Mario's first attempt to the RPG genre turned out to be a complete success.
THE GOOD
-Great for RPG newbies
-Fun mix of platforming and RPG elements
-Entertaining battle system
-Simple yet effective leveling system
-Excellent visuals
-Superb audio
THE BAD
-Most boss fights are too easy
OVERVIEW
Once again the Princess has been captured by the infamous Bowser and the entire Mushroom Kingdom is in shambles again. Mario travels to Bowser's Keep, which he knows like the back of his hand for the number of times he's been there, defeats Bowser and once again saves the Princess. For the moment all the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom can rejoice. However, an unexpected event occurs. A large sword falls from the sky and slams right into Bowser's Keep sending Mario, the Princess, Bowser and the rest of his Koopa Troop in all different directions. Mario lands back at his humble abode where he greeted by his long time mushroom friend, Toad. Toad escorts Mario back to the castle where the King of the Mushroom Kingdom begs Mario to find the Princess and bring her back safely. The only problem is where is she now? Also, where is Bowser? And ultimately, where did this giant sword come from? Mario's quest just got a little more complex but at least he finds some help from a fluffy cloud named Mallow and a Star Road possessed doll named Geno.
Super Mario RPG isn't a difficult game by any means so it's great for beginners to the genre. However, there are a few challenges for the hardcore bunch. This RPG is shorter than most of the other games in the genre (15 hours) but not too short to make you feel ripped off. The story is isn't breath taking but it's still fun to read through and that coupled with loads of Mario nostalgia really makes this game quite a gem.
GAMEPLAY
The developer, Square Soft, did a great job combining role playing elements with what Mario does best, platforming. The platforming is nothing compared to Mario's NES days but it's still exciting and keeps the gameplay from getting stale. Random battles (well not random at all actually) are triggered when you run into a foe on the navigation screen. One thing I really like about this is that you have the option to run and jump to avoid battles when necessary; this is quite handy for exploring and backtracking.
When you're in battle your characters line up on the left side of the screen with your enemies to the right. Battling in this game is slightly different than your standard RPG. Aside from choosing an action, this game incorporates some extra button pushing for added affects, if timed correctly. For example, if you press the 'A' button just before a normal melee attack you'll score a damage bonus. The same concept applies for defense (taking less damage) and spell casting (added effects/damage). Defeating monsters in battle will give you a chance to earn some extra bonuses like Max HP, Attack/Defense enhancements, and even a second turn. All in all the fighting is enjoyable and feels more engaging than some of the other RPGs out there.
You'll encounter many familiar enemies from Mario's past like Goombas, Koopa Troopas, and Big Boos. About 95% percent of the battles you come across are a piece of cake; even some of the bosses. Like I said before, this game is pretty easy in that regard. This is great for RPG newbies but some hardcore fans might be a little disappointed. There are some tougher enemies found really late in the game but you won't have to level grind too much to take them down.
This brings me to my next topic, the leveling system. Each character shares the same amount of experience whether they're in your party or sitting on the bench; which is a nice feature. Experience is gained by defeating enemies and when milestones are reached, each character will increase in five main attributes: Health (HP), Attack, Defense, Magic Power, and Magic Defense. This is all done automatically; however, you do get to choose an added bonus to one of the five attributes which adds some slight customization to your party. Unique special abilities are unlocked at certain levels and can greatly turn the tide in a fight like Mario's super jump or Mallow's lightning spell. All special attacks cost a certain amount of Flower points which are pulled from a collective pool for the entire group. The leveling system is simple yet effective. Most of the work is done automatically but the little extra bonuses are nice because it lets you slightly customize your party to suit your needs.
Aside from the main quest there are a few mini-games to take part in and extra equipment to find. It would have been nice to have more storage space since there are plenty of items to pick up in your travels, however, the easier difficulty doesn't make this too much of a setback. Altogether I would say that the extra content should provide a nice 2 to 3 hour break from the main story.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
The 3D graphics are absolutely stunning for a Super Nintendo game. The 3D characters and environments are some of the best you'll find on this platform. The level design is also spectacular bringing together fun platforming aspects with colorful artwork making the Mushroom Kingdom a fun place to explore.
The audio is just as good with a memorable soundtrack. The battle music, in particular, is a notable standout. Overall the music is light, spirited and fits the theme completely. Sound effects have always been enjoyable in the Super Mario series and this game is no exception. There is plenty of nostalgia to go around from the slams of a Thwomp to the continuous knocks of Mario's super jumps; it's all here and fun to listen to.
CONCLUSION
This is Mario's first attempt in the RPG genre and I have to say that it worked out really well. Combining platforming and role playing aspects was a great idea on Square Soft's part and really makes Super Mario RPG one of a kind. The easier difficulty makes it welcoming for anyone, especially beginners to the genre. I would highly recommend this game to Mario and RPG fans alike. What do you get when you combine everyone's favorite plumber and an extraordinary development team? One super exciting video game.