ShareThis"Mario Kart 7"
Platform: 3DS
Genre: Racing
Publisher: Nintendo
ESRB Rating: E, for Everyone
Grade: 4 stars (out of 5)
Speed. Nimble moves. Sharp reflexes. The timely use of a turtle shell.
Yes, the glory that is "Mario Kart" is back, this time on the 3DS. The majesty of this racing franchise has entertained my friends and me for more than a decade. Featuring over 30 tracks (some new and some returning favorites), "Mario Kart 7" is a game all 3DS owners need to own.
It takes time to unlock all 17 playable characters, and here you can also make slight tweaks to your kart, from the type of wheels to the kind of glider you wish to use. This is mere setup, however, for the true fun of zooming around these wacky tracks at breakneck speed to nab the checkered flag.
Though the first two levels of racing (50cc and 100cc) are fairly easy to tame, the best action is to be found on the 150cc level. Here, the opposing racers are out for blood, hurling turtle shells, banana peels and anything else they can grab to disrupt your progress. The adventurous should take their skills online and face human competition, which is the best way to experience the game. (Crushing the hopes and dreams of my younger sister in this game never gets dull.)
The visuals are fantastic and fit the 3DS perfectly, whether you are gliding above the competition or avoiding it during some of the new underwater sequences. "Mario Kart 7" always brims with frantic racing excitement.
"Super Mario 3D Land"
Platform: 3DS
Genre: Platformer
Publisher: Nintendo
ESRB Rating: E, for Everyone
Grade: 4 stars
It's a good thing Princess Peach has the worst security team in the Mushroom Kingdom, because if she were always safe and protected, what would Mario do to entertain himself? Luckily for us, Bowser has kidnapped her once again and it's up to our plumber hero to rescue her.
"Super Mario 3D Land" plays like a variant of classic "Mario" games. Unlike the "Galaxy" franchise, the levels in this game look and feel like 3-D versions of the old side-scrolling fare that older gamers are familiar with. Yet this nostalgic design is accessible to gamers young and old.
The controls are easy to grasp, and once you start playing you'll realize the game is focused more on speed and getting to the flagpole in the quickest way possible instead of collecting everything you can. This is not to diminish the need to collect untold number of coins, because you'll need them to survive, but efficiently navigating the 3-D levels is your main goal.
Favorites like the tanooki suit (where Mario is dressed like a furry raccoon) are back, and the enemies and mini-bosses are doled out at a pace that makes the game rarely frustrating. If you do find sections particularly difficult, the all-powerful white tanooki suit or the p-wing are unlocked for you to finish the level with ease. The 3-D effects are the chief disappointment, as they add little to the experience and, in many cases, are best left turned off.
"Super Mario 3D Land" offers the best of the classic side-scrolling "Mario" action while updating it for a new 3-D platform, and 3DS owners should have no regrets about buying this.
(Follow Chris Campbell at twitter.com/campbler or email him at game_on_games(at)mac.com.)
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