Bowser’s Fury is a Standalone Free-Roaming Adventure

We’ve got more reviews on the way, but first let’s discuss the new information about Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury.

Back when Super Mario 3D All-Stars was announced, they also announced a Switch version of Super Mario 3D World with a new addition called Bowser’s Fury.

At the time, I wasn’t particularly interested in it. I much prefer the Super Mario 64/Sunshine/Odyssey (and Galaxy to a lesser extent) style of gameplay, so while I enjoyed Super Mario 3D World, it’s not a favorite.

However, yesterday Nintendo gave us our first look at Bowser’s Fury in a new trailer, and I became much more interested.

The trailer gave the impression that instead of following the 3D World format of small levels with a goal to reach in time, Bowser’s Fury would actually be more in line with the 64/Sunshine/Odyssey style of having a large world to explore with collectibles to find.

It actually feels a little out of place with 3D World, aside from it expanding the cat themes.

If that’s the sort of game Bowser’s Fury is, it makes me much more interested in playing it… but is it enough to re-buy 3D World when I already played it on the Wii U?

Well, today Nintendo released a 7-minute overview trailer about Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury. While some fans argue that the Bowser’s Fury section doesn’t really show anything that wasn’t already in yesterday’s trailer, it does confirm a lot of the conclusions fans had.

(The Bowser’s Fury section starts around 3:55.)

Bowser’s Fury is a “whole other adventure,” rather than new levels for 3D World, set in a lake kingdom inhabited by cats. While the main game supports 4-player co-op, Bowser’s Fury supports 2-player co-op with one player as Mario and the second as Bowser Jr., who joins you as your reluctant ally.

You have a large area to traverse, with the ability to ride Plessie across both the water and land, and your goal is to collect the Cat Shines scattered throughout the world.

Bowser will appear “after a certain amount of time” in his new Fury Bowser form, transforming the world into a darker, more dangerous version until he finally calms down and the world returns to normal. Many players have interpreted his arrival to be based on an actual in-game timer, although I feel that part isn’t completely clear.

You need to collect enough Cat Shines to purify the Giga Bell so that Mario can transform into his new gigantic cat form and fight Fury Bowser.

(Also, when it comes to the main game, the stamps that were used for Miiverse in the original are now usable in a photo mode.)

So yes, the trailer confirms that Bowser’s Fury is a standalone adventure set in a single large world with a focus on exploration and collecting Cat Shines. What it hasn’t answered is how long this new content will be. The official website describes it as a “short but action-packed standalone adventure.”

Since it specifically says it’s short, my guess is it will be a couple hours long and anyone expecting a full-length game is setting themselves up for disappointment. The website also describes it as a “free-roaming adventure” where you’ll “collect Cat Shines to reignite lighthouses and clear darkened terrain,” so the number of lighthouses will probably be a good indication of how long it will be.

Four beams of light shine on the Giga Bell in the trailer, so there are probably four lighthouses and four major zones in the area.

Personally, I’m still conflicted. Super Mario 3D World isn’t a game I’d re-buy on its own, and I’ll probably never replay the main game. However, Bowser’s Fury looks like the sort of game I’d enjoy. Is it worth the purchase? I’ll wait to hear more about its size… and maybe wait for a sale.

What about you? What do you think of Bowser’s Fury, and are you planning to buy this new version of Super Mario 3D World? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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