Super Mario RPG (2023)

[FlameMaster5]

Developer: Square (1996) and ArtePiazza (2023)
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform(s): Super Famicom, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Virtual Console (Wii, Wii U), Super NES Classic Edition, Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Famicom, NINTENDO SWITCH
Genre: RPG (Role-Playing Game)
Rating: ESRB or E for Everyone
Mode(s): Single-Player
Difficulty: 7yrs and older

Ah, Super Mario RPG... Even just saying the title brings an immediate smile to my face!
When the original game launched on the Super Nintendo back in 1996, it made a HUGE impact on not only the Mario fanbase, the role-playing genre as a whole... But also on me! :3
Let me tell you all about how this game touched the hearts of many and why its legacy lives on for new generations after its remake in 2023! *cue the fireworks*

Odds are good you’ve seen Mario stomp a goomba or kick a koopa shell before, but you might not have seen him punch a living evil wedding cake right in the bundt! *chuckles* That's right, I said what I said! XD

Ahem... Super Mario RPG is easily one of the quirkiest adventures our mustachioed plumber has ever been on, rightly becoming a standout when Final Fantasy developer Square first released it nearly three decades ago. Its 2023 remake is an incredibly faithful recreation of this already awesome RPG, with a fresh coat of paint and some small but smart combat updates. Those changes can’t completely shake off 27 years of dust, but they do provide a fantastic way for fans like me to revisit this classic while also letting new folk(small children too!) better enjoy just how wild it is firsthand. <3

- Story -

Bucking the usual setup of Mario titles, this entertaining story kicks off with our hero rushing to Bowser’s Keep and immediately rescuing a kidnapped Princess Peach – but before they can return home happily ever after, a giant sword with a face crashes through the castle roof and sends all three of them flying! From there, Mario has to fight lots of living weapons up to no good and collect seven Star Pieces in order to save the Mushroom Kingdom! It’s not a long tale, taking me just about 12 hours to finish (though I’ve done so on SNES before), but the writing is so consistently funny and often off-the-wall that this essentially unchanged script still makes me laugh. With Mario teaming up with original characters like the "tadpole" Mallow and a sentient children's doll named Geno on a mission to restore everyone's wishes, this game promises an adventure you will never forget!

- Soundtrack -

Oh, but don't EVEN.
Get me STARTED.
On the MUSIC!
Hey... I see you backing away now.
Don't. Come onnnnnn, come on back.
I'll calm down. I promise.
Ok? ...Ok. *handshakes*

If you know me, the people in my life... They know how passionate I am about the subject of music in gaming. I may not have all the jargon or names for notes when creating music, but I'd like to think I have a solid ear when it comes to the mood needed to build the world for games.
And Super Mario RPG? Well, let's just say...

IT GETS ME EVERYTIME!

Right. Calm...

Of course, let me be absolutely clear... That's how I feel about the original 1996 soundtrack. The entire OST just has this impactful, catchy, and sometimes even dangerous edge to it that just meshes beautifully. The notes through every track have purposeful 'bounce' that really complements Mario himself and his team, and it flows consistently whether it's a happy and touching moment or when faced with a menacing foe before you! It's what solidified this game into a masterpiece, back then and now!
This is the type of music that just calls you back to the game... Like a siren out there in murky waters...
And you can't help but hear it and just be transported back to all the special moments in your journey.
Need I say more?

Well actually... I do need to say more.
And that's about the new soundtrack!
Now, for me, I can't say that the newer ost hits the same feels for me... BUT! That does not mean it is bad. In fact, it does have a BRIGHTNESS to each track, sounding like an extrovert at a pop dance party half the time.
Which scares me. I'm an introvert if you haven't guessed yet...
The happy, perky vibe is certainly there, but there's some actual fantastic use of instruments too that you'd otherwise miss if you had only played the original so I am very pleased Nintendo took the opportunity!

The best part, whether you like the og or new soundtrack, the Super Mario RPG remake allows you to play either version easily from your options menu AND you can swap it anytime you'd like! That's aces anytime in my book! :]

Don't believe me?
Here's links to BOTH on Youtube:
- Original Ost 1996
- New Ost 2023

- Graphics -

If you watched the trailer above, then I don't think I have to say much here.

Super Mario RPG Remake took everything awesome visually and cranked it up to a million with how BEAUTIFUL it is: a shimmer of light and rainbow can be seen in the caves of Midas River, the beanstalks look hardy and fresh at Land's End, and Bowser's Keep has never looked more menacing with its dark halls or fiery dungeons. 

My favorite area? Ooooh, that's tough... But I gotta say I was in utter awe seeing Star Hill - and a single still image won't do it justice so you'll just have to see it for yourself!

Also, I'm not ashamed to admit this...
I teared up at the end. I felt a tear of just joy.
It felt like a letter from Nintendo to just me.
Seriously. This was my game of the year, truly. (2023)

- Combat & Powers -

Combat is also definitely the place this remake has been altered most substantially, largely for the better. Button timings now give an even bigger bonus for a super-precise press, even adding a splash damage effect to your basic attacks that made me more thoughtful about how I distributed damage in standard encounters than I ever was in the original. Chaining together well-timed presses also fills up a gauge to use on powerful new Triple Moves, each of which comes with an awesome 3D cutscene. These updates don’t necessarily make the combat feel as modern or as deep as many of the games inspired by the original, but they do help breathe plenty of fresh life into a system that certainly benefits from it.

One part of that system that is still a ton of fun is its varied selection of weapons. Rather than only being a statistical increase, the weapons each of your party members use are tailored specifically to them, and their animations – and, as a result, attack timings – change whenever you find a new one. Mario could be kicking a koopa shell or smashing baddies with a hammer, while Bowser (oh? did I forget to mention the Koopa King and Peach finds themselves on the team? ;]) has probably the best weapon option: a glove that lets him pick up and hurl Mario as a projectile!

And what are all of your special abilities fueled by? Why, it's Flower Power! Throughout the world, you will find Flower Tabs that increase the maximum number of special abilities, like wide area-of-effect(aoe) attacks or healing for the team. Bosses reward Flower Jars, adding much more FP total and making you feel that much stronger as you progress.

But I especially loved that each time I switched weapons or tried a new special I had to retrain my muscle memory, which is made easier here by a smart new prompt that guides your timing only until you nail it a few times (and then comes back if you start to slip). Which reminds me...

- Remake Additions -

While remaining faithful and unaltered, the remake does dash a few extra spices in with the addition of Super Boss Rematches post-game after the story is completed. You might think you KNOW how to take them on until faced with a train running you over at max 9999 damage or a 1vs1 with a very angry man in a shark suit... Trust me, it gets tough, so be sure to know your timed attacks and defenses for these!

Also a very nice little Monster List and Soundplayer are added in! So have fun with the music testing right in-game or having Mallow tell on all the monster's thoughts! :]

- Fun Facts & Info -

Lastly, I'll leave everyone with this.
It's a video by [Gaming Historian] on Youtube all about Super Mario RPG, how it was created, thoughts/intentions behind it, and the history of how this game was so impactful on the western world for RPGs as a whole! It was very informative and if you enjoy delving into the art of games, then this is for you!

That's it from me! Happy gaming and I'll see you at the next review! ^^