Super Mario RPG is considered to be one of the greatest SNES games ever released. A collaboration between Nintendo and Square, this quirky RPG saw Mario team up with Princess Peach, Bowser and two new characters as they set out to save the Mushroom Kingdom from a new threat. The game was a hit, leading to the later development of the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi games. The new characters, Geno and Mallow, were also popular. Geno in particular received requests to be included in the Super Smash Bros roster.
Naturally, there’s a demand from fans to see the game released in more places. Unlike other classic Mario titles, though, Super Mario RPG has historically been a difficult game to get hold of. Part of this is due to licensing, with the game’s rights split between Nintendo and Square Enix.
With a remake imminent for the Switch, here is a look back on all the official places you can play Super Mario RPG today.
Original SNES Release
If you still have access to either a North American or Japanese SNES, then the original release of Super Mario RPG is an option for you. This naturally means you’re relying on second-hand sales if you don’t already own the game.
However, the game’s popularity and relative scarcity today mean it’s not cheap these days. A quick glance at eBay shows prices of $100 and up, with at least one listing reaching $250. There is also the risk that these older systems and cartridges may have degraded over time and may not work as well as they once did.
Virtual Console (Wii & Wii U)
Super Mario RPG released for the Virtual Console library for both the Wii and Wii U. The Wii version released in 2008, also offering European players their first chance to play the game officially. The Wii U version released in 2015, with a 2016 release in North America. If you were able to grab these at the time, you can play Super Mario RPG on either of these systems.
However, anyone looking to pick up these versions today is out of luck. Both the Wii Shop and the Wii U eShop have been closed, making it impossible to buy Super Mario RPG from either service. It sadly isn’t available for the Nintendo Switch Online service.
SNES Classic Edition
Nintendo released the SNES Classic Edition in 2016. This mini console came bundled with 20 full SNES games, offering a mix of first-party titles along with titles from publishers such as Capcom, Square and Konami. One of these games was Super Mario RPG, running the North American version of the game on Western releases.
There’s just one problem. Nintendo discontinued the SNES Classic in 2017, so unless you were lucky enough to pick one up during their time on sale, tracking this down might be difficult too. Second-hand units are also expensive on resale sites. That said, some of the prices aren’t too different to the original Super Mario RPG cartridge on its own, so it may be worth paying that to get 19 more games as well.
Switch Remake
Announced at the June 2023 Nintendo Direct, Super Mario RPG will soon be getting a remake on Nintendo Switch. This remake promises to be a faithful 1:1 recreation of the original with new visuals, similar to how The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening was handled. Composer Yoko Shimomura will be back to handle rearrangements of her original work.
This is looking like your best bet for playing Super Mario RPG once it releases in November. Without the scarcity of the original version or the SNES Classic, and on an eShop that still exists, this remake will soon be the easiest way to experience this SNES Classic.
The Super Mario RPG remake will be released on November 17, 2023 for the Nintendo Switch.
