Super Mario RPG dev reveals unused Musketeer concept
NintendoA Super Mario RPG developer has revealed an unused concept for the game, where Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom were based on The Three Musketeers.
While the Super Mario RPG contained many familiar elements from the Mario games, it also included elements that Square Enix was known for, such as the secret boss fight with Culex, a Final Fantasy-style enemy.
The later Super Mario RPGs were also familiar, as even if Mario traveled to a new land, it would be similar enough to the Mushroom Kingdom to be instantly recognizable to Nintendo fans.
The original Super Mario RPG on the Super Nintendo (which was recently remade on Nintendo Switch), nearly abandoned the conventional Mushroom Kingdom look for something a bit more daring, based on concept art that has now made its way online.
Super Mario RPG’s unused Three Musketeers concept has been revealed for the first time
Artist Jiro Mifune, who has worked on games such as Super Mario RPG, Final Fantasy XIV, Final Fantasy XVI, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Live A Live, has revealed artwork on Twitter/X for an unused concept for the Super Mario RPG, where everything used a Three Musketeers motif.
The idea was to do something different from the conventional RPG format, as Mifune didn’t want to see Mario wearing the standard sword & armor of a fantasy protagonist. This resulted in him using the rapier and tabard of a Musketeer.
It’s also interesting to note that Mifune had an idea for a frog companion in the game called Keron, similar to Kaeru, the Japanese word for frog. The same idea would be used in Chrono Trigger, one of Square Enix’s most acclaimed games, which was made in the same era.
It wasn’t just Mario who received a Musketeer makeover in this initial design, as Mifune also revealed new outfits for Bowser, Princess Peach, and even Wario! It bears mentioning that a Musketeer Princess Peach will appear in the upcoming Princess Peach: Showtime.
It’s fascinating to see a glimpse into the design process for such an old game and to wonder what might have been. The only issue with this Musketeer design is that it would have been hard to pull off correctly on the Super Nintendo, but it would be perfect for a new Super Mario RPG on the Nintendo Switch.