I feel like this is a game that doesn't require much introduction, but I'll do my best to try anyway! Super Mario RPG is one of the last major game's released for the Super Nintendo, in 1996, and is the very first game that branched the Mario series into the RPG genre. It's a very good first attempt at doing so as well! This game has many familiar elements that would be improved or expanded upon in its successor series, Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi, but still stands on its own as a distinct experience with some interesting aspects that I feel like were lost along the way. The game is also loaded out the wazoo with secrets and bonus mini games, and we're going to do our best to check them all out. A full on remake is looking to drop at the end of 2023, so what better way to hype up for it than revisiting the original, eh?
The Let's Play
As is common for my videos, this will be relatively comprehensive, though not necessarily completionist. We'll be looking at every bonus game at least once, and uncovering as many secrets as possible and at least acknowledging the ones I don't feel up to getting *cough*100superjumps*cough*. I'll do my best to mix up party comps and show off all skills and most strategies. This is a fairly straightforward and easy game in most sections, so pretty much anything can be made to work. With that said,
I am looking forward to the remastered OST for the remake.
Absolutely! I'm eager to see a lot of things about the remake, particularly how they'll revamp the mechanics for a modern release. This particular Mario RPG has an emphasis on traditional platforming in the overworld that I don't feel that the other Mario RPG's really do, and I'm interested to see it polished or expanded upon. (The isometric perspective with a locked point of view can be infamously finnicky in a few areas of this game)
Part 4 is out! Finishing up the Kero Sewers, after which we get a major plot dump and move onto our next crisis situation. Apologies if I sound a little scatterbrained in the commentary at points, I wasn't in a great headspace when I recorded this and wasn't exactly fully invested in anything I was doing.
Part 5 is up on Youtube! Clearing out the rawest forest and rounding out our party. Coming up after this we have a whole suite of side content to tackle.
Part 6 is up! Quite a lot happens in this video, a good mix of side content and plot progression. I always forget how many bonus mini games are in this game when I replay it.
Part 9 is out! A very cutscene heavy part to be sure, but we'll have a very breezy bit of side content and a quick main area to follow up on the Booster detour.
Part 10 is up on Youtube! This section is half sidequest content, half plot content with the most anti-climactic star in the game. The game up to this point is pretty easy, but the difficulty does pick up a little bit at this point so hopefully we'll see some more interesting fights going forward.
Part 12 is up on youtube! We smash through two of the tougher bosses in the game and secure another star. Next up is one of the lengthiest stretches in the game without getting another star, as well as numerous sidequests coming up that get us some of the best equipment in the game.
Part 13 is out! Some more side stuff to round up, and then conquering Land's End. We will have another host of side content to smash through in Monstro Town before resuming our pace.
Part 15 is up! We make our way through Bean Valley, picking up some goodies as we pass through Land's End again, and in the grand tradition I fail platforming in Nimbus Land. Video updates will be paused for the upcoming week as I'll be traveling to visit family, but regular updates will resume on August 7th.
After a brief break, part 16 is done and out! Rounding up more side content (this game has so much it's kind of nuts) and then we find ourselves wrapped up in another plot detour in Nimbus Land.
Part 17 is out! Resolving the Nimbus Land leg of the quest, we're now positioned to get our next to last star. I forget to mention it but we're also almost done with the Hidden Chest sidequest, just one more to grab in the game.
Part 19 is up on youtube! We defeat the bonus boss of the game, and with that almost all the side content in the game is done and dusted. We have one more hidden chest to collect and the star egg to receive and then we're all set for the final dungeon!
Part 20 is out! After all this time, we finally have the chance to put the sword that started this all in his place. The final area is up next, and the end of the game proves to be a real boss bonanza.
I think Culex is one of the coolest concepts they ever did in a game. Square developed this game so they just put a straight up classic Final Fantasy boss in there. Including FF battle and victory music, and yes, a little fourth-wall breaking is part of that.
I'm wondering what the remake is going to do with the translation, it's quite janky in places in this game.
Also, for Boomer, both the design and his dialogue makes me think he was intended to be a Samurai kind of enemy, who basically commits ritual suicide after he loses. Except they had to get through the western age rating system so in the English translation they changed the chandelier's dialogue to "actually he's fine don't worry".
That part I understand just fine, I’m more flummoxed at why he’s here in general lol. Definitely the weirdest filler boss in the game, no foreshdowing he exists and no real relevance to the events that happen immediately after. Even Belome has more build up and story pay off than Boomer did.
Part 21 is out! The Final dungeon this time around, loaded with familiar as well as fresh faces. Our characters are so dominant at this point that they are merely speed bumps on our way to take down Smithy.
