The remake of Super Mario RPG could be the first step towards a new era for the Super Mario series. The announcement of Super Mario RPG alongside the upcoming Super Mario Bros. Wonder was one of the highlights of the recent Nintendo Direct, bringing attention to Mario's past as well as his future, while giving players a good idea of what to expect from both. The question is how far Nintendo will go down this newly opened path.
In an unexpected move, a remake of Super Mario RPG was confirmed during a Nintendo Direct in June, instantly providing something for Switch players to look forward to. Super Mario RPG, as the name implies, was the first RPG starring Mario and friends. Had it not been for this game, then future titles such as Paper Mario and the Mario and Luigi series may not have come to pass. For that reason alone, it is well worth remembering, but its role here as a remake could open the door to many, many more proper remakes for the Nintendo mascot.
Super Mario RPG Could Be the First of Many Mario Remakes
Because Super Mario RPG is getting a remake rather than being another Mario title added to Nintendo Switch Online, this decision could point toward more remakes moving forward. Remakes are not uncommon in the industry, but Mario has not really thrown his hat in that ring before. An updated version of the game, keeping everything that fans loved while polishing up a couple of the rougher parts, seems like an excellent move on the developer's part.
Nostalgia has long been a powerful part of the Mario series, and history has made that clear. Many of the earliest games released for Nintendo Switch Online were Mario titles, such as Super Mario Bros. and Paper Mario. Nintendo is well aware of how popular and successful these games are, which is why it has kept making them accessible. This even happened well before the Switch, with Super Mario Bros. Deluxe and the Super Mario Advance games bringing the classic platformers to handheld systems. The remake of Super Mario RPG is only the latest example of an older Mario title getting a well-deserved revival, but remakes are a different story.
The return of Super Mario RPG could pave the way for remakes of more of Mario's adventures. One game that could be a surefire remake candidate would be the widely-loved Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Not only has TTYD never seen a rerelease, but the fan demand for something be done with the title has always been sky-high. Another solid candidate would be Mario Superstar Baseball, which while not an adventure game or RPG, is a well-regarded spinoff with an enduring player base. Similar to the Paper Mario idea, a back-to-basics Mario Sports remake has the potential to be a major success on the Switch.
Super Mario RPG getting a remake is good news, but even better is the hope of it potentially starting a remake renaissance for the franchise. Even after Super Mario RPG, there is still an incredible amount of Nintendo games that deserve remakes, Mario titles included. A series of remakes bringing some of Mario's respected but neglected games to modern consoles could be a winning combination, especially by working with tried-and-true games with built-in fanbases. If Super Mario RPG's remake goes well, then an era of classic Super Mario remakes could be on the horizon.
Super Mario RPG will be released in November 2023 for the Nintendo Switch.