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This ROM hack feels a lot like the ones that Lazy Shell's creator made, but a hack I can actually complete. While the maps can be a bit janky with minor graphical glitches (and springboards don't actually spring), nothing is critically broken. Very casual style of play, but one that rewards being a vet of SMRPG.

My only qualms are the dialogue eventing which you can't skip through, and the fact that the "final" boss is a pushover once you're maxed out to take on the superboss. That said, there's a great reward if you do the normal final boss, that will surely help in the true finale. While the dialogue and 'story' themselves are teen-level cringe, I'm not going to fault the creator for their writing style from like 10+ years ago. We've all been there. The base game is no Final Fantasy in terms of story either, lawl.

Overall, I like this one! I'd just beaten the "final" boss, and am gearing up for the superboss after losing to them the first time.

I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this hack, but I was pleasantly surprised by how good a (mostly) single character hack could be. This hack has a ton of content jammed into it and I'd highly recommend it to any fans of SMRPG (not just the hardcore ones).

What you have here is basically a mini-adventure through palette swapped versions of areas throughout the base game linked together. The story is simple but enjoyable, and the dialogue is fairly well-written. You fight a variety of enemies and an impressively large amount of bosses from the game with completely different stats and attacks. Your own stat growth is much higher than that of the normal game, which really makes the damage being thrown around and taken ramp up is a satisfying way. The bonus stat increases are also more significant, making your choices matter more in trying to achieve the best build for Mario. There is a good amount of armor, weapons, and accessories to buy and obtain, which allow you some flexibility in how to approach combat (i.e. focus on physical or magical attacks). Finally, there are even some small optional fights and minigames that give you some hefty rewards that make the time spent feel worth it.

Balance honestly was solid throughout. I only "grinded" a little bit in the midgame and at the very end of the game for Coins so I could stock up on the best items. Though the last boss is pretty easy once you're at Lv 30, beating the "secret" final boss gauntlet is a legitimate challenge, and throws you a nice curve-ball that makes it all the more fun and rewarding to beat. When the whole thing was said and done, it did feel like the end of a short new journey, which is a feeling not many hacks can provide.