GoNintendo "End of day" thoughts - Super Paper Mario impressions

I had to catch some sleep last night since I will be heading into NYC this morning. I am not leaving just yet, I should be heading out somewhere in-between 11 and 12 pm EST. I will make sure to post before I leave to let you guys know what’s up. Until then, I hope you enjoy the impressions! I’ll catch you in a couple hours or less.

Thanks to PiratedTVPro for the banner!

If you are a Wii owner, I think Super Paper Mario is on your radar. This is the next big Wii game for a lot of people out there. This is another one of Nintendo’s games that made the jump from Cube to Wii. Super Paper Mario was promising a truly meaty adventure, wrapped up in RPG elements, traditional side scrolling gameplay, and puzzle bits as well. I know I was psyched for the title, and have been for awhile now. After reading the impressions from the big guys (IGN, GameSpot) last week, I found it even harder to contain myself. It sounded like the game was going to be the blast I had hoped for. The wait ended for me today when my review copy of Super Paper Mario showed up. I have been playing the game on and off since about 6 pm EST yesterday. I managed to make it through the first two worlds, and feel that I’ve gotten a very good look at the game. Long story short, I really wish I was playing right now instead of writing this!

Super Paper Mario is a perfect blend of all it tries to do. We see tons of games that want to be many things at once, and usually end up missing the point of all of them. Super Paper Mario clearly defines its elements, and then mixes them up into a super addictive game. If you are a long time Mario fan and are dying for some more platformer action, Super Paper Mario definitely has you covered. If you are looking for puzzles, or a thinking man’s side-scroller, this is the game to pick up. There is even a lot to offer to RPG fans. It is way too hard to pick the one gameplay element that really makes Super Paper Mario stand out. It truly is the combination of everything that makes the game what it is. You won’t hit (or at least I haven’t yet) portions of the game that are all puzzle based, or all action based. I think if that were the case, you might be playing one part just to get through to the other. The gameplay elements are spread evenly the entire time, which gives Super Paper Mario its unique style.

I can’t tell you how good it feels to play an old school game like this. Holding the Wiimote sideways like an NES controller is so satisfying. Just the fact that we get to play a brand new game, on a brand new console, and control it via the D-Pad is too much old school goodness for me. It’s funny how something as simple as Wiimote positioning can give you such a great feeling. Seriously though, when was the last time we played a current gen or last gen console game in which your character was primarily controlled by the D-Pad? That’s not the only way you will be using the Wiimote during gameplay though. One of the earlier abilities you learn involves the Wiimote pointer. Whenever you see something on screen that interests you, you can flip the Wiimote to pointing mode and highlight the item/enemy with the on-screen cursor. This will allow you to read up on whatever it is you’re looking at, and give you more details as to what it is. You will also need to use this in order to find secret passages, doors, and so on. Some of these are necessary to progress through the game; others are there simply for fun. I am not quite sure what it is about switching from NES style to Pointer style, but something about it makes it feel really enjoyable. I think it is the next layer of interactivity that really pulls you in. Going from a controller style of 20 years ago to the current Wiimote abilities just adds to the retro style.

The biggest gameplay mechanic has to be that of switching dimensions. Just incase you haven’t been keeping up on your Super Paper Mario; I’ll give you a bit of a refresher. Throughout the entire game you will be switching from 2d to 3d by pressing the A button. This flip gives you a different perspective on the level layout, and action. You are able to switch to this view at will, but you can only stay in 3d for a limited time. A special counter ticks down as you are in 3d, and if you let it fall to zero you will get hurt. As you walk around in 2d the flip meter will refill. The flip mechanic adds a huge layer to the game, as it should…it’s the main focus! Being able to go from 2d to 3d is almost like having two games in one. You can walk through a level in the 2d view from start to finish, then flip into 3d and experience the level in a completely different way. Once again, there are portions where you will have to flip into 3d to solve puzzles, or progress in general. Other than that, is totally up to you when you want to flip, leaving you to explore any area you come across in 2d or 3d. Even though you have to use this gameplay mechanic to progress, I have found myself addicted to the flip. I will go as far as I can in a level going 2d, and save up the flip for the end. I love going back and exploring what I missed along the way. There is just so much that you don’t see in 2d, so many instances of hidden items that the different perspective holds. On top of that, there are so many clever uses of the 2d to 3d view that I had a constant smile on my face. This idea is just so refreshing and done so well that you can’t help being drawn in.

If you guys have played the Paper Mario games, you have come to know that the stories are rich and filled with humor. Thankfully Super Paper Mario keeps that same flair, and so far it even outshines the others. If you are looking at this from a side-scroller perspective, there is a ton of story. If you are looking at this as a Paper Mario game gone action, then the story feels just right. The cast of characters is great, the writing is fantastic, and the story, in general, fits perfectly. As I mentioned earlier, there is no shortage of humor in the game. You’ll hear things ranging from the obligatory moustache jokes, to pokes at classic Nintendo franchises, play on words, and even some fart humor. Yep…fart humor in Super Paper Mario…and it works. The entire storyline (through writing and direction) has the flair of an animated movie. There’s just so much to hear and learn, and you actually care about it too. Not many people cared about storylines in side-scrollers, that’s why they were always so simple. In Super Paper Mario the storyline is your motivation for playing on. The gameplay is so much fun, but the storyline keeps you addicted. Just one more chapter to see what’s going on…one more chapter for some more humor. I am telling you, all of it is such a sickeningly addictive mix that there should be a warning on the box.

You pretty much know what to expect from the graphics in Super Paper Mario. It keeps the same style that was found in previous Paper Mario games. Having said that, what’s here looks excellent, and seeing it in 16:9, 480p really makes it pop. Characters and levels look great, with the bright colors really jumping out at you. The best word to describe the visuals is vibrant. This game is going to make your TV really glow. Matching perfectly with the visuals is the soundtrack. I have always enjoyed the Paper Mario soundtracks with their interesting takes on classic Mario songs. This time around you get more original compositions with quick throwbacks to classic tunes. With each level you make it through, the music gets better and better. I am telling you, the Chapter 2 song kicks ass. I need to get that on my iPod right away! Production value is top notch, with sound effects and instruments blending seamlessly with the visuals.

This game is almost too good. Too good in a sense that it makes you want to ignore all your responsibilities. Too good in that you’re willing to lose many hours of sleep. Get ready to be sucked into the Super Paper Mario world. I can’t wait to hop back in myself. This game is everything you’ve been waiting for on the Wii. A deep game, a great storyline, and extremely interesting uses of the Wiimote…it’s all here. Hell, I am only a few hours in and it’s giving me everything I wanted and more. I can’t wait to get in further to see what else pops up. We will definitely have a full review in the future, which brings me to the sad realization that this game will eventually end. Oh well, I will enjoy it for now…and try to take my time.