Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
At first glance, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury might look like something you’ve played a thousand times, and you may have even played this 2.5D Mario platformer when it first came out on the WiiU. It’s fun enough alone, but the main draw is the local co-op, which allows up to four people to play as Mario, Luigi, Peach, or Toad, each of whom have different advantages (Peach can float, Toad’s fast as hell, Luigi isn’t Mario, etc.). And then there’s Bowser’s Fury. Unlike Super Mario 3D World, Bowser’s Fury is entirely new. You’re dropped in a small open world neatly divided into regions (the ice area, the invisible walls area, and so on) and tasked with completing platforming puzzles to collect golden whatsits called Cat Shines. In the center, you’ll see a Kaiju-sized Bowser. Collect enough Cat Shines, and you’ll be able so supersize yourself to take on Bowser in increasingly challenging boss fights. It’s not as long as a “full” Mario game—like Super Mario Odyssey—but it’s an effective showcase for what an open-world Mario game might look like.
A Good Fit For: Mario fans. Anyone hungry for an engaging, accessible local co-op game.
Not A Good Fit For: People who played Super Mario 3D World to death when it first came out. Bowser’s Fury, while terrific, isn’t a full-sized game.
Read Kotaku’s review, and some deeper thoughts about Bowser’s Fury
Purchase From: Nintendo eShop | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | Target
