Super Mario RPG was a revelation when it came to the SNES in 1996. A mashup of everyone’s favorite platforming plumber and the turn-based, stat-driven combat of a Final Fantasy game proved to be an enduring mix that spawned multiple spiritual successors. Does Nintendo’s remake of the retro gem on Switch do it justice? Initial reviews say yes, even if dated mechanics and some writing changes make it feel more conservative by the standards of 2023.
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The Super Mario RPG remake gives a fresh 3D coat of paint and some new gameplay wrinkles to a game about Mario teaming up with friends and enemies to unravel the mystery of some magic stars that are messing things up across the Toadstool Kingdom and beyond. Light platforming and timed attacks during combat spice up the traditional turn-based encounters dungeon slog, with the seeds of the idiosyncratic humor that blossomed in the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series buried throughout.
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It sounds like all of this is more or less intact. The review consensus ahead of the November 17 launch seems to be that Super Mario RPG remake is a beautiful and streamlined recreation of the original that will win over existing fans and is more welcoming to newcomers, but doesn’t exactly hold up as a bonafide must-play the way some remember the original, or take any meaningful new risks.
The game currently has an 84 on Metacritic and an 87 on Open Critic. “Now there’s no excuse not to see why Mario’s most unexpected adventure is still so beloved,” wrote IGN’s Tom Marks, who gave the game an 8 out of 10. GameSpot’s Steven Petit called it more of a remaster than a true remake, but praised it nonetheless. Edge’s Chris Schilling was less impressed. “Objectively fun, but I’d have much preferred either a re-release or a properly reimagined version, not this cosmetically-enhanced uncanny-valley halfway house,” he tweeted.
Here’s what other reviewers are saying about the Nintendo Switch’s latest nostalgia trip:
