It's Super Mario's 3D World, we're just living in it
I really enjoyed playing this game. And now that I think of it, I shouldn't use the word "enjoyed", because I am going to continue enjoying it for years to come. Nintendo has done it again. I played it single player a lot of the time, but a few times I had some friends over, and they had a blast as well! To honor the "Year of Luigi", I played as Luigi for the most part, and let me tell you, that dude is slippery. The differences in character abilities aren't super noticeable, but there is a clear difference between Mario, and Rosalina. Out of all the bonuses (Toad's speed, Peach's float ability), I thought Luigi's higher jump came in handy the most.
Amongst all this hub-bub about resolutions, and graphics, and the next generation and what-not, I was super impressed with the way Super Mario 3D World looked. Running at 1080p, at a consistent frame rate, this game is pretty. They also threw in some rain effects in some levels, that make it just feel really good. The music was recorded using live instruments, and it sounds awesome. Koji Kondo was on the sound staff, and you can really feel his influence. There are a lot of instances in the game where I heard little musical references to other games in the Mario series, and I love 'em for it. The Plessie (the big ol' dinosaur you ride down rivers) levels, for example, use a remade version of the Secret Slide theme from Super Mario 64, and it sounds great on a live band.
If you don't have a Wii U (I don't blame you, I bought mine in a haze about a year ago), there is finally a game worth buying a Wii U for on the market.
All in all, this game just feels good. It massages a part of my heart that I thought games couldn't hit anymore. There are a lot of little pixel Luigi sprites scattered around the levels, and even though they don't mean anything at all, I found myself seeking them out, just to see where Nintendo hid them in this level. This is my personal Game of the Year for 2013. It works, in every aspect that it tries to hit. I got to a point where I thought it was finished, and then they give you another set of levels. And then another. And another. If you don't own this game, get this game. If you don't have a Wii U (I don't blame you, I bought mine in a haze about a year ago), there is finally a game worth buying a Wii U for on the market.
