Antique Gaming - SNES - Super Mario RPG Intro.

ANTIQUE GAMING

Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Allow me to introduce you to my favorite video game OF ALL TIME, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. I have decided to compose an in-depth series of blog posts about my Super Mario RPG experience. I started a new game at 1:32 p.m. TODAY, July 17, 2013, in order to provide you, my readers, with my opinions and my personal tips and tricks on beating this game, while having some serious fun! The fact that this game is 17-years-old means absolutely nothing; the amazing amount of depth and detail was far beyond its time. Super Mario RPG was released for SNES in North America on May 13, 1996. Let’s hear it for the developers: SQUARE and the publishers: NINTENDO!

The opening scene shows Princess Toadstool sitting on a hill in front of Mario’s house, dancing with butterflies. All of a sudden, it gets dark and Bowser shows up, in all his glory, riding in his flying machine, and kidnaps Princess Toadstool. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Bowser has a serious kidnapping-Princess-Toadstool problem! Toadstool screams, “HELP!” and Mario comes barreling out of his house and jumps to Bowser’s Keep, where Bowser and Toadstool have just arrived.

Upon entering Bowser’s Keep, the player is introduced to their first game play moment. The player will be controlling Mario as he ventures through the Keep. I will describe the scene from Mario’s perspective. I find myself standing in the entrance to Bowser’s Keep. The details are incredible as compared to other games created for the SNES. I see many, creepy statues of what look like tiny Bowsers with blacked-out eyes lining the walkway to a large, red door.

The only aggravating thing about this game is controlling Mario. It’s kind of difficult to get him to walk in the direction you want. After playing current video game systems and getting used to the infinite range of motion they offer, control is something you definitely have to get used to when playing this game.

First thing, I head through the door to find a room full of Terrapins (armored turtles). The Terrapins will chase Mario when you get near them. If you run into them, a battle will begin. I find myself standing in a small battle area with Mario on the nearest side and the enemy on the other. Battling enemies consists of taking turns attacking each other until someone is defeated (runs out of Hit Points). Mario is equipped with default beginner moves right now. The A button is currently “unarmed” and the Y button offers a special move called “jump.” The unarmed A attack allows Mario to punch his enemy. I have the option of using the “JUMP” attack, also, which is sometimes more effective, but in this section of the game, no Experience Points or Coinage is offered, therefore I see no point in wasting my Flower Points (which are required to perform Y actions).

As Mario excels in the game, he will be able to purchase, and occasionally, find new weapons. As Mario levels up, he will learn new Y techniques. The only fallback on Y techniques is that the higher the technique level, the more flower points are required to use it.

I perform a punch attack on my current opponent, the Terrapin. 24-Hit-Damage and Terrapin is defeated. Ha! Take that! Since, at this point in the game, you are not getting any experience toward levelling up, I suggest you try to slip past as many enemies as possible instead of stopping to fight them all. Unless, of course, you have no experience playing the game whatsoever, then it would probably help you get a handle on the way things work in battle.

I jump through the room, avoiding all other foes, but I am stopped at the next door by two Terrapins guarding the door. I enter into battle to find there are four Terrapins to be defeated! Super Mario RPG utilizes Timed Hits. There is a point, while the enemy is attacking, that if you press B, your character will go into defense mode and less damage will be taken.

This battle against four Terrapins only cost Mario 4 HP off his initial 20 and each Terrapin was defeated after one hit. Mario is now down to 16 HP, will he make it through Bowser’s Keep ALIVE?? I travel through the next door to find a room filled with LAVA. There is a bridge going across with fireballs jumping into the air. This is a refreshing flashback to the original Super Mario Bros. After crossing a second bridge, I am stopped, and it crashes into the lava! There’s no turning back now, be strong Mario!

Through yet another door, I find myself in a stone chamber with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. As Mario walks forward, we get a glimpse of Princess Toadstool’s feet kicking up near a chandelier. Mario looks around, then up, and jumps to a chandelier neighboring the one Bowser is standing on. Princess Toadstool is tied up, hanging in the air next to Bowser.

Princess Toadstool: Don’t let Bowser bruise you, Mario!

Bowser: Mario! Prepare yourself for the great beyond!

Ha ha! I’m not afraid of you Bowser! I have beat you various times in every Mario game up to this point. In my experience, there is NO WAY of defeating Bowser by attacking him personally. In this crucial battle, Mario has the option to attack the Kinklink, which consists of a Chomp holding up the chandelier. At the beginning of the battle, Mario is back up to his original 20 HP.

Two JUMP attacks on the Kinklink and lightning flashes. The chandelier begins to fall.

As Bowser is going down he yells, “Coming Mario?” Then a hammer comes flying from somewhere off-screen and strikes the Kinklink holding up Mario’s chandelier. Mario starts to climb down, but Princess Toadstool tells Mario to “FIGHT!” Bowser throws another hammer, it hits the Kinklink and Mario begins to fall. When Bowser comes into view, as both he and Mario are falling, he is crying. He immediately stops when he sees Mario. Bowser gloats because he thinks he has defeated Mario, and jumps toward him, as if to attack, and Mario jumps also, bounces off Bowsers head and up out of sight. Bowser exclaims, “Fungah! Foiled again!” Then continues to cry as the chandelier continues to fall.

The camera follows Mario up as he grabs the chain that was previously holding the chandelier. Princess Toadstool tells Mario she was so worried and suggests they get out of there. The Keep begins to shake violently. Princess Toadstool yells, “I’m going to fall!” She and Mario fall out of sight.

There is a giant sword surrounded by seven orbiting stars falling from the clouds. The sword falls into Bowser’s Keep and sits stationary in the middle. 

The stars fly off in different directions, with one falling into Bowser’s Keep. Mario is seen flying across the sky and falls into his house through the green, pipe chimney.

Toad, a small mushroom-man, is standing outside and sees Mario when he comes flying. Toad goes running into the house to find Mario hanging from a coat hook on the wall. He laughs at Mario, telling him that most people use doors to get into their houses. Toad also says that he is there to pick up Princess Toadstool since she is running late. Toad leave the house, then game play continues.

Mario’s house is simple and cute, similar to the way most houses in Super Mario RPG are depicted. It is only one room; consisting of a green, plaid bed, a couple of windows, a crate, a table, and a dresser with a lamp on it. If you find yourself low on HP, you can come back to the “PipeHouse,” as Mario’s home is called, turn the lamp off, and catch some Zzzzzz’s, restoring yours and your party members HP.

I jump off the hook and go outside, where Toad is pacing back and forth. I walk up to Toad and press A to start a conversation. Toad says he thought the Princess was with Mario. Mario says nothing. Mario does not talk during this game; he uses hand gestures and storytelling by turning himself into other characters. Anyone Mario is communicating with surprisingly understands him. Toad asks why Mario is giving him the silent treatment. Then finally figures out that Bowser must have something to do with it. Toad then asks Mario to bring Princess Toadstool back, like he always does.

I take Mario to the tab leading to the World Map, but Toad stops me, saying that Mario needs to remember to save. Toad informs Mario that he must jump on the glowing SAVE box. The creators of the game make it very easy to know where to go to save. The SAVE boxes are big and flashy; there is a rotating star on the top of the box with flashing “S”’s on the sides. You simply hop up, choose a save slot and press A to save at any SAVE box in the game. After saving, Toad will allow you to leave.

The World Map shows all the places you can go with Mario. There will be flashing dots connected you to the places you can travel. The only place I can currently go is to Bowser’s Keep. Mario walks up to the door, looks up, and sees the giant sword sitting in the middle of the Keep. The sword informs Mario that the Keep now belongs to the “Smithy Gang,” then shakes so violently that the bridge falls away, with Mario bouncing backwards off it.

Now, I can no longer access Bowser’s Keep. I can only get as far as Vista Hill, an overlook where people stand to see the creepy phenomenon in the distance. I go back to Mario’s Pad to tell Toad the bad news. Upon arrival, Toad is nowhere to be seen, so I enter the PipeHouse. I find Toad waiting for me there.

Toad assumed Mario had forgotten something after seeing him back so quickly. Mario then depicts the scene of what had happened at the Keep from the top of his table. Toad exclaims that it is just wonderful that the bridge to the Keep was out just when Mario was trying to rescue the Princess. He goes on to say that they must now travel to Mushroom Kingdom to inform the Chancellor of what had happened. Toad then leave the PipeHouse, so I follow.

As I exit to the World Map, Toad comes rushing back, knocking Mario off his feet. Toad explains to Mario that the fall had reduced his HP. He tells Mario that one of Mushroom Kingdom’s famous items ought to perk him right up and gives Mario a “Mushroom.” Toad then asks if you know how to use items. If you don’t, select “I have no idea,” and Toad will go on to explain that if you open your MENU using the X button, there will be an option ITEMS. You select ITEMS to see all of the ITEMS you have, then you select one and decide which character you will use it on. I already know how to use items, therefore I select, “Of course I do.”

Toad then goes on to say that he rushed back so quickly to inform Mario that Mushroom Way was overrun with monsters and to ask if Mario would do something about it. A goomba shows up and Toad asks Mario if he knows about Timed Hits. If you do not know, select, “no,” and Toad will tell you all about it. I do, so I select, “yes.” Toad tells the Goomba that Mario knows about Timed Hits and is going to knock its lights out. The Goomba runs away. Toad says, “He’s got more bark than bite, huh?” to Mario. Toad reminds Mario that they need to tell the Chancellor about Toadstool. Toad gives Mario 3 more mushrooms and leaves, saying he will see Mario at Mushroom Kingdom.

It is NOW time to begin the official journey! SAVE again and we’ll be off to Mushroom Way!

My next post will consist of Mario’s journey from this point through the defeating of BOSS #1: MACK. One of the things I love most about Super Mario RPG is the story! Another thing is the characters; the creators of this game had amazing imaginations! In my next post Mario will find his first companion, be faced with attempting to help a friend after a robbery, and battle his first BOSS. Subscribe! Comments are welcomed! “Like” me as a writer on Facebook: Chandra Goodpaster, FOLLOW on Twitter: cdgoodpaster. Thanks! J