Nintendo doesn’t always deliver with remasters or remakes of fan-favorite games, so it was a pleasant surprise when they announced the remake of “Super Mario RPG.” While it might seem primitive compared to later Mario roleplaying games like “Superstar Saga” and “Thousand Year Door,” this remake shows what a good job the original did at laying the groundwork for one of Nintendo’s best sub-series.
The premise of the story is simple and pretty standard for a Mario game. Mario has to rescue Princess Peach, save the mushroom kingdom and defeat a new foe while collecting star pieces along the way.
It’s not a spectacular story, especially by RPG standards, but its writing and cast elevate it. The script for the game is surprisingly funny and it delivers dry humor and visual gags that keep the story interesting. That’s complemented by characters that are charming and unique within the “Mario” world. Mallow the magical tadpole and Geno the puppet give the party a greater variety of personalities. Even Bowser joins up and delivers some great lines.
The gameplay is one of the most unique things about this adventure. It combines a simple, turn-based system with timed button prompts that improve damage and give the player bonuses. It’s an easy way of making sure the player doesn’t zone out during combat encounters.
Unfortunately, combat is very easy in general, and even though the remake adds a couple of small features to make it more interesting, it’s still devoid of options to make the game more challenging. The bright side is that new post-game bosses and a superboss have been added for players who want a good fight after the story’s conclusion.
What the game lacks in challenge, it makes up for with an extremely charming and vivid world. The game’s graphics are fantastic considering it’s running on an aging Switch, and the developer has done a great job of creating new character models that look great and retain the original’s spirit.
Related Articles
‘Mortal Kombat 1’ reboots and alters the franchise to mixed results | Video Game Odyssey
‘Super Mario Bros. Wonder’ delivers a joyous and beautiful platform | Video Game Odyssey
‘The Invincible’ presents an interesting story with outdated gameplay | Video Game Odyssey
‘Star Ocean Second Story R’ has a great mix of old and new | Video Game Odyssey
‘The Man Who Erased His Name’ a fun game that falls short of series standards | Video Game Odyssey
When combined with the clever writing and characters it becomes impossible to not be smiling as you go through Mario’s magical adventure. It’s the kind of timeless experience that appeals to any age and makes for a great entry point into RPGs for gamers who have never played one.
While this remake doesn’t completely update the original and retains some of its flaws, it’s also the best way to experience a true classic. The music, characters and world create a delightful mixture that’s a joy to play even if you’re a novice. The lack of challenge will be a problem for veteran RPG players, and it would have been nice to have more changes to the combat so it didn’t feel so simple. “Super Mario RPG” soars its way to four stars out of five.
+ There are no comments
Add yours