I guess it just wouldn’t be right for a guy like me, who never finishes ANY game, EVER, to finish a game and not tell the world about it. The fact that I ripped through Super Mario RPG in a week is both good and bad news.

The bad news is for RPG fans, who will find the lack of challenge a severe disappointment. The game is entirely too short to have the title RPG on the box. The good news is that “instant gratification” gamers such as myself will find that the pace just right. Unlike many role playing games, there is no point in this one where you’ll feel “stuck”. Things progress somewhat linearly although you can always go back to places you’ve been before to find a few secrets. As a short RPG, (You’re thinking: Good gosh, how many times is he gonna use the word “RPG”? To which I reply Hey, as many times as I RPG want RPG because this is my RPG review!) this is a good one.

You can feel the influences of co- producers Squaresoft throughout. The graphics are dynamite, with even the most insignificant experience-point- fodder extremely well-animated and 3D rendered. The music is very catchy, and I found myself humming the jungle themes at the most inappropriate times (don’t let the priest catch YOU doing this during mass). A good portion of the game is spent getting “frog coins” (the Mario equivalent of “brownie points”) via action-games that were all quite enjoyable. There are enough secrets in the game to keep you playing it longer than you need to to win, another good feature. So what’s not to like? Nothing, I say. Final Fantasy III stands today as one of my top ten of all time, and while Super Mario RPG isn’t anywhere near that particular list, it stands toe to toe with the best in terms of solid entertainment.

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