Highlights
- The remake of Super Mario RPG introduces Triple Moves in the battle system, allowing all party members to perform a unique attack when a gauge reaches 100%.
- The inventory system has been improved, allowing players to carry a set amount of each item and utilize an unlimited overall inventory. A storage box has also been added to Mario's house.
- The world map in the remake is more dynamic and offers fast travel, making backtracking for side quests and secrets easier. Additionally, post-game content includes challenging boss rematches and new cutscenes have been added.
Super Mario RPG is a remake of an SNES game that came out in 1996. The original title was Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, so the remake seemingly ditched the subtitle to make things less complicated. Square Enix, Squaresoft at the time, was a big player for Nintendo in the RPG market and applied their experience working on Final Fantasy to Nintendo's flagship character.
Every Companion in Super Mario RPG Explained
Mario will be joined by a cast of new and returning party members in Super Mario RPG, and each one has their own skills to aid the plumber in battle.
It only made sense for them to create an RPG spinoff starring everyone’s favorite plumber too. It was a hit and now, decades later, the game is back and brings with it a few enhancements. Besides the graphical updates, what else has changed in Super Mario RPG? There will be spoilers.
Battle Adjustments
Triple Moves And More
The biggest change to the battle system in Super Mario RPG is the addition of Triple Moves. When characters attack, they can build up a gauge not unlike the Limit Break system in the Final Fantasy series. Once it reaches 100%, all three party members can perform a Triple Move.
Every character combo has a unique attack; Mario, Peach, and Mallow can heal the party, for example. The remake also added difficulty levels, of which there were none originally. Players can swap between Breezy or Normal difficulty levels whenever they want in the field to make things easier or harder.
Inventory Space
Super Mario RPG Learns From Resident Evil
One of the more annoying things about the original Super Mario RPG was the inventory system. Every item players acquired, except for gear, took up space. This meant that four Healing Mushrooms would take up four individual spaces, if that’s how many players owned, and they only had 29 total spaces available.
Super Mario RPG: How to Beat Croco
Croco is the first non-tutorial boss that players will encounter in Super Mario RPG, and here is how to beat him.
In the remake, players can carry a set amount of each item. So, ten Mushrooms would only take up one space. The overall inventory is unlimited giving players more variety to work with in battle. Also, a storage box was added to Mario’s house where players can store and retrieve things, much like the storage boxes in the Resident Evil series.
The World Map
Fast Travel Anywhere
While beautifully designed, the world map in the original game was a static piece of art. In the remake, there’s a lot more happening in the background to make it feel more alive. For example, in Moleville, some Moles can be seen riding a mine car.
It’s a small detail that gives the remake some extra charm. The best part about the map system, though, is that fast travel was added. Whether players are in town or a dungeon, they can warp to anywhere else in the game and back through the world map. It makes backtracking for side quests and secret hunting less taxing.
Post-Game Content
Challenge Classic Bosses For A Rematch
While the mechanics have changed, 90% of the game is a shot-for-shot remake. There is some new content but players will have to beat the game first. Once players reload their clear data in the save files, Mario will be awakened by Toad back home.
He’ll give Mario a ticket for Marrymore to stay in the hotel, which will kick off a side quest to repeat battles against old bosses in more challenging encounters. This includes a new fight with Culex, the Final Fantasy-inspired boss from the SNES original. There’s even a boss battle with Booster, someone who was never a boss originally, making him a standout.
The Cutscenes
Feels Even More Like A 90s RPG
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars is without a doubt one of the best RPGs of the 90s, regardless of console, but the one thing it was missing compared to other classics of the time was cutscenes.
This remake fixes that issue by including in-engine cutscenes which look great. From Exor descending upon Bowser’s Castle to Mallow’s introduction chasing Croco, there’s a lot to love. There is no voiceover, which is a shame, but overall the cutscenes are still a great addition.
The Monster Database
Study Up On Enemies
Square Enix hasn’t always included bestiaries in their games, but it’s a mechanic that is becoming more and more common. The Super Mario RPG remake adds one called the Monster List. It will showcase any monsters fought and give details about their weaknesses and catchphrases if Mallow scans them in battle.
Super Mario RPG: How to Save
Super Mario RPG has gotten many quality-of-life changes in the remake, and saving has seen some improvements made to it.
Players can also pay the Monster List Agent Frog Coins to fill in the gaps. Besides the Mobster List, players can look at the Scrapbook to get a brief synopsis of the game's chapters from other characters. Finally, there is a music player that unlocks after beating the game.
Smaller Details
From Saves To Leveling Up
There are a bunch of smaller details added to Super Mario RPG that are worth praising and might otherwise go unnoticed. First, the game autosaves when changing between areas, which is huge. The level system adds characters dancing which is a charming inclusion to boost morale.
Another new detail about items is that they can be used in a quick menu in the field along with healing spells like Princess Peach’s Group Hug. Players can switch between the modern and classic arrangements of the game's music in the menu. The list goes on, but overall this is the exact kind of remake that will make fans jump for joy with all of these big changes and small quality-of-life improvements.
