Depends who you play with for multiplayer.

My friends at college wanted to succeed with me and we cooperated a lot. This made a successful team that was a lot of fun to be with.

My hometown friends wanted to be a**holes when we played, and that was downright frustrating.

As a game, I loved it a lot, especially trying to get every single collectable. Once I did twice, though, I haven't seen a desire to go back unless showing off the game to people who were interested.

Found it excellent, but my least favorite 3D Mario console game.

100% agreed, The game jumps up in points alot Cuz of Multiplayer.

@op In other words, you haven't really played SM3DW

Just wanted to respond to this one bit by pointing out that Nintendo hardly hyped this game at all. Sure they promoted it, but after the E3 reveal they hardly ever mentioned it until late 2014, and even then it wasn't really different from any big Nintendo release. Pretty much all the hype was created by gaming websites and fans, starting at the point that one video was released which suddenly turned everyone into a believer (after its meh E3 debut).

I think its a far better mario game than many others.

level design is unique in many ways... maybe by world 3 you're just not past the intro yet.

keep in mind mario games always get progressively harder. The early worlds are intended to train you and help young ones. The mid to later levels are for core gamers, all others will start using the new cheat feature.

the level design is beautiful much of the time, miiverse and stamps are fun (better than msony systems imo), and the music is very good as well.

i'd actually rate it as my favorite 3d mario game yet.

I thought the game would be short because I got to the 3rd world in no time.
but then around world 5, maybe middle of 4 it gets insanely difficult (if you are trying to get every thing)


Overall the game was a big step ahead in my opinion in the mario series. I felt like its the closest we have came to a mario 64 style game. The levels feel like obstacle courses just like Mario 64.

If you are not having a jolly time with a friend then you have no tastes in games and live a sad life. Because me and my friend lauged continusly through the whole game.
definitely the most memorable and fun games ive played in ages.
easily the best multiplayer party game since rockband series

Agreed, Superchunk.  I couldn't believe myself saying that as I was playing the game.  I loved Sunshine, Galaxy 1 was amazing, and Galaxy 2 blew that away.  But I couldn't help feeling that Nintendo had created their best 3D Mario yet...and maybe even of all time.

It saddens me to have threads like this where you have to explain a game's strengths or apologize for the amount of positive reviews it receives. It's like any game...you either get it, or you don't.  You either love it or you don't.  No number of thread responses will change the way you feel about it.

It's my Game of the Year 2013. I was hooked from the beginning.

What alternate Universe is this where a game that's sold 1.87m (not counting digital sales) in 4 months on a console base of less than 6 million isn't a hit? It has a 1 in 3 attach rate for crying loud.

The multi-player is only good if you play with people that have moderate/slightly advanced experience with platformers. If not, then it's an absolute blood bath. You'll probably get no where.

Anyhow, the unanimous opinion in this thread is that you haven't played enough of it, which is absolutely true. You can't stop 40 minutes into a 90 minute movie and say you didn't like the whole movie. Many movies start off slower and then really ramp up at the end. Same is true with Super Mario 3D World.

Also, you must have a really horrible speaker system if you think the music is not even just good. Super Mario 3D World's music is a huge step up from the recent Mario games and also almost matches the Galaxy games.

Here's my take. It's the 1st 3d Mario ever made. Mario 64 was a cool idea, but I hate that you could only have power ups for as long as a puzzle lasted (included all the following 3d marios), I hate HAVING to jump or spin attack all the enemies. Having fire flowers, cat suits, boomerangs, etc until you get hit is awesome, and feeling the extra pressure of not getting hit is a little invigorating. Bowser battles were the only fun part of 3d marios up until now.
The camera is increasintly improved over past entries in my opinion.
Quick note on the music; it gets way better. One of the ghost houses in particular has the best music I've heard in a Mario game maybe ever. Has some influence from luigi's mansion. Around 3 or 4 you'll get a bonus boss with some oogie boogie man from nightmare b4 Christmas music.
Also, I found a level where you wear a propeller hat while in a cat suit while in a ice skate. That's 3 aids at once which is kinda insane.
There are multiple nods to Mario 2 (such as all 4 playable characters with particular attributes, sniffits, slot machines including original, and you're saving fairies) which was one of my favorite in the series.
Lastly, I found the charm level way up above the others. The fairies (which are a welcome change from peach being captured) always entertain me each time they wave a tool and build a new pipe.
I feel like people used to old 3d Mario's may not care for this game, but for people like me who have dis-satisfied with past entries... it's a breath of fresh air.