New Content
It’s great that this game is getting a new version, but I hope it’s not just a copy of the old one. It would be great if there were some new things here. For a SNES RPG, the first game is pretty short, so adding a level or two would be great.
They could even add some kind of endless dungeon that players can keep going back to for more prizes and maybe even a leaderboard for online support. Nintendo or whoever is in charge of making this game doesn’t have to go crazy, but if they add anything new to Super Mario RPG, that would be great.
Voice Acting
There have been a lot of remakes of SNES games, and they all have different goals. Square Enix released Live A Live in HD-2D for the first time in the West in 2022. Voice acting was also added to the game, so if a 16-bit RPG can have voice acting, so can Super Mario RPG.
Nintendo doesn’t have to spend a lot of money on AAA talent like their latest animated blockbuster. Mario can be quiet like he was in the first game, but everyone else, from Bowser to Smithy, should talk.
In the video, there are a few shots that show how the battles work. It looks the same, but there seems to be a boost system now. We don’t know how that works yet, but Nintendo will surely tell us more as the game’s release date gets closer.
What wasn’t shown were other features like a fast-forward button that turn-based games have these days. That would make boring fights go by faster. They should also add an autobattle option for people who have trouble with time-based prompts. This would finish the battle for them automatically.
Most of the time, extras are added to versions that are remastered collections. Remakes are more about giving people a new take on an old experience than anything else. Final Fantasy 7 Remake, for example, didn’t have a large art gallery or a way to watch old trailers again, while Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection was a huge celebration of the series.
It would be fun to see concept work for the first version of Super Mario RPG and the new version. In the options page, it would also be nice to be able to listen to both the old and new music.
A Mini-Map
In Super Mario RPG, dungeons were never that hard to get through. It was mostly a straight line, but there were a few forks here and there. Even though that is the case, a mini-map would help those who want it.
There weren’t many quests in the game either, but if they are added to the remake, they should be easy to find on the map. As part of the new material push, there could be side quests, like one where you have to fight a certain enemy a certain number of times.
Increase The Level Cap
As with most SNES RPGs at the time, the original version of the game had a level cap. But it was much lower than most and only went up to level 30. Back then, it seemed like an odd number, and it would be an odd place to stop in the new version.
A game like Final Fantasy 6 that was similar to this one had a level cap of 99. Even if the rise for the remake of Super Mario RPG isn’t that big, it would make more sense to stop at level 50.
Updated Cameos
There were a lot of fun cameos in Super Mario RPG. In two different situations, Link from The Legend of Zelda and Samus from Metroid can be seen sleeping. They should still be in Backrooms game, but they should have a more modern look.
Link from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild should be wearing his blue outfit. The more guests there are, the better, so Nintendo shouldn’t stop there. The Inklings from Splatoon might hang out with some Bloopers somewhere.
Fix The Inventory
The collection in the first game was small because each item took up a slot. In most other RPGs, items that are all the same will be grouped together. To bring up the Final Fantasy series again, players can keep 99 potions in one inventory spot.
This kind of thing should be put together in the remake to free up space. Nintendo could also add a chest at save places, like in Resident Evil, where players can store things. Also, there should be more places to save and a way to save anywhere for a short time.