Retro Super Mario RPG Bonus Is Perfect for SNES Fans

In the Super NES era, Nintendo's first-party games were accompanied by gorgeous instruction manuals, filled with bright visuals, background information, and tips and hints. These days, instruction manuals are incredibly rare, and the only games that seem to get them are occasional special edition releases. However, Nintendo seems to be going old-school for the remake of Super Mario RPG, with a full-color instruction manual. As noted by SiliconEra, this one is meant to evoke the one that came with the SNES version. The manual won't be packaged with the game, but will be given away at select retailers in Japan. 

At this time, it's unclear whether this will be similarly offered in regions like North America, but it seems like the kind of thing Nintendo fans would love to add to their collection. Images originally obtained by Game Watch can be found below. 

Super Mario RPG Release Date

Super Mario RPG will be releasing November 17th on Nintendo Switch. The original version of Super Mario RPG was one of the final games released on the Super Nintendo, and marked Square's final title on the platform before moving on to release games for the original PlayStation. Super Mario RPG proved to be a huge hit with audiences thanks to its sharp writing and compelling world. The game featured memorable new characters, including the playable Geno and Mallow, as well as villains like Croco. 

The original SNES version of Super Mario RPG has been offered on several different Nintendo platforms over the years, including Wii, Wii U, and the SNES Classic Edition. Despite the game's popularity, it has never been made available on Switch. Thankfully, the upcoming remake will finally rectify that, and allow players an opportunity to experience Super Mario RPG in a portable format for the first time ever. The game will also feature several changes and improvements over the original version. 

Mario Games in 2023

So far, 2023 has proven to be a huge one for Nintendo's Mario franchise. April saw the release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the highly-anticipated animated adaptation from Illumination. While fans were initially skeptical about the cast, the movie ended up being a huge hit with audiences, earning more than $1 billion at the global box office. Last month also saw the release of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, the first new 2D Mario game in more than a decade. The game has already proven to be both a critical and commercial success for Nintendo, selling more than four million copies in two weeks, and earning universal critical praise. 

It remains to be seen whether Super Mario RPG will continue this positive trend for Mario in 2023, but if reception to the game is nearly as positive as the original SNES version, fans should have a lot to be excited about!

Are you hoping to see this instruction manual brought to North America? Do you plan on picking up Super Mario RPG next week? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!