Level Up: New Super Mario Bros. vs Super Mario Bros. 3

Once again, Valentine’s Day has come and gone. This year I think it’s time I cover the couple that comes to mind when you think video game relationships: Mario and Princess Peach. This couple has been an icon of the video game world since the original Super Mario Bros series. And a few years back, Nintendo decided to revive that series and make New Super Mario Bros., which was the game I planned on reviewing today. However, whenever I start talking about that game, I can’t help but compare it to the last entry of the series before it. So why not just compare the two? Here is Level Up’s Old vs. New *buzzer, producer speak* Oh, Nostalgia Critic does that? Ok, well then… Level Up’s Retro vs. Reboot! *buzzer, producer speak* ScrewAttack has that one? Ok um… Oh, how about Classic vs. Comeback? *beat, confirm sound*Ok, great. Here is Level Up’s first Classic vs. Comeback: New Super Mario Bros. (released in 2006 for the Nintendo DS) vs. Super Mario Bros. 3 (first seen in 1988 for the Nintendo Entertainment System).

Before we start, I want to explain a few things. First off, this isn’t like a normal double review where I present two games in the time of one. I have a lot to say about both games, so this will be double my normal length. Also, I won’t be declaring clear winners to rounds: I’m just going to give the two games a score at the end, with the highest being the “winner”. Alright, so now lets get on with this.

Since I already started talking about it, might as well start with the story. But, what else is there other than princess Peach gets kidnapped and blah blah blah. What I really want to talk about here are the characters involves; more specifically, Bowser’s kids. (The only other different characters would be personality lacking enemies and the kings in Super Mario Bros. 3, which I have no one to compare to.) In Super Mario Bros. 3, we saw the introduction of the Koopalings: Bowser’s 7 offspring. They each had their own unique design and even names (all named after famous musicians). In New Super Mario Bros. however, we get a previously created character: Bowser Jr. Honestly, I don’t get the point: it’s just a smaller version of Bowser (same name even). Really, the only reason it exists is because everyone in the Mario universe needs a baby form apparently. He’s a pretty boring character made even more useless with the return of the Koopalings in New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Because of the advancements in technology, when it comes to the technical aspects, you’d think the 2006 release would be flat out better. And the answer is yes, in a way. The graphics for New Super Mario Bros. are 3D rendered even in this 2D game. Everything is vibrant and clean, and some of the animations are really smooth and impressive. Due to the hardware limits, the 2D Super Mario Bros. 3 just can’t match up; its one of the best looking games for the NES, but it’s beaten by 18 years of technology. However, with the graphics comes animations and frame rates. See, in the simple NES times, frame rates were rather slow, so some animations were just omitted. Now a day, that doesn’t fly, so, while turning around in Super Mario Bros. 3 is instant, it takes a second in New Super Mario Bros. If you’re a fan of the older games, getting hit in these little seconds will really anger you.

Now, if you want to talk about the designs, there’s a lot to be considered. Super Mario Bros. 3 came after several games where the look was very different (I mean, Mario is red and brown in Super Mario Bros. 1). By New Super Mario Bros, he had long since had a uniformed look that was being used in every game. So yeah, he looks like the Mario we all know and love in that game, but I gotta say, I dig the black pants, heavy outline, dot eyes and kind of soft puffiness of Super Mario Bros. 3. Also, the texture of the background and enemies are all unlike any other Mario game there is. What I’m saying is Super Mario Bros. 3 has personality, while New Super Mario Bros. plays it really safe and familiar.

For Music, it’s sort of the same story: the DS has years of technological advances on the NES, but the tracks on Super Mario Bros. 3 are simply more memorable. Every gamer knows the first world map theme, the level music, the flying fortress theme, etc… I’m not saying that New Super Mario Bros doesn’t have good tracks (one’s so catchy, Bowser’s minions dance along) but rather the ones from Super Mario Bros. 3 have had years of nostalgia to sink in for us. But still, it seems like the newer game was made with a “this is how a Mario game should sounds” mind frame instead of just trying to make something catchy.

And now for the game play. At their cores, both of these games are the same: Go from left to right and stomp on enemies in your way. But of course, there are as many differences as there are similarities.

Let’s start with the power-ups. I’m not going to talk about the super mushroom, star or fire flower, since those are Mario staples. The ones from Super Mario Bros. 3 are classics of course, but it’s actually New Super Mario Bros. I want to start with. See, this game gave us a power-up I had been waiting for since Super Mario World: a koopa shell costume. While wearing this, Mario can duck in it and destroy whatever brick or enemy that might get in his way. It has the same effect as getting a koopa shell and throwing it, even when none are around. There is also the mini-mushroom which shrinks him and makes him weaker, but he can jump higher, run on water and access new areas. But the one most people associate with this game is the Mega Mushroom (seen on the cover). Mario will grow to an incredible size and will crush everything in his way. It won’t last the level and it’s rare, but it’s really fun to use.

Alternatively, the item Mario can be seen using on the cover of Super Mario Bros. 3 is the raccoon leaf, a very common item. With this, Mario gains a raccoon tail and ears, and once he gets up to the proper speed, he can fly (this makes no sense, I know). The introduction of flight in this game really changed the whole Mario series, making the games feel bigger. There is also a variation on the raccoon leaf called the tanooki suit. It’s rarer, but also allows Mario to turn into a statue. This power-up recently returned in Super Mario Land 3D. Another classic and recognizable costume is the Frog Suit, giving Mario more mobility underwater and allowing him to jump higher. The last power up worth mentioning is the Hammer bros. costume. This allows Mario to throw hammers around (like a hammer brother), but it’s kind of weird to use due to the angle and it’s quite rare, so it’s easily forgotten.

So Super Mario Bros. 3 has Power Ups to change game play and really have fun, while New Super Mario Bros. changed the game play more and gave you more strategic items. I don’t know which is “better”, both suit their individual games really well, and the Mega Mushroom is already almost as recognizable as the Racoon leaf, despite being around for a shorter time. Really the winner in this case is not so clear.

However, there is a clear winner when it comes to the multiplayer, and it’s due to the hardware. This time though, it’s the Nintendo DS at the disadvantage. See, being a handheld console means that the game will be more personal and multiplayer is an afterthought. You can connect with another DS system and play these weird bonus levels, but its competition and not as fun. Super Mario Bros. 3 though rewards multiplayer in its main game. See, if you have someone else playing with you, they can do half the levels and you’d only have to do the other half. And even if you lose all your lives, the levels that your buddy will have beaten will still be done. Trust me when I say, this makes the game a lot easier.

That’s mostly due to the fact that there is no way to save in Super Mario Bros. 3. This means that you’ll likely skip some levels due to the map system just to get to the end. And why shouldn’t you? There is no incentive for 100% completing the game. New Super Mario Bros. can save though, and uses this to entice perfectionists to keep on playing this game. First off, in each level, there are 3 large coins to collect, which you can use to buy lives and power ups. There are also branching paths to find which even includes entire worlds. Yeah, 2 out of the 8 worlds are actually hidden. New Super Mario Bros. rewards players who go back and explore with more game play. In Super Mario Bros. 3, why not skip some levels? It makes no difference once you turn off the console.

Now I want to clear this up, neither of these games are bad at all. As a matter of fact, both of these were on ScrewAttack’s best Mario game’s list (though that’s 5 years old now). However, one of these was actually number one. Not only that, but many people also consider it the best game of its console; the other one, not so much. The better game is Super Mario Bros. 3. Not only does it seem to have more personality, it also did more to advance the series (the map system, flight, etc…). New Super Mario Bros. shouldn’t be disregarded though, as it brought the original Super Mario series back. (By the way I was also going to compare the mini-games, but they aren’t part of the main game play experience. If that is your thing though, New Super Mario Bros. has a good selection from the get go.) Again, both of these are great games, but Super Mario Bros. 3 is a classic for a reason. I would give it 11 out of 10, but that was a one-time joke for Super Mario RPG. I give Super Mario Bros. 3 for the NES 10 levels out 10, and New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS 9 levels out of 10.

Level Up: Spider-man (the Animated Series)

I covered some of Activision’s Spider-man games last summer, the company that seems to have been with the wall crawler since he went 3D. But before then, the game company that dealt with him the most was probably LJN. Now, if you guys watch the Angry Video Game Nerd, you’ll know their games are rarely good. But hey, this one actually managed to get pass the AVGN when he did his Spider-man games review, plus it’s based directly on the 90’s TV show, so who knows how bad this really is? Here’s Spider-man the Animated Series for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

The plot for this game is that some of Spider-man’s enemies have escaped from captivity, and that is it. As far as super hero games go, you can’t really have a less inspired story than that. However, it does mean there are a lot of villains in this game, all recognizable due to the show. And actually, this is the only Spider-man game I know of to include my favorite Spidey-villain : Hydro man! Other than allowing for the awesome amount of bad guys, the story is lame, so let’s move on.

The game play is typical side-scrolling, “punch the bad guys in the FACE(starting with a red Master Chief here)” action game. Simple enough, right? Well, there are two things to keep in mind: 1. This is LJN, and 2. This is Spider-man, so that means there will be wall crawling and web swinging. And both are a little messed up here. For wall crawling, it’s due to the control: you have to press the button while in the air, you can’t be holding it beforehand. However, web-swinning is just poorly polished; if you manage swing, you’ll just go back and forth until you jump, but there’s a delay in the jump. It’s possible to get the hang of it (I mean, it DOE work), but it’s near impossible to perfect and will likely bug up on you.

There are also parts where you can jump into the background and this game does it relatively well. It has the common problem that sometimes you don’t know where exactly you can do this, and also that you’ll jump for other reasons and land in the background accidentally. However, these are common problems for any game doing this. I think it’s done well, but far from perfectly.

Finally, the camera is poorly framed. Spidey will be about one quarter off the end of screen from where he’s facing, making it difficult to react in time to what’s coming. This is all just a bit much…

So, as I already mentioned, this game is based on the Spider-man 90’s Animated Series. Know how I can prove that (other than the name on the copyright screen)? The theme song has been perfectly recreated: *plays a few seconds of it*. Other than that, you won’t notice the music; it’s there, but barely. The sound effects are pretty standard, but nothing note worthy either.

I am surprised to say that the graphics are well done though, for the most part. Spider-man does look a little more buffed out than usual, but it works once you start swinging and climbing around. Also, all the bad guys from the show look exactly like they did, with a few exceptions. The main problem with the sprites that don’t work is that there is a lack of detail, making their faces look like something I made in paint when I was 6. But, I find those are few and far between.

So, that is the Spider-man game based on the Animated series that was developed by Western Technologies, Inc. and published by LJN Ltd. It’s honestly probably little known now a day for a good reason. But is it a bad game? Well, not by my definition of a bad game. Don’t get me wrong, this is still the worst Spider-man game I’ve reviewed so far, but despite the many tiny flaws, this game is not bad as a whole. It has frustrating moments, but it never feels unfair. It’s still very possible to want and be able to see this game to the end. If they could of fixed a few of the controls and spend a bit more time on the music and sprites, this would be a good game. However, as is, it’s only recommended for the huge Spider-man fans (especially ones of the 90’s cartoon); everyone else can skip it. I give Spider-man the Animated Series for the Super Nintendo 5.5 levels out of 10.

Level Up: Freedom Force vs the Third Riech

Some of you may remember that a few years ago, I reviewed Freedom Force, one of my favorite games, for my birthday. Well guess what? There’s a sequel! (singing) Happy birthday to me, here’s Freedom Force vs the Third Reich for the PC.

As some of you may remember, Freedom Force was heavily inspired by the silver age of comic books. So, what was the logical direction for Irrational Games (now both the developers and producers here) to go in to make this game even better? The golden age of comics! The plan was basically to have Minute Man bust open some Nazi skulls just like his obvious inspirations of Superman and Captain America to have a better tale. So does this game succeed in its goal? Weeeeelllll… Let me explain the plot first.

The game starts off some time after the events of the last game. With Time Master disabled and no immediate threat, most of the members of Freedom Force have disbanded. But suddenly, they learn that one of their old foes, Nuclear Winter, has taken advantage of the Time Master powers from his inert body to steal some missiles during the Cuba missile crisis in order to start a nuclear war. His plan is that he would not only survive this, but be powered by it and be able to take over the world (“OF COURSE!”). Not much of a spoiler here, but the good guys win; Nuclear Winter is taken into custody and Time Master’s body is returned. Or so our heroes think. Once they leave, we see they have been deceived by a new villain; Blitzkrieg. While on their way back to the Freedom Fortress, he uses Time Master’s powers to change the events of history. Once they get back, they see that they now live in a world where the Axis Powers won the second world war. Mentor informs the Freedom Force that they must travel back in time and correct the time stream.

The story is… alright. But see, part of what I liked most about the original Freedom Force is that it was rather episodic; sure there was an overarching plot, but you could just play individual levels and enjoy them on their own. Here, most of the game is concentrated on just the one story and villain. It’s well done, but it’s just not what I liked about Freedom Force. Simply put, it tries to be too serious when the first game concentrated on the fun parts of the super hero genre and it lacks personality because of this.

The game play is pretty much the same as the previous game, but tweaked here and there. For those of you who missed my review of the first game, Freedom Force is a real-time RPG; all actions happen in real time, but each character has individual stats that will affect the battle and they will level up if they gain enough experience. Attacks will use part of your Energy X meter, and when you’re too low, it can stun you. You’re given missions to accomplish on each level and you’ll receive prestige points depending on how well you did (these go towards recruiting more heroes). For more in-depth details and critiques, you’ll have to listen to the review of the first game, but I think I just about covered it there.

So, what’s changed? Well, some of the new super powers are really different; now you get moves where you can change people into potted plants, possess baddies and other pretty cool abilities. Also, the Energy X meters have been sectioned off into 3, which allows you to see more precisely how much of it an attack will use. Some of the attributes have also been balanced out, so now anyone with a “flesh” base (which is 90% of the characters you’re given) won’t be super weak against poison. Other than that and maybe a few other small things, I can’t think of too much they changed; I guess if it’s not broken, why fix it?

Freedom Force vs the Third Reich had the big disadvantage of following up a game with very minimal plot in it; how do continue on that without just repeating yourselves? The things to like about this game are what returns and what’s been improved. The things that fall flat though are what’s been added, namely the new villains, heroes and setting: it’s just a bit too serious and plays it very straight, like it’s just not having as much fun anymore. Still, this is a great game and I think it can be found new very easily. I recommend playing Freedom Force beforehand, and if you like it, playing this one, but like I said, they’re both great. I give Freedom Force vs the Third Reich for the PC 9 levels out of 10.

Level Up: My favorite video game

For those of you following along with how many reviews I've done, today, that number reaches 100! I can't think of a better way to celebrate than to talk about my favorite video game. And here it is:

I’m sorry folks, during that extended holiday; I seemed to have lost my place in my review schedule. *Papers rustle* Just let me find myself and- wait a minute, what number episode is this? *Slot machine boop and victory fanfare* Oh my word, it’s episode 100!!!! *Happy celebration video game music stars, possibly from Donkey Kong or Mega Man). Now, of course, I have to talk about something big for this occasion. In the past, I have told you about big games in my life: the first game to make me realize I was a gamer, the game that started my collecting, etc… But have I mentioned what my favorite game is? Oh yeah, that’s today’s topic. And like with some subjects I have a lot to say about this game, but because this is such a big event, I don’t want to cut any of it out. I could make this a 2 part episode, but that would cheapen the big celebration. So, get ready for an extended Level Up as I talk about my favorite video game Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

To pay a proper tribute to this game, I guess I have to go way back to its development. See, Mario had established himself as the mascot of Nintendo and a worldwide icon. This was not only due to his enormous success in his main adventuring series, but spin-off titles as well, in games such as Dr. Mario and Super Mario Kart. Now, in the mid-nineties, a certain unexpected game genre started to gain popularity: the turn based RPGs. With games like the Dragon Quests, Final Fantasy and (to a lesser extent) Breath of Fire series hitting it big, Nintendo wanted Mario to be a part of this action. And so, they went to Square (makers of Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger) for their help on this one. Of course, this game not only had the advantage of being backed by one of the biggest names in the genre and one of the biggest names in video games in general, but it also the advantage of timing. This game came out very late in the SNES life; in fact a few sources state it was just 4 months before Super Mario 64 hit the shelves. Though, this affected the games sales negatively, the quality was only improved, as it pushed the SNES to limits in its hardware that only a few other games did, in terms of processing ability and memory. Do I already have you believing this game is awesome? And I haven’t even started talking about the actual content yet.

I’ve talked before about games that take the familiar and make it original. I’ve talked before about game series that just made themselves more complex and engaging. This game does both for the Mario series. We start of (as usual for a Mario game) with princess Toadstool (since that’s the only way she’s referred to in the game, it’s the only way I will refer to her) being kidnapped by Bowser. However, this game seems to skip right to the end, with Mario entering Bowser’s castle. After fighting his way to the King of Koopas, Mario will give him the thrashing he always seems to merit and saving Toadstool is within our plumber’s reach. However, something unexpected happens; the clouds open up and a terrible rumble is heard. Suddenly, a giant sword appears and crashes down in Bowser’s castle, sending Mario flying back to his home. Once he comes back to, Mario tries to enter Bowser’s keep again, but he is stopped at the front door by the sword. Mario is then informed that the castle (with Toadstool still presumed to be inside) has been claimed in the name of “The Smithy Gang”. The earth then shakes, as the bridge collapses under Mario’s feet and his only direct path to the castle is completely lost. Without many other options, Mario heads off for the nearby Mushroom Kingdom for help. After seeking some advice, Mario runs into Mallow, an odd looking “frog” who just got robbed by a guy named Croco. Once Mario and Mallow recover the stolen goods, Mario returns to Mushroom Kingdom to find it over run by bouncing baddies. After having to clean up the town and fight his way back up the Mushroom Kingdom Castle, Mario encounters Mack Big Knife, one of the boss members of the Smithy Gang. Upon defeating him, an odd star, once guarded by Mack, is discovered. Having no idea what this all means, Mallow suggests that they seek out his father, Frogfucius, who is said to know everything.

And I’ll stop now, as this only represents barely 15% of the game’s story, and I could go on in detail for a very long time. Honestly, as the game progresses, the plot continues to developed, like a good story should. There are very few “down” moments as you adventure; something is ALWAYS happening. Characters are added, motives are revealed, twists happen along the way, the mysteries are uncovered and all that jazz. Once again, this is very impressive when you consider it was all developed starting with the story of a plumber saving a princess.

This method of keeping things familiar, but unique and new is also show in the various settings (which as you should know by one, is one thing I always look for in a game). Every area looks like a level from a Mario game, yet still organic to a new world. And this isn’t to say that the settings ever get repetitious: this is one of the games I’ve played with the most diverse settings while all giving them an organic flow. I mean, Spyro 2 had a lot of different levels, but you’d just enter one with no rhyme or reason. The story here makes it so getting from one place to another all makes sense, but you’ll still adventure through a sewer system, in a forest maze, down to the bottom of the sea and in a volcano, just name a few.

Graphically speaking, this game BLEW MY MIND! When I first saw this game, I thought it was 3D (now I know better, but this is just to put you in perspective here). The same could be said for Donkey Kong Country, but here is the big difference: DKC is played from the perspective of viewing him straight on, Super Mario RPG is played at a three-quarter perspective. This gives the game whole new life in terms of how it looks. To use an analogy, most 2D can look, feel and work as if you’re moving a paper doll across a flat surface; even if the doll looks really nice. This game, it’s as if you’re playing with figurines in a model house. Beyond just that, the graphics were made in a manner similar to Donkey Kong Country, but possibly with more detail, since the environments are more interactive and complex. Other than that, same story; everyone looks like they’re supposed to, but with new life brought into them to fit into this marvelous world.

While I’m talking about the superficial aspects, I have to mention the soundtrack. Yeah, the sound effects are good, I mean, I wouldn’t change a single one for any reason, but it’s the music you’ll be listening for. This game is full of great music. As you’ve probably noticed by now, I’ve made a music medley of tracks from this game, which is something I always reserve for the games I think really deserve it. Well, this game does deserve it, as every track is memorable, fitting to the moment and evokes the proper emotion. There’s this sad little number that comes a lot, and I have come to associate dramatically depressing moment with that little number. Then there are the fun tracks of a city that’s been saved and is joyful for it, the wacky music of a mini-game and the fantastic sounds of being on the celestial Star Hill. The best might be the battle music though. The one for the regular battles are fun, as the average battle should be. The ones for the bosses however take on a much more serious and less distracting tone (and don’t get me started on the final boss music). And I’ll admit, a lot of games can fit their music to their moments, but few of them get it so right every time, and even less make them all this memorable.

So if it isn’t obvious enough, Super Mario RPG is an RPG (turn based style to be exact). For you fanatics out there who need all the details on the battle system, here it is: the enemies are seen on the field instead of being invisible and random, and a fight only initiates when Mario walks into one of them. There are three hero characters on the battle field (out of 5 you’ll eventually have available, though Mario always needs to be one). The character with the highest speed will get the first choice for an action, and execute it right away. You have the choice to do a simple attack, defend, run away, use an item or use a spell. Spells run on FP (Flower Power) and though some spells are stronger against some enemies, I wouldn’t say they have a “type” (like in Pokemon and all that). The menus while battling are all easy to understand and based on which button you press; A is attack, X opens the items menu, Y opens spells and B gives you the “defend” and “run away” options. All simple enough that anyone new to the genre will understand it and is very user friendly. Fighting enemies gives you XP and coins. Once you hit a certain amount of XP, you’ll go up a level where your stats will improve and you’re given the choice to give an extra boost to Attack and Defense, your Hit Points or your Special Attack and Special Defense. Coins are of course use to buy things at shops; either items to help you out in various, general ways, or equipment to boost your stats for the battles. And at this point I think I covered everything the hardcore RPG fans would want to know about this game’s system.

Now here’s where things take a twist. See, this regular turn based fighting style is a little boring and out dated with games like the new Final Fantasy games of that time getting the player more involved in the battles. That is where the “Timed Attacks” come in (this would be a staple and trademark for the Mario RPG series). As one of your heroes is attacking, press the A button at the right time and the attack will become stronger, and press the button as an enemy is attack and you’ll defend against it. The catch is, you’re not always sure when that time is: it could be as your attack is hitting the enemy or it could be as your hero is taking out the weapon. Eventually, if you’re into the game enough, you’ll just “feel” the moment, but some can still be hard to figure out. Trust me when I say this though, it’s worth it to figure out and really does get you more engaged into the game.

Of course, the game play of Super Mario RPG goes well beyond the battles. The way I look at an RPG is that it can be divided into 3 sections: the battles, the story (or text) and the field. Some RPGs fall into the trap that, while the battles are good and the story is engaging, the field is boring as it’s just means to help get to the next battle or story element. Super Mario RPG does not forget to be fun here; being on the field is as fun (if not more) than fighting. There are so many puzzles and hidden treasures to find that, with all the time I’ve spend playing this game and the amount of times I’ve beaten it, I’m sure that I haven’t found everything yet. But more than that, there actually is a good selection of mini-games throughout, including a “whack-a-mole” clone, a race using Yoshi and a whole casino to find and play with. Now, I’m not saying this game is the first to have mini-games (and by far, it’s not the first to make good use of its field), but the amount and concentration on them is just great. Like I said before, it feels like you’re always doing something. I think this is heavily due to its “Mario is a platforming game” roots, but I think it pulls a little inspiration from the Zelda series too.

And there it is; finally I can share with you guys my thoughts on Super Mario RPG, possibly my definition of a perfect game. The graphics are amazing for the time, the soundtrack is flawless, the story is a perfect mix of nostalgia and ingenuity, the battles are engaging and you always feel like you’re doing something in this game with not a boring moment to be had. And of course, I’m not the only one who agrees with this idea, as there are tons of reviewers out there who say this game is one of the best available for the Super Nintendo. As a matter of fact, once Nintendo started rereleasing all their Super Nintendo games on the Game Boy Advance, this was one of most requested games. However, due to Square merging with Enix and going on to work more closely with Sony, that wouldn’t happen; the only rerelease of this game would be on the Wii virtual console (which is good, because buying a real copy can be a little pricey). On the same subject, this would be why there was never a direct sequel, but two series would come out in the form of spiritual sequels, both of which I have already talked about: Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi. Now don’t get me wrong, those series are also really good, but I never quite thought they were as good as the original Super Mario RPG. I will admit, nostalgia probably plays a big part in how I feel about this game as I’ve owned it for so long, play it periodically and have beaten it more than any other game I own, but the fact that I still enjoy every moment of it today has to be a testament to the quality and replay value. Because this is my favorite game, I honestly can’t say I put it on the same level as games like Freedom Force or Soul Calibur 2: those games are some of my favorites, but Super Mario RPG still beats them all. I can’t give this game 10 out of 10. Heck, 11 out of 10 still seems too close for me. I give Super Mario RPG: Legend of the seven stars 12 levels out of 10