Full Disclosure: I have played all of four of the included games in the past, and I am a fan of them.
The Games Themselves: Super Mario All-Stars includes Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, 3,and The Lost Levels. These games are classics, and almost every aged gamer has fond memories of at least one of these in the past. Playing these games again had me surprised at how little story is there. Obviously,the Mario storyline has always been simple, but there is no set-up to the platforming. In my youth I must have added a lot to the story myself. The gameplay of these Mario games is very well known as some of the best in existence. There are no real changes to the gameplay in this edition of Super Mario All-Stars. For the most part, the gameplay stands up to modern games, with the exception of the original Super Mario Bros. which feels slightly archaic. Jumps must be made perfectly from the outset as very little adjustments can be made to them. The graphics are updated from the original NES versions. I actually enjoyed the upgrade, but it would have been nice to see a greater overhaul done to the graphics, especially because this is a special edition of Super Mario All-Stars.. The music is as good as ever; many of these songs are instantly recognizable and are worth listening to on their own.
The Limited Edition: The limited edition includes a CD of some songs from past Mario games. The big problem with this CD is there are only ten songs, with the rest of the tracks just being sound effects. This is unacceptable for an anniversary limited edition; there are so many songs from all of the Mario games. As soon as the songs had finished, I wanted more and felt like there wasn't enough content on the CD. The limited edition also includes an anemic booklet showcasing thehistory of Mario games. There is very little content here; it is cool to have a booklet like this, but again for an anniversary edition, I can't help but want more. All these games are available on the Virtual Console already, so the necessity of this title is in question. Everyone should play these titles, but there are many other ways to play them and for a cheaper price.
Pros:
- Great music throughout all four games.
- Solid gameplay that still, for the most part, holds up.
- A nice collection of classic Mario games.
- Has a strong sense of nostalgia
Cons:
- Limited Edition is extremely lacking.
- Cheaper on Virtual Console.
- Controls in Super Mario Bros. seems dated.
Editor: Zach Felling
6/10 Solid
Value: $23
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