For the longest time I used to write off this game as something only nostalgic boomers liked and because I associated it with people who say things like "I hate Turn Based RPGs... but I do like Mario RPG and Paper Mario!" and that annoyed me to no end. I'm not a petty teenager anymore though and I wanted to examine the game for myself (not counting that I played until the mid point of the story like a decade ago, I forgot everything about it so it doesn't really count).

What I found here was a charming little RPG, that takes the usual Square trappings from the Super Nintendo era and recontextualizes them into Mario's world and style. It's no wonder that some of the same team here also worked on "Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest", another attempt at an easy and approachable RPG which was FAR less successful to this goal. Mario RPG still offers much of what makes the genre appealing: exploring dungeons, buying and finding equipment to keep your characters strong, leveling up and leaning new abilities, boss fights that force you to use your best skills, multiple characters for different party formations... it actually has it all, just in an easier and more streamlined version.

The story is very straightforward and I actually don't have much to say about it. I like Bowser's characterization here a lot and Mallow was the absolute highlight of the entire plot for me, it almost feels like this is his story on an emotional level.

Anyway, pretty decent little RPG, I get why it's remembered so fondly now.