Mixed Feelings on Super Mario 3D All-Stars

Instead of holding a big Nintendo Direct, Nintendo’s strategy lately has been to release smaller presentations like the partner showcases.

Yesterday, they continued the trend by dropping a surprise Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary Direct.

The Direct was full of Mario announcements, including a new Mario Kart entry that uses real toy karts racing around your house as you play the game (which I probably won’t get, but absolutely would have wanted as a kid), and the much-rumored Switch ports of the 3D Mario games.

Super Mario 3D World is getting its own separate Switch release with new content called Bowser’s Fury, but the announcement I was most interested in was Super Mario 3D All-Stars, a collection of Super Mario 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy, plus an in-game music collection.

(But not Super Mario Galaxy 2. It didn’t even show up in the montage of Mario games at the end!)

I wasn’t surprised that all three games look pretty much like straight ports. I wasn’t surprised by the $60 price tag, either. I could see them easily pricing Super Mario Galaxy at $30 or $40 if it was a standalone release, for example.

And when they said the physical edition would be limited, I was disappointed but not surprised… until I realized they also said the digital version is limited. Super Mario 3D All-Stars will be out on September 18, but it will only be sold up through March 31, 2021.

Why?

Why make even the digital release limited?

A moment later, I had my answer, because I immediately went from, “I’ve played the originals, so I don’t know if I really want this,” to, “But I only have until March to decide, so maybe I’d better get them!” Being available for a limited amount of time might make people more inclined to buy them who would have otherwise waited.

My other theory is that after March 31, all three will appear as individual purchases on the eShop at a higher price all together. Since they haven’t announced that, however, the “fear of missing out” theory still applies even if they do release them separately.

Some fans have defended the decision, saying it’s supposed to be limited since it’s an anniversary celebration and past All-Stars releases were like this, but I still don’t like it.

This has left me conflicted. On one hand, I don’t know if I want to re-buy slightly three games I already have just because they’re on a newer console. On the other hand, I feel I should buy them just in case I do decide I want to replay them. But then, that makes me feel like I’m being manipulated into buying them, and then I don’t want to.

At least I have until March to decide. How do you feel about the Super Mario 3D All-Stars Collection?