It has been quite a while but I think this was the game that got me interested in playing games again. I bought 3DS XL in 2013 a few months before going to Japan for exchange, because I figured it would be super fun to have street pass with random people during daily commute in Japan. It was also the first gaming device that I bought myself.

Growing up in China in the 90s, even buying a GB/GBA was simply out of my budget, plus gaming is strongly discouraged by parents and the school. My only gaming device was a NES clone that looked like a computer keyboard and marketed as a mini computer for kids to learn how to type. Because of the “educational” purpose, I got it as a present when I started primary school. But of course the “computer” was almost exclusively used for non-educational purposes :D. Apart from the NES clone, I also played a bunch of games on GBA, NDS and PSP because I had a friend whose family is rich and he always have the latest handle devices. But up until 2013, I never own any gaming device apart from my NES clone. I did read a lot of game magazines and “imagined” playing the games in my head. So you could only imagine how excited I was to finally bought my own 3DS XL!

However, I was quite disappointed after playing a few games. I didn’t enjoy them as much as I, well, “imagined” :P. Mario Kart 7 and Pokémon X/Y were just alright. Animal Crossing New Leaf was so boring… And Ocarina of Time, the greatest game of all time, I just couldn’t get into it… Ironically I was spending more time playing StreetPass Mii Plaza than other games, until this game, Super Mario 3D Land!

This game was just pure gem. The courses are short and fun. The use of the 3D display for puzzles is so smart. I thoroughly enjoyed the game and for the first time, I 100% it. I obtained 3 stars for all courses, unlocked all hidden courses including the final boss level. In the process, I slowly understand the charm of this game and why I was so into it. Super Mario 3D Land rewards your curiosity. If you see something suspicious and decide to find out, more often than not, you’ll find something interesting. It resonates with my life philosophy of “keep moving, don’t settle” and especially at that point of my life, when I was still figuring out what I wanted to do in my life.

I was surprised to see the low average rating (3.83) for this game on Grouvee. Perhaps objectively this game is not as great as I felt. But then I realize that’s exactly what’s great about playing games. It’s a personal experience and it depends a lot on the things going on in your life and in your mind. Don’t need to feel bad about not enjoying a game that is generally considered great and don’t be ashamed of enjoying a game that other people think it’s not so good. And for me, Super Mario 3D Land is definitely one of the best games ever made.

This is a really great game. Despite being an early 3DS game, it still looks great visually, and is one of the best games on the system to take advantage of being on a 3D-focused platform. The levels are designed to all look enhanced by having the 3D turned on.

It's a shame that there aren't more games similar to it on the 3DS, because it's a great testament to the capabilities for the 3DS to have the style of 3D platforming that Super Mario 3D World would later expand upon. And speaking of 3D World, while World's levels did feel more individually extensive and the game itself longer in length (due to being on a platform with more powerful hardware), Land still has plenty of enough content to be worth a considerable amount of time. And it also does something that I loved in 3D World, in that at first you feel like the game flew by too quickly, but then it opens up a whole bunch more levels you can do. While the first finale was somewhat rewarding, having all these new Special Worlds to visit felt like they brought the game's length up from what would feel too short to just right. And it also helps that the difficulty increases and you need to start making considerable Star Coin requirements. So the individual levels require you to sink more time in them, and you're also forced to do some backtracking if you didn't take your time before, if you want to beat the rest of the levels. It's a great way of "padding out" the game's length in a way that doesn't feel tiresome, in a way of prolonging the fun so you don't zip through it too fast. Though I do have to say, compared to how long some of the Special World 8 Levels took me, the "true finale" didn't impress me quite so much. It would've been nice to have made the last level a bit harder because it felt like I had done worse to get to that point.

While Super Mario 3D World I feel expanded upon what was established in this game, with more content and length (and IMO difficulty, at least towards the end and because you often have to deal with other players), and the ability to play with friends, Super Mario 3D Land is still a great title, especially as a 3DS showcase. It's not quite as great as other main series Mario games, but it's still really quite good. And you won't get the same hours or nearly as much replay value out of it compared to other 3DS games like Animal Crossing: New Leaf or the various Pokémon games available on the system, as it's not too hard of a game to speed through until you get to the Special Worlds, and aside from getting Star Coins, I didn't have too much of a desire to revisit old levels, but I still definitely recommend playing it.

Uno de los primeros títulos de la Nintendo 3DS y, me atrevo a decir, uno de los mejores Mario del catálogo de esta consola. Super Mario 3D Land redefine la fórmula clásica de los juegos de Mario en 3D al presentar niveles que se asemejan a las entregas 2D, con un diseño lineal que incluye bifurcaciones y coleccionables repartidos a lo largo del recorrido.

La variedad de niveles es sorprendente, con algunos que priorizan retos de plataformas, otros enfocados en la exploración para avanzar, e incluso muchos que aprovechan el 3D de la consola para realizar desafíos de perspectiva, entre otros más. Cabe destacar que, aunque el uso del 3D no es obligatorio, resulta una herramienta útil para superar ciertos retos.

Si bien los primeros ocho mundos no serán muy desafiantes para jugadores veteranos, contando hasta con la inclusión de la transformación del Tanuki Dorado al perder muchas veces en un mismo nivel (un añadido que, pese a hacerte invencible, facilitando demasiado la experiencia, su uso opcional), como mencioné antes, la variedad en los niveles logra mantener el interés del jugador. Eso sí, no se puede ignorar que varios pecan de ser simplones o se terminan justo cuando comienzan a ser más interesantes. Ahora, cuando hablamos de los mundos especiales, la historia cambia por completo: no solo el Tanuki Dorado deja de estar disponible, sino que también se introducen retos mucho más exigentes que ponen a prueba las habilidades adquiridas en los mundos anteriores. Entre estos desafíos se incluyen niveles contrarreloj donde deberás derrotar enemigos para ganar tiempo extra, así como otros donde tendrás que evitar chocar con tu sombra, la cual copia tus movimientos con un ligero retraso. Estos retos no solo son más frecuentes, sino que, en algunos casos, se combinan, llevándote a enfrentar ambos desafíos al mismo tiempo. Además, dichos niveles se desbloquean con las monedas especiales distribuidas en cada nivel, por lo que es importante conseguirlas todas para obtener todo el contenido que este juego posee.

Un aspecto digno de mención son los combates contra Bowser. Más que batallas en los que tengas que vencerlo usando los poderes de tus transformaciones, son enfrentamientos que consisten en superar obstáculos y esquivar sus ataques hasta presionar el interruptor que lo lanza a la lava. Sin dudarlo, son de las mejores partes que esta obra posee y demuestran cómo hacer buenos jefes de Mario al poner a prueba tus habilidades con los saltos.

Para concluir, Super Mario 3D Land es un título que tanto novatos como veteranos pueden disfrutar sin problemas. Brinda desafíos para ambos tipos de jugadores, con múltiples formas de superar los niveles, lo que permite adaptarse al estilo de cada persona. Si aún no lo has probado, no dudes en hacerlo cuando tengas la oportunidad.

This Super Mario entry is a clever and joyful platformer that perfectly bridges the gap between the classic 2D Mario formula and the free-roaming 3D style introduced in games like Super Mario 64. Designed specifically for the 3DS, it takes full advantage of the system’s stereoscopic 3D to create depth perception in jumps, enemy placement, and hidden paths, making the handheld’s gimmick feel purposeful rather than just a novelty.

The level design strikes a balance between short, digestible stages for handheld play and the kind of inventive, surprising challenges Mario games are known for. Each stage feels tightly crafted, often introducing a new idea and exploring it just enough before moving on to the next. The return of the Tanooki Suit adds a nostalgic charm, while other classic power-ups like the Fire Flower ensure gameplay variety. Although it has shorter levels, it still has some secrets, traditional to the Mario franchise, so keep on the lookout for those while playing.

While the main story can be completed without much struggle, the game shines in its post-game content, where the difficulty ramps up and players are rewarded with more intricate stages and clever twists. Particularly speaking I did 100% of this game, and I highly recommend doing so, the extra optional content is a very good experience, to the same level as regular non-handheld Mario titles. The visuals are vibrant and crisp, the soundtrack is upbeat and catchy, and the overall presentation has that trademark Nintendo polish.

It may not reach the grand scope of Mario’s bigger console adventures, but as a portable experience, Super Mario 3D Land excels. It’s accessible, fun, and full of surprises, making it not just one of the strongest titles on the 3DS, but also a great entry in the Mario series as a whole. If you like platformers to any extent, this one is a must-play, I recommend trying to play one of the recent re-releases, as for me, I went with the OG title, which is also a good option.

I dusted off my 3DS a few weeks ago. I have been using my phone less and less lately, and I needed something fun to do during breaks instead of scrolling. My 3DS filled that need perfectly, and Mario 3D Land in particular reignited my love for the system. The form factor and style of games on the 3DS makes it easy to play in 15-30 minute short bursts, then I can close the system and easily pick it up again later.

Over the course of couple of weeks, I beat Mario 3D Land and the special world levels. This game still holds up. Each level has different ideas that never overstay their welcome. This game was made during the "New Super Mario Bros" era, and it shows in some places. Unlike the New Super Mario Bros games, this game actually has some challenge. 3D Land feels like Mario Galaxy and Mario Bros 3 had a baby, it's fun!

Besides some uninspired aspects, the other problem I have with this game is the grind for 100%. 100%-ing any 3D Mario game feels like a slog, but one of the requirements for 100% in Land is to beat every level as Mario, and to beat every level as Luigi. I'm not going to do that. This isn't a huge problem for me, but I wanted to mention it. I love revisiting these games, they aren't super long and they feel good to play. I always get as many collectibles and rewards as I can, so I wish completing them didn't bore me.

3D Land has become the forgotten 3D Mario because of 3D World, and because it has yet to be re-released. Sometimes I think the level design in Land is better than World though. The camera is zoomed out and the platforms are wider in 3D World to account for multiplayer. I can't turn on a 3D effect in World, so I get depth perception issues that lead to frustrating deaths, that doesn't happen in 3D Land.

I am interested to hear what people will say about this game whenever it escapes the 3DS. I wonder if people would even get excited in the first place. It will always be a great showcase for the 3DS though, and I will always remember my fun experiences with it.