Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars is a role playing video game designed by Squaresoft (currently Square Enix) and released for the Super Nintendo in 1996. It was the first Mario role-playing game, and worked out fairly well with an action-command battle system. In this game, Mario, with the help of four other characters, needs to stop a new enemy, Smithy, while collecting seven Star Pieces so that peace may return and wishes may be granted once more.

It is sometimes considered one of the best games for the Super Nintendo and possibly one of the best Mario games of all time. However, Super Mario RPG's success was limited due to the release of the Nintendo 64 and Super Mario 64 during the same year. Many fans have wanted a port of Super Mario RPG on the Game Boy Advance or Nintendo DS, but Nintendo has no plans for a re-release at the time. However, Super Mario RPG has recently been confirmed as a game for the Wii's Virtual Console in America only.

Chapter 1
The game begins with a short cutscene. Princess Toadstool was peacefully sitting on a hill outside Mario's Pad. However, she was suddenly kidnapped by King Bowser using the Koopa Clown Car. Mario exited his house then and saw Princess Toadstool in peril. He chases 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 defeating Bowser and rescuing the princess, the castle begins to shake. A giant sword falls from the sky and crashes into the castle, destroying Star Road on the way. The crash sends Mario, Toadstool, and Bowser flying in separate directions.

Mario ends up landing back at his house with no clue as to where Bowser or Toadstool are. Toad, who was at Mario's house 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 is unable to enter the castle, however. Exor, the giant sword, tells Mario that the castle is now the property of the Smithy Gang, taken over to help with its quest to take over the world. Exor destroys the bridge and Mario narrowly escapes.

Mario heads back home. He and Toad travel to Mushroom Kingdom to inform the chancellor of the Princess's kidnapping. After talking with the chancellor, he meets Mallow, apparently a frog from Tadpole Pond. Mario assists him by chasing after Croco, a thief, to recover a frog coin that was stolen from Mallow. When they return, the Mushroom Kingdom is dark and overrun by monsters.

Mario and Mallow enter the castle and meet with Mack, a member of the Smithy Gang, in the throne room. Mario battles him and wins. After Mack is defeated, a star remains. Mario takes it, not knowing quite what it is.

Chapter 2
Mario and Mallow now head to Mallow's home, Tadpole Pond. On their way, which leads through the dark Kero Sewers, they encounter Belome, a giant, dog-like enemy. After Belome is defeated, the sewers are filled with water, and Mario is flushed down Midas River. At Tadpole Pond, Mallow's grandfather Frogfucius reveals that he has only found Mallow floating in a basket as a baby, and is not really his grandfather. He tells Mallow to find his true home.

Mario and Mallow then travel to Rose Town via the Rose Way. Bowser also happens to be at Rose Way at the same time. He has a group of minions with him and tries to get his castle back from the Smithy Gang. However, Mario and Bowser do not meet. As Mario arrives in Rose Town, it is under attack. Paralizing arrows are shot from the nearby forest. The two seek shelter in the local inn. There, Mario plays with the innkeeper's son, Gaz, and his Mario, Bowser and Peach dolls. As the game continues, Gaz brings up his favourite doll: Geno. However, Mario is knocked out by this. While everyone is in bed, a star possesses the Geno doll and walks into the Forest Maze, from where the arrows are shot.

The next day, Mario and Mallow follow Geno's path through the Forest Maze, eventually meeting Bowyer, a bow-like creature who fires the paralizing Aeros. Geno tries to get back the Star Piece that Bowyer holds. It is revealed that the Star Pieces are parts of the Star Road that has been destroyed by Exor. Without the Star Road, wishes are no longer granted. Unable to persuade Bowyer, who is a member of the Smithy Gang, Geno enters combat, and Mario and Mallow join him. Together, they defeat Bowyer and recover the second Star Piece. However, an Aero survives the battle. He hears about the Star Pieces' importance and heads off to inform Smithy.

Chapter 3
While Mario was free to go to Yo'ster Isle via the Pipe Vault, the next stop for Mario and his friends in their search for the Star Pieces is Moleville. Again, they happen to be there the same time as Bowser, but do not meet with him. The number of Bowser's minions has seemingly decreased since his times on Rose Way.

The inhabitants of Moleville are upset because Dyna and Mite Mole have been lost. Mario goes into the Moleville Mines to find them. On his way through the vast caves, Mario jump onto a spring board which pretends to be an exit. However, it was fake, and Mario is smashed against the ceiling. While being unconscious, Croco appears again and steals Mario's coins. Mario chases Croco and the Bandits through the mines and eventually meets up with Croco. They fight again. Half way through the battle, Croco steals all of Mario's items. However, after his defeat, Mario and his friends regain the coins and the items.

Going deeper into the mines, Mario meets the insane Punchinello, who wants to defeat Mario in order to become famous. After a long battle, Punchinello drops a giant Bob-omb, which explodes and covers Mario and his friends with dust. However, they are able to get the third Star Piece, which Punchinello has found in the mines. Mario also finds Dyna and Mite, and they exit the mines through the mine kart track.

Chapter 4
In the meanwhile, Princess Toadstool has fallen from the sky and landed at Booster Tower, the home to the maniacal Booster, who wants to marry her. However, she does not want to and cries out for Mario to help here.

At the time, Mario and his friends, who have previously travelled through Booster Pass, arrive at Booster Tower. The entrance to the tower is locked. However, Bowser shows up again. All of his minions have deserted by this time. On his own, he decides to help out Mario and destroys the tower's front door. He then joins Mario and his friends. Actually, he makes Mario, Mallow and Geno honorary members of the Koopa Troop.

After heading to the highest level of the large tower, Mario enters Booster's room, right before the balcony where Toadstool is held captive. However, Booster enters and Mario hides behind curtains. Booster is looking for his Mario Doll, which he suspects to be somewhere behind the curtains. He and his Snifits search around. If they manage to find Mario while doing so, Mario will have to fight Booster. In both cases, Booster finds his Mario Doll and heads out to his balcony. Mario and his friends follow him onto the balcony. However, Booster and Toadstool have disappeared, and two helpers of Booster, Knife Guy and Grate Guy, battle Mario.

After Knife Guy and Grate Guy are defeated, Mario continues to follow Booster, who is running up Booster Hill with Toadstool and tries to marry her in the wedding town of Marrymore. Mario disruptes the wedding and wants to take the princess back to the Mushroom Kingdom. However, the creators of the wedding cake, Chef Torte and his apprentice, are angry because of this and fight Mario. During the battle, their cake comes to life. After the fight, Booster eats the cake, and Mario and Toadstool go back to the Mushroom Kingdom.

The Chancellor is glad about the princess's return. However, with the help of her grandmother, who is disguising herself as the princess, Toadstool is able to escape from the castle and join Mario's party.

During a short visit at Tadpole Pond, Frogfucius tells Mario he has heard of a Star Piece falling onto Star Hill. Mario heads there instantly and finds the fourth Star Piece, unguarded.

Chapter 5
Mario's next stop is Seaside Town. There, he gets told by the Town Elder that he saw a star fall into The Sea. He asks Mario to get it for him. Mario, knowing that it is a Star Piece, heads off to The Sea. He goes through the grottos by the sea and finally reaches the shore. Underwater, he enters a Sunken Ship on the seabed.

In the Sunken Ship, Mario soon reaches a door which is sealed and can only be opened with the right passwords. There are six rooms where Mario can find hints about the password. With the right word, he can open the door. He proceeds and encounters King Calamari, a giant blooper who caused the ship to sink in the first place.

After a battle with the monstrosity, Mario reaches the lower levels of the ship, and eventually meets Jonathan Jones, the shark owner of the ship. Jones claims the Star Piece for himself as it fell into "his" sea. However, Mario is able to win the Star Piece in a battle with Jones and leaves the ship.

Upon returning to Seaside Town, Mario is stopped by the Town Elder and various other Toads. The Town Elder reveals himself to be Yaridovich, a spear-like member of the Smithy Gang. Actually, Yaridovich has disguised himself as Seaside Town's entire population in order to persuade Mario searching for the Star Piece for him. As Yaridovich threatens to torture the town's real population, Mario hands over the Star Piece. Yaridovich flees and Mario runs after him. Yaridovich was to be taken by the battleship Blade. However, Blade is late, and Yaridovich, being on a dead end cliff near Seaside Town, sees himself forced to swim, despite he admits he might rust when doing so. However, Jonathan Jones jumps out of the water preventing Yaridovich from fleeing. Cornered, Yaridovich changes into his real form and battles Mario and his allies. After a long fight, Mario is able to defeat Yaridovich and regain the fifth Star Piece.

Battle System
Mario fights with two of his four partners at a time, though he is able to switch parters outside of battle. The characters have many stats that grow as they level up:


 * HP, or hit points, show the amount of damage a character can take. When it reaches 0, the character is knocked out and unable to fight unless revived.
 * Speed affects how often and in what order the character fights. Characters with a high speed attack before any other allies or enemies, and could attack multiple times before another character attacks once depending on their speed.
 * Attack is the physical strength of the character. Combined with the character's weapon, it adds up to a final value that affects how much damage he will deal on an opponent with physical attacks.
 * Defense, combined with the character's armor, reduces the amount of damage a character will receive from an enemy's normal physical attack.
 * Magic Attack affects how strong a character's special skill will be.
 * Magic Defense is similar to defense, but only protects against enemies' special skills, not regular attacks.

In addition, each time a character levels up, they can chose one of three groups of stats to gain a bonus in: attack and defense, HP, or magic attack and magic defense. Special skills can be performed by using flower points, or FP. These flower points are not raised by leveling up, but by special items such as the Flower Tab. Characters can grow to level 30.

Battles begin by moving into an enemy on a main game map. In battle, characters have four options:
 * Attack, which allows the character to perform a basic attack using the weapon they have equipped
 * Item, which allows them to use one of the items they have on themselves, an ally, an enemy, or a group of allies or enemies depending on the item
 * Special, which allows the character to use one of the special moves they have acquired by leveling up
 * Etc., which gives the character of defending, ensuring they receive less damage if they are hit by enemy, or running away, which may or may not be possible depending on the enemy being fought and random chance.

After defeating an enemy, the character who defeated it will rarely receive a flower that gives them a special bonus.
 * LUCKY! Flower, which, at the end of the battle, starts a bonus round. By picking the correct egg, experience points or coins may be doubled or brought down to nothing at the end of the battle.
 * HP MAX! Flower, which instantly restores the character's HP level to the max.
 * ATTACK UP! Flower, which brings the character's attack up for the duration of the battle.
 * DEFENSE UP! Flower, which brings the character's defense up for the duration of the battle.
 * ONCE AGAIN! Flower, which allows the character to attack again immediately regardless of speed.

Mario
In battle, Mario is using powerful attacks, hitting his enemies with various Hammers, Koopa Shells or simply his hands. His magic attacks involve jumping and fire magic. When Mario falls in battle, his allies can still fight on and win the battle for him.

Mallow
Mallow is, at first, believed to be a simple frog from Tadpole Pond even though he looks nothing like one. He is the first partner Mario meets, joining Mario during his first visit to the Mushroom Kingdom. He was raised by Frogfucius who found him floating in a basket as a baby. Later, when Mallow and Mario visit Frogfucius, it is revealed that Mallow is not a frog and that his real parents are out there, somewhere. Late in the game, Mario and his party visit Nimbus Land, whose citizens are all of the same species as Mallow. There, Mallow discovers that he is a prince and his parents are King Nimbus and Queen Nimbus.

He has a variety of attacks useful for attacking all of the enemies at one time. He has powerful control over the weather: outside of battle, when he cries, a heavy rainstorm starts. In battle, he can summon things from lightning to snow to a healing rain. In addition, he has a harmless but useful attack, Psychopath, that shows how much HP an enemy has remaining.

Geno
Geno is the second to join. He is from Star Road, and, while his real form appears to be a small star, he takes the form and name of Gaz's doll while with Mario. He reveals to the party what the star pieces discovered by Mario are and their importance.

He is incredibly powerful and has a variety of offensive attacks, one of which can deal 9999 HP of damage on regular enemies.

Bowser
Bowser, for the first time in this game, joins Mario's side. His goal was to take his keep back from Smithy's gang. He and Mario reluctantly join at Booster Tower.

He doesn't have as great a variety of special attacks as the other members of the team, though he is physically incredibly strong.

Princess Toadstool
Princess Toadstool is the last to join. She was kidnapped in the beginning of the game, and, right when Mario rescued her, she was sent flying off. After falling from the sky, she was discovered by Booster and held in his tower. Booster attempted to marry her, but she was eventually rescued by Mario and returned to the Mushroom Kingdom, apparently to stay. However, with the help of her grandmother, who disguised herself as the princess, Toadstool sneaked away to join Mario's party.

Her special skills are mostly defensive and healing, not offensive. Her healing skills can be incredibly useful, and she can resurrect a fallen partner.

Locations
Mario and his party visit many places over the course of the game.




 * Bowser's Keep – It was once Bowser's home, but it was taken over by the Smithy Gang early in the game.
 * Vista Hill – The area that was once connected to Bowser's Castle via bridge, but Exor, the sword who crashed into Bowser's Castle, destroyed the bridge. Nothing of interest here.
 * Mario's Pad – Mario's Home, it includes tools and a pipe for a smokestack. This is where Mario's adventure begins and has free resting.
 * Mushroom Way – It is a short road leading from Mario's Pad to the Mushroom Kingdom.
 * Mushroom Kingdom – A small town. This is where Mack and a group of Shysters take over.
 * Bandit's Way – It is a longer road coming off of the Mushroom Kingdom. It leads nowhere, but it is where Mario and Mallow fought Croco for the first time.
 * Kero Sewers – It is a large sewer system located above Midas Falls. Boos and other enemies inhabit it, and the end is guarded by the doglike Belome.
 * Midas River – It is a large river fed by Midas Falls.
 * Tadpole Pond – It is the home of Frogfucius and once the home of Mallow. As the name implies, many tadpoles inhabit it. Two of them have started shops. Toadofsky, a composer, also lives nearby.
 * Rose Way – It is a short, watery road from Tadpole Pond to Rose Town. Many Crooks inhabit parts of it.
 * Rose Town – A town that is being attacked by arrows. If an arrow hits one of the people, they become paralyzed.
 * Forest Maze – It is a large, winding forest near Rose Town inhabited by enemies. Bowyer, a member of the Smithy Gang, resided in it for a while.
 * Pipe Vault – It is an optional tunnel system leading to Yo'ster Isle. Along with the pipes and tunnels, there are dangerous areas of lava inside.
 * Yo'ster Isle The home of the Mushroom Derby. As the name implies, many Yoshis live their along with a blue yoshi in sunglasses named Boshi.
 * Moleville – A small town inhabited by moles.
 * Moleville Mines – Tunnels in the Moleville Mountain, it begins inhabited by enemies everywhere, but half of it gets free from enemies. It's also home for Punchinello, one of Smithy's Minions who held the Orange Star Piece.
 * Booster Pass – The road between Moleville and Booster Tower used for Apprentices for Booster's Snifits. Has a lot of rock and Artichokers.
 * Booster Tower – Home of Booster and his Snifits and been in his family for generations. He closed off the tower from visitors because of Princess Peach.
 * Booster Hill – A hill between Booster Tower and Marrymore. Not much of anything, except Beetles and Barrels there.
 * Marrymore – As it's name implies, this is where people go to a chapel to be wed.
 * Star Hill – The place where wishes that was granted falls to the Mushroom Kingdon, but due to Smithy destroying the Star Road some ungranted wishes fell, as well. Flowers open doors around there.
 * Seaside Town – A little town that was taken over by Yaridovich for a short while.
 * The Sea – A blue-gray tunnel going from Seaside Town to the Sunken Ship. It has a shop and water. It eventually led to the Sea where you went under and entered the Sunken Ship.
 * Sunken Ship – A ship that sank off the coast of The Sea Passage. It's home to Dry Bones, Greapers, and Puzzles.  Johnny Jones and a Huge Blooper also calls the Sunken Ship home.
 * Land's End – An area that got it's name from the landform near Bean Valley. Cannons are the main means of transportation and then gives way to Whirlpools of Sand.  Also it houses a passage to Kero Sewers
 * Belome Temple – A temple that's under the sands near the end of Land's End. You're path depends on your Fortune.  You fight Belome at the end with the right fortune and he gains the ability to eat any Ally and clone them to fight for him.  It leads to Monstro Town.
 * Monstro Town – The home of ally Koopa Troop members, and oddly, some Smithy Gang members.
 * Bean Valley – This place relies heavily on a Maze of Pipes to ger around. It also led to Grate Guy Casino.
 * Grate Guy's Casino – A Casino that requires a Bright Card to get in. It has Slot Machines, guess the hand, and Blackjack as games.  Built by Grate Guy, 1/2 of the Boss of Booster Tower.
 * Nimbus Land – This is where Mallow's real family is, and also where Valentina took over.
 * Barrel Volcano – A Volcano that powered the Hot Springs in Nimbusland. There's Lava galore and very dangerous enemies here.  Also Houses a two Shops and a Inn.  Czar Dragon rules over the Red Star, but is stolen by the Axem Rangers, five of Smithy Gang and loosely based off the Power Rangers.
 * Factory – Where Smithy lives. Once there, it is noticed that grey versions of Smithy Gang members are produced repetitively.

Bosses
Mario's main antagonists are the Smithy Gang. However, on his way Mario also fought against many enemies from his world. The Smithy Gang members are marked bold.


 * Croco
 * Mack
 * Belome
 * Bowyer
 * Croco (second fight)
 * Punchinello
 * Booster (optional)
 * Grate Guy & Knife Guy
 * King Calamari
 * Jonathan Jones
 * Yaridovich
 * Belome (second fight)
 * Culex (optional)
 * Megasmilax & Smilaxes
 * Birdo
 * Valentina & Dodo
 * Czar Dragon/Zombone
 * Axem Rangers
 * Boomer
 * Exor
 * Count Down and Ding-A-Lings
 * Cloaker & Domino & Earth Link/Mad Adder
 * Factory Chief & Gunyolk
 * Smithy

Enemies

 * Alley Rat
 * Amanita
 * Ameboid
 * Apprentice
 * Arachne
 * Armored Ant
 * Artichoker
 * Bahamutt
 * Bandana Blue
 * Bandana Red
 * Big Bertha
 * Birdy
 * Blaster
 * Bloober
 * Blue Bird
 * Bob-omb
 * Box Boy
 * Buzzer
 * Carroboscis
 * Chained Kong
 * Chester
 * Chewy
 * Chomp
 * Chomp Chomp
 * Chow
 * Cluster
 * Corkpedite
 * Crook
 * Crusty
 * Doppel
 * Dry Bones
 * Enigma
 * Fautso
 * Fink Flower
 * Fireball
 * Frogog
 * Geckit
 * Gecko
 * Glum Reaper
 * Goby
 * Goomba
 * Goombette
 * Gorgon
 * Gu Goomba
 * Guerilla
 * Heavy Troopa
 * Hidon
 * Hippopo
 * Hobgoblin
 * Jabit
 * Jawful
 * Jester
 * K-9
 * Kinklink
 * Kriffid
 * Lakitu
 * Leuko
 * Li'l Boo
 * Machine Made
 * Magmite
 * Magmus
 * Malakoopa
 * Mastadoom
 * Mokura
 * Mr. Kipper
 * Muckle
 * Mukumuku
 * Ninja
 * Octolot
 * Octovader
 * Oerlikon
 * Orb User
 * Orbison
 * Pandorite
 * Pinwheel
 * Piranha Plant
 * Pounder
 * Poundette
 * Pulsar
 * Puppox
 * Pyrosphere
 * Rat Funk
 * Reacher
 * Remo Con
 * Ribbite
 * Rob-omb
 * Sackit
 * Shadow
 * Shaman
 * Shogun
 * Shy Away
 * Shy Guy
 * Shy Ranger
 * Shyper
 * Sky Troopa
 * Sling Shy
 * Snapdragon
 * Snifit
 * Sparky
 * Spikester
 * Spikey
 * Spinthra
 * Spookum
 * Springer
 * Star Cruster
 * Starslap
 * Stinger
 * Straw Head
 * Stumpet
 * Terra Cotta
 * Terrapin
 * The Big Boo
 * Tub-O-Troopa
 * Vomer
 * Wiggler
 * Zeostar

Additional Information
For listings of Shops, Weapons, Armor, Accessories and Special Items, see the respective pages.