” …Just treat yourself
To a cinnamon pancake
Very soon you’ll forget your heartache
When you have breakfast on the morning tram…”
– Stacey Kent
It’s been 84 years…
…and, oh yeah, I was 9. I first met Mario through that Doki Doki Panic-like game. At the supermarket. Obviously five magical minutes. And that was all.
Then the betrayal: the Master System was under the tree on Christmas ’89. And we finally joined Sonic forces with my old bro’ during the 90s. Sega did what Nintendon’t: compared to Sega, everything under the whole of Nintendo’s brand became childish to my eyes. A Sega-fanboy was born.
Though, I liked a lot the Super Mario Bros. cartoon on TV. And I was also following froma far the different Mario games releases. Finally, after a decade, the locked minded gamer evolved: welcome SNES and its Mario All-Stars! Even not still #1 top in my heart, the series regained places.
Late-2003, shopping time again. Food is life. Video games too, yup. It was there: Mario & Luigi, Superstar Saga. “Oh! That will perfectly fit my brand new classic purple GBA !” did I say super loud in front of the shelf. No. Actually, quietly glancing at the overall box with mistrust, wasn’t sure I’d like the thing. But it was appealing. My hand, over my will, put it between crisps, marshmallows, and strawberry jam, then away to the cashier and back home. Time for a try: worth a buy?
… …”NiiINN–TENDOOOoo!!” – oh boy.. what the.. and that title tune.. totally didn’t call for a fascinating RPG’s session. But I should have had to beware, as mentioned on the rear of the box: “[…]and make this adventure like no other[…]”. Oh, damn! The first seconds quickly matched perfectly with my preconceptions of the Mario games of the 90s: I literally thought this was a children’s game. Obviously, wasn’t a good start. But thankfully, I’m persevering as hell. After all, the game was mine. The cash wasn’t anymore.
The overall feeling I had vanished a couple of minutes after. I began laughing. Everything was completely crazy. Wacky. That’s the word they use on the box. And it was true! 14 years later, Mario’s magic was somehow back again.
The Magical Beanbean
Wacky: a factual meaning. Look at that crazy plot! Of course, self-centered lean on Princess Peach, and Bowser, as usual. But not for long. When Cackletta – oh, that English name is perfect hahaha – stole the princess’ voice for some weird dark purpose – like dominating the world – and replaced it by explosive vocabulary, everything gone crazy. And that’s exactly the feeling I had when playing SuperStar Saga from the beginning to the end – with an undetermined pause I’m used to when reaching the last hours of any RPG. That’s what I’ve liked the most into Superstar Saga: you never can tell what will happen next. Pleasantly surprising!
From this moment on – you for me dear, only two for tea dear, from this moment on – during a few weeks, the game put a rhythm in my everyday life. When getting up, it was Superstar Saga at breakfast. Then I had to go to my beloved work: I didn’t take my GBA outside to avoid breaking it, so I had to wait until the evening to return to the Beanbean Kingdom to again take part in the funny adventure with Mario & Luigi. It was like waiting to see the cartoon on the TV: I was in a hurry to see what would happen next! The addictive power of this game is amazing. Especially since it isn’t for the plot: I can’t really tell you today all that happened during the game, except how it begins, that many events occur, and that it ends with defeating Cackletta. I’ve easily forgotten more than half of the story though.
But there was something else. Beyond the story, and the unforgettable characters – Peach, Bowser, generous Queen Bean, shining Prince Peasley – there was the gameplay. Something that appeals me was the RPG side of the game. Wasn’t common to see Mario – with Luigi also as a hero and at the same time – in an RPG game. Legend of the Seven Stars wasn’t released in European countries. I didn’t know that Paper Mario was something related to an RPG – did I miss the whole N64 season? Indeed. I know where to hide: in the hall of supreme shame.
It was fascinating – the game, not the shame hall, even if I recall fascinating things laying inside and made from supreme awkwardness… no! In the hall, not in the game!
Let’s a-go !! – Oki Doki!
A major part of the game leads you to exploration and dialogue with the Beanbean Kingdom inhabitants. Nothing is really serious, and there’s some refreshing vibe everywhere. Encountering a foe, oh: look at that 3D star transition!! The GBA can make 3D! Yay! *can’t wait to tell that to everybody* Like a kid front of the GBA screen, the battle begins… Mario and Luigi are literally dancing to the music! Timing based attacks, timing based defense, everything seems to be made of rhythm: when you’re used to turn-based or active time battle fights, that’s a bit surprising. I truly thought at first that it would be boring during 20-30 hours to only jump-attack, and avoid foes’ hits, with only two characters. But the game gradually gives you new skills. The hammers, the bros attacks, fire and thunder extra-power… numerous attacks to defeat the enemies with only two heroes and a defined key for each bro: as everything is timing-based, the gameplay is both simple and genius. And that’s why it’s always easy to come back to Superstar Saga: a bit like a platformer, a bit like an RPG, you can never forget how to play.
And beyond that, exploring the wonderful Beanbean Kingdom is a piece of cake. Various countries, places to reach while gaining new bros or hammer skills, there’s always something to discover and someone to find. Amongst classical forests, hills, deserts, beach – beach is always my fave in a Mario game, and that’s why I love Sunshine so much as well – you will have to explore undergrounds, many caves, and creepy laboratories… Miscellaneous universe rocked by an awesome soundtrack.
Talking about this, when I bought the GBA, I truly wanted to find a handheld SNES in my pocket. More than the feeling to technically have a pricey super-super Game Boy. Considering most of my first games on it, even if graphics were ok, there still was that sound rendering which called to mind that this was finally more of an advanced Game Boy than a reduced SNES. Which totally vanished with Superstar Saga: for once, I could feel an effort to use the handheld 32bits’ power with a game which finally rendered like a home system… but in the pocket! Of course, the sound quality seems squeezed for the whole game to fit the cartridge. And we know it’s a big adventure to put inside. This was the first time I truly had the feeling to face a GBA game which uses the true power of the GBA system. And that was priceless.
At last…
… and before I slip into the review’s form… Let’s focus on the overall marshmallow honey taste of Superstar Saga’s universe. It’s that sweet treat taste I had when trying Super Mario Bros 2 in 1989 at supermarket. The same one when watching the Super Mario Bros. TV cartoon in the early 90s. Everywhere in SuperStar Saga, in each detail, there’s that unique taste which is such peculiar. I don’t remember having felt such a thing with many games. And the irony: that was always with Nintendo’s games. A strong feeling which can make me fly in Neverland!
In my opinion, this game is both the first and the last top game of the Mario & Luigi series. Succeeding to make such a wonderful game with such a vibe, the other Mario & Luigi games, even if good, seem a bit flat. Even the remaster isn’t as good: it has lost soul during the remastering process.
The original SuperStar Saga will stay for me the game which has reconciled my heart with the whole Mario series. It allowed me to discover a new world in the video game universe: Nintendo’s awesome taste behind that fake childish style.
And most of all: to not dumbly follow again the easy mind’s misconceptions.
Wahoo! You are a Super Reader! But the adventure doesn’t stop here… There’s more of this project in another castle! This article is just one level in an entire Super Mario Multiverse, a galactic collaboration between writers around the world sharing a bit of our hearts and memories about our favorite Mario games. Visit the Center of the Multiverse to see more:
I think playing THIS particular Mario RPG is more than enough to get you out of the shame hall! This is a great game and I’m glad you were able to push through your initial misconceptions to experience it. As you mentioned, the characters and setting have a strong personality that persists long after the specifics of the story have faded away – characters like Peasley, Popple, and Fawful stuck with me long after the credits rolled. Great article!