Nintendo's Disney Vault

On September 3rd, Nintendo dropped a Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary Direct, detailing what we'd have to look forward to in celebration of the long running platforming series big birthday. And there is a lot to be jazzed about but one of the biggest reveals was the confirmation of the long rumored Super Mario 3D All-Stars compilation on the Switch. This collection will included touched up versions of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy, which is all kinds of awesome. Then, in a classic Nintendo move, they told us that Super Mario 3D All-Stars would only be available both in physical and digital formats until March 31st, 2021. Yeah, Nintendo pulled a Disney Vault on us.

For those not in the know, Disney was once notorious for re-releasing their acclaimed animated films for a limited time. If you didn't snatch up Pinocchio while it was available, well, you wouldn't see that sucker again for a good seven years. Back inside the Disney Vault it went. Most companies tend to make their films easily accessible. Disney, at least when it came to their animated films, was the opposite. With Disney's vault program, they restricted access to some very much loved films. It was quite infuriating for any animation collector or for anyone that simply dug Disney's animated flicks, which, regardless of what you may think of Disney as a company, was and still is a plethora of people. Nintendo is essentially doing a Disney Vault by limiting the availability of Super Mario 3D All-Stars and there is absolute zero reason for them to do this.

Image by Nintendo

The three games that make up Super Mario 3D All-Stars are Mario's first three 3D adventures. They are kind of a big deal. Super Mario 64 has seen several re-releases via Super Mario 64DS and the Wii and Wii U's Virtual Console. Super Mario Sunshine, however, has never seen a re-release of any kind, being stuck on the GCN since 2002. Despite the design flaws and glitches Sunshine has, a lot of people still adore that game, so good of Nintendo for bringing it back. The fact that all three of these games are finally coming to the Switch is huge. Annnnnd Nintendo is placing a time limit on how long they will be available.

I'm not sure if Nintendo's Disney Vault ploy is to drum up demand, but there is no need for such action to be taken. These are some are Mario's most well known games. Not only that, they are coming to the Switch, a system that has been printing fat sacks of cash for Nintendo since the day it launched. Nintendo doesn't need to place a six month time window on this release because they are going to make bank on it anyway.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has made Switches harder to come by. Money is also tight for millions of people because of the job losses due to said pandemic. Some people would probably get a Switch just to play this game but can't right now due to the sad state of the world. By the time things improve for a lot of struggling folks, it could be too late to buy Super Mario 3D All-Stars both physically and digitally.

Nintendo's instance on boneheaded decisions continues to astound me. It makes no sense to sell such a coveted collection of games for a limited time. They didn't place a limit on Animal Crossing: New Horizons and the game has already sold over 16 million copies. It's like Nintendo just had to make a stupid move to go along with the good move they made.

Image by Nintendo

About a year ago, something amazing happen to the Disney vault program: it ended. Disney+, the company's streaming service effectively killed the much loathed practice of limited animated film releases by making nearly all of the entire back catalog available for anyone that signs up for it. Wanna watch The Lion King, The Jungle Book, or The Great Mouse Detective? No problem. As long as Disney doesn't decide to ax Disney+ (with all the money the streaming service gives them, they'd be foolish to do so) you never have to worry about access to Disney animate features ever again because Disney has never made accessing them so much easier.

Maybe Nintendo will hop off the stupid horse sometime after March 31, 2021 passes and realize that they can make way more money by continuing to sell Super Mario 3D All-Stars. Maybe. Then again, this is a company that still struggles to get their games working online correctly. Drumming up demand, creating FOMO (fear of missing out) when their isn't a need to do so is classic Nintendo. Great at making games, infuriating as a company.

Let's Discuss: Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary Dicrect

On Thursday I'm on the verge of getting out of bed and after taking my Chromebook out of sleep mode, I see that Nintendo dropped a direct. And not just any direct, but a Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary Direct. Yup, Mr. Video Game is gonna be 35 years old this month and the Big N is rolling out the red carpet for him and his buddies. With 2020 being the crappy year it has, I almost forgot what a big year it is for Mario and in spite of some qualms, I'm gonna take this as a very nice W. 

Game & Watch Super Mario Bros.

I've never owned any of the Game & Watch devices but I've always admired the sleek designs of the units. I also respect the history behind the Game & Watch line, being that they predate the NES and Game Boy and much like Nintendo's handhelds, the Game & Watch series was very successful. I'd love to own the Game & Watch Super Mario Bros. if only to display it on a shelf. The box alone looks really cool. Not the most hype thing of the SMB35th Direct but still pretty neat, nonetheless.

Super Mario Bros. 35

Super Mario Bros. basically got the Tetris 99 treatment but with far fewer players. This looks insanely fun and I am foaming at the mouth with anticipation for it. I suspect anyone familiar with SMB should be on good footing but as was the case with Tetris 99, players will have to learn how to best use the new mechanics. It looks like it will use the same "stiff" controls from the original SMB rather than the more fluid movement from Super Mario Maker. My one gripe is the limited availability of Super Mario 35. We'll be able to play the game on October 1st, but when March 31, 2021 rolls around, that's a rap. Why is this game being canned after 6 months? Super Mario 35 will no doubt be massively popular so there is no reason for Nintendo to limit the game's lifespan. Hopefully they have a change of heart. If not, we'll have to enjoy Super Mario 35 while it lasts.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury

I was waiting for Super Mario 3D World to be ported to the Switch. With all the other Wii U ports that came over, it was only a matter of time. And yes, I will gladly pay $60 for this game a second time because 3D World is a beautifully made platformer that didn't have anywhere near enough exposure due to the system it was on. Thankfully, 3D World will now get the exposure it rightly deserves. I would have been just fine with a vanilla port but the extra Bowser's Fury has me intrigued. Some (more) super hard levels? I'm in.

Super Mario All-Stars

Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, 3 and The Lost Levels with updated graphics and sound. Originally released in 1993 on the SNES and then re-released on the Wii U in 2010 for Super Mario Bros. 25th anniversary. 10 years later, Super Mario All-Stars is back again. I've always liked these remade versions of these early Super Mario titles and this is coming from a guy who loves the 8-bit versions. Since these are on the Switch, we get that super awesome rewind feature. Still, even rewind is not enough to make me torture myself playing Lost Levels. I know to some people Super Mario All-Stars being added to the SNES Nintendo Switch Online isn't a big deal, but me, I'm about it.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars

I place zero stock into rumors. This way, if they are proven untrue, I'm spared disappointment. For months, we've heard that a Super Mario 3D collection was coming to the Switch. Turns out that rumor was true and I am so glad it was.

Super Mario 64 is one of my favorite games of all-time. I own it on the N64, the Wii and in a few weeks, I'll own it on the Switch and be able to play it anywhere! Yes, I also own Super Mario 64 DS and I like the added content that version has but the controls have always made me prefer the N64 version. Super Mario 64 just feels better to me with analog controls so even though I get less with the N64 version, it will always be the way I play.

I know Super Mario Sunshine is a game very much loved by many but to me, it has always been the odd duck. Not only is the game glitchy, it has some very questionable design choices that keep me from loving it. Still, I don't think Sunshine is a bad game. There's a lot I really love about it. The tropical island locals, the music, the Delfino residents. Sunshine may not be my fav 3D Mario but I'm happy that it's being included for those that do favor it.

I'm one of those weirdos that prefers Super Mario Galaxy to Super Mario Galaxy 2. The movement, the level design, the orchestral soundtrack; Galaxy hits so many of the right spots. To think that I'll be able to play it on the Switch in a higher resolution. I do think it's strange that Galaxy 2 wasn't included. Stranger still is Super Mario 3D All-Stars will be limited in both physical and digital release formats through March 2021. Super Mario All-Stars on the Wii was originally a limited release back in 2010 but Nintendo issued more copies and it went on to be part of the Nintendo Selects line of discounted titles. This is a collection of Super Mario games so the demand is gonna be pretty high but this isn't the first time Nintendo has sat on money to be made. Who knows, maybe the limited availability of Super Mario 3D All-Stars won't be so limited. We'll have to wait and see.

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It really is a great time to be a Mario fan. Sure, 2020 may be on some serious suck but fun times are ahead for Mario and company and as a long time fan, I've no intention of missing out on this Mario party.

VG Soundtrack of the Day 081: Shante: Half-Genie Hero Original Soundtrack

I love choosing game soundtracks from generations gone by but the more modern music is pretty lit, too. Take Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, a late 2016 release. This game's soundtrack is full of bangers, my faves being Counterfeit Mermaids, Tassle Town and The Sky Bridge. 

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero OST (Bandcamp)

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VG Soundtrack of the Day 080: ActRaiser

You know that moment that hits when you just know that you're in for something special? Well for me when it comes to the music from ActRaiser, that moment was the first few notes of Opening. Those blasting trumpets and those drums going to town. Talk about winning them over from the beginning! Of course, this glorious soundtrack comes from Yuzo Koshiro so the beats do not disappoint after the initial track. Filmoa, The Beast Appears, Blood Pool Casandora  and the entire score sounds like big budget Hollywood pieces. And yet they are coming out of the SNES! I will never stop being amazed by that 16-bit sound chip.

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VG Soundtrack of the Day 079: Gradius Gaiden

This soundtrack, even by the exceptionally high Gradius standards, is really freaking good. Hearing the music of Graius Gaiden has always been bitter sweet for me because it is game I've never played. I mean, with SHMUPs blowing up on the Switch, we could sure use a re-release of this one. The one time Gradius Gaiden made it outside of Japan was on the PSP's Gradius Collection, so we're well past time for another re-release of this one. Anyhoo, Speed is without a doubt my top choice for the best song in this soundtrack.

Gradius Gaiden (YouTube)

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VG Soundtrack of the Day 078: Mighty Switch Force!

The third game in WayForward's Mighty series, this puzzle plaformer has you flipping switches to defeat the baddies progress through the level and trying your best not to be in the place of a flipped switch. Music is handled by the very wonderful Jake Kaufman, who has yet to turn in a soundtrack I didn't like. Do you enjoy upbeat music? Disco? Funky beats? This is the soundtrack for you! Not into that stuff? This soundtrack is still for you!

Mighty Switch Force OST (YouTube)

Mighty Switch Force OST (Bandcamp)

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VG Soundtrack of the Day 077: The Hybrid Front

One of the best Mega Drive/Genesis soundtracks many have not heard. The game was never released outside of Japan. If you've played Sonic Megamix, a popular Sonic ROM hack, you may have heard a song from this game. The Hybrid Front did come from Sonic's parent company and even share's one of Sonic's music composers, Naofumia Hayata of Sonic 2 on the Game Gear/Master System and Sonic CD fame. Credit also goes out to his co-composers Junko Shiratsu and Sachio Ogawa. Combat Scenario sounds like it came out of a ToeJam & Earl game and Earth ~ Sakurabe Fight BGM 2 doesn't sound all that far off. This soundtrack is full of toe-taping, finger snapping tracks , often kicked off with samples like "Let's do it!" or "LET'S GO!"

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