A Super Mario 3D World remake definitely would have been enough, but Nintendo gave fans an added bonus with Bowser's Fury, too. It isn't something that gamers were expecting, but it is turning into a fantastic surprise. This adventure is definitely one that provides a lot of entertainment to its players, as it is full of fun tasks. It also doesn't hurt that it looks absolutely stupendous in the process.
If the remake came out alone, it would have been enough. However, this game truly makes it a worthwhile purchase for a variety of reasons. Although it does have a couple of negative aspects to it, the good ones certainly outweigh the bad. In fact, it is so splendid that many players certainly would love to see a sequel to this wacky adventure in the future.
Given the fact that this game seems to be the supporting element to Super Mario 3D World remake, it absolutely warrants an abundance of praise at the end of the day.
Did Right: Its Story
For a game to work well, it needs to have a good story. This game absolutely fulfills this criteria, as it has the typical Bowser vs. Mario theme, but it takes it to new heights.
It is able to engage the player in different ways than previous games. Bowser is an entirely different character, and it even leads to the help and friendship of an otherwise foe, as he is entirely out of character.
Did Right: Bowser Jr. Being An Ally
Bowser Jr. is the reason why Mario takes on this task. It is such a nice change, as normally, Mario and Bowser Jr. battle with one another. However, Bowser Jr. begs Mario to help him get control over his dad.
It is a very cool touch to this game, as it is entirely out of left field when looking back at the franchise's history. It also shows that Bowser Jr. possesses a moral compass of some kind, which is definitely a fun twist.
Missing Feature: Doesn't Use 3D World's Full Cast
With this game being an add-on to the Super Mario 3D World bundle, it would have been amazing to have the player have access to the rest of the cast. Each of them offer different attributes that would have been so awesome to explore.
It has not been unavailable in games like this since Super Mario 64 DS and it is a shame. The opportunity to have Luigi and the rest of Mario's friends help with this monstrous task was there, but sadly not taken.
Did Right: Cats, Cats And Cats
The theme of cats make up a significant part of this game's identity. Besides the fact that cats are walking around everywhere, Mario can become one with a power-up, and needs to defeat Fury Bowser by obtaining cat shines.
It is definitely a unique and fresh road that Nintendo goes down with this element, but it is absolutely splendid in the process. It is something that the Mario franchise needed without its fans even realizing it.
Did Right: Its Open-World
Perhaps the coolest aspect of this game is the fact that it is open-world. This is a cool little experiment by the company, and it pays off quite well. Although it can be fun to jump from world to world in previous games, this does offer a new and exciting spin.
It also allows the player to go from location to location in a far easier manner too. It would be amazing if future Mario games do this too, as this game does show that it works well.
Missing Feature: Its Quality In Handheld Mode
A massive downside of this game is that it just does not work as well when put in handheld mode. It looks far better in quality when in TV mode, which allows the player to see what is going on around them far more easily.
Furthermore, Mario's movement when the player opts to play it in handheld mode is a bit more choppy. Thus, it can be far more challenging, which definitely is not ideal to say the least.
Did Right: It Uses Elements Of Past Games
Although this game does not use all the characters from Super Mario 3D World, it effectively utilizes its movements and camera angles, which do work nicely. Interestingly, it also does pay homage to Super Mario Sunshine too, with its heavy utilization of water as well as designs.
Also, it is intriguing to see that it brings back the classic Super Mario 64 villain, Bully. In this, however, they are in cat form, which makes sense. Overall, it uses Mario's history stupendously in a number of ways.
Did Right: Fury Bowser's Power
For a creature that is significantly bigger and stronger than Mario, it is strange that Bowser has an abundance of trouble beating Mario in games. Yet, this game fixes that issue, as Fury Bowser is a complete and utter tank.
Mario has to run away from him or is severely damaged, as he is simply far too weak to defeat him. Thankfully though, this changes when Mario obtains the Giga Bell item. This is where the epic battle between them can commence.
Missing Feature: It's Short
This game is so fun, but it is a little disappointing that it is so short. Although it is understandable that it is, as it is an extra part of a gaming bundle, it does possess a premise that would have worked in a longer game.
However, even with all of this being so, it still offers a lot of entertainment. There are still 100 cat shines for Mario to get in the entire game, so it is apparent that there is a lot the player is able to do. However, it is hard not to wish for more.
Did Right: The Power-Ups
The power-ups in this game definitely make it very entertaining. It thankfully incorporates the ones from Super Mario 3D World, so it creates a new twist to Mario free world games.
It is very enjoyable using Mario when he has his power-ups because of this. It also does a great job of making them a necessity to obtain certain cat shines too. All in all, they just work perfectly.