Gothic horror returns with a brutal new vision, now playable solo or in 3-player co-op.
Mark your calendar: Painkiller launches on Xbox Series X|S on October 21. For Anshar Studios the opportunity felt both familiar and thrilling. This was a cult classic with a legacy of speed, brutality, and gothic flair. The project came with a clear set of constraints: cooperative gameplay and a need to honor the original’s DNA. For Anshar, these weren’t limitations: they were a creative opportunity.
Movement, Mayhem, Mastery: The New Painkiller Formula
The original Painkiller was known for its bunny-hopping movement and dual-mode weaponry, giving players a kinetic edge in combat. Anshar’s new installment amplifies that philosophy with dashing, sliding, wall bouncing and hook shots, which turn every arena into a vertical playground. The movement isn’t just fast; it’s fluid, empowering players to outmaneuver enemies. Combat becomes a symphony of destruction.
Classic weapons like the Stakegun and Electrodriver return, now enhanced with elemental effects and physics-based interactions. Fire, ice and electro elements combine to create emergent chaos. Impaling, freezing and chain-reacting enemies rewards experimentation. This is a shooter that invites creativity, where every fight is a puzzle and every solution is pure chaos.
Fun-Fueled, and Unapologetically Brutal
Painkiller’s signature gothic horror aesthetic gets a brutal facelift in Anshar’s reimagining. Purgatory is now split into three thematic chapters: Gothic, Sand and Nature. Each is dripping with atmospheric horror. The environments are twisted, the enemies tormented and the bosses massive, grotesque and ruthless.
But amid the darkness, the game never loses its sense of fun. Over-the-top action remains the focus, now enhanced by a 3-player cooperative mode that adds strategic depth to the chaos. Players can coordinate weapon synergies, manage Tarot card builds, and dominate the battlefield together. The Tarot system itself returns with dozens of cards that shape playstyles and amplify abilities, giving players the freedom to craft their own brand of destruction.
This isn’t just Painkiller with a fresh coat of paint. It’s a full-throttle reinvention, built inside a box and bursting out of it with style. Painkiller arrives on October 21 – pre-order today!
Painkiller
3D Realms
☆☆☆☆☆ 3
★★★★★
$39.99
Painkiller is a modern reimagining of the classic franchise, featuring online co-op for up to three players and offline play. Battle hordes of demons and titanic terrors across richly detailed gothic environments.
Trapped in Purgatory, you are sentenced for your transgressions against Heaven. But the Voice of the Creator gives you a chance to redeem yourself. As one of the Champions, you are to stop the fallen angel Azazel who is about to unleash his demonic armies onto Earth. You will face hordes of enemies, demons with unique powers and three monstrous children of Azazel – the Nephilim.
Will you succeed in your mission and earn your salvation?
Purgatory Is Your Playground – Jump, dash, and hook across vast biomes while fighting enemies with a host of new and classic Painkiller weapons.
Grotesque Terrors Await – Challenge a variety of enemies ranging from hordes of smaller demons to titanic terrors.
Unleash The Pain – Utilize tarot cards to enhance your abilities and combine them with other players to obliterate your foes.
Choose Your Character Wisely – Play as one of four distinctive characters – Ink, Void, Sol and Roch – and take advantage of their unique perks to boost your energy, health, power and damage.
Ever since the launch of Final Fantasy VII Remake back in 2020, fans of the original have been wondering how the next installment of Square Enix’s reimagining of the landmark 1997 game would handle the many iconic setpiece moments, reveals, and twists yet to come. The Nibelheim Incident, which centers around Cloud’s consequential return to his hometown five years earlier, has been an especially fertile ground for speculation. The original game and its many spinoffs revisit this mission numerous times to show off the varying perspectives of the key players. It’s an overused analogy, but The Nibelheim Incident is essentially FF7’s equivalent of the Rashomon murder scene.With each slightly different retelling, we inch a little bit closer to the truth.
FF7‘s save-the-world story wasn’t revolutionary in 1997, and it certainly isn’t today. But the palpable sense that something is “off” with Cloud and his mentor-turned-nemesis Sephiroth elevates it into something far more memorable and enduring. For much of the game, the fate of the planet kinda takes a backseat to finding out what the deal is with these guys. At the same time, with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the developers at Square Enix face the daunting task of attracting newcomers to the second chapter of a trilogy, those who may primarily know Cloud and Sephiroth as cool badasses with fun hair from the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster.
So when I booted up the game at a recent media preview event, I was delighted to see that Chapter 1 of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth immediately begins with Cloud telling his version of what happened at Nibelheim. Rebirth throws you in at the deep end and delivers high stakes right up front—and it’s exactly what longtime fans want and newcomers need.
Sephiroth and Cloud ascend Mt. Nibel as jagged peaks loom ahead.Image: Square Enix
Déjà vu all over again
I’d played a smaller segment of this section at a preview event a few months back, but that slice was more combat- and traversal-focused. True to the original game, the full version of Rebirth’s Nibelheim incident is a slow burn, a cozy evening with friends winding down after the frantic escape from Midgar. Present-day Cloud narrates over this extended interactive sequence where you play as his younger self, and his storytelling is punctuated by interruptions from Barrett, Tifa, and Aerith. Many of these exchanges are taken beat-by-beat from the original game, and it’s nice to see them return here to inject some levity and sense of camaraderie into Cloud’s suspenseful and gloomy story.
Rebirth’s take on Nibelheim largely sticks to that of the original FF7. (Mostly.) The reason for Cloud and Sephy’s mission remains the same—they’re sent to investigate a malfunctioning mako reactor at Mt. Nibel, and deal with any monsters along the way. We get a clearer sense of Sephiroth’s renown and celebrity—we’re mostly told, not shown this in the original—as townsfolk breathlessly gossip about him and jostle for photos. As before, you get the chance to control Sephiroth in combat during the climb, and he’s absurdly strong and fun to play.
Ascending Mt. Nibel functions as a light tutorial for Rebirth’s new traversal mechanics, including jumping and climbing. It’s nothing complicated, but it does convey that Mt. Nibel is dangerous enough to require a guide’s assistance better than the original game did. Speaking of guides, we get quite a bit more of young Tifa in this section of Rebirth (Nibelheim is her hometown too, after all), complete with her adorable cowgirl outfit. And there are some very intriguing consequences of that, which I am not going to get into here.
On that note, Chapter 1 of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a veritable bonanza of jaw-dropping spoilers for folks who haven’t played the original game. Despite knowing exactly what was coming at certain moments, the impeccable visuals and environmental design blew me away. And, as was the case with Remake, when Rebirth’s soundtrack is firing on all cylinders, it’s the stuff of real-deal goosebumps on your arms. As the flames reach higher and the music shudders like a terrified heart, suddenly I’m 11 years old again, sitting cross-legged on the floor next to my older brother in front of a CRT with a skateboarding sticker on the side, unable to say anything but whoa.
Kalm is a far more charming and intricate city in Rebirth than the original game.Image: Square Enix
A whole new world
After Cloud gives his friends the rundown of what happened with Sephiroth in Nibelheim, we resume the present-tense story in the city of Kalm. And golly, what a glow-up. In 1997’s FF7, the town was little more than an RPG gas station—a place to pick up some potions, cheap equipment, and a quick snooze at the inn. There was never much reason to go back once you’d progressed to other places. This time around, its cobbled streets, overgrown flower boxes, and rabbit-warren layout ooze a tranquil charm that’s worthy of the name.
Cloud and his pals have a new slate of double and triple attacks this time around.Image: Square Enix
You won’t spend too long here in Rebirth either, but it does provide a chance to get acquainted with several new gameplay additions. The most notable of these are party relationships and party level, which allow you to strengthen your bond with your teammates through dialogue choices and optional activities. The original FF7 had a less fleshed-out version of this that culminated in the infamous Gold Saucer date, and it’s nice to see that the devs are finding new ways to let players spend more time with their favorite characters.
The innkeeper at Kalm will introduce you to Queen’s Blood, Rebirth’s answer to card games like Witcher 3‘s Gwent and FF8‘s Triple Triad. I can already tell loads of people are going to be utterly obsessed with this minigame, though I sadly am not one of them. (Happy for you guys, though!) This section also offers a brief rundown of skill trees, weapon upgrades, and item crafting. I remain unconvinced that Final Fantasy 7 needed a crafting system, and I didn’t find much occasion to use it during my demo. I can see how it may be useful for some optional fights later on, but I hope it’s more of a “take it or leave it” mechanic.
But we can’t stay in Kalm for long, and it’s soon time for our merry band of weirdos to hit the road in search of adventures, pocket money, and eventually Sephiroth. Rebirth’s version of the original game’s vast open world is bigger and more beautiful than I’d hoped, with plenty of nooks and crannies to explore. You’ll gain access to both menu-based fast-travel and chocobos pretty much immediately after leaving Kalm, mercifully cutting down on the ponderous backtracking of the 1997 game. Instead of large swaths of empty space for random encounters, now there are small farms, hamlets, and ruins between cities and dungeons. This makes Rebirth’s open world feel like a natural expansion of scope rather than just a concession to the expectations of fans. After hitting up the Chocobo Farm, you’re free to explore for a while, but once you’re ready to return to the main story, a Ghost of Tsushima-esque green Mako trail will appear to nudge you toward your destination. It’s a thoughtful design choice that avoids the immersion-breaking “map game” vibes that have become a bit too commonplace in open-world design.
Holding down the basic attack button for Red XIII will allow him to do a continuous “Sonic spin” attack.Image: Square Enix
Naturally, once you get out into the big wide world, you’re gonna be doing some fighting. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth adds another layer to Remake’s real-time combat system, and I’m still not totally sure how I feel about it. You’ll have more than three party members to choose from at any given time, and each unique duo or trio can team up for a unique special attack. On paper, this sounds like Chrono Trigger, which is terrific. In practice, it kinda feels like one thing too many to keep track of. Remake’s combat had a satisfying cadence of managing cooldowns to pull off magic spells, heals, and special attacks. But in the early hours of Rebirth, even mundane fights have a noticeably stop-start feel to them. I’m hoping to settle into a flow eventually, but I’m also curious if this all might feel better in classic, turn-based mode instead. (Thankfully, it’s an on-the-fly toggle in the full game.) Quibbles aside, I’m still enjoying the heck out of the combat and the demo left me hungry for more. Pro tip: Red XIII’s strangely Sonic Spinball moveset is extremely fun to play.
The big question heading into Rebirth and its unnamed successor is: can it recapture—or even exceed—the magic of the original game? That remains to be seen. But, so far, the first three chapters are a helluva good sign for what’s to come.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launches February 29 on PlayStation 5.
The trend of cranking out tons of remakes and remasters of old games continues in 2024; this year might take the crown as one of the most prolific. In fact, some of the most anticipated games in general for 2024 are remakes, such as the TGA award-winner Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
Whether you’re annoyed at incessant re-releases like The Last of Us, or hyped for long-dormant games to finally get a fresh coat of paint, 2024 has you covered. Here are the 10 most anticipated remasters & remakes of 2024.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Image Source: Square Enix
As the award winner for TGA “Most Anticipated Game” it’s impossible not to put Final Fantasy VII Rebirth high on this list. But awards aren’t the sole reason it’s here. The recent gameplay demonstrations at the 2023 Tokyo Game Show have shown tremendous potential for the game-of-the year-candidate.
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is the sequel to the Remake from 2020. The game takes place outside of the steampunk city of Midgar, finally exploring the wider world of Gaia. Rebirth features an open-world map and has a ton of exploration and mini-games to try out. The fields outside the city of Kalm are home to Chocobo Farms and more nooks and crannies than you can shake a chunk of Materia at. And let’s not forget that Rebirth is the chapter featuring the fan-favorite theme park chock full of minigames, the Golden Saucer.
We can’t wait to play the action RPG remake of Final Fantasy VII’s second chapter when it finally launches on February 29th.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Image Source: Nintendo
Word is still out whether or not the best Paper Mario game will end up being a remaster or a remake built from the ground up, but we’re beyond thrilled no matter the result. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is easily my favorite game on the Nintendo GameCube, and it’s been console-locked ever since its release. Add to that the frustration of rarity and high resell prices for physical copies of the game and you have a cult classic that few modern gamers have the opportunity to experience.
The console-locked status of The Thousand-Year Door ends in 2024. Word is still out when the concrete release date will be, but the recent ESRB rating for the game points to it coming very soon. Seriously, you’re gonna want to play this, if for any reason just to see Rock Hawk in the arena sequence or where the Vivian sensation originated from.
Persona 3 Reload
Image Source: Atlus
Persona 3 Reload is a full remake of the PS2 turn-based RPG that kicked off the Persona craze. This remake includes several new features such as gardening and new Junpei social links. There’s also a lot of new voice acting that will cover the large amounts of unspoken text the original had.
But what really has us excited is the graphical overhaul. Persona 3 Reload uses a modified engine that Atlus used for Persona 5, and we all know how mind-bendingly stylish Persona 5 is. The menus for Persona 3 now have transition animations and full HD swank, and the characters themselves even move their mouths when speaking. Battles are going to be fully redesigned with the modern engine to be fast-paced and masterfully animated as well. What we’ve seen of Persona 3 Reload from trailers and presentations has us confident the remake of Persona 3 will burn our bread more than it ever has before (come on, you get that reference, right?)
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered
Image Source: Aspyr
The original Tomb Raider games are classics, yes, but they’re also rough to go back to. Tank controls and janky PS1 graphics render these games difficult to recommend to new players. But that all changes with Tomb Raider I-III Remastered. With improved controls and HD clarity, these remasters of the three first Tomb Raider games may just become classics all over again in 2024.
One of the big reasons this is so high on this list is because it’s been a LONG time since we’ve had a classic Tomb Raider experience. Lara Croft’s adventures in the rebooted series from 2013 don’t feature the same platforming emphasis and general action gameplay the originals did. Fans of classic action games and platformer-puzzlers shouldn’t sleep on Tomb Raider I-III Remastered. I know I’ll want to revisit the glory days of Lara Croft in HD splendor come February 14th.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake
Image Source: Hazelight Studios
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons was one of the breakaway indie hits of the early 2010s. It helped propel the trend of indie co-op story games such as A Way Out and TGA winner It Takes Two. There are several new features this remake is bringing to the table that make it one of 2024’s most anticipated. First, there’s the addition of full co-op, which the original didn’t have. Even though Brothers is focused on two siblings overcoming puzzles on an emotional journey, the game was originally strictly single-player.
We’re really excited to grab a partner this time around, especially since we’ll be journeying in full 4K glory. The Brothers remake is made in Unreal Engine 4 and has a much higher budget than the original. This is a ground-up remake that we’re looking forward to playing when it releases on February 28th.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy
Image via Capcom
The original trilogy of Ace Attorney games got a lovingly made remaster a while back, so the next trilogy in the series was a sure bet. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy contains the fourth, fifth, and sixth main games of the series in one remastered bundle. Several noteworthy additions earn this package a worthy spot on this list.
First, the translation from 3DS to console and PC. The original games featured a dual-screen interface and was locked on handheld systems, so this remaster is very welcome in that respect. There’s a new animation studio feature that puts custom scenes at the players’ fingertips with movable props and backgrounds. The orchestra hall and art library features provide full soundtracks and images to peruse in detailed menus. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is the definitive way to play these games and it releases on January 25th.
Gothic Remake
Image Source: THQ Nordic
Okay, I’ll be real with you, the Gothic Remake isn’t set in stone for a 2024 release, but it’s still projected for 2024, so we’ll let it fly. Gothic was a fascinating alternative to games like Morrowind and The Witcher when it was released in 2001. The complex mechanics and interconnected storytelling were ahead of their time and paved the way for all-time greats like The Witcher 3.
Gothic Remake is going to be built from the ground up with triple-A graphics and polished gameplay. The screenshots we’ve seen look mouth-watering, especially if you’re a fan of Western RPGs. While the exact release date is unknown at this time, the developers’ transparency through the development process has been refreshing and positive. Check out the latest Gothic Remake developer podcast from THQ Nordic to see how passionate they are about bringing the classic German RPG to a modern audience.
Braid: Anniversary Edition
Image Source: Thekla
I’ll be honest with you, I wasn’t initially over the moon when I first heard about a Braid remaster, but then I read what it’ll include and now I’m sold. Braid Anniversary Edition is an updated remaster of the 2008 indie puzzle platformer Braid. Braid kinda started the indie game boom back in the day, and now it’s getting a fancy remaster on modern systems.
But it’s not just a straight port. Updated visuals, redone music, developer commentary, and all-new puzzles are featured in this remaster. Braid was known for its brilliant time reversal level design, so having new ones to play has me stoked. Braid Anniversary Edition releases on April 30th on all modern systems.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered
Image Credit: Naughty Dog
Hear me out, I don’t actually hate The Last of Us Part II; the only reason it’s this low on the list is because a remaster of a three-year-old game is just plain silly. I know Sony wants that The Last of Us cash, but come on.
This remastered version includes various enhancements catered specifically for the PS5 such as full DualSense functionality and visual upgrades. The biggest addition to this remaster is a new roguelike survival mode called No Return. Little is known about the new mode, but we don’t have to wait long since The Last of Us Part II Remastered comes out on January 19th.
Clock Tower
Image Source: WayForward
Horror game fans rejoice, the classic Clock Tower is finally releasing outside of Japan! What’s that? The first Clock Tower already came out on Playstation back in 1997? Well, no, that was actually Clock Tower 2. 1995’s Clock Tower 1 is getting a spruced-up remaster for the first time in the West. Clock Tower has you running away from the deadly Scissorman while navigating a dark mansion. It’s a point-and-click horror game that has you hiding, solving puzzles, and screaming in equal measure. Look forward to this updated Super Famicom horror game when it releases sometime in 2024.
That’s our list of 10 most anticipated remakes & remasters of 2024. There are obviously some games we didn’t add to this list, so let us know which ones you felt got snubbed. For all your reviews and guides for games in 2024 and beyond, check back here on Twinfinite!
About the author
Matthew Carmosino
Matthew Carmosino is a freelance writer for Twinfinite. He started gaming in the mid-90s where his love for SquareSoft RPGs like Chrono Trigger changed him forever. Matthew has been working in the game industry for two years covering everything from story-rich RPGs to puzzle-platformers.
Listening to piano music on a rainy day is his idea of a really good time, which probably explains his unnatural tolerance for level-grinding.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars first captivated players with its release in 1996 on the SNES, blending Square’s classic RPG elements with the beloved Mario universe. Now, 27 years later, the game has been reimagined through a remake on the Nintendo Switch, simply titled Super Mario RPG.
We can experience the transformation that the game has gone through with side-by-side screenshots, where each pair of images contrasts the original game’s charm with the Switch’s modern visuals.
This comparison takes us through the evolution of the game’s art, from pixelated sprites to crisp, contemporary graphics. It highlights the technological leaps since the release of the original game while still managing to capture the nostalgia for those who played it way back then.
Here are 12 side-by-side screenshots to show you just how much the game has changed. Special thanks to our Reviews Editor Zhiqing Wan for providing the screenshots for the Switch version of the game.
The first thing players see when they boot up the game is the title screen. Back then on the SNES, it had the subtitle “Legend of the Seven Stars.” Now, on the Switch, the game is titled “Super Mario RPG” with no subtitle.
Just like in the original, we get our first look at Bowser’s Keep, with the iconic sword Exor impaling it. This time, it is much more detailed, and we can see the night sky with shooting stars behind it.
The Toads’ houses in the Mushroom Kingdom have quite the upgrade. Everything is placed exactly the same way, but now they have red curtains instead of green as well as fancy red rugs.
The remake does a great job with placing even the most mundane items and decorations in the exact same spots, of course with beautifully detailed texture upgrades.
The world map is one of the nicest upgrades in the remake. You can actually see the entire island instead of the land being in a black void like in the original game.
The layout stays true to the SNES game, though. Everything is laid out in the right spot, and there’s more room to see details on the map that we couldn’t before.
Enemy battles look mostly similar, but the UI information looks a bit differently in the remake. We now have HP bars to give a better visualization of the party members’ health. You can also see how many Flower Points are available to use.
Again, just like in the world map, the battles no longer take place on land in a void. You can see the surrounding areas on the sides of the screen this time.
Dialogue boxes look drastically different in the remake. Instead of on a parchment paper-like design with a unique font, the dialogue boxes in the remake look a lot more plain. The text is smaller but in an easier-to-read font. Also, the box doesn’t stretch across the entire screen. This means we can see more of what’s going on in the scene than we could before.
Here’s another look at a battle, this time during a boss fight. It’s impressive how the developers were able to capture the look of Bowyer exactly how he was in the original game just based off of his sprite.
As you can see, the aesthetic from the SNES version of the game has been totally preserved in every way,. This time, though, it has better details and high graphical fidelity.
One of the more surprising changes involves the scenes in which Mario and his friends earn a star. Instead of remaining in the scene that it takes place, the character enter a dedicated screen where you can see them much closer up as they receive the star.
This gives us a much better look at their character models in a way that we wouldn’t normally get to see.
Those who played the original game surely remember the mine cart mini game in the Mole Mines. While much of it looks quite familiar, it has undergone some quality of life changes in the remake.
For example, you can see in the righthand corner a speedometer, which is helpful for knowing when to break. The lefthand corner shows the mini game’s controls, which the original did not have.
A detail you might have missed is that you can see Dyna the mole sitting in the cart with Mario. In the original, she was supposed to be there with him, but she isn’t actually visible.
Here’s a look of the mine cart mini game towards the end when the cart goes outside. We can see that the sky has gotten a beautiful touch-up here.
Here is another example of the dialogue boxes, this time also showing the exterior of houses in Moleville. Interestingly, Snifits have a new name in the remake. They are now “Snifsters.”
As you can see, nearly everything sits exactly where it did in the original. Even the patterns in the patches of grass are the same.
Here’s one more look at the world map, this time showcasing the area around Booster Tower. Everything is much easier to see, with details down to paths and windows.
Finally, we have one more look of Bowser’s Keep. This time it is directly during gameplay and from the perspective of Vista Hill. Mario can visit this at any point in the game starting from the very beginning since it is just east of his pad.
Will this be your first time playing Super Mario RPG? Or will you be returning to this classic after having played the original release? If you are still on the fence about buying it, you can read our official review right here to help you decide.
About the author
Rebecca Stone
Rebecca is a Staff Writer at Twinfinite. She has been with the site and in the games media industry for 4 years, and she has a college degree in psychology and writing. Rebecca typically covers Nintendo for the site, and she especially loves the Legend of Zelda series. Outside of gaming, Rebecca is an avid Swiftie and enjoys playing with her cat Frisk.
Nearly three decades after it was first released on Super Nintendo — and despite a handsome remake for Switch, with completely redone visuals and rerecorded music — there’s still something strangely, but not unpleasantly, off about Super Mario RPG.
Mario looks all squat and cross-eyed; in fact, the whole Mushroom Kingdom and all its denizens have a sort of squashed, funhouse-mirror look, as if folding them into an isometric perspective has flattened them all out. Early in the game, Bowser’s castle gets run through by a giant, skyscraper-sized talking sword; when did you ever see a sword in a Mario game? Not long after, a Toad makes a joke about forgetting his bazooka at home. His what? Mario’s house is a wobbly, clapboard shack. Mario has a house. It’s all kinds of wrong.
This adventure, first released in 1996 as Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, was a collaboration between Nintendo and Square (now Square Enix) when both were in their mid-’90s pomp. Nintendo was winding down the SNES after an unbeatable run of in-house classics, from Super Mario World to Yoshi’s Island, while Square was months away from unleashing Final Fantasy 7 on the world. It was a meeting of near equals, and while the characters were Nintendo’s, the turf — turn-based role-playing games — was very much Square’s. The developer had the confidence to make its own tastes and personality felt in Mario RPG, in much the same way it later would with the Disney-crossover Kingdom Hearts games, and in a way few external developers working with Mario ever would again (with the recent exception of Ubisoft’s zany-but-cunning Mario + Rabbids games).
Image: Nintendo
So Mario RPG features many elements that feel like foreign bodies, even within the hallucinatory, anything-goes world of the Mushroom Kingdom. Square was allowed to create its own characters for the game — including Mallow, Mario’s first companion on his quest, who claims to be a frog but looks like a cross between a cloud and a cauliflower with stripy pants and a purple quiff. There’s a lovely score by the legendary Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts, Street Fighter 2) that has a lush, nostalgic quality that’s subtly but profoundly different from original Mario composer Koji Kondo’s folksy melodic playfulness.
It all adds up to a curio: a game that has long felt like it belongs in a parallel dimension. Released just months before the Nintendo 64’s debut, original SNES copies of Super Mario RPG command high prices on the used market, and it has had only basic and sparing reissues from Nintendo since (it didn’t come to Europe at all until the Wii Virtual Console version in 2008). But it was also influential, laying the foundations for Nintendo’s later (and more tonally controlled) Mario RPG series, Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi. It has the same streamlined RPG systems as those games, the rhythmic inputs that add immediacy to the turn-based combat, and a similar, mildly meta sense of humor.
Image: Nintendo
For whatever reason — perhaps a hunger for any and all Mario content in the wake of the Super Mario Bros. Movie phenomenon, perhaps a newfound willingness to take risks with its mascot — Nintendo is now finally ready to give Super Mario RPG its due and integrate it properly with the Mario catalog, via this full Switch remake. It’s strange to encounter this game (for the first time, in my case) in 2023 on Switch, and it’s great that Nintendo, Square Enix, and whoever developed the remake (which remains unclear, but I’ve asked Nintendo for clarification) have so carefully kept its wayward spirit alive.
The full 3D graphical overhaul retains the original’s bizarre rendered look, wisely refusing to homogenize or standardize the designs, and retaining its off-kilter character even as it smooths out the animations. Shimomura has completely reorchestrated her score, but you can switch to the chiptune originals, if you like. There are some modern creature comforts, like a frequent autosave, but most of Mario RPG’s archaic, 27-year-old design quirks remain intact. That said, on early evidence, Square’s expert simplification of traditional RPG mechanics seems bulletproof — and the game plays very swiftly, considering its age.
As smart as the new version is, playing Super Mario RPG feels like a portal to another time — or another timeline, perhaps. A timeline where Mario lives in a shack. I’m still not over it.
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