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[ScOULaris]

So I recently purchased a New 3DS XL from a fellow GAFer (thanks antisoulless) and started my first playthrough of Mario 3D Land. I also own a Wii U and have completed both the normal and post-game content in Mario 3D World. Now, back when 3D World came out was one of those people who felt disappointed with it in comparison to the Galaxy series on the Wii. I thought that the pulled-back camera and wide open stages that were made to accommodate up to four players at a time made single-player 3D World feel like a cakewalk. Sure, the postgame levels were challenging, but on the whole the game just felt underwhelming to me from a design/engagement standpoint. The world that it took place in (Sprixie Kingdom) just felt like a lifeless copy of the Mushroom Kingdom to me too. It was definitely a lot of fun in multiplayer, though.

So all of that out of the way, I have to say that I'm really impressed with 3D Land thus far. I'm only in World 5 at the moment, but playing this game using the New 3DS's head-tracking 3D has been a real treat. While the levels are smaller in scope than those in 3D World, I think that actually works to this game's advantage when directly comparing the two. Since it was only designed for one player, the obstacles courses put in front of Mario hit closer to that sweet spot of 2D Mario tightness and Mario Galaxy-esque spectacle. While 3D World is certainly more visually impressive on the Wii U hardware, there's something about the presentation of 3D Land that reminds me more of Galaxy for some reason. I can't put my finger on it. I will say, though, that both games are pretty uninspired when it comes to their boss fights.

Really, I could very well be biased right now because of how much more immersive it feels to play 3D Mario in actual 3D. It really makes me want to see more stereoscopic 3D Mario games in the future, whether it be on handhelds or consoles. Platformers like these really gain something from that extra depth, especially when it comes to conveying the sensation of jumping or falling long distances.

 

[Tathanen]

Before this thread spirals wildly out of control: no, you aren't crazy. 3D Land's focus on tight levels built around a single character, and camera angles that the stereo-3D really helps make usable, puts it ahead.

Best final Bowser "fight" in any Mario, too.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Not crazy. I disagree, but you're not crazy.

Best final Bowser "fight" in any Mario, too.

I would agree.

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

I feel 3D Land is the weakest mainline Mario game. 3D World was definitely a return to form for Tokyo after being disappointed in Galaxy 2 and especially 3D Land. Not a terrible game, just a bland one.

 

[Nbz]

Before this thread spirals wildly out of control: no, you aren't crazy. 3D Land's focus on tight levels built around a single character, and camera angles that the stereo-3D really helps make usable, puts it ahead.

Best final Bowser "fight" in any Mario, too.

100% agree. 3D World felt like it leant to heavily on ideas from Galaxy and didn't do much new on its own. 3D Land was far more focused and well designed. Definitely my preferred of the two

 

[Orakio Rob]

I enjoyed 3D World, but I also think 3D Land is way better.

 

[Fireblend]

I feel 3D Land is the weakest mainline Mario game. 3D World was definitely a return to form for Tokyo after being disappointed in Galaxy 2 and especially 3D Land. Not a terrible game, just a bland one.

I may not feel Land is better than World, but that is madness.

 

[James Scott]

It's more impressive for the platform it's on and the camera is a bit more dynamic making it feel a lot nicer, but 3D World is better in every other way from the music to the visuals to the variety. The pro controller is also nicer for Mario than the 3DS's button layout.
I could see why some would think it's better, but I don't think it is.

 

[Cess007]

No, you're not crazy. For me, 3D Land is better than 3D World too.

 

[KingSlime]

Yep, you pretty much nailed it. Land is one my favourite games. When I got my Wii U, I was very excited for World. It is good, but it didn't stick as much as Land for me. There is something about the tightness of Land, the smaller, more focused levels, that makes it special. It kind of exemplifies Nintendo's philosophy of doing something great with little... There aren't that many enemy types, or that much level variety (in terms of the level components/locations), but what the designers did with those small number of pieces, the variety that they built from them-- it's amazing. I have played through Land completely three times so far.

World, I think, just became a bit bloated and unfocused. Five characters, more level variety, more enemies, multi player... They all sound like good things on paper, but they dilute the pure experience. Still a good game, but not as perfect as Land.

 

[Scrawnton]

I would have enjoyed 3d World more if they built the levels strictly for single player.

 

[Metal-Geo]

The more I think about it, the more I'm inclined to agree that I prefer 3D Land's more tightly packed levels over 3D World's vaster levels.

 

[Peltz]

I also preferred Land. It was a perfect game.

 

[HUELEN10]

I feel 3D Land is the weakest mainline Mario game. 3D World was definitely a return to form for Tokyo after being disappointed in Galaxy 2 and especially 3D Land. Not a terrible game, just a bland one.

Agreed, it's tied with SM64 for worst 3D Mario, though of course there is no BAD 3D Mario mind you.

 

[StAidan]

I liked 3D Land better myself (although I enjoyed 3D World too).

Best final Bowser "fight" in any Mario, too.

And yes, this was totally the case. At one time, I didn't think anything could top the 4-player Bowser battle experience in NSMB Wii, but 3D Land (although single-player) surprised the heck out of me with the final battle. So satisfying.

 

[ScOULaris]

Agreed, it's tied with SM64 for worst 3D Mario, though of course there is no BAD 3D Mario mind you.

Wow. I mean I guess all of the 3D Mario games are really good, so it's not like you're saying SM64 was bad, but damn. I think I'd have to at least put SM64 over Sunshine.

 

[ChaosZeroX]

I loved 3D land. The Bowser fight is definitely the best of all the Mario's games in my opinion.

 

[Kai Dracon]

I think 3D World is a better game in that the difficulty ramps up more evenly and sooner, and it reaches heights of challenge and invention that 3D Land doesn't approach even in the post-game worlds.

However, I can see why Land is more appealing because it does feel tighter thanks to being single-player. This affects the pace and scale of the levels resulting in a different tone to the experience. Really this has been an issue with all Nintendo's console platformers ever since NSMB Wii became a huge hit: they feel required to put multiplayer in nearly all of them to catch the family co-op audience. That's a valid goal because it works for them, but it does have a downside. The design of their console platformers must conform to the framework of single-screen couch co-op.

 

[papercan55]

100% agree, 3dland made sense and was a perfect fit for the 3ds.
3dworld took the base of 3d land and added the lazy assed effort of the 'new' series to that formula whilst taking away the 3d effect which makes the game work so well, it also kept the timer which makes no sense on a console and ruined the camera.
I thought 3dland was a great effort whilst 3dworld was one of nintendo's worst.

I would have enjoyed 3d World more if they built the levels strictly for single player.

This was a big factor in why i hate 3d world so much, it's awful for single player...
you have a terrible zoomed out camera coupled with a stupid timer and levels where the structure and layout is designed for 4 players at the same time.
the bonus star world had great single player sections but the main game was dreadful if you want to play alone.

 

[dreamcastmaster]

3D Land is the better game.

 

[LegalEagleMike]

3D land was better Imo as well. Also easily best portable Mario platformer if you ask me.

 

[Chibot]

Maybe it's because I had someone to play with, but I felt like 3D World was a much better/more magical game. It's up there with Galaxy and Super Mario World in my mind. 3D Land was good, but I haven't had the urge to play it again after it was over.

 

[ScOULaris]

100% agree, 3dland made sense and was a perfect fit for the 3ds.
3dworld took the base of 3d land and added the lazy assed effort of the 'new' series to that formula whilst taking away the 3d effect which makes the game work so well, it also kept the timer which makes no sense on a console and ruined the camera.
I thought 3dland was a great effort whilst 3dworld was one of nintendo's worst.

I feel like the timer has never made sense in Mario games. I mean how often are people ever even coming close to running out of time?

The only examples I can think of are in older Mario games with castle/ghost house levels in which you had to figure out the correct order of doors or pathways to progress.

 

[Regulus Tera]

I feel 3D Land is the weakest mainline Mario game.

This can't be true in a world where NSMB DS and NSMB2 exist.

 

[Red Hood]

I agree. But not "objectively" better, though it definitely surprised me way more than 3D World.

3D Land basically came out of thin air for me, and while I thought I'd play some enjoyable Mario game, it really surprised me and I enjoyed it a lot. Whereas 3D World, even though better in pretty much every category, just didn't have that impact on me. It was, maybe just like the title implies, a sequel to 3D Land. Nothing more and nothing less.

 

[Struct09]

Love both, but would place 3D Land slightly above 3D World. #teamnotcrazy

 

[E-phonk]

I feel 3D Land is the weakest mainline Mario game.

Mario 2, sunshine, NSMB, ... I can't remember all of the gameboy games very well, but mario land 1 also wasn't all that afaik.

 

[Regulus Tera]

I feel like the timer has never made sense in Mario games. I mean how often are people ever even coming close to running out of time?

The speed run levels in 3D Land and 3D World are actually pretty good. Playing Mario that way is one of the most refreshing ways you can tweak the Mario formula.

 

[Omikaru]

I didn't much enjoy 3D World, but I really liked 3D Land, so no I don't think you're crazy. Perfectly valid opinion to have. I think the handheld factor helps; 3D Land had some really tight and enjoyable levels, whereas 3D World just felt like a 3D version of Super Mario 3, which is not the direction I really wanted 3D Mario to take.

Overall, though, I actually don't think Nintendo's 3D Mario output in this gen really hits the highs that SM64 or Galaxy 1 & 2 did. They're not Sunshine-level disappointments either, but I don't really think they've done much particularly interesting or original with their latest iterations.

 

[Natureboy99]

As someone who thought 3dW was a let down, maybe I should try 3DL.

 

[ScOULaris]

The speed run levels in 3D Land and 3D World are actually pretty good. Playing Mario that way is one of the most refreshing ways you can tweak the Mario formula.

Yeah, I did like those levels a lot.

 

[thomasmahler]

I created a similar thread a few months ago. 3d Land is a tighter experience that's not bogged down by all the multiplayer stuff. 3d Land all the way.

 

[Hero of Legend]

I think 3D Land is better than 3D World also.

3D Land was elegant in its simplicity, and was a gorgeous fit for portable play. 3D World just felt like too much more and not a fit at all for a major console 3D Mario game in my opinion.

 

[Piers]

You're not crazy at all.
But I found 3D Land to be stiff, slow and too easy — and repetitive. Hiding proper difficulty as 'remixed' stages after the credits took the piss for me.

3D World's addition of sprinting, varied stages and higher difficulty curve made the experience feel a lot more better paced and wholesome imo.
The argument for 3D Land's portable play doesn't hold up for me when 90% of people don't take their 3DS outside of their homes.

 

[KooopaKid]

3D Land was way more impressive at time of its release. 3D World is a sequel to a portable game in scope, so of course it was going to be a bit disappointing.

 

[Storm Kyleis]

3D World falls short as a successor to Galaxy, in my opinion. It's a great game on its own, but very, very far from the creativity that makes the 3D Mario series a masterpiece.

3D Land is smaller in scope - it simply wants to be a mix between 2D and 3D Mario, and it does a good job at that.

 

[DownGrader]

This can't be true in a world where NSMB DS and NSMB2 exist.

I am not TheSpaceBetween, but I consider NSMB sub-series something between main "Super Mario" series (from SMB to SMW2: Yoshi's Island, then from SM64 onwards) and Mario spinoffs. Thus, NSMB2, as awful as it could be, is not a mainline Mario for me.

To OP: I played 3D Land way after 3D World, and while I was overall pleased with the game and stunned by stereoscopic 3D usage, I find it far less ambitious than 3D World. 3D Land feels like a very, very scaled-down Galaxy 2, when 3D World feels like Galaxy's true successor.

 

[Skilletor]

Love them both, but think 3DW is far, far, far better.

Think the formula is great. Hope we get a 3DL 2 or something.

 

[Effect]

A better game? No. More appealing? I could see why. I think 3D Land is a tighter experience but that's because it's designed to be a single player game while 3D World is designed as a co-op game first and foremost I feel that can be played as a single player game. That's the biggest difference here and why the two games feel different.

Between the two games I preferred 3D Land even though it's clear 3D World is the better game feature wise.

 

[papercan55]

I feel like the timer has never made sense in Mario games. I mean how often are people ever even coming close to running out of time?

Tell this to my little brother who can't stand the timer and always runs out of time in 3dworld, he wants to have fun in the level, playing with balls and jumping/climbing around the level but the game punishes him for it.
He stopped playing in world 3 because it frustrated him too many times.
Nintendo said they put a timer in 3dland because to them it made sense for a portable and quick play sessions.
why they kept it for 3dworld is beyond me.

 

[Plinko]

No, you're not crazy. I've been saying this for years.

Every single level in 3D Land is a tight, concise level focused on platforming. 3D World meanders and has a tendency to feel "slower," in a way.

I think 3D Land is the superior game. 3D World felt disappointing to me after 3D Land.

 

[AgeEighty]

Not crazy. I disagree, but you're not crazy.

That about sums it up for me.

 

[Nocturnowl]

There's a few points where Land can stand out in comparison, mostly related to the single player focus allowing level designs that feel a bit more adventurous or sprawling like the desert block fort with its multiple ways to climb up or the water stages not being restricted to corridor like paths all the time.
That and playing with depth and 3D visual effects as well, like the early stage where you descend down that mountainous terrain or the propeller block stages.
The need to focus on up to four players in World reels in this sort of level design which can feel restrictive in scope.

That and the final Boswer showdown in 3D Land is tops of course.
Otherwise I'd say World edges it out with interesting concepts, though there is something moreish about 3D Land that gives it a just one more level vibe.

 

[SuperJay]

Agreed! The level designs seem more fun and inventive in 3D Land and that ending battle is just so much more satisfying.

 

[BumblebeeCody]

Nope. 3D Land was far more enjoyable that 3D World. Playing with friends made it even better.

 

[Ninja Dom]

You're crazy. So is everybody who agrees with you

3D World is a Masterpiece. Of course it totally refined the ideas that 3D Land started. But the scope, the music, the level design, the challenge and the difficulty are all superior in 3D World.

 

[Tathanen]

3D Land benefits from being the first truly "new" Mario experience in a long time. Not to belittle the changes brought on in Galaxy 1, but it was still cut loosely from the template of its predecessors. 3D Land pioneered this new 2D/3D hybrid style, and I feel like it's as if the developers went back in time to 1996 and re-developed Mario's "first 3D game," but with all the knowledge they'd built up over the last decade and a half. It's really a very fresh concept for a Mario game, perhaps the purest rendition of "2D Mario but in 3D" they could've made back during that initial Mario 64 transition, but didn't. That they had the presence of mind to re-evaluate the formula from scratch like that is impressive in of itself.

3D World was alright, but it was definitely just an evolution of the concept. One that compromised said concept in order to work with more players, and kept the camera angles without the stereo-3D, producing something that always felt just a little awkward to navigate through. A fine game, but one that diluted the ideas of 3D Land with volume rather than polishing them with refinement.

 

[DownGrader]

Nope. 3D Land was far more enjoyable that 3D World. Playing with friends made it even better.

I think you messed up slightly here.

 

[AgeEighty]

3D World is a Masterpiece. Of course it totally refined the ideas that 3D Land started. But the scope, the music, the level design, the challenge and the difficulty are all superior in 3D World.

Yeah, for sure. I think people go easy on 3D Land because they're comparing it to what came before on portables, and are hard on 3D World because they're comparing it to what came before on consoles. But when you recalibrate for that, I feel 3D World is the better game.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Op, you're crazy. Sorry.

(Stereoscopic 3D is awesome—but in this case, it's not nearly enough)