Topic: Super Mario 3D All-Stars

@BlueOcean It's likely their cutscenes were always that higher quality, they just had to compress them for the GC/Wii. So these could be using the original versions of the videos.

That's what happens the company keeps the original assets! Do you hear, Capcom?

@Slowdive I can't wait for those serious analyses that are not just looking for clicks. The first thing I noticed was the improved frame rate in Super Mario 64, then in Super Mario Sunshine when I tested the GameCube version again. The resolution jump is obvious as are the higher-resolution assets, the colours in Super Mario Sunshine look better now and of course it's 16:9 for the first time. I didn't mention the updated button prompts and HUD because I could do that in five minutes but there they are, too. I think that the biggest upgrades are in Sunshine.

@Slowdive Generally for games the term remaster is used when when textures or models are updated, but the game itself isn't completely remade from scratch. Most of what I've seen of Sunshine and Galaxy looks like a simple resolution bump to me.

The screenshots from GameXplain look like they were captured with a potato though. It looks a lot better in real life if you have the proper equipment.

That's what I mean, if they haven't touched up the games but used higher-resolution assets and cut-scenes that they already had, does it count as remastering or would that be restoring*? LOL

I think so. *Square Enix did the same with the Xbox One version of Final Fantasy XIII.

@Eel I can tell you all about eels.

Since Mario 64 and Sunshine are re-released, does this increase the likelihood of a N64 and GC Classic Edition?

If anything I'd say it confirms them dead @Don

@Octane
The term is kind of ambiguous so, it depends on your personal criteria. When Ni No Kuni released, it was identical on Switch to the other versions, yet the PS4 version ran at 1080p instead of 720p, and there was a huge outcry that it “wasn’t remastered like the PS4 version”. Which to me was a ridiculous assertion given the only difference between them what is the max resolution the game could hit, and naturally, on more powerful hardware it could reach a higher number.

But clearly plenty of people consider a resolution bump a remaster, at least, when it’s other systems that are getting the resolution bump. When Switch gets it, there seems to be a tendency to suddenly not consider that a remaster. So who knows.

At the end of the day though, I don’t really think what categorical labels we slap on the game makes any difference whatsoever. I look at Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, and it looks basically the same as the 3DS version, but in 1080p and with HD assets. You can call that a port, or you could call it a remaster since the assets were exchanged. But ultimately those are just labels we use. What matters is the end result.

As long as the games look good, that’s what counts, to me.

@Octane, @BlueOcean
IIRC, I believe that SM64 (and other N64 games) on the Wii U VC were at 1080p.

@Octane
Wait, SM64 (and Sunshine) are 60 fps now, or was that just an example you thought of?

I don't really find any source that says Virtual Console games on WiiU go up to 1080p

@Eel
I'm pretty sure it said that on the Wii U eShop itself.
I could be wrong, but I thought I saw that on the Wii U eShop.

@Ninjalaislit The resolution is 1440x1080 by default on the Nintendo 64 games of the Wii U Virtual Console, right. The assets are standard definition (or worse) so Super Mario 64 looks better on Wii U than on Nintendo 64 and Wii but not as good as on Switch.

@Eel The Wii U Virtual Console N64 games are rendered at 1440x1080 (that is the 4:3 version of 1080p), I know because of the Wii U hacks.

Hm weird. Comparing footage from that (in 1080p) and the Switch, the pixels around the models look bigger on the WiiU.

Also sheesh I had forgotten how dark the N64 games were on the WiiU.

Here, have a picture:

https://imgur.com/0dmgowJ

So it's possible that while the image is stretched to 1080p, the game itself is at a lower resolution.

@Eel The dark filter sucks, it's Nintendo trying to protect people from bright colours but it can be removed.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/install-fixed-n64-games-without-d...

About resolution, if the 1440x1080 resolution is not native, then it's upscaled because they're presented in that resolution by default on Wii U. They look much crisper than on Wii. Also, if you hack a Virtual Console game on Wii U you have this choice:

6b. Optionally, open "frame" and change "size" if you want to change the resolution/aspect ratio. The resolution is 1440x1080 by default, which is 4:3 aspect ratio, the typical Nintendo 64 aspect ratio. You may want to change it to 1920x1080 for Donkey Kong 64 because it has native widescreen support.

Here's Nintendo after they've sold out of Mario 3D All-Stars: 🤪🤪

@BlueOcean From the image I posted above, I'd say it's definitely upscaled.

@Eel Yeah, I think that it's not native resolution but upscaled to 1440x1080 like you said. It's still an improvement compared to N64 and Wii. The Switch version is native 960×720.

I can’t stand playing N64 games on Wii U. Then again I really don’t like playing N64 games much in the first place, so there’s that. Mario 64 will be the exception because it’s so good, and spruced up to look crisp.

All my GBA games on 3DS have been “color-restored” to remove the bright filter used for the original systems that had to overcome the lack of backlight. They look so much better as a result. And N64 games on Wii U are the opposite side of that spectrum.

They should have released a collector edition for this release. With a special box like the one on the Wii had. Idk why Nintendo is so reluctant to release special editions (at least Fire Emblem and Xenoblade tend to get them). They rarely if ever release collector editions for Mario games.