As if you needed one more game to add to your holiday wish list, Nintendo sent out a reminder today that Super Mario 3D Land is slated to release for the 3DS next week, on Nov. 13. It will be the first time Mario has appeared on the Nintendo 3DS handheld. You can pre-order it from Amazon by clicking this link: Super Mario 3D Land
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Super Mario 3D Land places Mario and his friends in a variety of 3D environments and introduces the concept of power-ups as well as the return of Tanooki Mario. Mario’s abilities will include rolling somersaults, high-speed dash moves and, when playing as Tanooki Mario, use Mario’s tail to hover or perform floating jumps and attacks.
Since it’s a 3D game, the level design makes use of the dimensionality in interesting ways, including some levels requiring players to progress from top to bottom while others challenge them to move forward into the spatial depths of an environment.
New characters in the game include enemy Goombas with tails and Piranha Plants that can spit ink to obscure players’ view. In addition to familiar special items such as Fire Flowers and Super Mushrooms, players will find Propeller Blocks that let Mario reach high places and a Boomerang Flower that changes him into Boomerang Mario and enables him to throw boomerangs. Additionally, players can examine parts of some levels by using the Nintendo 3DS system’s built-in gyro sensor to pan and explore.
Another unique feature can give players a helping hand when they’re having trouble with a tricky level. If a player loses too many lives in a row, an invincible White Tanooki Mario or P-Wing can be activated, giving the player a chance to complete the level without enemy threats. Players can also choose to skip ahead to the end of a tricky stage if they prefer to simply move on. These features are completely optional for gamers who prefer to play through levels without help.