Spoilers for Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga aheadSwitch owners got a surprising amount of new content during the Nintendo Direct on February 8. For example,Metroid Prime Remasteredbecame available the day it was announced, validating years of rumors about aPrimeremake in development (though some were hoping for the entire trilogy). Both Game Boy and Game Boy Advance (GBA) libraries were also added to Nintendo Switch Online the day of the Direct, with GBA titles likeThe Legend of Zelda: The Minish CapandMario & Luigi: Superstar Sagaavailable to anyone who holds an Expansion Pack-tier subscription.
There’s only a slim roster of six GBA titles available at launch, but classics likeKirby and the Amazing Mirror,Metroid Fusion,Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, andGolden Sunare planned for sometime in the near future. However,Superstar Sagais a particularly unique offering in that it preserves the first entry in a fan-favorite series bynow-defunct studio AlphaDream. One reason fans might be excited to play the original GBA version over its 3DS remake from 2017 is that it includes a reference toSuper Mario RPG. This could point to a good working relationship with Square Enix that means its 1996 SNES title has a chance of hitting Nintendo Switch Online too.
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Geno Makes a Cameo in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Sagabrings the titular duo to one of the Mushroom Kingdom’s neighboring states, the Beanbean Kingdom, after Princess Peach’s voice is stolen by an evil witch named Cackletta so that she can awaken the wish-granting Beanstar. High jinks ensue as the brothers attempt to fix the discord left in Cackletta’s wake, but about halfway through the adventure her plan almost succeeds. Hearing the Princess' voice causes the Beanstar to go berserk, however, as it is soon revealed that Peach was originally swapped out with Birdo in anticipation of Cackletta’s attack.
When the real Princess Peach arrives in the Beanbean Kingdom, Mario and Luigi must escort her through Teehee Valley to reach Little Fungitown’s embassy deep in the heart of the desert. Once she’s safe, the brothers have an opportunity to peruse this community of immigrant Toads, and story progression comes through winning an “Invincishroom” at the local arcade by getting a high score in Star ‘Stache Smash. In the original GBA version, the stage-like production of this arcade game includes popularSuper Mario RPGdoll-warrior Geno to read instructions, paying homage to the game that helped pioneer theMario & Luigiseries’ action-command battle system.
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Superstar Saga Renews Hope for Super Mario RPG Hitting Nintendo Switch Online
After years of Nintendo fans advocating forGeno to appear inSuper Smash Bros.as more than just a Mii Fighter costume, it is great to see the character acknowledged once again - even as an incidental cameo in a larger collection of classic games. The 3DS releaseMario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minionsremoved Geno entirely from the Star ‘Stache Smash arcade game, perhaps pointing to rights disputes that have prevented the character (and otherSuper Mario RPGreps like Mallow) from appearing much beyond their debut.
If a game with this Square character is able to appear again through Nintendo Switch Online, that offers hope forSuper Mario RPGitself to hit the service’s SNES library. The game has not been entirely absent since 1996, having appeared on the Wii and Wii U Virtual Consoles, as well as the Super NES Classic in 2017. Nintendo has also proven its ecosystem to be very crossover-friendly in recent years, boasting characters likeKingdom Hearts’ Sora inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimateas now-Microsoft’sBanjo-KazooieandGoldenEye 007made their way to Switch Online’s N64 library. Fans just have to wait and see what the future holds.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Sagais available now via Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
