Summary
Nintendo RPG fans got a big shock earlier this year when not only didFire Emblem EngageandAdvance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camprelease, but a remake ofSuper Mario RPGwas also announced. This was followed up in the September 2023 Nintendo Direct, which ended with the announcement of a remake forPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Many fans would have been content with a remake ofSuper Mario RPGalone, but it’s hard to turn down another one of Nintendo’s first-party RPG highlights.
There are plenty of reasons whySuper Mario RPGwas such a hit that it kicked off decades of acclaimedMarioJRPGs. Besides being a novel direction for the platformer franchise, the game was also made by Square, nowSquare Enix, at the height of its 16-bit RPG popularity. That meant it had comparably good writing, visuals, music, mechanics, and even translation to Square’s other hits. FutureMarioRPGs carried these strengths on, but they all deviated fromSuper Mario RPG’s more traditional approach. TheMarioRPG successors aren’t as dominant as they used to be, however, so it may finally be time to give their common ancestor a direct sequel.
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Super Mario RPG 2 Could Reinforce The Original’s Strengths
Super Mario RPGdefined a lot of staples that would return in laterMarioRPGs. Aside from high production values, there was an effort to combine turn-based and action mechanics without invoking the Active-Time Battle combat of contemporaryFinal Fantasygames. The resulting timed hits may have been done better byMario and Luigior thePaper Mariogames, butSuper’s remake has incorporated some of their polish, and a true sequel could mark a return toSuper Mario RPG’s accessible and flexible battle setup.
Not only did gameplay get experimental, but so did the setting.Super Mario RPGmarks the biggest departure from the standard Mario aesthetic sinceDoki Doki Panicwas converted into the AmericanSuper Mario Bros. 2.MostSuper Mario RPGbosseswere bizarre creatures just cartoonish enough to fit beside standardMariocharacters, and classicMarioraces like Toad’s incorporated extra flourishes into their designs to stand out.
EvenThe Thousand-Year Door, which is known for having non-standard takes onMariocharacters, didn’t reach as far asSuperMario RPGdid. Having a direct sequel would allow a new game to tackleSuper Mario RPG’s freeform approach to representing theMariouniverse.
The Path To Another Super Mario RPG Is Clear
It’s not like there are any major roadblocks to anotherSuper Mario RPGleft. Besides theThousand-Year Doorremake,MarioRPGs are in a slump. After its last few years were spent on a controversialPaper Mariocrossover and two remakes,Mario and Luigi’s developer AlphaDreamdeclared bankruptcy, leaving the future of its star franchise uncertain. Less dire, but still controversial are the recentPaper Mariogames, which have strayed from RPG traditions since 2004’sThousand-Year Door.
A newSuper Mario RPGcould have the same impact on the expandedMarioRPG family as its predecessor once did.Super Mario RPG 2could inspire Nintendo to pick otherMarioRPG series back up but allow them to revisit the classic JRPG tropes that once inspired them. Nintendo is known for trying to innovate with every new title, but even in the ’90s,Super Mario RPGstuck to the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach. Years later, the world may be ready again for therefreshing simplicity ofSuper Mario RPG, and a lot of older fans would be happy if Nintendo capitalized on that.
Super Mario RPGwill be released on November 17 for the Nintendo Switch.
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