Not perfect, but still great

After a bit of an embarrassing year for Nintendo, and the 3DS in particular, Super Mario 3D Land marks the first game to make the troubled console truly worth owning. A jump-in-and-play good time, Mario 3D highlights both the 2D platforming of New Super Mario Bros. and the fluid 3D exploration of Mario Galaxy, creating something that's more than a throwback, it's a refinement of everything that makes the 25-year franchise so popular. It's not innovative enough to be worth buying a 3DS for, but early adopters finally have a game to call their own.