PAX 2011: Mario Stars in a Pair of Must-Haves for the 3DS

Susan Arendt

Nerd Queen
Jan 9, 2007
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PAX 2011: Mario Stars in a Pair of Must-Haves for the 3DS

[video=3485]I do not own a 3DS. I have access to one for work, but my lack of interest in 3D effects, coupled with my serene satisfaction with my DSi, has so far prevented me from picking one up for personal use. Super Mario Land 3D and Mario Kart, both due out at the end of the year, may just change all that.

I got to play through two levels of Super Mario Land 3D while I was at PAX Prime, putting the Tanooki Suit to use slapping blocks and enemies alike. The game feels both familiar and utterly fresh, evoking pleasant memories of Super Mario Bros. 3 while delivering a brand new Mario adventure. All of the usual elements are there - blocks, goombas, coins, platforms - and navigating them to find the three hidden coins and reach the final flag was a joy. The visuals have the pop and fizz of soda bubbles, all joyous color and chunky shapes. I turned on the 3d effects, but ditched them after just a few moments. I didn't find that they added significantly to the enjoyment, though if you're not headache prone, you may enjoy them just fine.

I could've happily played through the same two levels of Super Mario Land 3D over and over, perfecting my jumps and walloping everything in sight with my raccoon tail (the Tanooki suit is second in my heart only to Kuribo's Shoe), but I was obligated to give Mario Kart a spin as well. I've been over Mario Kart for years. It's a fun game, but I played the crap out of it on the Super Nintendo and never really felt compelled to go back - but this 3DS trip around the race track is one hell of a good time. You'll be able to upgrade your Kart with different tires and bodies to best suit the course you're about to tackle. A hang-gliding attachment lets you glide past your competitors after taking a jump, and you'll even spend time racing underwater. Powerups help give you the edge over your fellow racers as you speed through tracks inspired by other Nintendo titles like Donkey Kong Country; I made it my personal mission to ram anyone who used a screen-inking Bloober against me. Racing games are one instance where 3d really does add to the fun, and using it for Mario Kart proved no exception.

Super Mario Land 3D is due out in November; Mario Kart should hit shelves in December. Guess I should ask Santa to bring me a 3DS this year.

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TimeLord

For the Emperor!
Legacy
Aug 15, 2008
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I was originally worried that these two games were just going to be generic stamp-out copies of older titles. Glad to hear that they're well designed!

The 3D setting on my 3DS never gets turned on. It doesn't give me a headache, it just makes it harder to concentrate on the game as a whole.
 

Trikeen

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Feb 17, 2009
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New Mario games continue to be good!

In other news; the sun rises in the morning, and sets at night!
 

the spud

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May 2, 2011
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This is kind of old news, isn't it? Or were the 2 levels at PAX new?

OT: Looks fun, I will pick them up once they come out.
 

Covarr

PS Thanks
May 29, 2009
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This music sounds like New Super Mario Bros meets Super Mario Bros 3, in a very bad way. I hope it doesn't make it to the final release. The game itself is lookin' fun though.

P.S. Thanks
 

XT inc

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Jul 29, 2009
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Maybe its time to get a 3ds.

Nah I'd go absolutely psychotic if I bought one and then they release a updated but slightly better in every way version 4 months later.

I'll Never forgive you nintendo for Pulling that GBA sp on me as a child after I broke my piggy bank for a GBA.
 

Nick Vargish

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Jun 22, 2010
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The Tanooki suit is the most awesome thing in videogame history, ever.

"I'm a raccoon, I can fly!"
"Yeah... that makes sense."
 

Susan Arendt

Nerd Queen
Jan 9, 2007
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orangeapples said:
why are people going gaga over the tanooki suit? Was it THAT amazing?
It made you look like a raccoon, granted you the gift of flight, AND could turn you into a statue.

Granted, the new one doesn't do all that. Which is kind of disappointing, really. But, yeah, the first one was hella cool.

the spud said:
This is kind of old news, isn't it? Or were the 2 levels at PAX new?

OT: Looks fun, I will pick them up once they come out.
They were new to me, at the very least, as I didn't attend Gamescom, and I don't *think* these were at E3, though I'm not sure.
 

Rect Pola

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May 19, 2009
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The plumber is doing what the plumber does best, make people want Nintendo.
As much as we all love the rest of Nintendo's pantheon, it's just not the same. I don't know why Nintendo tries so hard to pretend they can hold a system without lately.

"But the earliest games are the most limited... Wouldn't waiting-"
ZIP IT! So what you haven't mastered the hardware yet! That opens the door for producing another Mario game later that's takes what the system can give and polishes it to a mirror shine. There's a reason SMB3 is still remembered fondly.
 

Xman490

Doctorate in Danger
May 29, 2010
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Sorry, Grandpa Ninty. Sitting down and playing chess, even on your new Wii (this is an analogy), isn't so fun anymore. Also, I have no idea why "Land" is slapped on the title when "Bros" would be much better, especially with the multiplayer aspect that would imply.
 

orangeapples

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Aug 1, 2009
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Susan Arendt said:
orangeapples said:
why are people going gaga over the tanooki suit? Was it THAT amazing?
It made you look like a raccoon, granted you the gift of flight, AND could turn you into a statue.

Granted, the new one doesn't do all that. Which is kind of disappointing, really. But, yeah, the first one was hella cool.
Yeah, I suppose, but by the time I had access to the Tanooki suit in SMB3, I had already made a collection of Raccoon Leafs and P-Wings. The Tanooki suit only really had the statue aspect pulling for it, and as you pointed out, this tanooki suit is really a glorified raccoon leaf (IIRC this tanooki suit even comes from the Raccoon leaf). Personally I always thought the Hammer Bros suit and the giant boot were more fun.

do japanese raccoons turn into statues? That is a very strange power. I think I'll go look it up... Can't believe I never thought about it before... odd that I just kinda accepted it in the past...
 

Susan Arendt

Nerd Queen
Jan 9, 2007
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orangeapples said:
Susan Arendt said:
orangeapples said:
why are people going gaga over the tanooki suit? Was it THAT amazing?
It made you look like a raccoon, granted you the gift of flight, AND could turn you into a statue.

Granted, the new one doesn't do all that. Which is kind of disappointing, really. But, yeah, the first one was hella cool.
Yeah, I suppose, but by the time I had access to the Tanooki suit in SMB3, I had already made a collection of Raccoon Leafs and P-Wings. The Tanooki suit only really had the statue aspect pulling for it, and as you pointed out, this tanooki suit is really a glorified raccoon leaf (IIRC this tanooki suit even comes from the Raccoon leaf). Personally I always thought the Hammer Bros suit and the giant boot were more fun.

do japanese raccoons turn into statues? That is a very strange power. I think I'll go look it up... Can't believe I never thought about it before... odd that I just kinda accepted it in the past...
True, true, but can a hat match the sheer awesomeness of a full raccoon suit? I say nay! I was a big fan of the frog suit, too, especially in non-water levels. Absolutely hilarious.