Super Mario 3D World

Super Mario 3D World (スーパーマリオ3Dワールド Sūpā Mario Surī Dī Wārudo?) is a platform game in the Super Mario series developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo and published by Nintendo for the Wii U video game console. Released in November 22, 2013, it is the sixth original 3D platformer in the Super Mario series and the second game in the Super Mario 3D series of games. It is a sequel to the 2011 Nintendo 3DS title, Super Mario 3D Land. 3D World was acclaimed by critics, who cited level design and multi-player as outstanding aspects of the game.

Gameplay
The game follows a similar play style to Super Mario 3D Land, which combines the free-roaming gameplay of 3D Mario titles with the mechanics of 2D side-scrolling platforming games in the series, going so far as to include a flagpole and timer on every level. Four different playable characters are initially available in Super Mario 3D World: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad. Additionally, Rosalina is an unlockable fifth playable character. Similar to their appearances in Super Mario Bros. 2, each of the characters possesses unique abilities and controls differently: Mario has average running speed and jump height; Luigi jumps higher and falls slower but has lower traction; Peach can jump and float through the air for a short period of time but does not run as fast; Toad runs the fastest but cannot jump as high and falls faster; and Rosalina can use the spin attack move as seen in the Super Mario Galaxy titles but has the slowest running speed. The player can select any of the five characters to use before beginning a level, and up to four players may explore the same level simultaneously with each character, sharing from a pool of extra lives. Like New Super Mario Bros. Wii and New Super Mario Bros. U, players are able to pick up and carry each other to help them across certain areas. Levels are accessed via a map overworld, which players can freely explore to find hidden secrets or access bonus areas to earn more items or coins. Each level contains hidden Green Stars, which are required to access certain levels, and each main level also contains a hidden Stamp, which can be used in handwritten posts to Miiverse within the game's community. Players can also view messages left by other players, both on the map overworld and after clearing a level, and can download Mii Ghosts to appear in levels. Additional Green Stars can be earned in Captain Toad levels, where players control the slow Captain Toad as he navigates puzzle-like stages using the GamePad's functionality, and Mystery Houses, where players must clear a series of challenges with short time limits. Along with several returning items from previous games, such as the Super Leaf, Mega Mushroom, Propeller Block and Boomerang Flower, several new items are introduced. The Super Bell gives players a Cat Suit, allowing them to run faster, perform unique attacks and climb up walls to reach new areas. A variation of the Super Bell, the Lucky Bell, allows the player to temporarily transform his character into a lucky cat statue that awards coins under certain conditions. Double Cherries make a clone of the player, allowing for more effective attacks. The more Double Cherries the player eats, more clones are created. Players can also wear Cannon Boxes, which fire shots at enemies, Light Blocks, which can defeat ghosts, and Goomba masks, which let them blend in with enemy Goombas. Players are also able to pick up various objects, such as bombs, baseballs and Piranha Plants, which can be used to defeat enemies or solve puzzles, and ride around in a Skating Shoe or on an aquatic dinosaur named Plessie. The game features functionality with the Wii U GamePad, allowing players to rub the touchscreen or blow into the microphone to reveal hidden blocks or items, hinder enemies, and activate mechanisms, and also supports Off-TV Play. The game is also compatible with the Wii Remote, Nunchuk, Classic Controller, and Wii U Pro Controller. An unlockable Luigi-themed version of Mario Bros., titled Luigi Bros., can be accessed either by clearing the game, or by having save data from New Super Luigi U.

Plot
Whilst exploring the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad come across a strange clear pipe, which a curious green fairy-like creature, called a Sprixie, pops out of. Suddenly, Bowser appears and captures the fairy before escaping through the pipe. Thus, Mario and friends enter the pipe to pursue Bowser, and find themselves in the strange new Sprixie Kingdom as they search for the Sprixie, along with some of her other companions. After rescuing the final Sprixie, Mario and co. get ambushed by a supposedly defeated Bowser, who re-captures all seven Sprixies again, and retreats to his final castle. After powering up with the game's two new power-ups, Bowser engages the heroes in a final battle as "Meowser", but is defeated at the top of his own skyscraper. All dressed in their Cat Suits, the four heroes leave the Sprixie Kingdom as the citizens wave goodbye. Meanwhile, Bowser is now trapped in a bottle as punishment.

Development
In a January 2013 Nintendo Direct, Nintendo announced that a new 3D Mario game was being produced by the development team behind Super Mario Galaxy. The game's official title was announced during the E3 2013 Nintendo Direct on June 11, 2013, along with its tentative release date of December 2013, before being changed to November 22, 2013. According to Koichi Hayashida, Peach was originally not going to be a playable character. Yoshiaki Koizumi suggested for Peach to be playable, which would then be agreed upon. Koizumi reasoned, "I think she adds a lot to the sense of competition when you get in multiplayer ... You can have different people choosing different characters based on their personality or whoever they like." Similarly, Rosalina was later added as a playable character. Kenta Motokura said, "I was thinking about what would be pleasing after the ending and wanted to bring in another female character in addition to Princess Peach. Rosalina has a following among the Super Mario Galaxy fanbase, and she's appeared in Mario Kart recently, so I think she's well known."

Music
The soundtrack in this game is performed by the Mario 3D World Big Band and is composed by Mahito Yokota, Toru Minegishi, Yasuaki Iwata, and Koji Kondo. An official soundtrack is available for Club Nintendo members in Japan featuring 77 songs from the game itself on two CDs.