A Great Forgotten Treasure
Written: Oct 25 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very very fun.
Cons: Too short.
The Bottom Line: This game is just plain fun. Try it and you'll see why.
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| pendragen's Full Review: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars for Sup... |
Oh my, it must have been a good 7 or 8 years since I first played this game. I think I rented it just to see what it was like because Mortal Kombat 2 was out or something. Little did I know that my first RPG experience ever would turn out to be one of my favorite video games of all time.
The Basic (Quintessential, even) RPG
For a gamer who had never touched an RPG (role playing game... think Final Fantasy) before, Super Mario RPG could not have come at a better time. The basic functions are immensly easy to learn, and the game as a whole isn't difficult to grasp. This game may not satisfy a true RPG fanatic, as it is possible to beat it in one day without a problem, and also because the storyline is relatively very simple. The truth is that this game is geared toward beginner gamers of the genre. However, even RPG veterans will generaly agree that this game offers a VERY important element that so many video games of the modern era are lacking in, and that is fun factor. Without a doubt, this game is just plain fun.
Fun?
Yes, fun. coupled with loads of minigames as well as a more involving walkthrough than most other RPGs. While even great games like Final Fantasy 7 only let you walk through the environment occasionally getting into random battles, Super Mario RPG allows you to jump, hop over visible enemies (or run into them, which initiates a battle), and dive into warp pipes much like any other Mario game. This also adds a bit of chalenge, as it requires both adventure game skills as well as RPG skills in order to do well.
Also, as I mentioned before, the mini-games are superb. While most mini-games in RPGs are just plain boring (Blitzball from Final Fantasy X anyone?), the ones in Super Mario RPG are very simple and easy to learn while offering loads of fun, such as the Minecart game, which combines elements of the beloved Super Mario Kart and the side-scrolling cart levels of the Donkey Kong Country series. Yes, Nintendo has always been masters of offering fun, and combined with the ingenuity and artistic mastery of Square, you know you have something priceless.
Sound and Visual
The graphics for this game are pretty good considering the system platform for which it was made. In fact, the graphics are better than some of the weaker Playstation 1 games I've played...
As for the sound, I must say that Square did it again, with many beautifully made songs. Go to www.vgmusic.com and test out some of the songs in MIDI format (they should take seconds to load) and give them a try. If you set aside the lower quality (considering that this is a 16-bit cartridge based system) of the music, you will find that many of the tunes are very catchy and fun to listen to. "Goodbye Geno" and "Beware the Forest's Mushrooms" are two of my favorites, along with many more.
Where to Get...
Recently I downloaded an Super Nintendo emulator and found the ROM file for this game with a bit of searching. The legal restrictions are that unless you own the game, you must erase the ROM file within 24 hours of downloading. Well, I do own the game, except it happens to be somewhere in my parents' house, so I guess it's alright for me. For those of you who don't, try downloading the ROM to test it out for a day. Honestly, nothing really forces you to erase your ROM file if you really don't want to other than I guess your conscience, so while I do not condone breaking the law in any way, you CAN play it for a tad bit longer than one day, which should be enough time to play through the game at least once.
For those of you who want to actually want to own the cartridge, eBay is probably your best bet. A used cartridge with instructions sells for anywhere from $25 to $45, which isn't TOO bad compared to other hard-to-find SNES games.
In conclusion I just want to reiterate how fun this game was. Don't get me wrong, although it's a child's RPG, it isn't THAT easy to fly through, so even you hardcore gamers might want to try this out.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
pendragen
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Reviews written: 26
Trusted by: 12 members
About Me:
Long does not equal good. Short does not necessarily equal bad. (reviews i mean)
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