The Simplistic Charm of Mario RPGs

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Timestamps
Intro-0:00
Super Mario RPG-1:37
Paper Mario-7:01
Mario & Luigi-16:00
Conclusion-22:38

Footage Sources
Dream Team Footage-   • Mario & Luigi: Dream Team - Gameplay ...  
Color Splash Footage-   • Paper Mario: Color Splash - Gameplay ...  
Dream Team All Bros Attacks    • Mario & Luigi: Dream Team - All Bros....  
BIS All Bros Attacks-   • Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story ...  
PiT All Bros Attacks    • Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time - All...  
Origami King Gameplay    • Paper Mario: The Origami King Gamepla...  

Over the past year I’ve been replaying a handful of the Mario RPGs. I’ve been playing these games on and off ever since I was a kid, but never finished most of them for one reason or another…..mostly cause I was bad at them. Playing them again now and finally seeing them through to the end has given me a newfound appreciation for the entire sub-series. From the original Super Mario RPG, to the turn-based Paper Mario games and the Mario and Luigi series, each game has claimed a soft spot in my heart for a variety of reasons, and I loved coming back to each and every one of them. Except for that one. You know what you did. What I think makes these games so special to me is just how engaging they are while still being simple and approachable. Every game is built off of a similar framework, they’re all turned based RPGs with action-oriented mechanics, a plethora of unique boss and enemy encounters, and they all have vast locales for you to explore to find hidden items and upgrades. Despite being similar at their core, each series takes a different approach to that base idea and has been able to carve out their own identities in the process. I often see these games touted as “baby’s first RPG”, and while I do agree that they’re really good as entries to the turn-based genre, I also think that label kind of downplays the ingenious game design in play across the whole sub series. These games are simple by design, but they feature refined mechanics that offer countless opportunities for meaningful decision making, and because of that manages to be incredibly engaging, even as an adult who has played these games a lot over the years. These games are designed in such a way that they can easily be enjoyed by just about everyone, regardless of age or skill level, and I think that’s really impressive. They all have this infectious charm that makes them really easy to fall in love with. Except for you