The proliferation of remakes and remasters is bit of a mixed bag. Gamers recoil when games get the treatment that really don’t need it. But, on the other hand, we’ve gotten some long-lost classics reimagined for replay or a new audience. The latest remake from Nintendo most definitely falls into the second category. Super Mario RPG comes resurrected and with more than just a fresh coat of paint.
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Super Mario RPG is a bit of a legendary title. Released back in 1996 on the SNES under the name Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, its production saw Nintendo teaming up with Square to bring Mario into the turn-based number-heavy world of the role-player. Possibly because of this match-up, Super Mario RPG hasn’t really seen anywhere near as many ports as other Mario titles. The game, in any form, had remained a bit of a rare beast.
A Very Mario Story
The games story focuses on Mario and his friends as they seek to defeat Smithy and his Gang, who has crashed into their world and scattered Star Road into seven different star pieces.
So, its up to you, along with Princess Peach and Bowser as well as new friends; Mallow and Geno, to find the missing star pieces. And, ultimately, you’ll need to put a stop to Smithy’s plans to take over the world.
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It’s a 13-to-14 hour adventure that has some really solid writing and often fun moments, that feel random at times but overall fit the tone perfectly. Just don’t think too deeply about what’s happening and you’ll have a blast.
A Very Mario RPG
Things are a little different from your run of the mill Mario title. Super Mario RPG was the very first RPG in the Mario franchise. The game draws many of its gameplay elements from major elements of Square’s other RPG franchises, such as Final Fantasy.
Fighting enemies is a mostly turn-based affair. Your party of heroes can time their attack just right to do the most damage. And things have been tweaked a little for the 2023 release . If you land a perfect hit on one enemy, it will inflict a radius of damage to others around them.
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There is also a new gauge that fills during battles, that when full will let you pull off a powerful group attack as well. Seeing you being able to defeat groups of enemies very quickly if you time things just right. Indeed, some fights being over before your first turn has even ended sometimes.
It does take a while to get used timing side of the system. However, Super Mario RPG gives you a grace period to learn the ropes before upping the stakes. You get time to re-think your tactics and incorporate your special abilities before you need.
The changes to combat are a welcome move, and the manner in which they’re doled out is done with care.
You should be up to speed before you face the game’s challenging selection of bosses. These foes will very much up put up a fight. You may very well need to dig deep to overcome them at times.
Breezy RPG
And, if you’re not huge on RPG combat, or just want to enjoy the games tale, there is a new difficulty mode called Breezy Mode. You can switch to this cake-walk at any time and be several key bonuses. Stuff like enemies and bosses being 10% weaker, and attack action commands having a longer window. Small changes they may be on their own, but battles become a lot simpler with the changes.
When not saving the kingdom. there are a few mini-games you can have fun with. Racing with Yoshi, riding through mines collecting coins and mushrooms, or barrel rolling down a river.
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The mini-games are not huge distractions, but welcome ones. They’re also a good chance to bag some powerful items thanks to the frog coins you find as well.
The remake also brings a few new extras to the table. There is a post-game challenge that lets you battle the bosses again. These bosses are more powerful than in general play, and present a real challenge. You can also revisit other areas in the game for some extra content, as well as a few surprises.
New Mario Style
Super Mario RPG remake looks brilliant. It updates the striking visual style of the original, but preserves the spirit of the isometric 3D environments. The remake has updated elements like Bowser’s look, but it stays true to source for others. For example, Mario still looks very squat.
The remake has also seen a number of new cutscenes added to the mix, which only add to the overall visual quality.
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The audio of Super Mario RPG remake has also given a lot of love and care. The full soundtrack has been updated with better sound hardware. But, if you’re a die-hard fan you can always swap it back to the original classic version.
Super Mario RPG is a very polished product but the menu system can drop frames in the latter half of the game. Not a major issue but something you may notice
Preserving What’s Worth Preserving
Super Mario RPG is a unique instalment in the Mario saga. It delivered different and new ways to enjoy the company’s brand of mushroom fuelled fun. While some of the novelty has worn away after almost 30 years, the 2023 remake does a good job at blowing away a lot of the dust by upgrading and adding to the whole package.
Returning fans will love it through and through, whereas newcomers are in for a real treat and get to play a true cult classic in the best form it has ever been.