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Super Mario 3D All-Stars comprises of a collection of titles featuring Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy for the Nintendo Switch however, they have not been remastered for this collection.
The resolution for the games has been improved for both handheld and docked modes, along with upscaled artwork for all three titles however, the graphics have not changed/been redone. Joy-Con rumble effects have also been added, and Super Mario Galaxy benefits from Switch-specific control options, improving the gameplay experience to resemble the original. These limited changes made to the games evoke a feeling of nostalgia which is provided by the convenience of being able to play all of the titles on a single console.
Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64 is the oldest of the three games on the collection and the story is Mario coming to visit Princess Peach and not being able to find her. The game allows players to explore the area of Princess Peach’s castle and its surrounding areas to fight Bowser and rescue Princess Peach, however the castle prevents unique challenges and secrets which makes the game more challenging for those dedicated to getting all the Power stars available in the game. This game is very replayable due to the joy of revisiting levels, discovering all the hidden secrets and the sheer amount of Power Stars to collect within the game that keeps the players engaged for hours on end.
This was the first Mario game of the three where I wanted to collect everything the game has and collecting all the Power Stars kept me occupied for many hours.
Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario Sunshine is set on the sunny Isle Delfino, where Mario is holidaying with Princess Peach when she is kidnapped. Mario is then introduced to FLUDD, who becomes Mario’s water-spraying companion to help him rescue Princess Peach, adding a twist to the traditional platformer Mario game. The gameplay is a blend of precision platforming, puzzles, and creative boss battles which I found was enjoyable yet challenging. Each stage offers challenges and themes from the bustling Delfino Plaza to the serene Bianco Hills and the mysterious Noki Bay, the variety keeps the game feeling fresh throughout. I also found I could play this game a lot as like Super Mario 64, there are many Power Stars to collect.
This is the only one of the three I haven’t managed to complete/ beat the boss for which I think is due to the controls being vastly different from the other Mario games in this collection.
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy is the classic story for Mario games where Mario embarks on a quest to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser and collect Power Stars across the various galaxies.
The game has imaginative level design and gravity-base gameplay where each of the galaxies Mario explores introduces new challenges. Navigating small planets and leaping from world to world and solving gravity-bending puzzles make for a constantly engaging and thrilling experience.
This was the one (out of three) that I played as a kid and gave me huge amounts of nostalgia when playing through fully as I found this version a lot easier to play in comparison to the Wii version and because of this nostalgia, this game is my favourite out of the three of this collection.
Summary
This collection in Super Mario 3D All Stars has an array of games of which evoke nostalgia for many and allows newer players to be introduced to them because of the collection being on one console. I would have loved to have seen a few more Mario games added or even added some extras to the games that would have made it feel like new although this game has provided endless hours of entertainment. Something that gives the games longevity is that there is a total of 482 Stars and Shines to collect across all three of the games which would be nearly 100 hours of gameplay before everything is completed (even longer if you’ve never played them before!) I do however feel that Super Mario Galaxy 2 would have been a great addition to this collection of Mario games.
