Mario is probably the biggest name in video games. Part of that reason is an impeccable track record for making high-quality games. The Italian plumber continues that trend in his latest 3D platformer. Combining classic side scrolling seen in New Super Mario Bros and the open-world 3D style from Super Mario Galaxy, this is probably the most innovative Mario experience yet. You’ll want to keep the 3D slider up as it does more than simply offer a wow factor to the game—the 3D effect is built into the level design itself. One crutch is if players continue to lose they’re given an item granting invincibility and a Tanooki Suit, taking the gusto out of any challenge. There are times when it feels like Super Mario 3D Land is trying to do too many things at once and occasionally gets distracted from true platforming simplicity, but overall this is likely the best portable Mario game yet.
This article appears in Feb 9-15, 2012.