Mario VS Mario: To 3-D or not to 3-D?

There are two main types of Super Mario games; two-dimensional and three-dimensional. They both contain that similar 'magic' only Nintendo is able to infuse into their games. But there has to be a winner. right? Which dimension is the better dimension for our lovable hero? There has been a great debate raging in the gaming community for years on this very topic, and I'm here to finally claim a winner.

Super Mario, the lovable Italian plumber is absolutely synonymous with gaming, and the original 'Super Mario Bros.' revolutionized video games forever. The simple concept of running from one side of the stage to the other while stomping gombas and hopping flagpoles captivated the world. The game turned the now-legendary 'Nintendo Entertainment System' into a must-have item in a age where arcades were slowly dying out and the game industry was fading into obscurity.

Super Mario Bros. is generally regarded as one of the greatest games of all time, and 2-D gaming wouldn't be what it is today without it. However, in 1996 an equally monumental game was released, a game which also revolutionized the gaming world. Super Mario 64 was that game. It was the first great 3-D platformer, and demonstrated the limitless possibilities of gaming in the third dimension. Never before had a game world felt so open, so free, so perfect. Nintendo's introduction of the 'joystick' pushed things even further, giving the player full control over their character. Up until then, game controllers used 'd-pads,' and although they work perfectly for 2-D games, they didn't afford the player a full 360 degrees of movement. The combination of the joystick and the revolutionary 3-D platformer, Super Mario 64, was an absolutely killer combination.

2-D and 3-D Mario games are both fantastic, but also cater to much difference audiences. The 2-D  variety are definitely the more accessible of the two, due to their simplistic nature and clear objectives. All the player has to worry about is moving their character from one side of the stage to another, with one button assigned to jumping, and the other to running. Additionally, players navigate between levels using a 'world-map,' which is ideal for short play sessions. In terms of visuals, 2-D Mario titles are bright and colorful, and don't attempt to create hyper-realistic worlds. Although this is fine, they also all tend to look quite similar, and don't really reflect an evolution in art style. As a result, they attract a more casual audience, one perfectly happy to play a game that stick with the tried and true Super Mario formula. Although they haven't changed in any major ways for years, they don't really need to.

3-D Mario titles are quite the opposite, and innovation is their main focus. They are essentially all completely new and original games, the only similarities being the characters. For example, 'Super Mario Sunshine' featured a water-pump mechanic were the player was tasked with cleaning up a polluted island in order to save the day. Another title, 'Super Mario Galaxy,' featured spherical worlds and tasked players with navigating through them while wrestling with shifting gravity levels. These games are much more complicated than their 2-D counterparts, and require a high-level of skill to complete. Additionally, the visuals are much more flashy and typically take advantage of the given hardware to create large and impressively detailed worlds. As a result, the 3-D Mario's are not as accessible to the casual gaming audience. They are much richer and engrossing gaming experiences, and generally appeal to a more gamer-centric demographic.

To conclude, both 2-D and 3-D Mario games are fantastic, and are arguably the best in their respective classes. However, in terms of pure game-play bliss, the 3-D titles are the clear winners. They are constantly bringing new ideas to the table and reinventing themselves, and this is their greatest strength. They are filled to the brim with spectacular visuals, unique game-play mechanics, engrossing worlds, and constant surprises. The Bit Brawl winner is 3-D Mario!