Super Mario All-Stars
Reviewed by Noah Detweiler
"But our Princess is in Another Castle!" If you are like many other Nintendo
video game players, that line is probably very familiar to you. It gives
one a feeling of accomplishment, but frustration that the princess is in
another castle waiting to be discovered. It was a line from the first game
actually having the name Mario in the title, Super Mario Bros. for the
NES. The sequel, Super Mario Bros. 2 was a milestone in that Mario could
go backwards - to pick up missed items or just to take a closer look and
lands already explored.
The third game in that series, Super Mario Bros. 3, was one of the most
popular video games ever created. Maybe it was because there was a movie
featuring it, or that Mario could fly. Or maybe just the fact that it was
another game with Mario in it. Whatever the reason, everyone just wanted
to get the game. It sold out immediately after stores had them for sale.
Well, as one can see, the Mario trilogy for the NES sure was popular.
They were very good games that inspired the player to think logically,
rather than to push random buttons, shooting at spaceships.
When the Super NES came out in 1991, newer games with better graphics
came out. The Mario games for the Nintendo Entertainment System became
less and less popular, because the graphics were not as good as those of
the new games that were coming out.
Well, the good news is, you can still play them, WITH the new Super NES
Graphics! How? The answer is the Super Mario All-Stars Game Pak for
the Super NES. All your favorite Mario games are transformed into even
better games for the Super NES. They're the same except for better graphics
and sound! Now you can go back to the old Mario games and beat the levels
you didn't get to, while fully engrossed in the graphic and sound capabilities
of the Super NES.
Super Mario All-Stars features four games in one: Super Mario Bros.,
Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario Bros: The Lost
Levels. You see, Super Mario Bros. 2 was never realeased in Japan, instead,
their Super Mario Bros. 2 is actually our Super Mario Bros.: The Levels. It
never came out on the NES in America. The reason? Nintendo didn't think
American gamers were good enough to be good at the game, which is simply
a much harder version of Super Mario Bros. Okay, enough introduction, let's
get right to the review!
Graphics 6 out of 10
Compared to other Super NES games, this one's pretty good when it comes
to graphics. They're simply an improved version then the ones on the NES.
Super Mario Bros. 3 has great graphics, while those on the other games
really aren't that great. The screen rate is better than that on the Nintendo
Entertainment System, and some of the things just appear to be "better."
Music and Sound 5 out of 10
The only music that I think actually is better on the NES then on the Super NES
is the Music when you're underground in Super Mario Bros., you know, "da-da da-da
da-da"? Okay, never mind. I like the drumming on the original NES version. But
most of the new music is better and more advanced. It seems more stereo and
there are some different instruments, but the music song itself sounds pretty
much the same, even though the theme for Super Mario Bros. is a little different.
As for the sound, it's a little better than that on the NES version.
Game Challenge 7 out of 10
It's always fun to try to get to a very high level. The best thing is that when
you get a game over, it doesn't actually mean "Game Over," as it did on the
original NES. Instead, you have to start at the beginning of the world.
As you progress through the game, it gets more and more difficult. It also
gets more exciting and fun.
Game Play-Fun 9 out of 10
This game is defiantly a very fun game! If you have this game already, you
probably know that it can at times be very hard to put down. It's a good thing
you can pause it. Speaking of pausing the game, instead of with the NES
where Mario can pause it anytime and Luigi couldn't, with the Super NES,
Mario can pause it during his turn, and Luigi can pause it during his turn.
The Game Play is very intense and interesting, as well.
Frustration
Yes, it's defiantly frustrating when at the last stage of the game you die and
get a Game Over. Actually, that's exactly what I said in my review of Super
Mario Bros. for the NES, except in that one you would have to start at the beginning
of the game, and in the Super NES version, you would only have to start at the
beginning of the world.
Replayability 2 out of 10
Well, quite frankly, it's very boring playing the game after you've already
beaten it. They're really nothing else to do except do the same thing you did
before - walk through the levels. There's really only one ending for each
level, so you can't really except anything else at the end of each level.
Game Value 5 out of 10
It's a 0 for someone who doesn't like the Mario games for the NES, and a
10 for someone who loves them. For someone who kind of likes them, I guess
it's around a 5. All this game is is a copy of the NES Mario games with better
graphics and sound. That's it. Don't get it if you don't like those original
Mario games for the NES.
Overall 7 out of 10
Well, I know I really love this game! It's defiantly fun, exciting, and great
to play the game. That's really there all it is to say, really. It's a great game
for people who appreciate the original Mario games for the NES.