Super Mario All-Stars

Super Mario All-Stars is a Super Nintendo Entertainment System compilation developed and published by Nintendo. It appeared in Japan in 1993 as Super Mario Collection, then reached North America that year and Europe in 1994. Rather than simply placing older cartridges on one disc or cartridge, Nintendo rebuilt four NES-era platform games with 16-bit graphics, revised sound, new interfaces, and save files. The package contains Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Super Mario Bros. 2, and Super Mario Bros. 3. A version of the original Mario Bros. is available as a bonus, including a battle mode for two players. Each game retains its original structure and story premise. In Super Mario Bros., Mario travels through the Mushroom Kingdom to rescue Princess Toadstool from Bowser, confronting Bowser at the end of eight worlds. The Lost Levels is the Japanese sequel originally released as Super Mario Bros. 2; its demanding stages add features such as poison mushrooms, wind, and deceptive warp zones. The North American Super Mario Bros. 2 is the game based on Doki Doki Panic: Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Princess each have distinct abilities and defeat Wart in Subcon. Super Mario Bros. 3 sends Mario across seven kingdoms after Bowser's Koopalings steal their rulers' magic wands. The visual overhaul is one of All-Stars' defining qualities. Backgrounds, enemies, title screens, and maps were redrawn for the SNES, while music and effects were arranged for its audio hardware. The games share a selection screen and a consistent save system, an important convenience because the original NES releases generally relied on passwords or no progress recording. The compilation lets players preserve progress in Super Mario Bros. 3 more conveniently. All-Stars preserves notable mechanics: Super Mario Bros. 2 still centers on lifting and throwing objects, and Super Mario Bros. 3 retains its inventory, overworld maps, suits, and airship battles. The compilation therefore documents several very different early Mario designs in one release. In 1994 Nintendo issued Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World, adding the 1990 SNES launch title Super Mario World to the earlier compilation. That edition should not be confused with the original four-game release. Nintendo later included All-Stars in the 2010 Wii package Super Mario All-Stars: 25th Anniversary Edition, which used the SNES games and added a booklet and music CD. Its lasting importance lies in making The Lost Levels officially accessible outside Japan at the time, for players who lacked imports.