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[El Pescado]

A lot of people disagree, but I don't. Super Mario 3D Land is my favorite Mario game period.

 

[Aeriscloud]

I like playing as the other 4 characters more than Mario in 3D world, and I haven't experienced the game at all with multiplayer. I don't know, I like both about equally, but 3D World restored my love for the series.

 

[Aesnath]

Nope, 3D land is a tighter experience in general. I think the multiplayer aspect of 3D world may have hurt its level design a bit compared to the earlier game.

 

[papercan55]

they're comparing it to what came before on handhands.

i'm stealing this.

 

[Zareka]

I felt the same way. I was super hyped for 3D World and bought it shortly after it released, only to find that it felt like an inferior 3D Land. It's still fun, but 3D Land just sucked me in for days. I have to force myself to start up World.

 

[Tripon]

Depends on what you want. 3D Land was a more of a self contained experience. 3D World was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay harder though and I loved the level design in 3D world more.

 

[Celine]

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.

Very true.

But I also think 3D World is better.

Also I agree with OP that bosses in those two games are for the most part boring.

 

[Vanille]

3D Land is easily the better game. It's a fun "what if" experiment that feels much more focused and tailor made for portable play. 3D World is just awkward and a terrible fit for a flagship console Mario game.

 

[Chû Totoro]

I'm currently replaying 3D Land and I almost forgot how awesome this game was but no I think 3D World has more depth and variety so 3D Land is like an appetizer for 3D World imo.

And the most surprising thing is that when you played 3D World a lot (not finished everything yet though... Champions' road screw you) 3D Land is sooooo easy that it's like a big 8 World tutorial before the Special Worlds (not easy to beat too). Of course 3D World starts easy too but some levels have a little challenge so you could 100% them.

The best thing in 3D Land is the charming 3D. With 3D on this game is still gorgeous <3

Seriously, I think both 3DS and Wii U will be seen as awesome systems in the future for people who hadn't the chance to try all these games now. If you like the genre, you have to play these games.

 

[Solid Samus]

The levels in 3D Land are shorter and less varied, the music isn't quite as good, and it doesn't support multiplayer, which adds more to 3D World than some negative nancies would like to admit. Not a chance, and 3D Land is my favorite 3DS game.

3D World cribbed just as much from its predecessors as 3D World did and has half as many new iterations on Mario platforming concepts as 3D World so I'm not really buying the idea that 3D World borrowed too heavily from Galaxy while 3D Land is its own thing. I also think the levels are quite easy and often short on real platforming challenge (much less so than World which in and of itself says something), and Mario feels quite slow and lacking in inertia (which does suit the bite sized level design I suppose).

 

[Ace 8095]

I agree. 3d land is amazing on the new 3ds.

 

[Hugstable]

You aren't crazy and I actually agree. 3D Land is much better than 3D World

 

[Lijik]

I disagree but i absolutely get where youre coming from so youre not crazy.

3D Land is a tighter, quicker game but personally I think World has the more inventive stage and obstacle concepts, and its postgame has a stronger selection of remixed levels. The postgame in land felt like it ignored some of the more novel stages from the first half while remixing others too many times. Both are still fantastic games imo

 

[Kouriozan]

I think I also enjoy 3D Land more than 3D World, but loved the diversity in World.

 

[Chû Totoro]

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

Did you post in the "controversial gaming opinion" thread?

Also I'm curious to know your favourite Mario game? Not meaning my opinion is better of course (you may know my favourite game of all time is SM 64 but there's particular reasons that adds to the quality of the game), just curious.

 

[Kriken]

I played 3D World first then 3D Land, 3D Land was a bit disappointing after 3D World, so I'd disagree.

Spoiler

Although I won't call you crazy

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

Better not, I mean, it has even less moves than 3D World and look what they do to Mario

That's not Mario at all

 

[Zalman]

I enjoyed World more, mainly due to the level design and the soundtrack. That said, both are amazing games, so I can't call you crazy.

 

[Storm Kyleis]

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 handhands. But when you recalibrate for that, I feel 3D World is the better game.

This, pretty much.

 

[The Boat]

3D Land is great, but 3DW is much better. The level design is quite some notches above it, there's more variety, more imagination, infinitely better difficulty curve, has different characters, support for multiplayer that doesn't hurt the single player and a much better art direction both visual and audio wise.

 

[masud]

Theyre both great games but I agree. Land has less flash but I liked the level design more.

 

[Spinosaurus]

If you're crazy then I'm crazy too.

 

[Stereogatari]

This is a commonly held sentiment.

 

[Santiako]

I haven't played 3DWorld yet, but 3DLand is so amazing, my favourite 3D Mario. I replay it every few months.

 

[evilromero]

I enjoyed it more than 3D World simply because it was the first in the "3D" series and felt really fresh. And I know for certain that I logged way more hours into it than I did into 3D World. But both are solid.

 

[SomedayTheFire]

Yep, 3D Land is better.

 

[HUELEN10]

I'm curious to know your favourite Mario game? Not meaning my opinion is better of course (you may know my favourite game of all time is SM 64 but there's particular reasons that adds to the quality of the game), just curious.

Don't wanna derail the thread, but I know I'm not wrong as many would agree with me.

Donkey Kong '94

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

What about it let you down? If it's the mechanics, you might still have the same problems with it.

 

[shiftplusone]

land suffers from the nintendo handholding shit for far too long but it's so good. I completely 100% that game


World didn't have the same pull for me, even though I liked it a lot

 

[Bending_Unit_22]

I liked 3D Land a lot more myself. Just as a general reason, I played 3D Land almost everyday until I beat it while I had to force myself to play 3D World a lot of the time. Portability didn't play a factor since I do most of my Wii U gaming off TV anyways.

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

I haven't thought too much about why I prefer 3D Land but I do know this is one of the reasons. The levels were tighter since they were built for one player and could be as long as needed for that purpose.

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.

I don't know if I agree with the second half but the first half is one of the things I can say I liked more about 3D World. 3D Land has a noticeable step change in difficulty, world 5 iirc, whereas I could tell each world was a little more difficult than the last in 3D World.

 

[LegalEagleMike]

Better not, I mean, it has even less moves than 3D World and look what they do to Mario

That's not Mario at all

But this is?

 

[Solid Samus]

This is a commonly held sentiment.

This is a statement made exclusivity by people who have no qualms with making up statistics, every single time it's used on GAF. There is no data to back this far as I know (well, besides the way this thread is shaping up lol), and critical reception suggests otherwise. The most you could say conclusively is that most people prefer Land by default because 10x more people have played Land.

Edit: yeah, seems like I'm wrong, huh? I couldn't imagine enough people played both games in general, or that this question had been raised often enough, for there to be any well known consensus on what the commonly held sentiment even was.

 

[Griss]

I agree with you OP, and lots do. And I played them in the 'correct' order, too, unlike you. 3D Land followed by World. Anyway I'd take 3D Land for the singleplayer gameplay, 3D World for the spectacle, music and multiplayer.

3D Land has tighter levels that need more platforming. Only real problem with 3D land is that the Tanooki suit really does make a lot of the levels too easy to beat. The game would be better if you couldn't take it from level to level. On the other hand, 3D world really does have far too many weak levels. Whether that's due to designing them for multiplayer or not, I don't know. But I know I felt it while playing through the game. It dragged at times.

To be honest, the fact that we're at a point where you can honestly debate which Mario game is better - a handheld or home console one - says so much about how amazing Nintendo has become in the handheld space.

 

[PurpleSquid]

i didn't enjoy 3d land at all, it was far too easy, even for a mario game. I think i got to the 7th world or maybe i actually beat the whole game(i don't remember which but i do remember i took a break after the 7th world. my memory recalls me eventually returning to beat the game but maybe my mind is playing tricks on me and I'm actually confusing myself with my brother who did beat the whole game). 3d world is also easy as sin but at the very least i was able to clown around with my 2 brothers while we played. in all honesty though neither of them is that great in my opinion.

 

[Kriken]

But this is?

*Woosh*

 

[Morts]

In my mind I liked 3D Land better, but I also haven't played it since before 3D World came out.

 

[WarpathDC]

I agree with OP 100%. For me the stereo 3d was a needed feature for this game. I've always been an avid stereo 3d fan FWIW but very seldomly does 3D help outside of a greater sense of immersion. The 3D actually HELPED with tricky platforms and provided the needed sense of depth. I felt 3D was sorely missed in the Wii U follow up.

 

[LegalEagleMike]

i didn't enjoy 3d land at all, it was far too easy, even for a mario game. I think i got to the 7th world or maybe i actually beat the whole game(i don't remember which but i do remember i took a break after the 7th world. my memory recalls me eventually returning to beat the game but maybe my mind is playing tricks on me and I'm actually confusing myself with my brother who did beat the whole game). 3d world is also easy as sin but at the very least i was able to clown around with my 2 brothers while we played. in all honesty though neither of them is that great in my opinion.

if you only got to the 7th world the game didnt even start yet

 

[Chû Totoro]

Don't wanna derail the thread, but I know I'm not wrong as many would agree with me.

Donkey Kong '94

Well. Ok. Wrong or right is not the question, it's opinions. I guess I have very different tastes than yours regarding plat-forming games (at least) then.

 

[FaintColt388301]

I'm with ya OP. I loved 3D Land and thought world was meh. I played it solo so that probably has a lot to do with it. The level design just felt so much more thought out and fun.

 

[AdanVC]

Woah, majority of replies here prefer 3D Land over 3D World... looks like now I'm the crazy one to say that I prefer 3D World. I think it's because it has more variety of levels on each world, the hub world wich is genius to walk around, the soundtrack wich is waaaayy better than 3D land, etc. In few words, I prefer the aesthetic of 3D World over 3D Land and the controls feel tighter in 3D World wich is nice, plus the multiplayer wich is a blast to play when someone comes over.

 

[stalker]

I think I also prefer 3D Land, so OP is not crazy. Both games are fantastic.
And if the OP is in world 5 the best is yet to come (some actual challenge later on).

 

[Skilletor]

Lots of people keep saying the levels in 3DWorld are designed around multiplayer as if that's a negative, or changes the way it's played? I completed 3DW single player, loved it, and attribute its larger levels (when compared to 3DL) to the fact that it's on a console.

Woah, majority of replies here prefer 3D Land over 3D World... looks like now I'm the crazy one to say that I prefer 3D World. I think it's because it has more variety of levels on each world, the hub world wich is genius to walk around, the soundtrack wich is waaaayy better than 3D land, etc. In few words, I prefer the aesthetic of 3D World over 3D Land and the controls feel tighter in 3D World wich is nice, plus the multiplayer wich is a blast to play when someone comes over.

Really? Controls are tighter? I think the analog control is a huge detriment to the level design.

 

[Regulus Tera]

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.

moving goalposts much? The first game was even marketed as the "return" of the original Mario back in the day.

Just divide them into 2D and 3D Mario instead. Easier to differentiate..

 

[PixalTheCat]

Both are great games; lets just leave it at that.

 

[Omegasquash]

You're not crazy, OP. I think it's probably easier to say that you like Land more than World, but I think that's what you're getting at anyway.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

you would be crazy if you said 'MILES better' like it was a universal truth.

you're not crazy. I disagree, but you're not crazy. both games are outstanding.

 

[Maggots]

NO... you are absolutley 100% correct and not crazy... Better music, better level design, less irritating and more fun than 3D world.

 

[Solid Samus]

Really? Controls are tighter? I think the analog control is a huge detriment to the level design.

What? Land and World have very similar pseudoanalog controls which soft lock to certain angles depending on the stage

NO... you are absolutley 100% correct and not crazy... Better music, better level design, less irritating and more fun than 3D world.

At this point I'm left wondering how much the lead in to these games releases, alongside the system's libraries, impacted how they were percieced by people. I loved 3D Land as an awesome handheld 3D platformer and it blew away my expectations more than 3d World because of its format, but I don't know how anyone could say with a straight face that Land has better music (seriously that's legit crazy, 3D Worlds best songs have vastly improved remixes in World...) or that its 'less irritating'... whatever that is supposed to mean (one thing I recall was gold coin barriers being a lot lot more obtrusive in Land)

 

[Skilletor]

What? Land and World have very similar pseudoanalog controls which soft lock to certain angles depending on the stage.

No, World is 8 directional, and Land is not.

 

[Nosgotham]

I don't think you're crazy. Mario 3d world just didn't do anything for me. I loved 3d land.

 

[ScOULaris]

No, World is 8 directional, and Land is not.

Woah, really? I'll have to check next time I get a chance to play 3D Land. I thought both games used the soft-lock in eight directions.