Super Mario 3D World (2013)
Super Mario 3D World is a 2013 Wii U platformer that turns the “3D Land” formula into a party-friendly co-op adventure. Up to four players (Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad) sprint through compact, secret-filled courses, competing for points while cooperating to reach the goal. The Super Bell / Cat Suit defines the game’s identity with climbing, pouncing, and vertical exploration.
Game Data
| Release Year | 2013 |
| Developer | Nintendo EAD |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Platform | Wii U |
| Genre | 3D Platformer |
| Players | 1–4 |
| Original Media | Wii U Disc / Digital |
Gameplay:
Course-based 3D platforming built for co-op: carry teammates, throw them, revive them in bubbles, and race for the flagpole.
Each character has different movement quirks (Peach floats, Luigi jumps higher, etc.).
Green Stars, stamps (Wii U), and top-of-flagpole finishes reward mastery and exploration.
Story:
Mario and friends discover the Sprixie Kingdom, but Bowser captures the Sprixie Princesses.
The crew travels world to world through inventive themed stages to free them and stop Bowser’s chaos.
Trivia:
The later Nintendo Switch release bundled an extra mode, “Bowser’s Fury,” which experimented with a more open, connected 3D space—often seen as a bridge toward modern open-ended Mario design.
Super Mario 3D World is historically important because it proved that 3D Mario can be “course-tight” like classic 2D Mario while still supporting chaotic, hilarious 4-player co-op. Its Cat Suit movement and dense level design influenced later Nintendo platformers, and the Switch re-release helped cement it as one of the standout entries from the Wii U era.
Screenshots
Timeline / Versions
Why Super Mario 3D World Was Historically Important
It brought true 4-player co-op to a 3D Mario in a way that stayed readable and skill-based, even with multiplayer chaos. The Cat Suit added iconic movement and level interactions, and the Switch re-release (with Bowser’s Fury) extended its legacy by pairing tight courses with an experimental open-area mode.
