Mario gains cat power in 'Super Mario 3D World'
Nintendo's new game from the "Super Mario Galaxy" crew at E3 2013 is "Super Mario 3D World," picking up on the style of 3DS hit "Super Mario 3D Land." And Mario can turn into a cat.
The cat suit lends wearers speed and wall-scaling abilities and lets them top each level's flagpole finish should they arrive intact.
It joins a long line of unusual series costume choices, from the Tanooki, Frog and Sledge Bros. suits to various Mario transformations that have seen the tubular hero turn into bees, clouds, penguins, flying squirrels and springs.
Four-player multiplayer is recruited from the side-scrolling "New Super Mario Bros." series, with Princess Peach and Toad complementing the Mario Bros for the first time since 1988 NES game "Super Mario Bros. 2."
Meanwhile, the Wii U's tablet controller means solo players won't need to use the TV, and its screen can be swiped and tapped to reveal secret hidden blocks.
The revelation was part of Nintendo's line-up of games based around its unique characters, a counter to the more powerful Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles shown off by Microsoft and Sony.
Tracking for a December 2013 release, "Super Mario 3D World" is a top holiday wishlist contender thanks to the reputation of "Super Mario 3D Land" on 3Ds and "Super Mario Galaxy" on the older Wii -- a canny method of enticing new owners toward the Wii U.
Super Mario 3D World E3 Trailer: youtu.be/PwwjcfgTksU
cP/kc
