Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
- "Super Mario RPG" redirects here. For the Nintendo Switch remake, see Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch). For the Japanese commercial song, see Super Mario RPG (song).
- "Mario RPG" redirects here. For Mario RPGs in general, see Genre ยง Role-playing games.
| Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars | |||||||||||||
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 For alternate box art, see the related gallery. | |||||||||||||
| Developer | Square | ||||||||||||
| Publisher | Nintendo | ||||||||||||
| Platforms | Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Virtual Console (Wii, Wii U), Super NES Classic Edition, Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Famicom | ||||||||||||
| Release dates | Super Famicom: March 9, 1996[1]Super Nintendo Entertainment System:  May 13, 1996[2] 1996[3]Virtual Console (Wii): June 24, 2008[4] August 22, 2008[5] August 22, 2008[5] September 1, 2008[6]Virtual Console (Wii U): August 5, 2015[7] December 24, 2015[8] December 24, 2015[9] June 30, 2016[10]Super NES Classic Edition: September 29, 2017[11] September 29, 2017[12] September 30, 2017[13]Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Famicom: October 5, 2017[14] | ||||||||||||
| Languages | English Japanese | ||||||||||||
| Genre | RPG | ||||||||||||
| Ratings |
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| Mode | Single player | ||||||||||||
| Format |
 CartridgeSNES:  Game PakWii:  Digital download Digital downloadBuilt-in
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| Input | SNES: Wii:
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| Serial codes | SHVC-ARWJ-JPN SNS-ARWE-USA | ||||||||||||
- Kids to Adults
- All ages
- Three years and older
- All ages
- General audience
- General
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (also known as simply Super Mario RPG)[16][17] is a role-playing video game designed by Square and released for the Super Famicom and Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1996. It is the first role-playing game in the Super Mario franchise, with an action-command battle system. In this game, Mario, with the help of Mallow, Geno, Bowser, and Princess Toadstool, aims to stop the Smithy Gang, while collecting seven Star Pieces so that peace may return and wishes may be granted once more.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars's success was limited due to the release of the Nintendo 64 and Super Mario 64 later in the same year. It was one of the last games in Square's original deal with Nintendo, and the final Super Mario game on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in North America (the final game for the Super Famicom is instead Wrecking Crew '98). The game was re-released on the Wii's Virtual Console in Japan on June 24, 2008;[18] in Europe and Australia on August 22, 2008; and in North America on September 1, 2008. The game was also re-released for the Wii U's Virtual Console in Japan in August 2015, in Europe and Australia in December 2015, and in North America in June 2016. In Europe, the game was treated as an import game, meaning that only the 60Hz mode is supported and with no more translations than the original. The game was priced at 800 Wii Points in North America and Japan and 900 points in other regions. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars is also one of the 21 titles included on the Super NES Classic Edition.
A full remake of the game, simply titled Super Mario RPG, was developed by ArtePiazza and released for the Nintendo Switch on November 17, 2023.[19]
Story[edit]
Prologue[edit]
The game begins with a cutscene: Princess Toadstool sits peacefully on a hill outside Mario's Pad, when she is suddenly kidnapped by King Bowser using the Koopa Clown Car. Mario hears her cry for help and exits his house, knowing Toadstool is in peril. He follows Toadstool and Bowser and ends up at Bowser's Keep. After going through the castle, Mario finally catches up with Bowser and proceeds to battle him on the chandeliers. Upon besting him, he is about to rescue the princess when the castle begins to shake. A giant sword named Exor falls from the sky and crashes into Bowser's Keep, destroying the Star Road on the way, whose pieces scatter all throughout the world. The crash sends Mario, Toadstool, and Bowser flying in separate directions, and they all land in different parts of the world.
Mario lands back at his house where Toad has been searching for Toadstool. When Toad discovers that the princess is not there, he asks Mario to go back to Bowser's Keep to bring her back. Mario has no idea where she or Bowser are, but goes to check the castle just in case. But when he arrives, he is shocked by the sight of Exor, who tells Mario that the keep is now property of the Smithy Gang, taken over to help with its quest to rule the world. Exor destroys the bridge entryway Mario is standing in, though he narrowly manages to escape in time. The castle is thus rendered unreachable.
Mushroom Kingdom[edit]
Mario returns to his home, where he explains the situation to Toad, who suggests going to Mushroom Kingdom to inform the Chancellor. After crossing Mushroom Way, they arrive to their destination, and enter the Mushroom Castle. There, Mario informs the Chancellor, who entrusts him the task of saving Toadstool. As the plumber exits the castle, Mario meets Mallow, supposedly a frog from Tadpole Pond, who was running an errand for his grandfather before the thief Croco stole his coin. Mario decides to assist Mallow, and so they both chase Croco to Bandit's Way and recover the coin. When they return, Mushroom Kingdom is dark and overrun by monsters making mischief.
Mario and Mallow enter the Mushroom Castle and encounter their leader, Mack, a sword-like member of the Smithy Gang, in the throne room. Mario battles him and wins. After his defeat, a Star Piece remains. Mario takes it, not quite knowing what it is. Those remaining of Mack's minions flee, intending to warn Mack's boss about Mario. With Mushroom Kingdom saved, Mallow has the idea to go to his home, Tadpole Pond, to ask his grandfather for advice regarding the strange series of events that have happened recently. Therefore, the duo departs for there.
Pond to Pipes[edit]
On their way, they travel through the Kero Sewers and fight Belome, a big, dog-like enemy. After he is beaten, the sewers are filled with water, and Mario is flushed down the falls and along the Midas River, which takes him to Tadpole Pond. Once there, Mallow's grandfather Frogfucius explains to them what happened until then, and also reveals that he is not truly related to Mallow. He tells Mallow to travel with Mario and find his true home. Lastly, he instructs the duo to continue their adventure by visiting Rose Town, where people need their help.
Mario and Mallow then travel to Rose Town via Rose Way. During their journey, they nearly run into Bowser. They spy on him, discovering that he and some of his underlings are trying to get their castle back from the Smithy Gang. After they leave, and Mario and Mallow arrive in Rose Town. The place is under attack: paralyzing arrows rain from the sky. The two seek shelter in the local inn. There, Mario plays with the innkeeper's son, Gaz, and his Mario doll, Bowser doll, and Toadstool doll. As the game continues, Gaz brings out his favorite doll, Geno. However, Mario is knocked out by a stray punch from the toy. While everyone is in bed, a star possesses the Geno doll and walks into the origin of the falling arrows, the Forest Maze.
The next day, the duo overhears Gaz claiming that he saw Geno walk into the forest, and so they venture there. Soon after they arrive, they glimpse Geno, and they follow him into the depths of the Forest Maze. There, they peek on Bowyer, a bow-like member of the Smithy Gang responsible for firing the paralyzing arrows, and Geno, who tries to get back the Star Piece that Bowyer holds. As he is unable to persuade Bowyer, Geno fights him, and Mario and Mallow soon join him. Together, they beat Bowyer and obtain the second Star Piece. Geno introduces himself and reveals his objective to Mario and Mallow: recovering the seven Star Pieces, parts of the Star Road that has been destroyed by Exor. Without the Star Road, wishes cannot be granted. The trio resolve to join forces to thwart Smithy, the leader of the Smithy Gang, and repair the Star Road. However, one of Bowyer's surviving flunkies overhears Geno's explanation, and heads off to inform Smithy.
Mole Mountains[edit]
The next stop for Mario's party in their search for the Star Pieces is Moleville. Here, Mario spots Bowser and his troops once more. The number of Bowser's minions has decreased since his time on Rose Way, but Bowser still resolves to get his castle back.
The inhabitants of Moleville are upset because two children, Dyna & Mite, have become trapped in the Coal Mines due to a fallen star. Upon hearing this, Mario ventures inside, and on his way through the vast caves, he is rendered unconscious by a faulty trampoline, an opportunity that Croco seizes to steal Mario's coins. Mario pursues him and his Crook accomplices, and faces off against him. After he is dispatched, Mario and his friends regain what they lost, and obtain a bomb from him that they use to open their way through the mines.
Going deeper, Mario meets Punchinello, who wants to best Mario in order to become famous. Before being beaten, he summons a giant bomb, which explodes but fortunately only covers Mario and his friends with soot. They claim the third Star Piece, which was close at hand. Mario also finds Dyna & Mite, and after they all exit the mines through the minecar railway, the children are safely returned to their parents. As soon as Mario and company leave Dyna & Mite's house, they stumble across Booster's Snifits, who mention that their boss is busy entertaining a "princess from the sky". And so, the party leaves Moleville, both in search of more Star Pieces and because of this new piece of information.
When Mario, Toadstool, and Bowser got launched from Bowser's Keep, Princess Toadstool landed at Booster Tower, home of the maniacal Booster, who wants to marry her and is holding her captive. Distressed due to this development, she cries out for Mario to help her.
After a short trip past Booster Pass, Mario's party arrives at Booster Tower. They see Bowser, alone, lamenting the loss of his keep and the "good old days". Once he becomes aware of Mario, he tries to act tough. At the top of the tower, Toadstool notices Mario as well, and calls out to him. Bowser leaves, feigning indifference, but returns after Mario is unable to open the tower's front door. He decides to help out Mario out of his own free will and breaks the door open. He then joins Mario and his friends by making them honorary members of the Koopa Troop.
After reaching the tower's top floor, Mario enters Booster's room, which is right before the balcony where Toadstool is held captive. Just then, Booster enters and Mario is forced to hide behind some curtains. Booster and his Snifits look around for the former's Mario doll, and eventually head out to the balcony, with Mario and his friends in hot pursuit. However, they have already made off with Toadstool, and two helpers of Booster, Knife Guy and Grate Guy, battle Mario, but are bested in the end.
Mario races after Booster, who runs up Booster Hill with Toadstool. He attempts to marry her in the town of Marrymore, but Mario disrupts the wedding. Just before he and Toadstool can exit the chapel to head back to Mushroom Kingdom, the creators of the wedding cake, Chef Torte and his Apprentice, angry because of their wasted efforts, fight Mario. During the battle, their cake comes to life and attacks, but is ultimately eaten by Booster. Mario and Toadstool go back to the Mushroom Castle, where they are welcomed. She, though, wants to aid Mario in his adventure, and so with the help of her chambermaid, Toadstool is able to sneak out of the castle and arrange for her to remain unnoticed, and officially joins Mario's party. Mallow suggests asking Frogfucius if he knows anything about any missing Star Pieces.
Seaside[edit]
Once at Tadpole Pond, Frogfucius tells Mario that he has heard of a Star Piece falling onto Star Hill. Mario finds the fourth Star Piece soon after arriving, away from any member of the Smithy Gang.
Mario's next stop is Seaside Town. There, he hears from the village "elder" that a star fell into the neighboring sea. He asks Mario to get it for him. Mario, knowing that it is a Star Piece, heads there. He goes through the grottoes by the sea and finally sets foot onto shore. Underwater, he enters a sunken ship on the seabed.
Before long, Mario reaches a door that is sealed and can only be opened with the right password. Upon opening the door, he encounters King Calamari, a giant Bloober who caused the ship to sink in the first place.
After conquering him, Mario reaches the lower levels of the ship, and meets Jonathan "Johnny" Jones, the captain of the ship. Johnny claims the Star Piece for himself as it fell into "his" sea, though Mario is able to win the Star Piece in a duel with him.
Upon returning to Seaside Town, Mario is stopped by the "elder", who reveals himself as Yaridovich, a spear-like member of the Smithy Gang, and who had disguised himself as the town's entire population in order to trick Mario into searching for the Star Piece for him. Yaridovich pressures Mario into handing over the Star Piece and flees, and Mario runs after him. Since Yaridovich's getaway vehicle, the battleship Blade, is unavailable, he sees himself forced to swim away, but Johnny arrives and blocks his escape route. Cornered, Yaridovich changes into his real form and battles Mario's party, but fails, and the group regains the fifth Star Piece and saves the denizens of Seaside Town. Mario learns from the real elder that, apparently, there is a star in Monstro Town, a settlement populated by reformed monsters located at the far side of Land's End.
Land's End[edit]
And so, Mario and his friends move on to Land's End. They climb a mountain and traverse a desert area, but then they are unable to go any higher because the cliff beyond the desert is too tall. So they are forced to take a detour down some desert whirlpools, and at some point end up underground, at Belome Temple. There, they encounter Belome for a second time. The hungry monster tries to eat them, but again is vanquished. After the fight, Mario goes through a Warp Pipe and reaches Monstro Town.
There, he asks Monstermama about the Star Pieces, and after clearing up a misunderstanding, she says that the sixth Star Piece has to be somewhere in the clouds, as there is no place left on land to look for it. To help Mario climb the huge cliff in Land's End and therefore ascend, she calls Sergeant Flutter. With the help of Flutter and his Sky Troopas, Mario and his friends discover Bean Valley. In a Warp Pipe at the end of it, a Shy Away grows a giant Piranha Plant, Smilax, according to the orders of someone called Valentina. Mario and company have to beat it to gain access to the giant beanstalk which leads up into the clouds and Nimbus Land.
Nimbus Land[edit]
As Mario reaches Nimbus Land's plaza, Valentina, the royal aide, gives a speech to the citizens, in which she says that King Nimbus is ill at the moment and cannot do his business, and introduces the giant bird Dodo as the long-lost Prince Mallow. Though Dodo looks nothing like a local and cannot speak, Valentina claims the "prince" wants to marry her, thus making her the queen of Nimbus Land. She then enters Nimbus Castle, which has been closed to the public.
Though Mallow does not realize at first that he is the actual prince, he is told so by Garro, a sculptor for the royal family. Garro agrees to help Mario and Mallow foil Valentina. He disguises Mario as one of his statues, and takes him into Nimbus Castle without arousing suspicion. Once inside, Mario barely escapes Dodo's wrath and Valentina's guards' attention, leaving him free to fight his way through the heavily guarded castle.
On their route through it, Mario's team encounters a giant egg called Shelly, which turns out to contain Birdo, who works for Valentina. After getting the better of her, Mario reaches the rearmost part of the castle and challenges Valentina and Dodo. They run away and Mario gives chase. He intercepts them in Nimbus Land's plaza, engages them in battle, and defeats them. Valentina escapes by flying away with Dodo, falling through the clouds soon after and ending up at Booster Tower, just as Toadstool did before.
Following that, Mallow is reunited with his parents, King and Queen Nimbus. They say they heard a Star Piece has fallen into the nearby Barrel Volcano. Mario's team leaps off the clouds from the royal hot spring zone and fall right into the vent of the volcano. The heroes fight their way through, eventually facing the Czar Dragon, the guardian of the sixth Star Piece. They manage to overcome it and its resurrected form, the undead Zombone. As Mario is about to collect the Star Piece, it is snatched away by the Axem Rangers, five members of the Smithy Gang, who turn tail with it.
Mario catches up with them at Barrel Volcano's vent. Blade, the battleship that failed to take away Yaridovich earlier, arrives then, and the Axem Rangers and Mario's party battle there. The party triumphs over the Rangers, whom are last seen going down alongside an exploding Blade. Mario finally gets the sixth Star Piece.
Smithy Factory[edit]
After meeting King and Queen Nimbus again, Mario and his friends take Nimbus Land's royal bus to assail Bowser's Keep, which is unreachable through any other means.
Mario enters the castle, and soon comes across a room with doors to six corridors, of which he has to clear four. Two corridors are action courses, two are fighting areas, and two are puzzle courses led by Dr. Topper. After the required number of courses is cleared, Mario proceeds and fights a mind-controlled Magikoopa. After he is beaten, Magikoopa comes to his senses again and assists Mario's party by creating the magic treasure box as well as healing them.
Mario almost immediately reaches the final room of the keep, and gets onto the chandeliers he fought Bowser on at the beginning of the game. This time, the enemy is the Smithy Gang swordsman Boomer, though he is taken care of. The chandelier with Mario's party on it is transported upwards by a Chandeli-ho to the highest tower of the keep. There, the party finally enters combat with Exor, and manage to thwart it. Upon its defeat, Exor inhales Mario's party with its mouth, which acts as a portal to Smithy's world.
Mario, Mallow, Geno, Bowser, and Toadstool are brought to the road to Smithy's base of operations for the invasion of Mario's world. In this gloomy world, Machine Mades abound, metallic copies produced en masse of Smithy Gang members that Mario has faced before: Mack, Bowyer, Yaridovich, and the Axem Rangers. Along the way, they fight Count Down, a giant stopwatch.
They also battle the duo of Cloaker and Domino, and their pet snake. Nonetheless, even with the help of the snake, they are bested by Mario. Mario and company then enter the production lines of the Factory proper. There, they have to challenge the Factory's Clerk, Manager, and Director before meeting the Factory Chief. The Factory Chief uses the Gunyolk in battle, but Mario's team still overcomes him.
The five heroes at last meet Smithy himself in the basement of the Factory. Smithy constantly creates weapons with his hammer and the Smelter. On top of that, he holds the seventh and last Star Piece. Refusing to give it away, he engages Mario and his allies in battle. Despite employing the Smelter to create Shypers to aid him in battle, he is soon defeated. Enraged, he slams the floor with his hammer and the floor gives way, and Smithy, along with Mario and company, falls down to a dark area below the Factory.
Furious, Smithy changes into his real form for the final battle. With his hammer, he has the power to transform his head into five different forms, all with special abilities. However, after a long battle, he is trounced and destroyed by Mario and company, who proceed to claim the final Star Piece.
Conclusion[edit]
With all seven Star Pieces retrieved, Geno thanks the others and says goodbye, before leaving his doll body and returning to his original form. The Star Road is restored, and Mario, Mallow, Bowser, Toadstool, and the Geno doll are returned to Mario's world. Exor dissolves into nothing.
Each of the seven Star Pieces shows the events that follow after the defeat of Smithy:
- Mallow is crowned the prince of Nimbus Land.
- Bowser repairs his keep with the help of his minions.
- Johnny looks out at the sunset from the cliff where the Yaridovich battle took place.
- Croco is seen racing the Mushroom Derby against Yoshi. Though he loses the race, he is consoled by Boshi, and the two walk off together (seemingly establishing a friendship).
- Frogfucius and his student both attend a concert held by Toadofsky.
- Valentina and Booster hold a wedding, with Dodo presiding over the ceremony. In spite of that, Booster runs off and Valentina follows, leaving Dodo confused.
- Mario and Princess Toadstool return to Mushroom Kingdom, thanking the player for all of their hard work.
As the credits roll, there is a parade featuring most of the game's cast. In his only appearance in the game, Luigi leads the parade as its grand marshal.
Gameplay[edit]
Mario traverses an overworld filled with NPCs and enemies. If he touches an enemy, the player is taken to a turn-based battle with said foe and possibly other foes.
Worlds are broken up into levels which must be traveled to using the map screen. Usually, Mario must complete an objective before he can progress to the next section of a world. During the adventure, the player occasionally must play a minigame in order to progress.
Controls[edit]
| Controller | Field | Battle | Menu |
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| SNES Controller |
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| Wii Classic Controller |
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| GameCube Controller |
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| Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller (Default) |
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Objects[edit]
| Sprite | Name | Description |
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Save Block | Allows the |