SolVanderlyn
Thanos acquires the fully powered Infinity Gauntlet in The Avengers: Infinity War, but loses when all the superheroes team up together to stop him.
I think... I think this may be cheating, but this is actually a topic I've posted before. BUT, it has added relevance with Mario and Rabbids coming out, and also, to a lesser extent, with its spiritual sequel, Mario and Luigi, being remade for 3DS. If "thread updates" aren't allowed (I've added some stuff/edited some stuff since I posted the OG a few years ago) then mods, please feel free to lock away.
This is still, to this day, the best crossover game to exist (in my opinion).
A joint effort between Nintendo and Squaresoft, the RPG giant of its time, SMRPG began the unlikely marriage between the red plumber, stats, and storyline. This title introduced the action combat system that every future Mario RPG would build on, requiring timed button presses to attack or defend with more efficiency. Perhaps the most unique aspect of SMRPG is in its ousting of Bowser as the main villain, instead introducing Squaresoft's own gang of baddies: The Smithy Gang, a group of interstellar hooligans bent on conquering the Mushroom Kingdom.
While the story was still relatively simple compared to standard RPGs, it really shone in its fusion of the standard "quest to save the world" that grandiose games such as Final Fantasy were known for and the traditional Mario charm of the mainline Mario games. The script relied heavily on humor and a unique brand of quirkiness, but never shunned its purpose to deliver a story centric Mario game: you felt the presence of the Smithy Gang in each area of the Mushroom Kingdom that you visited, and their omnipresence created a sense of urgency that the world needed to be saved. Another staple that SMRPG introduced was the gathering of seven stars, which would later be repeated in Paper Mario and The Thousand Year Door.
I loved this game. I love this game. This game is amazing and anyone who likes Mario and/or Final Fantasy should play it. I've replayed this game probably over ten times in my life and I just did it again recently. Why do I love it so much? Nostalgia, mostly, since the game hasn't aged particularly well, what with its dated 90's RPG mechanics.
But at the time? It was a powerhouse, not only because it's a fine RPG in its own right, but because it was the first to take Mario and put him in a game with a real narrative. I don't think anybody could have seen this game coming, especially because the king of RPGs, Squaresoft, is the one who made it. But it's not all nostalgia. There's a few reasons I keep coming back to this game in particular.
-Yoko Shimomura is at her finest here. Every track represents the cheerfulness and whimsy of Mario fused together with the fantastical, grand scope of an RPG.
Beware the Forest's Mushrooms
Koopa Castle
The Road is Full of Dangers
Grandpa and the Delightful Tadpoles
Where am I Going?
Fight Against Smithy
-The game oozes charm and atmosphere.
-The timed attacks aren't innovative by today's standards, but back then they were a pretty big thing, and they're still fun to use. Timing spells is still kind of awkward, but it's extremely satisfying to time something right in this game. That extra clunk from Mario's shells, the extra hit from his hammer, Bowser's spike chain remaining in the enemy and protruding its spikes to hit them again and again... you feel like your extra input has done something. I think the sound effects really make it work.
-Beginning the game with a fight against Bowser, only to have him usurped by a greater evil, is great. The Mario and Luigi RPGs play off similar concepts, but never to the extent seen here. Bowser later becomes a full fledged party member in order to take back what Smithy and his gang stole. Bowser's Inside Story played off the playable Bowser concept, but never again has he actually stood side by side with Mario until the very end of the game.
-Smithy's gang has such a presence throughout the game. From the time you're ousted from Bowser's Keep, to the dark and ominous arrow-infested Rose Town, to the strange goings-on in the Moleville Mines, all the way up until the end of the game, you feel Smithy's presence in the world. Bowser seems like a one-note villain compared to him. The Final Fantasy esque "journey to save the world" trope really bleeds into the way this game is set up, and seeing something like that in the Marioverse is so awesome.
-Geno is in this game. The world is so at risk that a being from a higher plane comes down to assist Mario. I absolutely loved his story as a kid, although nowadays I often think they could have explored it more in depth.
-The art style is great. I love the spritework, and, like the game does with its music, the settings are usually creative and a nice blend between fantasy tropes and the weirdness of the Mario world.
I want a real Super Mario RPG 2. Until that happens, though, this game will always be up there as one of the best.
Even despite saying that, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga came damn close to recapturing SMRPG's magic. Each sequel seemed to become more and more diluted, however, and only the first feels like it could be a possible sequel to SMRPG. Paper Jam and the latest Paper Marios are the worst offenders - Paper Jam may be the most vanilla Mario game I've played outside of New Super Mario Bros, and that's not a good thing.
What are you excited about for Mario and Rabbids? Do you think it's a good idea? Do you think it will open the path for more creative collaborations in the future, and possibly save the RPG series from the stale paths they've been going on?
This is still, to this day, the best crossover game to exist (in my opinion).
A joint effort between Nintendo and Squaresoft, the RPG giant of its time, SMRPG began the unlikely marriage between the red plumber, stats, and storyline. This title introduced the action combat system that every future Mario RPG would build on, requiring timed button presses to attack or defend with more efficiency. Perhaps the most unique aspect of SMRPG is in its ousting of Bowser as the main villain, instead introducing Squaresoft's own gang of baddies: The Smithy Gang, a group of interstellar hooligans bent on conquering the Mushroom Kingdom.
While the story was still relatively simple compared to standard RPGs, it really shone in its fusion of the standard "quest to save the world" that grandiose games such as Final Fantasy were known for and the traditional Mario charm of the mainline Mario games. The script relied heavily on humor and a unique brand of quirkiness, but never shunned its purpose to deliver a story centric Mario game: you felt the presence of the Smithy Gang in each area of the Mushroom Kingdom that you visited, and their omnipresence created a sense of urgency that the world needed to be saved. Another staple that SMRPG introduced was the gathering of seven stars, which would later be repeated in Paper Mario and The Thousand Year Door.
I loved this game. I love this game. This game is amazing and anyone who likes Mario and/or Final Fantasy should play it. I've replayed this game probably over ten times in my life and I just did it again recently. Why do I love it so much? Nostalgia, mostly, since the game hasn't aged particularly well, what with its dated 90's RPG mechanics.
But at the time? It was a powerhouse, not only because it's a fine RPG in its own right, but because it was the first to take Mario and put him in a game with a real narrative. I don't think anybody could have seen this game coming, especially because the king of RPGs, Squaresoft, is the one who made it. But it's not all nostalgia. There's a few reasons I keep coming back to this game in particular.
-Yoko Shimomura is at her finest here. Every track represents the cheerfulness and whimsy of Mario fused together with the fantastical, grand scope of an RPG.
Beware the Forest's Mushrooms
Koopa Castle
The Road is Full of Dangers
Grandpa and the Delightful Tadpoles
Where am I Going?
Fight Against Smithy
-The game oozes charm and atmosphere.
-The timed attacks aren't innovative by today's standards, but back then they were a pretty big thing, and they're still fun to use. Timing spells is still kind of awkward, but it's extremely satisfying to time something right in this game. That extra clunk from Mario's shells, the extra hit from his hammer, Bowser's spike chain remaining in the enemy and protruding its spikes to hit them again and again... you feel like your extra input has done something. I think the sound effects really make it work.
-Beginning the game with a fight against Bowser, only to have him usurped by a greater evil, is great. The Mario and Luigi RPGs play off similar concepts, but never to the extent seen here. Bowser later becomes a full fledged party member in order to take back what Smithy and his gang stole. Bowser's Inside Story played off the playable Bowser concept, but never again has he actually stood side by side with Mario until the very end of the game.
-Smithy's gang has such a presence throughout the game. From the time you're ousted from Bowser's Keep, to the dark and ominous arrow-infested Rose Town, to the strange goings-on in the Moleville Mines, all the way up until the end of the game, you feel Smithy's presence in the world. Bowser seems like a one-note villain compared to him. The Final Fantasy esque "journey to save the world" trope really bleeds into the way this game is set up, and seeing something like that in the Marioverse is so awesome.
-Geno is in this game. The world is so at risk that a being from a higher plane comes down to assist Mario. I absolutely loved his story as a kid, although nowadays I often think they could have explored it more in depth.
-The art style is great. I love the spritework, and, like the game does with its music, the settings are usually creative and a nice blend between fantasy tropes and the weirdness of the Mario world.
I want a real Super Mario RPG 2. Until that happens, though, this game will always be up there as one of the best.
Even despite saying that, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga came damn close to recapturing SMRPG's magic. Each sequel seemed to become more and more diluted, however, and only the first feels like it could be a possible sequel to SMRPG. Paper Jam and the latest Paper Marios are the worst offenders - Paper Jam may be the most vanilla Mario game I've played outside of New Super Mario Bros, and that's not a good thing.
What are you excited about for Mario and Rabbids? Do you think it's a good idea? Do you think it will open the path for more creative collaborations in the future, and possibly save the RPG series from the stale paths they've been going on?