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								Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars Genre: Role-Playing Game Publisher: Squaresoft/Nintendo Developer: Squaresoft/Nintendo Release Date: 1996 Written by: El Gordo Probably one of the most innovative rpgs. This game merges the best of Nintendo and the best of Squaresoft.  Squares innovative game making with Nintendo’s main man Mario.  The game starts off in typical fashion, the Princess is kidnapped by Bowser and you have to save her.  The battles inside of Bowser’s keep give you an idea of the flow of the battles throughout the game.  What I thought was most unique about the game was later on you can actually get Bowser in your party.  The storyline is also innovative because it’s a whole new story line for Mario fans.  Instead of saving the Princess from Bowser you are saving The Mushroom Kingdom from Smithy, the main boss of the game.  This game comes complete with all new characters and bosses.  New characters to help are Mallow and Geno.  Throughout the game you are searching for the seven stars to fix the star road.  The flow of the game is good but can get confusing, since if you push A and then X it cancels whatever action you are trying to perform.  But this gets less confusing as the game progresses.  The magic attacks on this game are innovative because they are based on each characters personality.  Same, as the magic attacks, the weapons also reflect the characters personality.  Like all rpgs this game is based on hp (hit points) and mp (magic points) and you can use items throughout the game.  The items help restore hp, mp and can also revive characters that have died during battle.  There are also some rare ones that can help a lot during battles with bosses, red essence.  Some items can be used for attacking, rock candy. The diversity of this game is huge, you can actually buy a gameboy later in the game.  Mini games are abundant, some requiring you go to back to areas that you have already cleared.  A casino is in the game, where you can double your precious frog coins.  You can even compose songs, which in return you can buy items that restore hp.  Tasks can be done in order to get stronger and more powerful armor.  A race can be run uphill, to collect beetles for Booster, frog coins can be one doing this.  A side boss can even be fought, Culex. The characters are just that individual characters with their own personality and the same be said for the bosses.  There is something unique and funny about fighting a cake, Bhunt the boss of Merrymore.  Some bosses turn into allies after you fight them, Johnny Jones (unfortunately he doesn’t enter your party.  The game itself is one of a kind; I have yet to find a game with more humor.  Although, Luigi is missing from this game.  It would have been nice to see what abilities they gave him and Toad comes to join at the end but is used for a store at the end of the game before you fight Smithy.  Booster is the joker of the game.  From start to finish it is one different area and set of characters to another, which is a breath of fresh air for Mario fans.  The only complaints I have about this game is that there is no true sequel to this game.  It would be nice to see a real sequel and the return of certain characters, as well as new ones.  Some tasks seem impossible, 100 consecutive jumps to get the super suit seems like a tad to much.  The battle theme seems a bit to happy, but that’s what having your own music is for.  It’s sad to see all of these classic games rehashed on the Gameboy Advance or Gamecube, and have this game practically ignored.  I think this would bring back a lot credibility back to the industry if well done titles were redone and not some unknowns for the sake of being “Old School”.  So please tell Nintendo you want this game re-released even if it’s on the Gameboy Advance.  I’ll even take it on the Playstation if Square had the guts to do it, if Nintendo didn’t want to.  This is a title that needs a sequel and not some game with a bunch of girls with big knockers.  Cough Final cough Fantasy cough X-2.   Graphics: great for it's time. Good use of color scheming and texture. Clean so everything is easier to see 4.0 Sound: with the exception of the uppity up battle theme, it's pretty good. Has some great music for certain areas. Sound effects are done well, and almost bring some realism into the game. 4.0 Playability:controls well and smoothly, something that can't be said for bigger newer titles 4.5 Bang for your buck: worth every penny, from start to finish it is an unforgettable experience. You'll laugh and then cry from laughter from all of the great jokes and Bosses you have to fight. Even if you are an RPG gamer or Mario fan this is something that can't be missed. 4.5 4.25 / 5.0