Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 for Nintendo Switch are already causing controversy

Alongside the reveal of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, the big news from Nintendo to mark Super Mario Bros's 40th anniversary this month is the release of Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 for Nintendo Switch. The official release date isn't until 2 October, but the package is already causing controversy.

First, there's the price tag of $40 for a single port of an old game or $70 for the pair (and Switch 2 prices are hardly cheap). But worse than that, some fans think the games look worse than they did on the Wii in some places.

Galaxy 1 & 2 ports look worse in some places from r/Mario

A Reddit user has posted comparisons of scenes from the games on the Wii alongside scenes from the trailer for the Switch. They say that while some scenes have improved detail, others look "washed out" or appear to have missing textures.

"Take these two examples of the diamond plate metal and textured soil from the original games, which have been replaced by basically non-existent textures, and they look objectively worse,” they wrote.

Fans are raising concerns over on X too, also comparing images from the Switch port against footage from the game in 3D All Stars. Others miss the cinematic look of the letterboxing on the cut scenes.

I think fans may be judging a bit too quickly by basing comparisons on the trailer, which may not show the finished game. As some fans have commented, there may have still been unfinished textures that will be replaced before release. Video compression on YouTube may also play a role.

"I think they’re replacing a lot of the textures with PBR materials which look better in better lighting. I noticed a lot of textures are not just higher quality but they seem to have more detail and actual catch light instead of being flat like on Wii," one fan wrote on X.

Nintendo promises that Switch Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 for Switch will be more than just ports, with enhanced resolution (1080p on Switch and 4K on Switch 2), improved UI, a new chapter of Rosalina's storybook, amiibo support and a new Assist Mode. They've redone in-game text and map textures too. But the reaction from some fans suggests that for the price tag, they expect full remakes of the games.

If you need a console to play on when the games are released on 2 October, check out the deals below.

In the meantime, four decades on from the original game's release, it's worth recalling why Super Mario Bros is still a great lesson in game design.