7
0
When I type these write ups, I try to be unbiased. While I do cover games I enjoy, I try not to show the enjoyment of the game as to not alienate or annoy the reader. I’ll end up sounding like that nerd at a party who has the same interests as you but way more passionate about it. So you just stand there waiting for them to stop talking, but you know it’s going to be a while and now you’re stuck… Well you’re stuck. I’m throwing all that out today, because quite frankly I’m writing about one of the most slept on and greatest Mario games of all time – one of my personal favorites: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars for Super Nintendo.
In 1994, Square Enix (called Square back then) and Nintendo got together to make Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto’s dream come true, to develop an RPG based on the Super Mario franchise. Mario was everywhere by this point. He had solidified his place in pop culture and even had a live action movie starring Bob Hoskins as the man himself (fun note: no one cared about Bob Hoskins accent). At the time, an RPG game was pretty much the only thing Mario hadn’t done. After Square and Nintendo’s meeting, the teams got right to work. Square was known for making great RPGs, responsible for franchises such as Final Fantasy, and Nintendo (needless to say) are pioneers of the game industry. It appeared to be the beginning of a beautiful partnership…it wasn’t. As a matter of fact, Super Mario RPG would be the last Super NES game released by Square in North America, and a large rift would form between the two companies years later – but that’s for another write up. As of the making of this title, all the pieces were in a play! First, the game needed to feel more like Mario game and less like a Final Fantasy one. This meant more action and focus on movement that Mario fans had grown accustomed to. However, they wanted the story itself to be unique and stand out from every other Mario game. With these ideas, Square and Nintendo began development in 1995.
The player stars as Mario setting out to rescue Princess Peach from the angry claws of Bowser- just another day in the life. While at the climax of an epic battle, a giant living sword from another dimension named Smithy enters the world, falling from the sky through Bowser’s castle sending Mario, Peach, and Bowser to different parts of the world. Smithy also steals seven star pieces from the pathway known as Star Road – a place where wishes are granted – in order to achieve world domination. It’s up to Mario and a crew of familiar faces and brand-new characters to retrieve the seven star pieces, stop Smithy, and return the world to normal.
Super Mario RPG introduced a lot of new story elements never before seen in Mario games. First off, Mario and Bowser…team up!? Yes…they do…and its awesome. The game also introduces new characters such as antagonists Smithy and the Smithy Gang, along with protagonists Geno and Mallow who have their own backstories. Geno would later appear as a DLC costume for Mii Fighters in the Super Smash Bros. franchise. The player travels the entire world in an RPG turn based combat system, each map has a different boss, and the game itself has several secrets for 100% completionists including a secret boss named Culex, an homage to the Final Fantasy series. I recommend fighting him at max level and right before taking on the final story boss – just my advice. Super Mario RPG also includes mini games within the game that grant Mario and his party power up items or gear to use in battle. It also features cameos from Mario universe favorites (sadly no Luigi). Players can upgrade attacks/abilities by leveling up and changing characters to fit the strategy of certain bosses. Anything you can do in a 90s RPG, you can do in Super Mario RPG.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of The Seven Stars released in Japan on March 9th, 1996 and in North America on May 13th,1996. It’s one of only seven SNES games released in America to use the Nintendo SA-1 chip, an additional microprocessor giving faster access to RAM and greatly enhanced data storage. Basically you never had to worry about losing your saved data. The chip was an innovative piece of technology used for larger games, and considering Super Mario RPG was a 17 and half hour journey for a casual fan and a 25-hour journey for a hardcore, the chip was essential. Also, yes…I’m aware 17-25 hours is nothing now but back in 1996 on a Super Nintendo, that was a millennia!
Super Mario RPG was received well in both Japan and United States. In Japan, it sold 1.47 million copies and became Japan’s third highest selling game in 1996. While in America, Nintendo had its own expectations and shipped out only 300,000 units, which as it turned out wasn’t enough. More units were shipped out to meet the demand, while in the meantime it became the most rented game in the US for 14 weeks straight. After Nintendo sent more units, it ended up selling over a million copies by the end of 1996, becoming the 6th best selling video in The United States of that year. Its moot to say, but reviews were overwhelming across the board with publications praising its use of 3D models and RPG mechanics. Electronic Gaming Monthly stated the graphics were “the best seen on the Super NES” while GamePro gave it a perfect 5/5 in all four categories (graphics, sound, control, and fun factor). Over time, Super Mario RPG would be listed as one of the greatest video games of all time, ranking 30th with IGN, 26th with Electronic Gaming Monthly. Nintendo magazine ranks it 34th on its list of greatest Nintendo games, while in 2018, Complex ranked it 8th in the same category. While the rankings vary, the legacy Super Mario RPG leaves behind is unmatched with its crossover appeal, timeless animation and graphics, and legendary story. If you can add this game to your collection, do so! It should be gaming law.
