Super Mario RPG on SNES is one of those weird, wonderful gems that shouldn’t work but totally does. Mario in a turn-based RPG? Bowser as a party member? Yeah, it’s as bizarre as it sounds—but somehow, it clicks. The combat’s simple but satisfying, with timed button presses to boost attacks or blocks, and the world’s packed with little secrets and goofy side quests. I still remember getting stuck for way too long on that damn minecart minigame.

It’s got that classic SquareSoft polish mixed with Nintendo charm—like if someone tossed Mario into a Final Fantasy game and let him bounce off enemies instead of swinging a sword. The remake’s cool and all, but there’s something about the original’s chunky sprites and weirdly catchy soundtrack that just hits different.