You don't want to recycle this paper or do you.

The plumber has returned once again in a new action installment of the forever continuing Mario Bros. Saga. Nintendo Combined the 2D character animation of the classics Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. with stunning 3D environments for amazing play. Although Mario appears to be flat like paper, Mario can roam around in each and every part of the game’s expansive levels. Mario can stomp his enemies and collect coins so he can by many cool items. Paper Mario is a venture into the nostalgia of the classical older Mario games in many ways: the game play is comparable to older titles, and there are many classic Mario details and Old characters that he will meet along the way. Paper Mario contains the elements from role-playing games or RPG. You will also have to team up with characters in the game in order to solve tons puzzles throughout the game. You will have text-based interaction with the your characters which they will tell a long and complicated story, and the complexity of the tale will definitely keep you playing the game for many years. There is no doubt you will need to uncover many items by bouncing onto blocks and gaining amazing power-ups and Paper Mario will entertain you for hour on end.

Taking the Series in a NEW Direction

Gameplay - 8 -

The way the game's played has changed drastically since the previous two installments. The game plays a lot more like a Mario game instead of a role playing game which may disappoint some, but I thought it was an interesting idea. There are some still some RPG aspects in this game such as leveling up by scoring a certain number of points. Some of the other new elements include the ability to switch from 2D to 3D which allows a lot more exploration and is one of the major abilities you will use throughout the game. You will also get creatures known as Pixls that will aid you on your journey. Their abilities range from grabbing objects, to shrinking you to the size of a dot. In addition to the pixls, some of Mario's friends (and enemies) will join him on his journey, all of which with an unique ability. At one point or another, you will need to use your abilities you've earned to progress further into the game. One thing I thought that would have been better is to be able to flip 2D/3D with all the characters because it's used so frequently and constantly changing between members can be quite a hassle sometimes. It can also be difficult to judge certain jumps while in 3D. As, for length, the game contains 8 Chapters, all of which comprise of 4 sections. So as you can imagine, the game can last you quite a while. Each section of the game is vastly different, so the action never gets old. One complaint I do have though is the things the game makes you do sometimes. A few of the tasks can be boring and tedious and make you simply want to move on to the next part, fortunately these sort of errands are not too frequent in the game. I also thought the game could have been a little bit more challenging, although it does noticeably increase between chapter 3 or 4.

Graphics - 8 -

The graphics are once again presented in a paper style which has always been one of the main attractions of the series. The environments are pretty much different for each chapter, and some of the chapters are designed after stages from the original Super Mario games which I really liked. The graphics don't show any drop in quality in 3D either and does a good job representing both "dimensions". The bosses are also quite detailed and some even take up the whole screen! There's sure to be at least one thing that will visually impress you about this game.

Sound - 8 -

I found no problems with the music. There are many varied tracks used throughout the game, all of which are well suited to the situation. There are also some familiar tunes but in the game for nostalgic purposes as well. You also have your traditional Mario sounds effects, all of which fit nicely. If you look around enough, you'll even find a way to get the retro Mario sound effects which was a cool idea.

Control - 10 -

The controls are simple and easy! You hold the Wii Remote sideways, much like the NES controller. Aside from the menus and such, the game is controlled much like the original Super Mario games. You can also point the Wii Remote at the screen to get information on enemies or find hidden passages.

Final Verdict - 8 -

So if you're really into RPGs and/or classic Super Mario games, Super Paper Mario is a highly recommended game to pick up. Even if the game doesn't follow the same RPG formula that's been used for the past two games, it still doesn't fail to impress.

The Reason Why I Got Into RPG's!

This game is one of the best on the Nintendo 64. Hailed to be "An RPG for beginners" it takes the extremely hardcore portions from RPG's out and leaves you with an incredibly catchy storyline and amazing gameplay.

The story is the classic "go save princess peach" with a few twists thrown in. The writing is absolutely fantastic and you will find yourself laughing at the writing on many occasions. All of the environments are in full 3-D however all of the characters seem to be in 2-D as if they were drawn on paper.

As the direct sequel to Super Mario RPG on the Super Nintendo, you can expect the same fighting mechanics and time-based button usage for additional power and defensive abilities. Find partners to join you on your quest in game, and level Mario as well as your partners up.

Travel through 8 worlds encountering over 100 enemies and collecting Badges, Star Pieces, Items, Mail and much more! An adventure that would take the casual gamer atleast 25 hours and the avid collector into the 30 hour range-one of my favourite games of all time and a must have!

Why we love the Mario!

This is an awesome addition to the N64 library, and one anyone in the family can play (except baby Joey). The game walks you through the experience without being boring, and has aspects of R.P.G. gameplay and turn-based combat. The "paper" side of the game is not exploited as much as it (maybe) could be, leaving the whole possibility of sliding into another realm "behind" the one we play in unexplored. This doesn't detract from the game, just don't expect to find something along those lines :)

There are still a lot of possibilities, and much fun to be had, including a few mini-games that are very diverting. The story is told a little jerkily, with a series of intermission-style chapters-but even these end up getting in on the fun and become another aspect of the game! Paper Mario gains a number of allies along the way, each with a specialty and a number of abilities Mario (you) can use to accomplish goals. There is strategy in finding enemies' weaknesses and a few choices along the way that shape the game. Mario (you) will also gain levels and new abilities as the story progresses, so plan on finding items and changing your (Mario's) stats as needed.

All in all, the game is a blast on many levels, with great graphics and imaginative aspects to its play and the world Mario inhabits. Paper Mario fulfills the promise of the N64 as few games do!

A classic RPG that stands the test of time

Where could I start with Paper Mario? Should I begin by the colorful, advanced (for its time) art style? The depth of the customization of Mario himself (partners kind of get the short end of the stick, but it's alright)? The greatness of a simple, yet effective story of an evil dragon and a heroic plumber's quests for more power?

I'll try to be short. Paper Mario's awesome. Give a try of this game or the sequel on the gamecube, and you'll be glad you did. Or at least, to get a feel for the series while avoiding the RPG elements, you could try the platformer Paper Mario game, Super Paper Mario on the Wii.