Super Mario RPG
Developer(s)	Squaresoft
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Designer(s)	Yoshihiko Maekawa Chihiro Fujioka
Release date(s)	May 13, 1996
Genre	Adventure and Role-playing (RPG)
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	ESRB: Kids to Adults (K-A)
Platform(s)	Super Famicom/Super NES
Media	32-megabit cartridge

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (スーパーマリオRPG) was the last Mario game made and released for the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and was the last Square-produced game for a Nintendo video game console until 2003, with the debut of Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles for the Nintendo GameCube. This was also the first role-playing game (RPG) in the Mario series. It contains token similarities to Chrono Trigger and the Final Fantasy series with a story based on the Mario universe. Since it was an easy-to-play RPG starring Mario, it introduced many long-time Mario fans to RPGs and as such is sometimes seen as an introductory RPG. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES) game box. ... A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video or computer games. ... Square Co. ... Video game publishers are companies that publish video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer. ... Nintendo (Japanese: 任天堂; TSE: NTDOY) was originally founded in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce handmade hanafuda cards, for use in a Japanese playing card game of the same name. ... A game designer is a person who designs games. ... May 13 is the 133rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (134th in leap years). ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... This is listing of computer and video game genres with a brief description and examples from each genre. ... Adventure is a genre of video game typified by exploration, puzzle-solving, interaction with game characters, and a focus on narrative rather than reflex-based challenges. ... A role-playing game (RPG) is a type of game where players assume the roles of fictional characters via role-playing. ... In computer games and video games, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. ... The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, advertising guidelines, and online privacy principles for computer and video games in the United States. ... Games, like most other forms of media, may be categorized into genres based on gameplay, atmosphere, and various other factors. ... This article should be merged with Super Nintendo Entertainment System The Super Famicom design differed from that of the American SNES, though the controllers are almost the same. ... The North American Super Nintendo Entertainment System The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, also known as the Super NES or SNES for short, is a 16-bit video game console released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, and Australia. ... The megabit is a unit of information storage, commonly abbreviated Mbit. 1 megabit = 106 = 1 000 000 bits or 220 = 1 048 576 bits (see Binary prefix). ... In a variety of electronic equipments, a cartridge (in video game terms, cart, game pack, or Game Pak) can be one method of programming different functionality, providing variable content, or a method by which consumables may be replenished. ... For over 20 years, Mario has been the official video game mascot for Nintendo. ... This article should be merged with Super Nintendo Entertainment System The Super Famicom design differed from that of the American SNES, though the controllers are almost the same. ... The North American Super Nintendo Entertainment System The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, also known as the Super NES or SNES for short, is a 16-bit video game console released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, and Australia. ... Square Co. ... Nintendo (Japanese: 任天堂; TSE: NTDOY) was originally founded in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce handmade hanafuda cards, for use in a Japanese playing card game of the same name. ... The Nintendo GameCube is an example of a video game console. ... Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles is a video game for the Nintendo GameCube. ... The Nintendo GameCube (Japanese: ゲームキューブ; originally code-named Dolphin during development; abbreviated as GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the 128-bit era; the same generation as Segas Dreamcast, Sonys PlayStation 2, and Microsofts Xbox. ... A role-playing game (RPG) is a type of game where players assume the roles of fictional characters via role-playing. ... Chrono Trigger (クロノ・トリガー) is a role-playing game that was released in Japan on March 11, 1995 for the Super Famicom and in North America on August 22, 1995 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES); it was re-released in 1999 for the Sony PlayStation (PS) in Japan and in... Final Fantasy (Japanese: ファイナルファンタジー Fainaru Fantajii) is a popular series of role playing games produced by Square Enix (originally Square Co. ...

In this game, an extraterrestrial named Smithy takes over Mario's world. In order to stop him Mario and his friends have to find seven star pieces, a form of the collect the pieces plot. Extraterrestrial, as an adjective, refers to something that originates, occurs, or is located outside Earth or its atmosphere. ... A collect the pieces plot is a plot in which the objective is to reassemble some item (which generally has mystical powers) which has been broken up in some fashion. ...

Super Mario RPG introduced a number of new characters while retaining classic Mario characters. Playable members of Mario's party include:

• Mallow, a prince of Nimbus Land who was raised by frogs,
• Geno, a doll inhabited by a spirit sent to Mario's world to fix the Star Road,
• King Bowser Koopa, Mario's long-time nemesis/rival ever since the beginning, and
• Princess Toadstool, who, once rescued, becomes a fighting member of the party.

Subplots include helping Mallow find his parents, finding Princess Peach, and helping King Bowser get his keep back. This is the first game in which Mario and Bowser are allied; however, the pair have been reunited since, in games such as Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga. Mallow is a character in 1996 Super Nintendo release Super Mario RPG. In the course of the game, Mallow is the second character to join the list of playable characters, after Mario initially encounters him while visiting the Mushroom Kingdom. ... Geno is the name of a doll belonging to Gaz, the Rose Town innkeepers son in Super Mario RPG. An agent sent from the Star Road to recover the seven star pieces inhabits this doll, and since his true name is rather hard to pronounce (as is consists in... King Bowser Koopa, as seen in Super Smash Bros. ... Princess Peach (ピーチ姫, Piichi Hime) is a fictional character in Nintendos Mario video games series. ... Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga is a video game made for Game Boy Advance. ...

No official sequel to Super Mario RPG has ever been released, however Paper Mario (Nintendo 64), Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga (Game Boy Advance), and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo GameCube) and the upcoming Mario & Luigi 2 are considered to be its spiritual successors. In fact, Paper Mario was originally titled Super Mario RPG 2. However, because of Square's involvement in the original game, direct sequels were not legally possible after the Nintendo-Square split in the mid-1990s. However, some of the original team members (including some from Square) that worked on Super Mario RPG worked on Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga as well, including director Yoshihiko Maekawa and music composer Yoko Shimomura. Paper Mario, known in Japan as Mario Story (マリオストーリー), is a video game that was developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 and first released in 2000. ... The Nintendo 64, commonly called the N64, is Nintendos third home video game console. ... Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga is a video game made for Game Boy Advance. ... The Game Boy line is the best-selling handheld. ... Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is the sequel to the Nintendo 64 video game Paper Mario, and is the fourth in the series of Mario role-playing game titles that includes Super Mario RPG, Paper Mario, and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. ... The Nintendo GameCube (Japanese: ゲームキューブ; originally code-named Dolphin during development; abbreviated as GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the 128-bit era; the same generation as Segas Dreamcast, Sonys PlayStation 2, and Microsofts Xbox. ... Mario & Luigi 2 is a role playing video game being developed by AlphaDream for the Nintendo DS system. ... // Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but keeping the same mind-set. ... Yōko Shimomura (下村陽子 Shimomura Yōko, b. ...

Certain conventions established in the original Mario RPG have also carried over to the de facto sequels as well, such as the use of "Flower Points" instead of magic points, timed attacks that require precise button-pressing, and the general overall theme of seven magical stars which must be collected.

Re-release

There have been many fans who wanted to have Super Mario RPG to be re-released for either the Game Boy Advance or for Nintendo DS for quite some time. However, it seems Nintendo and Square Enix are not inclined toward doing so, thus disappointing fans. An online petition was made and over more than 18,000 signatures were made and to this day, this still doesn't convince Nintendo or Square. However, the Nintendo Revolution will offer NES, SNES, and N64 games via download, and it has been announced that Super Mario RPG may be one of the available titles. The Game Boy line is the best-selling handheld. ... The Nintendo DS is a dual-screen portable handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. ... Nintendo (Japanese: 任天堂; TSE: NTDOY) was originally founded in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce handmade hanafuda cards, for use in a Japanese playing card game of the same name. ... SQUARE ENIX (Japanese: スクウェア・エニックス) is a Japanese producer of popular video games and manga. ...

Game play

A battle screen from Super Mario RPG.

Mario uses the Ultra Flame skill to attack Smithy and his minions.

The battles featured a cross between platforming and traditional RPG battles. All enemies were seen on the world map; Mario must approach the enemy to begin combat. This allows the player to avoid unwanted battles by jumping over or walking around the foe. Image File history File links Mario RPG battle screenshot This is a screenshot of a copyrighted computer game or video game. ... Image File history File links Mario RPG battle screenshot This is a screenshot of a copyrighted computer game or video game. ... Image File history File links Mario uses the magic Ultra Flame to attack Smithy This is a screenshot of a copyrighted computer game or video game. ... Image File history File links Mario uses the magic Ultra Flame to attack Smithy This is a screenshot of a copyrighted computer game or video game. ...

The other wrinkle to the battles was the use of timed button presses and other movements (such as rotating the D-pad or pressing Y repeatedly) to increase, or in a few cases, determine, the power of the moves the characters were using. Timed button presses were also useful for guarding attacks, taking slightly less damage or no damage at all. The constant button presses in between menus kept a player engaged in the battle the whole time, or else it was a lot harder to win.

Unlike many RPGs before and after its release, much of the gameplay was outside of monster battles. As a result of Mario's ability to jump, the game played in some parts similar to a 3D platformer. A screenshot of the original Donkey Kong arcade platform game Platform games, or platformers, are a very popular genre of video games that originated in the early 1980s. ...

References to other games

Super Mario RPG contains many references to other games by Square and Nintendo. Culex of Monstro Town is a reference to Final Fantasy-style bosses and has Final Fantasy-esque battle music (the boss battle theme of Final Fantasy IV (   sample^?), the traditional pre-Final Fantasy VII victory theme (   sample^?), and the Final Fantasy prelude theme (   sample^?) were all reused in this segment). Also, Link and Samus Aran made cameo appearances sleeping in various inns of the game. Also within the game are models of Captain Falcon's F-Zero racer and a Star Fox Arwing. In addition, there is an Easter egg in the Booster Tower area that allows the player to control the original Mario as he appeared in Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System for a short time. A similar trick (as revealed in Nintendo Power), is also present in Paper Mario, as well as its sequel, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Final Fantasy (Japanese: ファイナルファンタジー Fainaru Fantajii) is a popular series of role playing games produced by Square Enix (originally Square Co. ... Final Fantasy IV (FF4) is a computer role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... To play the audio file do not click on the -image. ... Image File history File links Super Mario RPG - Battle With Culex. ... Final Fantasy VII is a computer role-playing game released by Square Co. ... To play the audio file do not click on the -image. ... Image File history File links Super Mario RPG - Victory Over Culex. ... To play the audio file do not click on the -image. ... Image File history File links Super Mario RPG - Conversation With Culex. ... Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening. ... Samus Aran Samus Aran is a fictional video game character created by Nintendo, and is the main protagonist in the futuristic Metroid game series. ... Captain Falcon is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. ... F-Zero is a futuristic fast-paced racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. ... Star Fox (known as Starwing in Europe, due to copyright issues) was the first game in the Star Fox series of video games. ... From the custom of the Easter egg hunt observed in western nations and many parts of Europe, Easter eggs are hidden messages or features which may appear in movies and books, on CDs and DVDs, or in computer programs. ... The Nintendo Entertainment System (North America, Europe, and Australia) The Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES, is an 8-bit video game console released by Nintendo in North America, Europe and Australia. ... The first cover of Nintendo Power featured a clay sculpture of Mario from . ...

Sound

The Super Mario RPG musical score was composed by Yoko Shimomura (Front Mission, Kingdom Hearts), Koji Kondo (Super Mario series), and Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy series). The arrangement was performed by Yoko Shimomura. Geno's Woods, a song close to the beginning of the game is considered by many one of the best custom video game songs. Quite a few people have remixed it from forest sounds to a computer voice making witty comments about the game. Yōko Shimomura (下村陽子 Shimomura Yōko, b. ... Front Mission (Japanese: フロントミッション) is a series of turn-based tactical strategy video games produced by Squaresoft, now Square Enix. ... Kingdom Hearts (Japanese: キングダムハーツ Kingudamu Hātsu) is an action RPG that was released in Autumn of 2002, which is notable for being the result of a collaboration between the video game manufacturer and producer Square Co. ... Koji Kondo Koji Kondo (近藤浩治 Kondō Kōji b. ... For nearly two decades, Mario has been the official video game mascot for Nintendo. ... Nobuo Uematsu Nobuo Uematsu (植松 伸夫; Uematsu Nobuo, born March 21, 1959) is a Japanese composer of video game music, and one of the most well-known, prolific, and versatile in the field. ... Final Fantasy (Japanese: ファイナルファンタジー Fainaru Fantajii) is a popular series of role playing games produced by Square Enix (originally Square Co. ... Yōko Shimomura (下村陽子 Shimomura Yōko, b. ...

See also

• List of video game music

Occasionally, video game developers release their games soundtracks for separate purchase. ...

External links

• Soundtrack listing and review at SoundtrackCentral
• RPG Classics