Super Mario 3D Land

Super Mario (working title), is an upcoming game of the Super Mario franchise for the Nintendo 3DS. It seems to be closely based on side-scrolling Mario games, but is a 3D platformer in the vein of games like Super Mario 64, marking the first time an original 3D Mario platformer has appeared on a handheld console, disregarding Super Mario 64 DS as a remake rather than a new game. The game is being created by the same development team that worked on the Super Mario Galaxy games and Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, currently part of Nintendo EAD Tokyo. As it will be a new installment in the main Mario series, Super Mario follows Super Mario Galaxy 2 in this respect.

Gameplay
The gameplay of Super Mario for Nintendo 3DS will be similar to previous 3D Mario games, which include Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Galaxy 2. However, the game will include features that have, until now, only been seen in the side-scrolling Super Mario games, such as Small Mario, a feature present in the side-scrolling games since the first Super Mario Bros.. Another aspect of the game is Small Mario not wearing a cap.

While giving examples of how the Nintendo 3DS enhances gameplay, Shigeru Miyamoto has stated that hitting blocks from underneath in 3D Mario games would be easier with stereoscopic 3D. Among the notable new objects are medals that appear similar to the Comet Medals coming from Super Mario Galaxy 2, but it is unknown if they will function in the same manner. The graphics of the game greatly resemble those of the Super Mario Galaxy games, as it is being developed by the same team that made those games, while some of the areas shown so far share visual similarities with New Super Mario Bros. and especially New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Characters

 * Mario

Enemies

 * Piranha Plant
 * Goomba
 * Paragoomba

Items

 * Question Blocks
 * Blocks
 * Used Blocks
 * Brick Blocks
 * Elevator
 * Coin
 * Donut Lift
 * Comet Medal
 * Super Leaf or Tanooki Suit
 * Blue blocks with arrows on their sides, similar to Arrow Lifts.
 * Rotating multicolor blocks (red, yellow, and cyan in the screenshot).

Confirmed Locations

 * A plain similar in appearance to Yoshi Star Galaxy of Super Mario Galaxy 2 and World 1 of New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
 * A level in the sky with a castle-like wall and colored rotating blocks.
 * A place with many platforms and blocks. Elevators, blue blocks with white arrows on them, and Donut Lifts appear here.

Development
Super Mario was first mentioned in an "Iwata Asks" interview with Shigeru Miyamoto since October 2010, where he confirmed that a brand-new Super Mario Bros. game for the Nintendo 3DS was already in development at the time, but currently had not been given a proper title. It was currently known as Super Mario Bros. In November 2010, Shigeru Miyamoto announced that both 2D world (side-scrolling) and 3D world Mario games are in the works for the 3DS. Four screenshots were first available on March 2 2011, and the game was officially announced during the Game Developers Conference, under the name Super Mario. The logo had a Raccoon Tail on the "O" letter at that time. Available screenshots of Super Mario revealed that the game is a 3D platformer and the game is stated to be developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo's same team which had previously developed Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel, as shown how a Goomba runs after Small Mario. It even contained such features from the 2D Mario side-scrolling games. Satoru Iwata stated that a more official announcement will be shown at E3 2011 on June 7. According to Iwata, "it will be a game that will come with the kind of surprises and fun that only the 3DS can offer."

In a later interview, Shigeru Miyamoto described the title as being a combination of Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario 64, with a little bit of New Super Mario Bros and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. He mentioned there will be an option for a fixed camera system, very similar to the one in Super Mario 64, to demonstrate depth and the 3DS's 3D. He added, however, that it was tough to describe it, before mentioning that, not only will the title be shown, it will also be playable at E3 2011. Shigeru Miyamoto explained that playing it will give fans a better idea of what it's like. He also commented on the speculation regarding the temporary logo, already confirming that the tail on the end of the logo's "O" was a hint at the return of Super Mario Bros. 3's Raccoon Mario or Tanooki Mario.

Trivia

 * The first logo for the game appears to have a tail coming off of the "O", one that resembles Raccoon Mario's tail from the title screen logo of Super Mario Bros. 3. Satoru Iwata pointed this out during the announcement of the game, and Shigeru Miyamoto later confirmed the speculation of the power-up's return in an interview.