Honestly, if you grew up in the early nineties, you probably remember that specific, heavy "thunk" of a Super NES cartridge sliding into the slot. It wasn't just any game, though. It was Super Mario All-Stars. For most of us, this was the first time we realized that video games could actually be "remastered." Before the 4K patches and the ray-tracing updates we see today, Nintendo did something pretty radical by taking four of the biggest games on the planet and giving them a complete visual and auditory overhaul. It changed everything. It wasn't just a port; it was a statement.
Nintendo basically took the NES library and told it to go to the gym.
The Weird History of the Lost Levels
Most people think Super Mario All-Stars is just a collection of the first three games. You've got the original Super Mario Bros., the quirky Super Mario Bros. 2, and the absolute masterpiece that is Super Mario Bros. 3. But the real MVP of the collection—at least for the hardcore nerds—was The Lost Levels.
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See, back in the day, Japan got a very different sequel to the original Mario. It was brutally difficult. It was so hard, in fact, that Nintendo of America looked at it and basically said, "No thanks, our kids will hate this." Instead, they took a completely different game called Doki Doki Panic, swapped the characters for Mario and his friends, and called it Super Mario Bros. 2.
When Super Mario All-Stars dropped in 1993, Western players finally got to see what they’d missed. It was the first time we officially got our hands on the real Japanese sequel. It was punishing. Poison mushrooms? Wind that blows you off cliffs? It was a nightmare disguised as a 16-bit dream.
It Isn't Just About the Graphics
If you look at the 8-bit versions of these games, they have a certain charm. They’re iconic. But the 16-bit versions in Super Mario All-Stars added a layer of atmosphere that the NES simply couldn't touch. I'm talking about the backgrounds. In the original Super Mario Bros., the sky was just a flat, solid blue. In the All-Stars version, you’ve got these beautiful, rolling clouds and distant mountains. It felt like a world rather than just a level.
The music got a massive upgrade too. The SNES sound chip (the S-SMP) was a beast. It turned those catchy 8-bit bleeps into rich, orchestral-style arrangements with actual bass.
Wait, there’s a catch. Purists will tell you that the physics in the All-Stars version of the first game are... off. There’s this specific "brick bounce" glitch. In the NES original, if Mario hits a brick, he bounces back down instantly. In the Super Mario All-Stars version, he kind of clips into the block for a frame. It sounds like a tiny detail, but for speedrunners or people who played the original until their thumbs bled, it feels weird. It’s like wearing someone else’s shoes. They look great, but they pinch a little.
Why SMB3 Looks So Different
The crown jewel of the collection is undeniably Super Mario Bros. 3. This game was already a technical marvel on the NES. It pushed that little gray toaster to its absolute limits. When it moved to the SNES for Super Mario All-Stars, it finally had room to breathe. The colors popped. The Kings in each world actually looked like different characters instead of just the same dude in a different hat.
Breaking Down the Visual Shifts
- The Overworld Maps: On the SNES, these maps became vibrant dioramas. The water moved. The palm trees swayed. It felt alive.
- The Outfits: Frog Mario and Tanooki Mario gained shading and detail that made the power-ups feel more substantial.
- The Save System: This was the real game-changer. On the NES, if you wanted to beat Mario 3, you either had to leave your console on all night (and pray your mom didn't unplug it) or use Warp Whistles to skip half the game. All-Stars added save slots. You could actually take your time. You could savor the Giant Land.
The Controversy of the 2010 Anniversary
Fast forward to 2010. Nintendo decided to celebrate Mario's 25th anniversary by re-releasing Super Mario All-Stars on the Wii. People were hyped. Then they saw it. It was... just a ROM on a disc. No widescreen support. No updated graphics. Just the 1993 game exactly as it was.
Critics like those at IGN and GameSpot at the time pointed out that it felt a bit lazy. You got a nice little soundtrack CD and a booklet, sure, but in an era where we were seeing full HD remakes of other classics, Nintendo just gave us a port of a remake. It’s a weird bit of history because it showed how much Nintendo relies on nostalgia while also showing how little they sometimes feel they need to change to sell millions.
Is it Still the Best Way to Play?
This is a hot debate in the retro gaming community. If you have a Nintendo Switch, you can play Super Mario All-Stars right now through the SNES Online app. It’s easy. It’s convenient. But is it the "best" version?
- The Case for Original NES: Some say the 8-bit grit and the tighter physics make the originals superior. The art style is "pure."
- The Case for All-Stars: It’s objectively prettier. The save features make it much more accessible for modern players who don't have six hours to sit in front of a TV in one go.
- The Wildcard: Super Mario Advance 4 on the Game Boy Advance is actually a port of the All-Stars version of Mario 3, but with even MORE content (if you had the e-Reader).
Honestly, it comes down to what you grew up with. If your first memory of Mario is the 16-bit version, the 8-bit one feels empty. If you’re a purist, the SNES versions feel like they have too much "makeup" on.
Little Details You Probably Missed
There are small things in Super Mario All-Stars that most people overlook. For instance, in the SNES version of Super Mario Bros. 2, the character selection screen is much more detailed. You can see Princess Peach's dress fluttering. The slot machine at the end of the levels was redesigned. Even the sprites for the enemies like Shy Guys got a "roundness" they didn't have before.
Also, did you know about the "Ninja" jump? In The Lost Levels, Luigi actually has different physics than Mario. He jumps higher but he skids like he’s on ice. This started a trend that would define Luigi's gameplay style for decades. All-Stars made these differences much more apparent through the improved animations.
Why We Still Care About a 30-Year-Old Collection
Gaming is obsessed with the new. We want more polygons, better frame rates, and realistic sweat. But Super Mario All-Stars remains relevant because it represents a peak era of 2D art. There is a "comfiness" to the sprites in this game. They are chunky, colorful, and expressive.
It also set the template for how companies handle their back catalogs. Without All-Stars, we might not have the Master Chief Collection or the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. It proved that gamers are willing to buy the same game twice if you actually put the work in to make it feel fresh.
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Actionable Steps for the Modern Player
If you want to dive back into this classic, don't just mindlessly run through the levels. To get the most out of the experience, try these specific things:
- Check the Physics: Play World 1-1 of the original Super Mario Bros. on the NES app, then immediately switch to the Super Mario All-Stars version. Try to feel that brick-bounce difference. It’ll make you a more observant gamer.
- Tackle the Real Sequel: Don't skip The Lost Levels. It’s a piece of gaming history. Use the save states on the Switch to get through it if you have to, but experience the madness that Japan thought was "normal" difficulty back in 1986.
- Look at the Backgrounds: Especially in Mario 3. Stop for a second in World 4 (Big Island) and look at how the SNES handles the scale of the enemies compared to the original hardware.
- Compare the Audio: If you have decent headphones, listen to the Bowser battle music in the All-Stars version of Mario 3. It’s significantly more menacing than the NES version.
Super Mario All-Stars isn't just a collection of old games. It’s a time capsule of a moment when Nintendo was at the absolute top of its game, showing the world that even their "old" stuff was better than most people's "new" stuff. Whether you're playing for the first time or the fiftieth, that 16-bit magic hasn't faded. It’s still the gold standard for how to treat a legacy.