Now that SNES games are available on Nintendo Switch Online, we've decided to revisit each of them in a fresh review. Enjoy!
On its mid-1993 bow, Super Mario All-Stars was greeted with the sort of rapturous praise usually reserved for pontiffs, or a new Daft Punk album. This was a compilation of a generosity never-before-seen goodies, packing in the stone-cold classic NES titles Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario Bros. 3. Not only that, but each game had been remade; brand new and totally redrawn graphics taking advantage of the rich colour palette of the Super Nintendo, a save feature for each game and – best of all – the first western release of the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2, presented here as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels.
To play these games back then, it was either via the NES and original copies, or All-Stars. That made it an invaluable and unprecedented package. Now, though, the original NES titles – including Lost Levels – aren't just widely available at an affordable price; they're right there on the Switch's NES Online app. So, the question arises – why play All-Stars on the SNES app when the originals are very much accessible?
We're going to assume you're familiar with the NES Mario titles – after all, you are a Nintendo fan – and we wouldn't want to waste space explaining the basic mechanics of such widely-played classics. The best approach is to take a look at each game on Super Mario All-Stars individually and assess any meaningful differences, advantages and disadvantages.
Naturally, this begins with Super Mario Bros., where the Mario legend really started and recreated in 16-bit colour here. Unfortunately, it's not an auspicious start. Due to a single error in the code, Mario doesn't properly rebound off bricks when he leaps up to break them. This may sound very minor, and in some ways it is, but Super Mario Bros. is a game based around momentum and has very few mechanics. Changing one of them wholesale like this has a drastic effect on the feel of the game, as Mario seems to sink into the smashed bricks, usually resulting in a complete loss of speed. Is this picky? We honestly don't think so. The visual update, which perfectly pleasant, isn't enough to compensate for a fundamentally incorrect version of a platforming classic.
Thankfully, Super Mario Bros. 2 fares much better, with a graphical overhaul that doesn't compromise its feel. The original NES version was the series odd-one-out already (it's a reskinned version of the Japanese Famicom title Yume Koujou Doki Doki Panic, and not really a true Mario game at all), so a little aesthetic dissonance doesn't jar with the player as much as it does in the other games. It's worth pointing out that calling it the odd-one-out doesn't actually reflect a distaste for it; in fact, Super Mario Bros. 2 is an excellent game with a sense of adventure and exploration to it that still sets it apart from every other Mario title. The All-Stars incarnation of this classic platformer improves its visuals, retains its gameplay and doesn't compromise any aspect of what makes it so much fun. As a result, we consider it the strongest achievement of Super Mario All-Stars, and the best way to play Super Mario Bros. 2.
Still one of the very greatest platform games of all time, Super Mario Bros. 3 is by-and-large extremely enjoyable as a part of All-Stars, with the gameplay present and correct. The new graphics, however, are a bit of a mixed bag. Some areas look downright beautiful – richly redrawn and shaded. We feel, however, that some of the aesthetic decisions remove some of the joyously strange, abstract choices from the game; the cave levels, previously taking place in bizarre, twinkling void-like darkness, are now dull, relatively realistic brown rock. Additionally, the final few stages have been similarly changed from their oppressive jet-black finality to more standard, cosier backgrounds. This doesn't ruin the game by any stretch of the imagination, and some of the modifications are actually pretty good (the airship stages now take place on a stormy night, with periodic cracks of atmospheric lighting) but overall it's a little less interesting and a little more homogenous than the NES original. Nonetheless, this is a fine way to play what this writer considers the best Super Mario game of all time.
Which brings us to Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, the Famicom Disk System sequel to the original Super Mario Bros. And it's a bit of a doozy, with an amped-up difficulty level that surely inspired the fandom's "kaizo" Mario hacks with their psychotically tricky stage design. Thankfully, Lost Levels isn't on that level of cruelty, but it can be an absolute pig in places.
What doesn't help is that this SNES version is a little bit botched, making certain stages harder than they were in the original – most notably any that involve mandatory enemy bounces. Still, the Switch version lets you save anywhere and rewind at will, which also lets you negate the mean-spirited reverse warp zones you may run into. Sadly, the same issue present in Super Mario Bros.' All-Stars incarnation remains; breaking bricks simply feels wrong.
This is a little less of an issue here as speed is so rarely of the essence in Lost Levels; it's so demanding that a slow and steady pace really is the order of the day. The graphics are acceptable, again, but we'd still recommend playing the Famicom version on the NES app over this; the ability to save your game natively as part of Super Mario All-Stars was useful on the original cartridge, but with access to save states it becomes far less crucial to anyone but purists who want to tackle the game as it was originally presented. More power to them, as Lost Levels/Super Mario Bros. 2 is a brilliantly-designed expert take on a landmark Nintendo title.
Conclusion
Super Mario All-Stars is quite obviously an extremely impressive package and the presentation still offers something of a nostalgic thrill – that opening sequence with the Mario cast chatting it up in silhouette is up there with the Super Street Fighter 2 intro for classic SNES attract modes – but, ultimately, we believe that it only offers the best experience possible with one of its four included games. It's a very, very cool thing to have as part of the SNES Online service and an important watershed for retro compilations that's a treat to revisit – but only really out of curiosity. Great stuff, but we say stick with the NES originals. The major problem with Super Mario All-Stars on Switch in 2020 is that it's on Switch in 2020; the benefits it conferred over the original 8-bit games back in '93 are rendered somewhat moot by the user-friendly functionality of the NES app that's already available.
Comments 188
Hard disagree. I think 3 looks way better here.
Someone in the graphics team for this one REALLY loved the color pink.
The screenshots look blurry. Other than that, good review!
I thought Super Mario Bros' mechanics were rather faithful. (Mind you it was years ago when I played it lol) I don't remember it feeling wrong.
I think it's a great collection, and not having to pay any extra is nice.
It will keep me busy until we get 3D All Stars anyway!
I felt pretty much this exact way when I booted it up. Super Mario Bros Deluxe on GBC is a better way to experience the originals.
Interesting review. I never put that much thought into these versions, when playing them on SNES.
I think the all stars version on SNES looks superior than the originals..
I agree. I actually booted up All-Stars last night, started Super Mario Bros and, um, yeah, went back to the NES original within 10 minutes. I don't know, I guess All-Stars was special back in the 90s because the originals weren't so readily available. But now they are. And frankly, the look of the originals is so iconic and charming, that the 16-bit conversions look weird to me. My 6-year-old self may not have noticed the difference, but my 32-year-old self most certainly does.
I have always preferred SNES over NES even when it came to Mario games so I prefer the All-Stars compilation over the originals, if only just for the graphical and sound update.
isn't Super Mario Advance "The best way to play Super Mario Bros. 2" just for those voices? lol "This is as far as you go!"
@Brutchie-bear I've always preferred the remakes, yeah.
I'd say Super Mario Advance is a better Mario 2 than All Stars' version. A much kinder game for new players, with further challenges for veterans. I think it mainly comes down to whether or not you think the voices are fun though.
I too prefer these SNES incarnations but all criticisms are valid (though I also think the visuals are better here). This is purely from nostalgia as I grew up with SNES. And for Lost Levels, the Famicom original always felt way too floaty to me for how stiff the challenge is, so I give a leg up to All Stars there as well.
@87th but the Mario Advance version does have annoying voices.
I prefer all*stars. “Modern” (in 1993) graphics look better to me than even iconic NES originals. And after Nintendo have pushed the NES games on us repeatedly for the past 20+ years, going back to SMB Deluxe on GBC, I welcome All Stars now, just for a change. The original NES games are boring to me now. I’ve played them that often. I passed on the Wii release of SMA*S as it was too expensive.
I remember the first time I saw Super Mario All*Stars. It was the first time a familiar game had been given an enhanced graphical overhaul so naturally I thought it looked amazing. And I still do.
I don’t notice Super Mario Bros. “not feeling right” either.
7 out of 10, what an absolute joke like.
It's a 9 minimum.
Original Mario Bros plays better but I prefer All Stars overall with 2 and 3 looking pretty great, easy 9 out of 10 for me and still better than 99% of platformers released since
I respectfully disagree, I find the visuals for all three titles far superior to their nes originals, if I play 2d Mario, it’s All Stars.
I thought I was the only one! I remember the first time I played these versions of the games on the Wii's Super Mario Allstars collection. SMB1 is objectively better on NES. The jumping through the bricks absolutely destroys momentum in this. On top of that I noticed not as close of 1 to 1 button presses as I did with the NES versions. I do agree on SMB(USA) though and SMB3 is still fine. SMB1 though, is a nightmare in this collection.
Too much SNES, 7/10....
I enjoy All Stars more than the originals, especially since the originals have been all over all the time.
Hard disagree as well. In fact, I didn't quite get the appeal of All Stars when I was a kid, because I had an NES. I have been playing All Stars tons now. I love 16 bit graphics and music, so the reimaginings are really cool for me. I noticed the weird brick feel in SMB1 but didn't find it effected my flow at all. It's a gorgeous compilation. 9/10 for me. The backgrounds can be occasionally distracting but not really a big deal.
Thank youuuuu I always felt this way about it. It is for Mario 2 only, full stop. The other ones lose something in the polish
9/10 all must play. All free 10/10
A bit odd how the overhauled music and sound effects got completely glossed over in this review. True, the original Mario 1 is very catchy and iconic and the All-Stars version doesn't quite meet the mark (still good, though), but I feel the sound work in Mario 2 and 3 is much more memorable in All-Stars than the originals.
Completely redundant, but more ways to play is always better. Lots of people grew up with the SNES versions or otherwise prefer them to the originals.
The big advantage lost levels has in this version is you only need to beat it once in order to play worlds A-D whereas you had to beat it 8 TIMES in the NES. Worth having all stars for that alone
Definitely agree on the physics for 1 and lost levels, it totally changes the pace. Still more than worth a play for 2 and 3's overhauls alone. The whole collection seems a bit redundant given how easily we can play the original versions on Switch, but I'm not one to complain about neat surprises like this.
@StuTwo I adore them
@87th are you sure you're not a witch? Have you been tested recently?
(that's a joke by the way - we can have different opinions!)
Thank you thank you THANK YOU! For bringing up the brick physics bug in SMB1 and The Lost Levels. It is not being picky to call attention to that. It completely ruins the momentum of those games. Easily the worst way to play them.
That said, the Allstars version of SMB2 and SMB3 are easily the best versions of both games ever produced. This is the way to play those games. There is no reason to ever play the NES versions of them if you have access to the Allstars versions.
While the error on hitting bricks is noticeable and annoying in Super Mario Bros 1, I still enjoy this version a lot, and last night I was still able to pull off the 3-1 lives trick. So I feel it's a little overly harsh, granted it is very weird how you hit the bricks but I got used to it rather quickly and thoroughly enjoy it, the reason I enjoy this one better than the old NES version is the music, the music redone with the SNES sound is absolutely brilliant.
NES versions are superior
No way, I find the NES versions far more bland and dated. All-stars SMB1 in particular looks so gorgeous... The starry nights, the snow levels, the Goomba statues! Plays great to me.
I know its different reviewers but I can't believe this site gave Paper Mario Sticker Star a higher rating (8!) than Mario All-stars!
Bit NOSTALGIA though!
@Clyde_Radcliffe We shall forever hold the 8 given to Sticker Star as a stone around this site’s neck. SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!
@nessisonett Damn right.
I'd have given it a 9.
"Broadly speaking, no reason not to play the NES versions".
Totally disagree. SMAS is the reason to not play the NES versions unless you really want to try the games in their original format and looks.
I still believe after all these years and despite us being in 2020 that SMAS is one of, if not the, best compilation game of all time.
I love the 16-bit graphics and love both the sound and especially the music.
I actually wish they added the 16-bit versions of SMB1 and SMB3 onto Super Mario Maker 2 in some way.
SMB3 on NES has some clipping/refresh issues on the left and right borders as you go through a level (even the VC versions have it). The All Stars version doesn’t have this issue.
I absolutely love Allstars. I grew up with both versions, and I will always choose Allstars over the originals. The weird flickering on the side of the screen in NES' 3 bothers me, and I just get bored when playing the NES games, 1 in particular.
I also tried the Advance remakes, and hated the voices (Birdo's in particular was unsettling) and the controls did not feel right for me.
This release reminded me of how irritated I was as a child when they changed Princess Toadstool's hair from brown to blonde in Allstars Mario 2 to match Mario World.
I was oddly opinionated about these things as a child. Her hair not matching the cartoon really angered me hahaha. And don't get me started on her name change years later...
@StuartGipp Each to their own 😂😂
I may be in the minority, but All Stars will always be the definitive version of these games.
It was the first SNES game I purchased back in the day (I first played the Master System and NES), and it left a massive impact on me.
I remember thinking how much better the graphics looks compared to Super Mario World, which seemingly didn’t take full advantage of the SNES hardware like All Stars does. Each game has its own distinct character that just pops right off the screen.
The soundtrack and SFX are also a massive step-up and worth the price of admission alone in my opinion - the sampling is beautiful.
Honestly, it’s hard to go back after!
Quick Reminder : It's okay to not share the same opinion as the reviewer. It's also okay for the reviewer to not share the same opinion as yours.
This is the way I was introduced to Super Mario Bros 3 when I was a kid and going back to the NES version has always felt like a major downgrade and just sorta off. Nostalgia is strong with this review, you can tell the reviewer must have grown up with an NES.
@poudigne Who said otherwise? 😏
I prefer the updated visuals too. I guess they are both 'classic' and 'Iconic' looks at this stage - and not just the originals - and both have their merits.
This review is a wee bit biased towards the originals. That's fine as an opinion, and all reviews are an individuals viewpoint - but it shouldn't be presented as an inherent truth or global opinion.
I also liked the new voices in the GBA versions.
Got to be worth giving this one a miss then.....
You know, when i popped in the title on my switch, part of me thought "Well, what about the NES version?" heck, i still have the Wii version (the lazy port). BUt...idk, part of me feels like i want to just go and play most of the NES versions. Like, SMB3 on NES feels right to me. I prefer the 8-bit music over the 16-bit soundtrack.
I'll definitely play SMB2 on the SNES though because of all the changes.
I finished SMB3 yesterday, and while it was challenging (reflexes become duller past 30) I still enjoyed the gameplay. However, I dont see myself replaying this game later on. For me it's better to remember it as part of my childhood.
Now, SMRPG, that's a whole different story. Hopefully ii will be added to the SNES library sooner or later ♡♡♡
The games in this collection are merely different, not better by any means. But then I’m a much much bigger fan of the NES than the SNES
I do wish they added the version of All Stars that includes Mario World. I understand why they likely didn't because Mario World is already on the service, but that version gave Luigi a unique sprite set, and it's my preferred way to play the game as a result. Even if I'm playing alone, I like playing in 2 player mode and sending Mario and Luigi off in different directions. It makes it feel like they're both searching the island and going through their own levels simultaneously. I'm guessing it's unlikely it'll ever be added to the Switch SNES app.
Yeah I prefer the OG versions for all games represented here. I also just don't care much for the remixed soundtracks this collection has.
I think Super Mario Bros 2 was best on GBA because of the red coin collectables, secret yoshi eggs and Mario Bros being packaged on the same cartridge. (the voice acting was kinda laughable but, not really a problem for me)
@Jmjfrank "and I just get bored when playing the NES games, 1 in particular"
I'm like that with all the NES games tbh, much as I've tried hard to enjoy them... I think unless you grew up with a NES and have that nostalgia they're just a bit too aged... Like many British people I grew up with the Commodore 64 in the 80s, before moving on to the SNES and Mega Drive. I think the C64 and ZX Spectrum were bigger than the NES and Master System here.
@Jmjfrank The review also points out that All Stars lets you save your game for all the NES versions. This was very helpful for SMB3 back before VC and save states!
I have a lot of happy memories with this cartridge, and I even have the updated All-Stars + World cart tucked away in my closet. I was the one of first kids in my local mall to pick the game up from KB Toys. They gave me Nickelodeon Gak and something else with it... I remember the Gak specifically. My dad and I played All-Stars to death together over the years. Later on, I did find myself preferring the NES version of Mario 3. It has a style about it, and the music is bumping. Some of the music and visuals are too “nice” on All-Stars, and make me feel sleepy or lazy, for some reason. I never noticed the brick feeling, but now I’ll check it out. And it is a huge plus that you don’t have to beat Lost Levels repeatedly for the extra levels. I got tired of trying to achieve that on other VC releases.
I had a super nintendo and no NES. This cart was included with the SNES that my parents got me. I played the heck out of these versions. I'm way more nastolgic for these versions than the NES originals. I'll often go back and play these and I don't think they've lost their luster. It's a 10/10 for me.
Can't support this review at all. Still a fine compilation and one of videogaming's greatest remasters. Remains my preferred way to play SMB2 and 3, although I prefer the NES original for SMB1.
I don’t know, it not that I hate All Stars but I just rather play the original NES versions. Did have my moments with the port of Super Mario Bros 2 on GBA back in the day though.
Even though I still say screw NSO, I grew up with the SNES versions, soooooo....
I grew up with the SNES in general, I can't really bother with the NES, too old for me. lol
@nessisonett It's really not. Screen crunch is too much of an issue with that one. I loved all the extra content though.
I remember when this came out. I had it pre-ordered and kept bugging my mom to call the store: "Try! They might have gotten it in and just not called us yet!" It's amazing she never got fed up and took away my SNES.
I think it's fair to say that these games don't always surpass the originals, but I love that this exists. And what's even better, is now we can all play our preferred versions of each game any time. Everyone wins!
Ridiculous score, it’s a clear 9/10
My biggest issue with this collection is that it's kept behind a Switch Online subscription with no way to permanently purchase it. Considering the spotty support they've given the service to begin with, Nintendo apparently figured on this being a means to help keep people from allowing their subscriptions to lapse. Truth be told, I haven't played ANY of the NES or SNES games on the service, because I'm not going to waste my time playing games I don't own and which they can pull the plug on at any time, with or without warning. I HATE the "games as service" business model and will NEVER support it.
@Tandy255 if you played on a CRT TV, this is not present.
All-Stars wins simply because I don't have to go into the menu to change the button layouts in order to use Y for Dash and B for Jump on the Switch controller, as is necessary for the NES versions. I did notice the little floaty jump in SMB1 but it didn't hamper my enjoyment too much. I did have more nitpicky issues, like the fact that on bonus stages, Mario's head is in the background with the word Bonus...way to kill the immersion there, Nintendo. I like simpler games because the less descriptive graphics invoke the imagination a lot more, but when they added background details like that, and to worlds like 1-3, it kind of destroyed my sense of adventure a bit.
The games are still classics and worthy platformers that few developers can match even today, but some of the spirit was lost with the move to a bigger color palette.
I actually like the graphics, but I appreciate the visual appeal of the originals, too. Plus, as noted, the physics are a bit off.
What I find most interesting about this compilation is how it illustrates the change in attitude towards retro games over the years. Back when this was released--on a physical cart, no less!--Nintendo gave it away with new SNES purchases (on top of the Super Mario World pack-in). Back then, NES games were old and bad, and the SNES was new and good. These days, of course, companies can re-release their old games and sell them, digitally, sometimes individually, without making the kinds of visual and aural overhauls that were made in All-Stars.
I think whether you prefer All-Stars versus NES versions is going to pretty closely correlate with whether you grew up in the 80s or the 90s (as someone who bridged the gap, I love them both).
I would never give the collection anything short of 10/10, though, so I guess my 90s' side wins out.
I’m amazed at how subjective this review is
Horrible review. This is the best version of these games. I grew up with this game, and I could never play the original NES versions after being spoiled by how much better these look and sound.
For once i have to disagree. Love this version. 😊 10/10.
The fans have hacked the hell out of these games and have pretty much perfected the art of Mario. There's Mario games where you can play as Luigi, Sonic, Link, Kirby, Yoshi and Peach and there's even a SMW hack that has all the powerups from all Mario games. Once you play that you realize how lazy Nintendo has been in their "remastered" editions 😆
Glad I'm not the only one who hates the All Stars look vs the NES original. Everytime I see pictures or play All Stars, going back to when I had the game on SNES, it always looks like a SEGA Genesis rom hack.
Considering Nintendo tried to sell us this game for $50 on the wii ten years ago, I really can't complain that they're giving it to us for free now (with an online subscription)
The more I read this, the more I think this review is a load of trash.
I prefer the NES originals. For the graphics but especially the soundtracks.
A question I would like to ask to Nintendo...Could we get the All-Star style graphics for the SMB1 and SMB3 playstyles as an option in Super Mario Maker 2 now? Thanks!
On a sidenote, I slightly prefer the original style graphics over the 16-bit style apart for some stages exceptions, but that all-stars 16 bits style definitly has its charm.
And yeah the soudtracks kind of sounds samey on all-stars.
Giving Super Mario All-Stars a 7/10, on a Nintendo fansite? Brave!
I would love them to make a Super Mario Advance All-Stars for Switch with all the Advance titles as they had many additions not in the original titles.
This is a special game because it was really the first "HD remaster" so to speak in gamedom and certainly must have set the table for future trilogy remasters.
OTOH, even in the 90's something about these iterations of games I knew like the back of my hand felt "off" and that otherwordly experience of Mario 3 didn't feel so special and otherworldly anymore. Having both the originals and this at the time, I opted to play the originals, and rarely touched All Stars.
I respectfully disagree with the 7/10. Sure the classic graphics are always that - classic - but the 16-bit overhaul is certainly welcome and doesn't mess with the experience at all in my opinion.
This is a solid 9/10 in my book, depending on the game.
@Brutchie-bear 2 and 3 are much better in the All-Stars package.
The original Super Mario Bros and Super Mario Bros 3 on the NES will be THE authentic way to play the legendary games but, like some replying here, I prefer playing using the All Stars versions. The visuals and feel of the play.
Honestly, I can understand a lot of your points. Thing is, All-Stars for the SNES was my personal entry into the first four SMB games, so when I played the NES versions via Virtual Console years later, I was....well, kinda disappointed. I can see now how cool they looked at the time, and that thing about momentum in the first one IS something I'll agree with. But overall, All-Stars is my personal favorite way to experience the original 4, and I'm glad I have access to it on my Switch (for the time being).
Am I mad or are the Nintendo Life reviews getting a bit more cynical lately?
I understand the points raised but 7/10 for some of the greatest games of all time in 16 bit?
Yeah, I broadly agree. The games feel slower, look less distinct, and sound worse than the NES originals they're remakes of.
@Guybrush20X6 Well, even if the games themselves are good, the quality of the remake isn't (based on the conclusions of the review, anyway), so I think a 7/10 is very fair.
Totally agree.
I always felt the the graphics update weren't that good looking. They felt and looked like a 90's bootleg PC remake. Never care for it.
And indeed playing All Stars´ SMB1 felt weird.
2 & 3 is way better in the All Star package. Agree on 1 I guess.
Ah, Mario All Stars, aka: When Nintendo Tried
Due realize that these games are not 1 to 1 with the 8-Bit versions. Here are some of the differences or additions to some of them:
The minus world glitch trick for Super Mario Bros. has been fix even though the trick to travel through the walls still works.
Birdo in Super Mario Bros. 2 took 3 hits to kill instead of 2 hits like in the original.
All the ending world names were corrected in Super Mario Bros. 3 for example Desert Land is now called Desert Hill just like the original version.
Super Mario Bros. 3 now feature a separate Battle Mode inspired by the arcade version of Mario Bros. at the same time still retaining the one from the NES version through normal gameplay.
In Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels, once you get a Game Over you start from the beginning of that level instead of the beginning of that world.
In Super Mario Bros. 3, you no longer get multiple P-Wings once you beat the game.
In SMB1, Lost Levels, Super Mario Bros. 3, and the All-Stars version of Super Mario World (which this version doesn't had) Luigi is no longer a palette swap of Mario but instead had a more unique sprite inspired by his SMB2 sprite.
You could now set the B button to jump or as run button whichever layout fits your play style. Using B as jump feels closer to Donkey Kong Country whereas using B as run gives player that NES feel.
You could now backtrack in any game for example if you play Super Mario Bros. 3 reach World 6 and got the Hammer Bros. suit and saved, you could use the save function to backtrack back to any world before World 6 and play them again using the Hammer Bros. suit, a feature that is not possible in the original.
This review is not nonsense, to those claiming it is. I mean, it should be a 9 still, but I’ve always thought All Stars SMB felt off. And many agree. And while SMB3 feels fine, I too always preferred the art style of the NES version. That being said, glad this is available.
I say buy and mod a gba and buy the mario advance games. I love 'em. ❤️
@Brutchie-bear I agree, and the music is sometimes better too like the sky music in SMB3, not to mention the underground echo effects. And I'd add the originals only feel better to those who grew up with them (like me, but even them I still enjoy both versions). For someone new to the series the All-Stars collection is probably a better overall package.
I actually have so much good memories with All Stars.
Remember opening up my SNES when I was a child, put this cartridge on, and automatically feel that everything looks better. I wasn't aware of any promotional pic of anything, I didn't even knew what a SNES was. My father just bought it, brought it home, and I discovered that magical color palette over the NES one.
So to play this game, with flaws and all, reminds me of that magical time.
Us, 90s kids, are so blessed to have had enjoy these times in gaming history. I can't love Nintendo and Mario enough.
Everything this September is making up for this horrendous year we are living.
@Wavey84 What do you mean bland, if anything All-Stars breathe new life to the originals. See screenshot comparison below, what was just a fix blue background with green pipe, solid flashing blocks, some brick blocks, and a static bush now had a lush sky setting with smiley clouds in the distance, animated bush, and three dimensional textures on the blocks, bricks, and pipes making the world of the original come to life even more. It's not just a cheap flash reskin of the original like a lot of mobile games tend to do.
I am no big fan of NES graphics and at the time of its release I was in my early teens and prefered PC. SNES & Mega Drive was the first console I really played a lot, so my winner is the SNES versions!
Did a Hipster write this review? Awful
This was my first experience with the originals so I’m always gonna give it a boost. Certainly as time goes by though this collection is going to feel more and more out of step with the 8bit nostalgia marketing the industry has settled on. Two and Three are definitely improvements though. As a kid I wasn’t even sure that One was remade by Nintendo, it looked so off model.
I always thought I was the only one who felt this way. I remember renting this back when it first came out and thinking that something felt off. Even then, I remember thinking that I’d rather play the originals.
I fully prefer the All-stars version to the originals. I find the NES versions ugly.
This review seems a joke, to be honest. Unfortunately, that was not the writer's intention.
At the time this released it was the must have game! I understand to some younger gamers that this may seem wrong, I however think 7/10 is an insult. Mags at the time raved about not having to pay £90+ for all 3 and lost levels was not released outside Japan until this point and the price of this is FREE!? I’m very disappointed. How old is the reviewer? Is he going to destroy the 3D all stars when it drops too?
Also note this actually cost money when it landed in Wii 5 years ago
This comment section reminds me of that MEGA 64 skit where a game journalist's life got ruined because he gave Uncharted 3 an 8.5.
7 is still a good score, especially when two of the games have an unintended physics bug that completely changes how they play. I've seen remasters/remakes get raked over the coals for much less.
Reviewing a 27 year old game with retro goggles on is the dumbest things I've seen all year, and it's been a long, dumb year. =p
@Dubbicakes 27 year old
Like anything from the past, sometimes it better to have just the memories, no matter how nostalgia tinged they may be.....video games, the fittest girl at your school, nights out with your old friends etc etc.
Some things just don’t stand the test of time and leave you with a bitter taste of disappointment when revisited years later.
I remember buying Super Mario Allstars the first time round and it was sublime but I have no desire to pick it apart and criticise it almost 30 years later.
@X68000 shhhhh, I got fat fingers
Think I'm going to have to play both versions now to compare them. Thought I preferred Allstars when I was younger but will have to give them all another go.
SMB3 All-Stars functioned better visually, but the Original has style where All-Stars comes across as a bit lifeless somehow.
SMB2 All-Stars was my first SNES game and played it on a Christmas morning, so I kinda froze up and was in a funk for the rest of the evening after taking 1-1 for a quick spin.
As for SMB1 and The Trollfest That Shall Not Be Named, the physics are super faithful, it's just that the running animation combined with the lower color contrast might mess with your brain compared to how tight it is on the NES.
Lotta mud with Lotta gaems
I actually prefer the SMB and Lost Levels physics in All-Stars. SMB NES was the first game I ever played, but I spent way more time with All-Stars as it came out when I was old enough to properly play a game to finish. I struggle with NES Lost Levels, but I burned through the entirety of the All-Stars version yesterday because that's where my motor memory lies.
I wonder why they never fixed the coding error when they re-released this game on the Wii and now on NSO.
Anyway, I agree that the caves in Mario 3 look better on the NES.
"The best way to play Super Mario Bros. 2."
Super Mario Advance on GBA would beg to differ.
"Super Mario Bros., quite simply, feels wrong."
I thought I was the only one feeling that.
So I just ran through SMB1 on All-Stars, and I did notice some weirdness with hitting some of the item boxes. Especially later in the game. Hit boxes were all kinds of betraying me on 8-2. I died from enemies that weren’t even touching me, or that I was technically on top of. And I almost jumped through a box. But I eventually got through the level. Maybe I never noticed when I was younger. It was all very minor though, and overall the game was enjoyable.
Yeah...this review reeks of elitism for some reason. There's a whole generation of kids that didn't own a NES, grew up with a SNES and had Mario All Stars.
I never played the original SM3 until I was an adult. I prefer the SNES version.
This does glitter and it IS gold. This set is a sweetly improved version of what made Mario a household name. I was well into my 20s when I got this and was hooked, after playing all these in their original form on the NES.... and this compilation with its smooth graphics and better sound forever spoiled me. This was the definitive Mario collection and in my opinion always will be.
I’m loving it. The 16 bit graphics over the NES 8bit is crazy good. Like the jump is PS4 to PS4 pro good lol
I prefer the NES versions (or actually the GBC versions, those are the ones I played) too. Maybe because I played the All Stars versions as an adult vs the GBC ones as a kid, but something felt off about the All Stars versions.
@StuartGipp One significant change SMB1 and especially Lost Levels did was that the maze levels gave players a "ding" when they found the correct path. This was especially kind to players in Lost Levels which, as I recall, had multiple checks within a single looping section. The original gave no audio feedback.
We of course in the west who had grown up in the original All-Stars era could only play the 8-bit version years later in retrospect.
@nessisonett SMB DX has completely different physics. If you're familiar with the NES or All-Stars versions of SMB and think you've got a handle on the finer details of controlling Mario, that essentially gets thrown out the window on GBC (not to mention the somewhat awkward camera. They really should've had a Super Mario Land view option: zoomed out graphics but at least you can see everything without bizarre scrolling.)
I am sorry but your review is wrong and your opinion is wrong and you need to go into the corner and think about what you have done.
A game that features Super Mario Bros 3 should never score less than a perfect score.
TUT!
I agree with this review, despite how unpopular the opinion is. I prefer the look, sound, and feel of the NES originals. The only benefit All Stars had was saves, but most modern versions of the NES Mario games include save stats, such as on Switch, Wii U, and NES Classic.
The fact that the "minus world" and "small mario with fireballs" was removed in Super Mario All Stars makes me prefer the originals. Doesn't hurt that I grew up with the NES either.
I've gone back and forth on the NES and SNES versions of SMB3. Each version has things going for it. The graphical overhaul for the SNES version is mostly good, though you do lose some of the original visual theme of the NES version, with the game intended to resemble a stage play. I'm not sure why they went with that diagonally-striped background in world six on the NES. I don't think it looks very good and feels out of place. Even the coin sprites fit poorly over that BG. While it matters less now than it did back then, the save feature for the SNES version was a nice improvement. SMB3 was the only game I liked on All Stars. I don't enjoy SMB2 much and I like the look and feel of the original SMB on NES.
@Retro_Player_77 Pretty sure Birdo always took 3 hits, even in the NES.
I recall the hit detection was a little off and you could sometimes get multiple hits with a single egg/block.
@Beaucine I’ve gotten so used to the silky smooth movement of the Mario Maker series, it’s hard for me to play the classic Super Mario Bros. especially. So the brick hitting weirdness in the AllStars version feels so, so wrong. It makes me feel dirty.
That said I’m determined to beat it without warping
@VR32X The bounces off of enemies also feels too shallow compared to the NES version.
I grew up with the original SMB and SMB2 (never really played SMB3 much) and though I owned All Stars later, I always preferred playing the originals. Still do!
I always thought it was criminal they didn’t include the original, unaltered games on the cart together with (or instead of) the 16-bit versions.
Still, I love compilations and I may try this out on NSO sometime for nostalgia.
These variations of the games are sublime and a joy to play. Love the boss music they gave Bowser in this version of the original game.
Boarders Boarder and Boarders
I agree with the review. The originals are still the best way to play these games. All-Stars is a novelty, and while it's nice to have it available, it's pretty pointless if the originals are already there.
Bruh, nostalgia googles off, I prefer playing all superior SNES versions with better graphics, specialy SMB1 with the fixed jump and being able to save and restart from the first levels of each world after a game over. The original SMB3 specialy didn't age too well with that collor pallet. Sorry but that 7/10 looks a little biased towards an opinion that prefers the not so much diferent originals with less features.
Was I the only one who almost thought they were going to re-sell this to us again? The fact that it's free (for Nintendo Online Subscribers) is the biggest plus for me.
Plus, All Stars was one of the first games I ever played. I'm not that much better at platformers, but I'm happy to use this to better train again
@Reynoblade @Pip_Pipston It is nice to have both the 8-bit and 16-bit versions available. I much prefer these types of variants than the ‘SP’ versions of the NSO games that have been added.
I find SNES Lost Levels easier. I think the controls are a little tighter.
I owned the original NES back in the day but never had a SNES. However, my younger cousins did own a SNES when it was released in the 1990s. They also owned a copy of All-Stars. Never really cared for the All-Star versions myself (even though I would play them when I visited my cousins). After growing up with the original games, I had gotten used to the look of each game. To this day, I still prefer the original games but my cousins like the All-Star versions.
Everything the Super NES did was better than the NES. These games look so much better with the 16-bit makeover. More and brighter colors, parallax scrolling background layers, better music, no flicker or slowdown. Hands down way better than their 8-bit originals.
Same with Zelda Link to the Past - absolutely blows away Zelda 1 & 2. Contra 3 destroys the NES Contras. Super Castlevania IV beasts the crap out of the NES Castlevania trilogy and on and on. Super Mario All-Stars is an absolute treasure and we’re all damn lucky Nintendo went through the lengths they did to remaster these games for us!
These were my first SNES games and I played SMB 2 to death.
@Madder128 Absolutely right. These games have not aged regardless of how many other ways you can play them.
@Wavey84 I’ll give you the Punch Out vs. Super Punch Out one. One I forgot was Super Metroid which absolutely crushes the NES original.
How much is this? Aren't they all available for free on the NES app?
The physics always felt off. The controls on the original are much tighter and more responsive. And I agree about losing some of the original charms of the graphics. Though they certainly added some visual charms of their own. Its worth it for Lost Levels, not so much for the other 3. I played both in the 90s. My best friend got this early for her SNES and invited me over to play. We had some good times together with both systems. ❤
@Clyde_Radcliffe Honestly the 8-bit era just simply doesn’t hold up nearly as well as the 16-bit era. 16-bit took everything the 8-bit systems did and dialed it up to 11. No one prefers the Sega Master System over the the Genesis. And most who grew up with the NES & Super NES much prefer the Super NES.
@SleeplessKnight speak for yourself
There's a simple patch that fixes the strange brick physics, which was apparently caused by a single erroneous variable.
https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/167/
Pity it can't be applied to this particular rerelease, though...
“Super Mario Bros. 3 is by-and-large extremely enjoyable as a part of All-Stars, with the gameplay present and correct. The new graphics, however, are a bit of a mixed bag.“
How dare you.
@RodSD64
If you have Switch online you have access to it. They are available on the NES individually, but these were remastered or ported to the SNES in one game package.
I'm glad people are finally waking up to the terrible reviews in this website. Essentially if it's not a flavor of the month indie, they will crap on it...
The cons are so stupid.
Eh, any collection that lets me enjoy the best versions of any classic game (give or take a few exceptions) is an automatic gold to me.
I wanted Super Mario Bros to let me start from any world without having to beat it and relegate me to "Hard Mode" (as well as fix up the pacing of two-player mode by passing the baton to the other player and vice-versa upon clearing or dying in a level). All Stars gave me that.
I wanted a real stage select option in Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels, as well as reducing the need to beat the game eight times to access the "Letter Worlds". All Stars gave me that.
I wanted a stage select option in Super Mario Bros 2 and with infinite continues, as well as being able to swap to different characters from deaths instead of Game Overs. All Stars gave me that.
I wanted a stage select option and a way to let me start World 1 with any power up given at any time in Super Mario Bros 3. All Stars gave me that.
...and of course, this all on top of the unified save system and enhanced presentation, as well as a fun (at the time) 2-player Battle Mode in SMB3. Now, I am aware of the weird block-breaking physics in SMB1 and the inability to restart SMB3 with 28 P-Wings after beating it, but the good outweighs the bad for me and even then, those qualms aren't much I'd give a flying [BURP] about.
If all of this don't make Super Mario All Stars the best "remasters" of the Mario franchise, then I don't know what will...
Edit: I also played the Super Mario Advance games on GBA and while it's nice to be able to play them on the go at the time, their small screen resolutions clashed with the large resolutions that the originals left me contented for.
@Rika_Yoshitake There's quite a bit of reviews I disagree with on Nintendo Life's part, such as The Legend of Dark Witch 2, Brave Dungeon, Atelier Lydie & Suelle, Touhou Genso Wanderer Reloaded, Super Mario Party, Tetris 99, Yoshi's Crafted World, Umihara Kawase Fresh!, Astral Chain, Gensou SkyDrift, etc.
...but at the end of the day, everybody has an opinion of their own and the people who disagree with any opinion around are going to have to deal with it.
My first console was the NES back when it was new, so I owned and loved the original 3 Mario titles.
When the SNES compilation came out, I preferred its versions of 2 and 3 and still do to this day, but even as a kid, felt SMB 1 on All-Stars felt off. It lacked the graphical charm of the the original, which really hurts it. As a fan, I can enjoy both the 8 and 16-bit versions, but All-Stars still has my all-time favorite version of 3
I grew up with the All-Stars version and found it hard to adjust to the look of the NES originals. And I noticed no difference at all in the mechanics.
Still prefer the SNES style to this day; when Nintendo redrew everything it gave them the chance to do things more accurate to their original intentions/concepts, without working around the limits of the NES. Therefore I'd say the SNES versions are actually the more definitive ones.
All Stars has the best version of Lost Levels/SMB2.
@Beaucine I grew up with All-Stars and I still prefer the SNES style to this day. When Nintendo redrew everything it gave them the chance to do things more accurate to their original intentions/concepts, without working around the limits of the NES. Therefore I'd say the SNES versions are actually the more definitive ones, and certainly more pleasant on the eyes to look at.
I just prefer this one over the NES originals because they look better lol
The appeal of this package was when it came out. I had just graduated to SNES from NES and got the package with super Mario Allstars, Mario kart and Mario World for Christmas. I was on this new system and it was the first time I had played a remaster of anything. It felt fresh even though it was the same levels and was like the freedom to not have to go back to have a complete Mario collection (for the time). It was the extreme to show you that you weren't on NES anymore and I though Mario 3 was amazing looking as it was my favorite game at the time.
The originals are great as they are what I grew up with, and I still can play SMB3 on NES. However, I prefer the updated look and feel of the rest of them on the All-Stars edition. The ability to save is worth it, and I long ago lost muscle memory and reflexes that let me play SMB (or even Lost Levels) with an ability that the change will be that noticeable.
So while it is not a 9 or 10 now. It is probably still an 8. A bug that the majority of players will never notice is not enough to give this a 7 as it is not a detriment to anyone but speed runners and hardcore players of SMB/SMB: Lost Levels. You cannot discount the value of 4 amazing games in a single cart, even on a service where Carts don't have the same relevance it once did.
Yeah the first Mario is best on NES but the others are best on snes.
I remember when EGM said that no compilation games were allowed for their top 100 games of all time list—otherwise, SMB All-Stars would win top place hands down.
In spite of the criteria for the review score here, I still agree with EGM in 2020.
I don't really agree. I think this is a wonderful way to play these classic games. Just a tad redundant. Saying things like there's no reason to play these over the NES version is as dumb as saying there's no reason to play the NES version over these. People can play whichever version they happen to enjoy.
And saying SMB feels "wrong" makes you sound like an elitist. Get over yourself, seriously.
@Wavey84 True Mega Man 2 is better than 7 but definitely not better than the Mega Man X trilogy.
All my friends told me I was crazy because they couldn't tell a difference between nes, famicon, and all star version of these games. Now I see I'm not alone about the slow down.
Bit of a tryhard contrarian review. Why is it even necessary to review this? It's not really a purchase decision. I doubt people will choose to get an online subscription or not based on what you make of Super Mario All Stars.
@UA1001 there is some slowdown indeed. but mainly in Mario 2 when you have to gamble for extra life at the end of a stage by collecting the hearts.. right? My sister played it on the NES and was also able to get the stars.. played on SNES and hated it.. it was somehow different and slower
Hey guys i hate to tell you this review is subjectively wrong.
This game being reviewed is weird. At almost 30 years of age. Someone missed the Trolley. Still ok to review. Just feels like the context of when it came out was glazed over to much.
This article is wrong in every conceivable way. First off going backwards to review a game isn't fair to the game, or any of the people who poured their lives into its design. The fact you're criticizing a compilation of 3 of the greatest games ever made is not even humorous. This compilation put plenty of SNES consoles into homes, and was a pack in game for a time. As a game journalist I'm not sure it helps your credentials questioning the work of arguably the greatest game designer who ever lived. If Shigeru Miyamoto thought the remasters were necessary then I'm on board. All of that aside gaming is about moving forward with the technology and improving. These were a welcome replacement for all those drab NES versions we had grown up with. It put them more in line with Super Mario World which had set a precedent a few years earlier. The actual best version of All Stars was the pack in that included Super Mario World on the same cartridge.
Am I just crazy or has no one else ever noticed the "bug" from SMB1? I've played both versions on and off since they released and I've never had to change my play style to compensate for whatever version.
I've only played the originals Super Mario Bros 1 & 2. As my first exposure to this All-Stars, I really didn't like how mario controls, so imprecise and "slippery". No reason for me to to keep SNES NSO Onine App on my console. Re-deleted SNES NSO Online app.
If people were already ok with how All-Stars controls, that's fine. Not for me.
I loved this game back in the day. I did have the originals, but this was also the only way to play The Lost Levels in North America at the time. I do agree that the physics in the original Mario feel off (as they did in 1993), but it's still an enjoyable cartridge. I think if I wanted to play any of the originals now, I'd go with the NES, but I might boot this up for some Lost Levels for nostalgia.
This is a hard disagree for me too.
This remake is a classic and I only wish they would have given the same shiny new treatment to Mario 64.
@nessisonett not with that screen cruch....
@Wavey84 nostalgia blind elitism has entered the chat. Let people enjoy it however they like
For Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, I'd stick with the originals. But my preference will always be the All-Stars version of Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario Bros. 3. I guess it might be because I grew up with this game and no the original NES, but then again, I never did like how the airship level music is out-of-sync compared to what it's supposed to sound like.
@Wavey84 I find it funny that you think your opinion is criticism. Lolw
HARD disagree with this absurd review. And not at all seeing the problem with SMB 1’s physics. They’re massively improved over the original.
I think the collection deserves an 8 minimum but the review isn’t wrong. The physics for SMB/LL are way floatier and don’t have the precise control of the NES versions. Nothing wrong here with SMB2 or SMB3 however. And given save states are available for both versions on Switch, All-Stars benefits in that regard have become moot.
@Scarthcaroth
I'm not an enemy of remasters. I think Halo 2, for example, was significantly improved by the Anniversary edition. But that's because the original art design was botched, since the game was rushed out the door with flat lighting and textures. It needed a bit more time in the oven, and the remaster achieved that. It's now one my favorite games.
Otherwise, though, I'm more interested in what a game does within its technical limitations. I don't follow the philosophy that videogames always improve with time. I think they evolve and that every era is interesting in its own way. (Modern games are as "dated" to me as classics. They're all of their time. I'm playing Control and Death Stranding right now and, no doubt about it, they're open world games from 2019.)
For that reason, I appreciate the starkness of NES titles. They have their own raw charm. Which is why, personally, I don't need Super Mario Bros to look like Super Mario World. I think each has its own, unique look. When Nintendo references Super Mario Bros, as they do in Odyssey, they usually quote the original graphics. "True artistic vision" is not that easy to locate. Whatever the artists might have in mind at the outset, part of what makes their work what it is are the constraints they operated under and the results that emerged from the alchemy of time, place, and invention.
@Wavey84 I Lol! was born in 1980 and definitely remember the drab NES versions as a kid. Miyamoto had some failures in his career, but his impact is felt in the very games and hardware we play today. Judging Miyamoto based on Star Fox Zero is like judging Muhammad Ali's entire career on The Fight Of The Century.
I played the originals as they released on the NES. Played them for years and years and years, and when All-Stars came out, I was crazy excited. From my estimation as a teenager in the early 90s, this was the far superior way to play the games. Particularly Mario 3, which I always thought was bizarrely hideous for such an amazing game. Even when it was new, I didn't understand the design aesthetics and I liked the visuals in both Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario 2/USA more, even if I liked the gameplay more.
All-Stars solved my biggest complaint about Super Mario 3 and for my money is the definitive version. I generally prefer the NES version of Super Mario Bros. and by association, the original version of The Lost Levels/2, but Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario Bros. 2/USA are only better in All-Stars.
My feelings here extend to Super Mario Maker 2, as well. The NES style is my favorite by leaps and bounds and the Super Mario 3 style is my least favorite. I even prefer New Super Mario Bros. style to it.
All-Stars has the benefit of eliminating annoying sprite flickering which makes all of the difference for me, myself and I.
This is the best way to play Super Mario Bros. 3, hands down.
@Brutchie-bear Except the fact that Mario and Luigi don't wear gloves for some reason. The GBA version fixed this but then they removed horizontal parallax scrolling from the background layer.
@BAN The blocks aren't the issue for me as much as the larger hitboxes for Piranha Plants. While I get that it is more natural, it ruins my flow when I do land on the top of a Piranha Plant hat hasn't retracted completely yet, knowing that in the original the top pixels of the sprite would not affect me.
Another gripe is the aspect ratio being 4:3 (as with the Wii version). While this means less letterboxing than 8:7, I'd still prefer to play the game in the intended aspect ratio.
I remember Suler Mario 2 being pretty darn difficult at times. I did beat it back when All Stars first released, and it was a lot of fun. I'll probably give them all a proper replay, in order.
I literally don't remember a time in my life before Super Mario Bros and I have to say, there's nothing lost in the remade graphics, not even the magic! I would have definitely been a miffed had they used the New Super Mario Bros graphics... except as an optional skin or something
Well, if nothing else, this has been a pretty good excuse to play through SMB3 again. The SNES graphics are nice; they don't dramatically improve the game but the game itself is ridiculously solid.
This review is terrible.
The block thing in SMB 1/LL is not a bug. It was clearly done this way on purpose. You're just nitpicking.
Good review. SMB1 sucks ass on SNES
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