I’ve been holding onto this one for awhile. Got it originally for the Wii U but suspected we might get a Switch port at some point and thought that would be the best time for a review. So I waited and with the 35th anniversary of Mario they brought out a port of the original game for the Switch with a bonus game attach

Mario 3d World is a sort of sequel to Mario 3d Land in that it is a game where Mario will go through a 3d level in the way he would go through a 2d level in Classic 2d Mario’s with the goal to get to the flag pole at the end. While the game lacks the visual 3d element of 3d Land (since this is the Switch not a device for depth 3d) it does contain full multiplayer allowing you and 3 players all to play at once as Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad. While this can be done offline with this version it is possible to do so online now (though usual latency issues meant I had to work out how to do things with a slight delay, probably best with offline friend).

You move through several different worlds through the overmap area somewhat like Mario World beating a level unlocking the next one. There are also 3 green stars in the levels and these are needed to unlock certain levels including some of the final ones so they are something you do need to get to finish the game.

Power ups return with the usuals of fire flowers, super mushrooms as well as the tanooki leaf and hammer bros suit (acquired through some kind of boomerang plant) and new to the game the super bell to turn you into cats (which is the best permanent power up in the game). There are a few other power ups but they are more temporary.

Levels will range from the standard to quick more gimmicky ones showing how they recreate the feel of 2d Mario in a 3d environment as opposed to the more collectathon kind that regular 3d Mario’s use such as Odyssey and 64.

As well as the standard levels there are a few additional ones such as quick puzzle challenges and the Captain Toad levels that have you control the Captain through diorama type puzzle levels to get a number of green stars while not being able to jump.

There is a 5th proper playable character but to unlock her you need to get into the post game, which in standard Nintendo fashion is where the difficulty really amps up.

Bowser’s Fury is an additional game made using 3d as the basis that was added to Switch port. It has Mario pulled into a large lake area by a black goop only to be confronted by a colossal Kaiju sized demonic looking Bowser that’s only chased away when you collect a strange cat icon that lights a lighthouse. This mode feels like a fusion of 3d World with the more collectathon nature of regular 3d Mario entries. Trying to collect more of these cat icons while occasionally being menaced by the colossal Fury Bowser whose appearance alters the level blocking off some paths and allowing others while raining fire down and causing you to avoid his fire breath. I should tell you though Bowser’s fire breath is needed to destroy certain blocks that have cat symbols hidden behind them.

Collect enough of cat thingies and you can awaken a giant super bell allowing you to turn into a giant cat Mario and face Fury Bowser at his level, defeating him opening up new areas but also making Fury Bowser’s appearances more dangerous.

The game is an interesting addition but shouldn’t take too long to get finish so if you’re only interested in Bowsers Fury and not the port of 3d World it might not be worth the price. Still if you want to play both or missed out on the original release of 3d World this is your chance.

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