Game review 16 September 2020, 15:00

author: Adam Zechenter

Super Mario 3D All-Stars Review – Old-school Mustache on Switch!

The release of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy on Nintendo Switch is a great way to bring the cult and genre-defining platformers to the generation of players who haven't even been born 25 years ago.

The review is based on the Switch version.

It was supposed to be a short review. What's there to say about three, rather oldish games in which we jump and run around with a dude in red hat? 3-D Mario platformer games are the premier representatives of the genre – by some considered the best games there are in general. These aren't particularly complicated games. Simplicity is one of their main advantages. Simplicity and elegance of design – the trademark of one of the most significant people of the industry, in some way involved in the three games we're talking about.

Boxy Mario for connoisseurs

You may not remember that, but the launch of Super Mario 64 was a big deal. The three-dimensional graphics seemed beautiful at the time (the second Elder Scrolls was released in 1996; it doesn't really compare in terms of graphics), and it wasn't even the best part. When the first Tomb Rider (also 1996) vexed players around the world with primitive controls, Mario brought some great responsiveness. The variety of moves, smooth animations and precise control over the hero were simply unprecedented – and to this day remain comparable to modern games.

Super Mario 64 isn't just about the graphics or the surgical precision of controls. It's also about great, open levels that we could freely explore – go wherever we wanted, almost freely manipulating the camera. I know it's hard to take it for granted, but comparing it to the first Crash (also the same year) tells you about everything. The difference is huge. The freedom was mind-blowing. In 1996, Nintendo released an absolute technological masterpiece. There's a reason 64 is still present on various lists of the greatest games of all times.

All right, but what about today? Can Super Mario 64 make it in 2020? It still is a great game, but a player that has never experienced the game, should know one thing: this game makes Darks Souls seem a child's play. This Nintendo 64's legend seems crude, but that's just a matter of getting a hang of it. The feats that speedrunners can achieve in Super Mario 64 are quite astonishing. There's no gap they can't leap over, no combo of ultra-precise moves they couldn't attain, no penguin they couldn't drop down a precipice... This may be the most rewarding game out there when it comes to repaying long hours of practice, as well as plain skill – unless we're talking about another game from the series.

Sitting down to 64 for the first time, you'll understand what the word 'old-school' means, because this game could be its dictionary definition. On the one hand, it's still the same great production, with iconic levels (Cool, Cool Mountain!), original music and mostly unclear instructions, typical of games of the time. On the other hand, the graphics are visibly outdated, the controls require some getting used to since Mario moves a bit like a tank, and the camera is annoying far too often. Whom would I recommend Super Mario 64 today? Above all, the gaming connoisseurs. If you're just starting your adventure with three-dimensional series hits from the 64, don't start here. Play Galaxy and Sunshine, and get back to this classic last. Seriously, you're gonna be doing yourself a big favor.

Unfortunately, though, the return to the 1990s in Super Mario 64 has a lot of nostalgic charm, the game could use some polish. Yes, I was disappointed with the quality of the port. In fact, we're dealing with exactly the same game that appeared in stores 24 years ago. Noticeable loadings of Chain Chomp, or gold coins popping-in only a few feet before the character, is the dark side of the 64's old-school vibe. Anyone, who appreciates true classics, on the other hand, will pretty much love everything the game brings with it, since it's exactly what they remember from the times when they were sitting in front of a flickering CRT instead of doing homework. It's a shame, though, that Nintendo didn't try to turn up the heat on this classic a little. Things such as drawing distance, dumb camera, or the ancient 4:3 image ratio could have been improved, with the option of turning them off to satisfy the veterans.

These few flaws, however, don't change anything – Super Mario 64 is an absolute classic. It's the perfect foundation for the whole series. A milestone and a benchmark for the whole genre. It is, after all, a game that embarrasses modern competition even today. It's great that more players can get to know it.

Mario for a holiday full of challenges

2002 was a great year for players. We got WarCraft 3 and Morrowind. GTA: Vice City and the original Kingdom Hearts were both released on PlayStation 2. However, it was Nintendo that became the most successful. Metroid Prime remains one of the greatest games of all time, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past still impresses with extraordinary ideas and excellent execution. In this company, Mario's tropical detour seems less significant. It's unfair because it's a great, albeit difficult game.

In Sunshine, an ominous Bowser is doing the worst thing on Earth – ruining everyone's vacation. And if that wasn't enough, the people of Delfino Island still blame poor Mario for everything. So, our hero has no other choice but to reveal the plot of the great tortoise (did you know Bowser is a tortoise?) and rid the paradise island of the sludge that floods it. This is done from the hub-city of Delfino Plaza, a place full of secrets, easter eggs and details so characteristic of Mario games – and so rare in other titles.

The F.L.U.D.D. – a water-powered robo jetpack – will help with clearing both Mario's name and the entire island. And it's this talking contraption that sets Sunshine apart from other shows. The creators squeezed the idea like a lemon, adding extra jumps to Mario's classic set of moves (there's even a rocket jump, because why not), flying, and combat mechanics utilizing a water gun. And the effect – as is usually the case with the Nintendo wizards – was perfect.

Super Mario Sunshine is perhaps the most chilled installment of the series. The tropical setting, beautiful, lazy music, and the wonderful palm trees all seem to yell: holiday! It's a playful contrast with the opinion that Sunshine sports among players. It is a hellishly difficult, even frustrating game. And there's a lot of truth to that. Sunshine is the perfect game for any player enjoying a real challenge – here, even reaching a designated place on a given map can be a challenge. More than once you had to stop and figure out how to reach one of the red coins, or climbed the harbor structures only to fall to the very bottom after a minor mistake. And when we fall into the abyss for the first time, because the robust native who's supposed to toss Mario over a precipice, does so in an awkward way – it's easy to get angry.

I praised Super Mario 64 for its precision and elegance of design. Unfortunately, Sunshine is less polished in these terms. There are no bugs per se (it's a Nintendo game, they don't do that kind of thing), but some sections are just frustratingly difficult. This doesn't change the fact that, with a little determination, the game gives an awful lot of satisfaction. I sometimes wanted to throw the Switch out the window, sometimes hammered the already faltering Joy-Cons (lack of glitches doesn't apply to that controller). But nothing can replace the satisfaction when it finally worked out. It's quite the same feeling you get in Dark Souls.

I'm fascinated by how fresh Sunshine feels today – and the game has just celebrated its 18th anniversary. Yes, the camera could work a little better, and the graphics are visibly old, but in fact, you can jump into this game headfirst almost without a hitch. How many games from 2002 can boast the same thing?

Stellar Mario – for everyone

This time, Bowser really overdone it. Not only did he kidnap Princess Peach, which is typical of this brute's behavior, but he also ran off with her to another galaxy. Mario has no other choice but to become the first plumber in space. During the course of the game, we visit an observatory managed by Rosalina, and from there, we go on expeditions to various corners of space. What isn't there?

Super Mario Galaxy is primarily about awesome levels. Also, the creators masterfully used the setting in this installment. This time, apart from the goombs, abysses and ingenious bosses, we also have to strive with ourselves. The introduction of gravity dramatically changes the gameplay. The mechanics bring a ton of fun, with players doing weird things out of mere curiosity. But the thing that really messed with our perception was the perspective – for example, the game sometimes turns the world upside down, and I almost wanted to turn my Switch the same way. As a result, the game racked the brain like sudoku. And it's also very rewarding, propelling you to complete the next level. Get one more star.

Super Mario Galaxy has a fantastic structure. It's thoughtful and polished like 64, and at the same time even more inventive than Sunshine. Level design is top-notch. Plus, the levels are noticeably shorter than the sunny part of the series, allowing less hardcore or younger players to enjoy the game as well. There were also secrets, delicious additions in the form of searching for the missing Luigi, or the story of Rosalina. Galaxy is a platformer through and through, not without a reason rated 10/10 by most websites in the world.

If anything bothered me about Galaxy, it was the camera. Luckily, it's only annoying when we swim. I also missed the option to dress Mario in new clothes. All the different costumes from Super Mario Odyssey are so cool I'd like to have them in every game with that jolly plumber. But let's face it – it's hard to call them flaws. The game is just great!

Verdict: it's cool

Attention, Captain Obvious strikes! A three-dimensional series isn't for everyone. If you're looking for stories or charismatic characters in games (sorry, Mario), you won't find them in Super Mario 64, Sunshine nor Galaxy. Yeah, it seems a cliché. Still, there are allegations that the highly-rated game has disappointed some. So let me warn you in advance – Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection is great if you like challenges, platformers and colorful graphics.

The games included in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection have their problems. Yes, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is also missing from the set, and I have a hunch it will be released as a separate product. But that doesn't change anything – the collection consists of three great games; for platformer lovers, it is a must-have. And if you've already played 64 and Galaxy on WiiU, it's still worth buying for Sunshine alone. Even at full price. You won't be disappointed.