While the collection leaked quite a bit before the actual release, Super Mario 3D All-Stars finally brings the classic 3D Mario games to the Switch. There were some grumblings of a potential remake of Super Mario 64, among enhanced ports of Sunshine and Galaxy, but the collection ended up being the original games upscaled to HD. However, as hardcore fans dug a little deeper, news broke out about how the games were running on Switch, and what it could mean for future Switch ports and remasters.
Back on the Wii U, several The Legend of Zelda games received enhanced ports that were optimized for HD alongside improved textures and additional tweaks. Many assumed these games would receive the same treatment, but instead Super Mario 3D All-Stars simply re-releases all three games with a few minor resolution updates. However, there’s an important tidbit in how these games are running on Switch, something players were able to find through data mining the collection. It’s very possible that, through emulation, the 3D All-Stars could be testing the waters for additional ports/remasters of classic Nintendo games on the Switch console.
Obviously the biggest detail to come out of Super Mario 3D All-Stars, other than the games themselves, is the fact that they’re all run via emulation. Rather than fully porting a running version of the game on Switch, it seems each Mario game has its own version of emulation. Both Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy utilize Vulcan API for emulation (more common industry standard compared to Nintendo’s proprietary software), while a separate N64 emulator is used for Super Mario 64. With the exception of Galaxy using a hybrid system, all three Mario games are utilizing emulation to play on Switch. Of course, fans have latched on to that fact, and for good reason.
Now that N64, GameCube, and Wii emulation is theoretically confirmed, the possibility and expectation of more ports/remasters is there. Based on the datamined information, many are theorizing the emulation files are designed to be adaptable to any games, not specifically for Super Mario 3D All-Stars. Considering the 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda is on the way next year, many assume a similar deal will occur with Nintendo’s additional flagship franchise. Porting and emulating these two franchises could very well be proof-of-concept for additional retro Nintendo titles coming to Switch.
It’s also possible that Nintendo could be planning the return of a grander program, rather than just individual ports and remasters. Wii U was the last console to feature Virtual Console, the original backwards compatibility program Nintendo employed on consoles. However, with Nintendo Switch, the Virtual Console service was discontinued. Many fans assumed a grander backwards compatibility offering was on the way for Switch, but Nintendo Switch Online’s free NES/SNES titles weren’t exactly what players envisioned. However, with 3D All-Stars‘ emulation, this collection could’ve been a tease of what’s to come from a Virtual Console successor.
This theory is quite a bit more of a stretch, especially considering how Mario 3D All-Stars was sold as a standalone collection. If anything, the emulation software could be encouraging for additional ports/remasters as standalone releases, but not an entire storefront return. There’s the potential for this to be a transition into GameCube games free on Nintendo Switch Online’s subscription, but that’s even more unlikely. Obviously, compared to NES/SNES games, GameCube game storage sizes are much larger in comparison. Since Switch Online utilizes an internet connection to play these games, there’d be a lot more involved to the point where a lot could go wrong.
Either way, it’s at least good to see running emulation on the Nintendo Switch in an official Nintendo capacity. Some of the biggest draws of the Wii/Wii U were the consoles’ backwards compatibility. Even if players needed to buy the games again, the game’s were never overpriced or anything in that nature. Now that these games have been proven to perform quite well on the Switch, Nintendo could certainly use these emulators for additional releases. Assuming the data-mined files prove fans’ theories, these emulators are flexible enough to work on additional games, so it may not be long before fans here something about further emulation on Switch.
As for what form this takes, that remains to be seen. Quite frankly, Nintendo will probably pursue more standalone releases for now. As mentioned previously, The Legend of Zelda‘s 35th anniversary in 2021 would be a likely scenario for further emulation. What’s even more interesting is whether or not that means Wii U emulation, considering Wind Waker and Twilight Princess both received enhanced ports (not emulation) on the Wii U. Plus, Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask present another opportunity to test the Nintendo 64 emulator. For now, Nintendo Switch has at least confirmed that further emulation is, at least, a possibility for the future.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars is available for a limited time on Nintendo Switch.
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