Super Mario RPG Legend of
the Seven Stars is an RPG developed by Square Soft and
published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo in 1996. It is the only
Mario game to be developed by Square as well as the first RPG to be
made under the Mario banner. Mario must team up with friends and
foes alike to take out a new threat: the Smithy Gang. The gang's leader has stolen the seven star
pieces of Star Road and with it the world's wishes. It's up to Mario
and co. to get them back so all your wishes can come true.
The game starts off with
Princess Peach being kidnapped by Bowser. Of course, she couldn't
even go five seconds without being kidnapped! Then we
get a montage of game footage spliced together that's so long it
could give the opening to Sailor Moon Another Story a run for its money.
When all is said and done we get our title screen and can start a
new game.
No, you don't
get to name Mario in this. They really do want your
name.
While
Super Mario RPG kick
things off with the usual formula of the princess being captured,
this time you don't have to travel eight freaking worlds to get her
and the castle door just automatically opens for you. Secret service coming through! From here we get our
first glimpse into how the game is played.
The
security in this place sucks.
Unlike
other RPGs where you'd just be wandering around until a random battle breaks out, you can actually see the enemies on the
screen and can even avoid them if you want. But do keep in mind that
if they see you they will chase you down. Once you do make contact
with them a battle will ensue and that's when we return to the ever
so familiar turn-based style.
There's
a fungus among us!
We
get a bit of a 3/4 overhead view, so it comes across as more three-dimensional. I
know that isn't much to gamers today, but back then anything
remotely 3D was sort of a big deal.
Super Mario RPG introduces a function called “timed hits” meaning
if you hit the attack button (A or Y) right before striking your
enemy, you'll be able to inflict more damage against them. If you
hit A right before an enemy attacks you, you can reduce the damage
done to you, but it doesn't always work. This provides another edge
to battle and doesn't leave you as helpless when it's the enemy's
turn to strike.
Just
another day in Mushroom Kingdom.
Super
Mario RPG takes all gameplay aspects from the Mario games and mixes
them up with a standard RPG experience. This means you can explore,
you can hit blocks for gold coins (which, in this case, is used for currency). You can even find the star that makes you invincible
to enemies, knocking them off screen so you don't
have to battle them.
Other
Mario elements like the jump of doom and the fireballs can be
utilized during combat as special attacks. All your classic Mario
enemies are here: Goombas, Koopa
Troopas, etc.
Mario
is joined in the game by two new characters named Mallow and Geno.
Mallow is a cloud who thinks he is a tadpole for some reason, and
Geno is a possessed doll. Mario's long time enemy Bowser also joins
his quest to stop the Smithy Gang alongside the Princess herself. Luigi is excluded from the game, sadly. I'm
guessing this is what leads Mario to invite Bowser to all his sports
games and social events.
Mario
is always in your party so your choices of who from the other four to have with him in a
battle is limited to two at a time. Each character you have to choose from has their own uses in
battle. Bowser and Geno perform more stronger attacks and Princess
Peach plays the role of healer.
Pressing
the X button brings up the inventory. Here we have: Item, Status,
Special, Equip and Special Item. Items can range from mushrooms that
restore your HP and honey syrup that restores Flower Points (the
game's version of Magic Points) and you can toss any item that you
don't need to make room, since the space is very limited. Status displays their overall stats and how
much experience points is needed to make it to the next level,
Special shows you which special moves you have acquired so far, and
Equip is for your gear, of which you can even get your hands on things
like the Hammer Brothers hammer to equip to Mario. Special Item is
for rare items needed to advance the story, and if I need to explain
what a Map is you have some problems.
The
game has a great sense of humor and pun moments like the one you see
above. Mario even has a funny way of
explaining things to other characters, where he not only mimes but
transforms into the characters he's referring to. "Mario the shapeshifter!"
Seeing
Mario and Bowser join forces to take out a greater threat for the
first time is fun to see, and the game gets points from me for
trying to take Peach out of the usual role of damsel in distress
and make her a useful member of the party. It's completely ruined in
later titles when she's back to being the helpless victim she's always been, but they try, guys. They really do try.
Cons:
There are no glaring issues I can pinpoint in the game that
diminished my overall enjoyment of it.
Conclusion:
There's a reason Super Mario RPG set the pace for all Mario RPGs
to come after it, and it's easy to see why after having played the
game yourself. It's fun, exciting, and it spins the regular routine
of Mario rescuing the princess from Bowser on its head. If you're a
huge Mario fan, or enjoy RPGs in general, Super Mario RPG is
definitely worth checking out.
ToriJ
Says: Get it.
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