Yeah yeah. What I find hilarious is that the description for 3D Land cites some of its flaws and yet ranks it above other, better titles anyway.
I've yet to see someone defend the padding and boring level design.
That's exactly what I was thinking too. I personally don't have a problem with a high ranking of Mario 3D Land. I found it a more inventive and compelling Mario experience than any other since Sunshine. NSMB Wii is close but 3D Land stands out for me. That said, I wouldn't rank it number 1 and I have disappointments about it. A prime one being that it's special world is mostly (all?) recycled levels just with a new twist or challenge. Well, make a "special world" then? Just have the normal 8 worlds but with these different goals to complete also. Like Sunshine where you'll go back to the same world but there will often be a tweak to the environment and a new objective in that world from the first shine.
What's great is how the description says: "The first few worlds of Super Mario 3D Land certainly don't feel like the best game on the system," (aka almost half the game) "but as the game opens up past its first eight worlds and onto the second group of eight worlds, 3D Land asserts its dominance". I actually like the game more when I played it's normal 8 worlds. I'd kept hearing great things about the second set of worlds and it when I began playing them and realized the game was just re-using levels, I couldn't figure out why it was getting praised so much. It wasn't a new experience. There was just a new challenge or twist added. I completed it because I've completed every Mario game I've played.
"As a masterpiece that is a showcase for the system in the same kind of way that Super Mario 64 was for the Nintendo 64." Way too hyperbolic. Zooming in with the binoculars and finding Toad or aiming cannons was a great showcase of the 3DS gyroscope? Tapping the touchscreen for a second item (which was first done in NSMB) is a great showcase of the touchscreen? Personally, despite its flaws, I think Rhythm Thief does a better job showcasing the system than 3D Land and there's probably a few other games as well that could be thrown into that mix.
"3D Land's boundless creativity bred awesome challenges and breathtaking levels, all of which were perfectly engineered for the portable play style." Boundless creativity to me would mean there would be levels reused two or 3 times and the boss battles wouldn't be as repetitive either.
"Somehow, the team at EAD Tokyo blended the best aspects of 2D and 3D Mario and created the finest game on the 3DS less than a year after the system released." I could debate this more but I'm probably coming off too harsh and negative than I really am on the game. I get that as the number one game it will have a glowing review but it feels like it is stretching to justify its spot and I find some of the points debatable.
Still, I like lists and I always like to see game rankings to compare different thoughts from different people on things. I do find it fascinating, (if somewhat maddening when I completely disagree) and look forward to the possible VC or best of the rest type list I think may be posted tomorrow. (I find it hard to believe you'd do all your game rankings and then have nothing for Friday.)
Topic: Nintendo World Report's Top 20 3DS Games (So Far) (Read 26298 times)
