This article contains spoilers for Super Mario RPG.Nintendo has finally rereleasedSuper Mario RPGonto the Switch as a remake that remains faithful to the source material. After a long 27 years of waiting, loyal fans can once again traverse the Mushroom Kingdom from Bowser’s Keep and back again while collecting the seven Star Pieces. As the remake keeps everything that madeSuper Mario RPGso memorable, while also upgrading a few aspects, it serves as a great way to travel with Mario’s party in a whole new way.
Mario has many companions, two of which are original characters only found inSMRPG. These would be Geno, a doll possessed by a warrior from Star Road, and Mallow, a “frog” that Mario teams up with at the very start of the game. Out of the two, Geno is most notably the fan favorite, having an entire campaign to add him toSuper Smash Bros.,among other things. Comparatively, Mallow gets shoved to the side often, and the little healer deserves his recognition as well. He offers plenty that makes him stand out as his own worthwhile character.
Super Mario RPG Might Remind Fans of What Mallow Offers
Why Mallow Might Be So Easily Overlooked
Mallow comes off as very fittingly meek at first, crying when he fails to jump over the smallest ledge to catch up toCroco the thief. While his meek character evolves into a strong fighter of justice over the course of the game, his stats sadly might not measure up depending on how players choose to strengthen him as he levels up. Once other characters such as Peach and Bowser join the party, Mallow is easy to leave off to the side.
However, he has his strong points in battle as well, especially as the Triple Movesnew to the Switch remake ofSuper Mariop RPGgive the player incredible tactics for keeping him on their team. Players may simply swap to Mallow to get the advantage his Triple Moves give, however, as he consistently hits multiple enemies on a much lower scale than the rest of the team. He serves an important role as an all-rounder party member and shouldn’t be neglected, though.
Mallow’s Story Sits at the Heart of Super Mario RPG
When players meet Mallow for the first time, the game will insist that he’s a frog, even thoughSMRPGeven comments that he doesn’t look like one. This is eventually revealed to be because even though Mallow was raised by the Frog Sage, he isn’t a frog at all and has a different family somewhere else. Even though his storyline sits in the back compared toother important RPGstorylines, Mallow makes it count when his moment comes to shine,
The truth about Mallow comes around when players are searching for the red Star Piece, and they eventually climb a beanstalk to get up to Nimbus Land. Once there, players can watch as Valentina claims that Dodo is the long-lost Prince Mallow, and Mallow is surprised that there’s a prince with the same name as him. Once it’s understood that Mallow really is the lost prince of Nimbus Land,Super Mario RPGfans will getto watch him charge in with passion and strength that wouldn’t have been expected of him when he and Mario first met.
Mallow is the first of the party to see his adventure and character arc come full circle, and it ends with such a poignant moment for the little cloud that it may help newer fans see whySuper Mario RPGhas been so belovedfor such a long time. Even after Mallow reunites with his family, he still travels with Mario, Geno, Peach, and Bowser to see their adventure through to the end, headstrong and sure of himself. Truly, it’s due to the sheer bravery and development Mallow goes through that he deserves to stand alongside Geno in popularity, instead of being in his shadow.
Super Mario RPG
WHERE TO PLAY
Set out on a classic Mario adventure: Enter—or revisit—a world of whimsy with Mario on a quest to repair Star Road and defeat the troublemaking Smithy Gang. Team up with a party of unlikely allies, like the monstrous Bowser and a mysterious doll named Geno, in a story-rich RPG packed with laughs and quirky characters.A strange party unites to save Star Road: Meet the team of oddballs setting out to thwart the troublesome Smithy Gang and protect everyone’s wishes. Even Bowser is lending a claw!Take it easy with Breezy Difficulty Mode: Players new to RPGs or who want a story-focused experience can use the new Breezy difficulty, which makes battles easier and leveling up faster. You can set the difficulty at any time if you change your mind.Adventure, battle, and traverse across a colorful world: Jump towards your next goal and continue the story. Run into monsters to enter turn-based battles with your party of three. Master the new Chain and Triple Moves system to claim victory.A delightfully reimagined world: Enjoy familiar sights with colorfully enhanced graphics and spiffy upgrades.
