Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
It may be hard to believe, but exactly 33 years ago today, one of the absolute greatest video game compilations in the history of the medium was officially released on the Super Famicom in Japan. That legendary cartridge is none other than the Super Mario Collection, which gamers in North America and Europe would eventually come to know and love as Super Mario All-Stars on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. This single cartridge was an absolute game-changer for the 16-bit era. It completely redefined what a compilation could be by offering entirely remade, 16-bit versions of the classic 8-bit NES library that put Nintendo on the map. It is time to celebrate this classic Super Famicom and Super Nintendo Game as it officially turns 33 today!
Included on this massive cartridge were four masterclasses in 2D platforming. First, you had the game that started it all: the original Super Mario Bros. Then, Japanese players got to experience what we in the West knew as Super Mario Bros. 2—which was originally a reskin of Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, referred to in Japan as Super Mario USA. Next, we got to experience the notoriously difficult Japanese sequel to the original game, branded in the West as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. And finally, the crown jewel of the NES era, Super Mario Bros. 3, was given a complete 16-bit overhaul that made an already perfect game even better.
To this day, Super Mario All-Stars stands as one of the greatest compilations ever produced by Nintendo or anyone else in the gaming industry. The only thing in my mind that kind of surpasses this original release is when Nintendo later updated the cartridge to include Super Mario World as a pack-in, creating the ultimate bundle. But this original release is where the magic truly began.
There are so many reasons why this is such a magnificent and definitive compilation. First and foremost, Nintendo went in and tightened up the controls in a lot of different ways across all four games. They updated the graphics to 16-bit, overhauling every single sprite and animation. The visual style was upgraded to look much closer to Super Mario World, which just so happens to be my favorite video game of all time. Beyond the massive graphical enhancements, Nintendo also completely remixed the music. They included incredible new arrangements that took full advantage of the SPC700 sound chip, utilizing all the different sound effects and audio channels that the Super Nintendo had available. The iconic tunes composed by Koji Kondo were given a richer, deeper, and more dynamic soundscape that still holds up brilliantly today. Plus, they added a highly requested feature that changed how we played: a battery-backed save system!
This game is a pristine example of how to preserve video game history while making it accessible. It allowed players who missed the original NES boom to experience the foundation of platforming greatness with a fresh coat of paint. Even today, when you boot up Super Mario All-Stars, the pixel art is universally praised for its timeless aesthetic.
Now, I absolutely love the original standalone Super Mario World, and I adore the later bundle with Super Mario All-Stars. But this standalone Super Mario Collection cartridge is the one that really kicked off the entire concept of the video game remaster. Long before modern console remasters were the industry standard, Nintendo was already leading the charge by lovingly rebuilding their classic catalog from the ground up.
Let me know your thoughts down in the comments! First of all, did you realize that this incredible compilation is officially 33 years old today? Second of all, did you own this game growing up? Did you have the original Super Mario All-Stars cartridge, or did you have the later version bundled with Super Mario World? And finally, out of the four classic games included on this cartridge—Super Mario 1, Super Mario 2 (Super Mario USA), Super Mario 2 Japan (The Lost Levels), and Super Mario Bros. 3—which was your absolute favorite to play? Let me know down below!
#SuperMarioAllStars #SuperMarioCollection #Nintendo #SuperNintendo #SNES #SuperFamicom #RetroGaming #MarioBros #SuperMarioBros3 #SuperMarioBros2 #TheLostLevels #RetroGames #16BitGaming #ClassicGaming #GamingCommunity #SuperMarioWorld #RetroGamer #Nostalgia #GamingHistory #GameRemaster
It may be hard to believe, but exactly 33 years ago today, one of the absolute greatest video game compilations in the history of the medium was officially released on the Super Famicom in Japan. That legendary cartridge is none other than the Super Mario Collection, which gamers in North America and Europe would eventually come to know and love as Super Mario All-Stars on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. This single cartridge was an absolute game-changer for the 16-bit era. It completely redefined what a compilation could be by offering entirely remade, 16-bit versions of the classic 8-bit NES library that put Nintendo on the map. It is time to celebrate this classic Super Famicom and Super Nintendo Game as it officially turns 33 today!
Included on this massive cartridge were four masterclasses in 2D platforming. First, you had the game that started it all: the original Super Mario Bros. Then, Japanese players got to experience what we in the West knew as Super Mario Bros. 2—which was originally a reskin of Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, referred to in Japan as Super Mario USA. Next, we got to experience the notoriously difficult Japanese sequel to the original game, branded in the West as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. And finally, the crown jewel of the NES era, Super Mario Bros. 3, was given a complete 16-bit overhaul that made an already perfect game even better.
To this day, Super Mario All-Stars stands as one of the greatest compilations ever produced by Nintendo or anyone else in the gaming industry. The only thing in my mind that kind of surpasses this original release is when Nintendo later updated the cartridge to include Super Mario World as a pack-in, creating the ultimate bundle. But this original release is where the magic truly began.
There are so many reasons why this is such a magnificent and definitive compilation. First and foremost, Nintendo went in and tightened up the controls in a lot of different ways across all four games. They updated the graphics to 16-bit, overhauling every single sprite and animation. The visual style was upgraded to look much closer to Super Mario World, which just so happens to be my favorite video game of all time. Beyond the massive graphical enhancements, Nintendo also completely remixed the music. They included incredible new arrangements that took full advantage of the SPC700 sound chip, utilizing all the different sound effects and audio channels that the Super Nintendo had available. The iconic tunes composed by Koji Kondo were given a richer, deeper, and more dynamic soundscape that still holds up brilliantly today. Plus, they added a highly requested feature that changed how we played: a battery-backed save system!
This game is a pristine example of how to preserve video game history while making it accessible. It allowed players who missed the original NES boom to experience the foundation of platforming greatness with a fresh coat of paint. Even today, when you boot up Super Mario All-Stars, the pixel art is universally praised for its timeless aesthetic.
Now, I absolutely love the original standalone Super Mario World, and I adore the later bundle with Super Mario All-Stars. But this standalone Super Mario Collection cartridge is the one that really kicked off the entire concept of the video game remaster. Long before modern console remasters were the industry standard, Nintendo was already leading the charge by lovingly rebuilding their classic catalog from the ground up.
Let me know your thoughts down in the comments! First of all, did you realize that this incredible compilation is officially 33 years old today? Second of all, did you own this game growing up? Did you have the original Super Mario All-Stars cartridge, or did you have the later version bundled with Super Mario World? And finally, out of the four classic games included on this cartridge—Super Mario 1, Super Mario 2 (Super Mario USA), Super Mario 2 Japan (The Lost Levels), and Super Mario Bros. 3—which was your absolute favorite to play? Let me know down below!
#SuperMarioAllStars #SuperMarioCollection #Nintendo #SuperNintendo #SNES #SuperFamicom #RetroGaming #MarioBros #SuperMarioBros3 #SuperMarioBros2 #TheLostLevels #RetroGames #16BitGaming #ClassicGaming #GamingCommunity #SuperMarioWorld #RetroGamer #Nostalgia #GamingHistory #GameRemaster
