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For a game that largely serves as a showpiece for state-of-the-art 3D technology, Super Mario 3D Land has a surprisingly old-school flavor. Sure, this new title for the Nintendo 3DS plays a lot like the Wii's Super Mario Galaxy games, but the music, linearity, and retro items will make you feel as if you're playing one of the Italian guy's earlier adventures.
As a result, Super Mario 3D Land is the first 3D (and I mean that in terms of character movement, not by the way it has things fly out of the screen) entry in the series to incorporate ideas usually reserved for the plumber's more horizontal adventures. Below are just a few examples of how this platformer takes inspiration from the series' past.
Linear levels
Now, we've seen the retro approach taken with newer Mario titles before, but Nintendo always reserved that style for the series' 2D offerings, specifically New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. For example, the way you navigate a level has always been one of the biggest differences in 2D and 3D Mario games. 2D entries end when you simply reach a goal at the end of the stage, while all of the 3D titles have you searching more open levels for stars or shines.
Super Mario 3D Land is the first of its kind to use retro level design. You just run through a stage until you reach the finish (appropriately signified by a flagpole, just like in the original Super Mario Bros.). You don't have to revisit worlds multiple times in order to collect more stars to beat the game. After you conquer a level, you're done with it. This also means that each stage is noticeably smaller than you may be used to, but this works great for a portable game that you can pick up and play in short spurts.
Power-ups
Most abilities in 3D Mario games, like Metal Mario in Super Mario 64 or even the Fire Flower in the Super Mario Galaxy titles, disappear after a short amount of time. Super Mario 3D Land takes a more old-school approach to the chubby guy's abilities, making them last until Mario gets hit. You can even store an extra item a la Super Mario World.
Most of the items are from older Mario games, like the much-hyped Tanooki Suit and the previously mentioned Fire Flower. Interestingly, this is also the first 3D Mario title where the normal mushroom returns as an item. Past 3D entries all used a health system shown to the player with numbers, but Super Mario 3D Land revisits the tradition of representing Mario's durability with a progression from small Mario to big Mario to power-upped Mario.
Limited attacks for Mario
Super Mario 64 let the overall-clad hero uncharacteristically punch his enemies, Super Mario Sunshine gave him the opportunity to water-squirt goombas and koopas, and Super Mario Galaxy introduced the spin attack and the ability to shoot star bits. None of these things exist in Super Mario 3D Land. If you want to kill one of Bowser's minions — and you don't have a Fire Flower, Tanooki, or Boomerang Bros. Suit — you have to jump on them.
The ability to jump on the bad guys has always been a staple in Mario games, but I'm glad to see it return as the only means of punishing your foes. It also helps you appreciate the extra abilities given to you by the game's items since normal Mario seems underpowered by comparison. Besides, nothing feels more satisfying than stomping a goomba into a pancake.
Now, these are some of the biggest examples of how Nintendo injected old-school flavor into Mario's newest adventure. Other factors, especially the music and an incredibly bright color palette, also do a lot to evoke fond memories of gaming past. They also help make Super Mario 3D Land one of the most enjoyable experiences on Nintendo's newest system.
