Super Mario 3D All-Stars
The icon art shows three games from the Super Mario series: Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy.
Developer(s)Nintendo EPD
1-Up Studio[1]
Nintendo European Research & Development
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Producer(s)Kenta Motokura[2]
SeriesSuper Mario
Platform(s)Nintendo Switch
ReleaseSeptember 18, 2020
Genre(s)Platform, action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Super Mario 3D All-Stars[lower-alpha 1] is a 2020 compilation of platform games for the Nintendo Switch. It commemorates the 35th anniversary of Nintendo's Super Mario franchise, with high-definition ports of Super Mario 64 (1996), Super Mario Sunshine (2002), and Super Mario Galaxy (2007).

The compilation was released on September 18, 2020 and was available until March 31, 2021, when it was discontinued and removed from the Nintendo eShop. It received positive reviews for its games, technical improvements, and controls, but it was criticized for its presentation, lack of additional content, time-limited release, and the absence of Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010). As of March 2021, Super Mario 3D All-Stars had sold more than 9 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best selling video games of 2020.

Content

Super Mario 3D All-Stars compiles high-definition ports of the first three 3D platform games in the Super Mario series: Super Mario 64 (1996), Super Mario Sunshine (2002), and Super Mario Galaxy (2007).[3] The version of Super Mario 64 is the Shindō version released only in Japan in July 1997, which added bug fixes and gameplay alterations.[4] Rumble support was also based from this version as well.

The games in the collection utilize emulation.[4] They support Joy-Con controls with rumble function, and are displayed at higher resolutions, such as Sunshine running in a 16:9 aspect ratio.[5] Both Sunshine and Galaxy are displayed in 1080p in TV Mode and 720p in Handheld Mode, while 64 is displayed in 720p in both modes in a 4:3 aspect ratio.[6] A patch released in November 2020 added camera options for all three games and control options for F.L.U.D.D. in Sunshine.[7][8]

Sunshine did not initially natively support the GameCube controller on the Nintendo Switch. When originally released on the GameCube, Sunshine used the GameCube controller's analog triggers (which Switch controllers do not have) to regulate F.L.U.D.D.'s water pressure.[9] For the collection, F.L.U.D.D. is controlled with the right bumper for precision aiming while standing still, while using the right trigger "is akin to pulling the GameCube's analog trigger to about the three-quarters mark".[3] GameCube controller support for Sunshine was added in November 2020.[8] A further patch released in November 2021 enabled Super Mario 64 to be played with the Nintendo 64 wireless controller available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.[10]

Galaxy features optional Joy-Con controls that imitate the motion-controlled setup of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk,[11] with Mario's spin ability remapped to the X and Y buttons.[12] In handheld mode, players can use the touchscreen in lieu of the pointer.[13] To play Galaxy's cooperative gameplay mode in handheld mode, a secondary Joy-Con is needed.[14]

The compilation also features a music player mode, which compiles the entire original soundtracks of all three games, a total of 175 tracks.[4] The music can be played when the screen is turned off.[11][15]

Development and release

Super Mario 3D All-Stars was developed and published by Nintendo to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros. (1985).[16] According to Eurogamer, Nintendo referred to the compilation as Super Mario All-Stars 2 internally.[17] Nintendo's goal was to retain the included games' "original design and spirit" with updates to the resolutions and controls. According to Kenta Motokura, the project's producer, the developers interviewed the games' original staff to learn of each's importance.[16] The Super Mario Sunshine port in the collection uses GameCube emulation technology developed by Nintendo European Research & Development (NERD), who further collaborated with the 3D All-Stars development team on several new features for the game and upgraded its full motion videos to HD using their own deep learning engine. NERD also assisted with the Super Mario Galaxy port by providing graphics and audio emulation technologies.[18]

The collection was first reported by Video Games Chronicle in March 2020,[19] and corroborated by other outlets.[20][21][22] According to these reports, Nintendo planned to announce it during a Mario-themed presentation at E3 2020, but this was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[20][19][23] After its reveal during Nintendo Direct presentation on September 3, Nintendo released the collection on September 18, 2020. It was available to purchase for a limited time, both physically and digitally until March 31, 2021.[24] Doug Bowser, the president of Nintendo of America, said that the game's limited availability was due to it being part of the celebration of the 35th anniversary, an approach the company does not plan on using widely for other releases.[25]

Controversy

On September 15, 2020, the spanish hacker Retro Gamer published the following message on Twitter:

Mario All Stars for Switch is NOT a PORT. They are the original ROMS, emulated. We have run the roms on PC emulators. It changes the wide mode to fit switch. So there are N64, GameCube and Wii emulator. Let's try changing roms

— Twitter user Retro Gamer[26]

After the publication of this information, numerous specialized media outlets echoed the news,[27][28][29]​ emphasizing the reaction of Nintendo fans on social medias, who considered the starting price to be abusive (€59,99 in Europe and US$59.99 in the United States) for three emulated games, although this dispute was already coming from before.[30] However, some fans and media defended the company arguing that, whether they are emulated ROMs or not, the owner of the rights was Nintendo and could set the price they wanted.[31]

Reception

Critical response

According to the review aggregating website Metacritic, Super Mario 3D All-Stars received "generally favorable reviews".[32] Critics generally agreed that the games themselves remained enjoyable, but were divided over the presentation, which received criticism for its simplistic nature and lack of additional features, its limited time release, and the absence of Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010).[40][34][47]

Ian Walker from Kotaku said the port of 64 "hasn't introduced any obviously unfortunate consequences" and even fixed some "occasional performance dips" from the original, and that the controls for the game worked well on the Switch. For Sunshine, he felt the adjusted controls would affect anyone playing who had muscle memory from the original and that the visuals stuttered somewhat late in the game. For Galaxy, Walker was thankful that some of the motion-based controls were remapped to controller buttons but added some of the areas that still required the motion controls were still problematic as they were on the Wii.[3]

IGN's Zachary Ryan was "a little bit disappointed in the lack of effort Nintendo has put into" the collection, when compared to the "major overhauls" done for the games in Super Mario All-Stars, and noted the use of emulation to present the three games helped explain "a lot about the lack of upgrades" in each. For 64, Ryan felt the upscaling made the game look the nicest it ever had, and called the controls "still super tight" and "right at home on a Pro Controller or Joy-Con", despite the x-axis camera controls being inverted (a later patch would make this optional). He did wish Nintendo had added "some quality-of-life upgrades", feeling players experiencing the game for the first time "might find it somewhat inaccessible". For Sunshine, Ryan said that it was still a fantastic looking game and commended the controls still remaining fluid, though Ryan experienced some slowdown in certain moments. Finally, Ryan felt upscaling Galaxy made it "a fully realized version" of the game and praised the updated control options, adding the handheld mode configuration, while "not the most ideal way to play", still worked.[4]

Sales

By September 7, pre-orders for Super Mario 3D All-Stars had made it the second-best-selling game of 2020 on Amazon in the United States, behind Animal Crossing: New Horizons.[48][49] Scalpers resold pre-orders on websites such as eBay, going as high as US$265.[50][51] Base.com, an online retailer in the United Kingdom, was forced to cancel all of their customers' pre-orders because their allocation of physical games was not enough to fulfil pre-orders. They added that Nintendo and their UK distributors were "unable to give... any reassurance" that more copies would be made available to them through the on-sale period.[52]

In its first week of release, Super Mario 3D All-Stars was the best-selling game in the UK, and was the third-largest game launch of 2020 and the fifth-fastest selling Switch game in the country.[53] In Japan, the game sold over 210,000 physical copies within the first three days of its release.[54] In the United States, Super Mario 3D All-Stars was the second-best selling game of September behind Marvel's Avengers, and had become the tenth-best-selling game of 2020.[55][56] The collection was also the best-selling game in September for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.[57] As of March 2021, Super Mario 3D All-Stars has sold over 9.01 million units worldwide.[58] In March 2021, ahead of its delisting, the game's physical sales in the United Kingdom spiked around 267%.[59] Up until December 31, 2021 its shipment increased to 9.07 million copies.[60]

Notes

  1. ↑ Known in East Asia as Super Mario 3D Collection (スーパーマリオ３Ｄコレクション)
  2. ↑ Based on 102 reviews[32]

References

  1. ↑ "開発協力 | 1-UP Studio Inc". 1-up-studio.jp (in Japanese). 1-UP Studio. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  2. ↑ Liao, Shannon (September 14, 2020). "The surprising reason Nintendo made Super Mario a plumber 35 years ago". CNN Business. Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Walker, Ian (September 16, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars: The Kotaku Review". Kotaku. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Ryan, Zachary (September 16, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars Port Analysis". IGN. Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  5. ↑ Jordan Rudek (September 3, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All Stars Brings Platforming Goodness to Switch". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  6. ↑ Liam Doolan (September 4, 2020). "Here's The Resolution Of Each Game In Super Mario 3D All-Stars". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  7. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (October 27, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars patch will let you invert the games' camera controls". Polygon. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  8. 1 2 Walker, Ian (November 16, 2020). "Super Mario Sunshine Gets GameCube Controller Support In Super Mario 3D All-Stars". Kotaku. Archived from the original on December 30, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  9. ↑ Wales, Matt (September 5, 2020). "Here's which Mario Galaxy motion control features are available in Switch's various forms". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
  10. ↑ Doolan, Liam (November 3, 2021). "Nintendo Adds N64 Controller Support To 3D All-Stars Version Of Super Mario 64". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  11. 1 2 Bankhurst, Adam (September 3, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars Announced for Switch, Includes Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy". IGN. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  12. ↑ Walker, Ian (September 9, 2020). "Super Mario Galaxy's Spin Won't Be As Annoying In Super Mario 3D All-Stars". Kotaku. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  13. ↑ Matt Wales (September 5, 2020). "Here's which Mario Galaxy motion control features are available in Switch's various forms". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  14. ↑ Tom Phillips (September 3, 2020). "Nintendo confirms Mario 64, Sunshine, Galaxy remasters for Nintendo Switch". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  15. ↑ Andy Robinson (September 3, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars has finally been revealed for Nintendo Switch". Video Games Chronicles. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  16. 1 2 Park, Gene (September 14, 2020). "Mario makers reflect on 35 years and the evolution of gaming's most iconic jump". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  17. ↑ Phillips, Tom (March 31, 2020). "More details emerge on Nintendo's Mario remasters". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  18. ↑ "NERD Develops the Nintendo GameCube Emulation Technology Used in Super Mario 3D All-Stars". Nintendo European Research & Development. February 11, 2021. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  19. 1 2 Robinson, Andy (March 30, 2020). "Nintendo has big plans for Super Mario Bros.' 35th anniversary". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  20. 1 2 Grubb, Jeff (March 30, 2020). "Nintendo is making 3D Mario remasters for his 35th anniversary". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  21. ↑ Romano, Sal (March 30, 2020). "Rumor: Super Mario back catalog and several other Mario titles coming to Switch in 2020 [Update 2]". Gematsu. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  22. ↑ Phillips, Tom (March 30, 2020). "Sources: Nintendo Switch 2020 line-up dominated by Mario games old and new". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  23. ↑ Robinson, Andy (March 31, 2020). "More details emerge on Mario Switch remasters". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  24. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (September 3, 2020). "Nintendo bringing Super Mario 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy to Switch". Polygon. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  25. ↑ Frustick, Russ (December 17, 2020). "Doug Bowser on Nintendo's obsession with March 31, plus Joy-Con drift and the Switch Pro rumors". Polygon. Archived from the original on April 3, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  26. ↑ @RetroGamer_74 (September 15, 2020). "Mario All Stars para Switch NO es un PORT. Son las ROMS originales, emuladas. Hemos corrido las roms en los emuladores de PC. Cambia el modo panorámico para ajustarse a switch. Así que hay emulador de N64, GameCube y Wii. Vamos a probar cambiando roms" (Tweet) (in Spanish). Retrieved January 15, 2024 – via Twitter.
  27. ↑ Tones, John (September 15, 2020). "El nuevo Super Mario 3D All-Stars no es tan nuevo: los juegos de Switch son los antiguos corriendo con un emulador". Xataka (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  28. ↑ Villa, Cristian Miguel (September 15, 2020). "Los juegos de Super Mario 3D All-Stars no son ports, sino ROMs emuladas". Areajugones (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  29. ↑ Zavia, Matías S. (September 17, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars son tres ROMs funcionando sobre emuladores de Nintendo 64, GameCube y Wii". Gizmodo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  30. ↑ Pomeyrol, Jose (September 6, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars viene con polémica: gráficos, precio, estrategia de venta…". MuyComputer (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  31. ↑ breixobaloca (September 15, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars para Switch no es un port, sino un emulador. ¡Y cobran 60€ por ello!". Profesional Review (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  32. 1 2 "Super Mario 3D All-Stars (Switch)". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  33. ↑ Jan Wöbbeking (September 16, 2020). "Test: Super Mario 3D All-Stars (Plattformer)". 4Players.de. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  34. 1 2 Chris Carter (September 16, 2020). "Review: Super Mario 3D All-Stars". Destructoid. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  35. ↑ Jason Faulkner (September 20, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars Review | Shooting stars fail to break the mold". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on October 3, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  36. ↑ Kevin Knezevic (September 16, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars Review – Hey Now, You're An All-Star". GameSpot. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  37. ↑ Sam Loveridge (September 16, 2020). "SUPER MARIO 3D ALL-STARS REVIEW: "A CELEBRATION OF SOME OF MARIO'S GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS"". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  38. ↑ Kirstin Swalley (September 20, 2020). "Review: Super Mario 3D All-Stars". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  39. ↑ Indee (September 16, 2020). "Test: Super Mario 3D All-Stars: Trois jeux cultes pour un remaster très scolaire". Jeuxvideo.com. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  40. 1 2 Chris Scullion (September 16, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  41. ↑ Rairdin, John; Ronaghan, Neal; Rudek, Jordan (September 16, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  42. ↑ Jon Mundy (September 18, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars review – "3D platformer compilation proves that class is permanent"". Pocket Gamer. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  43. ↑ Ozzie Mejia (September 22, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars review: Imperfect classics". Shacknews. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  44. ↑ Nadia Oxford (September 16, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars Review: Familiar Roads Still Lead to the Stars". USGamer. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  45. ↑ Mike Minotti (September 16, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars review — All-star classics in a half-hearted package". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  46. ↑ Super Mario 3D All-Stars review: a bare bones wrapper around three stone-cold classics (September 16, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars review: a bare bones wrapper around three stone-cold classics". VG247. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  47. ↑ "Super Mario 3D All-Stars review: a bare bones wrapper around three stone-cold classics". VG247. September 16, 2020. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  48. ↑ Ryan Craddock (September 7, 2020). "It's Not Out Yet, But Super Mario 3D All-Stars Is Already 2020's Second Best-Selling Game On Amazon". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  49. ↑ Aernout van de Velde (September 7, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars Already Outsold All 2020 Game Sales on Amazon Except Animal Crossing: New Horizons". Wccftech. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  50. ↑ Vikki Blake (September 6, 2020). "Scalpers are selling preorders of Super Mario 3D All-Stars for up to £200". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  51. ↑ Ammerman, Jonathan (March 25, 2021). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars is Already Being Scalped on EBay". Game Rant. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  52. ↑ Wesley Yin-Poole (September 12, 2020). "UK retailer cancels all Super Mario 3D All-Stars pre-orders, blames Nintendo's "woefully short" allocation". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  53. ↑ Marie Dealessandri (September 22, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars beats Avengers to No.1 | UK Charts". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  54. ↑ Craddock, Ryan (September 24, 2020). "Japanese Charts: Super Mario 3D All-Stars Goes Top With 210,000 Boxed Sales In Three Days". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  55. ↑ Minotti, Mike (October 16, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars becomes a fast sales hit for Nintendo". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  56. ↑ Olson, Mathew (October 16, 2020). "NPD: Marvel's Avengers and Mario 3D All-Stars Top September's Best Sellers List". USGamer. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  57. ↑ Dring, Christopher (October 9, 2020). "Super Mario 3D All-Stars dominates September, even without digital". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  58. ↑ "Consolidated Financial Statements" (PDF). Nintendo. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  59. ↑ Shaw, Luke (March 30, 2021). "'Super Mario 3D All-Stars' sales spike in its final week of availability". NME. Archived from the original on March 30, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  60. ↑ 2022CESAゲーム白書 (2022 CESA Games White Papers). Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association. 2022. ISBN 978-4-902346-45-9.
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