Salnax on 12 November 2017
I feel that 3D World was different enough from Odyssey to hold its own in some areas. Odyssey haas a much greater scope and more original concepts, but 3D World has a few things Odyssey doesn't really match.
- Multiplayer - 3D World's multiplayer blows the multiplayer of any other Super Mario game out of the water, either 2D and 3D. There's still a bit of the same problems found in the New subseries, but it is largely mitigated by the Z axis. Furthermore, the relatively simple controls and movement allows newcomers to easily get into the action, as does the roster of five playable characters. The competition for the crown is a nice competitive bonus, since it works with how people have sabotaged each other in Super Mario at least since 2009. The GamePad, though largely unused in 3D World, is a good way for complete noobs to take part without fear of failure.
- Characters - Though the five characters do play somewhat similarly, the fact that the levels all accommodate five different sets of abilities impresses me. There are some sections of levels that become much easier or harder based on which of the five is being used. IMO, it shows that much more effort went into the levels than the simple geometry would have you believe. Furthermore, the differences seem more nuanced than they were in SMB2. Sure, Mario is still the balanced one, and Peach is Easy mode in many cases, but Luigi and Toad both reward a more kinetic style of play, despite their technically being opposites. And Rosalina spin attack thing is great to have by default, but is unavailable if she gets a power up, maning that a power up can both help and hurt her mobility.
- Power Ups - Though the Captures in Odyssey fill a similar role in making the gameplay diverse, I really like how 3D World had a wide number of useful power ups, both old and new. A lot of the old ones like the Mushroom and Fire Flower are obvious, but still act as handy extensions of characters' existing abilities. The Boomerang Flower, which was only having its second appearence, was an interesting alternative to the Fire Flower, sacrificing offensive power for the ability to go across pits and grab items. The Cat Bell provides an interesting alternative to the Super Leaf, with the Cat form being better at travelling veertically whereas the Raccoon Suit is best for vertical movement. The Double Cherry is a nice power up to stack on others, and brings a new dimension of micromanagement in exchange for what amounts to extra HP and firepower. Throw in the pseudo-powers, like the Cannon Boxes, Potted Piranha Plants, Propellor Boxes, Ice Skates, and so on, and you have a huge amount of diversity. Not as much as Odyssey, but they do a better job at sticking to Mario and cos core abilities.
- Oddball Levels - A lot of the levels in 3D World only work the way they do in isolated levels rather than an open world without time limits. World 2-3 is all about using sillhouettes and shadows to portray the environment, both accurately and deceptively, before never being used again. The time limit still in 3D World makes Ghost Houses legimate threats for explorers. The same applies to levels like 3-4 and 5-3, which only grant 100 seconds on the timer to beat the level and collect everything needed. 3-6 is a wonderful tribute to Mario Kart that still works as a platformer. 5-1 sets aside a sizable but clearly defined beachfront for its puzzle. Castle-2 is based around activating Switch Panels to cross distances, something that Odyssey's mechanics would make trivial. Not to mention the levels which take place on trains, which make more sense in linear levels than open worlds
This does not make 3D World better than Odyssey. 3D World lacks the insane freedom of movement, the benefits of the Capture system, fascinating worlds that invite exploration, and New Donk City. But it does mean that 3D World still has things to offer.
