Expectations are high for the upcoming remake of SNES classic Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. But will it have voice acting? Read on to learn more about our opinions on the possibility.
What We Know So Far
Clues From The Announcement and Gameplay Trailers
Super Mario RPG Remake was first announced in a Nintendo Direct on June 21, 2023, followed by its gameplay trailer in another Nintendo Direct on September 14 of the same year. Both trailers have since been picked apart by fans and enthusiasts alike, myself included, and they reveal a few interesting details about the state of the game’s voice acting.
Both trailers are completely dubbed over by Nintendo Direct’s announcer, so no direct dialogue could be heard from the game footage. Judging from their minimal mouth movements and expressive body language, however, I think the remake’s approach to its voice acting would be similar to many recent Mario games.
Voice Acting Trends in Modern Mario Games
Modern Mario games aren’t well-known for their fully-voice dialogues. Although the franchise is no stranger to opening cinematics and mid-game cutscenes, the voice-acting for them is often limited to short character vocalizations, quick catchphrases, and the occasional fully-voiced dialogue for a minor background character. Such is the case for many recent titles like Luigi’s Mansion 3, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Judging from what the trailers have shown, it seems very likely that Super Mario RPG Remake would be following suit to this trend, but nothing is set in stone until the game’s release, or until more information is released.
Online Cast List Offers More Clues
Further clues could be found in online databases such as IMDb, which already lists the cast for the yet-unreleased game. Charles Martinet, the famed-retired voice actor of Mario and current Mario Ambassador, is credited with voicing him in Super Mario RPG Remake. Alongside him are Samantha Kelly and Kenny James, who would be voicing Peach and Bowser, respectively.
This confirms that the game does have voice acting. The only question remaining now is to what extent. As stated before, modern Mario games don’t tend to have fully-voiced characters, but someone still has to make those quick character vocalizations and catchphrases. It’s good to see Charles Martinet reprise his role in yet another, and perhaps his last Mario game, but we shouldn’t hold our breath for a full performance.
So What’s the Final Verdict?
Yes, But Likely Not With Fully-Voiced Dialogues
The IMDb listing is our best confirmation that the game will have any voice acting at all, but unfortunately, all the other clues indicate that the game won’t have fully voiced dialogue. Instead, it will most likely opt for the modern Mario game trend of minimalistic voice acting paired with expressive body movements and simplistic plotlines.
Super Mario RPG Remake still has plenty of excitement surrounding its release despite this, and the fans seem more than eager to play the game regardless. The original Super Mario RPG became a cult classic for the SNES without having heard even a second of voice acting, so this bodes well for the remake’s possibly minimal approach.
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