Best Games Like Super Mario RPG

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was groundbreaking in a myriad of ways on SNES. To start, it was the first game to feature Mario in an RPG. From there two spiritual successor series were created: Mario and Luigi and Paper Mario. Secondly, it innovated the turn-based RPG genre by incorporating Mario’s standard action into the game.

It created an active combat system wherein players could time their button presses to do more damage or to defend from enemy attacks. The aforementioned spiritual successors used this type of combat too but they weren’t the only ones. These eight games use active turn-based combat systems too that Super Mario RPG fans will surely dig.

6 Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

Highest Metacritic Score: 86

Ubisoft had a go at the franchise besides the other two direct Super Mario RPG spiritual successors of Paper Mario and Mario and Luigi. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is Ubisoft’s second game that crosses over familiar Mario characters with their wacky Rabbid creatures. This game is a strategy RPG wherein players can freely move their heroes around a map before going into combat mode.

It’s an easy game to pick up and play for beginners and it can be challenging for veterans too thanks to various settings. It’s goofy, light-hearted, and is full of surprises. It one-ups its predecessor in almost everywhere from the story to the control options. Who would have ever guessed the Mario franchise would work so well with the Rabbids?

5 Mother 3

Highest Metacritic Score: N/A

Mother 3 has been unavailable officially in North America ever since it launched on the Game Boy Advance in 2006. That hasn’t stopped fans from playing it though thanks to English translation patches. It feels a lot like its predecessor, EarthBound, from the quirky designs of the characters to the unsettling music at times.

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Speaking of music, it plays a big role in the turn-based battles. If players time their attacks to the beat, they can continue hitting enemies. It’s almost like a secret mechanic, so it is hard to master. Nintendo may one day release it officially, perhaps even as a remake like Super Mario RPG. For now, the Internet is there for those curious.

4 Sea Of Stars

Highest Metacritic Score: 91

Sea of Stars is the newest game on the list and it feels inspired by the original SNES version of Super Mario RPG. It also takes a lot from another popular Square Enix RPG of the 90s, Chrono Trigger. Players begin this adventure as two chosen warriors who are destined to save the world from darkness using the power of the Sun and the Moon. Basic attacks and specials can be timed to do more damage and defenses can be increased with a well-timed block.

There are also combo attacks that will deal a lot of damage to enemies or perhaps grant healing buffs to the party. This is an indie game that wears its inspirations on its sleeve but it is so much more than the games it is trying to pay homage to. Sea of Stars manages to carve a name for itself in the greater RPG pantheon and that is truly saying something thanks to the combat, characters, pixel art, music, and so much more.

3 Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

Highest Metacritic Score: 74

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood is the only RPG spinoff in the franchise which is wild. It took a while for Sega to test out the RPG waters too as this was a DS game released in 2008. It was not designed internally within Sega either and instead, the torch was passed to BioWare at the height of its powers. It had a lot of BioWare tropes in it too like dialogue trees.

The combat was more in line with Super Mario RPG as every attack had a corresponding meter or button press to follow. There were plans for sequels but they never came to fruition. This game is worth tracking down on a cartridge though. Maybe one-day Sonic and Mario can share the same RPG game since they have at least shared Olympic Stadiums before.

2 South Park: The Stick Of Truth

Highest Metacritic Score: 85

When the cartoon hit Comedy Central in 1997, the South Park fever was intense. There were tons of tie-in games made to capitalize on the popularity but while the humor was there at times, the gameplay was not. The promise of a true South Park experience was fulfilled in 2014 thanks to South Park: The Stick of Truth. Matt Stone and Trey Parker helped a lot with the story and overall design of the game which is probably why it hit as hard as it did.

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Super Mario RPG was indeed an influence as the foul-mouthed tykes of South Park had button-timed attacks and defenses. This first game was all about a fantasy setting whereas the sequel, South Park: The Fractured but Whole, was a parody of Marvel and DC. Both are good but this first game is the one that will probably resonate the most with Mario fans.

1 Undertale

Highest Metacritic Score: 93

Undertale is another indie darling that was influenced by Super Mario RPG and RPGs of the 90s as a whole. The gameplay is completely unique to this experience though as the main character was represented by a heart in battle. Players would have to dodge attacks in sort of mini-games to negate damage in combat. That was on the defensive side, but on the offensive side, talking was the player’s greatest weapon.

If played right, players could go through the entire game by talking enemies down and this included bosses. It was a game about empathy which showed players that not all RPGs have to combat heavy. The spiritual sequel, Deltarune, from the designer, Toby Fox, is worth recommending too although it’s not complete. There are demo chapters on Switch though.

Super Mario RPG

Platform(s)

Switch

Released

November 17, 2023

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Genre(s)

RPG