UPDATE
Would you like a true sequel to the beloved SNES game? What would you want it to be like? Let us know below!
ORIGINAL STORY
The original Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was released back in 1996 and remains one of the most important video games on the SNES and in the history of Mario. It was the first game to put Mario in an RPG setting, have Peach and Bowser be playable characters, was a unique collaboration between Nintendo and Square, and more! Fast forward to a little while back, and the remake dropped on Nintendo Switch, and gamers have been enjoying the title ever since. However, one of the original team members for the SNES title has said that he wants to dive back into that world and do something more with it.
Specifically, we’re talking about Super Mario RPG director Chihiro Fujioka, who didn’t work on the remake. He chatted with Minnmax and revealed that while he has worked on other Mario-themed RPGs since the SNES classic, he wants to make a true sequel to the beloved game:
“So, in my career, I’ve been involved in a lot of games and you know, I would really like my final one to be another Mario RPG game, if possible,” Fujioka stated. “I think Mario & Luigi is cool but I would like to go back and create a Mario RPG where you’re only controlling Mario.”
He also said in the interview that he may have ideas on how he’d want it to go, so clearly, this isn’t just “wishful thinking,” he’s up to do things and get started on them. It’s honestly a bit of a mystery why the sequel didn’t happen on the N64 or even on the SNES, but given that multiple parties were involved and things evolved beyond what the title did, it’s possible that the timing wasn’t right.
However, with the remake getting big critical praise and love from fans and possibly big sales since launch, Nintendo could be inclined to dive back into this version of Mario’s world. Plus, the remaster of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is coming next year on Switch, and if THAT game does well, as many predict it will, Nintendo will definitely be looking at bringing Mario back to the RPG space for some new adventures.
The bonus is that if they time this properly, it could be one of the early titles that they put on the Nintendo Switch successor to try to move console units.
Either way, it’s nice to know that Fujioka still loves this game and wants to see more done with it.