REVIEW: Super Paper Mario (Wii)

Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and the rest of the gang are all back for yet another epic adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom , making their next-generation debut with Super Paper Mario for the Nintendo Wii. While not quite staying true to the RPG elements we've come to expect from the Paper Mario series, Super Paper Mario manages to pack in many of the characteristics found in previous Mario games, leaving older gamers with a heartwarming dosage of nostalgia.

While story is not exactly the first thing we think of when it comes to a game in the Mario franchise, the Paper Mario series has always been heavily populated with a cornucopia of text and dialog boxes, as well a pretty fleshed out storyline -- and this game doesn't really trail to far from that proven formula.

Full of hilarious cliches and tongue in cheek references to the hardcore gaming community (one dialog box asks you "I go on message boards and complain about games I've never played before," to which you have to reply "yes" to advance) the storyline actually becomes quite deep and convoluted for Mario when a new antagonist to the series, Count Bleck, uses a book as his guide, titled: The Dark Prognosticus in order to cause the demise of all that is known by ending the universe.

To every dark side, there is always a light one, and it just so happens that Mario is the perfect match for the hero described in The Light Prognosticus, and (surprise!) it is up to him to save the universe by collecting 8 artifacts, in this case: hearts, to aid in preventing Bleck's evil plan from coming to fruition.



You'll then gain control of Mario, Peach, Bowser and Luigi to collect each 8 heart pieces, in the standard eight worlds -- each with four chapters. In between there'll be plenty of time you can spend in the main hub of the game where you can find some side-quests, as well as items to buy, and other objects you may need to progress through the game.

Story, while surprisingly deep, can get kind of tedious at times though -- especially within the first hour or two. The first time you start up the disc, you may find yourself bored to tears with hitting the "2 button" over and over to skip past the numerous dialog boxes. It may seem a little daunting at first, taking about 20 minutes to finally see some mushroom stomping action, but once you get through the initial slumber, and actually into one of the eight worlds, the pacing starts to move like a well lubricated machine, only briefly taking stops in between worlds for a cut-scene or two.



If you're going into the game looking for the next leap in graphics, not only are you on the wrong console, you're in a completely different generation of consoles. Super Paper Mario started development as a Gamecube title, and well, it clearly shows it. The lines are still crisp, and the models/environments are very paper-like (strange, huh?), but what really makes the game visually beautiful is the art direction. Classic designs and vibrant colors popping off the screen will help alleviate some of the horsepower concerns you may have.

One thing you may notice after playing Super Paper Mario, and perhaps it's a testament to the current state of the games industry, the graphics don't really matter as much as we may think. The controls and overall gameplay in the game really stand out among the crowd. The main kicker for this iteration is the ability to switch between 2D and 3D on the fly, with a simple press of the A button. Doing so may reveal blocks, cards, or other hidden items that you normally wouldn't see in the classic 2D interface. When you make the jump to 3D, you'll need to be prompt with your footwork though, as there's a timer ticking down your three dimensional experience that'll eventually run out and start dishing out damage points until you switch back.



The controls are fairly simple overall, you hold the Wii-mote horizontally -- a la the NES pad, while moving with the D-pad and jumping with the "2 button." Unlike other side scrolling Mario platformers, there's no run button, which may throw classic gamers off a little. In it's place comes the use of ability granting characters called "Pixls" that'll let you perform various maneuvers such as the classic butt-stomp, picking objects up, and a few other actions. However you can only use one Pixl at any given time.

There are a few "not possible on Gamecube" moments crammed in there as well, although they sometimes feel more like a novelty than a necessity. To use different items, or wake up during certain boss fights you'll tilt the controller every which way and to find hidden items you'll point the remote towards the screen to reveal a secret door or item. All neat ideas, but hardly life changing.

Throughout the game you'll hear a variety of background music -- some clever takes and remixes on memorable classics, and some completely new, but nothing too astounding. Given the franchise's previous compositions, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed.



While at its core, Super Paper Mario is a Gamecube game, it does manage to integrate some gameplay functions you just couldn't get on any other console. It's a clever, witty, nostalgic take on the Paper Mario series, with some of the RPG elements taken out and some classic platforming action in its place. It'll definitely fill the void while waiting for the real "next-gen" Mario game: Super Mario Galaxy, and at this point is still one of the best games on the system. If you're patient enough to make it past the long and extraneous dialogue and story elements, you'll find a surprisingly good platforming throwback with a few twists.