The wait for Super Mario 3D All-Stars is almost over, as it's less than a week away from finally launching, and more details on how the games have been brought over to the Switch have possibly been revealed.
Ahead of the game's release, copies of Super Mario 3D All-Stars leaked online, with dataminers quickly picking apart the collection. Twitter user @OatmealDome has detailed the many findings of the game, which indicate that both Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy are running on an emulator made by Nintendo capable of playing Wii and GameCube games. Super Mario 64 also seems to be running on an emulator, though that emulator's origin is currently unknown.
If true, this means the three games aren't just straight ports with some significant changes being made to all three games for the Switch release. Super Mario 64 has received touch-ups to its character models making every character look sharper and a lot less fuzzy than the original game release. Super Mario Sunshine has received similar treatment along with widescreen support for the game. Super Mario Galaxy has received some significant control changes, while it can be played on the TV with the Joycons in the same way as the original Wii release, gamers can play it in portable mode using the touch screen to interact with the game much like the Wiimote would.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars as been surrounded by skepticism among many fans since the game was announced. While the idea of collecting Mario's 3D adventures dating back to the N64 is exciting, it's not without a catch. Many fans are upset that the collection does not include Super Mario Galaxy 2, a game seen as the best of the Galaxy series by many. Some fans were even upset that Super Mario Galaxy 2 wasn't included in the montage celebrating Mario's game history at the end of the Direct, leaving fans wondering why Nintendo chooses to neglect the popular title.
In addition, Super Mario 3D All-Stars is only available for a limited time. During the announcement of the game, Nintendo advised that both physical and digital copies of the game would no longer be available to purchase as of March 2021. While physical copies being limited is understandable, especially with the impact of Covid-19, the digital limitation is puzzling. Many fans have speculated that Nintendo may be selling the games separately after the specified date. leaving the collection as a rare collectible.
The Super Mario Bros. 35 anniversary Direct revealed the many ways Nintendo is celebrating Mario's longevity with the company. While some of the games and crossovers are releasing sooner than expected, a recent find on the official Super Mario Maker 2 website indicated that the 35th-anniversary content was intended to be revealed earlier in the year. The web page, which has since been removed, indicated that the 35th anniversary level in Super Mario Maker 2 was to release mid-April of this year. While delays happen all the time in the industry, it's likely Covid-19 had a significant impact on plans.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars launches on the Nintendo Switch on September 18