Super Mario RPG is one of those precious games that exist at the crossroads of nostalgia and innovation. First released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), it captured the hearts of fans with its perfect blend of Mario’s platforming personality and the complexity of a turn-based RPG. Now, decades on, the Nintendo Switch remake has delivered that wonder again, preserving what made the original so special while injecting subtle contemporary flair for new players.
Familiar Grounds, Thoughtful Enhancements
Let’s get straight to it—this isn’t a complete rebuild from scratch. As FullCleared points out, “Super Mario RPG captures just about everything that made the 16-bit era so endearing. It’s closer to a remaster than a remake.” The essential gameplay, narrative, and iconic cast are very much intact, but new additions and quality-of-life enhancements kindly update the experience.
The beating heart of the game is its legendary turn-based battle system. What made it stand out in the 90s—its timing-dependent attack mechanism—is still present and as rewarding. Hitting the correct button at the correct time can fuel your attacks or deflect incoming blows from enemies, making combat interactive and dynamic. NPR points out that “the game’s combat holds up,” so much so that mechanics derived from it are used in newer RPGs such as Sea of Stars. The remake features a new triple-move meter, providing an additional level of strategy by opening up powerful team-based attacks once you get your moves in just right.
A Whimsical and Surprising Story
What starts as yet another rescue adventure soon diverges from the familiar Mushroom Kingdom norm. Enter the Smithy Gang—living weapons who crash-land into Mario’s universe and shake the kingdom to its foundations. With Mario joining forces with surprise partners such as Mallow, a storm-cloud prince, and Geno, a possessed wooden puppet, the tale develops with an excellent mix of humor, pathos, and sheer lunacy.
Though the story is still accessible to newcomers, it’s full of sufficient offbeat charm to hold holdouts’ interest. NPR says it best: “The story beats are both silly and engaging, with a winding plot that’s simple enough for new players to follow.”
A Visual and Musical Glow-Up
The remake’s graphics are a fine balance between retro aesthetic and contemporary gloss. The revamped character models are cute and faithful to the original’s appearance, but some will find the chibi design to be somewhat unnerving in high definition. Environments are richly detailed and well-lit, and new cinematic cutscenes add another level of immersion.
A bonus is the soundtrack, masterfully composed by the legendary Yoko Shimomura. The game features the option to change between the original SNES melodies and newly written orchestral arrangements—a considerate bonus that speaks volumes about how much care went into the remake. As FullCleared says best, “Players can switch between the new and the old soundtracks, which makes it even easier to see how much work was put into the new version.”
Accessible to All
Probably the most enduring of all of Super Mario RPG’s elements is its accessibility. The game was initially created as a means to introduce players to the RPG genre, and that principle still holds. You won’t be seeing complex skill trees or extensively detailed systems at work here. Instead, fun is simple, easy-to-play gameplay that anyone can enjoy.
That simplicity may not be enough for hardcore RPG enthusiasts who want a challenge, but for others, that’s the attraction. As FullCleared points out, “Super Mario RPG was designed to bring Super Mario Bros. fans into the RPG market, and that meant keeping the game simplistic.” For young gamers or those who are new to RPGs, it’s the perfect place to begin.
Is It Worth the Price?
The core adventure takes 10 to 15 hours to complete, and a little post-game bonus material is added in. It’s not a behemoth of an RPG by today’s standards, and that has raised an eyebrow or two at the $59.99 price point. FullCleared wonders: “Is Super Mario RPG worth its $59.99 price tag?”—particularly for those seeking a more involved or longer experience.
But to most enthusiasts, the worth is not so much in length, but in substance. The polish, charm, and nostalgia of the remake well justify the price for those who want to revisit a favorite or share it with someone new.
A Legacy That Lives On
Super Mario RPG is still one of the most impactful games in the Mario series. Its success led to spin-offs such as Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi, and its innovative combination of humor, narrative, and combat mechanics continues to be popular today. NPR even refers to it as “an even more satisfying RPG than the excellent Paper Mario games that succeeded it.”
Whether you’re revisiting a childhood favorite or discovering this gem for the first time, the Super Mario RPG remake is a heartfelt tribute to a timeless classic—proof that even in the ever-evolving world of gaming, some adventures never go out of style.