Unbiased Super Mario RPG Remake Review
About Super Mario RPG Remake Release in 2023
It is so nice to see how Nintendo revives its classic hits in relatively cost-effective but visually stunning remakes and remasters. In 1996, Nintendo and Square collaborated to release a quite experimental spinoff about the adventures of Mario and his friends – Super Mario RPG. This title turned out to be an iconic masterpiece. Loveable humor, innovative battle system, and heartfelt storytelling are the main reasons why the fans wanted to see the remake or at least the remastered version of this unique game. On November 17, 2023, Nintendo released Super Mario RPG Remake with new visual changes thanks to the Unity engine, improved battle system, and a few other interesting tweaks.
The Asami Games team decided to review how a remake feels after all these years.
Super Mario RPG Remake – Visual Changes Compared to Original
Super Mario RPG Remake has a serious visual aesthetic change that will impress you, especially if you have played the original game back in the 1990s. The game’s visual update introduced full 3D environments to reanimate all familiar places with the pixel artwork of the original version.
Three beautiful locations – Monstro Town, Toad Town, and Bowser’s Keep – now look very lively and have a lot of background details. Visually, the remake looks stunning, no more and no less, for sure.
The remake creators from ArtePiazza showed deep dedication to maintaining the essential quality of the original Super Mario RPG Remake ROM from SNES along with the implementation of technology standards.
The cartoonish designs of Mario, Peach, Bowser, Geno, and Mallow have received smooth animations along with more vivid facial expressions. Mario’s beloved jumping technique has an improved weight and smooth animations so you can enjoy each time when performing this move.
The game stands out with new lighting features and environmental textures – they create the exceptional mood of a cartoonish fairytale. Forest Maze has a mysterious aura through its dimmed light that shines between lush green vegetation. The otherworldly beauty of Star Hill shines bright (literally) with diamond-like stars in the night sky. The enhancements never overshadow the nostalgic feel of the original design but instead, show off and enhance the original game’s beauty.
The graphics renovation is noticeable in all the battle sequences as well. The enemies show off their signature movements more precisely while their attack sequences get new animations.
However, there are cameo appearances of pixelated sprites in some locations to merge the old visuals with the new ones. Through the artful design, Super Mario RPG Remake lets you recognize old elements but with enhanced visuals.
Super Mario RPG Remake defines the ideal standard for how remakes should preserve historical content within modern presentation.
Here is a quick overview of visual changes in Super Mario RPG Remake compared to the original SNES version:
| Feature | Original SNES Game | Remake |
| Graphics | Pre-rendered CGI Sprites | Real-time 3D Graphics |
| Cutscenes | In-game Sprite Animations | New CG Cutscenes |
| Character Models | Sprites with Limited Emotion Expression | Detailed 3D Models |
| UI & Menus | Basic Text-Based Menus | Always Visible Health Bars |
Super Mario RPG Remake – Story and Setting
In Super Mario RPG Remake Peach, Mallow, Bowser, Geno, and Mario, of course, team up for a journey filled with adventures, humor, and intense battles. The fairytale begins with Bowser abducting Princess Peach (yes, again) while a strange sword impacts his castle and breaks the Star. The emissary Geno arrives from outer space to put together the destroyed pieces.
The update maintains all the beloved aspects from the original character presentation. The main protagonist Mario reveals character traits through active storytelling that enhances his personality development.
As for Mallow and Geno as the supporting cast, the developers stayed faithful to their original versions even though viewers wanted more detailed story developments. Peach is still adorable, though, even without any significant improvements. In general, the storyline is funny but a bit naïve.
Super Mario RPG Remake – New and Old Gameplay Features
New Gameplay Mechanics
The latest addition to the game features the Triple Move system – the team-based attacks after the Action Gauge reaches a full level. Advancing through this scale depends on your ability to coordinate your attacks against enemies – the tactical precision pays off.
The new game mechanic “Party Swapping Mid-Battle” provides players with additional control over their fight strategies while playing.
The Chain Boost system delivers a successful hit series to enhance your character stats slightly while providing thrilling battle experiences. Amateurs or casual players have access through Breezy Mode while maintaining the fundamental gameplay of the title. Through the map menu users can now use the fast travel feature to avoid unnecessary traversing.
The unlimited Inventory Management System also appeared to make your search for the required item easier.
And the Monster List works now as the Pokedex.
Familiar Gameplay Elements
The fundamental gameplay from the original Super Mario RPG remains the same. Super Mario RPG Remake uses the traditional turn-based combat system with action commands and better visual timing indicators like the exclamation marks.
The path for character progression remains consistent because individuals keep their original attributes untouched along with their quirky personal traits. The game still offers linear equipment mechanics since weapon and armor enhancements function as upgrades over other alternative options.
The game offers an additional nostalgic and customized experience by permitting players to swap between the original music and the remixed version.
Super Mario RPG Remake offers delightful gameplay despite its few repetitive mini-games. The game honors its origins through an appreciation of traditional JRPG elements while it creates opportunities for upcoming gaming ventures.
Super Mario RPG Remake – Level Up Guide
- Engage in more fights to get more EXP points. Look for the enemies with yellow name tags because they drop more EXP points after you defeat them. Also, such enemies deliver more Frog Coins you can also use for leveling up;
- Another important piece of advice here is to use the special EXP Booster accessory that gives x2 EXP after each fight (do not forget to equip your party member);
- Visit the best grinding location – Weapons Factory pit floor;
- Gradually level up all the stats – Attack/Defense (Pow), Health (HP) or Magic Attack/Defense (Star);
- Mario should enhance his attack and defense stats to get the random HP bonus upgrades;
- Mallow should enhance his Magic Attack before working on increasing his HP for better survival rates;
- Geno needs to improve his Attack before tackling the Star power and only then get the HP bonus;
- The bonuses should be personalized for Bowser and Peach to match their offensive skills;
- Climb to level 30 when possible, though you need to be at level 21–22 when fighting the last boss. The most crucial levels must be reached during gameplay, but post-game challenges require higher levels to defeat stronger enemies;
Super Mario RPG Remake – All Mini-Games
| Mini-Games | Location | Goal | Conditions | Tips |
| Goomba Thumping | Pipe Vault | Jump on Goombas while avoiding Spikeys | 25+ points | Stay focused and avoid rushing into Spikeys |
| Midas River | Forest Maze | Collect as many coins as possible during the waterfall descent | 81+ coins | Follow coin patterns and stay in the center of the stream |
| Mine Car Race | Moleville Mountain | Race through tracks filled with obstacles | Finish under 02:16.71 | Memorize the track layout and time your boosts carefully |
| Beetle Mania | Bean Valley | Smash beetles and chain shells for massive scores | Over 4,000,000 points | Focus on chaining combos and using power-ups strategically |
| Paratroopa Climb | Forest Maze | Climb up platforms while dodging Paratroopas | Complete in under 11 seconds | Practice quick jumps and precise timing |
| Juggling Game | Various Locations | Keep items in the air without dropping them | Win 50 games | Start slow and gradually increase speed as you get comfortable |
| Memory Game | Various Locations | Match pairs of cards by remembering their positions | Win 50 matches | Pay close attention to card placements and eliminate obvious pairs first |
| Look-the-Other-Way | Toad Town | Guess which hand holds the prize | Get 100+ wins | There’s no foolproof strategy here, just luck and intuition |
| Yoshi Racing | Mushroom Derby | Compete in races against other Yoshis | Just have fun ☺ | Learn the course layouts and timing to boost effectively |
We also recommend you watch the video that explains all the mini-games in Super Mario RPG Remake.
Interesting Super Mario RPG Remake Post-Game Challenges
Once you finish the main story, the game will offer you the post-game content that expands the challenge and enjoyment:
- Talk to Toad in Mario’s Pad. Stay at Marrymore Hotel Suite. You will find new clues at Star Hill by reading the pink star wishes in its location;
- Use Frog Sage to uncover information about the available post-game bosses;
- The game gives you a chance to rematch between Belome, Booster, Cake (Jonathan Jones), Super Sensi Jin,x and the challenging Culex Three-Dimension (Culex 3D). The extremely challenging Culex boss requires pro-Peach players to equip her with the Lazy Shell armor to succeed;
- You should raise your party members to Level 30 because maximum levels offer better statistics and abilities. Grind through the Weapons Factory pit a few times to level up;
- Complete the Monster List by beating all the monsters hidden in the game;
- Thoroughly examine the already visited areas because secret chests hide valuable items along with the powerful equipment inside them;
- Get access to all original and new music tracks through the Sound Player Mode by unlocking all the available tracks;
Pros of Super Mario RPG Remake:
- Best visual interpretation of the Mushroom Kingdom;
- Hilariously funny;
- Engaging in turn-based combat;
- Gorgeous faithful to the original remake;
- A lot of new post-game content;
- Great visual style;
- Nice pace;
- Incredible remastered soundtrack;
Cons of Super Mario RPG Remake:
- Most mini-games are frustrating;
- The isometric platform is annoying;
- Not very deep mechanics;
- The storyline is a bit childish to our taste;
Verdict – 8/10
Super Mario RPG Remake is a beautiful tribute to the classic Nintendo title. We’ve got revamped graphics, improved gameplay, and a remastered soundtrack – these factors make the game even more complex and stunning than it was back in the 1990s. The turn-based combat preserved its satisfying pace while its quirky dialogue kept delivering humorous and heartfelt lines. Super Mario RPG Remake delivers an essential experience both for veterans and new players who might equally enjoy this unique adventure with nostalgic appeal.
By the way, a lot of fellow game journalists and bloggers agree that Super Mario RPG Remake is a beautifully crafted Nintendo classic title with revamped graphics and improved gameplay. Check the megathread with Super Mario RPG Remake reviews on Reddit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Super Mario RPG Remake?
On average, Super Mario RPG Remake needs about 12 hours to beat for the main storyline and side quests. If you are into mini-games and post-game challenges, then the complete Super Mario RPG Remake walkthrough may take up to 20-22 hours.
What is Super Mario RPG Remake price?
Initially, the price tag for Super Mario RPG Remake is $59.99 per new copy from Nintendo eShop. Players can find the game available for $24.99 when purchasing through GameStop and for $29.99 from the Woot website. Second-hand copies may cost around $20.
What are Super Mario RPG Remake sales?
The number of sales for Super Mario RPG Remake remains unknown. Super Mario RPG Remake release date was on November 17, 2023. We expect to see the sales disclosure somewhere before the release of Super Mario Odyssey 2 on Nintendo Switch 2 in the quarterly investor reports.
How to find all Super Mario RPG Remake hidden chests?
Scanning the regions completely is helping. Every nook and corner should be explored. Super Mario RPG Remake gives the chance to use Mallow’s jumping power and Geno’s hammer technique for fast travel.
How to do the Super Mario RPG Remake download?
Well, you won’t find the game for download anywhere but Nintendo eShop. Some PC emulators may offer ROM versions of this title, but it is illegal and requires some technical skills for the proper installation. The game is often offered with decent discounts, so make sure to buy the official version to support the developers.
