Super Mario 3D Land is the game that Nintendo desperately needed to release with their new handheld at launch.

If Mario and his adorable racoon suit had accompanied the new 3DS console when it made its debut back in March, Screen Play suspects that both the image and the sales of the machine would be far more positive than they are today.

Super Mario 3D Land is the best game released so far for Nintendo's 3D handheld

Nintendo might not even have been forced into so drastically slashing the price of their new baby.

The good news for Nintendo is that Super Mario 3D Land and the forthcoming Mario Kart 7 (due this Saturday in Australia) have arrived in time to give 3DS a significant boost in the machine's crucial first Christmas.