Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury [Nintendo Switch Games]

To call Super Mario 3D World something of a semi-sequel to Nintendo's enjoyable 3DS title Super Mario 3D Land would be rather accurate, yes. But it also borrows from New Super Mario Bros U and Super Mario Galaxy (in that you now have Mario's full acrobatic repertoire at your fingertips) - along with a whole host of other gimmicks from the franchise's illustrious 30-year history. Add in a few new features, and you have a game that doubles as the perfect love letter to Nintendo fans. This Switch version expands upon the original - released on the Wii U - even further with the Bowser's Fury expansion. The game is largely played from a dynamic isometric point of view, much like its 3DS cousin. But there's a very good reason for this - Super Mario 3D World includes a simultaneous co-op multiplayer mode that allows up to four people to tackle stages together. Peach and Toad join Mario and Luigi, restoring the cast last seen in Super Mario Bros 2, and each character has a unique set of skills that differ from one another. Luigi can jump a bit higher but is harder to control, Toad can run faster than the others, and Peach has the ability to float for more precise platforming. Altogether, you're still playing against the clock - the classic timer still sits in the top corner of the screen - but can work together to build up a pool of coins and access new areas. Bopping off enemies in unison rewards players with secrets, as does triggering certain hidden switches together. The major new addition to the Mario series with 3D World comes in the form of the Cat Suit. Obtained by collecting a little golden bell, characters don an adorable feline outfit and gain a number of special abilities. When running (on all fours!), you can execute a longer dash jump - and pressing the attack button in the air executes a diagonal pounce. You can also slash enemies with your paws, and run up walls. For this Switch edition, Nintendo has also made a few new tweaks to the gameplay. It's faster - up to 30 percent quicker, in fact, and there's now online co-op as well as amiibo support, with Cat Mario and Cat Peach available at launch! The biggest shift, however, is with the map of Bowser's Fury. It's an open world, with the map expanding out as you progress. It makes for some looser, more exploration-focused play than the core game, but there are still tight sections of platforming, mini-bosses and chases with Shadow Luigi. What better way to get everyone round the Switch than with co-op Mario fun?