In late 2020, Nintendo released Super Mario 3D All-Stars, a compilation of three iconic titles. The game was a success in allowing players to relive some of the best titles in the Mario catalog. Infamously, however, this was a limited-time offer, and Nintendo stopped production of the game while removing it from the Switch eShop after a set period of time.
Because of this, many Nintendo fans wonder whether they can still play 3D All-Stars in 2024. The answer itself lies at the heart of several controversies within the gaming industry. Here is a breakdown of Super Mario 3D All-Stars’ status as of today.
Can You Still Buy Super Mario 3D All-Stars?
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Fortunately, Super Mario 3D All-Stars is still technically available. If you go to eBay or Amazon, you will find copies of it available. However, these physical copies cost around $80 or even $140 each, substantially more than their original $60 price tag. Furthermore, local resale stores may have physical copies as well. As stated above, the game was removed from the Switch eShop six months after release and has not been returned. None of the three games are even available separately.
Part of what makes this such an egregious choice on behalf of Nintendo is how well the game sold. In the short period it was available, it sold nine million copies, which is especially impressive for a rerelease of an older title. Because of this, Nintendo’s choice to resort to artificial scarcity was especially baffling. Whatever their plans were, it’s unlikely those sales would be any lower today were it still on the market.
The Story of the Game
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In 2020, Nintendo released Super Mario 3D All-Stars. The game was a compilation of three of the plumber’s greatest adventures: Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. All three games were heralded as among the best in the entire series. Because of this, fans celebrated the game’s release as it let them relive these titles and introduce them to a new generation of fans. The only criticism was the lack of new content, though this is understandable as it is a mere re-release, not a remake.
However, after just six months, the game was no longer produced. To add insult to injury, Nintendo even removed the game from its eShop. When asked for an explanation, Nintendo said the game was a “limited-time event.” This is an incredibly bizarre choice because Nintendo has preserved many of its older titles from other series on the Switch’s extensive eShop.
Super Mario Bros. 35
On a closely related note is the fate of Super Mario Bros. 35. This was a sort of “battle royale” reimagining of the first Super Mario Bros. Thirty players essentially “raced” against one another to survive maps while throwing enemies at each other’s maps. While the game was a success, it was permanently removed from Nintendo’s library. Once again, the choice to erase a perfect and well-liked game is baffling.
Is Artificial Scarcity Ethical?
The decision to make the game a deliberately limited release drew the ire of many Nintendo fans. One reason is that they used “manufactured scarcity” to galvanize consumers. As the name suggests, this is a dishonest way of adding value to a product. This was especially disappointing to many, especially when it came to Nintendo and even Mario.
One of the major problems exacerbated by Super Mario 3D All-Stars‘ removal is media preservation. Nowadays, many older games are lost to the ages without ports or rereleases. As for these three titles, with 3D All-Stars gone, none are available for Switch and have been consigned to older, discontinued consoles such as the Wii and Game Cube. It’s for this reason that piracy proliferates across the web. Ultimately, this game’s fate is an example of an excellent title lost to artificial scarcity and greed.
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