![]() ![]() ![]() Nothing new there, but then he's kicked out of his own castle, his troops abandon him, and he's supplanted by much more serious-seeming villains like Exor and Smithy. Within an hour of gameplay, Bowser's plans to kidnap Peach go awry. For example, I believe Nintendo's current goofy, lovable rendition of Bowser owes a lot to Super Mario RPG, but I can't help but notice how toothless he is (outside of battle, of course, where he wreaks beautiful havoc with his teeth, spikes, and claws). While the game doesn't usurp Nintendo's canon for its own ideas a la the Kingdom Hearts series, observant players can still detect parts of the game where Square tested its limits. In fact, Super Mario RPG's blending of Mario mythos with Squaresoft's own ideas is seamless – for the most part. And, hey, there's even a bonus remix of Final Fantasy IV's boss theme. You won't catch me complaining if Beware the Forest's Mushrooms makes it into a mainline Mario game somehow. Shimomura masterfully remixes classic Mario tunes while supplying plenty of new material. Chrono Trigger's To Faraway Times is my favorite game ending theme, but I'm damned if Happy Parade doesn't come close to usurping it. Its sometimes-uproarious sense of humor means it's worth every second of your time (I kind of wish Mario still pantomimed to telegraph his feelings), to say nothing of its soundtrack, which is composed by the indescribably talented Yoko Shimomura. That doesn't mean RPG enthusiasts should take a pass on Super Mario RPG, though. You can choose to power-up a bonus stat every time a character levels up, powerful healing items are plentiful (and you're often rewarded with "Freebies!" when you use one), and the game's just not very long overall. Besides the timed hits, the game holds players' hands in other ways. Therein lies one of Super Mario RPG's failings, though: It's a pretty easy journey, especially if you enter it as an RPG nut. Someone teach this cloud-child the basics of genetics. It gave players some control over fights, which in turn made the RPG aspects of the game less intimidating. Mario's familiar mustached face was a big draw, but so was the aforementioned timed hits system. After all, Mario is an action game star first and foremost.Īnother reason why Super Mario RPG's contributions to the genre can't be over-stated: Like Final Fantasy VII, it introduced a not-small number of RPG-avoidant people to the genre. Timed hits might be the most vital addition to RPG battle systems since Final Fantasy IV's Active Time Battle mechanic, and it pairs brilliantly well with Mario RPG's protagonist. You're rewarded for paying close attention, which does a lot to take the tedium out of the RPG genre's infamously slow, menu-based battles. Since enemies telegraph their attacks differently, and since Mario's friends likewise have attacks that change up according to the weapon they wield, Super Mario RPG keeps you on your toes. Hitting "A" at key times during attacking or using magic spells also makes them more powerful. By responding to visual cues and hitting the "A" button at the right moment, Mario and company can dampen the damage enemies inflict. When Mario enters combat, he and his pals don't simply stand like dunces while enemies wail on them. "I see you've played Knifey-Spoony before."įirst, it introduced the concept of "timed hits," a mechanic that's since branched into most modern RPGs. But it's still an exceptionally important RPG for a couple of reasons. It isn't as fascinating as Chrono Trigger, or as heartfelt as EarthBound. Super Mario RPG isn't as deep as Final Fantasy VI. Super Mario RPG was the last handshake between the industry giants – but at least it was a hell of a strong handshake. ![]() Not only that, it'd be quite some time before we saw Squaresoft lend Nintendo consoles any kind of support, let alone Final Fantasy titles. I figured the game wouldn't exist if Nintendo and Square weren't talking to each other.Īll my hopes proved futile: The two companies ended their close relationship as the industry drifted from 16-bits to 32- and- 64-bits. I fell back on another piece of "proof," too: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars for the SNES, a joint project between Super Mario's caretaker and the industry's number-one RPG tailor at the time. ![]() At the time, I clung to magazine snippets about "Final Fantasy VII for the N64 / Final Fantasy 64" (which turned out to be footage from a Silicon Graphics computer test) as supposed proof that Square and Nintendo were still hunky-dory with each other. The other day, I wrote about how the mid-'90s break-up of Squaresoft and Nintendo disturbed me on a profound level. Join us as we review all the games on the SNES Classic Mini Edition in chronological order! ![]()
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