Emerging as the product of a now-extinct joint effort by Squaresoft and Nintendo, Super Mario RPG pulls off unadulterated amazement. Square consistently awes our team with gorgeous hit after hit, pushing the power of the Super NES to its very limits, and this package strikes an undeniable bullseye. It all kicks off with the familiar tale of King Bowser kidnapping Princess Toadstool. Mario is on the cusp of a daring rescue, but then - kaboom! From the heavens descends a mammoth sword into Bowser's castle, spewing our characters across the map. Thus begins Mario's adventure across the Mushroom Kingdom, from the peachy town of Marrymore to the wayward Booster Tower. Join with unlikely companions including a possessed marionette and an affable cloud to unravel the mysteries of Toadstool's disappearance and the ferocious Smithy Gang.

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Along the way, players will face down an array of baddies via traditional FF-like RPG combat. Newcomers to the genre will have no need to fear any overwhelming technical aspects or submenus within submenus. Square implemented an exceptionally easy to understand battle system with turn-based rounds, character-specific Hit Points and Flower Points (an MP-like gauge for special moves), and a friendly UI with each face button corresponding to its own action. In addition, hitting the attack button right before damage is dealt will result in a "Timed Hit" for extra power. This aspect in particular makes stomping koopas endless fun! Putting aside the outrageously cool, SGI graphics on display in this cart, the presentation is a homerun. Mario RPG overflows with imaginative ideas, charming animations, and aesthetically pleasing designs.

Printed in Issue #37, May 1996