Super Mario 3D World is the rare game that makes a simple question — what if Mario moved like a cat? — feel like the most natural idea in the world. It is a game built for the Wii U, a console that struggled to find its audience, and it answers that struggle with pure, uncomplicated joy. The game takes the tight platforming of the 2D Mario games and drops it into the open, explorable spaces of the 3D entries, then adds a multiplayer mode that turns the whole thing into a chaotic, wonderful party. It is not the boldest Mario game ever made, but it might be the most consistently fun.
The game launched in November 2013, and it arrived at a moment when the Wii U needed a hit. The console had sold poorly, and critics were wondering if Nintendo had lost its touch. Super Mario 3D World did not reinvent the wheel. It just made the wheel spin faster, smoother, and with more polish than almost anything else on the market. 13 years later, it still holds up as one of the best platformers ever made.
Trailer, via Nintendo UK.
Cat Suit Power and Vertical Play
The headline addition is the Cat Suit, a power-up that lets Mario and his friends climb walls, scratch enemies, and pounce with a quick dive attack. It sounds gimmicky. It is not. The Cat Suit changes how you read every level, because verticality suddenly matters in ways it never did before. A wall that looked like a dead end becomes a path. A high ledge becomes a shortcut. The game rewards curiosity, and the Cat Suit gives you the tools to act on it.
The level design is the real star. Each stage is a compact, dense puzzle box, packed with secrets and surprises. The game never wastes a screen. Every platform, every enemy, every coin placement feels deliberate. The difficulty curve is gentle at first, then ramps up sharply in the later worlds, especially in the post-game content. The final levels demand precision and patience, and they deliver some of the hardest challenges in any Mario game.
Four Players on One Couch
The multiplayer is where Super Mario 3D World truly shines. Up to four players can jump in at once, and the game handles it beautifully. Each player controls their own character — Mario, Luigi, Peach, or Toad — and each has a slightly different feel. Peach floats, Luigi jumps higher but slips more, Toad is fast but weak. The differences are subtle, but they matter in co-op.
The chaos is the point. Players can pick each other up and throw each other, and the camera stays wide enough to see everyone most of the time. The game does not punish you for playing badly. It just lets the laughter happen. When one player grabs a Cat Suit and the others do not, the screen fills with pouncing, scratching, and the occasional accidental shove off a ledge. It is the best couch co-op game of its generation, and it remains a reason to own a Wii U.
Sprixie Kingdom Worlds and Music
The setting is the Sprixie Kingdom, a land of bright colors and cheerful music. The game does not take itself seriously, and neither should you. The story is thin — Bowser kidnaps the Sprixie Princesses, and Mario and friends give chase — but the story was never the point. The point is the worlds themselves.
Each world has a distinct theme, from grassy plains to haunted mansions to a sky full of floating islands. The game introduces new mechanics constantly, and it never lets a good idea go to waste. One level might have you riding a giant dinosaur. The next might have you navigating a maze of moving platforms. The next might turn everything into a chase scene. The variety is relentless, and it keeps the game fresh from start to finish.
The soundtrack deserves special mention. The music is upbeat and catchy, with a main theme that will stick in your head for days. The game also includes the Captain Toad levels, which are short, puzzle-based stages where you cannot jump. They are a delightful change of pace, and they later spun off into their own game, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.
Wii U Hardware and GamePad Use
The game runs at 60 frames per second, and it looks sharp and colorful. The Wii U was not a powerful console, but Super Mario 3D World does not need power. It needs style, and it has style in abundance. The art direction is clean and readable, and the game never suffers from the visual clutter that plagues other 3D platformers.
The GamePad is used sparingly, and that is a good thing. You can play entirely on the TV, or you can play on the GamePad screen, and the game supports both without compromise. The touch screen is used for a few optional puzzles, but it never gets in the way. The game respects your time and your attention.
The online mode is limited. You can see ghost data from other players, and you can play a few mini-games, but there is no full online co-op. That is a disappointment, especially today, when couch co-op is harder to arrange. But the game was built for the living room, and it does not apologize for that.
Post-Game and Champion’s Road
The main story takes about eight to ten hours to complete, but the real game starts after the credits roll. The post-game worlds are harder, and they introduce new challenges that test everything you learned. The final world, Champion’s Road, is brutally difficult. It is a gauntlet of precise jumps, timed platforms, and relentless enemies, and it will take most players dozens of tries to finish.
There are also hidden levels, collectible stars, and green stars to find in every stage. Finding all of them requires multiple playthroughs, and the game rewards you with new characters and new content. The replay value is enormous. You can play through the game alone, with friends, or with strangers, and each playthrough feels different.
The game also includes a speed run mode, where you race against a ghost, and a series of challenge stages that test specific skills. These are optional, but they add depth. The game never feels thin, even after dozens of hours.
Verdict on a Wii U Classic
Super Mario 3D World is a masterpiece of level design, a celebration of multiplayer chaos, and a showcase for everything that makes Mario games great. It is not the most ambitious Mario game, and it does not try to be. It just tries to be fun, and it succeeds completely.
The game sold well, but it did not save the Wii U. That is a shame, because it deserved a bigger audience. It is now available on the Switch as Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, and that version adds even more content. But the original stands on its own, and it remains a must-play for anyone who loves platformers.
If you own a Wii U, you owe it to yourself to play this game. If you do not, it is worth tracking down a copy or waiting for a sale on the Switch version. Super Mario 3D World is not just a good game. It is one of the best games Nintendo has ever made.
Quick Facts and Scores
- Game: Super Mario 3D World
- Platform: Wii U
- Release: November 2013
- Players: 1-4 (local co-op)
- Main story length: 8-10 hours
- Post-game content: Yes, including Champion’s Road
- Score: 9.4/10
- The Cat Suit is the best new power-up in years.
- The level design is dense, clever, and never wasteful.
- Multiplayer is chaotic, hilarious, and essential.
- The post-game content is brutally hard and deeply rewarding.
- The soundtrack is catchy and memorable.
Super Mario 3D World is a game that understands what makes video games fun. It is bright, generous, and endlessly inventive. It is a game you can play alone, with friends, or with your kids, and it works in every mode. It is not a revolution, but it does not need to be. It is simply a great game, and it earns its score.
