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Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (JP) is a role playing video game designed by Square (currently Square Enix) and released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1996. It was the first Mario role-playing game, with an action-command battle system. In this game, Mario, with the help of Mallow, Geno, Bowser, and Princess Toadstool, needs to stop a new enemy, the Smithy Gang, while collecting seven Star Pieces so that peace may return and wishes may be granted once more.
Super Mario RPGs success was limited due to the release of the Nintendo 64 and Super Mario 64 four months later that year. It was the last game in Square's original deal with Nintendo, and the final Mario game on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The game was later released on Virtual Console in Japan on June 24, 2008[1], in the PAL region on August 22, and in North America on September 1, 2008. In Europe, the game is treated as an import game, meaning that only the 60Hz mode is supported, and there has been no further localization. The game costs 800 Wii Points in North America and Japan, and 900 points in other regions. Super Mario RPG is also one of the 21 titles included on the Super NES Classic Edition.
A remake was announced for the Nintendo Switch on June 21, 2023, and was released on November 17th.
Plot[]
At the beginning of the game, Princess Peach is walking outside of Mario's Pad, and is suddenly kidnapped by Bowser (who will soon after head toward his castle with Peach).
Mario will then have to go after Bowser, and defeat him. Soon after, Exor, a huge sword, comes crashing down from the sky and hits Bowser's Castle, sending Mario, Bowser, and Peach soaring in different directions.
Bowser and his troops were sent somewhere near Rose Town (presumably, the Rose Way) and Peach is thrown all the way to Booster's Tower.
Mario, despite being quite close to the point where Exor hits, is sent back to his house, falling through a(n unsurprisingly) pipe-shaped chimney.
Toad is outside his house to witness this, and rushes inside to see Mario hanging on the wall from a coat hanger. Toad asks him to go and save Peach as usual (not knowing that she isn't there) and Mario jumps off back to Bowser's Keep.
When he arrives, Exor denies him entry by causing an earthquake and destroying the bridge. Mario manages to escape, and brings news of this to Toad, who suggests they should go tell the Chancellor of Mushroom Kingdom about this and runs off towards Mushroom Way.
Mario follows, fighting his way through the monster-infested land and saving Toad's life several times along the way, eventually making it to the Mushroom Kingdom. Once there, the Chancellor begs Mario to set out and save the princess (again). And so begins the adventure....
Gameplay[]
Super Mario RPG takes place on an overworld that spans across the entire Mushroom Kingdom, as well as various other areas. To participate in a battle, the player will have to move Mario towards an enemy and touch it. Following this, the screen will switch to the battle screen and a variety of enemies along with Mario and his team will appear. Battles are turn based and will require timed button presses if you desire to deliver more damage to the opponents. Each playable character has their own attacks and special moves that will take up magic points.
If the player succeeds in defeating the enemy, then they'll acquire experience points, coins, and occasionally items. As the player gradually gets more experience points, their characters will start to improve and level up, which will cause them to learn new abilities and have their stats increased to an extent. Either your attack power/defense, HP, and magic power will be augmented more so by the players request each time the specific character levels up. The maximum level your character can reach is thirty.
Magic[]
All of the five playable characters have different magic powers. Mario's is based around, as you could guess, jumping abilities and fire based powers such as Fire Orb. Mallow has multiple different powers ranging from lightning, healing, snow, psychic, and star powers. Geno has energy, heat, and light based magic. Out of all the characters, Bowser has the smallest list of magic powers, with only four. His magic abilities range from rock and steel, to ghost and poison. Peach is basically a healer, and her magic powers center around healing your partners, as well as an explosion ability and a power that will put your enemies to sleep.
Characters[]
The game features many characters from past Mario games (Mario, Peach, Bowser, Yoshi, and many others), and brand new characters (Geno, Mallow, Exor, and others).
| Character | Playable | Other information | |
| Mario | Yes | The main, playable character. He is a plumber with red and blue clothes who seems to save the Mushroom Kingdom quite a lot. He is able to do many abilities from past Mario games such as jumping and using his hammer. His physical attacks are of average strength, and he is the main party member who always stays in the party since he is the only one playable outside of battles. | 
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| Princess Toadstool | Yes | At the beginning of the game, Bowser kidnaps Peach, leaving Mario to rescue her. After he does, she will join your party. She can heal others as well as fight. Her physical attacks are fairly weak, but her Psych Bomb attack is her only magic attack that can damage enemies. She is also very fast. | 
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| Bowser | Yes | While Bowser is usually the enemy in the series, he changes sides after his castle is taken over and helps Mario. He has the strongest physical attacks of all the party members. | 
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| Geno | Yes | A doll who was inhabited by a Star agent. He is one of Mario's few party members. His job is to stop smithy from collecting the stars and once again let the people of the world's dreams come true. His physical attacks are quite strong, and he also has the ability to strengthen his physical attacks and defenses or another party member's with his Geno Boost, and he is also the fastest party member. | 
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| Mallow | Yes | A prince who for years thought that he was a frog (despite looking nothing like one.). He is the first character to join your party. His abilities are mostly elemental, including lightning attacks. His hitpoint rain technique will restore any member's HP. His physical attacks are weak, but his magic attacks deal with much more damage on the enemies than his physical ones. | 
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| Yoshi | Rideable | A friendly dinosaur who lives on Yoster Isle. Once Mario helps Yoshi win the Mushroom Derby, Yoshi will give Mario Yoshi Cookies which will allow Mario to summon Yoshi during battle. | 
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| Chancellor | No | As his name implies, this Toad is the chancellor of the Mushroom Kingdom. | 
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| Frogfucious | No | Mallow's very wise grandfather who points Mario to the right path from here to there. | 
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| Toadofsky | No | A music composer. Based off a Russian composer with a very similar name. | 
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Cameo Appearances:
- Luigi - Luigi appears in the parade at the end of the game. Plus, one of the wishes found on star hill mentions how someone wants to be a great plumber like his brother, suggesting that this was a wish made by Luigi.
- Samus Aran - Samus will appear in one of the inns in the game. If you try to talk to her, she will explain how she needs rest for the upcoming battle against Mother Brain.
- Link - Link will also sleep in one of the inns. When you walk up to him and press A, the sound associated with a puzzle being solved will play.
Samus cameo.
Link cameo.
Worlds[]
Mushroom Kingdom's map.
Mushroom Kingdom is one of the first areas that you'll visit in the game. Areas include Mario's Pad (his house). Mushroom Way, a passageway from Mario's Pad to the kingdom. The Kingdom, the main area in the game where all of the Toads live. And Bandit's Way, a big open area with enemies.
Rose Town's map.
Rose Town is a decent sized area with eight side areas. The first of these areas is Kero Sewers, the only way to get to Rose Town from Mushroom Kingdom. Once you get to the end of Kero sewers, you will be dumped into the Midas River, a big waterfall with mini games. The waterfall will then send you to Tadpole Pond, where, as the name implies, all the tadpoles live. Rose Way is the passageway between Tadpole Pond and Rose Town. Rose Town is where you'll first find Geno. The Forest Maze is where Geno will join your party, and where you'll defeat Bowyer. The Pipe Vault is a passageway to Yo'ster Isle with a few enemies. Finally, Yo'ster Isle is where you will find all the Yoshies, this is also the place where the Mushroom Derby takes place.
Moleville map.
Moleville is an area with mines other towers and areas. The first area you will see is Moleville it self, at Moleville, there are many cole mines. The residents here, as you could guess, are moles. This is also the area where the 3rd star piece will be. Next is Booster Pass, a path from Moleville to Booster Tower, here there are plenty of advanced enemies to fight. Up next is Booster Tower is a strange place that is designed like a playroom. Here there are plenty of Snifits, and Booster himself. Booster will try to marry Peach, but will obviously fail. Booster Hill, the next area, is a place connection Booster Tower to Marrymore. Not much is there. The last place in this area is Marrymore, a wedding chapel and an inn.
Seaside Town map.
Seaside Town is an area with a huge shopping area, a place where wishes take form, a big sea and a sunken ship. Star Hill is the first place in this area, it is the place where wishes take turn into stars, you are also able to read other peoples wishes as well. Star Hill is the area where the 4th star piece is. Next is Seaside Town, the area with the biggest shopping place in the whole (Mario RPG) world. Here there are tons of shops that sell items from every other land in the game, and also specialty shops as well. Next is the large Sea, this connects Sunken Ship to Seaside Town. Finally there is the Sunken Ship, a level where there are more bosses and puzzles than any other level in the game.
Monstro Town map.
Monstro Town is an area with Belome's Tower where you must fight Belome again. Monstro Town is a rather small town, but it does have a Casino. The first level in this area is Land's End, a long level with underground and above ground areas. Next is Monstro Town, the smallest town in the game, here you are able to fight the hard bosses if you want. Next is Bean Valley, a very red area with hard enemies, and a level that connects Monstro Town to Grate Guy's Casino. Grate Guy's Casino is a casino where you can play three different games.
Nimbus Land's map.
Nimbus Land is the smallest area in the game, it consists of Nimbus Land itself, and the Barrel Volcano. Nimbus Land is the first level you will go to in this area. This is where Mallow's parents live. It is located in the skies on a big cloud. Next is the Barrel Volcano is where the star piece is found, there is also an armor shop, item shop, and an inn.
Bowser's Keep map.
Bowser's Keep is the final area in the game, it contains three levels, including Bowser's Keep. Bowser's Keep has difficult puzzles, enemies, bosses, and obstacles, you first went here at the beginning of the game, though the second time through will be much harder. The Gate is the second to last level in the game, and connects Bowser's Keep to the Factory, here you will have fight a few hard bosses. The final level in the game is the Factory, where you'll find the seventh and final star piece in the game. Here you will have to fight the final boss, Smithy.
Official descriptions[]
Wii Shop Description[]
Set in the Mushroom Kingdom and featuring its cast of well-known characters, this adventure RPG begins with a familiar scenario. Mario™ must rescue Princess Toadstool™ from Bowser™. However, a mysterious new enemy named Smithy soon appears, and Mario and Bowser are forced to fight as allies for the first time in their long history. In the quest to defeat their powerful new foe, they'll journey across a wide variety of locations (a town of mining moles, a tropical forest, a thundering waterfall—just to name a few) and tackle a mix of obstacles requiring both expert timing and strategy to overcome. Along the way, they'll gain experience and grow more powerful, while also meeting new characters whose unique abilities will be needed to take on Smithy and his gang. Striking a perfect balance of traditional RPG elements and the action-packed game play Mario is famous for, it's easy to see why this title has earned "legendary" status!
Mario + 7 stars + 249 Virtual Console titles ?[]
The launch of the 250th title available on Virtual Console™, of course! And what better game to mark the occasion with than the eagerly anticipated Super NES™ game, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars™? Whether you're celebrating the Labor Day holiday, relishing the last few days before school begins, or just looking for a brand-new retro title to enjoy, this is one game sure to please. By combining the magic of traditional Mario™ titles with the renowned design skills of Square Enix, Super Mario RPG satisfies fans across the board. So if you've been waiting to take on Smithy again or never even knew that Mario and Bowser™ were once allies, now's the time to experience one of Mario's grandest adventures! Still want more info on Super Mario RPG? Then be sure to watch the video now available on the Nintendo Channel for a sneak peak on what the game has in store for you.
Also make sure to check out the other Virtual Console titles available for download. You won't find a more complete assortment of games from your favorite systems and genres available in one spot. From classic franchises to previously unavailable imports, you'll be sure to find titles that suit your gaming tastes!
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars™ is rated Everyone by the ESRB.
Wii U eShop Description[]
The Mushroom Kingdom faces a new threat when a giant sword falls from the sky and lays chaos upon the land. Mario must gather a crew of unexpected allies to take on the nefarious Smithy Gang!
Before Paper Mario™ and Mario & Luigi™, the first Role-Playing Game featuring Mario was this celebrated collaboration between Nintendo™ and the makers of Final Fantasy™, Squaresoft™ (now Square Enix™). Many players hold fond memories of the witty dialogue and colourful characters such as Mallow and Geno.
If you own this title on your Wii™, perform a system transfer from your Wii to your Wii U™ to receive a special upgrade price.
This is the US version of the game.
Cameos and references[]
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars features many references to other series by Nintendo or Square Enix. Some of them include:
- Link can be found sleeping in the Rose Town inn after beating Bowyer in the Forest Maze. When talked to, a jingle that normally sounds when a secret is discovered in the The Legend of Zelda series plays, along with a text box saying ".....", referencing Link's normally silent role in his games.
- Samus Aran can be found sleeping in the guest bed of Peach's Castle after beating Yaridovich and obtaining the 5th Star Piece, and remains there until the player goes to Bean Valley. When spoken to, she will say she is resting up for Mother Brain, the final boss of the Metroid series.
- A Samus action figure can be found in a toy box in Booster Tower.
- Hinopio in the Barrel Volcano has models of Captain Falcon's and Samurai Goroh's spacecraft, and an Arwing from the Star Fox series.
- Culex (and his Crystals) is an optional boss designed to resemble the Final Fantasy bosses. During and after the battle with him, Final Fantasy music is played. The music heard is a rearrangement of the Boss Battle theme in Final Fantasy IV and after the battle, the famous Final Fantasy Victory Theme plays.
- "Here Are Some Weapons!" shares a lot of similarities with "Slam Shuffle", Zozo Town's theme in Final Fantasy VI.
- Donkey Kong look-alikes, known as Guerrillas and Chained Kongs appear in the Forest Maze and Barrel Volcano. One action sequence in Bowser's Keep involves climbing a ledge while avoiding barrels by jumping, defeating a Guerilla at the top. This is a direct homage to the original Donkey Kong arcade game.
- For a short period of time, Mario can turn into a 8-bit version in the Booster Tower. This can only happen once.
- The enemy Bahamutt is named after the powerful dragon Bahamut from the Final Fantasy series.
- Another reference to the Final Fantasy series involves the Czar Dragon: an optional boss of the same name was dummied from Final Fantasy VI.
- Hidon aboard the Sunken Ship is named for another Final Fantasy VI boss.
Development[]
Development began in earnest during the second quarter of 1995. The game was officially unveiled by both Mario creator and producer Shigeru Miyamoto and co-director Chihiro Fujioka at the 1995 V-Jump Festival event in Japan. Miyamoto led teams at Nintendo and Square, who spent over a year developing the graphics. Square's Final Fantasy series was the model for the battle sequences, while the tradition of Super Mario Bros. games demanded a lot of action.
For example, the Chancellor, who was named the Mushroom Retainer in Japan, was called the "Minister" in North America. Plans continued through February for the North American version, changing the release date forecast from winter to spring. When asked about the possibility of a European release, Nintendo representatives said there were no plans for one, and remarked that preparing an RPG for release in Europe is far more difficult than other regions due to the need to optimize the game for PAL TV systems and translate it into multiple languages.
Reception[]
Reviews[]
Super Mario RPG received universal acclaim and has appeared on reader-selected "best game of all time" lists, such as 26th on GameFAQs and 30th at IGN. Though various aspects of Super Mario RPG have received mixed reviews, the game garnered praise for the quality of the graphics and for the humor in particular. Nintendo Power's review commented that the "excellent" 3D graphics helped the game appeal to a much wider audience than most traditional RPGs. In March 1997, Nintendo Power nominated the game for several awards, including "Best Graphics", in a player's choice contest, though Super Mario 64 won "Best Graphics".
Electronic Gaming Monthly praised the graphics, stating that they are "the best seen on the Super NES". Scary Larry of GamePro gave the game a perfect 5/5 in all four categories (graphics, sound, control, and FunFactor), and highly praised the rendered enemies, cinematics, and spell animations. 1UP.com stated that the graphic element is "strong enough to resemble a Mario title but still retains the role-playing theme at the same time", and Electronic Gaming Monthly commented that the graphics are "typical of Nintendo, using clean and colorful graphics along with nice animation".
RPGamer editor Derek Cavin called the backgrounds "beautiful" and stated that they "perfectly bring the Mushroom Kingdom and surrounding areas into 3D". Skyler Miller from Allgame stated that the graphics are "absolutely outstanding, with colorful, 3D rendered visuals that once seemed impossible on the Super NES. This is definitely the high watermark for 3D graphics on any 16-bit system". The editor also called the music "quite extraordinary" and that the songs "match the mood of the surrounding environment". In the Virtual Console re-release, IGN's Lucas Thomas's review of Super Mario RPG stated that the game's experience "completes itself with a compelling story, a humorous attitude and a variety of interspersed mini-games that break up the adventuring action". The publication also stated that the soundtrack is "spectacular and a joy to listen to" and the graphics "took full advantage of the system's 16-bit technology and looks great".
Despite the praise, Cavin said that most of the battle system mechanics "aren't very original" and also criticized the "lack of a unified storyline". In contrast, a reviewer for Next Generation found the battle system refreshingly broke away from tradition, and was pleased that "the elements that stand out from the traditional formula are those that make this a recognizable Mario game." He further remarked that the gameplay was complex enough to challenge even veteran RPG gamers, yet simple enough to not alienate newcomers to the genre.
Scary Larry similarly said the game "should please diehard RPG fans as well as novice players", as it is genuinely tough and offers considerable replay value in the form of sidequests and bonus features such as Toadofasky's music levels. He also found Squaresoft's trademark humor and puzzle-solving to be as exceptional as usual. Miller commented that after engaging in many battles, "the battle music becomes monotonous" and that after the game is beaten, "There aren't any surprises to be discovered the second time around". While 1UP.com stated that "The characters seem too childish for older gamers", Next Generation said the game is "held together by the strength of its characters and well-developed world."
Sales[]
Japanese audiences received Super Mario RPG well with 1.47 million copies sold, making it the third highest-selling game in Japan in 1996.
Sequels[]
While there were no official sequels to the game released, the game did pave the way to many other Mario RPG video games, including Paper Mario (which happened to be called Super Mario RPG 2 in development), Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, and in a way, Super Paper Mario. It has been re-released on the Virtual Console worldwide. In America it was the 250th video game released on the Virtual Console.
Merchandise[]
The music from the game was released as a soundtrack album, titled Super Mario RPG Original Sound Version (JP). NTT Publishing released it in Japan on March 25, 1996. The two-disc set contains 61 of the game's 73 songs.
Legacy[]
Though no direct sequel to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars would see release, the next role-playing Mario game, Paper Mario, was announced under the title Super Mario RPG 2 and the final game would retain multiple links to Super Mario RPG such as the Action command mechanic, the ending credits being presented as a parade, Star Hill and the character of the Chancellor (though both were given a different name in the English translation), the concept of optional boss battles against a martial artist who is fought three times, and more.
When asked in a 2013 interview if he was interested in making a direct sequel to the game, the game's co-director Yoshihiko Maekwawa responded that he felt Super Mario RPG accomplished what he set out to do and that he personally had no interest in revisiting the world or its characters[2].
Gallery[]
| Main article: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars/gallery |
Trivia[]
- Many characters mention the running gag of Peach being constantly kidnapped by Bowser.
- The bees resemble the Zingers from Donkey Kong Country.
- In Booster Tower, if you walk behind a curtain you will turn into the 8-Bit Mario from Super Mario Bros. You begin as Super Mario, then Mario as time dwindles. This is accompanied by the original music, including the "hurry up" music as time dwindles. This Easter egg can only happen once.
- Birdo appears as a boss. She is in her female form and introduces herself when Mario and his team break open her egg.
- When Mario showers in the suite of the Marrymore Hotel, he whistles the tune to the original Super Mario Bros.
- The elegy played by the Reachers is the Super Mario World theme
- The lullaby played by the bundt cake is the Super Mario World theme
- In Marrymore, if you stay at the hotel you can choose either the regular room or the suite. If you choose the suite, you can opt for more than one night. However, this will require extra payment which cannot be paid. To make up for your debt, you are hired as a porter.
- In the Virtual Console version, the attacks "flame wall" and "static E" were altered to reduce the risk of epileptic seizures.
- For the PAL version, the word "bugger" was replaced with "pest" due to the word "bugger" being offensive in British slang.
- The game was featured on the cover of Nintendo Power V82.
- Bowser's victory pose was changed for Western releases because the original resembles the offensive "up yours" gesture.
- In the Virtual Console version, when battling Bullet Bills in Booster Tower, there will be a graphics glitch during battle. This does not affect the game otherwise.
- In the Japanese version, there is a secret hidden in Toadstool's room. When you find it, the game indicates "'You found Toadstool's XXX". This was changed for Western releases to "You found Toadstool's ???" as "XXX" is usually used as the symbol for hardcore porn.
- The instruction booklet does not list any battle statistics about Princess Toadstool, who is the fifth and final member to join the party.
- This is the only SNES Mario game released outside of Japan not to have European and Australian releases until it was re-released on the Wii Virtual Console years later.
- The Japanese version's copyright year says 1995 on the title screen, even though it was released on March 9, 1996, 65 days before its North American release. This is corrected in the North American version.
- The Save Block's letter S's appears in serif format in the official artwork, but in the game has the letter S's in sans-serif format.
- This is the first Mario game with some Toads being identified as females prior to recurring ones like Toadette who was later introduced in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! in 2003.
References[]
- ↑ Super Mario RPG's Virtual Console page, accessed 2008-06-02.
- ↑ Jason Schreier (August 1 2013). "Don't Count On A New Super Mario RPG Any Time Soon". Kotaku. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
External links[]
- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars at GameFAQs
- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars at MobyGames
- Official page for Wii Virtual Console
- Official page for Wii U Virtual Console
- Official Website
| Mario RPG series | |
|---|---|
| Paper Mario series | Paper Mario • The Thousand-Year Door (Remake) • Super Paper Mario • Sticker Star • Color Splash • The Origami King |
| Mario & Luigi series | Superstar Saga (Bowser's Minions) • Partners in Time • Bowser's Inside Story (Bowser Jr.'s Journey) • Dream Team • Paper Jam • Brothership |
| Mario + Rabbids series | Kingdom Battle (Donkey Kong Adventure) • Sparks of Hope |
| Other games | Super Mario RPG (Switch) • Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition |
| Developers | Square Enix • Intelligent Systems • AlphaDream • GungHo Online Entertainment • Ubisoft |