Super Mario All-Stars is getting (another) NA release (this time on Wii)

[Xexyz]

Just picked mine up at 4pm in the afternoon today at Target. They had around 20 copies on the shelves.

People worried that this will be a scarce item can stop being paranoid now.

[buzz_n64]

Damn it, my order from Amazon still hasn't shipped. Stupid Sundays! lol Maybe I'll pick up another copy at Best Buy.

[The 1 2 P]

People worried that this will be a scarce item can stop being paranoid now.

It will NEVER be scarce, as most of us have already figured out. But you can blame Nintendo for tricking certain people by saying this is a "limited" release. And while this will never be hard to find, once Nintendo discontinues it(as they do for most of their games this gen) it will become less easy to walk into stores and buy it. But that won't be for atleast another 6 months to a year. And even then you'll still be able to purchase it freely on amazon or ebay, as well as a few other places.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Whooooo boy is this a dry port of the SNES game.

No alterations to the software (still shows the SNES pad graphics when selecting a button layout), 4:3 presentation, no software based upscaling or graphic filtering.

They literally dropped the SNES rom on a disc and wrapped it up real nice.

Other than the Wii game channel start up graphics, this is a SNES rom on a disc.

Not that I'm complaining per'se, I'm glad to have it as I love the All-Star versions of the games and the package and pack-in book/soundtrack is classy, I'm just surprised that this is so bare-bones.

[Voliko]

I picked one up. It's a pretty nice $30 box.

[misfits859]

Bought a copy at my local Wal-Mart this evening. I like the packaging.

[Matt-El]

30 dollar packaging rocks!

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

30 dollar packaging rocks!

Hey, this is what the anti-DLC movement is fighting for.

No better an example IMO, a rom of Super Mario All Stars in a fancy box with some pack in extras not tied to a single Wii via virtual console download.

[megasdkirby]

Hey, this is what the anti-DLC movement is fighting for.

No better an example IMO, a rom of Super Mario All Stars in a fancy box with some pack in extras not tied to a single Wii via virtual console download.

And it will still probably sell millions. Why? Because it's Mario and it's on the Wii.

Nice to have, but what a damn rip off. Still nice to own, though.

[j_factor]

Hey, this is what the anti-DLC movement is fighting for.

No, it isn't. Just because it's not DLC doesn't mean it's worthwhile. And anyway I'm as anti-DLC as anybody, but I don't really care so much when a physical version exists (and isn't too hard to acquire). That's my real problem with DLC: when we don't have any other option. The VC doesn't bother me because they're all games that already had their chance as physical releases.

A cartridge game burned to disc wasn't even considered acceptable when CD's were relatively new. Some Sega CD games really got blasted for not adding enough over the cartridge version, and they always added something. Same goes for PC CD-ROMs.


No better an example IMO, a rom of Super Mario All Stars in a fancy box with some pack in extras not tied to a single Wii via virtual console download.

I can't imagine how this is a good package, unless you're a very casual gamer.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

...That's my real problem with DLC: when we don't have any other option...

And the irony in this case, those who would have been more than happy paying $10 for this as DLC have no other option than to pay the premium of a physical package, which in this case means extras which apparently are undesirable to some as well as the addtional cost of getting the physical copy, which for some means driving somewhere to get it or added shipping costs to have it delivered.

I'm sure Nintendo saw releasing the rom on the VC alongside the individual Mario titles which still probably sell better than other games on the market as a problematic scenario and this was the best way to keep the games segregated and not damaging to each others sales.

[MarioMania]

I hate assholes on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/Super-Mario-All-Stars-Wii-Limited-Edition-/300504296130?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item45f773aac2



This is for a Brand New Sealed Super Mario All Stars for the Wii Limited Edition. Can't find it in stores or can't get it online, well this is the place to get it!!! Just in time for Christmas. Box comes with Super Mario History Soundtrack CD, and Super Mario History Booklet, and of course the Game. Shipping will be free which is always a plus. I only take Pay Pal which is quick and more secure.Thank You for looking and enjoy.

[Rob2600]

I can't imagine how this is a good package, unless you're a very casual gamer.

Millions of people who own a Wii didn't grow up with the original Super Mario Bros. games. Now, for $30, those people get to experience some of the greatest video games of all time.

If you grew up with the old games and played them to death, this $30 disc might seem like a rip-off, but if you're new to video games (which many Wii owners are) or don't own an NES or SNES anymore and want to revisit these classics, this is $30 very well spent.

Remember, there are millions of people out there who aren't retro collectors and don't have old consoles hooked up to their TVs. For $75, they can track down an SNES and Super Mario All-Stars on eBay and have another device cluttering up their living room...or for $30 they can play this on their Wii.

[josekortez]

I'm going to see if I can find one at K-Mart and return my other one to Gamestop. K-Mart is giving away a $10 off gaming coupon with the purchase of SMB All-Stars.

[buzz_n64]

Damn it! My order from Amazon still hasn't shipped, lazy bastards!

[j_factor]

Millions of people who own a Wii didn't grow up with the original Super Mario Bros. games. Now, for $30, those people get to experience some of the greatest video games of all time.

If you grew up with the old games and played them to death, this $30 disc might seem like a rip-off, but if you're new to video games (which many Wii owners are) or don't own an NES or SNES anymore and want to revisit these classics, this is $30 very well spent.

Did you read the complete sentence you quoted? I said "unless you're a very casual gamer". You go on to argue how great this is for people who are very casual gamers.

I see this as a poor value and a very lazy release, compared to the collections we've seen from Midway, Capcom, Sega, Taito, SNK, etc. They could have easily made this a better package by including more content -- it's not as though there's not plenty of room on the disc, or there is a lack of potential content that would be appropriate. Instead, they burned an SNES ROM to a disc. Not even the best possible SNES ROM -- there's another one with the same but more content. I see any piracy as fully justified in this case.

There is a right way and a wrong way to release classic collections, and this is clearly the wrong way.

[nensondubois]

First time seeing Super Mario All-Stars in the modern gaming thread, lol.

I just got mine from the Amazon preorer with some nasty wear on the corners :/ This is the best thing Nintendo made in a long time.

[TonyTheTiger]

By no means am I going to say that this release is the epitome of value but given that it is a great collection, comes with a nifty soundtrack, and a bit of a history book, I'd imagine many people here have spent much more money on much more absurd things. Myself included.

Was a bit of a bitch finding a copy that wasn't either scratched or banged up, though. I went through an entire table's worth at Best Buy to find a decent copy. Maybe something wrong with the shipment?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

...I'd imagine many people here have spent much more money on much more absurd things...

This, oh a thousand times this.

Is it a bare-bones rom? Yes. But, it's Mario All-Stars, which is undeniably good stuff, and stuff some of us have paid as much for for 1/4 of the content on GBA (Super Mario Advance & Super Mario Advance 4 were pretty much the All Stars versions of Mario 2 and 3).

Nintendo won't need to twist any arms to sell these at $30 ... and they probably could've charged more and sold just as many. I'll take it at $30.

[Leo_A]

Did you read the complete sentence you quoted? I said "unless you're a very casual gamer". You go on to argue how great this is for people who are very casual gamers.

I see this as a poor value and a very lazy release, compared to the collections we've seen from Midway, Capcom, Sega, Taito, SNK, etc. They could have easily made this a better package by including more content -- it's not as though there's not plenty of room on the disc, or there is a lack of potential content that would be appropriate. Instead, they burned an SNES ROM to a disc. Not even the best possible SNES ROM -- there's another one with the same but more content. I see any piracy as fully justified in this case.

There is a right way and a wrong way to release classic collections, and this is clearly the wrong way.

The ease or difficulty of this has absolutely nothing to do with this.

These games stand on their own and don't need to be bundled by the dozens in a retail collection to entice people. Why would they even just give away Super Mario World, for example? Its sold to millions of Wii owners as an $8 download and still continues to sell very well. Why give away your assets for next to nothing? They're a company that wants to maximize their profits, and they're not going to do that by giving away their back catalog. Things like Taito's coinops, SNK's back catalog of coinops, Sega's lineup of Genesis titles, and so on basically have to be bundled up to make a very enticing package that is going to encourage people to purchase it. There aren't going to be millions of people lining up to buy Ristar on disc for $30 like there will be for this release.

Nintendo doesn't need to do such a thing since their back catalog is so strong. It would be irresponsible to their shareholders to toss something like their 1st party lineup of SuperNes titles off the Virtual Console on to a disc and sell it as a $30 collection when they're doing so well as $8 downloads. Would greatly reduce the profit they'd earn off their back catalog and devalue their assets if they just started almost giving them away.

Super Mario All-Stars remains a strong game today that a new generation of Mario fans are going to greatly enjoy (Such as the 5 year old son of a friend of mine that loves Mario). And it's going to sell millions of copies. It's hardly the wrong way to do this sort of thing.

You can bet that companies like Sega wish their back catalogs had such universal appeal today that they could still sell millions of copies of a nearly 20 year old game to a new generation of customers for $30 a copy. Instead, they have to bundle dozens of past titles into a $20 package to even have a chance of it making a profit.

[Gameguy]

You can bet that companies like Sega wish their back catalogs had such universal appeal today that they could still sell millions of copies of a nearly 20 year old game to a new generation of customers for $30 a copy. Instead, they have to bundle dozens of past titles into a $20 package to even have a chance of it making a profit.
How many times has Sega bundled their games for sale? They made a Sonic collection for the PS2, a Genesis collection for PS2, another Genesis collection for PS3, a release of the Sonic games for the DS, Sonic for GBA, etc. The games are still in enough demand that they can be rereleased every few years.

Besides the GBA remakes and ports, this is the first Super Mario Bros rerelease for a home console since the SNES version. And this is supposedly a limited release. I'm sure if they kept rereleasing the same games every few years nobody would be as excited for a release like this. There's Super Mario Bros and Zelda, what other franchises would people want Nintendo to rerelease like this?

It's still not as bad as Dragon's Lair, that gets rereleased every couple of years as if nobody had a chance to buy it before. I've already played through it, I don't feel like playing it through again anytime soon.

[MarioMania]

Take a look on ebay.....charging like $80

[Leo_A]

How many times has Sega bundled their games for sale?

Tons of times

Just looking at the compilations Sonic the Hedgehog has appeared in, I count the following.

Sonic Compilation (PC)
Sonic Jam (Saturn)
Sega Smash Pack (Dreamcast)
Sonic Mega Collection (GCN)
Sonic Mega Collection Plus (PS/Xbox)
Sega Genesis Collection (PS2/PSP)
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection (PS3/360)
Sonic Classic Collection (DS)

And of course, we've had several compilations from Sega that didn't include Sonic, such as Sega Arcade Gallery for the GBA.

I'm not sure what the point of your question was. My point was that when Sega rereleases their back catalog at retail, they're basically forced to sweeten the deal by including several games. Nintendo's catalog is strong enough where they can release something like Link to the Past on the GBA, Super Mario 64 on the DS, and Super Mario All-Stars alone on the Wii for $30-$40 dollars and sell millions of copies all over again. The same can't be said for the other companies mentioned so they have to include a large selection of their back catalog and create a compilation in order for people to feel like they're getting enough bang for their buck that they're willing to buy it.

You can bet that Sega wishes they could put a Genesis emulator with a rom of Sonic on the Wii and sell millions of copies of it for $30. But the fact is, they can't since hardly anyone would buy it. They're basically forced to go the compilation route.

[Gameguy]

I'm not sure what the point of your question was. My point was that when Sega rereleases their back catalog at retail, they're basically forced to sweeten the deal by including several games. Nintendo's catalog is strong enough where they can release something like Link to the Past on the GBA, Super Mario 64 on the DS, and Super Mario All-Stars on the Wii for $30-$40 dollars and sell millions of copies all over again. The same can't be said for the other companies mentioned so they have to include a large selection of their back catalog and create a compilation in order for people to feel like they're getting enough bang for their buck that they're willing to buy it.
If Nintendo's catalog is so strong, why don't they rerelease their games often? Why is this release limited if it could sell in the millions? I don't think their games are strong enough to get rereleased that often, I don't think their games are any stronger in value than Sega's. The reason their games still sell for a decent price is because they're hardly ever rereleased, if they were more easily available they wouldn't be commanding $30+.

It's funny that you're mentioning Link to the Past GBA, that quickly became a greatest hits release and was a cheap game. Plus I can see that selling well along with Super Mario 64 DS as those were portable versions, they weren't ordinary rereleases for another home console.

[Leo_A]

I'm not quite sure what you're asking or getting at, sorry.

All I ever said was they're doing it this way because it's all they have to in order to sell millions of copies of this. That's why this isn't a more in depth compilation because it doesn't need to be.

Many people are saying how the original NES versions of these 4 games and Super Mario World should be included in this. The fact is, they're going for $29 on the Virtual Console and selling well. Why throw them in here to spice up something that from the market's perspective, doesn't need spicing up? It's going to sell just fine with just Super Mario All-Stars included. They're a business out to maximize their profits and one avenue is by managing their back catalog properly. They're not going to say damn the torpedoes and go full speed ahead with developing a massive compilation of their back catalog unless it makes business sense to do so.

As long as things like Link to the Past sell in the millions on the GBA, Super Mario World sells millions of downloads at $8 a pop, and a SuperNes game that hasn't seen the light of day since a Player's Choice release in the late 90s that can sell well as a full fledged retail title on a Nintendo console in 2010, it isn't ever happening.

The situation with the vast majority of the back catalog for the other companies mentioned aren't in as strong of a market condition in order for this to be possible. I think at one time Sonic could've been, but they've been using it to spice up various compilations and have undermined it's percieved value as a standalone product. I don't think they could get away with selling something for $30 that was a Genesis emulator with that Sonic Collection from the Genesis that included Sonic 1/2 and Mean Bean Machine (A roughly equivalent value to Super Mario All-Stars) when gamers have been getting this content and a ton more for their $30 over the years from Sega.

[NaturalChemical]

You can bet that Sega wishes they could put a Genesis emulator with a rom of Sonic on the Wii and sell millions of copies of it for $30.

Didn't they try that on the GBA already?

[Leo_A]

Didn't they try that on the GBA already?

Yep and it sold very poorly and was near universally hated by the few that did purchase it.

But it also was recieved poorly (As it should've been, it was a very poor port), which played a role in it. And was also multiple compilations and rereleases ago.

So I don't think you can go off it either way.

This rerelease is easy to defend. You just have to ask yourself one question, will this rerelease sell in large numbers as is? It's fine to go on about your wish for a Nintendo compilation that would hit all the bases that you'd want to see covered, but people should keep the business side in perspective as well. It doesn't take much thought to realize that it wouldn't be in Nintendo's best interest to toss in a large chunk of their back catalog into a $30 release. The fact that I can walk into my local Wal-Mart and find the spot for this game empty today (Which it was) is proof positive that Nintendo did enough to justify the price tag to it's audience.

If I had my way, I could walk into the local electronics store and find a line of $10 Nintendo compilations. One for each Nintendo platform with the full 1st party lineup included along with things like interviews, commercials, documentation scans, etc. Clearly, that wouldn't be in their best interest from a financial perspective. The fact that they rerelease something that doesn't match that dream doesn't mean they screwed up.

[Gameguy]

I'm not quite sure what you're asking or getting at, sorry.
I'll try to condense your posts so I can better get to the point.


These games stand on their own and don't need to be bundled by the dozens in a retail collection to entice people. Things like Taito's coinops, SNK's back catalog of coinops, Sega's lineup of Genesis titles, and so on basically have to be bundled up to make a very enticing package that is going to encourage people to purchase it.

Nintendo doesn't need to do such a thing since their back catalog is so strong.
You're basically saying that Nintendo's games are so strong that they can still sell for $30, and Sega's are so weak that they need to be bundled together in huge compilations to get $20.

I say that's BS, Nintendo's classic games are just as strong sellers as Sega's classic games. The reason why Sega's games aren't priced that high anymore is because they've been rereleased so often that they've oversaturated the market with them. Nintendo could never sell that many Mario All-Stars compilations at $30+ to match the number of Sonic compilations that have been sold over the years. This Wii release is a limited edition, they're not publishing millions of copies.

As for saying Super Mario World shouldn't be included since it's also a Virtual Console game, so are a ton of Sega games. The Sonic games are all available on the Virtual Console too. I'm pretty sure most if not all of the games that were on Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection are also available separately on Virtual Console.

[Leo_A]

You're basically saying that Nintendo's games are so strong that they can still sell for $30, and Sega's are so weak that they need to be bundled together in huge compilations to get $20.

To most people, yes. Beyond Sonic the Hedgehog, their back catalog of titles lack the massive appeal in 2010 that is attached with names like Zelda, Mario, etc. I love Sega and I love classic Sega content like the Streets of Rage trilogy, so you don't need to act offended like you did when you were a kid in 6th grade in the midst of a system war.



The reason why Sega's games aren't priced that high anymore is because they've been rereleased so often that they've oversaturated the market with them.

That's exactly what I already said about games like Sonic the Hedgehog 1-3. But when you look at the rest of the content in something like Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, the rest are unknowns to most people that walk into something like a GameStop or Wal-Mart wanting to buy a game. The average Call of Duty player isn't going to be interested in something like Shining Force and trying to rerelease that at retail at a high price wouldn't be very successful. But the average Wii owner is going to be interested in a Mario game (And often, Zelda releases, Kirby releases, Donkey Kong releases, etc.).


This Wii release is a limited edition, they're not publishing millions of copies.

It's titled as a limited edition. That doesn't offer any hints on just how large the manufacturing run is going to be, just that you can't count on waiting 12 months and having the game still be in print (Such as Metroid Prime Trilogy, another limited edition). And judging from the reaction to this release in North America and elsewhere, I bet it sells several million copies. In it's first week in Japan, it sold over 300,000 copies for example.


As for saying Super Mario World shouldn't be included since it's also a Virtual Console game, so are a ton of Sega games. The Sonic games are all available on the Virtual Console too. I'm pretty sure most if not all of the games that were on Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection are also available separately on Virtual Console.

You're paying poor attention.

I'm saying it doesn't make business sense to include something in a compilation that you're selling individually already if the compilation doesn't have a significant need of it to help sell it. Something like Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection needs Sonic the Hedgehog and a large lineup of titles to appeal to people. It sold on just those merits, having Sonic 1-3 & Knuckles and offering a large and varied selection of Sega classics.

Super Mario All-Stars doesn't need Super Mario World to sell. Super Mario World has been on the Virtual Console for 4 years and still managed to earn 2.9 million dollars for Nintendo last year (That number doesn't even include sales in Japan, so it's actually much higher). That's well over 350,000 copies of a download during a single 12 month span that had been available for years before. And all indications are that Super Mario All-Stars is selling well without it.

There is no logical business reason why it should've been included.

[Rob2600]

Did you read the complete sentence you quoted? I said "unless you're a very casual gamer". You go on to argue how great this is for people who are very casual gamers.

1. Many Wii owners have just gotten into video games for the first time and have never played the old Super Mario games before, so this $30 disc is a great way for them to experience those old games. But according to you, someone new at video games is automatically a "very casual" gamer?

2. If a gamer who wants to revisit these old classics would rather spend $30 on this Wii disc instead of spending $75 on an SNES and Super Mario All-Stars cartridge on eBay, that means that person is automatically a "very casual" gamer?

3. Some people don't want to clutter their living rooms with old game consoles and tons of wires. According to you, that also means they're "very casual," too?


New gamers, economical gamers, and organized, practical gamers can be just as "hard core" as you. People don't need to have a mess of spaghetti coming out of their TV or boxes filled with old dirty junk to be considered "hard core." Not everyone wants to live like Fred Sanford.

[Gameguy]

1. Many Wii owners have just gotten into video games for the first time and have never played the old Super Mario games before, so this $30 disc is a great way for them to experience those old games. But according to you, someone new at video games is automatically a "very casual" gamer?

2. If a gamer who wants to revisit these old classics would rather spend $30 on this Wii disc instead of spending $75 on an SNES and Super Mario All-Stars cartridge on eBay, that means that person is automatically a "very casual" gamer?

3. Some people don't want to clutter their living rooms with old game consoles and tons of wires. According to you, that also means they're "very casual," too?
Yes, Yes, and Yes.

Maybe I just don't know how you consider someone to be casual then. It's not someone who's just started to play video games for the first time, it's not someone who just has one console, so what makes a person casual?


Anyway, it seems this All-Stars release isn't selling well in the UK.
http://wii.nintendolife.com/news/2010/12/no_love_for_super_mario_all_stars_in_uk_top_20_cha rt

I shouldn't be too surprised, it seems Nintendo was too lazy to optimize it for PAL.
http://wii.nintendolife.com/news/2010/11/super_mario_all_stars_25th_anniversary_is_50hz_onl y

[Leo_A]

I see "weekend of sales" mentioned in that article. Is there a possibility this was released at a unusual time of the week and only had a couple of days on the market compared to a week for the other games?

Not too familiar with UK release dates.

[Bojay1997]

I see "weekend of sales" mentioned in that article. Is there a possibility this was released at a unusual time of the week and only had a couple of days on the market compared to a week for the other games?

Not too familiar with UK release dates.

Nintendo does Friday releases in the UK. This news isn't really that surprising considering the NES was a distant second to Sega's Master System and the SNES didn't really outperform the Megadrive in the UK and most of Europe like it did over here, at least in later years. There just isn't the same history with the game and the lack of PAL optimization was probably a deal breaker for many buyers considering a lot of the illegal roms available for Europe would likely play better than this.

Not sure what this argument is really about. I don't think anyone is blown away by this package and we all seem to agree that Nintendo could have done better but didn't bother to do so in the US because they correctly assumed it would sell anyway which it looks like it did if local stores are any indication.

[Zing]

I almost bought this game. I decided against it when I discovered it was literally just the SNES ROM put on a disc. I'm not sure who is clamoring for the gimped soundtrack or random developer quotes, but Nintendo could have at least put some effort into the game. Even if they had just changed the SNES controller icon on the instructions screen. Goddamn.

[Leo_A]

I almost bought this game. I decided against it when I discovered it was literally just the SNES ROM put on a disc. I'm not sure who is clamoring for the gimped soundtrack or random developer quotes, but Nintendo could have at least put some effort into the game. Even if they had just changed the SNES controller icon on the instructions screen. Goddamn.

While I see that point of view, I'm almost glad they didn't touch it. I'd rather have a Virtual Console game on disc then some of the suggestions I've seen.

I really don't want to play Super Mario Bros. 3 remade in the NSMB engine, for example. I really doubt the Nintendo of today could do a 2d revamping of Super Mario All-Stars and significantly improve upon it rather then harm it. And Mario certainly doesn't need the typical voice effects inserted, which any remake like the Mario Advance titles would likely have.

But there are certainly some possibilities to think about. It would've been nice, for example, to see the e-reader card add-ons somehow backported to the SuperNes version of SMB3.

[j_factor]

There's been a lot of stuff since my last post, so I'm just going to say one thing. If I'm disappointed in the content of this collection (or any collection), how is "but Nintendo will make more money this way!" a relevant thing to say? I'm not a Nintendo shareholder. I don't care what will or will not make them money. And I'm certainly not going to base my opinion on their bottom line. Just because it makes them a lot of money, doesn't mean it's any good, or that it's in any way misplaced to bitch about it. Wii Play made them millions, but it still sucks.

In any case, I'm disappointed in this because they didn't really do anything. I think this is the most haphazard compilation of classic games I've ever seen. When they made Super Mario Allstars the first time, they upgraded the graphics. Perhaps upgrading the graphics was a waste of money and they shouldn't have done that? All the way back in 1997, Sonic Jam included a 3D bonus game and bonus content like videos, etc. I don't think it would've sold much worse if they'd just thrown the Sonic games onto a disc, but I'm glad they didn't.

[Leo_A]

There's been a lot of stuff since my last post, so I'm just going to say one thing. If I'm disappointed in the content of this collection (or any collection), how is "but Nintendo will make more money this way!" a relevant thing to say?

You criticized it for a variety of factors that I think we all agree on, although many of us value it more highly despite the flaws or weaknesses than you do.

But then you went beyond criticizing it for it's content. You stated bluntly that the way they did it was clearly the wrong way and even claimed that it fully justfied piracy due to how they put together this package.

I think if this sells well, it clearly indicates that it wasn't the monumental blunder that you're claiming it to be. Consumers and Nintendo's bottom line are going to be what decides if this is a success or failure, not your opinion or my opinion. And as the sales in Japan during the 1st week of sales hint at, they're quite possibly going to react positively to this collection even with some criticism of the barebones nature of this release.

This is a rerelease of a compilation of games that were remade and collected together nearly 20 years ago. People keep seeming to think that this was supposed to be some ultimate Nintendo compilation of SuperNes or Mario material and are acting hugely disappointed when they see that it's just a single game from 1993 and didn't deliver what they thought it should've. But at it's heart, it's not really any different then something like Beyond Good & Evil when it hits PSN and XBLA compared to the release on last generation consoles. It's a rerelease that celebrates an earlier game and repackages it for a current console. It was never intended to be a new compilation of material or to remake anything.

Sure, some enhancements would've been nice and welcomed and I think it's perfectly fine for someone to view this as a "poor value and a very lazy release". There is certainly some truth to that no matter what your ultimate opinion on the worth of this release it. But I hardly think it justifys piracy and I certainly don't think it's up to you or I to detirmine the right way to rerelease classic content. That's why I brought up the very things you're questioning the relevancy of. The determination if this was a good package or a mistake is going to be decided by consumer dollars and Nintendo's financial performance, it's clearly not going to be determined by forum post.

Seems like a a ton of unnecessary drama just because Nintendo found a way to rerelease a Super Nintendo game that the same people had been clamoring for over the years in every Virtual Console wishlist around the internet. I wonder how a rerelease of Earthbound would be viewed?


I think this is the most haphazard compilation of classic games I've ever seen.

It's not a new compilation. It's a simple rerelease of a compilation from 17 years ago. It should be judged by the merits of the included content, not because they didn't turn it into a new compilation and add additional games.

The included content is excellent so I'm having trouble putting much stock in the complaints at forums like Digital Press from the people that have a Super Mario All-Stars cartridge on the desk next to them. This wasn't really intended for us. We got our game back in 1993. This new release is just a way to rerelease that and make money off it from a new generation of gamers. It only exist because it was so easy and cheap to do. I doubt they were ever even considering diverting programming resources away from projects like Skyward Sword to remake this set of remakes, which kills the missed opportunity lament that some people have. This wouldn't of existed in any form probably if it wasn't for very the ease and economy of putting this package together that people are complaining about.

[darkwingduck13]

It's a simple cash-in. I don't see what the big deal is about. If you think it's lazy, don't buy it...just because everyone else seems to eat up whatever crap Nintendo puts out doesn't mean you have to as well. Load an emulator up on your Wii and play some Mario All-Stars that way (assuming you own the cartridge, of course).

There's no reason to keep feeding the troll that owns Nintendo stock. :P

[Leo_A]

There's no reason to keep feeding the troll that owns Nintendo stock. :P

Me a troll that owns Nintendo stock? My posting history says otherwise, I've made it no secret that the Xbox and Xbox 360 are by far my favorite consoles of the past two generations. I just happen to disagree with the opinions of some here about this specific release.

I'll admit to my post being long winded in this thread, but I'm just puzzled by the reaction to this game. That hardly makes me a troll. I feel like this release is two things many people around the internet wanted over recent years. A Super Mario All-Stars rerelease and a release that's on a physical disc rather than as a download. Seems odd the venom it's now getting from people that already own the original cartridge at various forums (Many of whom were requesting this happen). Clearly, it's not meant for them and if they have the original cartridge and no desire for the rerelease on a modern console, they should just skip it and move on. The best value in this release are for new gamers that didn't experience this on the Super Nintendo and those that wish to revisit those exact memories that no longer have the cartridge and a SuperNes. And it delivers on both counts for a reasonable price.

[JunkTheMagicDragon]

my 2c:

it's a lazy cash-grab by nintendo, the least possible effort for the most return. and it will sell millions. good business, bad form.

i mean, if the 25th anniversary was so special, they'd have made it a real labor of love. they could've put smw, sm64, and sm sunshine on the disc, with making-of docs for each (like gametrailers' retrospectives series). that, combined with the history book and the soundtrack, would have been well worth its price at $50, even more so at $30.

as such it's a 17-year-old 1MB rom hastily dropped onto a 4.7GB dvd. ctrl-c + ctrl-v = profit!!!

[Emperor Megas]

Some of you nerds are in WAY too deep, and that's saying a mouthful coming from a geek like me.

It's just a re-release of an SNES game, people. With a small booklet and a soundtrack CD thrown in for good measure. That's all, nothing else. If you think it's a rip off, then it's probably not for you. My daughter didn't play these games when she was a kid, but she plays video games now, and is probably one of the many people who would enjoy this compilation.

If you naysayers would judge it for what it is rather than what it's not, you'd probably feel less "cheated" (as silly as that sounds). Would you guys be happier if Nintendo didn't release the game at all? It's not like they owe you all anything, anyway.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Me a troll that owns Nintendo stock? My posting history says otherwise, I've made it no secret that the Xbox and Xbox 360 are by far my favorite consoles of the past two generations. I just happen to disagree with the opinions of some here about this specific release.

I'll admit to my post being long winded in this thread, but I'm just puzzled by the reaction to this game. That hardly makes me a troll. I feel like this release is two things many people around the internet wanted over recent years. A Super Mario All-Stars rerelease and a release that's on a physical disc rather than as a download. Seems odd the venom it's now getting from people that already own the original cartridge at various forms (Many of whom were requesting this happen). Clearly, it's not meant for them and if they have the original cartridge and no desire for the rerelease on a modern console, they should just skip it and move on. The best value in this release are for new gamers that didn't experience this on the Super Nintendo and those that wish to revisit those exact memories that no longer have the cartridge and a SuperNes.

I know right?

How many times have I been excited about a DLC release only to hear from the peanut gallery that they won't buy anything that they can't put on a shelf or play when the cloud goes offline? I'd think that they'd be happy to have ANY major/hallmark release on physical media.

Now, don't get me wrong - I'm not against that position ... while I'll buy DLC stuff all day long, I think that physical media is dandy, and in the case of SMB All Stars, I have no problem paying the price Nintendo is asking for this one, because, well, it's a beloved entry in the Super Mario catalog that they probably will NEVER put on the VC based on the fact that they sell the original roms of all 4 games in the series on the market and the average price of SNES games on VC is less than buying all 4 separately. It would just be a cluster fuck of pricing.

As far as this being a fast/lazy cash grab in terms of how they treat the software ... yes, that's a fair assessment, but for those who want to play the game legit on their Wii, this is the only choice at the moment and not only is it below the average MSRP of 1st party Nintendo releases but it comes with a few nice extras (that people would probably flip their shit over if they were in the Nintendo Club Rewards system).

If you hate this package, I guess that's totally fine, I don't think that you're not entitled to that position, there are a few decent reasons to be miffed that Nintendo didn't update the rom or throw some extras on the disc ... but I still can't help but find it pretty bizarre that there's so much (unexpected frankly) drama going on over this especially when it hits the mark on being on physical media and not tied to one Wii.

*shrugs* (goes back to playing through SMB3)

[NE146]

It's just a re-release of an SNES game, people. With a small booklet and a soundtrack CD thrown in for good measure. That's all, nothing else. If you think it's a rip off, then it's probably not for you. My daughter didn't play these games when she was a kid, but she plays video games now, and is probably one of the many people who would enjoy this compilation.

Yeah but it's still just sad you know.. In 1993 when Nintendo decided to release a collection of it's Super Mario Bros. games for the SNES they put a lot of care into it and it showed. The new graphics & presentation were top notch for 1993 standards.

And here it is in 2010, they obviously wanted to do the same thing.. but come on you can do the same thing, but better! How about some simple new menus or something. Or heck how about the old xbox live route and just pretty up the graphics again in 2010 standards (vs. 1993 standards).. How about just giving SMB/SMB2 the same graphics as NSMBWii but preserving the gameplay.. anything! It really doesn't take much to repackage an old classic, and heck this is their flagship titles. It's SUPER MARIO BROS and it's the 25th friggin anniversary at that. Yeah it's collectible with the inserts, but man it's just sad how little effort (aside from their marketing/packaging department) went into it.

[Gameguy]

Yeah but it's still just sad you know.. In 1993 when Nintendo decided to release a collection of it's Super Mario Bros. games for the SNES they put a lot of care into it and it showed. The new graphics & presentation were top notch for 1993 standards.
At one point the game was even given away for free. Not just as a pack-in but if you purchased a SNES system you could mail in the proof of purchase with $3.50 to cover shipping and you'd be given a free copy of Super Mario All-Stars. The Zelda Collector's Edition for the Gamecube was also available for free as a promotion. This current release of All-Stars for the Wii isn't available like that.

[Robocop2]

I dunno; honestly I kind of like the "purity" if you will of the release. Sure its a rerelease of a compilation of remakes of the first 4 SMB games; but arguably the best iterations of those games. I like that they didn't remake it and trick it out and instead just opted for the original release along with a soundtrack and artbook. It's different than what alot of these types of things end up being.

[joshnickerson]

I
If you hate this package, I guess that's totally fine, I don't think that you're not entitled to that position, there are a few decent reasons to be miffed that Nintendo didn't update the rom or throw some extras on the disc ... but I still can't help but find it pretty bizarre that there's so much (unexpected frankly) drama going on over this especially when it hits the mark on being on physical media and not tied to one Wii.


Let's be honest... even if Nintendo updated the games with the NSMBW engine, added tons of new levels to each game, added on-line co-op play with voice chat, included Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island, included retrospective and interview videos, tossed in the original NES and SNES versions as a bonus, and let you see Peach's tits at the end of the game (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgTZdQ-u5Hc), people would STILL find something to bitch about.

[Flack]

To anyone actually playing this release (and not just arguing about it) -- are you finding the controls maddening? The jump button is not nearly as responsive as it used to be. I don't know if this comes from playing it on an LCD/LED flatscreen, the Wiimote, or the game itself, but running at speed and jumping seems impossible in this game. On the first castle of the first world I tried running and jumping and I ran right into the lava ten times in a row. It's almost like the Wiimote doesn't respond well to 1+2 being hit at the same time!

As others have said, it's literally just a port of the SNES title, down to the SNES controller picture being displayed when you start the game. Doesn't really bother me ... it's just one less reason I have to pull out an old console.

[megasdkirby]

Have you tried the classic controller? I haven't tried it yet (only used the Wiimote), but it should help a bit.

[Sonicwolf]

Let's be honest... even if Nintendo updated the games with the NSMBW engine, added tons of new levels to each game, added on-line co-op play with voice chat, included Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island, included retrospective and interview videos, tossed in the original NES and SNES versions as a bonus, and let you see Peach's tits at the end of the game (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgTZdQ-u5Hc), people would STILL find something to bitch about.

I would rather have all of that and still find something to bitch about than have All-Stars re-released as it was and have much more to bitch about.

[Leo_A]

I love the redone versions of SMB2 and SMB3 (I never much cared for the changes done to the other two in SMAS), so I don't think I'd care to see them given a graphical makeover. They're pretty much perfect in my eyes.

I certainly wouldn't want to see them ported to the NSMB engine. I don't care for the look at all in those games, although I do love both of the games. But if they had done that and also offered the original emulated version of this release, I think that would've been a great deal that satisfied both camps.

Now if they redid it and stuck with 2d sprites (Rather then trying to make it look like a NSMB game) that took full advantage of the resolution the Wii can run at compared to SuperNes and added in things like the E-Reader level add-ons for the SMB3 GBA port, I'd of really loved to have seen that.

Utimately though, I don't think a remake was probably ever even under consideration. I'm pretty much convinced the only reason this release even exist is because of the ease of it and the minimum resources that it required. Nintendo saw that they had a potentially valuable asset that wasn't suitable for a Virtual Console release, a ready made emulator, and a great marketing tie in with the 25th anniversary of SMB. So it happened because it was so easy to do.

Hopefully the lack of resources dedicated to this and the profits being generated are being put to good use internally at Nintendo. I'd love to see Nintendo take the NSMB approach to the Zelda series and bring a more traditional Zelda to consoles again if they wanted to try to replicate their NSMB success with another series, for one example.

[j_factor]

You criticized it for a variety of factors that I think we all agree on, although many of us value it more highly despite the flaws or weaknesses then you do.

But then you went beyond criticizing it for it's content. You stated bluntly that the way they did it was clearly the wrong way and even claimed that it fully justfied piracy due to how they put together this package.

I said that because it's just a ROM on a disc. So why not just download the ROM? You're not getting a more authentic experience. They couldn't even be bothered to slightly modify the ROM to show you a Wii controller.


I think if this sells well, it clearly indicates that it wasn't the monumental blunder that you're claiming it to be. Consumers and Nintendo's bottom line are going to be what decides if this is a success or failure, not your opinion or my opinion. And as the sales in Japan during the 1st week of sales hint at, they're quite possibly going to react positively to this collection even with some criticism of the barebones nature of this release.

I never called it a failure, or a blunder. I said it's a poor value, a lazy release, not a good package -- in other words, it sucks. There's a difference. I made the comparison earlier to Wii Play. Also a huge success. Still sucks. IMHO of course.

A lot of people don't like the Wii itself. I disagree with them, but my disagreement has nothing to do with the fact that it's been a very successful product. Sales figures don't prove anything other than how popular something is.


This is a rerelease of a compilation of games that were remade and collected together nearly 20 years ago. People keep seeming to think that this was supposed to be some ultimate Nintendo compilation of SuperNes or Mario material and are acting hugely disappointed when they see that it's just a single game from 1993 and didn't deliver what they thought it should've. But at it's heart, it's not really any different then something like Beyond Good & Evil when it hits PSN and XBLA compared to the release on last generation consoles. It's a rerelease that celebrates an earlier game and repackages it for a current console. It was never intended to be a new compilation of material or to remake anything.

I don't know where I said this should be some sort of gigantic collection of every Mario game. I know that that's not realistic. I just think they could've done something beyond what could've been made by one guy over a weekend. They can't even actually make it for the Wii and give it its own menu? They couldn't put the history of Mario stuff on the disc? You say it's strictly All-Stars so that it won't conflict with VC releases -- but would it have been so hard to toss on some "throwaway" Mario game that isn't on the VC? (Like Super Mario Land, or the arcade version of Super Mario Bros., or something)

Since you bring up Beyond Good & Evil... I don't think this compares favorably to it. Beyond Good & Evil is much less old, much cheaper, and at least gets its resolution upgraded, which All-Stars doesn't.


Seems like a a ton of unnecessary drama just because Nintendo found a way to rerelease a Super Nintendo game that the same people had been clamoring for over the years in every Virtual Console wishlist around the internet. I wonder how a rerelease of Earthbound would be viewed?

Just as unfavorably, although it would potentially have the silver lining of reducing the price of the SNES version.


It's not a new compilation. It's a simple rerelease of a compilation from 17 years ago. It should be judged by the merits of the included content, not because they didn't turn it into a new compilation and add additional games.

If it was not a compilation at all, but a single SNES game, my opinion would be no better. Game or compilation, neither from 1993 should get a "simple rerelease" (read: emulator and ROM pressed to disc), at least not for a console. I don't care if it's the best game of that year. If they were releasing A Link to the Past or Star Fox or whatever else, and they were doing so in the form of putting an SNES emulator with the ROM on a disc and charging $30 for it, I would still be bitching about the lack of new content. My disdain for the lack of additional content is not dependent on it being a compilation.

When Broken Sword was released for Wii, a lot of people criticized it for being a rerelease of an old game, even though they made significant additions to the game itself, and the game makes effective use of the Wii controller. Super Mario All-Stars is even older and does neither of those things -- but it gets a pass.

Pikmin was only a generation old and they rereleased it for Wii with upgraded controls for $30. Is a slightly enhanced Gamecube game equivalent to a completely unenhanced SNES game?

[Leo_A]

I'm not going to rehash long post I've already made, I think it's clear that it's time we agree to disagree. But there were a few things I'll comment on.


You say it's strictly All-Stars so that it won't conflict with VC releases -- but would it have been so hard to toss on some "throwaway" Mario game that isn't on the VC? (Like Super Mario Land, or the arcade version of Super Mario Bros., or something)

I'd love to have seen emulated versions of some of Nintendo's early coinops that they've made no attempt to capitalize on in rereleases. But Super Mario Land is coming to the 3DS Virtual Console, so clearly they wouldn't basically give it away in this release as a bonus game since it's set to be a launch title for the Virtual Console on the 3DS.


Since you bring up Beyond Good & Evil... I don't think this compares favorably to it. Beyond Good & Evil is much less old, much cheaper, and at least gets its resolution upgraded, which All-Stars doesn't.

Technically, Super Mario All-Stars is being upscaled to 480p if you have your Wii set to progressive scan. So it is upgrading the resolution in a way. I admit that it's a bit of a stretch and that you have a valid point.


IfPikmin was only a generation old and they rereleased it for Wii with upgraded controls for $30. Is a slightly enhanced Gamecube game equivalent to a completely unenhanced SNES game?

Again, this is a bit of a stretch and I'm not saying what you've said isn't valid, but there are some minor enhancements due to the emulator and being released on the Wii. You get to use a decent wireless controller and you get a superior picture (Looks far better going to my 480i CRT via component than the SuperNes release does via s-video).

And you get to avoid the finicky battery save system of the original cartridge. Unlike every other SuperNes cartridge I've owned with a battery backed save, this one has been nothing but unreliable since it was new. I'm not sure how many times I've started the game only to find my saves for just one of the 4 games has been wiped clean, or that the first save slot in a specific game has disappeared while the save in the second slot is still intact, etc. It's been far too common since buying it (Was a Player's Choice rerelease version bought new in the late 90s) and I've seen others mention similar issues with the original cartridge release.

These are all reasons why I've selected to double dip here, not to mention I was just curious how this was going to turn out and wanted to see for myself.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

To anyone actually playing this release (and not just arguing about it) -- are you finding the controls maddening? The jump button is not nearly as responsive as it used to be. I don't know if this comes from playing it on an LCD/LED flatscreen, the Wiimote, or the game itself, but running at speed and jumping seems impossible in this game. On the first castle of the first world I tried running and jumping and I ran right into the lava ten times in a row. It's almost like the Wiimote doesn't respond well to 1+2 being hit at the same time!

As others have said, it's literally just a port of the SNES title, down to the SNES controller picture being displayed when you start the game. Doesn't really bother me ... it's just one less reason I have to pull out an old console.

I wouldn't say maddening, but noticable for a moment or two until my brain zoned in on the timing difference, since then it hasn't caused me any great trouble.

I suppose I've played SMB All Stars in so many states of emulation that I'm used to switching up microscopic differences in the run/jump timing on the fly.

[Lanzo]

I just picked this up the other day. The booklet is pretty nice although it's about 90% pictures the a few words for filler. Haven't checked out the cd yet. Also, on the scarcity thing, I got mine at target where they had at least 20 on the shelf, but that same day I was at best buy and didn't see a single copy. And strangely I see a few sales on ebay where they are being sold and a few with actual bids above the retail price of $30.

[Brianvgplayer]

And you get to avoid the finicky battery save system of the original cartridge. Unlike every other SuperNes cartridge I've owned with a battery backed save, this one has been nothing but unreliable since it was new. I'm not sure how many times I've started the game only to find my saves for just one of the 4 games has been wiped clean, or that the first save slot in a specific game has disappeared while the save in the second slot is still infact, etc. But it's been far too common since buying it (Was a Player's Choice rerelease version bought new in the late 90s) and I've seen others mention similar issues with the original cartridge release.


I have the Super Mario All Stars version with Super Mario World on the cart and it has that same save issue.

[Gameguy]

But Super Mario Land is coming to the 3DS Virtual Console, so clearly they wouldn't basically give it away in this release as a bonus game since it's set to be a launch title for the Virtual Console on the 3DS.
Except the Wii is a home console and the 3DS is a portable handheld, why wouldn't they be able to release the game twice? When Broken Sword was released for the Wii it also was released for the DS, it didn't seem to be a problem then to release it on both systems. People would still buy it for the portable 3DS.

I can understand wanting this since you've had problems with saving on an actual cart, I really don't understand why since you've had the cart since new. I've never had any problems like that with any of the copies I've come across. Did you clean the cart and your system? Maybe yours was defective.

[Leo_A]

Except the Wii is a home console and the 3DS is a portable handheld, why wouldn't they be able to release the game twice? When Broken Sword was released for the Wii it also was released for the DS, it didn't seem to be a problem then to release it on both systems. People would still buy it for the portable 3DS.

Who said it couldn't be released twice? I'm just saying why it wouldn't of been included in this specific package as a bonus, just like why Link to the Past was missing from the Zelda Collector's Edition GameCube release since it was actively being sold as a GBA game at the time.

They're not going to give away things essentially for free (I've explained my logic in why I think the inclusion of something like SML would essentially be a freebie, despite the package being a $30 release) that they have the intention of making money on in the near future. They've already stated that Super Mario Land is going to be rereleased on the 3DS when that handheld launches in the coming months for the Virtual Console service on it.

I do like his suggestion on the coinops. They seem to have no desire to commercially market things like the original three Donkey Kongs, Mario Bros, the Vs releases like Super Mario Brothers, etc. So it would've been nice to see them included here as bonuses instead and wouldn't of damaged their chances of earning revenie elsewhere since they're just sitting idle right now.

[GarrettCRW]

I got my Super NES when All-Stars was the hot new thing (it was even bundled in the system, those being the days before the SMW/SMAS combo cart), and I know exactly why it was a big deal:

-The original three Mario games with better graphics
-A never-before-released in America game (The Lost Levels)
-Saving!

That was it. (Though Nintendo seemed to enjoy the ability to perform bugfixes on the four games.) The story was the same in Japan, where Super Mario USA was a late-release game that not too many people bought. And, given the few compilation carts around at the time, it was enough.

For the Wii release to be simply that ROM on a disc is pretty damn lazy, even with the soundtrack disc and booklet (which was basically a pre-order bonus with Castlevania: PoR for that franchise's 20th Anniversary) thrown in. If I buy it, it will be for the CD and book, not the game. Not only do I have SMAS still, but having the FDS version of SMB2j has made it painfully clear that the All-Stars version is ridiculously nerfed in terms of difficulty. It's a great cash-grab for Nintendo, and it's finding an audience, but that audience ain't us.

Truth be told, I'd have more respect for Nintendo on this one if the disc was an extremely limited freebie like the Zelda compilation discs for GameCube were. Then, I could understand why SMAS was simply a "ROM on a disc".

[maxlords]

I thought there was some sort of extra multiplayer mode added or something to SMB 3???

[joshnickerson]

To anyone actually playing this release (and not just arguing about it) -- are you finding the controls maddening? The jump button is not nearly as responsive as it used to be. I don't know if this comes from playing it on an LCD/LED flatscreen, the Wiimote, or the game itself, but running at speed and jumping seems impossible in this game. On the first castle of the first world I tried running and jumping and I ran right into the lava ten times in a row. It's almost like the Wiimote doesn't respond well to 1+2 being hit at the same time!

I found myself messing up quite a bit more than I usually while playing Mario 3 (but perhaps that's because I got used to the GBA version while playing it marathon style a while back), but after swapping to the classic controller, it seemed to improve.

Do you have the same type of delay when playing other side scrollers or virtual console games?

[starchildskiss78]

To anyone actually playing this release (and not just arguing about it) -- are you finding the controls maddening? The jump button is not nearly as responsive as it used to be. I don't know if this comes from playing it on an LCD/LED flatscreen, the Wiimote, or the game itself, but running at speed and jumping seems impossible in this game. On the first castle of the first world I tried running and jumping and I ran right into the lava ten times in a row. It's almost like the Wiimote doesn't respond well to 1+2 being hit at the same time!

As others have said, it's literally just a port of the SNES title, down to the SNES controller picture being displayed when you start the game. Doesn't really bother me ... it's just one less reason I have to pull out an old console.

I'm having the same kinds of issues. I find myself dying more in stages and worlds I don't typically die in the original games (SMB 1, 2, and 3) or in the Super Mario All Stars (SNES) versions. I do not think it comes from the LCD flatscreen, because I have a 46" Sony Bravia tv that I played the SNES version on. I think it has something to do with the Wiimote for some weird reason. I thought maybe it was the button configuration (I have problems playing Punch Out on virtual console with the Wiimote) so I tried the B.O.S.S. attachment (which works well on Punch Out on virtual console) and still had the same trouble. I have not tried the classic controller yet, but I think I will. I was originally excited to play with an NES style format for the games, but I think it's a hindrance. The classic controller is more like a SNES controller.

Then again....those retro controllers that plug into the Game Cube ports might be a nice idea too....may have to look into purchasing one! :)

[Flack]

I tried it both with the Wiimote and with the B.O.S.S. attachment and found the same problem. There's a serious lag when pressing "2" (to jump) while holding down "1" (to run fast). I see it every time I'm perched up high, getting ready to run at high speed and try and hit the flag pole at the top in SMB1, and I also notice I'm missing hitting the star at the end of each SMB3 level, so it's not any specific game, but all of them. I don't know if the problem is in the Wiimote registering both button presses at the same time, or if it's with the game. I don't have a retro controller but I may track one down just to see if it works better.

[esquire]

I just picked this up the other day. The booklet is pretty nice although it's about 90% pictures the a few words for filler. Haven't checked out the cd yet. Also, on the scarcity thing, I got mine at target where they had at least 20 on the shelf, but that same day I was at best buy and didn't see a single copy. And strangely I see a few sales on ebay where they are being sold and a few with actual bids above the retail price of $30.

Just got back from my local Costco and they have a ton of these, priced at $26.99 to boot. I can't figure out why they are going for $40-50+ on amazon and other sites, only that it is more a local availability issue and/or convenience thing.

[Baloo]

I tried it both with the Wiimote and with the B.O.S.S. attachment and found the same problem. There's a serious lag when pressing "2" (to jump) while holding down "1" (to run fast). I see it every time I'm perched up high, getting ready to run at high speed and try and hit the flag pole at the top in SMB1, and I also notice I'm missing hitting the star at the end of each SMB3 level, so it's not any specific game, but all of them. I don't know if the problem is in the Wiimote registering both button presses at the same time, or if it's with the game. I don't have a retro controller but I may track one down just to see if it works better.

Strange, I'm not having this problem. I was playing Lost Levels and SMB3 today and didn't have any problem getting to the top of the flagpole, or especially getting the stars at the end of the level. Though I did hear others complaining about the lag as well before the game came out, so maybe it really is there and I'm not noticing it.

[buzz_n64]

I saw Super Mario All-Stars at the swap meet for $80!

[Leo_A]

Strange, I'm not having this problem. I was playing Lost Levels and SMB3 today and didn't have any problem getting to the top of the flagpole, or especially getting the stars at the end of the level. Though I did hear others complaining about the lag as well before the game came out, so maybe it really is there and I'm not noticing it.

Are you playing on a CRT?

I know I have more trouble doing things like reaching the top of the flag pole in the Virtual Console version of Super Mario Bros. on my LCD than I do if I'm playing on my standard definition CRT. I'm inclined to think that it's input lag that they're experiencing, although I'm not sure why the SuperNes release hooked up to the same HDTV would seem better.

[VSquad]

This game is becoming impossible to find... Sold out everywhere.

[Bojay1997]

This game is becoming impossible to find... Sold out everywhere.

That's funny, I went to Best Buy, Target and Toys R Us today and they all had tons of copies. If you mean on-line, that's true, but there are tons of copies at brick and mortar.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I thought there was some sort of extra multiplayer mode added or something to SMB 3???

Hmmm ... You can play the 2-player "Mario Bros." life-gambling game that happens in SMB 3. when both characters are on the same map square.

It's not "new" via 2010 or this release, but it's on the All-Stars cartridge where it wasn't an option on the NES version.

Its accessable from the SMB3 menu.

[starchildskiss78]

I tried it both with the Wiimote and with the B.O.S.S. attachment and found the same problem. There's a serious lag when pressing "2" (to jump) while holding down "1" (to run fast). I see it every time I'm perched up high, getting ready to run at high speed and try and hit the flag pole at the top in SMB1, and I also notice I'm missing hitting the star at the end of each SMB3 level, so it's not any specific game, but all of them. I don't know if the problem is in the Wiimote registering both button presses at the same time, or if it's with the game. I don't have a retro controller but I may track one down just to see if it works better.

You definitely want to try the Classic Controller if you have one. I used it last night to play Super Mario Bros 2 and did not experience the problems I was having with the Wiimote. I noticed one thing: the d-pad on the Wiimote is quite a bit smaller than the one on the Classic Controller. Maybe that was my problem.... I haven't noticed the lag myself. (I suck at getting the star every time at the end of each SMB3 level! I have been getting bonuses more consistently in the bonus game in SMB2 and SMB3 however...)

[Lanzo]

That's funny, I went to Best Buy, Target and Toys R Us today and they all had tons of copies. If you mean on-line, that's true, but there are tons of copies at brick and mortar.

Target had a ton Thursday they are sold out now. I asked at kmart and she said they sold out in the first day. Best buy is out. There hard to find in these parts.

[MarioMania]

and most of the games ends up on ebay

[megasdkirby]

I can garantee that most of the "overstock" in those stores will sell out before Xmas.

It's Mario, and at least at work, it's one of the game series that sells the most. Today alone I have like eight people ask for the game in particular, and quite a few asking for the other games in the series.

[MarioMania]

I'm going to get it after Christmas....

[Baloo]

Are you playing on a CRT?

I know I have more trouble doing things like reaching the top of the flag pole in the Virtual Console version of Super Mario Bros. on my LCD than I do if I'm playing on my standard definition CRT. I'm inclined to think that it's input lag that they're experiencing, although I'm not sure why the SuperNes release hooked up to the same HDTV would seem better.

Well, I'm playing on a Sony WEGA LCD Projection TC, model KDF 42WE655. I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes since I'm not a TV expert, but it seemed alright to me when I was playing.