Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

More than seven years later, Super Mario 3D World is experiencing a deserved relaunch on the Nintendo Switch after its passage on the Wii U. But it does not come alone, it is accompanied by Bowser’s Fury, a completely new expansion that aims to be as outstanding as the main game.

Nintendo, faced with the obstacles generated by the pandemic in its development cycles, has once again resorted to reviving a classic to keep the Nintendo Switch’s first-party catalogue afloat. If something distinguishes those from Kyoto in this generation, it has been their commitment to bring back the best Wii U titles, those proposals that were hardly enjoyed due to the low popularity of the console. This time it was the turn of Super Mario 3D World. Yes, it is a relaunch, but it is accompanied by Bowser’s Fury, an expansion that is presented as the great novelty of the game.

Let’s go in order. What does the reissue of Super Mario 3D World offer compared to the original version? There are some surprises that I can rescue. First, and most outstanding of all, is the addition of an online cooperative mode for four players. You will have the opportunity to enjoy the levels again in the company of three other people, who will control Luigi, Peach and Toad. Best of all, however, the characters have their own mechanics. Thus, the playable experience that each one will offer will be different and, therefore, their role in the level may vary.

And while the main attraction in Super Mario 3D World’s reissue is in the cooperative proposal, it does not mean that it cannot be enjoyed alone. The experience, obviously, will not change much in relation to the classic game. An important change that I could notice immediately is that the character moves faster. This slightly increases the difficulty because you have to be more careful to move around the stages. A poorly executed posting can cost you a life even more so if you are in multiplayer since many players will try to obstruct your way when the competition presents itself. Although it is a cooperative mode whose purpose is precise that the players collaborate to overcome levels, it also offers competitive moments that make it even more fun.

The combination of cooperating and competing, strange as it may seem, works extraordinarily. I also believe that the levels were designed to take advantage of a multiplayer mode that was not included in the original game for unknown reasons. The cooperative changes everything, and at the end of the scenario, you will observe the performance of each player based on the score obtained. The latter is increased by collecting coins, stars and powers.

But don’t let the above be misunderstood. I cannot say that it is a difficult game. They have managed to balance their playable offering so that newcomers enjoy it in the same way as a veteran. If this is your first approach to Super Mario 3D World, as it surely is for many people, you should know that you will live a unique adventure. The title has not been hurt by the passage of time and its level design is still outstanding and very varied. Nintendo, which has always distinguished itself for being a benchmark in platform video games, once again demonstrated its mastery in the genre.

Now, if challenging experiences are your thing, you have the classic challenges for the most dedicated at your disposal. For example, you can try to get 85 hidden stamps, which will allow you to add decorative elements in photo mode. You can also look for the hidden corners so characteristic of Super Mario and all the stars. But be careful, because some collectables are very difficult to find. Thus, the replayability offered by Super Mario 3D World is immense as long as you are willing to complete it 100%. If you follow this path, do not doubt that your experience can extend beyond 3 pm.

Now is the time to talk about Bowser’s Fury, a totally new add-on for Super Mario 3D World. Before discussing its playable proposal, you should know that the expansion can be played from the beginning. That is, you don’t need to finish the main game to be able to enjoy it. This is almost certainly since Nintendo understood that some players already enjoyed the Wii U title and wanted to try Bowser’s Fury directly. However, it is important to make clear that it is an expansion, not a full title. So don’t expect it to last as long as Super Mario 3D World can achieve. What’s interesting is that Bowser’s Fury it moves away from the formula of its companion.

Yes, we are maintaining 3D platforming and gameplay, but no longer at limited levels. Instead, they propose an open world that reminded me, to a certain extent, of that freedom – half – that we could have in Super Mario Odyssey. The stage is made up of several islands that we can visit and explore as we please, regardless of the order. Of course, each one has different challenges that we must overcome, but always without losing sight of the expansion’s main objective: collecting the feline suns.

Finding the feline suns is a fundamental part of Bowser’s Fury. It allows us to gain ground from the great villain, who like the name of the expansion already indicates, is a Bowser more enraged than normal. However, during your journey in the open world, you will face multiple adversaries, even challenging bosses that add more variety to the playable experience. Although we keep Super Mario 3D World’s mechanics, an exclusive novelty of the expansion is that Bowser Jr., son of the archnemesis, accompanies us during the journey. He is willing to help reassure his father.

The level of involvement Bowser Jr. can have is up to us. You have the option of having the CPU control it, even adjusting its intervention level. But if you feel able to make your way between all the islands without help, you can also disable it and make it become a mere spectator. A player can also control bowser Jr.. Although his contribution will be minimal to be honest, he is far from what Mario can do.

By collecting enough feline suns, we will have access to the gigacampana, the item that will allow us to transform into Giga Mario Felino. This is a powerful character who will approach the dimensions of Bowser to match the conditions of the battle. Unfortunately, and despite how spectacular this confrontation can be visual, it is not as entertaining as the open-world offers us. Either way, overall, Bowser’s Fury feels like a solid expansion that shows, once again, Nintendo’s dominance with platforming adventures. The big question that arises is: is it worth acquiring the game just for Bowser’s Fury?

Conclusion

The relaunch of Super Mario 3D World is an excellent opportunity to enjoy one of the last decade’s best platform games. It’s one of those gems that didn’t get the spotlight it really deserved because of a console that never took off. Yes, it is a reissue, but that little news they added is more than enough to give it a second wind. It doesn’t matter if you are playing it for the first time or if you are dressing it up, the fun is guaranteed for everyone.