Over the past decade or so, Nintendo has seemingly been dead set against mixing Mario with RPG elements, much to the dismay of the many fans of that mashup. RPG mechanics have been largely scrubbed from the Paper Mario games and the Mario & Luigi series has been put out to pasture. So, consider everyone’s surprise when Nintendo recently announced the original Super Mario RPG is getting a full remake this year (and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is getting one next year). What led to this change of heart, I’m not sure, but I’m happy to chalk it up to Nintendo working in mysterious ways and reap the rewards.

　　Does this remake do justice to Super Mario RPG, and perhaps more importantly, does it still stand up as a classic over 25 years later? I’ve had the opportunity to go hands-on with the new Super Mario RPG and can comment on roughly the first third of the game (up until the point when you claim the third Star Piece). Grab some max mushrooms and syrup and scroll down for my initial impressions.

　　For those new to Super Mario RPG, don’t expect a particularly complex plot, although the game’s writers did throw a few twists into the mix. While the game begins with Bowser kidnapping Peach as per usual, things take a turn when a giant sword named Exor and his minions take over Bowser’s castle, scattering Mario, his friends, and the Koopa king himself to the four corners of the world. Of course, it’s up to you to take out this new threat by traveling through various lands and collecting Star Pieces.

　　While Super Mario RPG’s overall narrative is simple, the fun is in the fine details. This was one of the first Mario games to subvert some of the franchise’s tropes, and while things like playing up Bowser’s insecurities and ineptitude have been done many times since, there are still plenty of fun lines (all of which seem to be identical to the original game) and moments to be experienced here. There’s also a surprising depth to this game’s world, with a number of full-fledged RPG towns full of quirky NPCs that will tattoo themselves into your memory. While it may feel slightly strange at first, there’s a charming off-brand feeling to the game, with Square-created characters like Geno and Mallow lending a unique flavor to the proceedings.

　　Super Mario RPG's one-of-a-kind world has been beautifully updated, with some of the sharpest visuals you’ll see on the Switch. From the polished halls of Peach’s castle to the leafy depths of the Forest Maze, everything is vastly richer, more colorful, and detailed than before. Despite this, the old-school charm of the original Super Mario RPG is retained. While the game now offers up the occasional full-on pre-rendered cutscene, most of the game’s story is still delivered via isometric visuals and intentionally choppy retro animations. This still feels like a 16-bit RPG, even if it’s miles apart visually. The excellent soundtrack from the SNES game also returns, with players being able to switch between classic tracks and a new score updated by original composer Yoko Shimomura.

　　Turning to gameplay, the well-liked turn-based combat system of the original Super Mario RPG returns. Players can perform an array of regular or special attacks, with well-timed button presses either increasing your offense or reducing the damage you take from enemies. This was the perfect approach to a Mario RPG back in 1996, and it still is now. While it may initially seem like not much has changed, a peek at the original game shows how much the UI has improved in the remake. A few new mechanics have also been introduced, such as all enemies on screen being damaged if you time an attack perfectly. Speaking of timing, hitting those buttons at the right time now fills up a new gauge, which, when maxed out, will let you unleash powerful new Triple Move team-up attacks.

　　Between battles, Super Mario RPG’s level design remains largely the same, with the solutions to puzzles and even the placement of secret chests being unchanged. That said, everything feels a bit easier to navigate, something you’ll particularly feel during moments like the log-ride and minecart minigames, which are just a lot more fluid this time around. Beyond that, there are plenty of new quality-of-life improvements like autosaving and other little things I perhaps didn’t notice, but I’m sure I’d miss if I went back to playing the original game.

Current Thoughts on Super Mario RPG

　　The Super Mario RPG remake launches on Switch on November 17. You can expect a review from Wccftech prior to launch.