by Nintendo’s venerable plumber has always been known for his puzzle-platforming titles, but in 1996, he starred in one of the most memorable games ever- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, popularly known as Super Mario RPG. Developed by Square and published by Nintendo, the game sported commendable three-dimensional (3D) graphics for its time, a brilliant and unique story, and loads of new characters for fans to enjoy. Even though it was the last Mario game to be released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is still a collector’s item for its sheer fun factor.
The gameplay mechanics were completely different from what everyone was used to at that time. Mario had evolved from jumping on monsters’ head to the standard role-playing game (RPG) cycle of attacking and waiting patiently for the next move. The transition- along with other interesting elements- made for an appealing gameplay and fun-filled experience for people of all ages. Generic items from Mario’s previous adventure made an appearance in game, as did various characters, monsters and bosses that were fought earlier- all adding into the nostalgia and fan service. New additions to the Mario roster, such Mallow and Geno, were also fun to play as they brought their personal strengths to the game. Another interesting feature of the game was the ability to have Mario’s arch-nemesis, Bowser, and Princess peach Toadstool join your team, making them playable for the first time ever in the Mario franchise. With some hilarious set-pieces and clever secrets hidden throughout the course of the game, this game was a real delight to play. Super Mario RPG proved to people everywhere why the Super Nintendo was an amazing system and it remains to be one of the most beloved RPGs to this day. The title even spawned a few spiritual sequels on Nintendo’s other consoles and handhelds using pretty much the same mechanics as the original, further proving the timelessness of the title. Even though the Super Nintendo is long gone, the game is still available o n the Nintendo Virtual Console for only 800 Wii Points and is the number one downloaded game of the service.
