Super Mario 3D All-Stars

Did You Know?

• Super Mario 64 was subsequently included in the Nintendo 64 - Nintendo Classics catalogue for the Nintendo Switch Online service's Expansion Pack on October 25, 2021.
• Super Mario Sunshine was re-released as part of the Nintendo GameCube - Nintendo Classics catalogue exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2 on August 13, 2026.

Content

Super Mario 3D All-Stars brings together high-definition versions of the first three 3D platformers in the Super Mario series: Super Mario 64 from 1996, Super Mario Sunshine from 2002, and Super Mario Galaxy from 2007. The version of Super Mario 64 in this set is the one released only in Japan in July 1997, which originally added rumble support and also included bug fixes and gameplay changes. All three games run through emulation, though Super Mario Galaxy was partly recompiled to work natively on the Nintendo Switch.

They all work with Joy-Con controllers and include rumble, and they display at higher resolutions: Sunshine and Galaxy hit 1080p when docked and 720p in handheld mode, while Super Mario 64 stays at 720p in both modes and uses a 4:3 aspect ratio. A patch from November 2020 added camera controls for all three games and new options for controlling F.L.U.D.D. in Sunshine. Sunshine originally relied on the GameCube controller’s analog triggers to adjust water pressure, but since Switch controllers lack those, the collection uses the right bumper for precise aiming while standing still, and the right trigger acts like pulling the GameCube trigger about three-quarters of the way.

GameCube controller support for Sunshine was added in November 2020 for TV mode, and a later patch in November 2021 let players use the Nintendo 64 wireless controller for Super Mario 64 if they have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. Super Mario Galaxy offers optional Joy-Con controls that mimic the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, with Mario’s spin mapped to the X and Y buttons. With the Pro Controller, the gyroscope works as a pointer that can be recentered using the right bumper.

In handheld mode or on the Nintendo Switch Lite, players must use the touchscreen instead of the pointer, and cooperative mode in those setups requires an extra Joy-Con. The collection also includes a music player with 175 tracks from all three games, which can play even when the screen is off, and a random song plays every time the main menu opens.

Development

Nintendo EPD developed Super Mario 3D All-Stars, which Nintendo published. According to Eurogamer, the project was called "Super Mario All-Stars 2" internally. The development team wanted to keep the original games' spirit and design intact while adding higher resolution and updated controller layouts. To grasp what made the original titles important, they spoke with people who worked on those games.

The collection runs on software emulation. Nintendo European Research & Development handled the emulation for Super Mario Sunshine, and also helped create widescreen 16:9 support, controller mapping, and enhanced cutscene quality through deep learning. On March 30, 2020, Video Games Chronicle reported that Nintendo planned to re-release several Mario games for the Switch to mark the series' 35th anniversary. VentureBeat claimed the bundle would include Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Galaxy 2.

The following day, Gematsu and Eurogamer reported that Galaxy 2 was not included, and VentureBeat later admitted they could not confirm its presence. A subsequent VGC report confirmed the three games—64, Sunshine, and Galaxy—and said Nintendo's E3 2020 announcement was scrapped because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reception

Super Mario 3D All-Stars received "generally favorable reviews" according to Metacritic, and OpenCritic assessed that 85% of critics recommended it. Critics generally agreed the games remained enjoyable but were divided over the simplistic presentation, lack of additional features, the limited-time release, and the absence of Super Mario Galaxy 2. Ian Walker from Kotaku said the port of 64 had no obvious negative consequences and fixed some performance dips from the original, and that controls worked well on the Switch.

For Sunshine, he felt adjusted controls would affect players with muscle memory from the original, and visuals stuttered late in the game. For Galaxy, Walker appreciated that some motion controls were remapped to buttons but noted areas still requiring motion controls remained problematic. IGN's Zachary Ryan was disappointed by the lack of effort compared to the overhauls in Super Mario All-Stars, and noted emulation explained the lack of upgrades.

For 64, Ryan felt the upscaling made it look its best and called controls tight, though the x-axis camera was inverted (later made optional). He wished for quality-of-life upgrades, feeling new players might find it inaccessible. For Sunshine, Ryan said it still looked fantastic and controls remained fluid, though he experienced slowdown. For Galaxy, Ryan felt upscaling made it a fully realized version and praised updated control options, adding that handheld mode, while not ideal, still worked.