There has been debate over the recently released Super Mario 3D All Stars Collection for a while now, whether it is the price, the fact that games seem to use emulation, and that there is a lack of substantial upgrades. However after spending some time with it, I am decidedly mixed on the subject and I will now explain why.
Yes, the games are not given many upgrades, but they are all still classics, and Super Mario Galaxy even has reworked controls that, while not the best, do work well enough. We can now experience Sunshine in widescreen, and both it and Galaxy with HD resolution to make the games look better than ever. The games themselves all hold up well, with Galaxy being a particular standout, and Sunshine getting a new chance to make a splash ( pun intended) after being exclusive to the low selling GameCube.
The we get into the issues with the games, Sunshine doesn’t have analog triggers, which means the new control scheme used will throw off the game somewhat and there was a lost chance to fix up some issues such as with the blue coins for instance. Mario 64 really could have used some upgrades as well, since while it is a game that has aged well for the most part, some visual aspects have actually aged poorly. Add to that, the camera system is still based on the frustrating N64 camera controls that have aged terribly and has not really been fixed up despite Nintendo having the best opportunity to do so. This is not even mentioning that the game is based on a later revision that lacks some features like the backwards long jump glitch, which takes out some speed run options.
Then there is the price and limited availability, which many are having a hard time understanding. This is a full price collection, and only available for a short time both digitally and physically. Add to that, there have been issues with preorders as well, which has put a damper on many gamers’ interests. And of course, there is no Super Mario Galaxy 2 present. So with this in mind, it seems like the collection is a dud, right? Well there is more to consider.
I mentioned above that these are all classics and are well loved for a reason. Sunshine has tried to deal with the lack of analog triggers as best as possible, and the game itself looks amazing now with HD resolution and widescreen. Mario 64 has received some touchups, and while parts do look a bit rough to today’s eyes, other parts do look better and brighter than before. There is also the clear chance that new speed running tactics can be found in this version as well. These two games may have lost some things in the transition to the Switch, and didn’t go for the full changeover, but did receive some improvements in exchange.
The game that makes this collection worthy to me though, is Super Mario Galaxy. The game looks absolutely gorgeous now in HD, and the developers clearly spent some time making this work as well as possible. You have the motion control options using the Joy Cons, but for handheld or pro controller, there are new options as well. In handheld mode, you can use the touchscreen as a pointer, and while definitely not ideal, it does work well enough. The other big change is that many control options like the spin attack have now been mapped to buttons for a more traditional Mario experience. This is an amazing game, and with the other 2 games, I do feel merits the full asking price.
I would have liked to have seen Super Mario Galaxy 2 included, but there is always the potential of a separate release or as DLC. The collection as is, is worth checking out, as there are some nice bonuses as well including the music player. The music player has over 175 tracks from the three games and is a joy to just sit and listen to for a good time.
If you are considering getting Super Mario3D All Stars, I do feel the collection is worthwhile, but be aware that it is not perfect. It could have used Galaxy 2 and some more improvements to Super Mario 64 and refinements to Sunshine. The good work on Galaxy though, does make the collection seem more worthy
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