Mario’s first RPG gets a loving remake.
I owe a lot to why I’m here at Nintendo World Report to Super Mario RPG. It was the game that took me from an average child interested in video games to an obsessed weirdo venturing out onto the internet to track Japan-only games, upcoming release dates, out-there theories, and Nintendo enthusiast websites. The game holds a special place in my heart and I used to replay it about once a year through the early 2000s. Since then, while Super Mario RPG has remained important to me, I’ve accepted it as a relic of its time with its awkward isometric platforming and modernly rough visuals. I never fathomed that nearly 30 years after release, Super Mario RPG would get a fresh coat of paint and cement itself once again as one of my personal favorite games of all time after a few years of doubt.
While the remake of Super Mario RPG on Nintendo Switch won’t convert everyone, it’s a fantastic update to a Super Nintendo classic. All of the off-brand weirdness and quirky characters are still present. The memorable moments and quotes are still there, even if some names have changed. Every little detail appears to be carried over from the original, often with a wink and a nod. If you’re new to the world of Super Mario RPG, this is a relatively basic traditional RPG originally made by Square Enix in the mid-1990s around the same time the company also made the likes of Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger. In a way, it’s more of a spiritual follow-up to the “My First RPG” ideas found in Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest (even featuring some of the staff of that game) but laid out in a much more compelling and engaging way. It successfully marries classic turn-based combat with Mario elements, most commonly found in the action-oriented battles that feature timed button presses to do more or take less damage. Mario’s platforming also comes into play, but due to the isometric viewpoint, jumping with Mario does not lend itself to precision challenges. Those are few and far between here, but precise jumps are required just enough to make the isometric platforming frustrating. One of the troubles with being such a faithful remake.
In general, the challenge skews easy, though a first-timer might have some trouble with some tricky boss battles, especially if they aren’t experts at timed button presses. An easier difficulty is offered, which is perfect for the younger crowd. I can vouch it was very good for my 5-year-old. As someone who has played this game a whole lot, I lament the lack of a harder difficulty option. However, in lieu of that, the remake adds a sizable and charming post-game where you travel around to fight harder versions of bosses. These battles were a sheer delight with each focused on mastering a specific aspect of the combat.
In addition to the post-game, the remake tweaks some other aspects along the way, most notably in combat. Perfectly timed basic attacks now do splash damage to every enemy, quickening the pace of battles. Additionally, successfully completing timed button presses builds up a meter that, when full, can be spent to unleash a powerful attack or boost special to your three-person party. This deepens your bag of tricks in battle and like the splash damage, makes the game move a little bit faster. It’s wild how much faster the game plays on Switch compared to the original. I was finished with the entirety of the post game in around 12 hours whereas the SNES version generally hovers around the 15-20 hour range.
The visuals retain the feel of the original game but no longer have the dated pre-rendered muck of the ‘90s. The presentation perfectly nails the feeling of being what you remembered Super Mario RPG to look like, and even sounds like as it retained the original’s memorable sound effectsl. The music features the original soundtrack from Yoko Shimomura as well as a fully remastered soundtrack also handled by Shimomura. You can switch between either during the game. I primarily stuck with the new soundtrack so I could continually be blown away by how Shimomura took her immaculate work from 1996 and made it even better today.
While the general simplicity might hold back some, Super Mario RPG still excels at what it intends to do: wax nostalgia and provide a gentle RPG experience. It’s a gorgeous adventure with tons of personality and a combat system that is often imitated but never fully duplicated. Even with Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi succeeding this game, they truly don’t make them like this wacky, bizarre game anymore. The playful vibe fits so well with the slightly off-brand Mario world that makes this game, with the grimy Wario-like Booster, goofy Axem Rangers, and evil wedding cake, unforgettable. Your mileage may vary with how much the straightforward adventure and unique brand of basic RPG works for you, but I walked away from this remake feeling like Super Mario RPG is solidly one of my favorite games ever.
