bonus like New Super Mario Bros. Wii, but nope; the next life pushed me up to 100 and I just stared at the screen for a second

@ploot How many extra levels or worlds are there?

On world 2 and loving it so far. I agree with people saying the controls feel a little stiff compared to previous games - but I'm getting used to the difference now.

3D feels really useful, and the visuals are lovely. They have an almost HD cleanliness to them at times, and the lighting is perfect. I feel the texture work is slightly better than galaxy overall too, though that could be to do with the fixed camera.

I like the fact the worlds have no themes - you have no idea what the next level will bring. Collecting lives for fun at the moment, but I've died a fair few times too...

Only on the third level and I'm in love.

The return of so many old elements that didn't even show up in the latest 2D Mario's is impressive/awesome.

This is truly 2D Mario in 3D. Dream come true.

@ploot

This is freaking awesome!

I just finished the game (loved the final boss sequence) and now I've just discovered what you posted about


EDIT: I just decided to look to see what else this game might hold, and there actually is even more, lol.

*MASSIVE SPOILERS*

You unlock a bonus stage after getting 100% completion for the game. Which includes:

* Completion of Worlds 1-8 and Special Worlds 1-8 (All levels)
* Collect all Star Coins (3 per level): Notifications of Star Coins obtained will be above each map on the select screen.
* Get the Gold Flag on every level, and complete each level with both Mario and Luigi (To obtain the Gold Flag, you must grab the very top of the flag post): Notifications of Gold Flags obtained and which character you finished with are marked with a Gold Flag, "M", and "L" located on the bottom right of the top screen while at the level select screen.

I found that information here

This game is going to last me so much longer than I first expected