When Genres Collide (Nintendo Write-Off)
Written: Jul 20 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A Colorful and Cartoonish RPG
Cons: Aside from Just Being Kinda Lame, Not Much
The Bottom Line: This game was technologically ahead of its time, but that doesn't save the mediocre story and lifeless characters.
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| Bowenkge's Full Review: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars for Sup... |
This review is part of Rock_On's 3rd Annual Nintendo Write-Off
INTRO or, MARIO'S FINAL FANTASY
So in the early 90's Squaresoft released a few games on the Super Nintendo that made a whole lot of money for the system. So the people at Nintendo asked the people at Squaresoft to make them even more money by combining the Squaresoft's money making franchise with Nintendo's money making mascot, namely Mario. 'Super Mario Legend of the Seven Stars' was the resulting game, in my opionin, a mish-mash at best. Anyways, I'm reviewing this one for Rocky's write-off, so lets get to that.
GAMEPLAY or, ADVENTURES IN THE MUSHROOM KINGDOM
In 'Legend of the Seven Stars,' the Mushroom Kingdom faces serious problems when a strange group of sword-shaped criminal masterminds begin to systematically take over the world. Add to that the even more depressing fact that the Seven Stars, the mystical artifacts that carry all the good wishes of the people of the land up to heaven are falling out of the sky, then you've got some serious problems. Mario is of course chosen to solve the problem because, apparently, there's nobody else around. He's not alone though, throughout the course of the game you're joined by Mallow, a weird little cloud looking guy, Geno, an alien who takes over the body of puppet, your arch-nemesis Bowser and even Princess Toadstool herself who only really needs to be saved once or twice in this game.
Because Squaresoft designed the game, it's understandably an RPG. You fight the typical Super Mario enemies, goombas and koopa troopas and the like, but because this is an RPG the elements of strategic equipment use and experience gaining come into play. Your fireballs become magic spells, you can still bounce turtle shells into other enemies as means of a special attack, certain things like that. It was actually pretty inventive how they used the typical Super Mario facets and added the RPG elements so seamlessly.
The game is really two parts. Part of the time it's your typical run and jump platformer, Mario jumps over walls and bad guys and has to outrun fireballs and the like, while the other half of the game is the more traditional video game RPG elements, battle tactics, turn-based combat and the like. As I said before, it's a pretty seamless blend of the two genres.
GRAPHICS or, PUSHING THE LIMITS OF SNES
Regardless of what else I may thing about the game, I can't deny that it's simply beautiful. This was really the first game where we see Mario in his current incarnation, fat short and, profitable. Oh, we got a glimpse in Super Mario 3, but it wasn't until Mario RPG that the character was really defined. The graphics are sharp and detailed and flow rather nicely despite all the action that's going on. The colors are somewhat muted though, perhaps that was the price to be paid for the impressive hand-painted backgrounds and characters. In all respects, this is one of the best looking games on the Super Nintendo, and considering the fact that it was the joint effort of probably the two biggest video game manufacturing companies of the time, you wouldn't expect anything less. We didn't see graphics like this until the PSX came out, truly ahead of its time.
SOUND or, THE MUSIC MAN ALA MARIO
Music plays a huge part in this game. Nintendo and Squaresoft really wanted this to be a truly memorable gaming experience and the composition for the game is a lushly orchestrated tribute to the music from earlier games. The melodys from the first game that would stick in your head for days have been reimagined in a more cinematic way. It's as if the Boston Symphony Orchestra did variations of the Gummi Bears theme song, it's that sort of feel, nostalgic and yet re-invented.
The sound effects for the game were pretty impressive too. The characters all have specific grunts depending on the situation, you get a lot of nice cartoony boings and sproings that add to the feel that this is Super Mario meets Dragonball or something. The Japanese predisposition to big, flashy animated sound effects is all throughout this game.
REPLAY or, SEVEN STARS IS ENOUGH FOR ME
Despite the graphics and sound being oh so nice, the game really isn't that fun. It's nice to look at and it's diverting, but once you beat it, there's no need to play it again. There are just enough side quests that maybe, just maybe, you'd want to go back and see what you missed the first time through, but there's really no need.
CONS or, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
Not every partnership works, even the ones that look good on paper. 'Legend of the Seven Stars,' while pretty, seems to lack the innovation of the Squaresoft games and the fun of the Super Mario games. It's almost as if the designers got so involved with the art and conception that they forgot to make an enjoyable game. The characters, while attractive, are lackluster and without personality, and if they do have some sort of identity, it's usually an irritating one. After 'Final Fantasy II' game out for the SNES, RPG's changed. Story became the most important aspect for many gamers and 'Legend of the Seven Stars' lacked that sense of originality and memorable story. I remember playing it and almost feeling bad because the game was, to use the term I probably would have said back then, wicked lame. And it's true. It's a lame game.
CONCLUSION or, TAKES ALL KINDS
I know people who love this game, think it's the best damn thing ever. I know other people who think it was a worthless piece of marketing crap. I hate to say it but I'm on the fence. The game lacks story or an original concept, but yet at the same time, should be applauded for the huge leaps in made graphically and soundwise. It can be fun in small doses and if you don't mind the fact that the difficulty level is somewhere between jumpy dog and pot head, but for the most part it's just kind of blah. I'm going to go middle of the road on this because the game does have it's good points, they're just balanced out by the bad.
Recommended:
No
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Bowenkge
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