Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Review by Evan G

The dream teamup came true with the making of this game. The RPG gurus at Square teamed up with Nintendo to make a neat little RPG featuring characters from the Mario world. Although this was one of the last games Square made for Nintendo systems (although they have now started making Nintendo games again), it shows how great a snes RPG can be.

Graphics: 85

Most of the graphics are fantastic. The battles show a variety of neat attacks and the character details are among the best on the snes. Using the same techniques as Rare did with Donkey Kong Country, coupled with the SA-1 chip, made for a great variety of effects and smooth graphics. The only thing that brings it down is the bland backgrounds, which usually consist of plain greens and browns.

Sound: 90

Great remixes of classic Mario tunes plus some great new ones. Sound effects are generally appropriate and add to the feel of the game. Unfortunately, the classic Mario "boing" sound whenever Mario jumps is back in this game, which gets damn annoying when you are constantly jumping for things (like the hidden chests).

Control: 90

In general, the controls are great. The innovative battle system allows you to block enemy attacks and increase the power of your own attacks. Having each button on the face control a different battle menu item was a great addition, and removed much of the hastle caused in menu based RPGs. The psudo-3D world may be a bit confusing at first, but the controls are seamless. Some problems arrise when there are difficult jumps, but they are rare. With practice, the controls are better than most RPGs.

Overall Score: 85

This is one of the best games on the Super Nintendo. Even if you don't like RPGs very much, you may like the timing elements added to battles, plus there are countless side quests and puzzles to keep you busy. Some have complained that this game is too short and too easy, but most are hardcore RPGers. Fans of Mario games will be delighted with the pairing of Bowser, Mario, and Peach. The quirky story isn't the greatest, but there are many humorous moments. Finding all the secrets make the replay in this game higher than most snes RPGs. Does this game approach the greatness of other RPGs like Chrono Trigger and the Final Fantasys? No, but this game should keep any gamer entertained for a few weeks.