Secret of Mana’s Mysterious Blue-Haired Girl
Phanna, Pamela, Marley, Marie — she goes by many names.
Justice for Dyluck: Sacrifice and Star-Crossed Love in Visions of Mana
The Secret of Mana series wants you to die for the greater good… romance be damned.
Why on Earth Was This Final Fantasy Monster Named ‘Veteran’?
The mystery of a baffling localization choice for the recurring Ahriman enemy.
Is Valentina from Super Mario RPG a Jimmy Buffett Reference or Not?
Sometimes a woman with a parrot on her head is just that, margarita or no margarita.
Localization Strangeness in the Super Mario RPG Remake
It’s less what got changed from the original so much as what stayed the same.
Mallow’s Name Is a Better Pun in the Japanese Version of Super Mario RPG
He’s a marshmallow, obviously, but there’s a lot more wordplay going on involving Mario and mushrooms.
Secrets of the Super Mario RPG Shaman
One minor Super Mario RPG character actually did make the transition to Paper Mario.
How Final Fantasy Taught Me the Word ‘Jihad’
From censorship to sensitivity, there’s a lot to unpack in the story behind FFVI’s Crusader summon.
Bahamut and Behemoth: One and the Same?
Final Fantasy’s king of dragons has a special link to one of the game’s recurring enemies.
Sea Hag or Sagahin? A Quick History of an RPG Water Monster
Final Fantasy’s resident mermen come from D&D but draw on a richer and weirder variety of sources.
The Story Behind Super Mario RPG’s Valentina
Originally, Valentina was planned for a different storyline, but no worries — she always had a parrot on her head.
Cliffs Notes for Dante: Final Fantasy IV’s Elemental Fiends
Why and how the four fiends allude to The Inferno, but Golbez does not.