Beginning in the mid-90s, Square Enix, known at the time as Square Soft, gave our favorite cap-wearing plumber a chance to shine in the world of RPGs. Pioneering the platforming genre, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Super Mario was an oddball choice for the slower, story-driven, turn-based RPG fashions, but it ended up carving the way for some of the best titles ꧑in the ge♛nre.
To this very day, we're still seeing Mario and Luigi battle Goombas and Koopas in classic turn-based fashion, with bits of unique gameplay that make the Mario & Luigi and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Paper Mario series feel refreshingly different from titular franchises like 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Fantasy and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dragon Quest. Which Mario RPGs have us coming back time and time again?
10 🅷 Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam 🔥
Combining the best of both worlds within the world of Mario RPGs seemed as if it would automatically pave the way to greatness. Mario & Luigi: , unfortunat🐟ely, stands a bit on the flat 🌼side when compared to other titles, feeling more like a typical Mario RPG with its two best franchises haphazardly thrown in.
There isn't much to seamlessly blend the two, and it feels similar to cutting out Paper Mario and gluing him onto a Mario & Luigi game. It isn't a bad game by itself, however, and looking past the missed potential leaves a decent experience for fans of the series. Just don't set your expectations too high, or the winds of hope might crumple your experience with Paper Jam.
9 Paper Mario: Color Splash 💎
The latest entry in the critically acclaimed Paper Mario line of games acted to splash a 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:new coat of paint on the franchise, leaving fans with, again, a bit less than expected. Color Splash is a great RPG and a good Paper Mario title.
When compared to earlier entries in the series, however, it seems as if Nintendo was attempting to fix something that wasn't broken, leaving the action, turn-based hybrid gameplay behind for a card-based battle system. When RPGs adopt this style of battle, it usually spells out an unneeded change and ends up being sub-par, but Color Splash has enoug༒h humor and life t🧸o pull it all together into an enjoyable romp.
8 𝔍Super Paper Mario ♏
Super Paper Mario is...an odd case. With Paper Mario, Nintendo has had a history of being indecisive on how to proceed with the seri🌱es, leaving us with this platforming action-RPG with some of the strangest and unforgettable characters and a surprisingly dark story. Being able to magically conjure up a Z-axis, you can switch the game from 2D to 3D, making puzzles a blast to solve.
The gameplay works well for what it is, but the story is what really takes the cake here.🐼 Characters all stick out from one another with their own quirky and weird antics, and the atmosphere can really add some deep emotions 🅷to this unique and interesting story.
7 🌜 Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Partners in Time was the much-anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed Superstar Saga, but upon release was left in the shadows because of pooꦰr marketing and﷽ other big releases at the time. This is likely the least played game in the Mario RPG series, but that doesn't diminish the great content within.
As Mario and Luigi babysit themselves while traversing space-time, they meet the typical humorous and memorable characters we expect out of the franchise, while expanding on Superstar Saga's innovative but simple gameplay. As a Mario & Luigi title, Partners in Time deserves a lot more limelight than it gets.
6 🤪 Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Coming hot off the trail of the more than disappointing Paper Mario: Sticker Star, fans were understandably concerned for the wellbeing of this sleepy adventure. Although, this edition into the franchise is a treat, and brings forth another fantastic, gut-busting story a🅰nd gameplay that never seems to get stale.
It excels in areas it's expected to but doesn't usually go further beyond. It may seem like an odd criticism, but it's important to point out especially when talking about such an innovative series like Mario & Luigi. This still re🤪mains a must-play forꦬ fans and is a stellar RPG experience.
5 ꦯ Super Mario RPG: Legend of the S🎀even Stars
The SNES had a great send-off with Super Mario RPG releasing at the end of its life cycle. This title came out of nowhere and is the genre mashup we never knew we needed. Square Soft, the kings of said genre, decided to give Mario a heaping handful of Square's tr🦩ademark magic and create a fun, engaging, one-of-a-kind experience.
In terms of Mario RPG standards, the gameplay is essentially a dumbed-down version of newer titles, with a mix of action and turn-based combat. This isn't to say that it isn't great, however, as the fun combat mixed with a fusion of classic RPG tropes and Super Mario's unique style culminated into a brilliant game.
4 ﷽ ꦗ Paper Mario
Taking Super Mario RPG's new formula and running rampant with it, Paper Mario breathed new life into the series and kicked off the still ongoing franchise. Releasing, again, at the end of a console's life, Paper Mario harnesses the full abilities of the N64 t𒁏o make a pseudo-🌳3D RPG adventure, unlike anything the world had ever seen.
Setting the groundwork for the series' now well-known writing and storytelling, Paper Mario gave fans a fairly lengthy experienc𒀰e to fulfill all their Mario RPG needs.
3 Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga ও
The first entry in the Mario & Luigi series is also considered to be one of the very best of its class. Releasing on the GBA in 2003 following Paper Mario's positive reception, Superstar Saga continued to bring stellar content to players' hands. The writing heavily emphasized humor this time around, and it gave Superstar Saga its ow♒n identity 𒆙that still sticks out to this day.
The gameplay was a bit simplified for the GBA, but it ends up working in its favor to make an easy to learn, difficult to master gameplay style that holds up even when pitted against later titles. The world was memo🐎rable and wonderful to explore, leaving fans begging for more.
2 Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story ꦇ
Exploring the Koopa King's insides may not seem like the pinnacle of the series at first glance, but looking a bit further reveals a treasure trove of wonders. Building upon the previous two Mario & Luigi titles, Bowser's Inside Story collects all of the beloved aspects from the previous games and sticks them into one jam-packed adventure. It st𒈔ill remains as oౠne of the longer titles, and every second of it is enjoyable.
The gameplay takes the best aspects from the previous engines and adds just the right amount of new content, and the odd overworlds and different storytelling do well for the entire experience. As long as you don't have a fear of organs or insides, this isn't just a 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:great Mario & Luigi game, but an excellent video game all around.
1 💎 Paper Mario: T💛he Thousand-Year Door
It's difficult to discuss The Thousand-Year Door without expressing what has already been uttered a thousand times. This game is, quite literally, the perfect Mar𝔍io RPG experience that hasn't quite been recaptured by any game to this day. The story is a steller tale that holds its own against not just other Mario RPGs, but the entire world of gaming itself.
The characters take what was given in the original Paper Mario and multiply their uniqueness, charm, and memorability by ten-fold. The world is vibrant, gritty, and odd all in one, and every chapter provides nothing but excellency. Out of any Mario RPG to play, The Thousand-Year Door is an absolute necessity.