“Super Mario 3D All-Stars”: Is This The Best Way to Celebrate Mario’s 35th?

I am infatuated with the Super Mario series. Its worlds, characters, bouncy music and cheerful aesthetic have captivated me since I was little. Recently, the series turned 35. That’s a massive deal, as most franchises don’t last that long without taking breaks or experiencing major dips in quality. But Mario has always stayed consistently great, so reaching this milestone deserves a celebration. Enter “Super Mario 3D All-Stars,” a Switch title that bundles together the first 3D Super Mario games: “64,” “Sunshine” and “Galaxy!” 

Each of these games brings unique things to the table. “ 64” features open levels to explore, with a lot of fun secrets to find inside the endlessly entertaining Peach’s Castle. As one of the first major 3D video games, like, EVER, it holds a lot of historical value simply by existing. I think it holds up surprisingly well, and messing around with its controls is mind-blowing. 

I can say the same for “Sunshine,” although I feel no shame in saying that game has Mario’s best moveset. Abusing Mario’s jetpack to make crazy jumps is SO fun. It also has the best setting in the series, taking place on an interconnected island paradise. Every level has a warm tropical feel, with a very pleasant soundtrack.

“Galaxy” is my favorite. I’m a big fan of the cosmos, and flying around space and running around small spherical planets makes for a very engaging experience. Add in orchestrated music and awe-inspiring visuals and boom! Drew’s happy. I was worried that using Switch controls instead of a Wii remote would feel gross, but I adjusted quickly and had a blast.

As for the collection itself, the presentation leaves something to be desired. You can select the games, and you can enter a sound player mode to just listen to the music, but that’s it. There’s no behind the scenes stuff, no easter eggs, no nothing. This collection is only available through March 31, too, which feels dubious. It’s hard to review this because of that. As a product it’ll probably scare some people off due to the lack of high production value and availability. But on the other hand, it has three of the best games EVER in one place. It comes down to what you want to do, but having these freaking opuses all together is worth it for me.

Drew Hickman is a Junior

Communication Major from

Shawnee, Kansas