Super Mario Galaxy For Switch To Use Touch Controls In Handheld Mode

Nintendo surprise-announced the long-rumored Super Mario 3D All-Stars recently: a Switch compilation of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. While it's easy enough to see how Mario 64 and Sunshine would map to a Switch control scheme, Galaxy on the Wii made heavy use of pointer functionality. So how does that map onto a handheld hybrid?

In a statement to Polygon, Nintendo clarified that in TV or tabletop modes, you'll need to use the Joy-Con controllers for pointer functionality. But if you switch to handheld mode, with the Joy-Con controllers attached to the screen, that functionality will use the touch screen instead.

The pointer in Super Mario Galaxy was used to fire star bits, and a second player could help Mario in co-op by using the cursor to perform some of the same functions. That functionality will still be available, even on the Switch Lite, though Nintendo notes that you'll have to use separate Joy-Cons for that. According to the trailer, to play in co-op each player will just need one Joy-Con. All-Stars will also support the Pro controller.

3D All-Stars was one of a few special events and games announced to celebrate Mario's 35th anniversary. Others included Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury coming next year, the battle royale Super Mario Bros. 35, and the toy-ified Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. The company is also hosting special events in other games and releasing a 35th anniversary Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros.

Oddly, though, some of these games and promotions are time-limited. In particular, Super Mario 3D All-Stars will only be available through March 31, 2021, and the phrasing of the limited run of physical copies suggests that they could sell out before then. Super Mario Bros. 35 is also a time-limited game that will not be playable after next March.