Super Mario 3D Land is really fun and is one of those perfect portable games. I don’t have much to say on the subject, since I’m by no means an expert on Mario, and other people have already expounded on the subject enough, but it’s a great blend of 2D and 3D Mario elements.
I’m not very fond of 2D Mario games at all. They feel a little too simplistic and unforgiving, and I get bored of them very quickly, since there isn’t a whole lot to do other than run and jump—and you’re always going one direction. 3D Mario games, however, are great. I love the freedom of movement and all of the different moves and abilities Mario can use to explore the world around him, both horizontally and vertically, with no restrictions as to where he can go.
With Super Mario 3D Land, it looks as though Nintendo, after a significant amount of trial and error, have managed to identify precisely what people appreciate about both 2D Mario and 3D Mario, and incorporate those features into the same game.
