Super Mario All-Stars

The Good
This will probably go down in history as the ultimate Mario collection, unless Nintendo has something special planned for Mario's 25th anniversary. What you get in this amazing package is Super Mario Bros, Super Mario 2, Super Mario 3, and The Lost Worlds, the original Mario 2 that was not released in the US. There is even a special copy of this cartridge available that has Super Mario World in it.

Looking at these games individually, you can clearly see the evolution of both Mario games and the platformer genre. Mario 1 is easily the most simplistic and old school of the games. Mario 2 is a clear example of what happens when a company meddles with a game to draw in a different crowd (Starfox Adventures comes to mind...). The series really hit it big with Mario, which is probably the most recognizable Mario game apart from Mario 64. And The Lost Levels is a slap in the face to the U.S. gaming community because Nintendo believed it was "too hard" for most American gamers.

The Bad
As platform games, these are perfect and the granddaddy of the genre. Everything in this release has been improved from the original: graphics, sound, colors...level design was thankfully left alone. These games still offer probably the most diverse gaming experience out there, and will immediately be recognizable to anyone who ever owned a NES.

It would have been nice to have a perfectly emulated copy of The Lost Worlds, just for comparison, but I imagine that wouldn't fit on the cartridge.

The Bottom Line
This is the perfect example of a compilation game. It not only includes all the classics, but improves them in subtle ways that do not ruin them in the least. If Nintendo wasn't so focused on the business side of things, they would have released this on GBA and gamers everywhere would have been very happy.

The Good
The Graphics were PERFECT!!!! For all you people from 83', you should still try it, it's the same thing as the original with the original music that is updated(and sounds A LOT better),and The Graphics are tweaked up a bit...but they RULE!!!!!!...It's pretty much buying something so rare and amazing at a cheap price!!! It's all your Mario games for the NES...It includes Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, and The Never-before released in America....Super Mario: The Lost Levels!!!!! If you are just starting to use the SNES and don't know how to play, you can Switch the controls... The other All-Stars includes Super Mario World! Play over Hundreds of even thousands of Levels on Each game...so If you got a Super Nintendo Entertainment System laying around...go buy this...It is TOTALLY worth it!!!!

The Bad
Well...They should have put the older versions in there, but I understand that 1 cartridge does'nt have a lot of memory, AND 4 Games in 1 is good enough for Me!!!

The Bottom Line
The Bottom Line...It's the Best Mario Game (or Games) Ever!!!!! Buy it at a cheap price (It's about $5.00-$10.00)...It's totally worth it.

The Good
Rarely would O call a game prefect, but in my opinion Super Mario All Stars for the Super Nintendo is pretty darn close. Four amazing games on one cartridge, with sound and graphic upgrades from the original NES versions. You can also now save your progress which you could not in the NES originals. The game themselves are heaps of fun and easy to pick up, but impossible to put down. Mario 1, 3 and Lost Levels all have a 2 player mode were you take turns to complete levels, but you can help one another to complete the game or just race each other to the end. This can be great fun and I have many found memories of playing it with my big brother. Mario 3 also has a 2-player mode which is a remake of the original Mario Bros. arcade game, also great.

The Bad
Not that much, I suppose that its not so much a bad thing, but seriously, Super Mario Bros.-The Lost Levels is a HARD game (if your not aware of the history of Lost Levels and Mario 2, look it up on Wikipedia,its an interesting story). It does not mess around. Now I consider myself to be a pretty good Mario player, but after years of trying I can hardly get past the first world. So that ones for the HARDCORE only.

The Bottom Line
Well like I've said about 23 times now, its 4 awesome games on one cartridge. If you've never played a Mario game before (crazy fool!) this is a great place to start. This was actually the first Mario game I played. PLAY IT NOW!!!

The Good
This game? Or these games? That's right, now you get Super Mario Bros. 1 and 3, which were the top sellers for the NES, Super Mario Bros. 2 and the never before released Super Mario The Lost Levels all in ONE game! How sweet is that? And the original's have been updated with better sound and graphics! Aieeee!!!

The Bad
Eh? no.

The Bottom Line
Unless you already own all 3 Super Mario Bros. games you MUST get this!

The Good
A compilation of classics, often imitated, never replicated.

The Bad
Lost Levels is too hard. Caveat: It's fine if you stick with the primary game, 1-1 through 8-4. No game this difficult should require multiple clears just to see all the content. That feature should have been removed.

The Bottom Line
The standard by which all 2D platformers are judged.