Let’s be real. When Nintendo finally announced Super Mario 3D All-Stars back in 2020 for the plumber's 35th anniversary, the collective internet lost its mind, then immediately started arguing. It was a weird time. People wanted a full-blown remake of the 1996 classic, something with Odyssey-level graphics and modern camera controls, but what we actually got was a very specific, very deliberate "Shindou" version of the original ROM.
It’s complicated.
Super Mario 64 is the crown jewel of that collection, but calling it a "remaster" is honestly pushing it. It’s more of a high-definition preservation project. You’ve got the same low-poly trees, the same Bowser laughs, and—most controversially—the same 4:3 aspect ratio. Nintendo didn't even give us widescreen. They basically took the 1997 Japanese re-release, cleaned up the HUD textures, and bumped the resolution to 720p. If you're looking for a total overhaul, this isn't it. But if you want to know exactly why this specific version exists in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars bundle, you have to look at the "So Long King Bowser" tragedy.
The Shindou Version and the "Gay Bowser" Erasure
Most people who grew up with an N64 remember Mario's iconic, albeit misunderstood, goodbye to his nemesis. "So long, King Bowser!" sounded remarkably like "So long, gay Bowser!" to millions of kids. It became a piece of gaming history. However, the version included in Super Mario 3D All-Stars is based on the Shindou Pak Taiou version released in Japan in late 1997.
In this version, Mario just says "Bye-bye!"
It’s a small change that felt like a betrayal to nostalgic fans. But the Shindou version wasn't just about changing voice lines; it was the version that added Rumble Pak support. This is why Nintendo chose it. They wanted the Joy-Cons to shake when Mario hits the ground or takes damage. To get the rumble, they had to sacrifice the meme. It’s a technical trade-off that highlights Nintendo's philosophy: functionality usually beats fan-service.
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Honestly, the camera is still a nightmare sometimes. It’s the Lakitu camera we all know and... well, mostly tolerate. In Super Mario 3D All-Stars, the right stick on the Switch controller mimics the C-buttons of the N64. It’s clunky. You’ll still find yourself fighting with the perspective while trying to navigate the narrow beams in Tick Tock Clock.
Why the 4:3 Ratio Actually Makes Sense
You’ll hear a lot of shouting on Reddit about the lack of 16:9 widescreen support for Mario 64. It feels lazy at first glance. Sunshine and Galaxy both got the widescreen treatment in the collection, so why not the one that started it all?
The reality is about technical debt.
Because Mario 64 was built for 4:3 CRT televisions, the game "culls" objects that aren't on the screen to save memory. If you force a 16:9 perspective via an emulator, you see things you aren't supposed to see. Goombas popping into existence out of thin air, Bowser's tail clipping through "empty" space, and textures simply disappearing at the edges of the frame. Nintendo chose to keep the black bars on the sides rather than rebuild the engine or deal with visual glitches that would make the game look broken. They went for accuracy over aesthetics.
Comparing the Switch Port to the PC Port
If you really want to see what Mario 64 could look like, you have to look at the fan-made PC ports. These aren't emulations; they are full decompilations of the original source code. The PC port features:
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- Native 4K support.
- Ultra-widescreen 21:9 compatibility.
- Ray-tracing (which looks surreal on a 1996 game).
- 60 frames per second.
The version in Super Mario 3D All-Stars runs at 30fps. For a company as wealthy as Nintendo, sticking to 30fps felt like a missed opportunity to many. However, the game's physics are actually tied to the frame rate. If you just "unlock" the frames to 60 without rewriting the code, Mario moves twice as fast, and the game becomes unplayable. Fan modders spent months fixing those timing issues; Nintendo likely decided the ROI (Return on Investment) for a 25-year-old game didn't justify that level of engineering work.
The FOMO Marketing Strategy
We can’t talk about Super Mario 3D All-Stars without mentioning the "Disney Vault" strategy. Nintendo did something genuinely bizarre: they put an expiration date on a digital product. The game was only available for purchase until March 31, 2021. After that, it was pulled from the eShop.
It worked.
Sales skyrocketed as people scrambled to own a piece of history before it vanished. Even now, in 2026, physical copies of the game are selling for significantly more than their original $60 retail price on secondary markets like eBay. It turned a video game into a collectible commodity. This move was widely criticized by consumer advocacy groups, but from a business perspective, it cemented the collection's status as a "must-have" legacy item.
Performance and Texture Filtering
The textures in the Switch version are an interesting middle ground. They aren't the blurry, filtered messes of the N64, but they aren't totally redrawn either. Nintendo used an AI upscaling method to sharpen the UI elements—the stars, the health meter, and the text—while leaving the world textures mostly original.
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It creates a strange visual contrast.
You have a crisp, high-definition "3" next to a blurry, pixelated stone wall. It’s like looking at a museum piece through a clean window. Some people find it jarring; others find it charming. It preserves the "look" of the N64 while making it playable on a 65-inch OLED TV without making your eyes bleed.
The Nuance of Control: Pro Controller vs. Joy-Cons
Playing Mario 64 on the Switch feels different depending on your hardware. If you’re using the standard Joy-Cons, the lack of an octagonal gate around the joystick makes precise movement harder than it was on the N64. On the original controller, you could "lock" the stick into one of eight directions. On the Switch's smooth circular gate, you might find yourself accidentally diving off a cliff because your angle was two degrees off.
If you’re serious about getting all 120 stars, use the Pro Controller. Or better yet, if you were lucky enough to snag one, use the Bluetooth N64 controller Nintendo released for Switch Online members. It changes the experience entirely.
Actionable Insights for Players and Collectors
If you already own the collection, or you're thinking about hunting down a physical copy, here is the best way to approach the Mario 64 experience today:
- Don't skip the "Options" menu. You can invert the camera controls. For modern gamers, the "classic" N64 camera logic—where pushing left moves the camera right—feels backwards. Switching this makes the game significantly more playable.
- Check your firmware. If you have a physical cartridge, ensure your Switch is updated. Early versions of the collection had slight input lag issues that were partially addressed in later system updates.
- Invest in a Pro Controller. The precision required for levels like Rainbow Ride or Wing Mario Over the Rainbow is nearly impossible with the short throw of a Joy-Con thumbstick.
- Value Assessment. If you find a used copy for under $80, buy it. The price has stabilized, but as the Switch's successor continues to age, these "out of print" titles historically appreciate in value.
- Understand the "Shindou" glitches. You cannot perform the famous "Backwards Long Jump" (BLJ) to skip the 70-star door in this version. Nintendo patched that out in 1997. If you're trying to speedrun using old glitches, you're going to have a bad time.
The Super Mario 3D All-Stars version of Mario 64 is a time capsule. It’s not perfect, it’s not a remake, and it’s certainly not "modern." But it is the most stable, accessible way to play the game that defined 3D movement forever. It’s a piece of history that asks you to meet it on its own terms, 4:3 bars and all.