In the past few years, Nintendo has clearly had to dig deep to keep the Mario series fresh. "Super Mario 3D World," the first 3D multiplayer Mario game, strikes a good balance between cooperative and competitive play.

Excellent balance between cooperative and competitive play; Refreshing challenges; Interesting level design; Gorgeous; irreverent art style

Depth-perception problems at normal TV distance; Screen crowding and tracking issues with four players; No online multiplayer

Explore a whole new 3D world by yourself or with your friends in the first 3D Mario multiplayer plaformer for the Wii U console. Bowser has captured all of the Sprixies and it's up to Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Toad to rescue them and save the land from his clutches.

3D brings an exciting new way to play the; The cat costume is cute and OP; Collect stars and stamps

There's a lot to sink your claws into in Super Mario 3D World , and the collection of levels contains very few misses. If you've been holding out on a Wii U purchase until it had an exclusive that was recommended without caveats, now may be that time, and if you already own the system, 3D World will...

Bright worlds; fun levels; well-orchestrated multiplayer

Being a cat is seriously broken

The problem with being great is that the next thing has to be even better. Either that, or you change gears and do something entirely different. Whether a writer, a rock star, or an actor, even the most creative people in the world can't keep topping themselves doing the same thing year after year,...

Working with my oldest son to collect stars

Falling to my death in a tough area because the camera couldn't keep up

Mario fans will rejoice at the Super Mario 3D World building sets available from K'NEX. If you're trying to think of ways to get your kid off the game console for a while to do something different, try these fun building sets that mimic the various levels of Super Mario 3D World .

Easily the best game on the Wii U and one that can proudly stand alongside Nintendo's greatest, even if it doesn't quite top the Super Mario Galaxy games.

Endlessly inventive, with a gleeful disregard for regular structure or formula; The best range of power-ups in any Mario game; Excellent co-op action and superb graphics

Poor use of the GamePad, that actually gets in the way of playing the game if you're on your own; Those annoying save messages

The key is how well the old and the new marry together and which aspects are streamlined to make way for some playful tinkering.

Chock full of ideas; Multiplayer fun; Huge variety; Uses online connectivity

Not a great workout for the GamePad

Beneath the warm familiarity of 3D World lies one of the strangest Mario games in years - and that's wonderful news.

If there is one thing the internet has taught Western society, it's that Japan loves two things; Mario and cats. Super Mario 3D World uses this knowledge to provide one of the most solid entries the Mario franchise has ever seen.

Innovative level design |New power-ups | That soundtrack

Multiplayer is chaotic at times

If there's anything that's constant in this world, it's death, taxes, and a well-made Mario game. Like many of the portly plumber's mainline titles since 1985, Super Mario 3D World is vibrant, colorful, and well-functioning, but very similar to his titles of old, in this case the New Super Mario...