Release: 5/13/1996
Console: SNES (Super Nintendo)
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| The SNES cart & box |
So I wanted to do something kind of laid back and not so heavily detailed. Thus, Blast From the Past was created. Instead of my normal information filled article, I wanted to be rather vague with a lot of the details in the game…making the reader want to try out the game expecting at least what I told them about, and then being blown away by everything I intentionally left out when they played it. I decided to do my first Blast From the Past over a game that I poured hours into…and one that surprisingly few people (at least who I have inquired about the game) have had the pleasure to play. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.
When Nintendo released SMRPG, no one could’ve known it would become the cult phenomena that it would turn into. I am the proud owner of this title on the SNES, and I still pick it up and play it to this day. Mario has since had a handful of RPG titles, but none were as magical as the first time Mario set off With Mallow, Gino, Peach, and Bowser to defeat Smithy (an evil robotic blacksmith who plays the role of the antagonist in the game). What exactly makes the game so wonderful? It was ahead of its time utilizing top notch graphics (this is 1996 we’re talking about), and the dialogue is exceptionally written and chalked full of clever one liners and humor. SMRPG was also different in the sense that it was a whole new kind story for long time fans of the series to venture out with Mario on.
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| The combat screen (Mario on the left, Mallow on the right) |
The game begins where most Mario game’s end…in Bowser’s castle. Mario is once again rescuing Princess Peach (because she is a hapless blonde) and upon reaching King Koopa himself, a giant sword breaks through the Star Road (which you may remember from Mario Kart) and crashes down into Bowser’s castle. The impact subsequently shoots the characters off into different directions as well as scattering seven star fragments. While investigating why the giant sword has appeared, Mario meets Mallow: A cloud boy who is convinced he is a tadpole…
(See how we went from normal Mario story to something else drastically?)
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| Mario, Peach, and Gino |
Not only do we have a confused cloud child, but also accompanying Mario is a doll possessed by a celestial spirit from Star Road named Gino. I don’t want to go into too much detail in describing how you meet these two companions (as that removes some of the fun from the game), but they make lasting impressions on you. I was truly bummed out when the game ended because I knew it was more than likely the last time I would ever take the role of these two characters. Surely enough, I was correct in my assumption…Mallow and Gino were never featured in another Mario game (other than as an Easter egg). Peach and Bowser also tag along at different points and help you take down Smithy once and for all at the end of the game…but they're featured afterwards in just about every Mario title to date, making Mallow and Gino just that much more memorable.
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| One of several boss fights throughout the game |
SMRPG is set up like and classic turn based game. You encounter enemies (usually by running into them or vise versa) and the battle is initiated. Once started, you then have the basic options to attack, use an item, special abilities, etc. As far as this goes, there is not too much of a leap forward in the game play that makes it stand out above anything else that has ever been put on the market for this style of game. You have MP & HP displays showing your health and magic that is remaining throughout the duration of the battles, which can sometimes drag out for quite some time (not in a bad way however). At the end of battles you receive EXP which is of course used to level your character up.
The diverse types of enemies and bosses keep the game from getting redundant and make the player change strategies frequently(going back to the time consuming part), which I always enjoy in a turn based RPG. You will face all kinds of enemies in SMRPG, from the old school “Dry bones” to Mages and everything between.
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| As you level up, more abilities become available. |
When you're not battling it out with baddies, you will be solving various puzzles and exploring mini dungeons and locations. Towns in the game serve as interesting places to stock up on items or perhaps save your game, even initiate some small side quests. Hidden passages and items are everywhere in this game, and it pays to explore every virtual square inch of the area provided.
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| One of the MANY mini games thrown into this title. |
Even though a direct sequel was never made, the game lives on in spirit though other Mario games. In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (a following RPG in the Mario franchise), a Geno doll makes an appearance; and the original title for Paper Mario was going to in fact be “Super Mario RPG 2”. The reasoning for the minimal appearances and the loss of the official SMRPG2 title is because this game was developed by Square (the developers behind Final Fantasy & Chrono Trigger) and published by Nintendo…therefore giving Square the rights to a lot of the added characters, combat styles, etc.
I could list tons of reasons why this game is a must play…but it is a game you have to play yourself to truly understand how glorious it is. If I wasn’t trying to figure out how to defeat a certain boss, I was laughing about something like Bowser’s minions ditching him to work for Smithy (he goes through some emotional issues after this…). Super Mario RPG introduced some mechanics that carried over into games even today such as “action commands” which are prompts that consist of a well timed button press to increase the effect of an attack or item.
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| I always thought "freshen up" may have been a joke (the item menu) |
This title is for purchase on the Wii game channel (I think it is about 8 bucks…) and also finding a ROM for it is far from difficult. Check out this classic and enjoy the last game released for the SNES. I assure you, you will not be disappointed.
