Super Mario 3D World is a 2013 platform game created and released by Nintendo for the Wii U. It is the sixth 3D platform game in the Super Mario series and follows Super Mario 3D Land, which was released in 2011. The game was later made available for the Nintendo Switch as Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury in February 2021.
In the game, players control Mario and his friends as they try to save small, fairy-like creatures called Sprixies from Bowser, who has attacked the Sprixie Kingdom. The gameplay is similar to other Mario games, where players complete levels to reach Bowser. The game includes a feature that lets players choose different characters and introduces a power-up called the Super Bell. This power-up changes the player into a cat, allowing them to climb walls and perform a scratch attack.
Super Mario 3D World was praised for its level design, visual style, fun replayability, and music. However, some reviewers noted that the camera in the multiplayer mode was sometimes hard to control. The game was very successful commercially. The Wii U version sold 5.89 million copies, and the Nintendo Switch version sold 13.47 million copies worldwide as of March 2024. This made it the second best-selling game for the Wii U and one of the top-selling games for the Nintendo Switch. Together, both versions sold 19.36 million copies globally. A related game called Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker was released in November 2014.
Gameplay
The game levels are similar to those in Super Mario 3D Land. They mix the open exploration of 3D Super Mario games with the side-scrolling movement of 2D games, including a timer and a flagpole at the end of each level. Up to four players can control characters, including Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, and Rosalina (who can be unlocked later). Each character has unique abilities and controls: Mario moves and jumps evenly; Luigi jumps higher and falls slower but moves less easily on the ground; Peach can float briefly in the air but moves slowly; Toad runs the fastest but jumps lower and falls faster; Rosalina can perform a spin attack, like in Super Mario Galaxy, but moves the slowest. Players choose a character before starting a level, and up to four players can explore the same level at the same time, sharing a pool of lives. Players can also pick up, carry, and throw each other during gameplay.
Levels are accessed through a world map, where players can find hidden areas to collect more items or coins. Each level has three Green Stars needed to unlock other levels, and each main level contains a hidden Stamp used in messages on the now-closed Miiverse online community. Players can read messages left by others on the world map or after completing a level. They can also download "Mii Ghosts," which are recordings of other players finishing levels. These ghosts can be raced against and may offer rewards like coins or extra lives. Additional Green Stars can be earned in Captain Toad, Mystery House, and Challenge levels.
The game includes items from earlier games, such as the Fire Flower, Super Leaf, Mega Mushroom, Propeller Box, and Boomerang Flower. New items include the Super Bell, which gives a Cat Suit to help players run faster, attack enemies, and climb walls. A version of the Super Bell called the Lucky Bell lets players temporarily turn into a lucky cat statue that gives coins under certain conditions. Double Cherries create clones of the player, making attacks more effective and increasing survival chances. More Double Cherries mean more clones. Players can use Cannon Boxes to fire at enemies, Light Blocks to defeat ghosts, and Goomba masks to blend in with enemy Goombas. Players can pick up items like bombs, baseballs, and Piranha Plants (which can attack enemies or solve puzzles) and ride a Skating Shoe or an aquatic dinosaur named Plessie.
The Wii U GamePad lets players touch the screen, blow into the microphone to reveal hidden blocks or items, hinder enemies, activate mechanisms, and use Off-TV Play. The game works with the Wii Remote, Nunchuk, Classic Controller, and Wii U Pro Controller. A version of Mario Bros. featuring Luigi, called Luigi Bros., can be unlocked by completing the game or by having save data from New Super Luigi U.
Plot
Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad are watching fireworks near Princess Peach's Castle when they notice a tilted glass pipe. Mario and Luigi repair the pipe. A green Sprixie princess, who resembles a fairy, appears and explains that Bowser has captured six other Sprixie princesses in jars. Bowser arrives, captures the Sprixie princess, and escapes through the pipe. The heroes follow him into the pipe and enter a land called "The Sprixie Kingdom." They travel through different worlds to rescue each Sprixie princess. After saving the last Sprixie, Bowser captures all seven princesses and takes them to his amusement park fortress. He uses the Super Bell to change into a cat form called Meowser. The heroes climb the tallest tower in the fortress and defeat Meowser. They say goodbye to the Sprixie princesses and return home through the pipe to the Mushroom Kingdom.
Development
Development of Super Mario 3D World began soon after Super Mario 3D Land was released. Nintendo EAD Tokyo led the project, and 1-Up Studio helped with development. A team of 100 people, including producer Yoshiaki Koizumi, wrote game ideas on sticky notes. These notes were placed on studio walls, and approved ideas were tested in the game. Co-director Kenta Motokura explained, "We tried many ideas during development. Sometimes, we couldn’t tell if an idea was good or bad until we tested it in the game. If it wasn’t fun, we didn’t use it." Co-director Kōichi Hayashida said the game was made for the New Super Mario Bros. fanbase and as a follow-up to Super Mario 3D Land. Adding multiplayer features was challenging because the team wanted to ensure the camera worked well for all four players at once without making anyone feel left out. Motokura said the game was designed to be easy to learn and play, whether alone or with others. Koizumi noted the team added elements to help players enjoy the game’s large environments.
Early in development, ideas for Mario’s cat costume were created to allow him to climb walls and help new players clear obstacles. Motokura said, "We thought about different actions Mario could do. A cat was a perfect choice because everyone knows the animal."
For power-ups, Motokura said the team balanced difficulty and fun. They introduced new ways to use classic power-ups, such as using the Fire Flower in pipes.
The Double Cherry feature, which creates a copy of a player’s character, came late in development when a level designer accidentally added an extra Mario model. The team was happy the game didn’t crash and quickly added the feature. Motokura said it helps single players experience multiplayer-like situations.
Including a free-roaming world map was important because it let the team place harder levels anywhere. Motokura said, "The world map allows many different experiences. We wanted to highlight the freedom players have in these maps."
Hayashida said Peach was not originally planned to be playable until producer Yoshiaki Koizumi suggested her inclusion. Koizumi said it was to show more female representation in Mario games. Miyamoto added, "Cat women have a fun side, and I wanted to see a feline Peach." Koizumi also said Peach adds competition in multiplayer by letting players choose characters based on their preferences. Rosalina was later added as a playable character because she is popular among fans of Super Mario Galaxy and Mario Kart. Yoshi was considered but dropped because his abilities were too similar to other characters.
Koizumi said the game was planned to use 3D glasses like Super Mario 3D Land, but this was removed due to multiplayer concerns. Miyamoto said the team wanted the game to be called 3D World from the start.
The game’s music was composed by Mahito Yokota, Toru Minegishi, Koji Kondo, and Yasuaki Iwata. A band called the Mario 3D World Big Band was formed to perform the music, inspired by jazz. Yokota said, "We used live instruments like trumpets and saxophones to create a big-band feel." The soundtrack includes new songs and arrangements from older games, such as Super Mario Bros. 2. Yokota aimed to make the music fun and energetic to match the cat theme, using sounds like electric guitar and trombone to mimic cat meows. He said the music feels more rhythmic than the space-themed Super Mario Galaxy series. A soundtrack with 77 tracks was released for Club Nintendo members in Japan, Australia, and Europe.
Release
In a January 2013 Nintendo Direct, Nintendo mentioned that a new 3D Mario game was being made by the team that created Super Mario Galaxy. The game was officially announced during the E3 2013 Nintendo Direct on June 11, 2013, with a planned release date of November 2013. It was released in Japan on November 21, 2013, North America on November 22, 2013, Europe on November 29, 2013, and Australia on November 30, 2013.
An improved version for the Nintendo Switch, called Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, was announced on September 3, 2020, during a Nintendo Direct celebrating the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. The game was released worldwide on February 12, 2021, along with Cat Mario and Cat Peach Amiibo figures. This version includes online multiplayer, the ability to use Amiibo figures to get power-ups, a feature to take screenshots of in-game scenes, and four-player co-op in Captain Toad levels. Other changes include faster character movement and the ability to use stamps, originally meant for the now-discontinued Miiverse service, to decorate the environment in screenshot mode.
The new Bowser's Fury campaign follows Mario as he travels to a place called Lake Lapcat and teams up with Bowser Jr. to stop Bowser, who has been turned into Fury Bowser by an inky substance. Unlike the main game, Bowser's Fury takes place in a large open area, like other open-world Super Mario games. Mario must explore islands to collect Cat Shines. Bowser Jr., who can be controlled by a second player, helps Mario by using his paintbrush to attack enemies and find hidden items. At times, Fury Bowser wakes up and attacks, changing parts of the island. By collecting Cat Shines, Mario unlocks the Giga Bell, a larger version of the Super Bell, which transforms Mario into Giga Cat Mario to fight Fury Bowser.
Reception
Super Mario 3D World received "universal acclaim" on the Wii U version and "generally favorable reviews" for the Switch version, according to Metacritic. OpenCritic reported that both versions were highly praised, with 96% of critics recommending the Wii U version and 95% recommending the Switch version. The game won awards from several media outlets, including Game of the Year from Eurogamer, Digital Spy, and MSN UK.
Famitsu gave the game a score of 38 out of 40. IGN’s Jose Otero rated it 9.6 out of 10, praising its visual design, creative level layouts, challenging later levels, and fun co-op gameplay. He noted that the game has a lot of energy and gameplay variety but mentioned that the camera can be a problem during four-player multiplayer. GameTrailers scored it 9.5, praising its gameplay and presentation but criticizing camera issues and some control choices. GamesRadar’s Henry Gilbert gave it 4.5 out of 5, highlighting improved multiplayer and standout moments. Kotaku’s Luke Plunkett called it a "terrific video game" but said it does not fully use the Wii U’s features. Giant Bomb’s Patrick Klepek said the game shows that it is possible to reinvent a classic repeatedly.
Anime News Network’s Heidi Kemps gave the game an A grade, calling it fun and imaginative. Edge rated it 9 out of 10, calling it "Wii U’s best game to date" and "the most next-gen game of 2013." Destructoid’s Chris Carter gave it a 10 out of 10, praising power-ups like the catsuit and Double Cherry, as well as the game’s graphics and soundtrack. He noted that the boss fights were the only downside. Joystiq’s Richard Mitchell gave it 5 out of 5 stars, praising its visuals, soundtrack, and clear level design. GameZone’s Mike Splechta said the game has many characters, fun multiplayer, and new power-ups, making it one of the best 3D platformers.
Eurogamer’s Christian Donlan gave it a 10 out of 10, calling it an "endless freewheeling treat" with creative level design and a dynamic soundtrack. Nintendo World Report said the game is a strong reimagining of the Mario formula and a top game for the Wii U. The Escapist’s Bob Chipman gave it four out of five stars, saying it is worth buying for Mario fans but not groundbreaking.
In Japan, the game sold 99,588 copies in three days at stores, which does not include digital sales. Sales were low at first but grew later. By January 5, 2014, it had sold about 400,000 units in Japan and remained in the top 10 charts. In the UK, it debuted at number 14, and in the US, it sold 215,000 units in its first eight days. As of March 31, 2023, the Wii U version had sold 5.89 million units worldwide, making it the second best-selling game for the console.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury sold nearly three times as many physical copies as the original in the UK, becoming the fastest-selling release of 2021 there. In Japan, it sold 250,018 copies in its first week, and in the US, it was the best-selling game in February 2021. As of March 31, 2024, the Switch version had sold 13.47 million units worldwide. Combined, both versions sold 19.36 million units globally.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, a puzzle game based on levels from Super Mario 3D World, was released for the Wii U in 2014. It was re-released for the Switch and 3DS in 2018 and received generally favorable reviews.
In late 2014, downloadable content for Mario Kart 8 added Cat Peach and the Bell Cup. Elements from Super Mario 3D World appear in Super Mario Maker 2 as design tools. In April 2021, three spirits from Bowser’s Fury appeared in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The song "Attack! Fury Bowser" from Bowser’s Fury was featured in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023).