Super Paper Mario Wii

Released on 14/09/2007

• Super Paper Mario

  An introduction to the ancient art of "Marigami".

  With Wii owners everywhere waiting to blast off with Super Mario Galaxy, it's down to Super Paper Mario to satisfy our podgy plumber-related urges over the coming weeks.

  Thankfully, despite its overlong incubation period, and a switch from its original destination of Gamecube to its new home on the Wii, Super Paper Mario is both a thoroughly deserving vehicle for the most magnificent moustachioed one, and one of the best Wii titles to date.

  The latest in a series of bizarre roleplaying / platform game hybrids, Super Paper Mario sees our hero teaming up with brother Luigi, Princess Peach, and even sworn enemy Bowser, to avert the destruction of all worlds, orchestrated by evil newcomer Count Bleck and an ancient book called the Dark Prognosticus.

  Mixing up the old and nu skool
  

  Much of the structure of the game is RPG-esque – you are expected to explore, solve puzzles, go off on side-quests and quiz characters for information, while developing your stats, abilities, and team, and collecting and using a series of items. Much of the gameplay however, is classic old-school platform malarkey, with the odd twist, of course.

  The main twist being Mario's newfound ability to switch dimensions from 2-D to 3-D, which opens up myriad gameplay opportunities, as the switch in perspective adds depth to the levels, revealing hidden items, enemies and routes (reminiscent of the recent SEGA title Crush). Meanwhile, collecting fairy-like "Pixls" adds abilities such as the location of secret doors, the ability to throw items and enemies, and detonating bombs.

  This fascinating mix of styles is constantly engaging, constantly evolving, and surprises and delights in equal measure as your expectations are played with.

  This fascinating mix of styles is constantly engaging, constantly evolving, and surprises and delights in equal measure as your expectations are played with – Super Paper Mario toys with both its own conventions and those of other games, in way reminiscent of the two superb Mario & Luigi handheld adventures.

  Special credit, once again, must go to the localisation team – Nintendo, much like Square Enix, leaves other Publishers in the dust in this respect and the translation is witty, varied, insane and often utterly hilarious in that charming adults-will-love-it-despite-its-innocence style that only Nintendo is master of.

  Bonkers

  Super Paper Mario is a great example of a developer turning its back on power in the quest for graphical supremacy and instead approaching it with a high level of skill and a desire for innovation. Indeed, the design is wonderful throughout - colourful, sharp and packed with bonkers effects. Despite the presence of the likes of Halo 3 and Bioshock, Super Paper Mario is one of the best looking games released in 2007.

  Overall Super Paper Mario comes highly recommended for Wii owners of all ages, and in its own right, not just as a distraction before his spacefaring odyssey – it's inventive, boisterous and yep, bags of fun, and sums up everything we love about Nintendo.

  GAME's Verdict

  

  • Constantly entertaining.
  • A pretty unique experience.
  • Some of the craziest and funniest dialogue in gaming today.

  

  • Controlling Mario in the 3D view can be a bit fiddly.

  Review by: Jonny Austin
  Review Published: 27.09.07

  Published: 27/09/2007

• Super Mario headed for the 3DS

  It's obvious, but it's still good to hear: Nintendo's already working on a Super Mario game for the 3DS. Phew!

  The news came from Mario's daddy, Shigeru Miyamoto, speaking on Iwata Asks - thanks, Eurogamer. The legendary designer announced, "In the interests of adopting new technology for the Super Mario Bros. tradition, I am now making a new Super Mario Bros. game for the Nintendo 3DS system."

  He didn't offer any further details, but he did expand on a comment of Mario co-creator Takashi Tezuka's, suggesting that Mario must always be family friendly. "I think Tezuka-san is exactly right about making something that families can enjoy together," he said, "but I also think it's important to always use the most advanced technology for Mario in order to create something no one has ever seen before. Of course, it's important to make sure people still say things like "Falling down the holes is the most fun!" but something new is necessary for other aspects of the games, and it's those new elements that make a Super Mario Bros. game what it is."

  With no news of a date, this is one we're probably going to have to wait for - but it will be worth it.

• What has Mario got planned in 2012?

  2011 has been a fantastic year for gaming most recognisable face, Nintendo Mario, and 2012 looks set to be another. From platforming to kart racing, tennis, Olympic sports, role playing and party games, the portly yet agile plumber is clearly a highly versatile character who can do it all. Here, GAME takes a look back at a couple of the best Mario games from this year, in case you missed them, and looks ahead to some of 2012 undoubted highlights.

  3DS hasn exactly been lacking in quality games in its first year on the market, but the arrival of Super Mario Land 3D (3DS) in November and the launch of Mario Kart 7 earlier this month have really made the portable console a must own system. Mixing the best elements of older Mario games with new ideas and technology, the former is perhaps best described as a blend of the more straightforward, accessible 2D Super Mario Bros. games for Wii and DS and Wii more challenging 3D Super Mario Galaxy titles. Its magical worlds are essentially made up of left to right dashes through obstacle courses, which see players running, jumping, hovering and gliding to master the environments with the aim of reaching a flagpole at the end of each level. With simple, intuitive controls, it instantly accessible and there always a clear path to completing each stage, usually littered with coins to collect, question blocks to bump and enemies to stomp. But Mario can also wander around a little in the game 3D environments, and only explorers and the most skilled players will locate all of the secret areas, items and unlockables ingeniously hidden away in the expertly designed levels.

  Mario Kart 7 is another must-play title for newcomers and series veterans alike, mixing old and new to great effect too. It offers 16 new courses and 16 classic ones from older MK games for players to compete on, all based on environments and characters from Nintendo Mushroom Kingdom. The best showcase of the console's 3D screen yet, theye absolutely gorgeous to look at and just as well designed, featuring exciting new airborne and underwater sections to compliment the on-track action. With basic accelerate, brake, fire and jump buttons, the game easy enough that anyone can pick it up and play instantly, but itl take months of practice to master the multi-route tracks, learn all of the shortcuts and become an online karting king.

  Looking ahead to 2012, Mario will be joined by a host of Nintendo stablemates as well as characters from Square Enix popular Dragon Quest series in January release Boom Street (Wii). A Monopoly-style board game that challenges players to play the real estate and stock markets to win,here are 27 characters to choose from 13 from Mario games, 13 from Dragon Quest and your Mii and over 15 boards based on memorable areas from each series, with different shapes and layouts providing loads of replay value. Players race around the board trying to accumulate wealth and hit a target value while buying, selling and trading property to see who can be the first to cash out, and with both beginner and advanced settings, it could be the perfect game to get the family huddled round the telly on those cold winter nights.

  Mario Tennis (3DS) also looks set to be a smash hit next year. If previous games in the series are anything to go by, itl do its best to nail the balance between realism and zany, fast-paced tennis action starring all of your favourite Mushroom Kingdom characters, as well as a few surprise ones. Wee expecting a mixture of tactical tennis gameplay, special moves and plenty of mini-games that should make a great title for Mario and sports fans alike.

  Mario and friends, including Sega favourites like Sonic the Hedgehog, will keep things physical in Mario & Sonic At The London 2012 Olympics on the Nintendo 3DS, which launches in February 2012. Players will go for gold in over 50 Olympic events that make full use of the handheld different control methods, serving up a wide variety of ways to play. Competing for the top of the podium alone or in head-to-head games with friends, players will frantically slide the Circle Pad round and round to row, tilt the system to keep their balance on the beam, and blow into the microphone to keep breathing at the right time while swimming.

  Also in 2012, players will see the moustachioed, genre-hopping plumber embark on an exciting new role playing adventure in Paper Mario also on the Nintendo 3DS. It will feature frantic, turn-based battles set in a colourful and varied 3D world that takes in weapons, locations and items from Mario past and present,. It will also require clever strategic use of a range of ability-giving stickers, which can be used to carry out attacks on enemies or to fill in missing parts of the levels.
  

  Published: 21/12/2011

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