Super Mario 3D Land

Super Mario 3D Land is a game in the Super Mario franchise for the Nintendo 3DS, and the first Mario game overall for the console. This is the second 3D Super Mario platformer for a handheld device (with Super Mario 64 DS being the first and an enhanced remake of the first 3D platformer adventure) and, as noted by Reggie Fils-Aime at E3 2011, the first 3D Mario platformer to be built from the ground up for a handheld system. It is also the successor to Super Mario Galaxy 2. It is closely based on side-scrolling Mario games, but it is a 3D platformer in the vein of games like Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy. The game was 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. The game is completely single player, and features no form of multiplayer whatsoever. A direct follow-up, Super Mario 3D World, was released for the Wii U in 2013.

Story
Outside Princess Peach's Castle stands the Tail Tree, a Tanooki-tailed tree with Super Leaves on its branches. All of the Mushroom Kingdom is familiar with the tree. One night, a huge storm blows all of the leaves off, as Bowser laughs in the background.

Later on, Mario and three Toads (Red, Yellow, and Blue) go looking for the princess. Eventually, they discover that she is missing and the Super Leaves are gone too. Yellow Toad notices a hovering letter near the tree, and the group of four goes to investigate. Mario grabs and opens the letter, and a picture of Bowser holding Princess Peach with Super Leaves flying in the background pops out. The message shocks the three Toads and Mario, and immediately, Mario and the three Toads run to save the Princess. Throughout his adventure, Mario receives more letters about Peach's predicament and about various stages of Bowser's Super Leaf-related plan.

Inspired by Mario's courage, Peach ultimately attempts to escape from Bowser and his army, but she is soon recaptured. Mario travels through 8 worlds and defeats Bowser, only to be tricked as Bowser escapes with Peach. Mario eventually finds Bowser's lair, but before they can battle, the floor beneath them breaks and they fall. After being chased through various obstacles, Mario manages to press a switch making the bridge under Bowser collapse, sending Bowser into a pool of lava. At last, Mario and the three Toads find Princess Peach and, using their Tanooki powers, bring Peach back to her castle.



After that, a short cutscene appears with a letter floating down in World 1-1. It appears to be Luigi being kidnapped by Dry Bowser. Mario then sets off to save Luigi. After rescuing him in Special, he becomes a playable character.

After Mario beats Special 8-Castle, another cutscene appears. Another letter has floated down on World 1-1, and the three Toads who accompanied Mario in his adventure investigates while sporting their Tanooki forms. To their surprise, Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach for the second time. Then, Mario or Luigi must play World 8-2 again to defeat Bowser. After that, a letter of Peach wearing a Tanooki Suit is unlocked. Once 5 stars are present on the profile, Special 8-Crown, the very last level is unlocked.

Gameplay
The levels of Super Mario 3D Land are much more linear and compact than the other 3D titles, more along the lines of the sidescrolling games. Levels rather have a time limit and even feature Goal Poles, a staple of the original Super Mario Bros. and the New Super Mario Bros. games, as opposed to Power Stars or Shine Sprites, as the level goals. When Mario is defeated, the "Too Bad" banner from every 3D Mario platformer since Super Mario Sunshine appears near the top of the screen and falls to the bottom of the screen, but a circle covers the screen instead of a Bowser symbol. Also, when the timer reaches zero, the "Time's Up" banner appears at the top of the screen. To enter pipes, the player must press or ; for the first time in the series, the player can re-enter areas through pipes at will (for example, after being transported to the above-ground flagpole in World 1-2, the player can go back down the pipe to go underground). The graphics of the game greatly resemble those of the Super Mario Galaxy games, while the levels show visual similarities to the New Super Mario Bros. titles. Gameplay also takes cues from Super Mario Sunshine, notably tight-rope walking. Unlike the 2D Mario games, the level themes in a world tend to be more random, like the galaxies of the Super Mario Galaxy games, instead of focusing on a particular setting per world.

Due to the merging of the 2D and 3D play styles, Mario's moveset is slightly more limited than in previous 3D games; he cannot Double Jump, Triple Jump, Spin Jump, or grab and/or throw objects, like Green Shells. However, he can still Wall Jump, Sideways Somersault, Long Jump, and Backflip. Other controls take cues from the 2D titles; Mario can crouch and slide while running, which now requires the use of a run button, like in the 2D games. In addition, the Backflip in this game is the same as the one in Super Mario Bros. 2. Finally, Mario has a new roll move that can be used to break blocks from the side and fit through small gaps.

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. Blocks are more prevalent in the title, unlike past 3D games, where blocks were more few and far between. Star Medals that have a similar design to the Comet Medals from Super Mario Galaxy 2 are found in each level, with collecting all three being part of the level's challenge, like the Star Coins in the New Super Mario Bros. games. + Clocks can be picked up to give the player more time to complete the level, a mechanic only seen previously in Super Mario Galaxy 2's Speedy Comet missions. Mario's health system is now based on the side-scrolling titles rather than being a numbered meter: one hit shrinks Mario to a smaller size and removes his cap, while power-ups give him an extra health point. These power-ups include the Super Mushroom, the Fire Flower, the Boomerang Flower, the Statue Leaf and the Super Leaf, the last of which has not been seen since Super Mario Bros. 3. Notably, the Fire Flower, unlike its previous 3D appearances in Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel, no longer has a time limit imposed on it and is retained until Mario is hit, as in the side-scrolling games. The Item Stock from New Super Mario Bros. returns. Unlike previous titles, when Mario dies, he respawns in his Super form instead of his Small form. When Mario dies twice in one level, a flying Roulette Block appears. Unlike the previous Mario games, the lives counter in Super Mario 3D Land extends beyond 99 and goes up to 1,110 (3 crowns). This 1,110 max lives counter is also included in New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario 3D World.

The game also makes extended use of the Nintendo 3DS hardware. When the player uses a cannon or the Binoculars, the Nintendo 3DS accelerometer can be used to aim by tilting the 3DS. The game also includes a StreetPass option, where upon encounters, Mystery Boxes and Toad House items are exchanged between players. Items in Toad Houses sent by another player are recorded, including the amount of items sent by the user.

Controls

 * Move.
 * /: Choose level, Jump, Wall Jump, Swim.
 * /: Dash, Shoot Fireballs (Fire Mario), throw a boomerang (Boomerang Mario), tail whip (Tanooki Mario).
 * Hold (/): Slow fall (Tanooki Mario).
 * /: Crouch, enter a Warp Pipe/cannon.
 * (/)+: Crawl.
 * (/)+(/): Ground Pound, transform into Statue Mario/Luigi (Tanooki Mario/Luigi with scarves)
 * Hold (/)+(/): Backwards Somersault
 * Reverse +(/): Side Somersault
 * (/)+(/): Roll, Tail Wag.
 * +(/)+(/): Long Jump.
 * +(/)+(/)+(/): Rolling Long Jump.
 * /: Pause menu.
 * Left/Right, change camera angle. Up, enter normal view (objects on the screen pop-out more). Down, enter extended depth view (the objects push further into the screen).

Nintendo eShop description
''Platforming with serious depth! With the 3D visuals of Super Mario 3D Land, players can see exactly where floating ? Blocks and flying Paragoombas are, so that they can jump and stomp with the precision of the pros. Expert gamers will appreciate the way 3D graphics reveal the true challenge of the levels, so that they can focus on nailing the perfect jump or shaving precious seconds off their speed runs, while new players will find that 3D makes platforming simple to grasp and satisfying to master.''

''Try on Mario's Tanooki Suit, and put some spring in your step! While longtime gamers will delight in using Tanooki Mario's tail-spin attack to sweep enemies off their feet and fluttering through the air to land super-long jumps, a new generation will learn what makes this classic suit a fan favorite. But even seasoned players will be in for a surprise--Mario's enemies may be sporting the familiar Tanooki tail too!''

''Mario at his very best! Mario returns to his roots in his first 3D platforming adventure designed exclusively for a handheld system. From the frantic race-against-the-clock dash through the Mushroom Kingdom to that final leap to grab the top of the flagpole, this eye-popping addition to the Super Mario series combines everything that makes Mario great from one generation to the next.''

Playable

 * Mario
 * Luigi (unlocked after saving him at )

Villains

 * Bowser
 * Bowser Impostors
 * Boom Boom
 * Pom Pom
 * Cosmic Clone (Special Worlds only)
 * Big Cosmic Clone (Special Worlds only)
 * Dry Bowser (Special Worlds only)

Supporting

 * Princess Peach
 * Toad
 * Toads

New Power-Ups

 * Boomerang Flower
 * Invincibility Leaf (appears after the player loses five lives in a course)
 * Statue Leaf (Special Worlds only)

Returning Power-Ups

 * Super Mushroom
 * Super Leaf
 * Fire Flower
 * Super Star
 * P-Wing (appears after the player loses ten lives in a course, or within certain Mystery Boxes)

New Items

 * Propeller Box
 * Coin Box

Normal worlds

 * World 1
 * World 2
 * World 3
 * World 4
 * World 5
 * World 6
 * World 7
 * World 8

Special worlds

 * Special 1
 * Special 2
 * Special 3
 * Special 4
 * Special 5
 * Special 6
 * Special 7
 * Special 8

Others

 * Toad Houses - They work the same way as in Super Mario Bros. 3, but StreetPass friends can send gifts to the Toad House that contain items.
 * Mystery Boxes - Mario can go inside them, and they contain various different tasks, such as defeating all the enemies in the box. After completing the tasks, Mario will receive Coins, 1-Up Mushrooms, and/or a Star Medal. Friends via StreetPass can also send the player Mystery Boxes, which always contain at least one Star Medal.
 * A room with colored blocks that cause an optical illusion, where Mario can train and learn movements. It is accessed by remaining idle at the end of the title cutscene. The room strongly resembles Peach's Castle.

Development
Super Mario 3D Land was first mentioned in an "Iwata Asks" interview with Shigeru Miyamoto in October 2010, where he confirmed that a brand-new Mario game for the Nintendo 3DS was already in development, but had not yet been given a proper title. It was known by its tentative title, Super Mario at the time. In November 2010, Shigeru Miyamoto announced that both 2D world and 3D world Mario games were in the works for the 3DS. Four screenshots were 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, similar to that of Super Mario Bros. 3's logo, which had Raccoon Mario's tail shadow behind the "3". Available screenshots of Super Mario revealed that the game is a 3D platformer and the game was 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 features from the 2D Mario side-scrolling games. Satoru Iwata stated that a more official announcement would 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." Shigeru Miyamoto has stated that the development took over two years and started with 2 to 30 staff members working on the game.

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 would 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 would the title be shown, but that it would 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 Tanooki Mario.

The game was given a full reveal with a trailer at E3 2011 and was playable on the show floor, as previously stated. It was announced that the game was targeted for a release by the end of the year. Attendees were allowed to try the game for themselves in four different levels - a standard plain area, an underground area, a level of switch-activated platforms, reminiscent of a few galaxies from the Super Mario Galaxy titles, and an airship level ending in a fight with Bowser's henchman, Boom Boom. In addition, the E3 2011 trailer and the conference trailer were put up for download on the 3DS eShop for a limited time. By playing the trailer on their 3DS, viewers could then see the game in stereoscopic 3D for themselves.

The main ambition of the design team was to "reset" the conventions of 3D Mario games, which were mostly designed for home consoles. One of the ways of doing that was to create short, pick-up and play levels more suitable to a handheld, as opposed to the Super Mario Galaxy series, and more specifically Super Mario Galaxy 2, which director Koichi Hayashida described as a "Manchu Han Imperial Feast."

The developers also wanted the game to serve as a jumping point for players that liked 2D Mario but did not want to play the 3D installments. One of the solutions was to eschew the exploration-based level design of the traditional 3D Marios so that the players would not get "lost", and return the focus on reaching the end of linear levels. The levels were carefully designed to lead the player toward the end goal. However, the developers included Star Medals hidden throughout the levels to cater to the 3D Mario players and thus bridge the two game design sensibilities.

The development was heavily affected by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Damage to the train network led to developers visiting the Kyoto office to be stuck there, and fear of aftershocks and radiation emanating from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant caused several developers to lock themselves in their homes. These events made Nintendo unsure of whether development could continue in Tokyo. Tired of not doing anything, Hayashida risked sharing his personal contact information with other members. This led to a web forum being set up so that work could be continued while the Tokyo office was closed.

The developers were pressured to finish the game in time for the 2011 holiday Season, which led to parts of Super Mario 3D Land being outsourced to other Nintendo-affiliated developers such as Brownie Brown, something that does not typically happen with Mario games.

Promotion
On November 12, 2011, to celebrate the launch of Super Mario 3D Land in North America, Nintendo set up an event in Times Square's Military Island in which attendees would be able to play in a real life mock-up of the game environment, as well as a chance to play the game a day before the official release. In addition, many attendees were also given free Tanooki ears and tails, as well as free slices of mushroom pizza from a "Mushroom Kingdom" pizza truck to the first 1,000 attendees who tweeted the "#SuperMario3D" hashtag and an exclusive early sale of the game at the Times Square Toys "R" Us.

Reception
Super Mario 3D Land received critical acclaim. IGN rated this game a 9.5/10, GameXplain reviewed the game a 4/5 stars. Euro Gamer 9/10, Joystiq 4.5/5 , GamePro 5/5 , GameInformer 9.5/10 , N-Zone 90/100, Famitsu 38/40 , and Edge with 8/10. As of December 10, 2011, gamerankings has an average score of 90.02% out of 46 scores and metacritic with an average score of 90% out of 71 reviews, 70 were positive, 1 was mixed. As of March 31, 2014, Super Mario 3D Land is the 3rd best selling game for the Nintendo 3DS, having sold about 9.27 million units so far and is causing a great boost in 3DS sales. It is also the fastest-selling portable Mario game ever.

Pre-release and unused content
While the Super Leaf and P-Wing returned, and Hammer Mario returned in the form of Boomerang Mario, director Yoshiaki Koizumi stated that more classical suits and powers were to return, but none appear in the final product. The Goomba's Shoe was once confirmed but was later rejected.

A grassy spacious area and a level with many Donut Lifts, platforms and arrow blocks were shown, along with a array of rotating platforms which would go on to be World 4-3. Though while said to be cut from the final product, these areas might have evolved into World 2-1 and World 8-1 in the final product. The screenshots of these areas show that they use a camera angle not used in the final game, implying that the game would have had more dynamic camera angles.

If Invincible Mario or White Tanooki Mario ground pounds onto a Baddie Box, the game will start to lag as the box explodes. The "explosion" will continue and the game lags until the player jumps off of the exploding box. A harsh grinding sound is heard during the explosion, and a sound resembling that of a beanstalk coming out of an item box (in Super Mario Bros.) can be heard as Mario crouches when the player holds or  (beanstalks like this do not appear in the game). It is possible this sound is simply the sound Mario makes when he crouches, but distorted so much by the explosion it sounds like a beanstalk. The glitch can only be done on levels where Baddie Boxes appear, such as World 2-4, 5-Castle, and Special 1-3. Both Worlds 2-4 and 5-Castle require the White Tanooki suit, making Special 1-3 the only stage where the glitch can be executed after the level has been beaten once and the only stage where it can be executed by Luigi.

To perform this glitch, Mario needs to go to the airship of World 2. Then, he should enter the first Warp Box. The player should reach the end of the bonus airship, but Mario should not enter the Warp Box at the end. Instead, the player should press the left camera control button so that the camera turns to the left. Wait until the Warp Box is offscreen then immediately go inside the box before Mario loses a life. If performed correctly, Mario should lose a life while the camera pans back to the main airship.

During the boss fight with the Bowser impostor on the castle in World 1, the player must use Tanooki Mario to glide across the gap between the bridge and the platforms at the start of the fight then press the switch when the Bowser impostor jumps to the left. If done correctly, the bridge will collapse with the Bowser impostor off-screen, and the game will never end the cutscene. The player, however, can still exit the level.

In Special 1-3, if the player aims just above the blocks on the edge of the platform in a cannon, the camera will clip in for a short period of time.

General Producers

 * Shigeru Miyamoto
 * Takashi Tezuka

Producer

 * Yoshiaki Koizumi

Director

 * Koichi Hayashida

Planning

 * Daisuke Tsujimura

Programming

 * Norihiro Aoyagi (Lead)
 * Atsushi Yamaguchi (System)
 * Tatsuro Ota (Enemy & System)
 * Hideyuki Sugawara (Enemy)
 * Hideyuki Tatsuta (Enemy)
 * Hirokazu Matsuda (Collision System)
 * Katsuyasu Ando (Player)
 * Kazuhiro Musa (Enemy)
 * Kiyoshi Takeuchi (Camera System)
 * Naoki Koga (Support)
 * Satoshi Miyama (StreetPass)
 * Takeshi Hayakawa

References to other games

 * Donkey Kong: In the final battle with Bowser, Bowser throws barrels at Mario, similar to Donkey Kong.
 * Super Mario Bros.: Mario's original sprite from this game appears as his world map icon on the touch screen. World 1 is 4 levels long (if one ignores the unlockable World 1-4), similar to the world layout of this game. Bowser Impostors return with a similar battle style. The first Bowser Impostor battle is modeled after the original one, and it's really a Goomba. A cover version of the main theme from this game plays in Coin Heavens, World 2-3, and Special 1-3 (Mario also hums the theme in the cutscene between Worlds 5 and 6). World 2-3 also contains platforms identical to sprites of Mario, Peach, Luigi, and both Super and 1-Up Mushrooms from this game; the end of the level is designed like the commonly seen end of levels in this game. Special 1-3 contains platforms that are identical to a ? Block, a Goomba, a Cloud, a Bullet Bill, a Cheep Cheep, and three fireballs; the end of the level is designed like a night time end of a level in this game. A cover of this game's "level clear" music also plays at the end of World 2-3 and Special 1-3. The "crown award" used to represent obtaining extra lives returns, but now 3 Crowns appear instead.
 * Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels: Poison Mushrooms return from this game. Mario and Luigi retain their singular characteristics (Mario is more stable and balanced while Luigi jumps higher at the cost of worse traction). The phrase "THANK YOU!!" appears in the last level, but is in English instead. The boss battles ending with Mario/Luigi continuing on to the flagpole instead of simply after the boss' defeat resembles World 9-3 from this game.
 * The Legend of Zelda:In 5-3 there is a room with four torches. If Fire Mario lights all torches, the secret-finding sound effect from The Legend of Zelda plays, and a door leading to the second Star Medal opens.
 * Super Mario Bros. 2: The Backward Somersault works just like the Power Squat Jump from this game, with the additional back-flipping animation reminiscent of Super Mario Advance. After losing a life, Mario and Luigi start in their Super forms, just like in this game (This is also like in the 3D titles).
 * Super Mario Bros. 3: Many elements from this game, like Tanooki Mario, Boom Boom, Jump Blocks, and Super Leaves return; the Boomerang form is based on this game's Hammer form. A cover version of the Toad House theme from this game plays while outside and inside a Toad House. The backgrounds of some cutscenes between worlds (such as after completing World 2) have mountains and item sprites reminiscent to this game. Some levels have the cover version of this game's Athletic and Airship themes from Super Mario Galaxy. The background of Special 8 highly resembles a Super Mario Bros. 3 level, even having the same ground style.
 * Super Mario World: Some enemies, such as Grinders, return from this game. The backgrounds of some cutscenes between worlds strongly resemble those of Chocolate Island. The sound heard when Mario exits the level after beating it in this game is present in Super Mario 3D Land after Luigi's letter is seen. Also, in the E3 2011 demo, a Jump Block would make the sound when Yoshi is mounted occasionally. Mario can also keep items that he grabs. World 4-2 may be a reference to Vanilla Secret 1, World 5-4 a reference to Valley of Bowser 1, and Special 5-5 a reference to Donut Ghost House. Also, in the letter received when World 3 is completed, Mario's jumping out of the bubble will have a Super Mario World jump or Cape swing sound effect. The overworld theme is heard while going through Rainbow Notes.
 * Super Mario 64: Mario's voice when falling from a high place is reused during the cutscene before Bowser's last fight. Also, a sped-up version of this sound is used when Mario's falling to death. Boos also have their iconic laugh from this game. The Backwards Long Jump Glitch also appears in this game.
 * Super Mario Sunshine : Tightropes return as a game mechanic. The platforming concept of horizontally rotating platforms is featured in a few levels. Also, the cutscene before the true final battle features Bowser trying to squish Mario but, accidentally breaking the floor instead causing the two to fall to another part of the castle. This is similar to the cutscene before Petey Piranha's first battle; in both cases, Mario and the boss look around as the floor cracks just before they fall.
 * Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga: Tail Goombas look like Tanoombas, but without the raccoon ears and leaf on their heads. They also can't transform.
 * New Super Mario Bros.: Star Medals are similar to Star Coins. Some flowers and bushes have a similar design to the ones from this game. Also, some levels share a similar design. A lot of returning enemies keep their NSMB designs. Dry Bowser also returns.
 * Super Princess Peach: Ball 'n' Chains swing in a pendulum-like manner again.
 * Flipnote Studio: The background music from Special 8's map is based on the Mario's Drawing Song.
 * New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Upon getting the maximum amount of lives (1,110 lives), Super Mario loses his hat and Small Mario does the opposite; he gains his hat instead. The Propeller Block returns in the form of a box. Flophoppers act a bit like Bramballs, as they walk around, and for every step they flip 180 degrees, and have similar suction cups (except without the leaves). Stars are earned for completing certain achievements in this game as well. Also, four voices are reused, such as, "Let's-a go!", "Here we go!", "It's-a go time!", and "Let's-a play!".
 * Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2: Many level obstacles return from these games along with some of the levels' music. The Blue and Red Flipping Platforms return, but they are activated by jumping. Flophoppers are similar to Swaphoppers, and Cosmic Clones and Magmaarghs return. Also, a lot of the voices, sounds, and enemy animations are reused. The yellow switch that changes the camera angle in secret rooms from has the first-person mode eye icon from these games. World 3-5 and Special 5-4 may be a reference to Sweet Sweet Galaxy, and Special 5-1 a reference to Flip-Swap Galaxy. Also, a strange, ghostly entity can be seen in the woods near the Flagpole of World 4-4, which bears resemblance to the three, strange, black Kodama-esque figures (Hellvalleyskytrees) seen in the background of Shiverburn Galaxy. Five tracks return from Super Mario Galaxy: the Airship theme, the Sweet Sweet Galaxy theme, a cover version of Flipswitch Galaxy's theme, Ghostly Galaxy's mansion theme, and the Cosmic Mario theme. There is also one track returning from Super Mario Galaxy 2: the theme used on Bonus Planets. The "tick-tock" that is heard when a timed Ground-Pound Switch in the Super Mario Galaxy series is activated is used for when a P Switch has been jumped on.
 * Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story: The castle music in Super Mario 3D Land is similar to Bowser's enemy battle music.

References in later games

 * Mario Kart 7: The new design for the Super Leaf is used in this game - both for the item and a replacement of the old emblem of a generic leaf for the Leaf Cup. Stingbies return in the Honeybee Hive, and Cardboard Goombas also return in Piranha Plant Slide.
 * Mario Tennis Open: The modern Tanooki Suit design is unlockable as a costume for a player's Mii in the game, plus a racket was made to fit it. Inky Piranha Plants also return in the Special Game, Ink Showdown.
 * StreetPass Mii Plaza: One of the Puzzle Swap panels in the StreetPass Mii Plaza app for the Nintendo 3DS is of Super Mario 3D Land.
 * New Super Mario Bros. 2: The Invincibility Leaf, Peepas, Coin Coffers, and Goomba Towers return. Also, the Gold Block works like the Coin Box, but produces coins more frequently. The Super Leaf also reappears with the same design. Stars can be earned on the files, like in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Also, the max amount of lives are 1,110, and it appears as 3 crowns, like in Super Mario 3D Land.
 * Paper Mario: Sticker Star: The Poison Mushroom has the same design as in Super Mario 3D Land.
 * New Super Mario Bros. U: Some of Boom Boom's voices in Super Mario 3D Land are reused.
 * Mario & Luigi: Dream Team: Big Tail Goombas and Inky Piranha Plants appear as enemies in this game.
 * Super Mario 3D World: This title is a follow-up game of Super Mario 3D Land. It retains many elements from the title (including the Boomerang Flower, Coin Box, and Invincibility Leaf).
 * Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze: When Donkey Kong does nothing for a while, he can start playing Super Mario 3D Land. He stomps on a Goomba.
 * Mario Kart 8: The Boomerang Flower appears as an item. The Biddybuggy resembles a Para-Biddybud. Tanooki Mario is an available racer via add-on content, and his tricks reference his new animations, as well as Statue Mario.
 * Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS: A stage is based on Super Mario 3D Land as a whole.
 * Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker: The beach theme of this game was reused, for the level Briny Bowl Swimming Hole.

Trivia

 * According to Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto, the term Land is used in the title of this game to pay homage to past Mario titles, like Super Mario Land and its 2D art style.
 * This is the first Mario platformer game since Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins where Mario cannot perform a Double Jump or a Triple Jump.
 * Super Mario 3D Land is the first installment in the Mario series overall (excluding crossover installments) to be officially localised to Dutch, Portuguese, and Russian.  Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is actually the first game with Mario officially localised to Dutch. However, it is a crossover game and it is localised and published by Sega. Nintendo also stated on its official news update: "SUPER MARIO 3D LAND™" and "Mario Kart 7" include for the first time [in the Mario series] fully Dutch screen texts."''
 * From 22 November to 24 December 2013, North American 3DS users that went to a Nintendo Zone could receive an Exclusive Mystery Box from Mr. Hayashida, the producer of Super Mario 3D Land.
 * Because Super Mario 3D Land was developed and released before the Nintendo 2DS was produced, the game does not recognize when it is running on a 2DS system and still displays the 3D icons that indicate the available 3D viewing modes at the beginning of every level. This does not affect the actual gameplay; attempting to switch the 3D viewing mode has no effect and the game is still fully playable on the 2DS.