Super Paper Mario (Wii) > Reviews > The game in which Mario becomes Pro at Origami

Author's product rating:   

Playability & Enjoyment	Excellent - very playable game
Originality	Excellent - very original
Graphics	Excellent
Sound	Good - relevant music & effects
Difficulty & Complexity	Average - suitable for most

Advantages:	Great fun, looks good, original ideas
Disadvantages:	Some ''puzzles'' are horrible

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

It's very, very rare that a Mario game disappoints. He's been Nintendo's mascot since the early days, and thankfully, The Big N have delivered once again with Super Paper Mario.

The game is the spiritual successor to Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door on Gamecube, and before that, Paper Mario on the Nintendo64. This particular series of Mario titles are what people like to call Platform RPGs. At their heart, they're classic platformers, but you have the ability to 'level up' as it were, just like in an RPG. The titles in the series have always a particular style to them, and Super Paper Mario is no exception.

Obviously, you play as Mario, trying to save his friends from the evil (and I use the term loosely) Count Bleck. Add some nonsense about a good and bad prophecy, go out and collect the Pure Hearts, save some random town from being warped into a dark void, and you have your classic Mario storyline. No surprises to be found here then.

Points are awarded for every enemy Mario defeats, and once you reach specific point quotas, Mario is levelled up: he either gets more Hit Points or an increase to his Attack statistic. It's very simple, and a lot more could be done with this system, but it works very well.

The game is divided into Chapters. Each chapter has it's own Boss at the end, and sometimes mini-bosses, and a new chapter is unlocked with each completed chapter, that is, you've collected the Pure Heart from that area. Playable characters, including Peach and Bowser are unlocked once they're freed, and there's a mysterious fourth playable character, but no prizes for guessing who it is...

One of the game's best features, aside from the paper based puzzles and looks, is the whole 2D/3D thing it's got going on. With a press of the A button, Mario can 'flip' the course from a 2D world to a 3D world, which of course means there are loads of hidden secrets/items/routes to be found. If ever you're stuck, and you've got no idea what to do next, just 'flip' the level, and most of the time, you'll find an answer to your problem.

Throughout the game, you'll discover numerous Pixls, little helpers, each with their own power. One of them could be a bomb Pixl, used to find hidden warp pipes, or just blow up enemies, whereas another might allow Mario to pick up items and throw them. Finding these Pixls is the key to progressing, if ever you can't figure out what to do, you probably need to find another one of these helpers, all of which are conveniently hidden away when you need them.

As you progress through the game, more of the hub world becomes accessible because of the Pixls you've collected, so at the end of every chapter, there's always something new to look for in the hub world, whether it be a new shop, street, or even a whole new town. It pays to nose around, the game is full of secrets to be found.

Much like other Mario RPGs, the game features a lot of humour, much of which is Nintendo poking fun at themselves, and there are quite a few references to pop and internet culture. I've smiled to myself many a time whilst playing, but I would say you have to know a bit about the Mario series to understand all the in-jokes.

Lookswise, that game is full to the brim with charm. Levels are drawn on screen, and the whole 'Paper theme' allows for many a visual treat, as well as a few head scratching moments. There are puzzles aplenty, some of which need a pen and paper (try remembering the order to hit 3 boxes 20-odd times!), others requiring a lightbulb above your head moment. A great addition to the game is that a few 'classic' Mario Bros. levels can be played, updated on the Wii, with full 2D/3D-o-vison. It's a dream to play some of these classics again, they feel brand new, and feel refreshed for it. It'll definitely bring a nostalgic tear to your eye.

All in all, Super Paper Mario is a treat to play, but sadly, there are a few issues with the game. Some of the dialogue goes on for what feels like hours, and sadly, it's unskippable, and for an RPG, it's relatively short. The game can be completed in about 30 hours max, but if you want to look for all the hidden extras, then obviously the game will last longer. The space chapter is arguably the dullest level design in Mario RPG history, as most of the 3D views are wide open spaces, with nothing really happening in them. Some of the puzzles are torturous: having to type 'please' 5 times to get a clue is beyond ridiculous, as is tapping the 2 button for about 5 minutes. Most of these negative points are outweighed by the positives, but the dull space levels have no excuses.

Super Paper Mario is a great game, but it's not the best by far. If you've enjoyed Mario's RPG outings before, then you'll really like this, otherwise, you'll definitely be better off saving the pennies and waiting for Super Mario Galaxy. I can't wait for November 16th...

*This review can also be found posted on consolegaming.eu (I'm a Content Writer)*