It was a weird time. Remember late 2020? Everyone was stuck inside, and Nintendo decided to celebrate Mario's 35th anniversary by dropping a bombshell that felt like a gift and a threat at the exact same time. They announced Super Mario 3D All Stars Nintendo Switch would only be available for six months. After March 31, 2021, it was gone. Digital stores delisted it. Physical production halted. It was "limited-time" FOMO (fear of missing out) on a corporate scale we hadn't really seen from a major platform holder before.
But honestly? People bought it anyway. Nine million people, actually.
The collection brings together three titans: Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. It’s a strange, uneven, but ultimately essential package that serves as a playable museum of how we learned to move in 3D spaces. It’s not a "remaster" in the way people usually use that word today. There are no new textures or re-recorded orchestral scores. It’s basically a high-end emulation project. If you're looking for a total ground-up remake like Link’s Awakening, you’re going to be disappointed. But if you want the raw, unfiltered history of Nintendo’s flagship series, this is it.
The Mario 64 Problem: To Widescreen or Not?
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Super Mario 64. When you fire it up on the Super Mario 3D All Stars Nintendo Switch version, it’s in a 4:3 aspect ratio. You get black bars on the sides of your screen. For some, this was a dealbreaker. In an era where fans have created PC ports that run the game in 4K at 60 frames per second with full widescreen support, Nintendo’s decision to keep it "authentic" felt a bit lazy to some.
It’s the "Shindou" version of the game, too. That means the famous "So long, King Bowser!" line (or "So long, Gay Bowser!" depending on how you heard it) is gone, replaced by a generic "Bye-bye!" because this version fixed several bugs and added rumble support that the original US N64 release lacked.
Playing it today is a trip. The camera is still your greatest enemy. It’s janky. It gets stuck behind walls. But the movement? Mario’s triple jump and dive still feel better than 90% of modern platformers. There is a weight and a momentum to it that Nintendo nailed on their first try in 1996. It runs at 720p in both docked and handheld mode, which sounds low, but the clean polygons actually look surprisingly sharp on the Switch’s smaller screen.
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Why Super Mario Sunshine is the Secret Star
For a long time, Sunshine was the black sheep. It’s weird. It’s set on a tropical island. You have a talking water backpack named FLUDD. It’s also notoriously difficult and, at times, felt unfinished. Before the Super Mario 3D All Stars Nintendo Switch release, Sunshine was trapped on the GameCube. If you wanted to play it, you had to hunt down an old console and an increasingly expensive disc.
This collection changed the narrative on Sunshine.
Nintendo did a few key things here. They bumped it to 1080p and, crucially, gave it a 16:9 widescreen presentation. It looks gorgeous. The water effects—which were ahead of their time in 2002—still look stunning today. The colors pop. However, they had to mess with the controls. The original GameCube controller had analog triggers; you could press them down halfway to spray water while walking, or click them all the way down to stand still and aim. The Switch doesn't have analog triggers.
Nintendo solved this by mapping different spray functions to the R and ZR buttons. It takes about twenty minutes for your brain to rewire itself, but once it clicks, it’s fine. It’s still the hardest game in the set. Those "secret" levels where Bowser Jr. steals your backpack and you have to platform across floating blocks to a capella music? They’re still nightmare-fuel. But they’re also some of the purest platforming challenges Nintendo has ever designed.
The Perfection of Super Mario Galaxy
If 64 is the pioneer and Sunshine is the experimental cousin, Super Mario Galaxy is the masterpiece. Even now, it feels like it came from the future. The gravity-shifting mechanics where you run around tiny planetoids still feel fresh. It’s the only game in the Super Mario 3D All Stars Nintendo Switch bundle that runs at a full 1080p and 60fps. It is buttery smooth.
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The transition from Wii to Switch was tricky because of the pointer controls. On the Wii, you pointed the Wiimote at the screen to collect Star Bits. On the Switch, you have a few options:
- Docked Mode: You use the Joy-Con's gyro sensors to point. It works surprisingly well, though you’ll find yourself hitting the "re-center" button (R) quite a bit.
- Handheld Mode: You use the touchscreen. This is... less than ideal. Trying to swipe the screen to collect bits while your thumbs are busy on the sticks feels awkward.
- Pro Controller: Also uses gyro. It’s functional, but the Joy-Cons feel more natural for this specific title.
Despite the control quirks, Galaxy is the reason to own this collection. The orchestral score is sweeping and grand. The level design is a constant barrage of new ideas that are introduced, used to their fullest, and then discarded for something even crazier. It’s a masterclass.
The "Limited Release" Aftermath
Nintendo’s decision to pull the game from shelves was a move that still leaves a sour taste in the mouths of many preservationists. By making Super Mario 3D All Stars Nintendo Switch a limited run, they created a secondary market where physical copies now often sell for more than their original $60 MSRP.
Was it a "lazy" port? Some say yes. It’s essentially three emulators running inside a shell. There are no "behind the scenes" galleries or interviews. You get the three games and a music player containing the soundtracks. That’s it. Compared to something like the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, which was a total graphical overhaul, Nintendo’s offering looks sparse.
But there is a counter-argument. These games are foundational. There is a value in playing them exactly as they were, just with a higher resolution. You’re seeing the brushstrokes of the original artists. When you play Mario 64, you’re seeing the birth of the 3D platformer. When you play Sunshine, you’re seeing Nintendo try to figure out how to iterate on perfection. When you play Galaxy, you’re seeing them reach the summit.
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What You Need to Know Before Buying a Used Copy
Since you can't buy this on the eShop anymore, you're looking at eBay, Mercari, or the dusty back shelf of a local game shop. Here’s the reality of the situation in 2026.
Prices have stabilized, but they aren't dropping. You’re likely going to pay between $70 and $90 for a used copy. If you find it for the original $60, buy it immediately.
Check the region. The Switch is region-free, so a Japanese or European copy will work on your American Switch. However, for collectors, the ESRB rating on the front matters for resale value. Also, be aware that there is no DLC. What is on the cartridge is the whole experience. There was one major update after launch that added "Inverted Camera" options—something that was desperately needed—and support for the wireless GameCube controller adapter. Make sure your Switch connects to the internet to download that patch, even if you have the physical cart.
Beyond the Games: The Music Player
One underrated feature of the Super Mario 3D All Stars Nintendo Switch collection is the music mode. It includes 175 tracks across all three games. You can actually turn off the Switch screen and just use the console as a giant MP3 player. It sounds silly until you’re doing chores and want to blast the "Gusty Garden Galaxy" theme. It’s a nice touch that adds a bit of "premium" feel to a package that is otherwise very utilitarian.
Technical Specs and Performance
- Super Mario 64: 720p (Docked/Handheld), 30fps.
- Super Mario Sunshine: 1080p (Docked) / 720p (Handheld), 30fps, 16:9 Widescreen.
- Super Mario Galaxy: 1080p (Docked) / 720p (Handheld), 60fps.
It’s important to note that Galaxy is the only one that hits that 60fps gold standard. Sunshine and 64 stay at 30fps. While 64 at 30fps is fine because that’s how it always was, some people really hoped Sunshine would get a 60fps boost. It didn't happen. The game's logic is tied to its frame rate, and bumping it up would have required a much more intensive (and expensive) overhaul than Nintendo was willing to do for a collection they were only selling for six months.
Actionable Steps for New Owners
If you just picked up a copy, do these three things first to have the best experience:
- Check for Updates: Immediately hit the "+" button on your home screen and check for software updates. You need the camera inversion patch for Sunshine and 64. It changes the game from "frustrating" to "playable."
- Calibrate Your Gyro: If you're playing Galaxy, go into your Switch system settings and make sure your controllers are calibrated. Drifting pointers are the fastest way to ruin a session.
- Try the Pro Controller for Sunshine: The slightly larger triggers on the Pro Controller make the lack of analog input feel a bit more manageable than the tiny Joy-Con buttons.
Super Mario 3D All Stars Nintendo Switch isn't a perfect collection. It’s a snapshot of a company that knows the value of its own history and isn't afraid to put a ticking clock on it. It’s flawed, it’s expensive, and it’s occasionally frustrating. But it’s also the only way to play these three masterpieces on a modern television in high definition without resorting to piracy or complex PC setups. If you find a copy, grab it. History usually doesn't give you a second chance, and Nintendo certainly won't.