Super Mario RPG Feels Like a Throwback in More Ways Than One

After fans asked Nintendo for years to revisit Super Mario RPG, the studio has finally delivered. It has taken that acclaimed RPG and given it a massive facelift with new graphics, mechanics, and a few treats. This has led to a pretty fantastic experience that RPG fans seem to be loving. And while it may be great to see this game return, the Super Mario RPG remake is actually a blast from the past in many ways.

Not only is Super Mario RPG bringing back a classic adventure, but it is also bringing back that old-school RPG feel. So many RPGs these days have left that style behind in favor of a more action-oriented gameplay loop, as seen with the newest Final Fantasy titles. Instead of doing that, Nintendo chose to commit to that classic style, which has resulted in an extremely nostalgic adventure that genre veterans will likely love.

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Super Mario RPG Seems to Do Remakes Right

Super Mario RPG is a Nostalgic Treat

Remakes tend to take that original game and give them massive facelifts so that they are on par with modern adventures. The Final Fantasy series has done that with Final Fantasy 7, every single Resident Evil remake has completely reinvented the original titles, and games like Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu introduced an entirely different gameplay loop. Nintendo could have done the same thing with Super Mario RPG, but instead, it chose to take a much simpler approach, which has led to a fantastic experience.

Super Mario RPG simply takes that original game and gives it a nice HD art style. Along with that, it introduces a few new battle mechanics, quality-of-life changes, a new post-game mode, and various pages of information. All of those additions help make for a smoother experience, yet the actual core experience has not been changed that much. Those who played the original game will instantly be pulled back to those early days, while those who never played it before are in for a welcome surprise. It did not try to reinvent the wheel, but instead, it just delivered players the exact experience they had been waiting for.

Old-School RPGs Make Their Grand Return With Super Mario RPG

Super Mario RPG is also so much more than a simple remake of a classic game. Not only is it bringing fans on a nostalgia trip, but it is also bringing back that classic SNES RPG feel. Instead of completely changing how combat works, players fight their way through this game exactly like they would with any old-school RPG. The mechanics are the same, navigating the world is the same, and the way the story is told is eerily similar to those classic titles. It may make the game feel a bit lacking compared to modern RPGs, but it also leads to an experience that genre veterans will not soon forget.

While Super Mario RPG keeps the formula the same, other major remakes have approached it completely differently. Specifically, Square Enix has overhauled the way combat works in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake. The original game featured combat similar to Super Mario RPG‘s version where players have their party and must take turns deciding what each member does. The remake took that combat and changed it to a much more action-oriented real-time system similar to other modern RPGs.

Super Mario RPG is that blast from the past that some genre veterans have been yearning for. It does not try to do anything special or innovative, which makes it feel special. Some players may have preferred a newer style, but those who are looking for a trip down memory lane will find it here. And even though it will likely not lead to more RPGs like it, it is always nice to see the classics come back relatively unchanged.

Super Mario RPG

A remake of 1996’s Legend of the Seven Stars, Super Mario RPG revamps the franchise’s first role-playing game to make it as accessible as possible for a modern audience. The game utilizes a turn-based combat system reminiscent of old-school JRPGs, one that allows three characters to form a party. Outside of fights, Super Mario RPG features platforming, puzzles, and a more involved story than a traditional Mario game.

Franchise

Super Mario

Platform(s)

Switch

Released

November 17, 2023

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Genre(s)

RPG

ESRB

E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence

How Long To Beat

11 Hours