[TechCrunch]

It’s not hard to love Mario. He’s had his ups and downs – what, for example, was the deal with Paper Mario? And Super Mario Strikerswas pretty hard to love, at least for this non-sports fan – but darn it if the little guy doesn’t keep coming back for more and keeps you, at the very least, entertained.

Super Mario 3D Land is the latest in the Mario saga. The story is fairly typical – something was stolen (a lot of leaves) and Bowser took Princess Peach. Your mission is to find the leaves (which are special and give you the Tanooki suit) and then find Peach. What you go through to find her, however, is where all of the fun comes in.

The game is a 2D platformer turned 3D. You move swiftly through a nicely rendered 3D land and hop, stomp, and jump on enemies and into question blocks. Initially gameplay is a bit stiff and weird but once you realize you’re actually following a nicely and cleverly set path through this 3D world you can loosen up and explore a bit.

Mario has existed in 3D before, most strikingly in in Super Mario 64. This game has very little to do with that title and is instead a fully-formed platformer in 3D. It is more on par with Super Mario Galaxy in terms of gameplay and mechanics and it’s clear the 3D Land is a Galaxy title reduced in scope and, obviously, space flight.

Now for the million-dollar question: how is the 3D on the 3DS? The problem with the 3DS is you often lose the 3D sweet spot while heavily into gameplay. This problem is quite pronounced in action titles like Starfox and less prevalent in SM3DL. However, it was a bit frustrating and I often resorted to turning 3D off while playing. Does this mean the 3D doesn’t work? No, but it wasn’t quite to my taste.

The game itself offers excellent playability and the “help” system, namely a super leaf that essentially allows you to breeze through the level unharmed by enemies and with a flying Tanooki suit, makes it great for novices. The help system kicks in after two deaths – it gives you a power-up – and then when you die five times it gives you the special leaf. Basically it helps reduce the frustration for casual gamers.

This is a Mario game. Mario is great. Is it worth buying a 3DS over? Probably not unless you’re also a Zelda fan as Ocarina of Time is superb on this device. However with the launch of the equally superb Mario Kart 7, Nintendo does offer some compelling reasons to pick up their console – and this game – for the holidays.

See the original post here; http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/26/review-super-mario-3d-land-for-the-3ds/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29

[MarketWatch]

WWE Enthusiasts, Platform Owners and Casual Fans Set to Explore Over-the-Top, Accessible and High Impact WWE Action Through 3D Gameplay Experience

THQ Inc. today announced that WWE(R) All Stars(TM) is now available at North American retailers for the portable Nintendo 3DS(TM) system. Positioned to take WWE action to the third dimension with fun, fluid and furious arcade-style gameplay in a handheld format, including 3D graphics capabilities, two exclusive modes and a power-packed roster of colorful WWE Legends and prominent current-day WWE Superstars, WWE All Stars for Nintendo 3DS is available for the suggested retail price of US $39.99.

“With a huge roster of WWE Legends and current-day WWE Superstars, along with an original gameplay experience and incredible energy, WWE All Stars delivers an ideal gameplay experience for Nintendo 3DS,” said Danny Bilson, Executive Vice President, Core Games, THQ.

About WWE All Stars

A revolutionary new addition to THQ’s distinguished WWE videogame portfolio, WWE All Stars for Nintendo 3DS bridges generations of WWE fans and casual followers with a fun, intuitive and approachable 3D gameplay experience inside the handheld virtual ring. Delivering one of the greatest rosters ever assembled in a WWE videogame, WWE All Stars includes current-day WWE Superstars and legendary talent such as John Cena(R), The Rock(R), Andre the Giant, Big Show(R), Triple H(R), Bret “Hit Man” Hart, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, The Miz(R), Stone Cold Steve Austin(R), Rey Mysterio(R) and the iconic “Macho Man” Randy Savage(TM). In addition, WWE All Stars for Nintendo 3DS will offer players 13 WWE Superstars previously offered as downloadable content for its console counterparts, including “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, the Road Warriors, Mark Henry(R), R-Truth(TM) and Chris Jericho(R). Each star will boast a distinctive and highly stylized appearance, adding to the game’s overall spectacle, atmosphere and attitude.

With responsive, arcade-style controls, each WWE Legend and WWE Superstar will have a variety of grapples, attacks, combos, finishing and signature maneuvers to create the ultimate competitive and fast-paced 3D gaming experience that is easy to pick up and play while offering considerable depth for more advanced players. In addition, through four classes of competitor — Acrobat, Big Man, Brawler and Grappler — WWE All Stars provides players with WWE Legends and WWE Superstars who have distinct advantages and techniques, including specific combinations and unique abilities.

With WWE All Stars, the greatest matchups in WWE history haven’t happened yet — until now, thanks to Fantasy Warfare Mode. Players will pick a side — WWE Legends or WWE Superstars — and compete in a series of fantasy matches that pit WWE Superstars with similar personal or in-ring attributes against one another to determine the greatest of all time. Informative and engaging video packages produced by WWE set up each of the pairings and match objectives.

In addition, WWE All Stars for Nintendo 3DS will offer players two exclusive gameplay experiences with Gauntlet and Score Scramble Modes. In Gauntlet Mode, players will battle every WWE Superstar and WWE Legend on the roster to test their limits and achieve the ultimate in bragging rights. In Score Scramble Mode, players will be challenged to either reach a specific point total or to finish a timed match with the highest point total.

For more information on WWE All Stars, please visit wweallstars.com, facebook.com/WWEgames and twitter.com/WWEgames.

Read the original post here: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/two-generations-one-ring-and-three-dimensions-wwer-all-starstm-for-nintendo-3dstm-ships-to-retail-outlets-throughout-north-america-2011-11-22