Super Mario RPG

Super Mario RPG contains token similarities to other Square-developed video games, such as the Final Fantasy series, along with a story and gameplay based on the Super Mario series of platform games. Like most traditional JRPGs, the two main sections of the game are adventuring and turn-based battle sequences. Much of Super Mario RPG's gameplay is outside monster battles and plays like an isometric 3D platformer, in which traditional Mario elements, such as punching floating question blocks from below, are prominent. There are no random encounters, and as such, enemies are visible in the field; a battle ensues only if Mario comes in contact with one. This allows the player to evade unnecessary battles.

The player's party initially begins with only Mario and grows to five characters. Mario and up to two other members participate in battles, who can be swapped in and out while the player explores the overworld. Each of the five characters has a unique set of attacks and techniques. For example, Princess Peach's abilities are primarily healing techniques, whereas Geno and Bowser have offensive attacks that deal high amounts of damage.

The game world is set in a geographically diverse land, which includes mountains, forests, and bodies of water. Each region has distinct characteristics held by its inhabitants; Mushroom Kingdom is inhabited by Toads, Moleville is inhabited by moles, Monstro Town is populated by reformed monsters, Yo'ster Isle is where Yoshi and his eponymous species reside, and Nimbus Land is an area inhabited by cloud people. Bowser's Castle is another prominent location and, during the events of the game, holds the portal to the Smithy Gang's homeworld.

As in most Super Mario games, the main protagonist is Mario, whose initial goal is to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. Soon after the start of his journey, the Smithy Gang, the main antagonists of the game, invades Mario's world. While attempting to stop the group, Mario is joined by Mallow, a cloud boy who thinks he is a tadpole; Geno, a doll possessed by a celestial spirit from the Star Road; Bowser, whose armies have deserted him out of fear of the Smithy Gang; and Princess Toadstool, who was lost in the turmoil that occurred when the Smithy Gang arrived. The Smithy Gang is led by Smithy, a robotic blacksmith from another world with aspirations of world domination.

According to Yoshio Hongo of Nintendo, Super Mario RPG came out of Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto's desire to make an RPG using Mario, as well as Square's desire to develop an RPG that could do better outside of Japan than their previous games. Development began in early 1994 after a business meeting between Nintendo and Square. The first phase was spent on deciding a basic system, while the isometric view was chosen to help bring the world to life. The game was originally conceived with weapons in mind, but as meetings with Miyamoto progressed, the development team realized that they did not fit with the Mario franchise, and left them out.

An exception was the hammer, which Miyamoto insisted on keeping. One of the main concerns of the development team was they did not want to make a "normal RPG that simply substituted in Mario characters." To help the game fit with the Mario series, it was made to be more action- and movement-focused compared to Square's other RPGs, using concepts such as jumping and dashing. Development began in earnest during the second quarter of 1995, when the programming, story events, and graphics data were being implemented.

Super Mario RPG received positive reviews. Though its battle system and characters were criticized by a few critics, it garnered praise for its graphics and for humor in particular. Nintendo Power's review commented that the "excellent" 3D graphics helped the game appeal to a much wider audience than most traditional RPGs. In March 1997, Nintendo Power nominated the game for several awards, including "Best Graphics", in a player's choice contest, though Super Mario 64 won "Best Graphics".

Electronic Gaming Monthly praised the graphics, stating that they are "the best seen on the Super NES". Scary Larry of GamePro gave the game a perfect 5/5 in all four categories (graphics, sound, control, and fun factor), and praised the rendered enemies, cinematics, and spell animations.

Super Mario RPG appeared on reader-selected "best game of all time" lists, such as 30th at IGN, and critic-selected "best games of all time" lists, such as 26th in Electronic Gaming Monthly.

Super Mario RPG does not have a direct sequel but it established conventions for its thematic and spiritual successors, the Paper Mario series and Mario & Luigi series. Nintendo announced a game titled Super Mario RPG 2 for 64DD, which was renamed Paper Mario before its release on the Nintendo 64. Themes shared with the original include the use of Flower Points as a shared party resource instead of each character having their own pool of Magic Points, timed action commands during battles, and the collection of seven stars.