An unexpected remake that stays faithful to the original and updates it visually, resulting in an endearing and creative experience with a great sense of humor that will put many smiles on your face. Artistic-wise, it is flawless, with some classic Mario designs and other interesting ones, colorful and beautiful scenarios, and some gorgeous-looking cinematics, all accompanied by a beautifully composed OST with songs that will manage to stick in your head. Gameplay-wise, it stays really fun and simple in both exploring (staying fresh with constant new zones to explore, new enemies to defeat, minigames, etc.) and combat sections (with a classic turn-combat style). Personally, I find some elements of both systems a bit clunky, such as finding secret chests, platforming that can feel unprecise, enemies abusing of sleeping/transforming moves, or the fact that some later movements don't feel really necessary since the game leans into the easy side. Furthermore, I think that the game's pathing can feel a bit rushed, throwing ideas and characters really quickly, resulting in a fairly short experience. Also, while it's true that it is great as a remake, I think it would have been better to reimagine the game a little and bring it closer to today's standards. Besides that, it is a charming work of art that keeps you entertained at all times and leaves you hoping for more.