Super Mario All-Stars

Super Mario All-Stars

Introduction

In the early 1990s, the transition from 8-bit to 16-bit technology was a revolutionary moment for the gaming industry. Nintendo capitalized on this leap by revisiting its most iconic series with the release of Super Mario All-Stars. Known in Japan as the Super Mario Collection and often abbreviated by fans as SMAS, this compilation was more than just a simple bundle of games. It was a comprehensive remastering project that brought the first decade of Mario’s adventures into the modern era. By updating the aesthetics and mechanics of the original NES titles, Nintendo provided both veteran players and newcomers a definitive way to experience the foundation of the platforming genre.

Story & Setting

Because Super Mario All-Stars is a compilation, it spans several distinct narratives and settings. The collection begins with the classic quest in Super Mario Bros. and its direct successor, The Lost Levels, where Mario and Luigi must traverse the Mushroom Kingdom to rescue Princess Toadstool from the clutches of King Koopa. The setting then shifts dramatically in Super Mario Bros. 2, which takes place in the dreamlike land of Subcon. Here, the heroes must overthrow the villainous frog king, Wart, by utilizing the power of vegetables. Finally, Super Mario Bros. 3 expands the scope significantly, taking the brothers across eight diverse kingdoms—ranging from Giant Land to Pipe Land—to recover the magic scepters stolen by Bowser's Koopalings. While the stories remain simple, the 16-bit upgrade added depth to the backgrounds, giving these worlds a lush, atmospheric feel that the original hardware could not achieve.

Gameplay

The core gameplay of Super Mario All-Stars remains faithful to the original NES releases, but with several quality-of-life improvements. The compilation includes Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2 (the Western version), Super Mario Bros. 3, and for the first time in the West, the original Japanese sequel titled The Lost Levels.

Every game received a massive graphical overhaul, replacing the flat colors of the 8-bit era with detailed sprites and parallax scrolling backgrounds. The audio was similarly enhanced, with the iconic chiptune melodies rearranged into rich, orchestral-style MIDI scores. One of the most significant mechanical additions was the on-cartridge save feature, which allowed players to save their progress in any of the four games—a luxury that was not available in the original versions of the first two titles. Furthermore, Super Mario Bros. 3 received a dedicated "Battle Game" mode, updated from the original Mario Bros. arcade style, allowing two players to compete in a frantic arena setting.

Platforms

This game was released on several platforms, including the Super Nintendo and the Super Famicom.

Legacy

Super Mario All-Stars is frequently cited as one of the greatest compilations in gaming history. It set the gold standard for how retro content should be handled, proving that remasters could offer significant value beyond mere accessibility. Its success paved the way for future "remaster" projects across the industry. The collection was so popular that it was later bundled with the SNES console and eventually re-released for the Wii to celebrate Mario's 25th anniversary. Today, it remains a beloved fixture of the Nintendo Switch Online service, continuing to introduce the refined 16-bit versions of these classics to a whole new generation of gamers.

Fun Facts

  • The Lost Levels Revelation: Before this release, Western players generally did not know that the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2 was an entirely different, much harder game than the one released in North America and Europe.
  • Sprite Standardization: While the original NES games featured different character designs for Mario across the trilogy, All-Stars updated his sprite to be consistent throughout all four titles, modeled closely after his appearance in Super Mario Bros. 3.
  • A Different SMB2: The version of Super Mario Bros. 2 included here is actually a graphical overhaul of Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, which was rebranded as a Mario game for the Western market.
  • Regional Titles: While known as Super Mario All-Stars in the West, the Japanese title Super Mario Collection reflects Nintendo’s intent to treat the package as a definitive historical archive of the series.

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