Announced at Nintendo’s recent Super Mario 35th Anniversary Direct, Super Mario 3D All-Stars will finally assemble Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy into one package for the Nintendo Switch. It’s something fans have been clamoring for since the handheld console’s release back in 2017, with the eventual cancelation of the virtual console leaving many demanding Nintendo to repackage the games into one convenient collection.
Yet, while fans are overjoyed that Super Mario 3D All-Stars is finally going to bring some of Mario’s most defining adventures to modern hardware, the bundle’s announcement hasn’t exactly gone smoothly for the popular gaming mainstay. Instead, some have questioned some of the strange marketing decisions behind this upcoming port, going as far as to state that the release is anti-consumer and yet another example of Nintendo’s allegedly outdated approach to distributing its releases. So, why is the game getting backlash from some of its fanbase online?
The biggest controversy surrounding Super Mario 3D All-Stars has been Nintendo’s bizarre decision to give the game a limited release window, beginning on September 18 and concluding on March 31 next year. The move has been criticized by many, especially because it won’t purely be available on physical media. Limiting the game’s digital release has been labeled as manufacturing scarcity on Nintendo’s part, and it’s not a move the company’s biggest fans are all too pleased about.
For one, it drives a frantic consumer culture that’s only used to drum up sales for Nintendo, with the company clearly hoping that Switch owners will dart to a store to secure their copy in the next 6 months in fear of missing out. Worse yet, it also means that Nintendo doesn’t have to reduce the hefty $60 price tag attached to the collection, because there’s not enough time for it to reduce in value. It’s evidently a ploy to assure the All-Stars Collection sells out in stores across the globe, further driving more hopeful players to fork over their hard-earned cash to make sure they get in on the action before it’s too late.
It’s not like Nintendo is the only company to ever use this method of artificially creating shortages. Up until the release of Disney Plus, fans have pointed out that Disney actually used the same method through its Disney Vault system, limiting the home releases of several classic animated films to drum up sales. The difference is that Nintendo isn’t just selling a limited number of physical copies, but generally restricting access to an infinitely copyable digital edition. It’s purely a thinly-veiled excuse to put the trilogy back on sale sometime in the next few years at the same price, potentially marketing it once again as a new and exciting release.
At the end of the day, it seems like Nintendo really wants to rack up some sales in the last two months of the year, deciding to use a somewhat manipulative sales technique to assure it does. Whether the games will be sold separately following March or not, the lack of communication about why this decision was made or how permanent it truly is has rubbed a large number of fans the wrong way.
Nintendo is also notorious for its rigid approach to pricing. Although games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, and Super Smash Bros Ultimate were all released some time ago, they still retail at basically full price. Yet, while those games are still relatively new in the grand scheme of things and arguably could still be valued highly, Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy definitely are not. With each of the game’s coming out over a decade ago, fans have made it clear that the $60 price tag is an exploitative way of cashing in on nostalgia.
It’s even more prevalent when fans look at other examples of publishers shipping old games. The most direct comparison is likely Vicarious Vision’s Crash Bandicoot N’Sane Trilogy, which retailed for $40 at launch. Not only did the title package three highly-acclaimed releases into one bundle (much like Super Mario 3D All-Stars), but it did so with dramatic, from-the-ground-up remakes for each title. It was more than just a port but a full overhaul that offered a modernized version of the seminal mascot and his roster of wacky supporting characters. Spyro: The Reignited Trilogy did the same, offering three significant remakes for $40.
Selling ports of old and, in the case of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, outdated games should come with some penalty to the cost, especially as a lot of players could likely pick up the games for much more affordable prices on their native consoles. It would be fine if the bundle was out permanently and could naturally lower in price, but with Nintendo limiting its availability, players will need to pay the lofty admission fee if they want to get their hands on it before it disappears.
Branching off both points, some fans are also frustrated with how little they’re getting in the game’s physical edition to warrant that cost. If those buying into Super Mario 3D All-Stars were also getting some fun bonus goodies or extras to warrant the steep price tag, it might’ve been more feasible to expect players to hand over $60 at launch. Whether that’s a short artbook, a poster, or maybe just a detailed manual going over each of the seminal Mario adventures, it would be a fun gesture to show fans they’re paying for a substantial tribute to the character’s legacy.
However, a new unboxing video from Nintendo itself showed that players are getting nothing of the sort. The game comes on one cartridge in a normal box with uninspired cover art. Sure, there are some screenshots on the reverse cover inside the case, but it largely feels like a lost opportunity to make the collection into a worthwhile anniversary piece rather than a simple port. While this is far from the bundle’s biggest issue, fans in the comments of the unboxing video have been quick to call out Nintendo’s lack of additional bonuses, especially for such a pricey piece of content.
Then there’s Super Mario Galaxy 2, which didn’t even make the cut. With some fans arguing the sequel is even better than its predecessor, it’s strange that Nintendo didn’t see fit to port the game over as well, which is disappointing. Many have gone on to theorize that the company might be saving the game for a future release down the line, but it can’t help but feel like the collection is missing something without the incredible Wii classic joining in on the fun.
The Super Mario 3D All-Stars Collection is out on September 18 for Nintendo Switch.
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