Super Mario All-Stars is a compilation of early Mario platformers compiled and updated by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. First released in 1993, the package collects multiple entries from the 1980s and presents them with refreshed visuals, reworked music, and compatibility with the 16‑bit hardware of the console.

Contents and presentation

The compilation assembles four complete games on a single cartridge, each rebuilt to run with enhanced graphics and audio. The included titles are listed below:

Each game was remade to take advantage of the SNES's color palette and audio capabilities. The updates generally preserved level designs and core mechanics while improving sprite detail, background art, and soundtracks. Some minor bug fixes and quality‑of‑life adjustments were applied to create a more consistent experience across the set.

History and reissues

Super Mario All‑Stars introduced many players outside Japan to the original sequel known there as Super Mario Bros. 2, here labeled The Lost Levels. In 1994 Nintendo reissued the collection as Super Mario All‑Stars + Super Mario World, bundling the SNES launch title Super Mario World on the same cartridge. The compilation later saw further distribution through digital re‑releases and emulation on subsequent Nintendo platforms.

Importance and legacy

Critically and commercially successful, the compilation served both as a preservation effort and an accessible entry point for new players to experience Nintendo's early platform design. It demonstrated how classic titles could be modernized without losing their original character and influenced later anthology releases and remasters.

Notable distinctions

  • The Lost Levels represents the original Japanese sequel that many Western players had not seen before this release.
  • The collection packages multiple full games on one cartridge, uncommon at the time for home consoles.
  • Its updated audiovisual presentation set a standard for how retro games might be refreshed for newer hardware.

Today Super Mario All‑Stars is remembered both as a faithful tribute to Nintendo's formative platformers and as an early example of how classic games can be curated and remastered for later generations.

Console details | Compilation notes | Original Super Mario Bros. | Western Super Mario Bros. 2 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Reissue with Super Mario World