This review contains spoilers
“Like the moon over
the day, my genius and brawn
are lost on these fools.” - a haiku by Bowser
Super Mario RPG is a game in conversation with its characters and genre. It asks a lot of questions. It asks you, the player, to think about two in particular. What does it mean to play as Mario, and what is an RPG? It’s right there on the tin.
That the game asks these questions means they figure you’re supposed to already have an idea, because they’re interested in inverting your expectations.
Mario, but what if RPG? RPG, but what if Mario?
It’s a game starring Mario, but Mario is a character here, not a cypher for the player.
This is a setting where most characters know who Mario is. You are not playing as Mario, a guy who jumps. You are playing as the great celebrity hero Mario, the guy who is famous for jumping. You, the player, are supposed to be in on the joke that everyone knows this guy.
Bowser, the usual villain, and Peach, the usual macguffin, are both playable characters and get plot arcs. Toads have more personality. Luigi gets sidelined. All of this is odd and different.
That means this would be kinda weird if this was your first Mario game. You might think this is normal, and then get sad later.
And then, once you get past that, you’ve got to play an RPG. But it’s an RPG very interested in trying out some odd shit.
Compared to most RPGs of the time, there’s more platforming. The game is shorter, and easier. There are no confusing number systems and you don’t have to do math. There’s very little grinding and battles are more interesting. The script is hilarious. Mini-games switch up the pace and add delight.
All that means it would be kinda weird if this was your first RPG. You might think this is normal, and then get sad later.
Screenshots: https://parosilience.tumblr.com/tagged/Super%20Mario%20RPG
the day, my genius and brawn
are lost on these fools.” - a haiku by Bowser
Super Mario RPG is a game in conversation with its characters and genre. It asks a lot of questions. It asks you, the player, to think about two in particular. What does it mean to play as Mario, and what is an RPG? It’s right there on the tin.
That the game asks these questions means they figure you’re supposed to already have an idea, because they’re interested in inverting your expectations.
Mario, but what if RPG? RPG, but what if Mario?
It’s a game starring Mario, but Mario is a character here, not a cypher for the player.
This is a setting where most characters know who Mario is. You are not playing as Mario, a guy who jumps. You are playing as the great celebrity hero Mario, the guy who is famous for jumping. You, the player, are supposed to be in on the joke that everyone knows this guy.
Bowser, the usual villain, and Peach, the usual macguffin, are both playable characters and get plot arcs. Toads have more personality. Luigi gets sidelined. All of this is odd and different.
That means this would be kinda weird if this was your first Mario game. You might think this is normal, and then get sad later.
And then, once you get past that, you’ve got to play an RPG. But it’s an RPG very interested in trying out some odd shit.
Compared to most RPGs of the time, there’s more platforming. The game is shorter, and easier. There are no confusing number systems and you don’t have to do math. There’s very little grinding and battles are more interesting. The script is hilarious. Mini-games switch up the pace and add delight.
All that means it would be kinda weird if this was your first RPG. You might think this is normal, and then get sad later.
Screenshots: https://parosilience.tumblr.com/tagged/Super%20Mario%20RPG