Super Mario 3D World Reviews

Super Mario 3D World is ranked in the 100th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
9 / 10.0
Nov 18, 2013

With multiple characters to play as (harking back to Super Mario Bros. 2) and an unlockable fifth, a fantastic and unobtrusive multiplayer component and enough new power-ups to make even Mario's head spin, you're bound to have a highly enjoyable time with one of the best 3D platformers released thus far.

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AusGamers
Jickle
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Dec 3, 2013

The game is at odds with itself for not being as inventive as it should be, but being so good because of all invention that's come before it. Mario, in this sense, is his own worst enemy.

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5 / 5.0
Nov 18, 2013

Super Mario 3D World is the closest we will ever come to a perfect Mario game, one that is a culmination of every right decision ever made in the series. Alone, or with friends, the first time, or the tenth time, it does everything right. It's a wonderful adventure, and makes me proud to be a Wii U owner.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 26, 2013

"Every time Nintendo releases a new chapter in the mustache-sporting plumbers ongoing adventures, there's no denying that they find a new way to make the wheel seem exciting again even if the company wasn't able to reinvent it."

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DarkZero
Top Critic
9 / 10
Jan 28, 2015

This game was yet another solid, fun-for-days title in the Mario series. Just don't bother collecting the coins. Trust me.

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9 / 10.0
Dec 23, 2013

Super Mario 3D World is a joy from beginning to end, and is the best game for the Wii U so far. The game features the same perfected platforming mechanics and endlessly creative level designs that fans have come to expect from the icon of gaming. It may not be as grandiose and epic in the vein of the Galaxy series and does perhaps feel a little too familiar to 3D Land, but this would have been a much stronger title to kickstart Nintendo's first foray into high definition gaming. It's possible that with the pretty frequent releases of Mario games in the last couple of years may lead some to feel fatigued with the franchise, but nevertheless 3D World is an astounding game, and one of this year's very best titles.

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NZGamer
Top Critic
9.8 / 10.0
Dec 9, 2013

The game is breathtakingly simple, polished to perfection, and tonnes of fun - by yourself or with friends. The only reason it's not getting a perfect 10 is because I miss the story elements, and some of the bosses were just far too easy to overcome.

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Spaziogames
Top Critic
9.5 / 10.0
Nov 20, 2013

Super Mario 3D is a masterful work, without shortcuts or hasty paintings, which will once again amaze you with its magnificent and never banal level design.

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9.2 / 10.0
Nov 18, 2013

Super Mario 3D World isn't Super Mario Galaxy or New Super Mario Bros.; it's a little bit of both. Under a thick layer of polish and charm, you'll find yet another top-notch platforming adventure, chocked full of secrets and clever twists and about as challenging as anything Mario has thrown our way thus far. It isn't groundbreaking or approaching the level of perfection that the Galaxy games did, but if nothing else, it's a must-have title for Wii U owners, and probably enough to push you over the edge if you're waiting to buy a system and harbor an appreciation for Nintendo's platforming contributions.

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EGM
Top Critic
9.5 / 10.0
Nov 18, 2013

For any Mario fans worried their favorite paesano plumber wasn't about innovation anymore, Super Mario 3D World shows the franchise that created the platforming standard continues to set the bar. The new Super Bell and Double Cherry power-ups augment the Mario experience in a brilliant, meaningful way, and the Wii U's HD capabilities deliver the prettiest-looking game in series history.

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Nov 19, 2013

Super Mario 3D World is the missing link between 2D and 3D Mario games and is chock full of more fresh ideas than we've seen from Nintendo in some time. If you own a Wii U, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up.

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9 / 10.0
Dec 3, 2013

Super Mario World 3D pares back some of the complexity seen in recent Mario games in favour of multiplayer gaming, and it works wonderfully.

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Nov 22, 2013

Unsurprisingly, Super Mario 3D World is yet another fantastic platformer starring Nintendo's iconic, red-clad plumber. Although it doesn't necessarily reinvent its genre, the must-play game does a great job of improving upon the elements that made its predecessors classics. Don't miss out on it!

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 19, 2013

I'll admit that my expectations were high going into this game. I wanted to relive that feeling of awe that washed over me when I witnessed "Galaxy" for the first time. I wanted this game to make me root for the Wii U. It still continues the trend of Nintendo's quality when it comes to first-party titles, and it's even better if you have friends to play with. It just doesn't take enough chances to achieve that rare level of greatness that Nintendo can sometimes reach.

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10 / 10
Nov 18, 2013

This is a definitive 3D Mario experience, successfully finding a middle-ground between the iconic Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy. You may not swing Bowser by his tail or run upside down, but it's bursting with creativity nonetheless, while delivering on the craft and skill that defines the Tokyo EAD studio. It's unmissable.

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9.5 / 10.0
Nov 21, 2013

We play games to have fun, and that is what Super Mario 3D World is best at delivering.

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Nov 19, 2013
Super Mario 3D World - Video Review (Wii U) video thumbnail
9 / 10.0
Dec 2, 2013

Super Mario 3D World is vibrant, fun and reaches a new level of excellence for the franchise, creating the right kind of cat-astrophe.

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10 / 10.0
Dec 1, 2013

The launch of a three-dimensional Mario platformer on a console always carries huge expectations with it.  Ever since Super Mario 64 redefined 3D gaming and single-handedly sold countless people on the Nintendo 64, each 3D Mario game is expected to somehow match its impact.  Well, that's physically impossible — literally, we'd have to make a 4D game to recreate it — and we need to accept that.

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5 / 5.0
Nov 19, 2013

I thoroughly enjoyed playing solo as well as with my wife and son, and I'd say this is a must-get game if you've got a Wii U — and, quite possibly, a reason to think about getting one if you don't, even amid the frenzy of other next-gen consoles breaking into the market.

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