Super Mario RP-Whee!

My introduction to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was via emulation. I received my first home console when I was 14, a GameCube, and my Jewish lifestyle meant only getting new games on special occasions. The first console I had that actually emulated was my Wii, and the game wasn’t high on my priority list for a long time. While I don’t condone it in hindsight, piracy was the only way to experience said game. Even then, my laptop refused to save my progress, so I wasn’t able to get far.

It's a shame because what little I played I enjoyed. It was Mario, so I was sold anyway, but it felt special. Even walkthroughs on YouTube, despite being sparse, were events. This was a game that warranted a full play-through, but how? The original cartridge was expensive, emulating it was garbage and it was out of my price range on the Virtual Console. Even when I bought a Wii U, I couldn’t access the online due to it being used and partly broken. It even alluded the Nintendo Switch Online for years, despite frequent rumours that it was coming.

Fortunately, the wait’s finally over! The game that kept slipping my grasp is on the Switch…as a remake. Not that I’m complaining, as the announcement of Super Mario RPG (the remake dropped the sub-title) was enough to grab me. That it was coming out was nice, but on the Switch? And in HD? Complete with fully-rendered cutscenes? Forget Super Mario Bros. Wonder, this was my most-anticipated game of 2023!

Super Mario RPG begins like any standard Mario game: Princess Peach is abducted by Bowser and shipped to his castle. Mario goes to rescue her, but no sooner is Bowser defeated when a giant, sentient sword pierces through the castle and sends Mario flying back to his house. Said sword’s property of Smithy, a mysterious figure who destroyed Star Road and handed its seven pieces to his various underlings. It’s up to Mario, together with Bowser, Peach and two new companions, Mallow and Geno, to travel The Mushroom Kingdom and save Star Road.

Super Mario RPG, as the title suggests, is a role-playing game, particularly an old fashioned, turn-based one. But while most old-school RPGs were known for their difficulty and unpredictability, this one’s straightforward. The battles are telegraphed before you encounter them, and in some cases can even be avoided. The combat’s also streamlined, with in-battle options easier to understand. Even the new additions, like filling up a special meter to unleash a three-character attack, are simple enough to understand for a newcomer. Factor in a Breezy Mode, and there’s no worrying about intense difficulty.

I like that. One of the biggest pitfalls with older video games is their punishing difficulty. Video games were more limited in scope, so they were designed to make the most of that. This was also the case for Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, which was easier than many of its contemporaries, but not exactly a cakewalk. Having the remake accommodate modern gaming sensibilities is, therefore, a plus. It makes enjoying the game much more possible.

And what a game it is! The main story isn’t deep, it’s a Mario game, but it’s rich with lore and character building. One of your new companions is a cloud prince raised as a tadpole. The other one’s a puppet come to life. Both have rich and satisfying character arcs, and they’re not the only ones. Even Peach, normally a trophy character, has agency! It might not seem like a big deal now, but for 1996 that was huge!

This game’s story’s further complimented by the enhanced visuals, complete with an HD facelift and cutscenes. These not only update the look, allowing the original visuals to be fully-realized, they retain the game’s cutesy charm. Every character model’s smushed to give them a chibi-esque look, which makes them more appealing. They’re also complimented by the faithfully-witty and clever script, something that’d be kept for future Mario RPGs. This is despite minor updates to references and locations.

The coolest addition to Super Mario RPG is the score. The original composer, Yoko Shimomura, has returned to oversee it, allowing for orchestral updates to the limited compositions of the SNES. They’re all absolute bangers, but it doesn’t stop there! You also have the option to switch to the classic renditions via the options menu, allowing you to compare and contrast the two versions. That’s something I wish more modern remakes allowed for, if we’re being honest.

This game’s truly timeless. While Super Mario RPG, being a faithful reskin, doesn’t fully take advantage of the Switch’s hardware, its core mechanics and witticisms haven’t aged at all. The game legitimately plays like it could’ve come out now, which is impressive given many older games haven’t aged well. So while it might be short, I beat it in 2 days, it’s addicting enough that I couldn’t put it down to take a bathroom break. It’s that good.

Now then, let’s talk about the inability to accurately see an enemy’s health. What’s up with that?!