Super Paper Mario is a fusion of both what makes the Paper Mario series great, with an RPG-style leveling-up component, hit points, and the ability to use items in battle, and what makes the original Mario Bros. platformers so good, with a real-time battle system that at times lets you stomp and smash your way to the end of the level. Though it might seem weird to combine the two ideas, it feels great in this game. Leveling up is no longer done with experience, but based upon the player’s score they accumulate by playing through the game.
The Wii remote is not particularly used often, except for using the Pixl Tippi’s ability to find hidden doors and items and gain info, and for some of the items. Instead, most of the game is played with the Wii remote held sideways, like an old-school NES controller. Given that the platforming aspects of the game give it a throwback feeling, using the controller in this manner fits perfectly with Super Paper Mario. The game is easy enough to pick up and play for anyone, and as far as control issues go, there aren’t any ones that are truly noticeable.
Though the game is only in 2-D for the most part, it looks incredibly vibrant, and the characters look as smooth as they ever have. The background can get a bit jagged when you jump to 3-D, but it’s nothing that takes away too much from the game’s overall look. You won’t be blown away by Super Paper Mario’s looks, but they should be more than satisfying.
The music is really no different than any of the past Paper Mario games; in fact, it’s about the same as Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door’s music was. Considering that Super Paper Mario was originally a Gamecube title like Thousand-Year Door, it only makes sense. There’s little voice acting in the game, causing you to rely heavily on reading the screen to follow the story along, but the dialogue and parody in this game are absolutely hilarious. It’s even tempting to say that the game is worth a purchase just for the humor and the entertainment value.
Article comments
1 - Matt Paprocki
I've played this for around an hour now and this is, as of now, one of the best games I've ever played. Unless something is amiss late in the game, I see no reason why it won't stay that way. The 2-D/3-D switching is brilliant.
2 - Ken Edwards
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3 - ChaosVortex
I just beat the game last night. This is a pretty good game, and is worth a play. It's about just as good as the past Paper Mario games. The ability to "Flip" is an excellent add to the game.