Let’s talk about game length and whether Super Mario RPG is worth $60
17.11.2023 - 21:19
/ destructoid.com
The debate over how long video games should be has raged since the 90s at least. I’ve certainly dipped my toes into this conversation before, including here on Destructoid. But for the recent release of Super Mario RPG, those asking “how long is it” may need a slightly more nuanced answer than usual.
For those just tuning in, the remake of the Super Nintendo classic Super Mario RPG is here. For my part, I absolutely loved reviewing the game. I do think there were missed opportunities with the remake. However, I remain confident in saying that everyone, in one way or another, should experience this adventure. It’s also a $60 remake of a 27-year-old game, and it doesn’t boast the longest run time.
Depending on where you look, you’ll maybe see the claim that Super Mario RPG takes 12 hours to complete. And while you certainly can finish the game in 12 hours, I’d hesitate to say that’s how long you’ll spend with Super Mario RPG. I’ll unpack this by sharing my experience.
I talked about this in my review, but I think a more dedicated breakdown is in order.
By the time I reached the end of the credits, my playtime was 14 hours and 45 minutes. I played the original quite a bit in my youth, but it had been a decade since my last playthrough. For this reason, I didn’t exactly remember each and every secret. I had to spend a bit of time looking for hidden chests and chasing down optional quests. I also talked to every NPC and looked for potential easter eggs. This included returning to Vista Hill every now and then, just so I could see if there was any new dialogue as my party grew.
I did, generally, try to skip most enemy encounters. This kept me from getting overleveled, which led to nicely-tuned boss fights. That said, I did have Mallow scan as many enemies as I could find with the Thought Peek skill. You better believe I want to read every single foe’s thoughts.
Though my playtime was a bit above the 11 or 12 hours that has been cited, I still fell quite a bit below the alleged SNES runtime of 17.5 hours. This could be because the remake is easier than the original game. I’d have to play the two side-by-side to really compare them and see what the difference is. However, I’d say the reduction is at least as much a result of how the remake streamlines the game. Again, as I cited in my review, there’s very little time spent on menus here. Additionally, battle transitions do seem to be a bit faster on average. The original game was already pretty light on filler, but the remake cuts the downtime even further.
This is another area where the “length” conversation gets tricky. I’m going to remain spoiler-free with this topic, but as another recap, Super Mario RPG does feature some boss rematches. Like I said in my