Super Mario 3D All-Stars Review: Gameplay Impressions, Videos, Speedrunning Tips

Nintendo knows what its fans want and what the Switch library needs—hence the arrival of Super Mario 3D All-Stars.  

It also knows the power of a good surprise, as the collection of classics became known to the world on September 3 ahead of the September 18 release date. 

The 35th-anniversary collection contains high-definition ports of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy, three all-time classics from one of gaming's biggest franchises. 

While execution is critical in any sort of compilation like this, the simple idea of these classic games going portable and using the unique functionality of the Switch makes it one of gaming's biggest releases of 2020. 

Super Mario 64

For those who have played Super Mario 64 in the past, hopping back in on the Switch feels like rediscovering a forgotten favorite. 

Originally released in 1996 on the Nintendo 64, Mario's first foray into 3D still stands the test of time—with the bonus of being able to take it on the go. That all functions as one would expect in 2020 on a console as powerful as the Switch. 

Visually speaking, by now, the blocky graphics are part of the charm. So long as players didn't go into this one thinking it is a remaster or some sort of upgrade, the charm remains. 

Where 64 is the most disappointing of the three in this particular release, though, comes on the technical side. The lack of 60 frames per second, 720p and 4:3 aspect ratio that leaves black bars on either side of the image is disappointing when the other two offerings got upgrades in these areas. 

That sort of small complaint aside, 64 obviously has a welcome home in a package like this and makes for a fun nostalgia trip. It's a testament to the design all those years ago that it can hold its own today and not wear out its welcome, even in a non-upgraded state.

Super Mario Sunshine

Released on the Gamecube in 2002, Super Mario Sunshine was a bold shift in direction for Mario (and a hint of things to come with Nintendo's willingness to take risks!), as everyone's favorite plumber hit a tropical island and donned the F.L.U.D.D. to creatively use water to clean things up. 

It's a sheer joy to take another trip back to Isle Delfino and get to cleaning up the graffiti left behind by Shadow Mario while at times hopping into the more traditional levels. 

Sunshine was groundbreaking at the time of its release in its own right, and it's still impressive to see how well the graphical side of things hold up. Games have obviously expanded on the island idea at staggering scales since, but the way water interacts with the environments and plays into physics and gameplay remains impressive. 

These aren't overhauled graphics, either, but the game does sport better textures on things like menu UI and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The 1080p in TV mode (720p in handheld) is superb. It's just enough to feel a little different, but it's still like players are booting up a Gamecube again. 

Of course, that statement pertains to graphics only. Unfortunately for what is likely a rather large chunk of players, this collection doesn't offer GameCube controller support. It's a shame, as the traditional experience is then altered for veteran players. 

It's not enough to ruin the experience by any means, though. Back in 2002, the idea of taking an experience like Sunshine, keeping it perfectly the same and transplanting it to a handheld seemed impossible. It's a reality now, and it's not hard to shrug off a minor control shortcoming. 

Super Mario Galaxy

Naturally, the next step after a trip to a tropical island was outer space with 2007's Super Mario Galaxy. 

Hailed rightfully as another classic entry in the series, the Wii powerhouse of a release takes Mario and friends to the stars. Nintendo pounded the creativity button seemingly endlessly here, with different galaxies and planets featuring different gravity rules and more. 

Galaxy, like Sunshine, holds up incredibly well from a graphics standpoint and follows the same display resolutions as Sunshine in docked and handheld modes. 

But this release, in particular, was always going to have the most questions surrounding its gameplay controls. Nintendo has thrown in optional Joy-Con motion controls. Just as notably, the spin ability has been completely remapped to a face button.

Those motion controls replace the pointer in the original game that helped players pick up star bits. In handheld mode, players can simply swipe across the screen while playing to pick up those bits. 

It's unorthodox in handled mode at first, as is the new spin button (this doesn't really apply to new players). But it's all natural enough after players spend a good amount of time with the game. This port also boasts Switch Pro Controller support, a welcome way to take control for those who don't want to mess with motion controls or Joy-Cons in general. 

Speedrunning Tips and More

For the uninitiated, Mario speedrunning is a serious business. 

The three titles contained in this release are to this day seeing players hit new world records. The last 64 record checked in around the hour-and-a-half mark. Sunshine? A little more than an hour. And Galaxy, just three months ago, finally squeaked under the two-and-a-half-hour mark. 

Whether Super Mario 3D All-Stars becomes the preferred speedrunning tool to run these games is hard to say right out of the gates. Different releases and re-releases of these games over the years have had mixed responses from pro runners because different quirks to the editions meant different routes and strategies—some releases were just better than others when seeking out the optimal approach for the lowest times. 

The type of run matters, too. The times listed above are for normal Mario runs where runners had to, for example, collect all 120 stars in 64. The no-star run, due to glitches, checks in at just over six minutes. 

We'll see what unfolds when pro runners get their hands on these versions. But general Mario, glitch-less tips still apply. Gunning through as much dialogue as possible and outright avoiding enemies is a must. It sounds simpler than it is given the serious movement techs players have to learn, especially in the non-Galaxy games. 

That said, there are many, many different star routes that have been formulated over the years for 64. Getting accustomed to one of those (after running many 16-star routes to perfect movement) is the best way to get serious. 

Realistically, unless there is a stunning development, Galaxy will remain the least-popular speedrunning item of the package simply because of the more restrictive nature of the game's narrative, never mind how long it is. 

Elsewhere, it's worth pointing out the production values of this package as a whole quickly. The main menu before choosing which game to dive into is a visual treat, with each game's presentation on the selection screen feeling unique and fitting. 

And the soundtrack is tremendous—emphasis intended. Nintendo has thrown in 170-plus tunes and a music player mode to customize the soundtrack, and it's a quiet, albeit staggeringly-good part of the release. 

Conclusion

Super Mario 3D All-Stars is a superb package of classics that was going to have a hard time failing given the historic nature of its contents. It also raises some interesting questions and hope for the future. 

It's hard not to mention the current omission of Super Mario Galaxy 2, the follow-up and perfect companion piece to the original that expanded on the formula in many ways and stands as one of the best games in the franchise's history. And the limited release nature of this offering is a polarizing one. 

There's a give and take, too: Do these ports mean there isn't a full Super Mario 64 remake in the works? And do these ports mean other franchises (ahem, Zelda and Metroid) are that much closer to getting special releases like this?

Regardless, it's only fitting games that defined different console generations arrive on the Switch, a piece of hardware that breathes a bit of new life into them via its portability. Gamers know what they're getting with this release, and sometimes predictability is a boon, not a detriment.