Shelf markers for the highly-anticipated Super Mario 3D Land for Nintendo 3DS have been appearing in Japanese high street stores ahead of the games imminent release on November 3rd with the box artwork confirming the previously in-doubt StreetPass feature and heralding the return of Super Mario Bros 3 power-up, the P-Wing!
Arriving in the West on November 18th, the new addition to the Super Mario Bros franchise looks set to combine the game-play and look of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxies and reintroduce elements and power-ups from the classic Super Mario Bros. 3 – but we’ll come to that shortly.
Firstly, the Nintendo 3DS StreetPass feature will be included in the new SMB game after doubt was cast on its inclusion back in August, with Nintendo itself suggesting it was uncertain that the item swap social feature would be part of play in Mario’s first 3D adventure. We now know that it will, and that items and power-ups gained in the game will be exchangeable wirelessly with passers-by who own a 3DS handheld and a copy of Super Mario 3D Land.
So speaking of those power-ups, one which has been absent since 1988’s Super Mario Bros. 3 (if you exclude the re-releases for SNES and Wii) is the P-Wing. The P-Wing was a very elusive power-up obtained sporadically after defeating those annoying Hammer Bros, or during Toad’s House mini-games.
Grabbing a P-Wing combined with a Raccoon Suit would give Mario unlimited flight, rather than the usual jump and hover. This would allow players to easily best stages in no time at all and also to avoid any of those pesky Flying Goombas and Bullet Bills! Essentially a ‘cheat’, in the new game P-Wing blocks will be equally as helpful, offering assistance to gamers and providing tips to help beat certain levels.
Exciting news for the nostalgic in us and for the new gamer grabbing a Super Mario Bros. title for the very first time, despite it taking a while, Super Mario 3D Land is coming to Nintendo 3DS in the UK and Europe on November 18th.
Following news that 28% of 3DS gamers don’t like the 3D and 13% turn it off entirely, we have to wonder why it’s taken so long to get an SMB game on the desperate portable platform. But we’re happy he’s finally on his way!
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