Nintendo Switch – Wizard Dojo

Wrecking Crew ’98 Review

One of the few Mario games that never saw release outside of Japan was Wrecking Crew ’98, the third (and so far, final) entry in the Wrecking Crew sub-series, and the last Mario game released on the Super Nintendo in Japan (in the west, Super Mario RPG holds that distinction). As the title implies, the game was released in 1998, and by that point, the Nintendo 64 had been on store shelves for two years, thus Wrecking Crew ’98 missed out on a western release (Japanese gamers seem to better appreciate the joys of the games themselves, no matter the hardware, whereas western gamers have a tendency to only care about what’s new and has the best graphics). That all changed in April of 2024, when Nintendo finally released Wrecking Crew ’98 to the western world via the Nintendo Switch Online service (though all of the game’s text remains untranslated). It’s a shame it took so long for Wrecking Crew ’98 to see a release in the west, because it’s a joy to play, and one of the SNES’s best puzzle games.

That’s right, Wrecking Crew ’98 is a puzzle game, in contrast to the more arcade-style gameplay of its more famous NES predecessor. But that’s kind of what makes Wrecking Crew ’98 so brilliant, it takes the blueprint from the NES game, and shifts it into another genre. In doing so, it makes the Wrecking Crew series’ gameplay deeper and more fun.

The basic gameplay of the NES Wrecking crew title remains intact: you control Mario (or one of a number of other familiar and obscure characters) around a single screen, climb ladders, and break objects with a hammer. Whereas in the previous game Mario simply had to destroy every breakable object to complete a stage, here the player is up against an opponent, giving things a competitive edge. Clearing a stage of breakable objects isn’t good enough, now you need to chain combos together to empty your playing field, while bombarding your opponent’s with more blocks and enemies. If one row of objects reaches the top of the screen, the player (or opponent) has five seconds to start breaking it down, otherwise the game ends.

That may sound like typical falling block puzzler fair, but as stated, combining it with the Wrecking Crew formula makes for a uniquely engaging experience. The fact that the player moves a character around the board (as opposed to simply flipping the blocks) already makes it one of the more distinct puzzle games of its time.

Colored blocks replace the breakable walls from the NES game, with the player being able to destroy the blocks by simply hitting them, or by strategically lining up three to five blocks of the same color to start flooding their opponent’s board. Along with running and jumping, the player can use an action button to hit the block the character is standing in front of or use the same button to pull the switches on the left side of the board, which moves the corresponding row of blocks. There are also “brick blocks” that hide one of the color blocks inside (whack it once to reveal the color block, and a second time to destroy it if need be). The player also has access to what I call the “Drop Button” (the X button on the basic setup on a Switch controller). The drop button will drop a few extra blocks on the player’s own board. That may sound counterproductive, but it’s actually a clever mechanic for two reasons: the first is that, if you’ve cleared your board, you can press the drop button to add more blocks in hopes of building more combos. The second reason is that more difficult levels will feature iron blocks (both by default and sent by the opponent) which the hammer can’t break, and can only be broken by bomb blocks, which only appear via the drop button. Adding another creative layer to that, a single bomb block will appear only every other time the drop button is pressed, meaning the player shouldn’t be using the drop button too liberally.

“If you happen to feel nostalgic for the NES game, Wrecking Crew ’98 also includes its predecessor in its entirety right out the gate.”

These simple mechanics all come together to form a puzzle game that’s easy to learn, but difficult to master. Which are the best kind of puzzle games, really. My only real complaint with the gameplay is that, when your opponent starts sending enemies to your screen, it can be tedious to eliminate them. You can’t hit them with the hammer (remember the blocks you hit are technically in the background, the enemies share the same space as the character), and bomb blocks don’t destroy them. The only way to get rid of enemies is for them to make their way to the bottom of the screen. You can speed up the process by jumping on their heads, but the jumps have to be a bit more accurate than in most Mario games, and if you don’t hit the enemies just right, they hit you, which leaves your character bouncing out of control for maybe a few seconds too long.

Honestly though, that’s a small complaint for what is otherwise a wildly engaging, competitive puzzle game. The game is so deceptively complex, that you may find some rounds can go on for much longer than you’re used to in falling block puzzle games (my longest game, set on one of the higher difficulties, lasted over a half hour).

“The areas marked with numbers are the standard story mode stages, the ones marked with letters house the secret characters.”

Wrecking Crew ’98 features a story mode which – from what I can tell – revolves around Bowser constructing a large building for the simple reason of denying a bunch of cute flowers the sun, thus preventing them from growing. So Mario sets off to best Bowser as to knock down the building and feed the flowers some much needed sunshine. It’s a simple and cute plot, and it stands out in the Mario series.

Before he can face Bowser though, Mario has to defeat a Koopa Troopa, and returning Wrecking Crew characters Eggplant Man, Gotchawrench and Foreman Spike. Defeating each opponent also unlocks them as playable characters in the game’s other modes, and defeating Bowser not only unlocks the Koopa king, but Luigi and Princess Peach as well. There are four additional characters hidden away in the story mode, three of which are fought by beating the second, third and fourth stages within a few short minutes (easier said than done). The hidden characters are also playable once defeated, and besting the first three reveals the final secret character.

At the expense of spoiling the surprises (for a decades-old game), the four secret characters are arguably the most bizarre lineup of characters in Mario history (which is saying something). The first is simply “Onigiri.” As in a literally onigiri, the Japanese rice ball that Pokémon’s Brock so affectionately referred to as ‘doughnuts.’ Not an anthropomorphic onigiri with a cartoon face, mind you. Onigiri the character is simply an onigiri that can move and talk. The next two secret characters are relatively less weird, one is the ghost of a girl named Onnanoko, and the other a middle-aged construction worker wearing traditional Japanese garb named Oyazi. The final secret character is Dogu, a Japanese clay doll that comes from another world.

Honestly, the unlockable characters may be the most out-of-left-field character roster in Super Mario history (and that’s including those weird human characters from Mario Golf). I’m not complaining though, I actually think it’s pretty unique that the secret characters are kind of their own thing, without prior ties to the Super Mario or Wrecking Crew series. It gives the game a bit of its own personality, while the presence of Mario, Bowser and Princess Peach keep it connected to the greater Mario franchise (essentially doing the same thing Super Mario RPG did with characters like Mallow and Geno). And being able to play as them – along with the familiar faces – in the versus and tournament modes is pretty cool.

Being released so late in the SNES lifecycle means that Wrecking Crew ’98 looks great. Though it uses lighter colors and more “kiddy” character designs than most Mario games (looking closest to Mario & Wario, another Japanese-exclusive on the console), it all looks really impressive and is more proof that the SNES is the most visually timeless console. The music may not be anything special, but it’s fun and bouncy and does what it needs to.

“Onigiri for Smash! Hey, it makes more sense than Dark Pit.”

Wrecking Crew ’98’s release on Nintendo Switch Online is one of the best examples of “better late than never” gaming has seen in quite some time. It may be a bummer that many of us didn’t get the chance to properly appreciate it in its day, but it sure is great to experience it today.

Add Wrecking Crew to the lineup of Nintendo series that desperately needs a revival.

Battletoads in Battlemaniacs Review

*Review based on Battletoads in Battlemaniacs release as part of the Nintendo Switch Online Service*

Few names are as infamous in the world of video games as Battletoads. Rare’s riff on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles provided a game that was not only considered the most difficult in the NES library, but even today many people will point to it as the most difficult video game ever made (and not always for the right reasons). Despite its ludicrous difficulty, Battletoads was popular enough to warrant a franchise for a time (even being rebooted in 2020 by Dlala Studios). The series made the jump to the Super Nintendo in 1993 with Battletoads in Battlemaniacs, which serves as kind of a sequel to, and kind of a remake of the NES game. Strangely, while the original Battletoads has seen numerous re-releases over the years (even Battletoads Arcade made it into Rare Replay), Battlemaniacs didn’t see any form of re-release until it launched on the Nintendo Switch Online Service in late February 2024. Though I have to admit, we weren’t missing much in its absence. While Battlemaniacs definitely looks better and has (relatively) smoother controls than its predecessor, it still suffers from the same callously unfair difficulty of the original.

Battlemaniacs sees two of our disgustingly named heroes, Rash and Pimple, travel to a virtual reality world called “the Gamescape” in order to save the third Battletoad, Zits (the Battletoads aren’t cool enough to ever have all three available for the adventure, as Pimple was kidnapped in the original). The Battletoads’ nemesis, the Dark Queen, has teamed up with another baddie named Silas Volkmire in order to take over the Gamescape and the real world (they also kidnapped some CEO’s daughter. Though why that was necessary to the story, I’m not sure). So Rash and Pimple have to fight their way through six stages in order to defeat the Dark Queen and Volkmire, and save their friends.

I have to say, Rare really got the look, feel and tone of the Saturday morning cartoons of the time down pat. The anthropomorphic animal heroes, the “extreme” attitude, outlandish baddies, and even more outlandish character names all feel ripped straight out of the kind of cartoons that were airing at the time. They even had the gross-out humor of the 90s checked off with the names of the Battletoads. The 16-bit overhaul means that the Saturday morning cartoon mentality of the series even shines through in the game’s visuals this time around. And the music (partly composed by David Wise) includes some real bangers that help liven things up.

Sadly, that same attention to detail was not applied to fine-tuning the game. On the surface Battletoads in Battlemaniacs, despite having half the stages of the NES game, features a good deal of variety, with each stage playing differently than the last. The first level is a straight-up beat-em-up, while the second combines that with descending down a giant tree and avoiding hazards. The third, meanwhile, is the infamous Turbo Tunnel, where the toads ride on speeders while avoiding oncoming obstacles.

Wait a minute! These are the same stages as the NES game!

Yes, despite being the big 16-bit sequel to Battletoads, Battlemaniacs ultimately feels more like a remake. Its six stages recycle the framework of half of those from the original, albeit expanded upon and with more visual splendor. Though lacking in originality they may be, at least every stage is distinct from one another. It’s a shame more developers can’t squeeze in as much variety in the lengthy games of today as Rare could in just six levels on the Super Nintendo.

Battlemaniacs can also be played with two players in two different modes. One of which, like the first game, allows the players to injure each other, while the other mode (the only sane option) turns that feature off. At least this time Rare gave players an option, but given how insanely difficult the game already is, it shouldn’t even have the team attack option at all. It makes the game unplayable.

That difficulty is the game’s great flaw. I’m all for difficult games, being a fan of titles like Dark Souls and Elden Ring and what have you. But there’s a distinct difference between a game that’s difficult because of how it was designed, and a game that just feels unfair and comes across like none of its developers ever playtested it. Considering I keep bringing up the difficulty of Battletoads, I think you know which category I think Battlemaniacs falls into.

The Battletoads series is one of the few instances where a game’s difficulty doesn’t simply seem hard, but feels like the developers were playing some kind of sick, cruel prank on the player. While one would hope Rare would learn from their mistakes when making the sequels, sadly, Battlemaniacs feels like it’s pulling the same pranks as its predecessor, only now in 16-bits! The six stages of Battletoads in Battlemaniacs all have the potential to be something great, but each of them ultimately stumbles because, rather than design these stages carefully so players can gradually learn from their mistakes, here the mistakes are all on Rare, as their idea of difficulty when designing this series seemed to be to throw everything and the kitchen sink at players (often at a split second’s notice) and then faulting the player for not knowing what was going to happen ahead of time.

“The fourth stage, where the player hops across and climbs giant snakes, is my personal favorite.”

Take for example, the second stage. There’s a moment where fans try to blow the player into spiky logs as they descend, with the player having to push the character forward to fight the gust of the fans. Then all of a sudden, one of the fans pulls the player into the spikes, with no visual distinction between this fan and any of the others. It’s one thing to change things up, it’s another to outright give the player the middle finger by changing the rules the game itself established without any indication.

Then we have that damned third level, which requires absolutely perfect reflexes and complete memorization of the stage’s obstacles. That may sound standard for games at the time, except that the level drags on and on for so long – and with so few checkpoint – that asking players to memorize it, let alone have perfect precision every time, is just ridiculous. Oh, and you only get three lives and three continues to beat the whole game. If those run out, it’s back to the beginning of the whole game for you (because why not punish the player for the game’s own poor design?). There is a cheat code you can enter at the title screen (hold down, A and B and press start), but all that does is increase the lives and continues to five. It helps a little, but so little it just feels like another means for the game to mock you.

A couple of bonus stages are played after the second and fifth levels, in which the player has the chance to win extra lives, but of course the game uses this as another opportunity to mess with the player. As the toads ride a giant hockey puck and collect points (100 points for an extra life), enemies and obstacles litter the field – again often showing up at a split seconds’ notice – and take your points away upon contact. By the time these bonus stages are done, you’ll likely only get one or two extra lives, which will probably vanish within seconds of the next stage anyway.

“On the plus side, the bonus stages LOOK great.”

Admittedly, Battlemaniacs may not be quite as difficult as the original Battletoads, if only because it has fewer levels and because the SNES allowed for more precise movements (which the NES game demanded, but the hardware couldn’t allow). And playing it on Switch Online means you can create save states, which I highly recommend after every frustrating moment (so about every 5 seconds). But being slightly easier than the original Battletoads is like saying walking on hot coals with socks on is slightly more tolerable than walking on hot coals barefoot.

For some reason, people from my generation often look back fondly at Battletoads. I’m assuming it’s probably because the characters reminded us of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which were all the rage at the time. But actually going back to play this series again is a reminder that some things are best left in the past. Rare would later reach new heights with games like Donkey Kong Country, Goldeneye 007 and Banjo-Kazooie (before they eventually fell into one niche after another when Microsoft bought them out). But Battletoads in Battlemaniacs is not one of those Rare classics. It could have been – it still looks and sounds great, and the tongue-in-cheek nature of the series shines through – if only it weren’t so needlessly vindictive with its difficulty.

Games like Dark Souls are difficult in such a way they make you want to see the challenge through. Battletoads in Battlemaniacs is difficult in a way it makes you just want to play something else instead. And with plenty of other, infinitely better games made by Rare out there, you should do just that.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong Review

Mario vs. Donkey Kong on Switch is a remake of the 2004 Game Boy Advance game of the same name, itself a spiritual sequel to the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong (unofficially referred to as “Donkey Kong GB” or “Donkey Kong ’94”) from ten years prior. Mario vs. Donkey Kong utilized gameplay inspired by its Game Boy predecessor (and, in turn, Mario and Donkey Kong’s arcade origins) that lead to a sub-series of its own. Though the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series would gain numerous entries over time, the focus of the games would shift away from its iconic titular characters and onto the “Mini-Mario” toy characters found in the series (later entries would even trade the ‘vs‘ in the title for ‘and,’ further deviating from its origins). So a remake of the 2004 game seems to be a nice reset for the series, and the upgrade to the Nintendo Switch means the game looks and sounds far better than ever. Though fans of the original who were hoping for something a little more may be a little disappointed to know that this remake doesn’t feature a whole lot that the original GBA release didn’t already boast.

The core structure of the game remains the same: Mario still travels across levels that are comprised of two single-screen sections that combine puzzles and platforming. The first half of a stage requires Mario to get a hold of a key and take it to the door to the second half, in which Mario completes the stage by collecting a Mini-Mario toy (Donkey Kong wants a toy for himself, but being a gorilla who doesn’t know how consumerism works, has stolen the entire batch of toys).

Mario is equipped with a different set of acrobatics than normal. In addition to his regular jump, Mario can do a handstand which can lead into a higher jump, with an even higher jump able to be performed after that. Mario’s jump doesn’t hurt enemies here but he can pick up foes when standing on top of them Super Mario Bros. 2-style. Stages will usually feature red, blue and yellow switches, which will operate different mechanics depending on the level, with only one switch being active at a time. Three similarly colored presents are scattered about each stage as well, and players who want one-hundred percent completion will want to grab them all.

The game now boasts eight worlds, as opposed to the original release’s six, with a new toy themed world 4 and ice themed world six joining the original building, jungle, volcano, haunted house, forest and city themed worlds. Each world consists of six standard levels and ends with a Mini-Mario level and a boss fight against DK himself. The Mini-Mario levels change up the structure, with Mario needing to guide the Mini-Marios collected from that world’s previous stages safely to a toybox. Depending on how many Mini-Marios make it to the toybox, Mario will have more health in the boss battle (up to six hit points).

Although the mechanics of the game harken back to the simplistic arcade days of Mario and Donkey Kong’s beginnings, the variety of ideas Nintendo came up with for the puzzles keeps things fresh and interesting throughout. And once all eight worlds have been completed, a second, more difficult campaign opens up in which each world has six new levels which once again mix things up (these stages ditch the two-part levels in favor of singular stages in which Mario has to solve the puzzles with the aid of a single Mini-Mario, who now holds the key to the levels’ exits). It’s a unique idea to fundamentally change how the game works midway through, but it ultimately pays off in giving the game more variety and an overall more fun experience. If only more games would take such a risk.

“The game’s ‘second campaign’ – in which Mario guides a Mini-Mario toy to the exit – brings out the game’s best puzzles.”

The game has, of course, never looked better. The vibrant, cartoony look of the characters and stages look beautiful on the Switch. And the soundtrack, re-recorded with real instruments, is a delight (the game even has the option to listen to its soundtrack right out of the gate, no unlocking required). The Switch may be getting on a bit in years, but you’d never know it based on Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

Aside from the audiovisual overhaul and two additional worlds, another welcome addition to the remake comes in the form of a two-player option, with a second player joining in as Toad. A new ‘casual’ option eliminates the time limit for stages, for those wanting to play the game more leisurely. Though these additions are all welcome (especially the new levels), they may not be enough for those who were hoping for a little more out of the game. Mario vs. Donkey Kong always had a lot of content for a Game Boy Advance title, but for a Nintendo Switch game, you can’t help but feel a few more bells and whistles could have been added.

It’s also worth pointing out that, despite featuring sixteen worlds between the game’s two campaigns, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is still over pretty quickly. While there’s nothing wrong with shorter games (in fact, they can feel like a blessing in this day and age when so many games feel padded to high heaven), the fact that the game doesn’t really get challenging until the last couple of worlds in the second campaign means you’ll breeze through the majority of it. Again, a short and easy game is no unforgiveable sin, but there’s something about this Switch upgrade of Mario vs. Donkey Kong that leaves you wanting more out of it. It’s a loving recreation of a cult favorite GBA title, and a fitting return to form for the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, but it still doesn’t feel much bigger than the GBA original. Considering Mario vs. Donkey Kong is now a fully priced Switch release, this stings all the more.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong remains a competent and engaging puzzle-platformer that pays homage to the roots of Nintendo’s original hero and villain. It’s the kind of game that’s best enjoyed in small bursts. Though that very nature may have made it ideal for the GBA, it still serves as a fun ‘secondary’ Mario title on the Nintendo Switch.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Turns 10!!

Today, February 13th 2024, marks the ten-year anniversary of the release of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on the Wii U in Japan. Ten years later, and it’s still one of Nintendo’s greatest achievements, one of the best platformers of all time, the best Wii U game, and one of my all-time favorites. It’s also probably the most underrated Nintendo game ever made.

I was elated at E3 2013 when it was announced that Retro Studios were working on a second Donkey Kong Country game. Donkey Kong Country Returns was a brilliant, well, return for the DKC series. Donkey Kong Country has always had a strong place in my heart, and Retro Studios proved they could handle the series just as well as Rare did back in the 1990s. A second DKC from Retro Studios was something I wasn’t expecting but couldn’t have been happier with. Too bad I was in the minority at the time, as most people were upset that Retro Studios wasn’t working on another Metroid game (despite having made three already by that point) or a new Star Fox (which was just a baseless rumor anyway). So yes, the ‘controversy’ around Tropical Freeze could be summed up as “it wasn’t Metroid.” That has to be the dumbest video game controversy of all time (okay, maybe the “Bayonetta dresses differently in Bayonetta 2 so is she even Bayonetta anymore?” controversy is probably a little more dumb). Though going back to 2013, the most recent Metroid game was Other M, one of the worst Nintendo games of all time. Between that or more of what Donkey Kong Country Returns gave us, well, it was a no brainer which one I wanted to see more of.

This non-troversy got so bad that at least one reviewer on a “professional” gaming site gave Tropical Freeze a mixed-to-negative review, seemingly still throwing a tantrum that the game wasn’t Metroid (thankfully, this same site would rectify the sin of this reviewer when Tropical Freeze was re-released on the Switch in 2018, giving it a much more glowing review). Suffice to say, this backlash, combined with the fact the game was released on the ill-fated Wii U, did not work in Tropical Freeze’s favor.

Well, it was their loss. Because Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze surpassed Returns in every way, becoming one of the best platformers of all time in the process. The level design is god-tier, the additional characters in Dixie and Cranky add a new layer to the gameplay, the bosses are among the best in genre history, it was the toughest Nintendo game in decades, and David Wise – the composer of the original SNES DKC trilogy – returned to score a soundtrack that sits comfortably alongside the first two entries in the series as an all-time great. If Returns proved Retro Studios could handle Donkey Kong Country, then Tropical Freeze proved that they’d mastered the series.

On the downside, we haven’t had a new Donkey Kong game since Tropical Freeze. In these past ten years, Tropical Freeze was ported over to the Nintendo Switch, but no follow-ups (or even spinoffs) to Retro Studio’s Donkey Kong series have been released. There have been on-and-off rumors for years now that the team behind Super Mario Odyssey were making a brand new 3D platformer in the Donkey Kong series, but rumors are all they’ve been. A 3D platformer from the team behind Odyssey is a very promising prospect, but I still think another sidescrolling Donkey Kong Country is overdue at this point. After all, the classic DKC series was comprised of a trilogy on the SNES. It seems fitting that Retro Studio’s take on the series get the same treatment (unlikely at this time, seeing as Retro is working on Metroid Prime 4. We’ve come full circle). Though after ten years, us Donkey Kong fans would just like something.

On the upside, Tropical Freeze’s re-release on the Nintendo Switch helped the game finally get (at least some of) the recognition it always deserved. The tepid praise Tropical Freeze received during its initial Wii U run was now a thing of the past. With the wave of “it’s not Metroid” being long past in the rearview mirror, players and critics could now view Tropical Freeze for being what it is. And what it is is one hell of a platformer.

Since its release in February 2014 (the 13th in Japan, 21st in America and Europe, and 22nd in Australia), I don’t think there’s been a 2d/side-scrolling platformer that’s been as good since (Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Sonic Mania probably come the closest). And I think Tropical Freeze was the best 2D/side-scrolling platformer since, well, Donkey Kong Country 2 was released nearly nineteen years beforehand. Tropical Freeze is that good.

If I may even say something a tad controversial, I would go so far as to say Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is the best game Nintendo has made outside of some of the 3D Mario games (and the Super Mario RPG remake) of the past couple of decades (yes, that includes Zelda). It’s just a perfectly put together video game. The real question is why didn’t I score it a 10/10 in my reviews for either the Wii U or Switch version? It, alongside Bloodborne, are probably the two games I could have given a perfect score but for some (stupid) reason didn’t. Perhaps I will go back and up those scores someday, or perhaps I’ll leave the scores as is, to show that we all make mistakes (and that you shouldn’t put all-importance on the little number at the end of a review. My constant gushing over Tropical Freeze says more than any number ever could).

At any rate, while we wait with bated breath for Nintendo to announce a new Donkey Kong game (whether DKC or otherwise), let’s all take time to reflect on a decade of one of Nintendo’s unsung masterpieces.

Happy tenth anniversary, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze!

Not bad for a game that ‘wasn’t Metroid.’

Super Mario RPG Review

Mario has always been gaming’s renaissance man. Whereas most video game series fit into a particular genre and stick with it, Mario has been the vessel with which Nintendo stretches their creative muscle. Not only are the core Mario platformers ever evolving with their ideas, but Mario and his world have found their way into pretty much every genre the medium has to offer. Mario Kart is the most famous of Mario spinoffs, but the mustachioed hero has also found his way into puzzle games, party games, and virtually every sport under the sun. Mario’s versatility was put to its biggest test on the Super Nintendo way back in 1996, however, with the release of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.

At the time, the story-driven, dialogue-heavy RPG genre seemed as far removed from the instantaneous fun of the Super Mario series as you could get. But Nintendo and Squaresoft (now Square-Enix) made the oddball combination work. And work beautifully.

Though initially conceived as a more traditional RPG in both gameplay and setting by Square (Mario was originally to ride a horse and use a sword), Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto was intrigued by the concept of the game, but not the direction, and took matters into his own hands as a creative consultant to find a balance between making the game more Mario-esque, while simultaneously making it unlike any Mario game that had come before (or since). The end result is a game that subverted both the RPG genre and the Mario series, and even toyed with gaming conventions themselves. A humorous story filled with oddball characters (even by Mario standards) and completed with an interactive battle system, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars proved to be one of the brightest highlights in a series that has never had a shortage of highlights.

Sadly, despite winning critical acclaim and becoming one of the most beloved Mario games and RPGs of all time, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars proved to be a one and done. With Square and Nintendo going their separate ways shortly after the release of Super Mario RPG, everything that the game brought to the Mario series seemed locked in that moment in time, never to be revisited. Though the game’s DNA can be felt in its spiritual successors Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi (and the many indie RPGs it inspired, such as Undertale), Super Mario RPG is one of the exceedingly rare Mario games to never get a sequel. And with Square bizarrely getting the rights to the unique characters and elements Super Mario RPG brought into the Mario universe, they seemed destined to obscurity. Fans have begged Nintendo to include the character “Geno” in Super Smash Bros. for two decades now, only for their wishes to go ignored by willingly deaf ears.

After twenty-seven years and repeated disappointments, fans of the beloved RPG had understandably given up hope that Nintendo and Square would ever remember Super Mario RPG. That is until that fateful morning in June 2023, when during a Nintendo Direct, Nintendo revealed a full-blown remake of Super Mario RPG for the Nintendo Switch, an announcement that brought many fans to tears (myself very much included). Released on November 17th 2023, the Super Mario RPG remake proved to be everything fans could’ve hoped for and more. It’s the same Super Mario RPG we know and love (sans the “Legend of the Seven Stars” subtitle), only it looks and sounds better than ever, and even includes a few meaningful gameplay additions and tweaks to make this classic feel even more timeless.

The story begins the same as it always does, with Bowser absconding with Princess Peach, and Mario setting out to rescue her. Mario immediately finds himself in Bowser’s Castle (referred to here as “Bowser’s Keep”), instantly letting the player know something is different. Just as Mario defeats Bowser and is about to rescue the princess, a massive sword descends from the sky and plunges into Bowser’s Keep, resulting in a tremendous earthquake that sends the trio of Mario, Bowser and Peach into different regions of the Mushroom Kingdom.

It turns out the giant sword is “Exor,” a servant of an evil blacksmith from another world named “Smithy.” The Smithy gang – an assortment of anthropomorphic weapons created by Smithy – plan to take over Mario’s world. After the Smithy Gang take over the castle and Bowser’s army, Exor destroys the path to Bowser’s Keep, meaning Mario will have to journey across the world to find entry into the castle. Things are even more dire than Mario realizes, however, as during its descent into Mario’s world, Exor slashed through the Star Road, shattering it into seven Star Pieces. The Star Road, it turns out, is where people’s wishes go in order to be granted. With the Star Road broken, people’s wishes can’t come true.

Luckily for Mario, he won’t be alone, as he gains four valuable allies during his adventure. Princess Peach and even Bowser himself join Mario’s team, alongside two characters unique to Super Mario RPG: Mallow and Geno. Mallow is a cute and fluffy fellow who believes himself to be a frog. He possesses powerful weather-based magic and wants to become brave like Mario. Geno is an otherworldly being on a mission to repair the Star Road, taking possession of the body of a doll which makes him something of a cross between Gandalf and Buzz Lightyear. So Mario and his friends (and Bowser) go on an adventure to recover the seven Star Pieces in order to repair Star Road so people’s wishes can come true, before the Smithy Gang can get control of them to make Smithy’s dark desires a reality.

Super Mario RPG was the first story-heavy Mario game, and appropriately, it’s as charming as video game stories get. Though Mario is his usual, silent protagonist self, the game brings out so much personality (and humor) from its characters, both new and returning. Princess Peach wants to prove herself a hero, tired of being in the damsel-in-distress role. Bowser’s personality as a self-conscious, insecure bully (depicted heavily in The Super Mario Bros. Movie) was first developed here. Mallow is the sensitive kid who wants to prove he’s not a crybaby. And Geno is the sagely mentor guiding everyone through the journey. Along the way, you’ll encounter a parade of quirky characters both good and evil, from wise old frogs to would-be gangster crocodiles to a hairy, beetle-obsessed manchild named Booster. Even the Smithy Gang are mostly a bunch of weirdos. For the first time ever, Super Mario RPG gave players a peak behind the curtain of the Mushroom Kingdom and gave gaming’s best series a fairytale story to go with it.

Of course, when it comes to old school, turn-based RPGs, the genre was mainly comprised of two halves: the story, and the battle system. And much like Super Mario RPG injected a unique dose of personality and humor into its story, it similarly subverted the traditional RPG battle system with Action Commands, one of gaming’s more subtle innovations which brought the RPG genre up to pace with the action of the Super Mario series.

Preparing your characters for battle is much simpler than most RPGs. Instead of a host of equipment to keep track of, each character simply has a weapon (for attack), armor (for defense) and an accessory (which grant various bonuses). Each character has hit points, while they share a collective pool of “Flower Points” (used for special attacks). Gain enough experience points and you level up, where players can further boost a character’s hit points, physical attack and defense, or magic attack and defense (now accompanied by the best victory screen in gaming). It’s a simple format that hides a lot of depth.

While typical RPGs of the 90s saw players simply select moves and items from a menu and watch the action play out, Super Mario RPG made its battle system more interactive through Action Commands, timed button presses that, if performed correctly, make Mario and friends’ attacks stronger and reduce the damage inflicted by enemies when on the defensive. Most attacks see the player time a button press just before making a hit, while others may involve button-mashing, twirling the control stick, or holding a button and letting go at the right second. It may sound like a small bit of interactivity injected into the genre, but it ultimately made a world of difference in making Super Mario RPG more fun (and timeless) to its contemporaries.

The battle system has even been improved in this Nintendo Switch remake with a few new mechanics added into the mix. Notably, performing an Action Command correctly will cause splash damage to the other enemies on the battlefield, in addition to building up a new meter. When filled, this meter allows the player to perform brand new Triple Moves, a kind of super attack that changes depending on which three party members the player is currently using (complete with cinematic flair). These new inclusions add a whole new layer to the battle system, making it even more fun than ever before.

“Mario, Peach and Geno’s Triple Move protects each member of the party from the next attack, no matter how powerful.”

Another seemingly small (but actually quite big) change comes in the ability to swap party members mid-fight. Though you can still only use three of the five characters at a given time, and Mario must always be present as in the original, you can now swap the other two party members out at any time. This is a very important change that means the player can now alter battle strategies as necessary, instead of being locked into the team you went into battle with.

Other, smaller changes have been made, such as each party member providing a passive bonus when in the active team (Mallow provides a boost to magic attacks, while Bowser increases physical defense, and so on). The battle system of the Super Mario RPG remake should be seen as a perfect example of how to update a classic, while still retaining what made it special to begin with. The same could be said for the game as a whole, as everything fans loved about the original is still intact, but with those little added bits and pieces to make things a little more accessible to modern audiences. Players can now revisit previous locations via the pause menu instead of having to backtrack an area and traversing the world map. Players can hold more items, and there’s even a storage box present for excess items. And now there are clearer visual cues for when to perform Action Commands. Things of that nature.

Additional changes are simply done for the love of the game, such as the inclusion of an in-game journal (where Mallow and Geno log the events of their adventure) and a monster list that includes every monster Mario and company encounter, complete with their statistics, animations and ever-humorous descriptions. Additions such as these weren’t necessary, but infinitely appreciated. They’re a gift to the fans.

Another element that set Super Mario RPG apart from other RPGs of its day were the barrage of mini-games featured in the adventure. While RPGs often have sidequests, they tended to feature more of the same gameplay, but Super Mario RPG is constantly throwing fun mini-games the player’s way, each of which changing up the gameplay throughout Mario’s quest. The infamous Yoshi racing mini-game makes a return (now with those aforementioned visual cues to ease things a bit), the mine kart ride, composing music with tadpoles, and the trip through a river which looks like something out of Disneyland are all left beautifully intact. The best Mario games are the ones that are constantly introducing fun ideas up to the very end, and the transition to the RPG genre didn’t get in the way of that mentality. Super Mario RPG remains one of the most varied Mario games of all time. It’s as much a variety show as it is an RPG masterpiece.

The game has, naturally, been rebuilt from the ground-up. Though everything remains in place from where it was back in 1996, the game looks beautifully up-to-date for the Nintendo Switch. The isometric overworld and its locales are still as dreamlike as ever, but now with modernized graphics, a wider range of color, and some truly stunning lighting. You’d never know Super Mario RPG were a remake just from looking at it. It’s one of the best-looking games on the Nintendo Switch. It’s a gorgeous game.

One of the most iconic elements of Super Mario RPG has always been its musical score, composed by Yoko Shimomura (composer of Street Fighter II and Kingdom Hearts, among others). The soundtrack has always been one of the most beloved in not just the Mario series, but in gaming as a whole (personally, I may place it second of all time, behind only Donkey Kong Country 2’s soundtrack). Much like the visuals, the music of Super Mario RPG has been made anew. All the iconic themes are still intact, only now with the advantage of a full orchestra and big band instruments. From the merry music of the Mushroom Kingdom to the dastardly themes of the Smithy Gang and everything in between, the soundtrack to Super Mario RPG soars even higher than ever. It’s Yoko Shimomura’s best work, made even better. And if you happen to be feeling nostalgic for all the tunes in their original form, players have the option of switching to the classic soundtrack at any time. It’s a win/win.

“A-Aurora borealis?! At this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the Mushroom Kingdom, localized entirely in Belome’s Temple?!”

Another fun little detail is that, while the graphics and music have been updated, the majority of sound effects are the same as they were on the Super Nintendo (Bowser’s laugh and Yoshi’s more modern sounds are the exceptions). Super Mario RPG was always one of those games with sound effects that were distinct to itself, and something would have felt off if they were changed here. So to have the classic sound effects alongside modernized visuals and music was a perfect way to blend the old alongside the new.

This is everything a remake of a classic should be. Super Mario RPG on Nintendo Switch is the same game we all know and love, but it has never looked, sounded or played better. It’s one of the most legendary Mario games and RPGs brought to a whole new level (there’s even a host of post-game bosses, new to the remake, waiting for those who complete the main adventure). It’s somehow both a remake of the original game, and a love letter to it.

Super Mario RPG on Nintendo Switch feels like a dream. The one Mario game we thought would never really be acknowledged again, brought back in full force. It felt like such an impossibility for so long, that it often felt surreal simply playing through it. It’s a pitch perfect remake of one of Nintendo’s all-time greatest achievements. Aside from a few name changes to a handful of characters and items, it’s the same beautifully weird and timeless adventure we’ve always loved. Twenty-seven years later, it’s still gaming’s greatest fairy tale, one of the funniest and most charming video games ever made, and the closest thing to playing a Disney movie. Now maybe Nintendo and Square can finally get to work on a sequel! Okay, one miracle at a time…

It may no longer boast the subtitle of “Legend of the Seven Stars.” But Super Mario RPG on the Nintendo Switch is still, quite simply, a legend.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder Impressions

The newest Mario platformer, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, has finally been released on Nintendo Switch. To the surprise of no one, it’s rather wonderful.

Announced back in the June Nintendo Direct, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the first 2D Mario platformer since New Super Mario Bros. U was released on the Wii U eleven years ago. That’s just as long of a draught as there was between Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island on the SNES and New Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo DS. Suffice to say, we’ve been starved of a 2D Mario for quite a while (for that matter, we’ve been starved of a 3D Mario for quite some time now as well). Even more so, Wonder is the first 2D Mario game since the aforementioned Yoshi’s Island that isn’t part of the “New Super Mario Bros.” sub-series. With all due respect to the NSMB games (NSMBU was actually pretty good), the departure is for the best, since that particular sub-series relied more on nostalgia than it did new ideas.

That’s exactly where Wonder really sets itself apart from past 2D Mario games. The new elephant power-up has been widely advertised, and joining it are new bubble and drill-themed power-ups, as well as the mainstay Fire Flower. But the power-ups really are just the tip of the iceberg. What really makes Super Mario Bros. Wonder feel special is just how unique and different every stage is from the one that came before it, and how each one adds a new spin to the classic Mario gameplay.

This is the most creatively robust a 2D Mario game has felt since Yoshi’s Island (I feel I’ll be making that comparison a lot). Each stage brings a new idea to the table, whether big (like making the player jump to the rhythm of the background music in order to progress) to small (being able to push a pipe to find a secret exit). On top of that are the ‘Wonder Flowers’ included in each stage, which basically flip the rules of Mario games on their head once activated.

I’ve currently conquered three of the game’s seven worlds and have had an absolute blast with every minute of it. I also enjoy that the time limit for stages has been ditched this time around. That may not sit well with some speedrunners, but as someone who has always enjoyed the absent of a time limit in games like Donkey Kong Country or Yoshi’s Island (there it is again), I find it a welcoming change of pace for a 2D Mario title.

I even feel like this is the most challenging Mario game in quite some time. I haven’t even beat the game yet, and I’ve found some levels to be as tough as the post-game stages of other Mario games. Another highlight is the Dark Souls-esque online play, where you don’t directly interact with other players, but can still leave each other power-ups or help revive each other when on the brink of defeat. I have a particular fondness for the stages that work like mini-puzzles filled with invisible blocks, that basically beg you to play online to see how other players’ shadows are progressing.

If I have any complaint with Super Mario Bros. Wonder so far, it’s that I’m getting the impression the world bosses are going to be kind of repetitive. The boss fights for the first two world were both Bowser Jr., and although the fights themselves changed things up a bit, they didn’t change so much to make me ignore the fact that both fights were against the same villain. The third world, disappointingly, didn’t even feature a boss fight. And in the two airship levels I’ve done so far, they’ve been capped off with what can best be described as a ‘kinda/sorta boss’ against a mechanical Bowser head at the end of a conveyor belt. And all you have to do there is get to the switch at the end and hit it once. This is ultimately a small complaint, and who knows, maybe the more I delve into the game, the more the bosses will surprise me. But for a game that feels so creative and playful in nearly all its aspects, it’s a shame that the boss battles have so far felt pretty conservative.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder has been an utter joy so far, and I can’t wait to see what else it has in store. The gameplay is as fun as ever, and the level design is some of the best the series has ever seen. If Wonder keeps me this enthusiastic the whole way through, I might even say it’s one of the best Mario games ever. It’s a real delight. Or should I say, a real wonder?

Disney Illusion Island Review

Disney Illusion Island marks the return of the “Illusion” series of Disney games (made famous with Mickey’s Castle of Illusion on the Sega Genesis), though this newest installment separates itself from its predecessors taking the series into the Metroidvania genre. While fans of the genre may find Disney Illsion Island to be lacking in depth, it should serve as a great entryway for younger audiences to get into the genre.

The story begins when Mickey, Minnie, Donald and George Geef – better known as Goofy – are sent invitations from one another to meet up for a picnic in a land called Monoth. When they arrive, they discover that the invitations were actually sent by the diminutive Toku, the chief of a hamster-like people called the Hokuns. Toku has heard of the group’s many adventures, and requests the groups help to retrieve three magic tombs that hold the power to protect Monoth, as the tombs have been stolen, and the Hokuns are far too small to go on the adventure themselves. Mickey, Minnie and Goofy quickly agree to help the Hokuns, though Donald needs some convincing with the promise of treasure. And so begins the Disney cast’s quest to retrieve the magic tombs to save Monoth. It’s a cute and simple plot, made all the more charming through the game’s vibrant animation and cutscenes, which seem influenced by the Mickey Mouse shorts of the 2010s without feeling derivative of them.

Though each character plays identically, they all have unique animations for their actions to match their personalities: Mickie and Minnie’s moves will be presented as more practical (though still cartoonish), with things like jetpacks and grappling hooks allowing them to hover and grab onto walls, respectively. Meanwhile, Goofy’s moves are appropriately comical (and strangely all food-based), like squeezing a giant bottle of mustard to float or inexplicably using a chili pepper for a double jump. Of course, Donald is stuck drawing the short end of the stick (he gets a couple of feathers to help him float, despite already being a duck) as a fun excuse for Donald’s trademark temper to flare up. It’s cute little touches like this that add a lot of personality to the game.

As stated, Disney Illusion Island takes things into Metroidvania territory, meaning that the character’s abilities are gained over time, and the game’s world being presented as one big, interconnected level. It’s an interesting choice for a Mickey Mouse game, though it should be noted that Disney Illusion Island is far more linear than most Metroidvanias. Despite what the current gaming landscape would have you believe, there’s nothing wrong with linear games (I’d argue the majority of history’s best games would be considered ‘linear’ by today’s standards), but it does seem a little self-defeating for a Metroidvania to be as linear as Disney Illsion Island is. Most games in the genre will give the player several possible directions to go to gain different abilities and unlock new places as they seem fit. So it seems a bit odd that Disney Illusion Island essentially points the player in very specific directions throughout the adventure. On one hand, it seems like the game would have been better off with a traditional level-to-level system. But on the other hand, I do have to reiterate that Disney Illusion Island may serve as a good entry point for players who have never experienced the genre before, as it gives a good idea of what the genre holds without having players dive into the deep end right away.

Disney Illusion Island features a fun twist for the Metroidvania genre, however, in that four players can play at once. Naturally, players can take control of all four characters, and even choose how many hearts they have (there’s even an invincibility option), to set the game’s difficulty as they see fit. So Disney Illusion Island really pulls out the stops when it comes to easing players into the genre. With that said, the game does lose a little something when playing alone.

While the chaos of four players running and jumping around, collecting goodies all at once brings the game to life, playing alone kind of reveals how shallow Disney Illusion Island can be. There are enemies to be found in Monoth, but you only ever avoid them, as the characters can’t attack (possibly as a means to not depict Mickey and friends in any form of violent situation, but it seems like the fact they’re equipped with things like feathers and mustard could have presented an easy, family-friendly alternative). There are bosses, but they are few in numbers, and quickly grow repetitious as they mainly consist of jumping or grabbing onto switches repeatedly. And while the game does sprinkle in a good amount of collectibles – such as coin-like ‘Glimts’, memorabilia from various Mickey cartoon shorts, and collectible cards that give you insight into the characters of Monoth – but these collectibles are rarely difficult to find, and the only rewards for collecting them are additional hearts from Glimts, and flavor text from the cards and memorabilia.

“The various references to past Mickey Mouse shorts is a great touch (The Prince and the Pauper remains a personal favorite). Though how they failed to include the mini-masterpiece that is ‘Get a Horse!’ is beyond me.”

Disney Illusion Island may not boast the depth of most games in its genre, but young audiences and Disney fans should have a good time with it. What it lacks in substance, Illusion Island makes up for in charm. Between the character animations, good-natured sense of humor, four player mayhem and surprisingly good musical score, Disney Illusion Island has a whole lot of personality going for it. For many players, the warm and cozy feeling the game gives off may be enough to mask its shortcomings.

F-Zero 99 Review

Good things come to those who wait. Or, so the saying goes. When it comes to the Nintendo Switch, it seems that old chestnut holds a lot of merit, as Nintendo’s hybrid system has rewarded a number of fanbases of Nintendo’s oft neglected games: Pokémon Snap received a sequel fans had waited twenty-two years for, Metroid Dread – a title that was originally conceptualized in the early 2000s – finally came to fruition, and after nearly thirty years, Super Mario RPG will be making a return in a full-blown remake. Perhaps the most neglected of Nintendo’s many franchises is F-Zero, the futuristic racer that has laid dormant since the days of the GameCube and Game Boy Advance. After an agonizing nineteen years, even F-Zero fans have been rewarded for their patience with the release of F-Zero 99. While F-Zero 99 may not be the return of the series fans had been hoping for, it’s still a fun and addicting addition to the series, and a return worth looking into for fans of the series.

A surprise announcement during the September 14th Nintendo Direct and released later that same day for free to those who subscribe to the Nintendo Switch Online service, F-Zero 99 is the latest installment in the trend of battle royale remakes of classic games, following in the footsteps of Tetris 99, Pac-Man 99 and the short-lived Super Mario Bros. 35 (seriously, why was that a limited time thing?!). F-Zero 99 takes the original SNES entry of the series, and as the title suggests, boosts the player count to ninety-nine. As if F-Zero wasn’t hectic enough already.

The downside to the game using the original F-Zero as its basis is that it means players are stuck with only the four vehicles from the original game to choose from (though new color schemes, as well as player icons, can be unlocked by leveling up and completing certain challenges). But when the races get going, you may not care all that much about the limited options, because the core gameplay is as fast-paced and tense as ever (although the graphics are still 16-bit, the fact that the game is on Switch means it can move at a speed more reminiscent of the later F-Zero titles).

The object of any given race is, of course, to try and get first place. Much easier said than done, when you have so much competition. But placing in any respectable position will earn you some good experience points to level up, rank up, and win tickets (which are used for entry into Grand Prix modes).

Players are given an energy meter, which serves as both health, and power for utilizing a boost. So you’ll want to use your boosts sparingly as to not sacrifice too much health, because crashing into walls and other players will also deplete your energy, and if you run out, it’s game over. You can refill some of your energy by driving through a pit zone, of which there’s only one per track. Players can also use a rechargeable spin attack on other players, so that only their energy is affected by contact. Though with the spin attack having a notable cool down time, you can’t rely on it too heavily.

A new addition to F-Zero 99 are Super Sparks, golden orbs reminiscent of Pac-Man pellets that fly out of players when they collide with each other or walls. By collecting Super Sparks you can fill up a meter that, when full, allows you to traverse the ‘Skyway’ for a short time. The Skyway serves as road above the road that features no walls to crash into and boosts the players’ speed, giving anyone who activates it a good advantage against those stuck on the ground.

As races progress, the vehicles in lower positions will automatically be eliminated from the race, and replaced with NPC bumper cars, adding another obstacle. Additionally, starting with the second lap (there are four laps per race) a golden vehicle will appear on the track, which will reward players who bump into it with considerable Super Sparks.

The primary mode of the game, which shares its name with the game itself, is just a singular race against the other ninety-eight players. There is also a practice mode for you to hone your skills, and a few modes that are in a constant rotation. These rotating modes consist of the aforementioned Grand Prix, which sees players race in a series of five races, with a depleting field and tougher tracks with each subsequent race. The Mini Prix is a similar concept, but only three races, and it will only cost one in-game ticket to join, as opposed to the Grand Prix’s three. The players’ performances in the “prix modes” will determine their weekly rankings online. Additionally, there are team modes and races solely dedicated to the tougher stages on rotation. These modes will get you experience points and tickets faster than the standard race, but they won’t affect your placement in weekly rankings.

F-Zero 99 may not be the brand new, glossy sequel fans have been hoping for, but it is an engaging and addicting return for the series. It is kind of a bummer that there aren’t more vehicles, modes and tracks (especially the latter two, since most of the modes are rotating, and a number of stages are locked into the Grand Prix and Pro Track modes) but seeing as we’ve all been starved of F-Zero for nearly two decades, I think these are small prices to pay. F-Zero 99 is one of the best classics-turned-battle royale yet. And who knows, it may just open the door for a new beginning to Nintendo’s overlooked racer.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Comes to Switch… And it’s a Full-on Remake!

I don’t know if Hell froze over or what, but we’re now living in a time where Nintendo has realized the obvious: people love Mario RPGs!

After years and years of Nintendo watering down and stripping away the RPG elements of the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series, the two most acclaimed Mario RPGs are now officially heading to Nintendo Switch in the form of full-blown remakes! The remake of Super Mario RPG was revealed back in June, and is still scheduled to be released on November 17th of this year. And as of this morning’s Nintendo Direct, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door will be getting a remake of its own, releasing sometime in 2024.

Originally released in 2004 on the Nintendo GameCube, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door was the sequel to the N64’s Paper Mario. Though the original remains beloved, the GameCube sequel is widely considered the high point of the Paper Mario series and has carved a legacy among the Mario RPGs that’s solely surpassed by Super Mario RPG itself.

The Thousand-Year Door was, in many ways, an ideal sequel. It took the same storytelling, personality, humor and battle system of the N64’s Paper Mario, and expanded on each of these elements, while adding in a variety of its own charms. I mean, what other Nintendo game has an entire chapter dedicated to professional wrestling?

Perhaps one reason why The Thousand-Year Door has only grown in reverence over the years is because it was the last time Paper Mario really was Paper Mario. Despite the series beginning life as a spiritual successor to Super Mario RPG, only the first two entries really lived up to that status. The Thousand-Year Door’s follow-up, the Wii’s Super Paper Mario, ditched turn-based battles in favor of side-scrolling platforming with light RPG elements (a bit of an odd shift, seeing as the main Mario series are already platformers. Had it been a Metroidvania maybe the shift would have made more sense). But at least it still had an RPG-style story. Though with that said, Super Paper Mario had exceedingly more dialogue than the previous two Paper Marios, which really slowed down the platforming gameplay. So yeah, it was an odd mix.

After that is when things really went downhill. The Nintendo 3DS’s Paper Mario: Sticker Star remains the nadir for Mario RPG enthusiasts (myself included). Though it promised to bring back turn-based battles, they were little more than a facade, as they bizarrely required consumable items for Mario to do anything, and the only rewards for battles were more consumable items or coins…which are used to purchase more consumable items. It’s rare that Nintendo makes game design choices that make so little sense, but I still can’t wrap my head around what Sticker Star was trying to achieve. Oh yeah, and the game had no story to speak of, no partners joining Mario’s side, and Bowser had no dialogue to speak of. I’m pretty sure that constitutes a sin.

Worse still, Nintendo doubled down on Sticker Star’s direction going forward, with Nintendo seemingly believing that the appeal of Paper Mario was simply the paper aesthetic and not, you know, the RPG gameplay! Paper Mario: Color Splash on Wii U was more of the same (albeit maybe slightly more enjoyable), and Paper Mario: The Origami King on Switch had another pointless battle system that was meant to appeal more to younger players, but was far more convoluted, thus rendering the change even more pointless (children seem to enjoy the RPG elements of Pokemon, raising further questions as to what Nintendo was thinking here). And all this before I even mention that from Sticker Star onwards, any and all unique characters and NPCs were replaced with generic Toads. An endless barrage of generic Toads indistinguishable from one another. If I wanted to play an RPG with indistinguishable character designs, I’d play Fire Emblem!

Sure, between Super Paper Mario and Sticker Star there was the excellent Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, but that was the last time that particular sub-series was excellent, as it to became watered down by it’s next entry, before its final original entry, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (a crossover with Paper Mario) suffered the same fate as the Paper Mario series it was crossing over with.

By that point, Mario RPG fans basically lost hope, as it sounded like their (very vocal and enthusiastic) passion for all things Mario RPG were falling on deaf ears.

Well, it may have taken a hell of a long time, but it seems Nintendo finally listened! The Mario RPG renaissance is upon us! With Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door joining Super Mario RPG with a Switch remake, fans new and returning can finally feast! And who knows, maybe these will even lead to a new Paper Mario in the style of the first two, and perhaps even Super Mario RPG might get that long-deserved sequel of its own.

At any rate, it’s wonderful to see Mario RPGs making such a glorious comeback. Long may they reign!

“You have no idea how happy I am to see my boy Geno back (thanks for nothing, Smash Bros.).”

Super Mario RPG Comes to Switch… And it’s a Full-on Remake!

I’m sorry, Tears of the what now?

Frankly, every other game on the horizon just lost a lot of their luster. And that’s with all due respect to the other games shown off in today’s Nintendo Direct. Pikmin 4, Super Mario Bros. Wonder and that mystery Princess Peach game all look especially incredible. But come on: Super. Mario. RPG. Remake!!

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars is the game I usually point to when someone asks me to name my all-time favorite video game. And although there are a small handful of others which I hold in similar esteem (such as Donkey Kong Country 2, Portal 2, and Super Mario Odyssey), the fact that Super Mario RPG is my go-to response definitely says a lot, especially when you’ve played as many games as I have for as long as I have.

Super Mario RPG was a joint venture between Nintendo and Square-Enix (known as Squaresoft back in 1996), the creators of Final Fantasy. Although there’s no word yet on if Square is helping with the remake or not, the game looks like a faithful adaptation of the SNES masterpiece (which makes me believe Square isn’t involved… which may be for the best, given their recent track record).

For those unfamiliar, Super Mario RPG was the first Role-Playing Game in the Super Mario series (it would eventually inspire the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series of Mario games), and for the first time, gave the Super Mario universe a richer story and more depth to the characters. Though it begins as it usually does – with Bowser kidnapping Princess Peach and Mario setting off to rescue her – things quickly go awry when a giant sword plunges into Bowser’s castle, sending the classic Mario trio to different regions of the Mushroom Kingdom. The giant sword turns out to be a servant to a being known as Smithy, an evil blacksmith whose army of weapon monsters prove to be such a threat that, for the first time in history, Bowser teamed up with Mario and Peach to stop their invasion. The trio would also be joined by original characters Mallow, a cute cloud who thinks he’s a tadpole (how charming); and Geno, a star spirit inhabiting the body of a doll on a mission to repair the damage Smithy has done to the cosmos.

Mario was his usual charming self, of course. But Super Mario RPG developed Peach into a more independent character, and for all the (deserved) credit we give to the recent Super Mario Bros. Movie for depicting Bowser as an insecure bully with a sensitive side, it was actually Super Mario RPG that fleshed out that personality for Bowser first. And though Mallow and Geno wouldn’t appear in another game aside from the odd cameo, they were so beloved that fans still clamor to see them return (damn you, Super Smash Bros!). And well, now they finally have!

But a story wouldn’t mean much to a video game if the game itself weren’t any good. Thankfully, the bountiful charm of Super Mario RPG’s story was married to a masterpiece in game design. Adopting the turn-based battle system Square was known for at the time, Super Mario RPG made the genre far more interactive with “action commands,” timed inputs by the player during moves to make Mario and friends’ attacks stronger and boosting their defense against enemy moves. Not satisfied there, Super Mario RPG is also something of a variety show, with various mini-games interspersed throughout the adventure to keep everything fresh until the very end. Oh, and the music kicks all of the ass! No ass goes un-kicked by Super Mario RPG’s amazing soundtrack.

Honestly, I could go on and on about how much I love Super Mario RPG. And with the remake’s November 17th release mere months away, I can experience it all over again.

By the way, first video game trailer to ever bring me to tears. Bravo.