Booster Tower
Booster Tower, also referred to as Booster's Tower, is a tower belonging to Booster and his Snifsters in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. When Princess Peach falls here from the sky, Booster wants to marry her, but Mario saves her.
The building itself is filled with many dangerous traps and wacky enemies. However, the music is soothing, but a second heavy metal-like theme is played as the tower is further explored. Booster is often seen riding a miniature train throughout the tower.
At the entrance of the tower, Mario meets Bowser. With no troops left, he declares Mario, Mallow and Geno members of Bowser's Minions, thus joining Mario's party.
The tower is also the home to Knife Guy and Grate Guy.
History
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Mario, Mallow and Geno discover that a girl has fallen into Booster Tower. Arriving at the tower, they find Bowser gawking at the tower's entrance. By coincidence, Princess Peach hears the commotion from high above, confirming that she is the one being held at Booster Tower. With no more members of the Koopa Troop, Bowser then joins Mario and friends, claiming that he is recruiting them. Then they go into Booster Tower, fighting through the enemies until they get to the top floor, where Toadstool is held.
Booster then comes in the same room, looking for a doll, so Mario must hide behind the curtains, which is being opened by Booster's Snifit minions (avoiding the Snifits completely or getting caught three times does not actually affect the plot). Booster then goes off to retrieve Toadstool and heads to Marrymore. Mario, Mallow, Geno and Bowser attempt to follow him, but they are distracted by Knife Guy and Grate Guy.
After fighting them, Mario gives chase to Booster all the way to Marrymore.
Sidequests
- In the first room of the tower, there is a row of paintings. Later on, there is another row of paintings, where the player has to select them in the order they are found in the first room. Doing this unlocks a door in the same room as the paintings, where the player gets one of Bowser's weapons, the Chomp.
- Before fighting Knife Guy and Grate Guy, the player can play a minigame where Booster has his three Snifits check a row of curtains, which Mario is behind. Mario gets three chances. If the player is caught by a Snifit three times, they have to fight Booster. If the player successfully passes the minigame, they get Booster's Charm.
Physical description
Outside
Outside Booster Tower is relatively small with a sign that reads "Welcome" with small Japanese letters that transliterate to English as "Bukki," which is Booster's Japanese name. At the top of Booster Tower there is a balcony. While Toadstool is trapped up there, Booster uses magic to seal the door closed. The only way the door can be opened is by saying the password, which only Booster knows; it is eventually revealed to be whatever name the player used for their file. In the Nintendo Switch remake of Super Mario RPG, the password will be the player's profile nickname.
Inside
As expected from the view of outside, the inside of Booster Tower is huge, with many rooms and floors. In the upper level of the first room there are photos of the seven generations of Boosters. The inside is also full of Spookums, Bob-ombs, and Chomps. There are many hidden treasures located inside Booster Tower, including many coins and Frog Coins and an item called the Goodie Bag, which when used during battle, adds more coins to the player's total after winning the battle, and can also be sold for 555 coins. There is also a new hammer for Mario called the Masher, and also a female Chomp that was locked up for biting Booster. Bowser tames this Chomp and uses her as a weapon for battle.
One minor Easter egg exists partway up the tower, in a room with two curtains and a pillar. Going behind the curtains will briefly turn Mario into 8-bit Super Mario; but this can be done only once. When Mario attempts to leave the room, he will react in shock and shrink to regular size (similar to how he loses a life in Super Mario Bros.), then run back behind the curtain. The "lost a life" theme plays as he steps back into the room. He pauses, looks down, and then shakes his head as if trying to dispel a hallucination. In the Nintendo Switch remake of Super Mario RPG, going behind the curtains will also turn Mario into 8-bit Super Mario, albeit with a darker color palette.
Enemies
- Booster (boss)
- Snifster (boss)
- Grate Guy (boss)
- Knife Guy (boss)
- Orb User
- Rob-omb
- Dollox
- Chomp
- Lava Blubble
- Jester
- Blaster
- Spookum
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ブッキータワー[?] Bukkī Tawā |
Booster Tower | |
| French | Tour de Booster[?] | Booster's Tower | |
| German | Borstos Turm[?] | Booster's Tower | |
| Italian | Torre di Booster[1] | Booster's Tower | |
| Spanish | Torre de Costarugo[?] | Booster's Tower |
Trivia
- In at least one English-language preview, Booster Tower was referred to by its literal Japanese name, "Bookie Tower".[2]
- A model of Magitek armor from Final Fantasy VI can be seen on one of the desks on the ground floor of the tower.[3]
References
- ^ Uno sguardo approfondito a Super Mario RPG. By NintendoItalia on YouTube. Retrieved on November 13th, 2023
- ^ Nintendo Magazine System (UK) issue 38, page 70.
- ^ https://www.reddit.com/r/FinalFantasy/comments/17xl2o1/newish_ffvi_easter_egg_in_super_mario_rpg/
