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Super Mario RPG Review: Small plumber, big quest – Stevivor

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11 months ago

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Originally released as Super Mario RPG Legend of the Seven Stars on the Super Nintendo back in 1996, this game has been a long-standing oddity AND beloved gem in the Mario oeuvre. An unexpected collaboration between Nintendo and Squaresoft, makers of the Final Fantasy series, Super Mario RPG introduced the platforming plumber to a new, turn-based alternative for how to do things.

After 27 long years, Super Mario RPG is getting the remake treatment and transitioning to the Switch, marking the first time the game has been available to players in any form since the shutdown of the Wii U’s Virtual Console. Noted as the inspiration for both the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series, this is the game that led to some of the best in the franchise – including Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door, another historic gem receiving a facelift next year.

 The game begins with Mario once again on his way to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser, when a giant living sword named Exor smashes through both Bowser’s castle as well as the Star Road, high above it. Taking the castle in the name of the Smithy gang, Exor scatters Mario, Peach and Bowser across the land, along with seven stars from the shattered Star Road.

Setting out to find Peach and return her home, Mario soon finds unlikely allies along the way – the surprisingly fluffy “tadpole”, Mallow, Geno the living puppet, and even a surprising friend in the form of his long-time enemy. United under a common cause, Mario and friends team up to retrieve the seven stars, restore the Star Road and send the Smithy gang packing.

Super Mario RPG takes one of the best paths a remake or remaster can take with its visual upgrades – it upscales the graphics of the original game, but preserves nostalgia by lovingly updating those original models to match the embellishment of your memory. Mario is perpetually in his stubby, mini-Mario form for the whole game, the Toads are chunky and off-model for what we see in modern titles like Super Mario Wonder, and some “unique” characters, like a certain Booster, will haunt me for longer than I’m comfortable with.

It all comes together to form a unique take on the world of Mario, more like the bizarro instruction booklet art of the Gameboy era than the meticulously maintained brand guide of modern Mario. In 2023, it’s exciting to see two Mario games released that take such radically new angles on the Super Mario setting – in Super Mario RPG and Super Mario Wonder respectively – that come from such different times. Whether it’s from 27 years ago or only a few weeks back, the result of Nintendo getting a little loose and wild with their favourite plumber is a memorable game for the ages.

Given that the original Mario RPG comes from an era of much lower resolutions, the game’s maps are a lot smaller in scale than we’ve become accustomed to. As a result, Super Mario RPG is a perfect fit for playing in handheld mode, especially on the OLED’s vivid screen. The isometric look of the game’s world makes everything ‘blocky’ in a way that telegraphs the world around you clearly, without needing to squint at the details on the smaller screen.

This is something that some games on the system have struggled with (hello, Xenoblade Chronicles 3. I still love you). That said, key story moments as well as combos in battle have all been given lovingly-rendered CG cutscenes that dial the cuteness of the character models to 11.

The story-beat cutscenes feel like a treat for advancing through the game’s story, and building up your combat meter for a party combo is as much about the reward of massive damage as it is getting to see the flashy – and fast-paced! – combo animation. It’s a way to reward a player’s diligence while still respecting their time when playing, which I really appreciated.

Speaking of combos, one of the larger changes from the source material is the addition of the Action Gauge to the game’s combat system. The core combat system of the original remains unchanged, with every attack or special move offering some kind of button prompt that can boost its effectiveness if you succeed. On top of increasing the move’s effect, each successful action prompt fills up a portion of the Action Gauge.

Once full, you can use a Triple Move which is specific to the combination of active party members. Some combination might heal the party, others hit all enemies, or perhaps a single target for extra damage.

The accompanying cutscenes are always fun to watch, and I found the only time I ever skipped them was if I used the same move multiple times in a single boss battle. The combat loop itself is tight and fun – challenging yourself to maintain a combo for damage boosts and other buffs is a great incentive to work on nailing the action prompt timing – and made easier by the addition of a visual prompt.

Even so, I found the timing for the various attacks a little hard to absorb; some of the button prompts feel like they are timed to the wrong moment in the animation, compared to what I’d expect from the more recent Mario & Luigi games, for instance.

It’s also a little counterintuitive that the visual clue won’t show at all if you hit the button too early – it feels disruptive to your flow in combat to fail the prompt, break your chain and not have an indicator of how to improve. Especially when upgrading to a new weapon with a new prompt, it can be disheartening to suddenly lose that feeling of “mastery” in combat, even as your odds of winning improve.

All in all, Super Mario RPG feels like a remaster done right. All of the spirit of the original has been maintained, while subtly updating things here and there to make the game more pleasant to play today.

Small improvements make all the difference with Super Mario RPG, like a less impossible minigame post-battle to double your winnings, or even just the addition of an autosave function – which Toad winkingly calls out, even as he goes through the original game’s tutorial on manual saving. It feels like a game made in reverence to the original, bringing it to a new audience while also reminding returning players what was so great about it in the first place.

Super Mario RPG was reviewed using a promotional code on Nintendo Switch, as provided by the publisher. Click here to learn more about Stevivor’s scoring scale.

This article may contain affiliate links, meaning we could earn a small commission if you click-through and make a purchase. Stevivor is an independent outlet and our journalism is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative.

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Slack researcher discusses the fear, loathing and excitement surrounding AI in the workplace

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10 hours ago

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October 21, 2024

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Artificial intelligence‘s recent rise to the forefront of business has left most office workers wondering how often they should use the technology and whether a computer will eventually replace them.

Those were among the highlights of a recent study conducted by the workplace communications platform Slack. After conducting in-depth interviews with 5,000 desktop workers, Slack concluded there are five types of AI personalities in the workplace: “The Maximalist” who regularly uses AI on their jobs; “The Underground” who covertly uses AI; “The Rebel,” who abhors AI; “The Superfan” who is excited about AI but still hasn’t used it; and “The Observer” who is taking a wait-and-see approach.

Only 50% of the respondents fell under the Maximalist or Underground categories, posing a challenge for businesses that want their workers to embrace AI technology. The Associated Press recently discussed the excitement and tension surrounding AI at work with Christina Janzer, Slack’s senior vice president of research and analytics.

Q: What do you make about the wide range of perceptions about AI at work?

A: It shows people are experiencing AI in very different ways, so they have very different emotions about it. Understanding those emotions will help understand what is going to drive usage of AI. If people are feeling guilty or nervous about it, they are not going to use it. So we have to understand where people are, then point them toward learning to value this new technology.

Q: The Maximalist and The Underground both seem to be early adopters of AI at work, but what is different about their attitudes?

A: Maximalists are all in on AI. They are getting value out of it, they are excited about it, and they are actively sharing that they are using it, which is a really big driver for usage among others.

The Underground is the one that is really interesting to me because they are using it, but they are hiding it. There are different reasons for that. They are worried they are going to be seen as incompetent. They are worried that AI is going to be seen as cheating. And so with them, we have an opportunity to provide clear guidelines to help them know that AI usage is celebrated and encouraged. But right now they don’t have guidelines from their companies and they don’t feel particularly encouraged to use it.

Overall, there is more excitement about AI than not, so I think that’s great We just need to figure out how to harness that.

Q: What about the 19% of workers who fell under the Rebel description in Slack’s study?

A: Rebels tend to be women, which is really interesting. Three out of five rebels are women, which I obviously don’t like to see. Also, rebels tend to be older. At a high level, men are adopting the technology at higher rates than women.

Q: Why do you think more women than men are resisting AI?

A: Women are more likely to see AI as a threat, more likely to worry that AI is going to take over their jobs. To me, that points to women not feeling as trusted in the workplace as men do. If you feel trusted by your manager, you are more likely to experiment with AI. Women are reluctant to adopt a technology that might be seen as a replacement for them whereas men may have more confidence that isn’t going to happen because they feel more trusted.

Q: What are some of the things employers should be doing if they want their workers to embrace AI on the job?

A: We are seeing three out of five desk workers don’t even have clear guidelines with AI, because their companies just aren’t telling them anything, so that’s a huge opportunity.

Another opportunity to encourage AI usage in the open. If we can create a culture where it’s celebrated, where people can see the way people are using it, then they can know that it’s accepted and celebrated. Then they can be inspired.

The third thing is we have to create a culture of experimentation where people feel comfortable trying it out, testing it, getting comfortable with it because a lot of people just don’t know where to start. The reality is you can start small, you don’t have to completely change your job. Having AI write an email or summarize content is a great place to start so you can start to understand what this technology can do.

Q: Do you think the fears about people losing their jobs because of AI are warranted?

A: People with AI are going to replace people without AI.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Biden administration to provide $325 million for new Michigan semiconductor factory

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10 hours ago

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October 21, 2024

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Tuesday that it would provide up to $325 million to Hemlock Semiconductor for a new factory, a move that could help give Democrats a political edge in the swing state of Michigan ahead of election day.

The funding would support 180 manufacturing jobs in Saginaw County, where Republicans and Democrats were neck-in-neck for the past two presidential elections. There would also be construction jobs tied to the factory that would produce hyper-pure polysilicon, a building block for electronics and solar panels, among other technologies.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on a call with reporters that the funding came from the CHIPS and Science Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2022. It’s part of a broader industrial strategy that the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, supports, while Republican nominee Donald Trump, the former president, sees tariff hikes and income tax cuts as better to support manufacturing.

“What we’ve been able to do with the CHIPS Act is not just build a few new factories, but fundamentally revitalize the semiconductor ecosystem in our country with American workers,” Raimondo said. “All of this is because of the vision of the Biden-Harris administration.”

A senior administration official said the timing of the announcement reflected the negotiating process for reaching terms on the grant, rather than any political considerations. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss the process.

After site work, Hemlock Semiconductor plans to begin construction in 2026 and then start production in 2028, the official said.

Running in 2016, Trump narrowly won Saginaw County and Michigan as a whole. But in 2020 against Biden, both Saginaw County and Michigan flipped to the Democrats.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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The Internet is Littered in ‘Educated Guesses’ Without the ‘Education’

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2 weeks ago

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October 8, 2024

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Although no one likes a know-it-all, they dominate the Internet.

The Internet began as a vast repository of information. It quickly became a breeding ground for self-proclaimed experts seeking what most people desire: recognition and money.

Today, anyone with an Internet connection and some typing skills can position themselves, regardless of their education or experience, as a subject matter expert (SME). From relationship advice, career coaching, and health and nutrition tips to citizen journalists practicing pseudo-journalism, the Internet is awash with individuals—Internet talking heads—sharing their “insights,” which are, in large part, essentially educated guesses without the education or experience.

The Internet has become a 24/7/365 sitcom where armchair experts think they’re the star.

Not long ago, years, sometimes decades, of dedicated work and acquiring education in one’s field was once required to be recognized as an expert. The knowledge and opinions of doctors, scientists, historians, et al. were respected due to their education and experience. Today, a social media account and a knack for hyperbole are all it takes to present oneself as an “expert” to achieve Internet fame that can be monetized.

On the Internet, nearly every piece of content is self-serving in some way.

The line between actual expertise and self-professed knowledge has become blurry as an out-of-focus selfie. Inadvertently, social media platforms have created an informal degree program where likes and shares are equivalent to degrees. After reading selective articles, they’ve found via and watching some TikTok videos, a person can post a video claiming they’re an herbal medicine expert. Their new “knowledge,” which their followers will absorb, claims that Panda dung tea—one of the most expensive teas in the world and isn’t what its name implies—cures everything from hypertension to existential crisis. Meanwhile, registered dietitians are shaking their heads, wondering how to compete against all the misinformation their clients are exposed to.

More disturbing are individuals obsessed with evangelizing their beliefs or conspiracy theories. These people write in-depth blog posts, such as Elvis Is Alive and the Moon Landings Were Staged, with links to obscure YouTube videos, websites, social media accounts, and blogs. Regardless of your beliefs, someone or a group on the Internet shares them, thus confirming your beliefs.

Misinformation is the Internet’s currency used to get likes, shares, and engagement; thus, it often spreads like a cosmic joke. Consider the prevalence of clickbait headlines:

  • You Won’t Believe What Taylor Swift Says About Climate Change!
  • This Bedtime Drink Melts Belly Fat While You Sleep!
  • In One Week, I Turned $10 Into $1 Million!

Titles that make outrageous claims are how the content creator gets reads and views, which generates revenue via affiliate marketing, product placement, and pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Clickbait headlines are how you end up watching a TikTok video by a purported nutrition expert adamantly asserting you can lose belly fat while you sleep by drinking, for 14 consecutive days, a concoction of raw eggs, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar 15 minutes before going to bed.

Our constant search for answers that’ll explain our convoluted world and our desire for shortcuts to success is how Internet talking heads achieve influencer status. Because we tend to seek low-hanging fruits, we listen to those with little experience or knowledge of the topics they discuss yet are astute enough to know what most people want to hear.

There’s a trend, more disturbing than spreading misinformation, that needs to be called out: individuals who’ve never achieved significant wealth or traded stocks giving how-to-make-easy-money advice, the appeal of which is undeniable. Several people I know have lost substantial money by following the “advice” of Internet talking heads.

Anyone on social media claiming to have a foolproof money-making strategy is lying. They wouldn’t be peddling their money-making strategy if they could make easy money.

Successful people tend to be secretive.

Social media companies design their respective algorithms to serve their advertisers—their source of revenue—interest; hence, content from Internet talking heads appears most prominent in your feeds. When a video of a self-professed expert goes viral, likely because it pressed an emotional button, the more people see it, the more engagement it receives, such as likes, shares and comments, creating a cycle akin to a tornado.

Imagine scrolling through your TikTok feed and stumbling upon a “scientist” who claims they can predict the weather using only aluminum foil, copper wire, sea salt and baking soda. You chuckle, but you notice his video got over 7,000 likes, has been shared over 600 times and received over 400 comments. You think to yourself, “Maybe this guy is onto something.” What started as a quest to achieve Internet fame evolved into an Internet-wide belief that weather forecasting can be as easy as DIY crafts.

Since anyone can call themselves “an expert,” you must cultivate critical thinking skills to distinguish genuine expertise from self-professed experts’ self-promoting nonsense. While the absurdity of the Internet can be entertaining, misinformation has serious consequences. The next time you read a headline that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably an Internet talking head making an educated guess; without the education seeking Internet fame, they can monetize.

______________________________________________________________

 

Nick Kossovan, a self-described connoisseur of human psychology, writes about what’s

on his mind from Toronto. You can follow Nick on Twitter and Instagram @NKossovan.

 

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