So, let me be honest: I have played the original SNES release of Super Mario RPG since the ‘90s. I’ve played it so many times that I could recite the story from front to back and probably play it blindfolded. It’s a title that means a lot to me. So, imagine my shock after I heard about the announcement earlier this year. I’m happy to say the 2023 remake of Super Mario RPG is incredible. It’s a nearly perfect remake from top to bottom. Nintendo and longtime Square collaborator ArtePiazza (who handled the excellent Dragon Quest remakes) have accomplished something great here. Let’s jump right in.
He Knows About Timed Hits! — Super Mario RPG’s Basics
Make no mistake: Super Mario RPG is a beginner’s RPG. Combat is simple, and battles are not too demanding or lengthy. That stays true in the remake. This and Final Fantasy Mystic Quest defined and introduced me to the genre of JRPGs. However, it makes battles fun and engaging through the use of called Action Commands. With good timing, you can input an additional command for added effects. These range from reducing damage to adding status effects. For game veterans, a warning: your muscle memory will work against you. Animations and timings have been slightly tweaked. I found myself missing inputs for the first few hours due to this. This remake adds visual indicators to help you gauge the proper timing, and it will disappear once you get the timing down.
Outside of battle, the game is just what you expect from a 16-bit JRPG. You’ll explore a large world, separated by a basic world map. It’s a fairly linear experience, but some sidequests and optional content exist. The story is serviceable, while nothing lavish, and did some fresh new stuff for the Mario franchise at the time. This includes fleshing out Bowser’s character and giving Mario a lot of personality through exaggerated actions. The newly original story centers on an entirely new villain, Smithy, and his gang as they invade Mario’s world. Most locations and characters are brand new, with wild designs not seen before or since in a Mario game. It took me about seventeen hours to 100% max out the game with max levels and all optional fights cleared.
Fresh Twinkles on an Old Star
The changes in this remake surprised me a lot, almost all for the better. The graphics received a massive upgrade, and the game is a beauty while retaining the original art style. The music, by industry legend Yoko Shimomura of Kingdom Hearts fame, has been a real treat, too. Several songs even got expanded, which is always welcome. For fans of the original, the old songs can be swapped at any time. There’s much to list, so let me make some quick bullet points.
- A perfect Action Command will now damage all enemies. In Normal difficulty, this damage is pretty minimal.
- Party members can now be swapped in combat.
- The translation has been tightened, but fan-favorite lines are mostly retained.
- An Easy Mode has been added.
- In a change, the game clearly communicates when an attack can’t be blocked.
- Chaining Action Commands builds a meter for a devastating Triple Attack.
- Several balance changes have been made to smooth out the experience.
- A monster encyclopedia has been added.
And that’s not all of it, either. The addition of post-game content has been the most important. The original only had one super boss. The remake adds seven rematches with old bosses who now have increased stats, new attacks, and new dialogue. These can be fatally brutal if you don’t know what you’re doing. But they add a welcome extension to the game’s runtime, should you want to do it. I had some issues with them, but they’re fun and give new, great rewards. More on the problems in just a moment.
The Few Blemishes on Super Mario RPG
While the Super Mario RPG remake is incredible, it’s not without a few minor flaws. First and foremost, the game runs well about 90% of the time. There are, however, a few instances of performance issues, and when they appear, they are very noticeable. It’s never enough to hurt the experience, and they don’t last long, but I am sensitive to frame dips. The other issue comes from the all-new cutscenes made by Nintendo Pictures. While a visual treat with great art and stunning animation, the lack of voice acting when characters talk can be awkward. Characters will move their mouths and have subtitles, but there’s no sound. At all. Not even something like the Animalese from Animal Crossing.
This crosses over into the new boss intro cutscenes. I’m not sure if it’s a glitch, but most of these neat little intros have no sounds where they absolutely should. However, a few near the end of the game do, which makes me wonder if it’s intentional. Last, the post-game content is good, but it feels slightly more like puzzles than actual fights. Each has a central gimmick that you need to figure out how to overcome. Some do not have clear explanations. For example, in the Punchinello rematch, he now has maximum defense and can only be damaged by his allies. To get them to harm him, you have to execute a perfect Action Command to flip them around. This was when I learned that while you may nail an Action Command, a perfect one has more damage and different visual effects.
Final Thoughts on Super Mario RPG
I loved my short time with the Super Mario RPG remake. In a sea of bloated, mediocre JRPGs, it’s incredible to see one be so simple and engaging while not overstaying its welcome. I personally believe this is the definitive way to play the title. The SNES version is still good, but the enhancements made here outshine the original. You can tell a team with a deep love and respect for the original content made it. As I mentioned earlier, this helped define what a JRPG was for me, and several of its innovations would be staples in later years. If you enjoyed the original or only want a good, simple RPG, give it a shot. The humor alone is worth it. Super Mario RPG is available now on Nintendo Switch for an MSRP of $60.
This fantastic year for games is finally drawing to a close. While we approach the holiday season, might I recommend a preorder of the adorable Mario Nendoroid? Seriously, look at this thing. I love him.
