Some Super Mario 3D All-Stars pre-orders are being canceled, according to a new report that highlights the UK as an affected region due to Nintendo’s scarce allocation of the game. Super Mario 3D All-Stars is part of Nintendo’s 35th anniversary celebrations for its erstwhile problem-solving plumber, and fans had expected a remaster or remake of a classic title for some time after rumors suggested there would be a collection in the works for Nintendo Switch.
The announcement of Super Mario 3D All-Stars still took fans by surprise, though reception of the title has been mixed as more details have emerged about its contents, price, and handling. The collection curates three strong entries into the Mario franchise in the form of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy – although fans questioned why Super Mario Galaxy 2 isn’t in the collection as well. The Super Mario 3D All-Stars price was also a point of contention for some, who felt the games, which are merely optimized for Nintendo Switch and not fully remastered, shouldn’t be sold for the price of a full new game. While those complaints have validity, there are still many more fans who are simply excited to have three of the best Mario titles collected in one place on Nintendo’s already convenient handheld/console hybrid.
Unfortunately, however, physical Super Mario 3D All Stars pre-orders are getting canceled in some regions, according to a new report from Eurogamer (originally reported by ResetEra user Geobros). According to the report, UK retailer Base.com, which is popular in that region for its lower prices, sent an email to customers who had pre-ordered Super Mario 3D All-Stars with the company. In the email, Base stated that the allocation of the game was “woefully short” and since Nintendo hadn’t given the distributor any reassurance on how much stock it could get, it was forced to cancel Super Mario 3D All-Stars pre-orders for all customers.
It’s important to note that Super Mario 3D All-Stars pre-orders are still available in the UK at websites like Amazon and GAME, so consumers still have options, even if they’re traditionally the most expensive ones. It’s yet another knock against Nintendo’s attempt to make Super Mario 3D All-Stars a collector’s item of sorts – the title will only be available physically and digitally as a limited six month run.
Nintendo is known for its bizarre decisions when it comes to some of its game releases, but they’re rarely actively negative for consumers except when it comes to availability. When the Nintendo Classic and Super Nintendo Classic were nearly impossible to find because Nintendo simply hadn’t made enough, consumers were upset they had potentially missed out on an item they’d very much like to own. It seems like more of the same for Super Mario 3D All-Stars pre-order cancelations, but at least this time it’s only from retailers who offer better prices – certainly a shame, but not an active blocker for those who really want to own a physical copy of the game.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars releases on September 18, 2020 for Nintendo Switch, and will be available as a limited-run until the end of March 2021.
