Much has been made of the differences between the earlier Paper Mario games and this offbeat departure from the series, and while I can see how some people might be alienated, this game works on multiple levels as a standalone entry. There are a few flaws and missed opportunities that make it so that the game falls short of masterpiece status, but nevertheless, this is a charming game with creative mechanics and humor that lands more than it misses.
The element of Super Paper Mario that stands out above all others is how funny it is. The game has a quirky random sense of humor very much akin to a G-rated version of Aqua Teen Hunger Force (like that show, you'll meet all kind of whacked out characters with equally whacked out appearances), but it also has a satirical side, deftly making fun of stoners, video game nerds, etc. And one of the best things about the humor is that it hardly ever feels forced. You get the sense that the writers were having fun instead of trying to illicit laughs in a calculated fashion. In this way, Super Paper Mario's humor makes a standard "save the world" story into so much more. This is the kind of story that constantly entertains even when it is being totally stupid and random.
Humor is definitely the game's specialty, but gameplay is no slouch either. What it lacks in depth and challenge in makes up for in creativity. Basically, Super Paper Mario is a sidescrolling action RPG in which you have to use a flipping ability---in which you flip from a 2D plane to a 3D plane---to solve some pretty clever puzzles. The creativity manifests in the way that you use the flipping ability to navigate the various environments. For instance, you might not be able to see certain switches or items if you don't flip into 3D and in many instances, what you do in the 3D plain will directly influence the 2D plain, leading to some pretty dynamic gameplay. Not all of the puzzles are brilliant, but a handful of them are and most of them are at least entertaining.
Another way in which Super Paper Mario mixes up in the gameplay is in the form of pixels, which gives you certain powers like bombs or the ability to shrink oneself or make oneself slim enough to fit through slim passageways. It's never too difficult to figure out which pixel to use in what situation, but the presence of them give the levels a kind of Zelda-like dynamicism, so that you never feel like you're doing the same thing---with the exception of flipping the environment---for too long.
In addition to puzzles and pixels, unpredictable gameplay scenarios also help flesh out the experience. For instance, one level has you slaving to pay off the owner of a valuable vase that Mario "broke". Another level has you infiltrating the smarmy lair of a video game nerd. In this level, there is also a boss fight in which you play as Peach, engaging in a dating sim parody to progress. It is downright hilarious. Moments like this make the game highly addictive. I found myself wanting to get farther in the game for the sole purpose of participating in these off kilter events.
While these scenarios and the creative level designs and puzzles make the game a legitimately great one, the game is not quite a masterpiece due to its easiness, relatively shallow combat, and a really weak chapter 6 (there are 8 chapters). The game is hardly ever challenging because enemies are always easy to dispense of and the real-time combat doesn't require any strategy. Plus, you always have more than enough HP, especially if you're loaded up on health-recovering shroom shakes. There are not any tricky jumps or tricky boss fights in which you need to strategize, so this game is more about the overall experience rather than the challenge you'll get from it. The only thing that detracts from the overall experience from a pacing perspective is the incredibly weak chapter 6. It pretty much amounts to a string of fights and comes off as blatant filler. The interesting Dante's Inferno scenario that comes after chapter 6 partially makes up for it, but chapter 6 is so uninspired and lazy that it halts a bit of the game's momentum.
Another bright spot is the visuals. They are just as vibrant and charming as the other games in the series, but they have a certain psychedelic space-age funkiness that makes the game look instantly distinctive. The NPCs are interesting to look at and the environments, while simple, have plenty of cool details to keep one visually engaged. And while the 3D plain looks a lot more barren and flat than the 2D plain, it is still interesting and fun to see everything from another perspective, especially considering that there are many secrets in the environments that can only be uncovered by flipping.
Where sound is concerned, there's not much to really talk about. The sound works, but is nothing special. The music sounds fine, but none of it, with the exception of the theme that plays in the games central hub, is particularly catchy.
Super Paper Mario is not the kind of game that is going to blow you away with a deep combat system or incredibly high production values, but with its sharp, but effortless humor; its creative level designs and mechanics; and its quirky and unpredictable scenarios, it is the kind of game that will keep you entertained for the 15 to 20 hours you'll spend playing it.
GAMEPLAY: 4/5
DESIGN: 4.5/5
STORY: 4/5
VISUALS: 4/5
PLAYABILITY: 4.5/5
VALUE: 4.5/5