Cosmic Price: Nintendo’s Super Mario Galaxy Collection Will Retail for a Premium $70

As Nintendo celebrates the 40th anniversary of its most iconic hero, Mario, the company is pulling out all the stops. In a recent Nintendo Direct, the company announced a number of new projects, including an upgraded collection of the classic Wii games, Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel, Super Mario Galaxy 2, for the Nintendo Switch. However, the excitement has been tempered by the reveal of its price point. In a move that has sparked significant debate among the fan community, the two-game collection is confirmed to retail for a premium $70, a price that has left many gamers questioning the value of a re-release.

A Nostalgia Trip with a Steep Price Tag

The collection, officially titled Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2, is set to launch on October 2, 2025. It will be available both as a physical bundle and as two separate digital purchases, each priced at $40. This means that fans who wish to buy both games digitally will be paying an even higher total of $80. The $70 price point for the physical collection is a notable departure from Nintendo’s previous high-profile re-release, Super Mario 3D All-Stars, which included three games—Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy—and retailed for $60. The price hike has drawn immediate comparisons, with many arguing that a two-game collection, even with “enhanced” visuals, does not justify a $10 increase over a three-game collection.

The company has justified the price by highlighting the various upgrades. The games will have enhanced resolution, improved UI, and a new “Assist Mode.” Additionally, the collection will include new chapters for Rosalina’s storybook, a beloved piece of lore from the original game. For many long-time fans, however, these additions feel minimal and do not warrant the full retail price of a brand-new AAA title. The sentiment on social media has been clear: these are still games that are more than a decade old, and while they are classics, the price feels exorbitant for what many are calling a basic port rather than a full-fledged remaster. The collection is also an enhanced edition for the new Nintendo Switch 2, though the upgrade will be free for those who purchase the game on the original Switch, a rare piece of good news in an otherwise contentious discussion.

• The Price of Nostalgia: At $70, the collection is priced at the same level as many new, high-production games, raising questions about the value of ports.
• A Digital Dilemma: The digital release strategy of charging $40 for each individual game makes the bundle a better deal, but still leaves a sour taste for many who feel the games should be sold at a lower, more accessible price.

A New Pricing Model: The Future of Nintendo Re-releases?

The premium price of the Super Mario Galaxy collection is part of a larger, evolving strategy for Nintendo’s pricing. The company was one of the first to introduce the $80 price point for its new Switch 2 titles, such as Mario Kart World, and it seems this new pricing philosophy is also being applied to its re-releases. The move suggests that Nintendo is confident in the enduring popularity of its first-party catalog and believes that fans will pay a premium for the convenience of playing these classics on modern hardware. For a company that has famously kept its older titles in a digital vault, the decision to monetize them at a high price is a clear business strategy.

While the price is a point of concern for existing fans, Nintendo’s target audience may be different. The company is actively working to bring new players into the Mario universe, particularly with the release of the new Super Mario Galaxy movie in 2026. For a new generation of gamers who have never played these titles, the $70 price might feel more justified as they are getting to experience a pair of “new” games that are considered among the greatest of all time. However, for the millions of players who have already bought and played these games on the Wii, the price feels less like a celebration and more like a simple business transaction. The Super Mario Galaxy collection may be a must-buy for completionists and new players, but for a significant portion of the fanbase, it is a cosmic-sized price for a trip back in time.