When the gaming debate turns to the most important and influential Super NES games there are a lot of candidates; the Square-developed Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars should certainly be in the conversation. Its narrative approach and gameplay ideas undoubtedly helped to inspire and inform the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi franchises, developed by Intelligent System and AlphaDream respectively.
Those latter franchises remain integral to current-day Nintendo gaming, and it's worth looking back to the - still brilliant - spiritual predecessor on Super NES. That's exactly what Did You Know Gaming? has done, and as always with the channel's main series videos it's full of interesting facts around the game's development, cut content and more.
Check it out below.
Comments 21
As much as I love the Paper Mario and the Mario & Luigi series, there's just something special about SMRPG that neither of those series have yet to capture.
I still hope and pray that one day there will be a proper SMRPG sequel.
Nintendo is slowly killing the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series to the ground. I'm just glad Square Enix made the right choice and didn't touch the original as that one is still the best since you know Square Enix is nothing like Squaresoft.
Just so happens Super Mario RPG is one of the retro RPGs getting a glorious review in Issue 2 of HyperPlay RPG, our fanzine. You can still bag Issues 0 and 1 from our website hyperplayrpg.com ... if you like!
Such aunique game, the "perfect storm" of both Nintendo and Squaresoft at the peak of their 16 bit game. Good times!
@Lizuka Absolutely agree. The original Mario & Luigi is also one of my favorites, but Mario RPG stands way above the rest.
Why didn't they have Mario on Yoshi rather than horseback?
SNES classic. Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series has nothing on SM RPG. The pacing, the humor, and scope were perfect for a casual RPG. I've made it a tradition to play this at least once a year.
edit: haha @DiscoGentleman I swear I didn't see your post before posting mine. Eerily similar!
edit2: And Nintendo still hasn't released it on the Wii U in NA (just Wii). One of the main reasons I've abandoned the VC.
This has been one of the most influential games in my life as well. It's because of playing it when I was little that I've gotten into other RPGs like Chrono Trigger, Earthbound, Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles X, Fire Emblem, and soon, Final Fantasy VII.
I'd love to have this game (along with all the other Square developed SNES RPGs) on 3DS!
NL: "Arguably among the most influential SNES games"
It's more that this game was influenced by many other Square games.
@VanillaLake He meant that the game will go on to influence other games. Like the time hit mechanic became popular after the release of this game.
One of my favorite SNES games ever. Hoping this comes to the Wii U VC, or even the New 3DS VC soon!
@Uzuki Well, yeah, and this Square game also inspired Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi.
This is easily one of my favorite JRPGs. Appalled as to how it's not yet on the Wii U VC.
Oh, Squaresoft, how much I miss you. It has all been downfall since the merger.
@Manjushri Yeah, that was also what I posted a while ago, too. I think it's thanks to this Square's game that we have Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi now.
EDIT: If only we got a game like The Thousand-Year Door, but I don't know if Paper Mario Colour Splash will be as good. I have no idea, but after Sticker Star and Paper Jam...
It's frustrating how this game was released in Japan and Europe and not in North America. I really hope they will eventually release it on the eshop soon.
"Arguably among the most influential SNES games"
I like SMRPG but how can you say this when there are games like Super Mario World, A Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI on tge system. Okay SMRPG helped form Paper Mario etc. But what about Super Mario Kart that created a huge wave of kart racers on nearly every platform.
@nsmon25 So true Enix completely ruined the name of squaresoft
Interesting, as always!
That's interesting about the real axem rangers I always figured as a kid it was based on the power rangers.
Probably my favorite Mario RPG game honestly.
Tap here to load 21 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...