MARIO GAME NO PAPER TIGER: Once in a while, a game comes along that shows so much heart, I find myself pleasantly surprised. Even more surprising is when that game is part of Nintendo’s Super Mario franchise, which, while usually offering superb game play, typically doesn’t feature the most inspired story writing.Think about it: The stories in most Mario games are often cliches of cliches -- adventurous jaunts that feature rescuing a damsel in distress. Super Paper Mario for the Nintendo Wii breaks from that mold in a refreshing way, although it starts with, um, rescuing a damsel in distress. I know, I know, just bear with me here.
The story starts with the mysterious Count Bleck kidnapping Princess Peach and Bowser of all people, er, turtle dragons. He then forces them to go through one of the most hilarious weddings in video game history, which causes a giant dimension-eating black hole to form in the sky. Mario, who’s knocked out in the process, eventually wakes up in a town called Flipside. That’s where he learns about a mysterious prophecy foretelling of this dark time, along with the arrival of a certain hero who will save the day by collecting items known as “Pure Hearts” to fight the darkness.
From this point, Super Paper Mario reinvents the tired, old hero cliche via creative storytelling that heavily relies on humor. Whether it be poking fun at nerds, sensational news reporters or even its own self, there’s no shortage of moments that would get players chuckling and, at times, laughing out loud. Even the bad guys and bosses have a personality. It also helps that the game doesn't take itself too seriously.
Then again, I expected this game to be funny. What I didn’t expect was that it would actually make me nearly tear up at one point. The premise behind Super Paper Mario’s story revolves around a cute love story between two mysterious lovers told via little snippets between stages. Funny thing is, the love story angle, while certainly touching, isn’t even what made me nearly tear up. I kind of expected what was going to happen with that one. Nope, what made me nearly surrender my man card was a surprising plot twist during the search for one pure heart that involved a funny, if not a bit snooty supporting character who shall remain nameless. No need to spoil the fun for those who have yet to play the game.
As far as the game mechanics are concerned, you can expect the same solid game play that Mario adventures are known for. Fans of previous Paper Mario games might be disappointed by the removal of turn-based battling in favor of more traditional platforming. This change speeds up the pace a bit, which is either good or bad depending on your point of view. The biggest game play addition, though, is the ability to flip stages from 2D to 3D. This, pardon the pun, adds new dimension to the Paper Mario game play via hidden nooks and crannies and puzzle elements that force players to think differently. Overall, I think it’s done quite well.
In comparison, Wiimote gameplay additions are fairly minimal and can be even described as gimmicky. These include the ability to point at the screen for hints and info and also being able to shake the controller after Mario pounces on an enemy to boost your score. Other than that, you use the Wiimote like a regular, old-fashioned controller.
The game also retains that colorful, drawn “paper” look familiar to anyone who has played a Paper Mario game before. I think the style looks nice in a clean and simple sort of way. As with most games on the Wii -- which doesn’t support high-definition -- the biggest concern in terms of graphics is the resolution. The game should be fine and look wonderful on regular TV’s. I played mine on a 63-inch high-definition TV so the limits of the game’s 480p resolution are a bit noticeable. Still, the game certainly looks much better than PS2 games do on my big Samsung and also looks better than the lazy offerings some third-party publishers have churned out for the Wii.
As far as game play is concerned, the main adventure seems a bit on the easy side, especially if you know how to use your “Pixls” and secondary characters well (invincible umbrella shield for the win). With the exception of the annoying 8-3 stage, which took me about three tries, players good at solving puzzles and figuring enemy patterns should do well since the platforming aspect isn’t that particularly hard. The ability to play as Luigi, Peach and, my personal favorite, Bowser is also a welcome addition, which I haven’t enjoyed since Legend of the Seven Stars for the Super NES.
All in all, Super Paper Mario is a good way to tide over Mario fans until the release of Super Mario Galaxy. It may be a bit short for some people, especially those who breeze through the story and ignore the side quests. But with tight controls, fun boss battles and a surprisingly good story, any person who’ve enjoyed past Mario games should certainly pick it up.
Our reception: 4 cell phone bars out of 5.
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