I agree with you and say 3d land is better, moreso for the system it is on if anything.
Overall, the 3d line seems like a downgrade of traditional 3d mario games. mario galaxy, sunshine, and 64 offer places to explore, puzzles to solve, and great platforming.
3d land and 3d world takes only the platforming (no exploring and no puzzles) and puts a timer.
That is perfect for a handheld since a handheld is mainly for quick games on the go, but on the wii u, 3d world just feels like mario galaxy but severely stripped of gameplay features for an HD alternative. It does have coop though which is nice.
Soooo... super mario 3d land