Nice job here.
At first I thought added RPG element would make it slightly annoying, but then I tried out what you did, and I dig the Super Mario RPG menu style. In the next episode, or just in a future one, I think it'd be awesome if you could also implement SMRPG's method of dodging attacks and causing more damage by pressing certain buttons at the right time. Even if that doesn't happen, I'll still be impatiently awaiting all your future episodes of this great remake.