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Giant Bomb - 2012's 2011 Game of the Year is Super Mario 3D Land

by nintendaan
27 December 2012
GN Version 4.0

There are games that define a system, and Super Mario 3D Land is exactly that for Nintendo's 3DS. Not only it is yet another spectacular platformer from the same creative minds responsible for Super Mario Galaxy, but it simultaneously made the case for 3D being more than just a visual gimmick that tires your eyes. The 3D in Super Mario 3D Land actually enhances the player's ability to assess the world around them, and provides useful information for the game's trickiest moments. You won't encounter the most dastardly of those sequences until the second half of the game, a curious design choice that might lead someone to write the game off too early. Everything before the second half is fun to play, but it lacks a certain edge.