Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury Review

In Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, released this month on Nintendo Switch, we get something old and something new. The main attraction is the Switch port of Super Mario 3D World, a fun multiplayer platform previously released for the Wii U. Meanwhile, Bowser’s Fury gives Mario fans a brand new adventure to romp around in. If you’re a Switch owner, then you definitely need to add this game to your collection!

Faithful port

Nintendo is typically very faithful when it comes to video game ports. And that’s the case with Super Mario 3D World: nothing has really changed from the Wii U version. But considering that many Switch owners never owned a Wii U, this port is a fantastic opportunity to get on board with one of Mario’s greatest adventures.

But should you buy this game if you already own the Wii U original? That depends entirely on how much you want to enjoy Bowser’s Fury (a new game that takes about three hours to complete) and the online multiplayer function of Super Mario 3D World (which is a new addition to the Switch version).

One added feature that some players will like and others will surely dislike is that the Switch port of Super Mario 3D World runs a bit faster than the original. This can make the action feel more frenzied, but will probably annoy players who get easily overwhelmed.

Multiplayer madness

Speaking of multiplayer, this is arguably the best feature of Super Mario 3D World.

Historically, most Mario games have focused on the single-player modes. And even though the very first Super Mario Bros. game had a two-player mode, it and many of the later games amounted to little more than players taking turns making their own solo runs through the game.

But in Super Mario 3D World, you and up to three other players can play together at the same time. This greatly adds to the fun factor, especially in a time when “couch co-op” games are becoming increasingly rare.

And even if your Mario knowledge is limited more to the older titles, you’ll feel right at home here. You can play as the same characters available in Super Mario Bros. 2 (Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad), and they even have similar abilities (Luigi boasts a higher jump, for example, and Peach can float for short periods of time).