Super Mario RPG Reviews

Super Mario RPG is ranked in the 93rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10.0
Nov 14, 2023

Maintaining what made the original so special, Super Mario RPG provides a glow-up to an absolute classic RPG experience, with smart tweaks to combat bringing it firmly into the modern era. It's an utterly charming experience that sucks you into its gorgeous, colourful world. Still, in sticking firmly to its roots, it just doesn't provide the challenge or open-world gameplay to elevate it to the next level. If you're keen on a breezy nostalgic RPG with simple yet satisfying combat, the iconic Italian in a red hat has you covered.

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Nov 14, 2023

While more seasoned players may find the experience a bit too easy until the post-game, Super Mario RPG is a great introduction to the RPG genre for newcomers. It’s also just an incredibly charming game, and it's a joy to look at from start to finish.

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Nov 15, 2023

Super Mario RPG has aged fantastically well, with great gameplay, a terrific story, and some excellent characterization. Developer ArtePiazza has added just enough quality of life improvements to refine the experience, while still maintaining the elements that made it a classic in the first place. For those that have never played it before, Super Mario RPG is a very easy recommendation, but those that have played through it a number of times over the last 27 years might find that there isn't enough new content to rationalize the $60.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2023

Super Mario RPG is an all-time classic game that both RPG lovers and Mario fans alike owe it to themselves to play. This Switch remake brilliantly preserves the spirit of the original SNES game, with some great quality-of-life enhancements and a phenomenally redone soundtrack. Longtime fans looking for a more transformative remake may feel disappointed, but when the core game itself has aged this well, it doesn’t suffer in the ways a lesser title would. If you’ve never played Super Mario RPG, or if you simply want an excuse to revisit it, this remake is for you.

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Olly Smith
Top Critic
Nov 15, 2023

A new lick of paint and some enhanced accessibility improvements bring the Super Mario RPG remake into the 21st century. While the game was already a great outing back in 1996, new players should have no problem jumping into Mario’s first RPG title, hopefully opening the door for next year’s Paper Mario remake and potentially more RPGs later down the line.

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Recommended
Nov 15, 2023

Super Mario RPG is legitimately one of the best video games ever. The original is timeless, and the Switch remake excels at updating the experience to a definitive sheen while retaining all the personality and memorable moments.

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8.7 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2023

Square has conjured up a really detailed role-playing game for the SNES that has been rightly dusted off without changing much of the original: The HD textures and slightly revamped battle system bring Super Mario RPG up to date, and the post-game rematches offer a brand new tough challenge. All summed up, this is a remake of a role-playing game as it should be in the textbook; the only downer is and remains the playing time of the main story, which is too short at roughly 10 hours.

Review in German | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2023

In 1996, Square teamed up with Nintendo to make Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Nearly three decades later, the SNES classic is getting a much-deserved second chance with the excellent Super Mario RPG remake on the Nintendo Switch.

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90 / 100
Nov 15, 2023

Super Mario RPG is so faithful to the original that calling it a remake feels disingenuous. The game is more of a top-to-bottom remaster.

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8 / 10
Nov 15, 2023

There is a lot to love in the Super Mario RPG remake. An adorable art style, deceptively deep combat, an excellent updated soundtrack, and genuinely funny skits and writing all make this game as much of a joy to play as the SNES original. If you can look past the simplicity of the game overall, and the occasionally frustrating experience that is the jumping puzzles, this is a stellar addition to the Switch's already stacked library.

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Nov 15, 2023

Super Mario RPG is a gorgeous reimagining of the SNES classic. Those looking for a dose of nostalgia will be pleased that this is a faithful remake, with just enough tweaks to make it more accessible to a new generation of gamers without diluting the magic of the original.

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8.7 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2023

Super Mario RPG, with its faithful remake, is a vintage yet iconic game that defined the SNES era, offering a fresh and playful adventure that continues to inspire generations.

Review in Italian | Read full review

95 / 100
Nov 15, 2023

Super Mario RPG is a new example of how to represent old classics in a new way. Nintendo just nailed it, presenting gorgeous graphics and music, and making the right choice on how to make better things such as gameplay mechanics and quality of life improvements.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

82%
Nov 15, 2023

In some ways the developers could have been more courageous concerning innovations, because beside graphics and new arranged score there is not much really new stuff. But playing it safe is fine, because with that Super Mario RPG is a beautiful looking role playing game with a great mixture of round based combat and action elements.

Review in German | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2023

Nintendo recaptures the magic of Super Mario RPG, where nostalgia and brilliance go hand to hand thanks to a gameplay with subtle changes that really works.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2023

Consider Super Mario RPG as a textbook: if you want to know how Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi were born, you're in the right place. If you're looking for a great Mario RPG, you'll find an outdated game.

Review in Italian | Read full review

9 / 10
Nov 15, 2023

Super Mario RPG is here in all of its weird, wonderful glory for a new generation to experience, and sets a new standard for how to do a faithful remake right. Delivering a beautifully preserved, pure experience for fans of the original and an accessible entry-point for genre newcomers, the game's infectious charm, writing, and polished gameplay do so much to elevate this beyond what might have been merely a simple RPG starring Mario.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2023

Super Mario RPG is a carefully crafted remake of a classic, shining new light on a game that many will have missed, adding only when necessary and taking nothing away in the process.

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Nov 15, 2023

Super Mario RPG isn't necessarily an improvement over the 1996 version, but it's at least a more approachable experience for kids.

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Nov 15, 2023

Overall, this is a great introduction to RPG games and offers a challenge as you push through the title. It’s got a lovely modern Switch sheen to it but still keeps all the core values of the original, classic game.

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