Now, virtually everyone has already played the three titles in this collection. So, I’m not going to waste your time and review each of them separately. Instead, I’m simply going to list for you my main likes and dislikes about the game. Unfortunately, it wasn’t very hard for me to come up with my dislikes. That said, I still enjoy the collection, as a whole. But enough small talk, let’s get into the beef.

What I Like: Super Mario Galaxy

Alright, so let’s get this out of the way first. Super Mario Galaxy is my favorite platformer out of the three in this pack. It’s actually not even close, either, as it’s arguably my favorite 3D platformer of all-time. However, after I finally upgraded to a QLED, 55-inch, 4K HDTV, I noticed that 480p, Wii content doesn’t look too amazing.

So, no doubt, this is the game I was looking forward to the most. Outside of the utterly amazing visuals (seriously, Galaxy literally looks breathtaking in this collection), the reworked controls are actually very nice. I never had an issue with the motion control in the original, as I thought it was executed very well.

Yet, I have to admit, using the Pro Controller to play this game is a wonderful experience. Sure, there’s still motion control required, but remapping the spin/shake to a button was a brilliant idea. To me, it worked out better than I could’ve imagined.

What I Don’t Like: The Bare Bones Menu

Oh boy, I knew the menu system was going to be lazy, but even I was surprised. I know complaining about the menu seems to be nitpicking, but I think it’s fair game. What I was hoping for was some type of overworld to explore. In this overworld, in my mind, you would have the three games in different locations. Heck, this could’ve even included a museum celebrating the history of the franchise.

Instead, Nintendo did what Nintendo does. They slapped a bland menu system with the ability to select between the three different titles and their respective soundtracks. Yippee, so freaking exciting.

What I Like: The Visuals

This was touched on with Galaxy, but really each of the three titles here look fantastic. Nintendo nailed that aspect of this collection, which was one of the main points of doing it. Some people have complained that Super Mario 64 wasn’t expanded to a 16:9 aspect ratio. To me, though, it’s not too big of a deal because the game plays well at 4:3.

What I Don’t Like: Little to No Improvements

As much as I want to say that the 3D Mario games are flawless, they really aren’t. Even Galaxy has its camera issues. Super Mario 64 still feels like the same clunky and somewhat irritating platforming experience. Nintendo could’ve done a couple of things. One, they could’ve at least attempted to fix the awful camera a little bit. Secondly, they could’ve made Mario feel smoother and more modern. Really, the same problems could’ve been fixed for Sunshine too.

Look, some will say that not doing this is a good thing as each game retains the same feel. This still could’ve been achieved with the addition of improvements. Yet, Nintendo went the lazy path again. Boy, that’s a real shocker.

Bottom Line: It was a Cash Grab

Yep, this game was a cash grab. With the limited availability added on to the fact, it becomes even more apparent. However, do I regret the purchase? No, I don’t. Despite the complaints I have, the collection is still pretty darn good. You get three of the most famous Mario games of all-time on one, modern platform. They all look really good, and you can even play them on the go now. More should’ve been done, but it’s still nice that Nintendo did deliver on them.

And, if you are a fan then you have no doubt heard the rumors and ramblings over the last several weeks. You guys know what I’m talking about; the rumors about a potential collection of remasters coming sometime in the near future. Nintendo clearly wants to do something big for the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros.

If you want my opinion, though, I’m not that excited at what might be a remastered collection pack of the 3D Mario games. Don’t worry, I’m going to explain myself.

Most of the Titles Were Optimized for Their Console

Outside of Super Mario 64, the other three titles being discussed for this supposedly remastered collection were all optimized for the controller of the system that they were made for. The first one, Super Mario Sunshine, required the use of the “R” trigger for FLUDD. The triggers on the Switch controllers probably wouldn’t work that well and remapping the button to something else would just feel odd.

Then, you have the Galaxy games. Sure, there are some people out there who would rather play them without the motion control, but you can’t deny the impact it had. Gamers complain a lot about motion control and I’m not too high on it myself. But, for the Galaxy games, it was virtually perfect and actually made the experience even better. The only solution I can think of is if Nintendo designs them specifically for the Joy Con controllers. Personally, I hate those controllers as they are way too small for average-sized hands.

I’m So Sick of Remasters

Alright, the video game industry is just out of control with how many remasters are being released. When they happen once in a while, I have no problems with them. But, it seems like every day there’s a new remaster revealed. After a while, the allure leaves. I mean, is it so hard for video game developers to actually come up with something new?

I’d Rather Have a Sequel to Odyssey

If you gave me the choice of being able to play all the 3D Mario games on the Switch or playing the sequel to Odyssey, I would choose the latter within a millisecond. Regardless of the time Nintendo puts into this collection (if it even happens), I’d rather see them spend their time designing Super Mario Odyssey 2. There’s so much potential in the sequel and I would be very disappointed (to say the least) if it’s not being created.

Trust me, I get the allure and excitement of a collection of this nature, especially if they are full-on remasters. For me, though, I just want to see Mario take on new platforming adventures. I guess that’s just me.