SUPER MARIO RPG STIMULATES IMAGINATION BY COMBINING CLASSIC MARIO
ACTION AND TRADITIONAL RPG STRATEGY
Mario Sports New Computer-Rendered Image; Provides More Involving,
Long Lasting Game Play
LOS ANGELES, May 16, 1996 -- Nintendo of America this month broadens
the appeal of role-playing games (RPG) to a vast new consumer audience
with the release of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.
In his first appearance in an RPG, Mario is brought to life as a completely
rendered character for the first time using Nintendo's Advanced Computer
Modeling (ACM) technology. He serves as the game player's alter ego in
this intellectually involving adventure that will take more than 100 hours
to fully explore.
"For the past few years we've seen American video game players'
interest in role-playing games increase," says Peter Main, Nintendo
of America's executive vice president, sales and marketing. "More
and more players are continually discovering the unique, intrinsic entertainment
values that RPGs provide. Super Mario RPG, featuring America's most
celebrated video game character in familiar surroundings, combines these
benefits with the playability of action/adventure games to bring RPGs to
a wider audience in this country."
The 32-megabit, one-player game is available only for the 16-bit Super
Nintendo Entertainment System (Super NES) and will have a manufacturer's
suggested retail price of $74.95.
THE WORLD OF RPGs BECOMES THE NEW WORLD OF MARIO
Featuring an involving story line from Nintendo's legendary designer
Shigeru Miyamoto, Super Mario RPG boasts the first use of stunning
Donkey Kong Country-style, ACM graphics in both a Mario game and an
RPG. As with most Nintendo games and as an added effort to broaden to appeal
of the RPG genre, Super Mario RPG is user-friendly. For instance,
in the style of the Super Mario World series, there is a walk-through
during the beginning of the adventure to introduce players into the game
play mechanics. Such features will greatly aid new RPG players in learning
the new style of game play.
After several years of cult status due to the inherent elements involved
in traditional RPGs, the RPG genre is beginning to grow into the mainstream
U.S. gaming arena. Super Mario RPG breaks new ground by combining
all of the fun and familiar elements of the Super Mario World action
game series with the classic elements of the RPG genre, such as non-linear
character movement, progressive character development, multiple characters
joining the quest, menu-based battles and strategy-based game play.
Like other Mario games and RPGs, Super Mario RPG includes several
fun and challenging bonus games and mazes -- for example, there is a stunning
behind-the-head perspective mine cart ride. And, along with all of the
usual Super Mario World characters, new characters have been added:
new heroes Mallow and Geno; new enemy Smithy; and a wise frog named Frogfucius.
The game also takes the traditional RPG menu-based battle system one
step further by incorporating an easy-to-use command selector and a move-within-a-move
"Action Command" feature. With the new battle command selector,
a player simply presses the corresponding button selection listed on the
screen next to the character to enable the action. With the "Action
Command" feature, a player can select to attack an enemy, then increase
the power of the attack by pressing a button with the right timing.
Super Mario RPG also contains rotating Mode 7 effects, hidden
Nintendo characters and a good dosage of humor. There is a battery-backed
memory to save up to four different games.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars is rated Kids to Adults,
6+ by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board.
Soon after the release of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars,
the editors of Nintendo Power Magazine will release a comprehensive
player's guide for the game with a manufacturer's suggested retail price
of $11.00.
Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan is the leader in the worldwide $15
billion retail video game industry. Nintendo and its international subsidiaries
have sold more than one billion video games worldwide. As a wholly owned
subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Washington, serves
as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere, where
more than 40 percent of American homes own a Nintendo System.
Contributed by skl (1163) on Feb 25, 2004.
