Super Mario 3D World

Super Mario 3D World is an upcoming 3D platformer action game for the Wii U. It is set to be released in December 2013. It is the fifteenth title in the Super Mario series and the sixth 3D Mario title. The title is a direct follow-up to the Nintendo 3DS game, Super Mario 3D Land.

Gameplay
The game plays very similar to Super Mario 3D Land, being closely based on the 2D side-scrolling games, while being a 3D platformer, like Super Mario 64 and the Super Mario Galaxy games. This game retains its predecessor's similarity to Super Mario Bros. 3 (with colorful blocks, the Super Leaf, Spikes and the Game Over theme returning from that game), however, many elements from Super Mario World are returning as well, such as the Chargin' Chucks and the round version of Goombas. Lives also make a return, but in multiplayer mode, players share their lives. Stages are once again open, yet linear, have a time limit and end by grabbing the classic Flagpole at the end. Green Stars return from Super Mario Galaxy 2, taking the role of the Star Medals from 3D Land.

Power-ups, like the Fire Flower and Super Leaf make a return, along with a new power-up; a bell that grants the player a Cat Suit, allowing the player to lunge at enemies and climb up walls. The can also be used to unveil hidden blocks and objects, as well as stun enemies and platforms, like the Co-Star Luma from Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Boost Mode from New Super Mario Bros. U. The game also supports Off TV Play.

The game features 4-player multiplayer (the first for a 3D Mario game), allowing players to play as Mario, Luigi, Blue Toad and Princess Peach, each with different abilities, much like they had in Super Mario Bros. 2. Also, the first player has a choice to play as any character, unlike in the previous multiplayer Mario platformers where the first player must use Mario. The way the players are ordered is this: Gamepad, Player 1, Player 2, and Player 3.

Playable and abilities

 * Mario: An all-around character.
 * Luigi: Has his trademark higher jumps.
 * Princess Peach: Similarly to Super Mario Bros. 2, Peach is able to hover in midair.
 * Toad: Can run faster than other characters.

Non-playable

 * A rideable orange creature that resembles Yoshi and Dorrie
 * A pink fairy-like creature resembling a Subcon.
 * Bowser (implied due to his emblem covering the screen upon death, and in the portal of World 4-Boss)

Bosses

 * A giant purple snake-like creature with a king outfit. He is the boss of World 4.

Forms

 * Super Mario (default form)
 * Small Mario
 * Cat Mario
 * Invincible Mario
 * Tanooki Mario
 * Fire Mario

Levels

 * World 1-5: A water course where the players ride the Dorrie-like creature.
 * World 2-1: A grassland with rolling hills and colorful blocks.
 * World 4-2: A canyon featuring many Clear Pipes and Fuzzies.
 * World 4-Boss: A boss area featuring the snake-like boss.
 * World 6-3: A fortress-like overworld with Bullet Bills and Banzai Bills.
 * A canyon level with ant-like enemies.
 * A bluish underground area with many Boost Pads and red POW Blocks.
 * A snow stage with snowballs and Pokey-like snowmen.
 * An ice level with a frozen lake.
 * A level with a rising swarm of Fuzzies.
 * A dessert-themed desert level with Stingbies.
 * Ruins with Chargin' Chucks and swinging platforms.
 * An area in the sky resembling a Coin Heaven.
 * A grassy area made of blocks.

References to other games

 * Super Mario Bros.: A bonus room in World 2-1 contains blocks similar to those found in underground areas in this game. Princess Toadstool's fire form clothes resembles that of her Super Mario Bros. clothes in her NES Sprite form.
 * Super Mario Bros. 2: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Toad's abilities are based off of theirs from this game. In addition, Toad being blue is possibly a reference to Toad in the original NES version of this game, in which his sprite appeared blue.
 * Super Mario Bros. 3: The music that plays when the player loses a life is a redone version of said music from this game.
 * Super Mario World: Chargin' Chucks and Round-shaped Goombas return.
 * Super Mario 64: When riding the creature in World 1-5, the music that plays is that of The Princess's Secret Slide from this game. Some Piranha Plants are seen asleep.
 * Super Mario Sunshine: When Princess Peach has the Fire Flower, her hair is tied-back, similar to her hairstyle in this game.
 * Super Mario 3D Land: The game is a direct sequel to this title. They feature similar logos and overall gameplay.

Trivia

 * This is the first time that Fire Bros. and Spikes appear in a 3D plaformer game.
 * Also, this marks the first appearances of Chargin' Chuck and Kuribon since Super Mario World (not counting remakes and ports).
 * This is the first 3D Mario game to feature a score system.
 * This is the first time Princess Peach is playable in a mainstream Mario game since Super Mario Bros. 2, not counting remakes and ports.
 * This is also the second 3D platformer game to be a direct sequel to a past game, the first being Super Mario Galaxy 2.
 * If the player looks closely at Fire Peach's form, it closley resembles that of Princess Toadstool's sprite from the first Super Mario Bros. game.