Super Mario RPG Remake Review
Rediscovering a timeless classic
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Platform: Nintendo Switch
Reviewed on: Switch
Developer: ArtePiazza
Publisher: Nintendo
Release: November 17, 2023
Time Played: 15 Hours
Genre: Action RPG
ESRB: E
Did you play Super Mario RPG as a child growing up? If so, did you absolutely love it? However you felt about it I can assure you, you’re going to feel the exact same, if not better about this remake. And if you never played it, this is the perfect time to check it out. I just beat the game, if you’d like you can check out the livestream in the description below, but first let’s talk about all the wonderful things this game has to offer for you, the player.
Where it begins:
As with most Mario games Bowser comes out of nowhere to steal Princess Peach away to his Keep, and it’s up to Mario to go rescue her. It doesn’t take him long to get inside Koopa Keep and beat Bowser in a fight. But before Peach can be rescued a bigger threat than Bowser crashes down from the stars sending everyone flying. Now Mario gets to start a new adventure, rescue Peach, and maybe even save his world.
Can the kids watch?
Absolutely, the combat isn’t super aggressive and there were no questionable graphics to worry about. The only issue may be the lack of voice acting. There are no voices to be heard at all. There was a lot of dialogue in the game, but it’s all typed out for you to read. Easy enough to make a decent story out of if you wanted to read everything out loud for an audience, but my kids got bored watching, they would much rather play for themselves.
Old vs. New
The original was released twenty-seven years ago, and technology has come a long way since the late nineties. It looks so much better now but still feels like the original game. The graphics are phenomenal, they even added short cut scenes throughout the game showcasing what could only be imagined back in the day. I loved the music too, they were the same songs but sounded so full and clear it was amazing. There is even an option to swap between old and new music so you can really compare what things used to sound like.
Quality of Life
When the original came out there were hardware limits and old RPG tropes to contend with. With the current capabilities of modern games a lot of them have been tastefully dealt with in a way that doesn’t take away from the original experience. For instance, there used to be a thirty item limit in your bags, now there is just a limit to how many of a specific item you can carry. But the most helpful mechanic added would be the map. Allowing you to fast travel anywhere you’ve been from wherever you are, as long as the story allowed it.
The Team
Mario will start his adventure alone but it’s not long before he starts making new friends to join him in the fight. Some are very familiar characters while others are unique to this game. Each character plays a big role in the overall story, bringing their own unique fighting styles, or attitude into everything. Only three can be used in combat at a time but they were always together moving the story forward. It’s definitely worth playing with all of them to figure out what best works for you.
Combat
Super Mario RPG is, at its core, a simple turn-based combat role playing game. When in a fight everyone waits for their turn to do something. During a character’s turn you get to decide if they should use an item, some magic, attack, defend, or even try to run away ending the whole fight. Each playable character will have differing stats and moves indicating what they were best at, so you generally want them to use the right moves in the right situations.
Timing Actions
A hug part of combat would be pressing the A button at the right time when attacking or defending. When you press the button at the right time during an attack, the character adds a little more power to the attack, if it’s perfectly timed, they will hit everything on the opposing side. You will also need to time when to defend an enemy attack and when to power up your magic. There will be counter on the side telling you how many timings you have in a row, as you build that up your stats will temporarily increase depending on who is in the party.
Triple Moves
An amazing addition to the remake would be the powerful triple moves used by your fighters. While in combat every action will slowly build up a meter from zero to one hundred percent. When the meter is full and the entire party is up and fighting, you can use a special triple move. The triple move changes depending on the characters in the party, some moves hit single targets or the entire field, others will just buff your team. When using a triple move a cut scene will show the characters working together and showcasing the move. When used correctly the triple moves could be a game changer in combat.
Equipment
Gearing out Mario and friends was simple and straight forward. Each character equips a weapon, a piece of armor, and an accessory. Most equipment can be purchased as you move forward in the game, always improving some stats and costing a little more money. Some of the best gear in the game has to be found though. It’s not impossible to beat the game without, but it’s worth exploring and talking to everyone so you can get the best for your party and really kick some butt.
Mini Games
It’s not all fighting baddies and rescuing those in trouble. There were quite a few different mini games you could take part in, usually rewarding you with special items and a unique currency used to buy some of the best items in the game. Not all, but a lot of the mini games will be played while moving through the main story to give you a taste, after that you will be able to revisit and play through multiple times to get the best rewards.
Post Game
A completely new addition to Super Mario RPG would be the ability to play around after the final credits roll. You can go through and find anything you missed, level up some more, and even try your chances at fighting some bosses again. The rematch is a little like the original fights you experienced with a few new mechanics to worry about. The rematches will challenge everything you think you know about combat you will need to be prepared.
Final Thoughts
When I was a kid I loved every chance I got to play the original Mario RPG, I only ever got a chance when my parents would rent it for me from the local grocery store. This was my first experience in the RPG genre and it holds a special place in my heart. I had a smile on my face the entire playthrough, I couldn’t get enough. The only problem I had was a slight input delay caused from the setup I was playing the game with. I never did manage to get my timing right while streaming. Mario has a jump attack that can do a lot of damage, and a character rewards you with amazing equipment if you can manage a long enough chain with the attack. I ended up having to do that off screen.
The remake does give an option for an easier playthrough if you don’t have much experience with the game, I didn’t do it and found the game to be pretty easy already with the new mechanics added. You can carry a lot more items than ever before, and now in combat if someone in your party gets incapacitated you have the option to swap them out with a character not being used making those tough fights so much easier to beat. The main story took about twelve to fourteen hours to beat, but I am currently working through the post game stuff, maxing out character levels and finding the best gear so I can beat my rematches. It is a blast getting every little bit out of this game that I can.
Outro:
And now it’s time to give this game a home on my shelves
This game looks so good while staying true to the original. There were some things that were hard to tell what exactly I was looking at on the super Nintendo that are so clear now, it’s awesome. This is definitely a five.
The story was great, starting out as a typical Super Mario game and going so much bigger and more in depth. The game is full of odd characters and humor, it could be a little cliché here and there but overall I’m feeling at least a four.
Everything worked exactly how it should have. No bugs, nothing ever froze, the only issues I had were due to my hardware setup, when playing on my lite or off the dock everything was perfect, earning another five.
I’m not sure how many times I’ve replayed the original, but it was a lot. There is so much to offer in one playthrough, and it could be enough. But I know there is going to be a moment down the road I’m going to want to go through everything again, I’m going with a four.
This game is so precious to me, I can’t help but smile whenever I think about it, while playing I was giddy the whole time this game is just so awesome, I want to give it a twenty out of five. But I do limit myself, so it has to be a five.
Giving the Super Mario RPG remake an average score of four point six, earning it’s rightful spot right there in the special reserve.
I can’t praise this game enough. My strong feelings may have to do with nostalgia of an earlier time, but I hope you can give this game a try and see what I do. Everything was just so wonderful. This is so much more than just a “Mario” game. It does play like old school RPGs did, none of that on the fly attacking stuff we see so often today, so that may be a slight deterrent if you’re a huge fan of action RPGs, but I’d still say this is worth a shot.