[Nintendo Wii] New Super Mario All-Stars HD ROM Download

New Super Mario All-Stars HD ROM Screenshots

New Super Mario All-Stars HD ROM Description

See, if you’re heading to your local game shop next week to pick up the Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary re-release for Wii, this is exactly what you’re getting – you’re getting this game repackaged. And it’s a compilation of the NES Super Mario trilogy with the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros 2, the so-dubbed “Lost Levels”, in this release. And all four games are remade with glorious 16-bit graphics.

This is no understatement – in 1993 this game was mind-blowing and I mean really it still is in 2010. As we’ve been touting all week here at Undertow, the first three Super Mario games are a veritable blueprint of gaming excellence. And to have them repackaged with these tremendous sprites and graphics was really a dream come true 20 years ago.

I know I hear what you’re saying and I’m with you – it would have been great had Nintendo upgraded them again with next week’s Wii re-release, maybe done them with the New Super Mario Bros Wii graphics engine. But that’s neither here nor there. Don’t let that poop-ski decision affect your opinion of this compilation because even untouched, this compilation is awesome.

Gameplay

Each game in this four-game set plays virtually identically to its original NES form. The only thing that was changed for All-Stars was the graphics. And although that may sound like a pretty superficial adjustment, it was anything but. In 1993 the increased horsepower of the 16-bit Super Nintendo made Mario look better than ever in 1991’s launch title Super Mario World. And it was about more than just technicalities – the graphics brought Mario and his world to life in a way that the NES just couldn’t. It sort of set the tone for the franchise moving forward. And to provide the original trilogy with the same visual upgrade was of monumental importance for Nintendo fans.

I mean, charming as the pixels of Super Mario Bros are, Level 1-1 could finally live up to the lofty ideals of our childhood imaginations thanks to Super Mario All-Stars. Another great addition to All-Stars is the ability to save files for each game. And especially for longer ones like Mario 3 and harder ones like The Lost Levels, that’s a welcome addition, to say the least.

The Lost Levels

Speaking of which, that’s probably All-Stars’ biggest draw for a die-hard Mario fan – the inclusion of The Lost Levels. This was the original version of Super Mario Bros 2 as it was released in Japan in 1986. Of course, Nintendo feared the game was way too tough and way too similar to the original to make an adequate sequel for America. So we were treated to our version of Super Mario Bros 2 instead. You can check out this week’s review of that game for the full story.

But suffice to say Nintendo may have been right – if you’re looking for a ridiculously challenging Mario platforming experience that literally almost borders on cruel, The Lost Levels alone makes Mario All-Stars worth the purchase. But that’s basically the entire package again – this is the original 1993 Super Nintendo version but it’s also pretty much exactly what you get in the upcoming Wii re-release.

Conclusion

Super Mario All-Stars is a beautiful tribute to some of the very best moments and levels in video game history – the plumber’s incredibly important NES trilogy.