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The iconic Italian plumber’s first foray into the world of turn-based combat with Super Mario RPG is a legendary one that recently got the modern coat of paint it so sorely needed. As new players experience the game for the first time and veteran players return to this legendary classic, it may be good to be informed or reminded of the utility of the various party members in the game. There isn’t a massive variety of playable characters in Super Mario RPG, but the ones there do naturally play very different roles. Since switching characters in and out is possible, it’s good to know which ones are the best to have lined up and leveled up for each situation.
5. Bowser
It’s kind of sad that after so many games where the player is actively working against Bowser as this massive, scary, powerful threat, the first opportunity where he can be played, he comes out feeling like the black sheep of the bunch. His main issue is that he does not fit into any niche particularly well, like all of the other characters on this list. He’s clearly intended to be a bruiser with solid defense and physical attacks, and in that lane, he works just fine. The issue is Mario can serve a very similar role, and Mario also has more useful abilities to boot.
4. Mallow
Is it any surprise that a character literally named Mallow is the squishiest of the Super Mario RPG party members? Mallow makes up for the fact that he’s the easiest party member to kill by having a range of powerful abilities, from healing to damage magic. His powerful magic makes him a must-have in certain situations but simultaneously makes him a liability in others where he’ll probably spend more time down than active.
3. Peach (Toadstool)
At a time when Princess Peach was known in the West as Princess Toadstool, she made her JRPG debut as a solid support character. Mallow easily outpaces her in the damage department, but Peach is the best character for heals hand down. When there’s no healing necessary, she can still be a nuisance, or even a downright lifesaver, with abilities like Mute.
2. Mario
As the titular character, Mario is sort of the least important of the Super Mario RPG party members to rank because even if the player wants to, it’s not actually possible to switch him in and out of the fighting party like all of the other characters here. The player is stuck with Mario, but thankfully, the game doesn’t make this feel like a burden since he’s one of the strongest characters there. As in many different Mario-centric games with various playable characters, Mario plays the role of the “all-arounder.” He can both tank and dish out some solid magic and physical damage.
1. Geno
It’s not mandatory to have Geno in your party like Mario, but it might feel like that’s the case, considering it’s very unlikely the player will ever be motivated to replace him. Geno has some of the best abilities in the game that fulfill both damage-dealing and support niches. Geno Boost, specifically, is one that players will likely get a lot of mileage out of. Needless to say, Geno is a necessary pick for your party.
