There’s Big Money in Selling Super Mario 3D All-Stars but Nintendo Doesn’t Care

Fun fact, Super Mario 3D All-Stars has sold over 8 million copies since its release in September 2020. That’s impressive! Any sane developer/publisher would want to keep raking coins from a low effort port. Of the work that went into that three game package and the money it’s generated, one would think it’d never come down, right? No company in their right mind would do something like REMOVE their cash cow… right?

Well, Nintendo is removing their cash cow. In two days, at the time of writing. What is compelling Nintendo to pull such an idiotic move? As a game company, their job is to sell games. As game companies go, Nintendo is really good at it! So much that they made three of the most low effort ports in modern history, charged $60 for it, and it sold like hot cakes! Hell, I bought a copy! But for some reason, Nintendo can’t just be normal and sell games. There has to be some kooky catch. Thus, in two days, Mario dies by Nintendo’s hand.

To be clear, 3D All-Stars isn’t all that’s going away. Mario 35, a platformer battle royal game where you and 34 others race to see who can finish Super Mario Bros. first, is also going to be gone. Oh, and remember that Game & Watch they released? Gone forever. Mario is making them money hand over fist, and always will. They just have to sit it on a shelf and watch people go “MARIO SUNSHINE?!” while the profits continue to rise.

I just… I wish I understood why Nintendo has to be weird. It’s like every time they do something, they do it to make it as exploitable as possible. Are we sure the scalpers aren’t paying Nintendo to pull this kind of nonsense? Ultimately, they’re the only ones who benefit from this. I feel bad for people after April who’d want something like this, and can’t purchase it because Nintendo has Nintendo’d all over it. And sure, there are other ways to obtain these games that I don’t endorse, but do understand. However, for those who only want to use official channels, Nintendo is hell bent on making it a painful process. Who knows? They may make it available through some virtual console in the future…

I’m not even sure what’s worse: Nintendo is pulling this dumb move or their silence as to why. If we at least understood the logic, this would be a slightly easier pill to swallow. Nintendo is just going to be weird and let their rabid fans defend them. In the meantime, pour one out for Mario on the 31st. That poor plumber doesn’t have much time left.