After all this time, the best of best lies in the 90s.
The Bad: A little too short; A few segments drag a bit...
These days, RPGs are a little on the lackluster side. Sure, I'm older, and kids tend to appreciate games more than adults, but you can't deny that the RPG kings were all 90s children. Chrono Trigger, FF6, and FF7 are among the greatest, and Super Mario RPG is right up there with the powerhouses.
This is a Mario game through and through. You've got Bowser, the vast Mushroom Kingdom, and a kidnapped princess. The story is average at best, but the classic feel of the game, and the representation of the story take an otherwise decent story, and really make it shine. All the plot elements, while trite on paper, are fleshed out in special, humorous ways that'll really make you appreciate the effort put into the title.
Fighting is easy. As long as your leveling is up to date, and you have plenty of shrooms in stock, the otherwise tough bosses won't pose much of a threat. The game utilizes different weapons for each character, about half a dozen special moves, and curative, and attacking items that you can use at the press of the button. There's none of the Final Fantasy complexety here, and I actually like it better that way. Simple RPGs tend to encompess simple pleasures.
When it comes to atmosphere, Mario RPG hits it home as good as Majora's Mask. Every area has just the right color palette, tune, enemies, and it can make you feel pretty immersed in the game. I particularly liked the Axem Rangers Arc, and the World Map, which really give you the feeling that you're in this vast world.
The game is short. You'll breeze through Super Mario RPG in twelve hours. There's at least ten extra hours in secrets and side quests, but you can't help but think that this game could have been lengthier. In some ways, this isn't necessarily bad b/c the game's excitement isn't diluted as often as it could have been. In fact, there are already a couple of areas where the game drags. The Sunken Ship Arc, and The Lands End Arc, in particular, can get pretty boring.
But the vast majority of the game is a true joy ride. The humor is there in full force, along with a great soundtrack, an epic finale, and a truly stellar battle and exploration engine. They just don't make em like this anymore.