Super Mario RPG Appreciation Thread

[Depression Moon]

My brother still owes me for losing this game.

[Trumpet Thief]

Damn right he does.

But seriously, this game was just so full of life. The various references to different Mario characters and/or locations, mixed with many, many original characters. I can't stress how fun characters like Booster, Bowyer, Croco, and every other minor boss and/or minor character were.

And of course there was that one secret about the hidden Casino which I doubt anyone ever figured out on their own.

[Del Murder]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao1uHiVL7GA

My personal favorite.

[Sephex]

Figured that this should go in the thread.

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...x/mariorpg.jpg

[Del Murder]

Super Mario RPG is the archetype of JRPGs of this era and illustrates what is missing from current games. It doesn't need a super complicated ability or equipment system or ultra-fast battles to keep players entertained. It is such a perfect blend of platforming and RPG elements that has since not been matched anywhere (though the Mario & Luigi games are fun). Battles are simple yet still require precise timing to excel. The story is fun and whimsical, and the characters are enjoyable. There is no need for overarching religious or romance subplot. It also does not take itself too seriously. Booster's Tower is an example of something so random yet so enjoyable about this game.

Too many RPGs these days are trying too hard. Everything is serious, everything needs a carefully crafted backstory. Plots are so complicated that you need data logs to keep track of it all. What happened to the RPGs where fun was the only goal? Where random purple octopi tormented the party? Where you can jump on NPCs' heads in order to get access to treasure? We've advanced a lot in terms of graphics, character development, and world-building, but we've lost that sense of whimsy that's so apparent in these 16-bit and CD games.

SMRPG had great characters, great platforming, and great adventure, and that puts it up there with some of the best RPGs of all time.

[Trumpet Thief]

Couldn't have said it better, Del.

For it's time, the original subversion of Bowser being the villain was extremely well-done, and has been replicated time and time again (later installments of Paper Mario, Mario & Luigi). Despite no overarching tone or theme, as you already pointed it, the perfect blend of RPG and game-play elements made it an instant classic.

For me personally, there were a few 'little touches' that solidified this game as my personal favorite (tied with two others). The fact that the 'World Map' was in full view at the beginning of the game was literally awe-inspiring to me as a kid. I would start speculating about the various locations that would be coming up as the adventure went on. And of course, coming 'full-circle' back to Bowser's Castle was a great way to end it off.

As well, minor sub-plots like Bowser losing more and more of his army as the game progressed, or Peach wanting to be more independent, were great ways to add a surprising amount of depth to Mario characters. Mallow's underlying journey, which went from him finding out he was not a tadpole, to Mario finding his wishes on Star Hill (), to finding out that he was in fact 'Prince Mallow' all along stands as one of my favorite aspects of the game.

Blend all of that in with some amazing mini-games (Midas River, Goomba Stompin', Yoshi Racing, The Minecart, and the Booster Pass Race), and a general sense of lightheartedness, and you have one hell of a game.

But seriously Del, you put it best when you said:

"What happened to the RPGs where fun was the only goal? Where random purple octopi tormented the party? Where you can jump on NPCs' heads in order to get access to treasure? We've advanced a lot in terms of graphics, character development, and world-building, but we've lost that sense of whimsy that's so apparent in these 16-bit and CD games."

That point can't be stressed enough. I'm not against new generation graphics or anything, but it is painfully obvious that Square, among many others, have lost sight of the big picture. Others will disagree, and that is perfectly fine, but the reason that so many people treasure those old games isn't solely due to rose-colored glasses. Nostalgia may play a part, but honestly, and as generic as it may sound, the 'magic' and 'charm' in some of those carefully crafted games are what put then apart from some of the later submissions by Square-Enix (submissions that I have been less than crazy about).

[qwertysaur]

Every character had a clear motivation for what they did, and you could understand why Smithy was so bad that the player feels the importance of stopping him. At the same time you have characters like Punchinello, after you see him die for his art, you find that he too had a wish that Smithy destroyed. Booster is an adult child who is used to always playing and getting his way, and Valentina wants to be pampered, and Belome, who is just hungry.

Add to all this the many hidden secrets, challenges, and details to the game that pull you in again and again. Finding Grate Guy's casino. Getting 100 consecutive super jumps with Mario. The optional battles with Jinx, Cluex, and the 1 on 1 duel with Jonathan Jones. Getting Beetle Mania. The hidden chests. The treasure of the forest maze. Helping Toadofsky compose his masterpiece. Even the really little things like working as a bellhop in the Marrymore hotel, the dreams in Nimbus land, finding Toadstool's ???, and reading each enemies mind with Psychopath.

And the way Mario mimes everything to talk is just so funny.

[Pike]

Figured that this should go in the thread.

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...x/mariorpg.jpg

I love this.

To second what everyone else is saying, I'm going to quote something I said in a blog post a while back:

Super Mario RPG is a relic of a different time: a time when RPGs weren’t about who has the fanciest cutscenes or who has the most photorealistic hair or who has the most immersive fantasy world. Rather, they were about traveling from weird town to even weirder town, beating up random enemies for gear, and saving the world. No nonsense. Just beating the big bad guy at the end with all of the epic loot that you had to cross the universe to find.