Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this game features plenty of cartoony violence and mayhem, but it's presented with affectionate humor in which even the bad guys stand up and joke after getting stomped or blown up. Aside from the action, there are a number of puzzles to solve and lots of characters to speak to. The game is lengthy with lots of reading, but it's quite easy and likely to be accessible to younger players.
Families can talk about Mario. Why is he such a likeable guy and why do you think he's in so many games? Is he the reason you picked this game, or is it because of the new things you can do with the Wii? Which puzzles were the most challenging?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Chris Jozefowicz
The Paper Mario games have been distinguished by their cartoon-like visual style and their use of slow-paced role-playing game-style combat. But SUPER PAPER MARIO breaks out of this mold and embraces the running-and-jumping style of old Mario games. The result is engrossing and action-packed, and should reward players of all ages with an exciting adventure that has charm and invention to spare.
Mario seems to begin the game as he does many previous Mario games: on a quest to save Princess Peach. But before long, his mission becomes one to save all the worlds in the universe from a destructive super villain named Count Bleck, and Mario is even joined by Peach and other old friends during his journey.
On his quest, Mario is helped by magical companions called pixls that do things like grab enemies or drop bombs. But Mario's most powerful ability is the power to flip the world from a flat, old-school two-dimensional presentation to a three-dimensional view that makes each level look something like a long and broad hallway. (The controls are a similar mix of old and new: for the most part, players hold the Wii remote sideways like an old Nintendo controller, but a few of Mario's special powers are controlled by pointing or shaking the remote.)
Super Paper Mario gets a lot of mileage out of taking the two-dimensional style of old games and allowing players to pop it into three dimensions. Flipping the world from 2D to 3D reveals pathways and treasures hidden in the two-dimensional view; hills in the background might hide doors and giant enemies become paper-thin obstacles that Mario can simply run around. This encourages a sort of experimentation and discovery that is engaging and rewarding as players search levels for secrets. Having the power to change dimensions creates puzzles that are unique and should keep players exploring for the entire length of this 20-hour-plus game.
The worlds that are imperiled by Count Bleck are populated with great characters and stunning visuals. There's a lot of dialogue to read, but it's always entertaining and often very funny. Each world is beautiful, with bright cartoony visuals and plenty of inventive level design. Longtime Mario aficionados will also notice lots of visual references to previous games in the series.
As great as it is, Super Paper Mario is not perfect. Although four characters eventually become available to players, most are used only in a few specific situations and they mainly feel superfluous. Mario's 3D-flipping power is so much fun that players will almost certainly spend most of the game as the red-suited plumber. And although the game is long, it may not be challenging enough for experienced gamers. It's possible to play through the entire adventure without ever dying.
But Super Paper Mario is so much fun to play and so dazzling in its style that these weaknesses are easy to forgive. Fans of previous games might miss some of the role-playing game challenge, but they will be won over once they start exploring the game's secret-filled levels and meeting the lovable characters.
Mario fans looking for another great update of old two-dimensional games might want to try New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS. Role playing game fans looking for a game that is a bit more mature might appreciate Final Fantasy XII for the PlayStation 2.
Reviewed: 05/21/2007
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ViolencePlenty of Mario-style violence: stomping, fireballs, thrown hammers, electrical zaps, etc. But nothing graphic. |
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Social BehaviorTeamwork and cooperation, even between former enemies, is required. |
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CommercialismThis is part of the Nintendo Mario franchise. |
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Educational ValueMany puzzles require logic and planning to solve. |
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