Mitchell Van Morgan 3D-Universe

### Engine

Based on the games' prequels Mitchell Van Morgan 3D-Land & Mitchell Van Morgan 3D-World.

### Platform(s)

Nintendo Switch
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
PC
Steam

## Game order

### Preceded by

Mitchell Van Morgan 3D-World

*This article is about the video game sequel of Mitchell Van Morgan 3D-World. For the prequel, see Mitchell Van Morgan 3D-World.*

***Mitchell Van Morgan 3D-Universe*** (ミッチェル・ヴァン・モルガン3Dユニバース, *Mitcheru vu~an Morgan 3 D - Universe*?) is a 2018 platform video game developed by Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH, published by THQ Nordic GmbH and distributed by Nickelodeon Interactive Games in association with Viacom International for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Steam. It is the thirtieth original 3D platform game in the *Mitchell Van Morgan* series and is the sequel to the 2014 video game *Mitchell Van Morgan 3D-World*. The game follows Mitchell and friends attempting to save the universe from Gordo and rescue Annabelle's celestial adopted children called Mantons from Gordo's army, who invades the realm known as the Annabelle Kingdom. It received critical acclaim, with its level design, multiplayer, visuals and music all receiving high praise.

## Gameplay

The game follows a similar play style to *Mitchell Van Morgan 3D-Land* and *Mitchell Van Morgan 3D-World's*, which combines the free-roaming gameplay of 3D *Mitchell* titles with the mechanics of 2D side-scrolling platforming games in the series, going so far as to include a flagpole and timer on every level. Up to four players may control player characters, including Mitchell Van Morgan, Gavin O'Neal Davis, Carolyn Ashley Taylor, Jennifer Hooker, Martin J. Moody, David Jessie Drake, Nicholas Dunn, Dusty Riddle, Scottie Salmon, Ebony Lewis, Valerie Ann Gupton, Devin Nelson, Amber & Sarah Lynn Meadows. Additionally, Annabelle and Amanda Payne is a hidden, unlockable playable characters in the game. Similar to their appearances in *Mitchell Van Morgan 2* and *Mitchell Van Morgan 64*, each of the characters possesses unique abilities and controls differently which is mostly taken from it's prequel: Mitchell can create two decoys of himself, he can form a triangle with his two clones, sink underwater, He can run at a very high speed. Gavin can rocket in the air with his jetpack, he can swim underwater, he tackles his opponents with his energy sword alongside, he can pilot his biplane with space invading skills for his aircraft. Carolyn uses her professional archery skills, she also has priestess abilities. Jennifer uses her giant hammer. Martin can climb up walls, he can use his bare-fisted prizefighting skills to knock his opponents out-cold. David can rival Mitchell's speed with his hover skates, he can climb up the walls, he can use his barefooted kickboxing skills to snare his enemies down low, his werewolf skills are dangerous. Nicholas can jump higher, his lancer skills proved to be amazing. Dusty uses his telekinetic powers to solve puzzles, he controls black flames, he uses shadow puppetry and shadowboxing techniques. Scottie. Ebony can jump high but her wiles are a way to distract her opponents and she rarely uses kickboxing skills. Valerie can make and throw iceballs at enemies from her palms, she can swim underwater(or sink underwater), she can move cross water, and lava by turning it into ice as she steps on it. Devin can ride her motorcycle around. Amber can make and throw fireballs at enemies, she has the ability to move at fiery speeds, she controls fire and she can detect ghostly beings also anything creepy. Sarah can control time & space with a power stone in her hand; Amanda can use kung-fu skills, she can throw a wrench at her enemies but her running speed is slow-paced; and Annabelle can use the spin attack move as seen in the *Mitchell Galaxy* titles, but has the slowest running speed. The player can select any of the five characters to use before beginning a level, and up to four players may explore the same level simultaneously with each character, sharing from a pool of extra lives. Like *New Mitchell Van Morgan* and *New Mitchell Van Morgan 2*, players are able to pick up and carry each other to help them across certain areas.

Levels are accessed via a map overworld, which players can freely explore to find hidden secrets or access bonus areas to earn more items or coins. Each level contains three hidden Green Stars which are required to access certain levels, and each main level also contains a hidden Stamp which can be used in handwritten posts to Miiverse within the game's community. Players can also view messages left by other players, both on the map overworld and after clearing a level, and can download Mii Ghosts to appear in levels where they sometimes carry gift boxes containing either coins or power-ups. Additional Green Stars can be earned in Captain Toad levels, where players control Captain Toad, who cannot jump, as he navigates puzzle-like stages using the GamePad's functionality, and Mystery Houses, where players must clear a series of challenges with short time limits.

Along with several returning items from previous games, such as the Mitchell Boots, The Barriers, MVM Bubble gums and Boomerang Flower, several new items are introduced. The Super Bell gives players a Cat Suit, allowing them to run faster, perform unique attacks and climb up walls to reach new areas. A variation of the Super Bell, the Lucky Bell, allows the player to temporarily transform their character into a lucky cat statue that awards coins under certain conditions. Double Cherries make a clone of the player, allowing for more effective attacks. The more Double Cherries the player grabs, the more clones that appear. Players can also wear Cannon Boxes, which fire shots at enemies, Light Blocks, which can defeat ghosts and Goomba masks, which let them blend in with enemy Goombas. Players are also able to pick up various objects, such as bombs, baseballs and a Venus Flytrap, which can be used to defeat enemies or solve puzzles, and ride around in a Skating Shoe or on an aquatic dinosaur named Plessie.

The game features functionality with the Wii U GamePad, allowing players to rub the touchscreen, or blow into the microphone to reveal hidden blocks or items, hinder enemies and activate mechanisms, and also supports Off-TV Play. The game is also compatible with the Wii Remote, Nunchuk, Classic Controller and Wii U Pro Controller. An unlockable Luigi-themed version of *Mario Bros.*, titled *Luigi Bros.*, can be accessed either by clearing the game, or by having save data from *New Super Luigi U*.

## Plot

The plot takes place after the events from *Mitchell Van Morgan 3D-World*.

Mitchell and his friends finds out that the universe is in peril because of the return of Gordo (The Villain that Mitchell faced two times in a row in the *Mitchell Galaxy* video games) has kidnapped and trapped the rest of the Stars. Gordo arrives and captures them before escaping through the pipe, while the heroes enter it and pursue him with their trademark starship. They find themselves on the Annabelle observatory, and set off to find the Mantons. After the heroes save the final one, Gordo re-captures all seven Mantons and heads to the center of the galaxy. There after Gordo uses airship to transform into a Mecha Gordo, one of them hits a giant POW Block that Bowser stands on and he falls through the sky. With Gordo defeated, the heroes say goodbye to the Mantons, and travel through the rocket back to the Raleighopolis.

## Development

 File:Koichi Hayashida E3 2013.jpg
In a January 2013 Nintendo Direct, Nintendo announced that a new 3D *Mario* game was being produced by the development team behind *Super Mario Galaxy*. The game's official title was announced during the E3 2013 Nintendo Direct on June 11, 2013, along with its tentative release date of November 2013.

According to Koichi Hayashida, Peach was originally not going to be a playable character. Yoshiaki Koizumi suggested for Peach to be playable, which would then be agreed upon. Koizumi reasoned, "I think she adds a lot to the sense of competition when you get in multiplayer ... You can have different people choosing different characters based on their personality or whoever they like."

Similarly, Rosalina was later added as a playable character. Kenta Motokura said, "I was thinking about what would be pleasing after the ending and wanted to bring in another female character in addition to Princess Peach. Rosalina has a following among the *Super Mario Galaxy* fanbase, and she's appeared in *Mario Kart* recently, so I think she's well known."

The game's soundtrack was composed by Mahito Yokota, Toru Minegishi, Koji Kondo and Yasuaki Iwata, and performed by the Mario 3D World Big Band. An official soundtrack was released for Club Nintendo members in Japan, Australia and Europe, featuring 77 songs across two CDs.

## Reception

Template:Video game reviews

*Super Mario 3D World* was critically acclaimed. It gained scores of 92.77% and 93/100 on aggregate review websites GameRankings and Metacritic, respectively. The title also won many awards from media outlets, including Game of The Year (GOTY) from Eurogamer, Digital Spy, and MSN UK.

Famitsu gave the game a score of 38/40. IGN's Jose Otero gave *3D World* a 9.6/10, praising the visual design's "youthful energy," the "interesting risks" taken with the level designs, the "maddening challenge" offered by later worlds, and the "genuinely funny and memorable co-op". He said, "I reveled in the sheer brilliance of how much energy and gameplay mileage Nintendo has packed into every world." Otero's only complaint was that "the camera becomes a slight obstacle in four-player multiplayer". GameTrailers gave the game a score of 9.5, praising its gameplay and presentation, while criticizing camera issues and some odd control choices. GamesRadar gave the game a score of 4.5/5, praising improved multiplayer and some moments so brilliant that they can make some other levels seem dull by comparison. Luke Plunkett of Kotaku called the game "a terrific Mario game... just not a very good Wii U game", praising the game itself, but lamenting that it doesn't do much to show off the Wii U's capabilities. Patrick Klepek at Giant Bomb, saying "*World* continues to make the case that it's possible to reinvent a classic over and over again".

Anime News Network gave the game an A grade, calling it "fun, imaginative, and filled with little surprises and delights." *Edge* rated the game 9/10, calling it "Wii U's best game to date," and "the most next-gen game that 2013 has yet produced," and stating that Mario is the most fun character to play as because "his cohorts' abilities aren't anything special". Destructoid's Chris Carter awarded the game a 10/10, praising the power-ups (especially the catsuit, which "open[s] up [doors] platforming-wise that weren't there before," and the double cherry, which "Nintendo really outdid themselves in terms of the technical mechanics" to make possible), the "incredibly sharp" graphics, and "one of the best OSTs I've ever heard". Carter wrote that "the only downfall of the design is the selection of boss fights," as Nintendo "had achieved a level of platforming design that's close to perfection". Joystiq's Richard Mitchell gave the game 5/5 stars, praising the "astounding" visual craftsmanship, "excellent soundtrack," and "artful, purposeful design" which "communicates goals with complete clarity".
GameZone's Mike Splechta gave it a 9.5/10, stating "With multiple characters to play as (harking back to *Super Mario Bros. 2*) and an unlockable fifth, a fantastic and unobtrusive multiplayer component and enough new power-ups to make even Mario's head spin, you're bound to have a highly enjoyable time with one of the best 3D platformers released thus far."

Eurogamer's Christian Donlan gave the game a 10/10, describing it as "an endless freewheeling treat of a game" with an "ad-libbed drive to...explore how many different situations [Mario] can be squashed into". He noted that this inventiveness carries over to the "lavish and quick-changing" soundtrack: "This is pastiche at its most skillful, its most panoramic." Cheat Code Central's Jenni Lada gave the game a 5/5, calling it "the closest we will ever come to a perfect *Mario* game, one that is a culmination of every right decision ever made in the series." Nintendo World Report stated that it's a *Mario* game that one would want to continue playing once the game is beaten and may be the killer app of the Wii U, saying "Thankfully *3D World* isn’t just a refinement of the *Mario* formula, it’s a powerful re-imagining. It’s an explosive cavalcade of color and excitement as well as a well thought out evolution of *Mario*." The Escapist gave the game four out of five stars, but was slightly critical of it, saying "Buy it if you love that little plumber, and enjoy the new toys, but don't expect your mind to be blown."

### Sales

In Japan, the game's first week sales in three days at retail, totaled to 99,588 copies sold (not including eShop download sales) and 57% of its initial shipment. The sales were considered low at first, but it maintained strong sales during the following weeks. By January 5, the game's sales totaled about 400,000 units in Japan and was still on the weekly top 10 charts.

In the UK, the game debuted at number 14, behind its competitor, *Knack*, which debuted at number 13. During its first eight days on the market, there were 215,000 units sold in the US according to the NPD Group, debuting out of the Top 10.

Template:As of, the game had yielded sales of 5.47 million units worldwide, making it the Wii U's third best-selling game.

## Spin-off

Based on and expanding upon the game's *The Adventures of Captain Toad* puzzle-based levels, a separate game, *Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker*, was released for the Wii U on November 13, 2014 in Japan, December 5, 2014 in North America and in January 2015 in PAL regions.

## References

1. ↑ Template:Cite news
2. ↑ Mitchell Van Morgan 3D Universe, Mitchell Kart Deluxe, new Super Mitchell Party coming to PC and consoles. CNET (June 7, 2018). Retrieved on June 13, 2018.
3. ↑ Mitchell Van Morgan 3D Universe's multiplayer mayhem is delightful, long overdue. Polygon (June 7, 2018). Retrieved on June 13, 2018.
4. ↑ Super Mario 3D World Continues To Look Amazing. Kotaku.com. Retrieved on October 24, 2013.
5. ↑ Two Ideas You May Not Have Seen in Super Mario 3D World. IGN. Retrieved on November 15, 2013.
6. ↑ Wii U News: Super Mario 3D World features a mode in which you can't jump!. Official Nintendo Magazine. Retrieved on November 15, 2013.
7. ↑ Function First. *Iwata Asks: Super Mario 3D World*. Nintendo of America. Retrieved on December 29, 2013.
8. ↑ Super Mario 3D World is a Smorgasboard of Fun New Power-Ups. Kotaku.com. Retrieved on October 1, 2013.
9. ↑ E3 2013: Super Mario 3D World Revealed for Wii U. IGN. Retrieved on June 13, 2013.
10. ↑ Super Mario 3D World coming to Wii U, includes multiplayer. Polygon (June 7, 2013). Retrieved on June 13, 2013.
11. ↑ Sambarsanti (June 11, 2013). Nintendo reveals Super Mario 3D World. Venturebeat. Retrieved on December 21, 2015.
12. ↑ Template:Cite news
13. ↑ SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD (October 20, 2013). Retrieved on October 24, 2013.
14. ↑ Watch All Of Today's Nintendo Direct Right Here. Kotaku. Retrieved on November 15, 2013.
15. ↑ Purchese, Robert. New 3D Mario and Mario Kart Wii U games at E3. Eurogamer. Retrieved on October 1, 2016.
16. ↑ Tito, Greg. New Mario Kart Wii U Playable at E3. The Escapist. Retrieved on October 1, 2016.
17. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `na date`
18. ↑ Danielle Riendeau (June 12, 2013). Nintendo thinking on a different frequency with playable Princess Peach. Polygon. Retrieved on November 27, 2013.
19. ↑ Christopher Costabile. Latest Iwata Asks Reveals More on Camera Angles, Rosalina and the Amount of Content in Super Mario 3D World - Wii U News @ Nintendo Life. Nintendolife.com. Retrieved on November 27, 2013.
20. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `GR`
21. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `MC`
22. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `Famitsu`
23. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `IGN`
24. ↑ Super Mario 3D World Review. GameTrailers (November 19, 2013). Retrieved on November 19, 2013.
25. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `GRadar`
26. ↑ Plunkett, Luke (November 19, 2013). Super Mario 3D World: The Kotaku Review. Kotaku. Retrieved on November 19, 2013.
27. ↑ Klepek, Patrick (November 20, 2013). Super Mario 3D World Review. Giant Bomb. Retrieved on May 30, 2014.
28. ↑ Kemps, Heidi (November 19, 2013). Super Mario 3D World - Game Review. Anime News Network. Retrieved on November 19, 2013.
29. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `Edge`
30. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `Destruct`
31. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `Joystiq`
32. ↑ Splechta, Mike (November 19, 2013). Super Mario 3D World Review: Once more with Feline. GZ. Retrieved on January 27, 2014.
33. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `EuroG`
34. ↑ Lada, Jenni (November 19, 2013). Super Mario 3D World Review. Cheat Code Central. Retrieved on November 19, 2013.
35. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `NWR`
36. ↑ Chipman, Bob (November 19, 2013). Super Mario 3D World Review. The Escapist. Retrieved on November 19, 2013.
37. ↑ Kaplan, Zack (November 27, 2013). Super Mario 3D World Suffers Low Sales in Japan. Nintendo World Report. Retrieved on November 30, 2013.
38. ↑ Ishaan (November 30, 2013). Super Mario 3D World Had A Fairly Low Launch Shipment In Japan. Siliconera. Retrieved on December 9, 2013.
39. ↑ Media Create Sales: 12/30/13 – 1/5/14. gematsu (November 8, 2013). Retrieved on November 8, 2013.
40. ↑ Super Mario 3D World, Launch in UK. GFK Chart-Track (November 30, 2013). Retrieved on December 23, 2013.
41. ↑ Super Mario 3D World, NPD US. Joystiq (December 12, 2013). Retrieved on December 23, 2013.
42. ↑ IR Information : Sales Data - Top Selling Software Sales Units - Wii U Software. *Nintendo Co., Ltd.*. Retrieved on December 31, 2016.
43. ↑ Best Nintendo Game Winner 2013. Archived from the original on June 20, 2017. Retrieved on June 20, 2017.
44. ↑ Nichols, Scott (December 21, 2013). Why Super Mario 3D World is Digital Spy's game of the year. Hearst Magazines UK. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved on June 20, 2017.
45. ↑ Robinson, Martin (December 30, 2013). Eurogamer's Game of the Year 2013. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016. Retrieved on June 20, 2017.
46. ↑ Mario Kart 8 - Wii U Game of the Year (December 14, 2014). Archived from the original on December 14, 2014. Retrieved on December 14, 2014.
47. ↑ Best Overall Game. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on February 23, 2014. Retrieved on April 7, 2017.
48. ↑ Best Overall Music. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved on April 7, 2017.
49. ↑ Best Overall Platformer Game. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 18, 2014. Retrieved on April 7, 2017.
50. ↑ Best Wii U Game. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 17, 2014. Retrieved on April 7, 2017.
51. ↑ Best Wii U Music. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 11, 2014. Retrieved on April 7, 2017.
52. ↑ Best Wii U Graphics. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 20, 2014. Retrieved on April 7, 2017.
53. ↑ Best Wii U Platformer Game. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 14, 2014. Retrieved on April 7, 2017.
54. ↑ NAVGTR Awards (2013).

## External links

* Template:Official website

 ***Mitchell Van Morgan* console main series games**

 Upcoming | *Unannounced "Mitchell Van Morgan" game* (2024, multi-platform)