A 3D Mario game that plays like a 2D one

Great level design with unique themes not inspired by New Super Mario Bros...
What Mr. Miyamoto meant by that statement is clearly seen in the level design. The game has eight worlds with a HUB world similar to the 2D games: a straight line with each selectable level on there. At first I was very afraid that this would follow the New Super Mario Bros. curse, with every world having a singular theme with almost no variation in between. Fortunately I was wrong on that part, as the levels are all unique and are in no way dependant on a singular theme. The first world may start with a basic field level, but quickly after a stage follows that pays homage to the 8-bit sprites of the series, and after that a level made out of cookies! This trend continues throughout the whole game, even with a level that may or may not be a homage to another one of Nintendo's famous franchises. I'll not spoil the surprise of course; I'm sure you'll discover it yourself pretty quickly. Most of the stages also have unique mechanics and obstacles to help them differentiate from another. To emphasise the 2D-inspired gameplay even further, there are three golden coins to be found in every stage which has been a staple in 2D Mario Games since New Super Mario Bros.

...But also extremely linear level design.

What about controls though?
Level design is one important part of platformers, and the other part are the controls. My opinion of the level design may be mixed, but I can say that the controls have been handled very well. I'd like to start with the camera for this segment actually, since the level design is still fresh in our mind. The camera is a fixed one which usually is not something you'd see in a 3D, free-roaming Platformer, but it works in the game's favour as the level design is fairly linear after all. They do use it in a creative way, like top-down or isometric occasionally. They do have a few bonus rooms where 3D is used but that never worked for me; no surprise there since who even likes 3D right? I did sometimes have issues with depth when the camera was 2D focussed and platforms were small, but it did not hinder me too much. Mario controls very smoothly in the levels, though I did have to get used to his jumping distance. He does no longer have the triple jump, and he needs a good second of speed to at least make far jumps. But other than that, I have no issues with how he controls. The same goes for the power-ups, which are mostly classic mario power-ups but in a 3D environment. I would make the arguement that the tanooki leaf made an already easy game that showers you with 1-ups even easier, but nobody really plays Mario for the difficulty.

Spoiler warning - Completion hell
I named this segment ''Completion hell'' for one single reason. After you beat the main game, the special world unlocks which are the same levels as the main game but more difficult. That was not entirely accurate however as the levels are mixed-up in order, have unique new obstacles or are even entirely unrecognizable. Though I still didn't feel very challenged, I had a good time going through this world regardless because the level design was already good. More than two times is not fine though, but Nintendo decided you need to go through the entire normal- and special levels again as Luigi to unlock the very final level. Oh, and don't forget to hit the top of the flagpole with either of the characters or else you have to go through the entire game yet again. This is padding to the maximum and highly unnecessary. At least the reward is good right...? It's your usual challenging level, though not really as challenging as most and not that long either so eh, but it's better than nothing at least.

Verdict