An otherwise Brilliant game that loses it's pace. Good, but disappointing overall.
In Super Paper Mario, we find our favorite plumber out to once again save the day. This time around, it's multiple worlds he's out to save with the aid of his friends (and some enemies) and the 8 Pure Hearts. All to stop the evil Count Bleck from destroying...well, everything.
Presentation:
A would've-been Gamecube title that uses the Wii Remote like an NES controller. You can flip to 3D to solve puzzles and such. Super Paper Mario: NOW WITH POLYGONS!!
Prologue:
I was highly anticipating this game's release. I'd heard good things about the Paper Mario series and eagerly awaited it's foray to the Wii; expecting to bide the time until some of Summer and Fall Wii releases. Sadly the game fails to completely deliver in some key aspects.
Review:
The beginning of the game is without a doubt the best part. The first half of the game is filled with humorous dialogue, colorful levels, and clear, fun objectives. The concept of flipping to 3D is well implemented and makes the game seem twice as big. In addition to Mario's 3D flip ability, the player will enlist the aid of "Pixls," which are flying creatures that grant abilities seen in previous Mario games (like grab and throw, setting bombs, and using a hammer) as well as some new ones. All of these Pixl abilities can be used anywhere at anytime and give you new ways to thwart your foes, as opposed to the standard jumping. The other characters Peach, Bowser, and Luigi have their own moves and are each fit for various occasions. As for motion sensing, the Wii Remote can be used as a pointer to identify on-screen objects and enemy data, and when using some items, short little timing or reflex actions are performed with the Wii Remote which makes things a bit more exciting. And as true with many Nintendo games there are references and cameos all over, such as a DS Lite cooking computer and a Brain Age type minigame, just to name a few.
It's around the game's half-way marker that it begins to lose it's initial charm. While early stages have you doing various things that not only get you familiar with the game, but give you a satisfying feeling; later stages seem drawn out and somewhat out of place in comparison. At one point in the game you must collect a large sum of money that can only be attained by doing things such as running inside a hamster wheel for what seems like eternity or hitting a coin block hundreds (yes HUNDREDS) of times. The Samurai level is no where near as cool as it sounds due to the 20+ mid-bosses you will have to fight, without rest or save in between. And let's not forget that long stretch of complete nothingness I had to walk through for several minutes, using the "dash" Pixl even, or the series of fetch-quests that pollute the second half of the game; the list goes on.
Even using your favorite character can be a pain because at many points the game requires you to switch to another ally. It sounds like no big deal but it drags out a game that's already being annoying in other aspects. Stack that on to the short game length (which is probably a blessing in disguise) and the low replay value (unless you like collecting cards) and you have a game built like diet soda: light and refreshing, but it leaves a bad taste afterwards.
Epilogue:
At the end of the day ask yourself the following questions regarding Super Paper Mario:
Looking for a good Mario platformer? Yeah, you'll like this game.
Need something casual that doesn't take itself too seriously? It's the games strong point, man.
Want a deep RPG experience? Look elsewhere.
Want something that'll keep you busy for a while? Keep looking.
Want to make the most of the Wii and the Wii Remote? You can do a lot better.