Super Mario RPG’s remake is a Switch sleeper-hit
Super Mario RPG is up there with Earthbound as one of the most idiosyncratic RPGs of the era. While the Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy series were preoccupied with swords and sorcery, Earthbound was beating hippies with baseball bats, and Super Mario RPG was doing all the things Mario is famous for: Jumping on Koopas, throwing fireballs, smacking things with a hammer really, really hard – Super Mario RPG was monumental. Not only was this a Mario RPG, and not only was it one of the most visually striking games of its generation, but it was developed by Square with the same pedigree that made the Final Fantasy series legendary.
It’s a recipe for success, and it absolutely was, even if it didn’t manage to reach PAL territories until the Wii’s Virtual Console. But when jumping into Super Mario RPG now, it’s a bit harder to appreciate all it managed to achieve.
In a world where we have Paper Mario as well as Mario & Luigi – in addition to a bunch of spin-offs that are arguably RPGs, like Mario + Rabbids – Super Mario RPG’s selling point (which is right in the title, in case you haven’t noticed) has lost some of its impact. Plus, the defining isometric viewpoint and CG sprites are naturally traded out for a traditional and familiar 3D style in Super Mario RPG’s new remake on Nintendo Switch.
Super Mario RPG is filled with puzzles.
Nintendo
To cut to the chase after all of that waffle: Super Mario RPG is nearly 30 years removed from launch, so it comes as absolutely no surprise that the game won’t be blowing minds now in the same way that it did in 1996. Other Mario RPGs have taken the same principles laid down here and run with them in new and interesting ways – Super Mario RPG feels like a base template by comparison.
Still, it’s absolutely impossible to deny its charm. SMRPG is a surprisingly short game, and it’s easy to just get sucked into the loop and keep playing for hours at a time. Combat keeps you engaged by having you time button presses for both extra damage on your attacks, and to defend against enemy attacks, so there’s always a reason to keep your hands on the controller and your eyes on the screen.
Battles are surprisingly great and engaging.
Nintendo
The environments are still basic and character models are designed to be easily understood even as a low-res sprite, but that works in the game’s favor. The simple, smooth, chibi-like aesthetic of this remake might remove everyone’s neck – not like Mario had much to give – but it’s not far off the toy-like stylized look of the Zelda: Link’s Awakening remake. It means that, even if you’re fully familiar with Super Mario RPG, it feels shiny and new. Returning to the original after playing this remake is going to be tough to stomach.
As you’d expect from a Square RPG, the characters are well developed, and there’s a reason that Smash Bros. fans have been begging for SMRPG’s Geno to be added to the game for years. While it initially feels like a silly set up for an RPG in the Super Mario universe, it justifies itself by being a unique and surprisingly heartfelt journey for the characters.
The visual style is a welcome change.
Nintendo
Even after more than two decades of RPGs featuring Mario since, Super Mario RPG is still up there with the best of them, and this remake solidifies that. It’s simple, sure, but it’s great fun, and set the stage for every turn-based Mario game since. It’s been a brilliant year for Nintendo fans, and Super Mario RPG is the perfect send-off for the Switch in 2023.
Score: 8/10
Version tested: Nintendo Switch
- Visuals: 9/10
- Story: 8/10
- Gameplay: 7/10
- Performance: 6/10
Super Mario RPG technical performance
Super Mario RPG admirably aims for 60fps, and it holds steady during battle, which is what matters. However, some areas of the game will have predictable and noticeable framedrops. It’s not game-breaking, especially not in a turn-based RPG, but when it happens, you’ll know.
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You can buy Super Mario RPG on Amazon right now.
