In the future I hope every Mario game has an array of audio this impressive, because I don’t think I can go back. The sound effects are just as flawless, with an insane amount of detail going into minute happenings, like the crackling of torches or the scrunching of certain surfaces. There are parts where it sounds like a classic Mario game, something completely new (like a straight-up funk track I would buy outright), or even a fully orchestrated Ghibli film. I don’t comment on game soundtracks often, but 3D World‘s score is one of the best OSTs I’ve ever heard - and I’m not just talking about the gaming industry. Since it doesn’t actually mean anything, it’s not detrimental in any way, and adds some light tension to the proceedings - and since Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Peach are all different mechanically, every player has a unique gameplay element to play off of and master. Get ready for some friendly competition too, as the first place player also wears a crown of honor upon their head, which can be snatched by other players for bragging rights. Wii and U, the vast 3D environments lend themselves far better to a party session. Rather than the cramped 2D maps in New Super Mario Bros. You’ll want to bust out those remotes too, because four player multiplayer is a hell of a lot of fun. Unlike the SNES and Wii releases of Mario All-Stars, which were basically just ROM collections, 3D World is a true “All-Stars” tribute, with nods to Mario 1-3, the original Mario Kart (one of my favorite levels), and many more. Then you add in all of the obstacle course relays, and the Captain Toad levels - which are basically Pushmo style puzzles that require you to rotate the camera to collect stars.

There’s a ton of new enemies as well that help keep things fresh, like the adorable marching wind-up box soldiers that scatter and flip out when one in their ranks is killedĮven the world map has its own personality, as it allows for a small amount of free roaming, without forcing you to go from point A to B on a track. These often function as gameplay devices, but they can also purely serve as a cinematic way to show off the game’s world, with chaos and havoc happening around the tube. One of the biggest advancements are the clear pipes - pneumatic contraptions that propel players forward, allowing for course correction throughout the tube network.

Like the Galaxy series, concepts never overstay their welcome, and are often used for one level only to prevent them going getting stale. But the main factor that makes 3D World so special is the sheer amount of variety and surprises the game throws at you.

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