Rumors were rumbling that there was going to be a Super Nintendo remake announced sometime this summer. Wednesday’s June 2023 Nintendo Direct had an incredible amount of Mario-related announcements. Not only did we receive confirmation of an all-new 2D Mario, but an HD remake of Super Mario RPG. The legendary classic will be heading to Nintendo Switch this Holiday season.
What’s Old Is New
The original Super Mario RPG was released on the SNES back in 1996. That square-developed game, took Mario on a turn-based role-playing adventure for the very first time! Taking heavy inspiration from Square’s previous SNES Final Fantasy titles, Mario RPG proved to be a critical success. While the game never saw a sequel, it did spawn many spiritual successors, such as the Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario series.
Remake Ala Link’s Awakening
The 2-minute trailer revealed that this remake of Super Mario RPG will be faithful to its SNES original. 2019’s The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening Nintendo Switch remake proved that if a game is good, all a game needs is a fresh coat of paint. The original release’s box art draws heavy inspiration for the remake’s art style. The character designs are shortened, and almost chibi-like, yet filled with detail and vibrancy. The color vibrance and detail carry over to the game’s isometric overworld, as well.
The Super Mario RPG remake arrives on Nintendo Switch on November 17th, 2023. Digital pre-orders are live exclusively on the Nintendo Switch eShop, however, physical pre-orders are also available at various retailers. If you’re hankering for more Mario RPG, check out GameFrank’s video retrospective of the original SNES release. Also, be sure to keep it locked to Marooner’s Rock for more Nintendo news and reviews!
