Talking about the past is a hit or miss. I'd rather avoid it all together. I was on a date last night and she wanted to know about everything. Does it matter? I'm here in front of you babe. What you see is what you get.
Mario gets a new game pretty often. Some gamers are happy about this, others would rather Mario take a back seat so Nintendo can focus on something new. That's a debate all of its own. 3D land is here and isn't going anywhere so let's talk about whether it's worth your hard earned cash.
Yes, it is.
No matter how many times you play Mario, Nintendo still manages to breathe something fresh into the series. Besides 3D, at first glance nothing ostensibly screams freshness. However this comes with time. As you make progress 3D land really starts to show its charm, most notably with the camera movements and perspective. Levels use space ingeniously, one moment looking like a side scroller then shortly after popping open to a full 3D space. Sometimes you'll approach an edge and the camera will be held from above, like from a cloud looking down, so you can parachute off and onto a lower surface. There are seriously some levels that are up there with some of the most gorgeous, imaginative and creative games to date, especially some of the later Bowser castles.
Controlling Mario feels natural and sharp as always. When you plummet over the side or get hit by an incoming fireball you'll feel death came because you made a mistake, and not the result of some cheap game design flaw. 3D land is certainly a game you get better at as you play. Stars that were missed on your first run through can be easily snatched after you've logged five hours.
The biggest downer to note on 3D Land is the overall challenge, or lets say lack of it. It's one of the easier Mario's. Sure certain obstacles and an occasional star will trip you up, but the experience as a whole can almost be described as easy. Since levels for the most part aren't very big, there isn't much room to hide stars. But I'll cut it a break. This is the first Maro to explore the 3D space, which means only more ideas will come. I bet the next in the series is going to be a masterpiece.
Regardless, this 3D land is still solid and consistent. It's fun to take with you on the go and you'll be addicted to completing everything.
A must have for 3DS owners.