3D All-Stars' Super Mario 64 Could Still Be The Definitive Switch Version

As we all should have expected

Is this the actual reason that Nintendo stopped selling 3D All-Stars? To make NSO subscriptions very slightly more valuable by being the current only way of getting SM64? ....

I don't play Mario N64, even i already have 3D All Stars.

Yeah, there's a good chance this version will most likely be the original release of Mario 64 in North America with the unpatched glitches that speedrunners hoped were in 3D All-Stars but were removed.

If BLJ is included, already worth it.

I haven't checked recently, but I believe to this day, you can still find Super Mario 3D All-Stars in stores.

If this is the version where he says "So Long King Bowser" everything will fine by me.

It's weird. I bought 3D All-Stars mainly because of Mario 64 and Sunshine (I'm not s Galaxy fan)... I'm not a fan nether, but they could give Galaxy 2 as a free DLC for the game, like an apology

The two screenshots look almost identical to me (viewing from a smartphone, so…).
I do notice sharper HUD elements and adjusted text size in the HUD, but beyond that, it’s the tried and true Mario 64 I love.

I hope it is the OG Mario 64. Would make sense in keeping the classics classic.

@RCGamer
"Like an apology"

For what?

The homebrew port with widescreen, 1080p and 60fps will always be the definitive version

@EarthboundBenjy I doubt it. All Stars wasn’t even that limited, so anyone who wanted to pay $60 for it should’ve been able to get it. And realistically it never was going to get a price drop. It more likely was to pressure people into getting that collection because of FOMO. Similar to why Disney vaults their movies.

SM64 doesn’t really change the value of the subscription - nobody will feel this subscription is a better value than All Stars (which lets you keep all three games). Pretty much anybody who felt All Stars wasn’t worth $60 would feel this subscription isn’t worth the price, whatever it is, at least as a means to get SM64. Heck, financially they’d make more from the one time $60 price than this would bring to subscriptions (even at the higher estimates of $20 a year, who will get three years of the service just because of SM64?).

How on earth can NL not know the difference between upscaling and increasing resolution? This is really basic stuff.

I'm more concerned about us who bought the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis Collection, what about our feelings? ☹

@eltomo Mega Drive Collection has button input delay and a horrible slow menu to change games so I barely play it. NSO will be a much nicer way to play them and easier to find people to play online too.

@RCGamer I would pay $20 for Galaxy 2 DLC (that’s the Wii U eShop price).

@HammerGalladeBro
"So long-a, Bowser!"

The definitive version on Switch that is. I play this games at 60fps and widescreen on my Anbernic device.

Erm...what are we meant to be looking at with the screen comparison? They look the same to me

I can finally do the BLJ! Yay!

@GrailUK Rez I think, and the live icon is cleaner, Because thats nintendo's version of a upgrade.

I can play widescreen 60fps on my fridge and bowser is still gay yet this is definitive? get the f out

@Snatcher Ahh. I'm not too bothered about upgrades with NSO. I like the fact the games are 'sic'. Nice to be able to play classics authentically.

No, the native port is, hands down, the definitive edition of the game!

Also playable on Switch ofc.
Get a copy of the original game and play the proper version in good conscience.

Also quite sad that Nintendo is not willing to release a proper version of one of their more important games and fans had to step in…

3D All Stars is still available at the Walmart by me, physical versions. I've seen them in stock there ever since they supposedly "discontinued" them. Anyone else notice this?

@Dragonstar There's plenty of copies around, Nintendo made it a limited edition but printed more copies than people can buy. I just got my second copy recently (having lost the first one) very easily when buying the OLED Switch.

Honestly with all the complaining about 3D All-Stars I still don't see it as a disappointment considering it's 3 amazing games for the price of one. I didn't think twice before buying it again.

Great piece of history but the game is quite dated. Sunshine and Galaxy is the real meat of 3D All Stars in my opinion.

Super Mario 64 Plus is the definitive way to play Super Mario 64 as a matter of fact

Definitive on Switch, sure. I much prefer the look of the n64 original cleaned up by Wii's superior hardware. For a portable experience I look no further than the excellent DS remake.

@Clyde_Radcliffe exactly! We've been done over more than the 3D All Stars.

Great, I’d rather have the original version than the hacked ROM from the 3D collection. I’m not bothered if they’re not upping the resolution as I still regularly play on the N64.

It's only the definitive edition, if you can play it with a N64 controller.

I just hope the NSO version is the standard one so I can do my BLJ shenanigans

I still want to buy Galaxy 2 even if it is a download exclusive.

I like how you have to squint to look for an "upgrade" to the 3D All Star variant of SM64. I still feel like 3D All-Stars wasn't that good value for money, but eh, I paid full price for a new Metroid game which I know some people don't think was a good deal, so perspective I guess?

I have to thank Nintendo Life for that, cause the bad buzz on this 3D collection ("it's just roms ! Nintendo is just taking esay money !") almost prevented me to buy it.

And when I read your review of this version of Mario 64, I decided to buy it anyway. You're the only website where I found this kind of details, about the improved resolution of texts, icons of that kind of thing.

And as a matter of fact, I did find myself amazed by this version. I played a lot Mario 64 on Wii, then on Wii U. I still got those two versions. But the texts ar so fuzzy that it's almost unreadable.

In this 3D all star version, everything is so sharp. It really is, for me, the best way to experience Mario 64 today. And I can do it on the go.

So thanks again for the deep analysis you gave, back then.

To surprise of no One lol. It has been like that since virtual console was introduced.

@HammerGalladeBro I bought a new copy recently on eBay recently for ~£35, and there seemed to be stick in other online retailers and Amazon.

Late getting it I know, but my offspring has recently got into Mario having previously just been obsessed with Pokémon. So I’m kinda relieved I’m not unintentionally double dipping on Mario64 (as well as Galaxy, which I have on Wii)

Honestly, the only thing I want is to hear Mario say "So long-eh, Bowsee" when he flings him toward a bomb.

Super Mario 64 isn't the star of the show here, it's Ocarina of Time. You'll notice that we didn't get a Zelda All Stars type of game like we should have.

Oh good. My insecurities in hoping no one else gets the best version of a 24 year old game locked behind an online subscription service is soothed from hearing this news.

I grew tired of playing the same classic games over and over again years ago. These days I'm only interested about new experiences. Never gonna play Mario 64 again.

Wondering if "gay" Bowser will be in the online version...lol

I’m just glad I still have all my carts.

@RetroOutcast @DaniPooo For some. It is indeed awesome - but for many others the definitive way to play is original hardware on CRT.

@andykara2003 oh I was only thinking off the options available on the Switch.

@DaniPooo Ahh sorry, misunderstood 👍

Eh, just four more save files for me to use, that's how I see it. Would like to do some backwards long jump shenanigans too depending on which version it is.

Once you have the Nintendo 64 version you will never enjoy those roms

I hate the shindou version not because of the patched BLJ glitch, but because of the higher pitch voice clips. Every time Mario's pitch goes high it rubs me the wrong way when I hear it, it is so annoying and it triggers me! 💢

There is no difference between either release so I don't see the point here, both of them are ROM versions, only difference is 3d all-stars is just roms bundled together on a cart

My local Target store currently has tons of copies of 3D All Stars on clearance for $39.99

@MichaelP well both can use the new N64 controller they are selling to NSO owners so they are both "definitive" versions

That's literally what I wanted though. I prefer the original version over the Shindou version. 3D All Stars is such a waste of money

@westman98 for give for free for everyone a game we pay in a anniversary collection with limited time to do

@RCGamer
I'm sorry, I don't follow what you're trying to say.

The PC decomp is the definitive edition.

@HammerGalladeBro OK, we all know what he really says... 😏

I'm getting online for StarFox 64, Ocarina of Time and Banjo, I'm not remotely interested in playing Mario 64. I got all stars, and going back to the very beginning of 3D Mario games sounded like a great idea, but it's just... rough. Hell, sunshine is a rough as well, I personally think the series nailed it with Galaxy and haven't looked back since.

Get ready for the speedruns! When I get a hold on this I'll try to do a BLJ myself.

I pity anyone who is legitimately bitter about Nintendo letting more people play Mario 64. What a joyless way to look at the world.

@GrailUK
The assets in the 3D Collection have increased resolution. Look at the design on the carpet. It appears much sharper in the 3D collection version, whereas the original rom has native asset resolution.

Of course, that's just one difference, but definitely the one that sticks out the most in the pic comparison above.

I'm pretty sure I have a better version of it on PC, to be honest it's embarrassing how Nintendo have treated this great game and they should have been embracing the community to bring that version to Switch officially

@GrailUK it's not the best shot to show off it's differences but they are only fairly minor anyway

@Mobiusman No you can't.

@HammerGalladeBro Bought a new copy a couple days ago for someone for $43

This is misleading, the 3d all stars version text had been ai upscaled. it was not retouched or redone by hand. the 3D all stars is being emulated so it does not run natively. And also it is very early to tell, as far as we know it might have been a mockup.

I'm fine with all that.
But still waiting for the all new 4k version.

@EarthboundBenjy - *sigh * No. 3D All-Stars was just another limited anniversary item, like Super Mario 35, the Game and Watch, and almost everything else that was announced in that Direct (the sole exception being Super Mario 3D World+Bowsers Fury). From what I understand, it's the standard approach Nintendo takes in regard to anniversary retro collections (e.g. 25th Anniversary Mario Collection, 20th Anniversary Kirby Collection), so if anything, the only thing they did was possibly delay the release of these N64 games so as to avoid potentially diluting the impact of 3D All-Stars' release.

"Don't worry. The thing some people paid for is still better than the thing other people will now pay for."

@Gwynbleidd I was mainly referring to this line near the end of the article:
if you're even slightly bitter about Nintendo making this particular N64 classic available so soon after the limited-time 3D Mario release
Also I've seen a bunch of clickbaity articles elsewhere in the AP news-scape which use that kind of angle as the headline.

@EarthboundBenjy It's still available on the Wii U eShop, as well.

@RetroOutcast That's very questionable given the significant downgrade to a D-Pad in that DS remake, which even the circle pad on a (2/3)DS doesn't fully correct.

@ShadJV High estimates were $20, lol? Now we know in the future how to judge everyone's estimates on Nintendo products 🤣.

@N64-ROX they'd probably be bitter about feeling like they got conned into spending $60, not preventing ppl from playing the game. I could be wrong, tho.

@westman98 seems like he's mad they are giving away Mario64 "for free", after convincing ppl to pay $60 for it. Something along those lines.

@twztid13
I wish NSO + Expansion Pack was "free" lol...

The DS version is the definitive edition, just my two cents. I actually didn't care for either switch version, and I 120-star'd the N64 original.

@EarthboundBenjy If you’re okay with physical it is still very easy to find 3D All Stars for $50 or less, it sold very well and there are plenty of copies in circulation