Super Paper Mario is a 2007 action role-playing game created by Intelligent Systems and released by Nintendo for the Wii. It is the third game in the Paper Mario series, following Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2004), and the first Mario game on the Wii. The game follows Mario, Peach, Bowser, and Luigi as they work to collect Pure Hearts and stop Count Bleck and his followers from destroying the universe.
Unlike earlier Paper Mario games, which used a turn-based system, Super Paper Mario combines elements of role-playing games and side-scrolling platformers. Some critics called it a mix of these two types of games. A key feature is Mario's ability to "flip" between 2D and 3D views. Most of the game is played in 2D, while 3D views are used to solve puzzles and reach new areas. Peach, Bowser, and Luigi each have special abilities, and players can gain more abilities by recruiting partner characters called "Pixls."
Super Paper Mario received mostly positive reviews and was one of the top-rated Wii games of its year. Critics praised its gameplay, the ability to switch between dimensions, art style, originality, and story. However, some critics noted that the game had a lot of text, which was less appealing to some players. The game was nominated for and won several awards, including the award for Outstanding Role Playing Game at the 12th Satellite Awards. It is now considered one of the best games on the Wii. As of 2014, more than 4.23 million copies were sold, making it the best-selling game in the Paper Mario series and one of the best-selling Wii games. Paper Mario: Sticker Star was released in 2012. In 2016, Super Paper Mario was made available again on the Wii U’s eShop.
Gameplay
Super Paper Mario is a video game that combines platforming and role-playing elements. It is different from earlier games in the series. The game uses 3D environments and 2D paper-like characters. Players control Mario and other characters, moving through levels similar to other Mario games. The goal is to collect eight Pure Hearts and defeat the main enemy, Count Bleck. Players can speak to non-player characters (NPCs), fight enemies, and explore the environment. Unlike earlier Paper Mario games, which used a turn-based battle system outside the main game world, Super Paper Mario features real-time combat. Players earn experience points by defeating enemies, which allows them to level up and improve their abilities. Mario can temporarily switch between 2D and 3D views, where the camera rotates 90 degrees to show a 3D perspective of the stage, revealing hidden elements and helping to avoid obstacles.
Luigi, Princess Peach, and Bowser are playable characters who join Mario’s party. Each has special abilities: Luigi jumps the highest, Peach can hover to reach high places, and Bowser can breathe fire to defeat enemies. Only Mario can switch between 2D and 3D views. Players can switch between any party member at any time through an in-game menu. Fairy-like creatures called "Pixls" are collected, each giving an extra ability. For example, Thoreau lets players pick up and throw objects. Tippi, a Pixl who joins the player early in the game, provides hints for defeating enemies and helps find hidden secrets.
The main area of the game is Flipside, a town described as being "between dimensions." It has a mirrored version called Flopside, which becomes available halfway through the game. From Flipside and Flopside, players can enter different worlds through dimensional doors. Access to each world is locked at first. Completing a world and collecting its Pure Heart unlocks the next world.
Plot
The game Super Paper Mario begins with Count Bleck kidnapping Bowser and Princess Peach and making them marry. This event, as predicted by the Dark Prognosticus, causes the Chaos Heart to appear. Bleck takes control of the Chaos Heart and uses it to open the Void, a growing tear between different worlds, to destroy the current universe and create a new, perfect one. Mario is sent to Flipside by Tippi and is asked by Merlon to collect eight Pure Hearts, which are needed to stop the destruction. Mario learns how to move between dimensions and begins his journey with Tippi, visiting different worlds to find the Pure Hearts.
During the journey, Mario reunites with Peach and Bowser, who join his team. Bleck sends his followers—Dimentio, Mimi, O’Chunks, and a brainwashed Luigi—to attack Mario’s group and slow their progress. Luigi later regains his memories and becomes the final member of the team. Mario gathers all eight Pure Hearts, but not before the Void grows large enough to destroy one of the worlds.
Later, it is shown that Count Bleck and Tippi were once lovers named Blumiere and Timpani. Blumiere’s father disliked their relationship and cursed Timpani to wander between worlds forever. Blumiere, heartbroken, used the Dark Prognosticus to try to end the universe. Merlon found Timpani and saved her by turning her into a Pixl, which erased her memories. Over time, Blumiere and Timpani slowly realize who the other is.
With the eight Pure Hearts, the heroes go to Castle Bleck. They face Bleck’s followers, but each hero is seemingly defeated one by one: Bowser and O’Chunks are crushed by a falling ceiling; Peach and Mimi fall into a pit; and Dimentio appears to kill himself and Luigi. Mario and Tippi face Bleck alone. Tippi reveals she is Timpani, but Bleck refuses to stop his plan. The other heroes return and defeat Bleck using the power of the Pure Hearts. Bleck, returning to his Blumiere identity, tells the heroes to kill him to destroy the Chaos Heart and stop the disaster. However, the Chaos Heart is taken by Dimentio, who kills Bleck’s assistant Nastasia and brainwashes Luigi to be the Chaos Heart’s host. Blumiere and Timpani are sent away, and the heroes are left powerless. However, the love between Blumiere, O’Chunks, and Mimi restores their strength.
Dimentio is destroyed but leaves a shadow of his power to help the Chaos Heart complete its task. Blumiere and Timpani marry, which removes the Chaos Heart and undoes its destruction. The heroes, along with O’Chunks, Mimi, and a revived Nastasia, return to Flipside, but Blumiere and Timpani are gone. O’Chunks, Mimi, and Nastasia promise to create the perfect world Blumiere once dreamed of.
Development and release
Intelligent Systems created the previous games in the series and Super Paper Mario. Director Ryota Kawade changed the usual way of making games to surprise fans with a new idea. While designing the game, he added the ability to switch between different dimensions. He also changed the fighting system to match the idea of moving between dimensions. When he showed the idea to producer Kensuke Tanabe, they agreed the game would work best as an action-adventure game. However, Tanabe asked the team to keep a story style similar to role-playing games. Kawade found it challenging to balance the 2D and 3D worlds. He explained that making one level required the work of making two levels because they wanted to hide secrets in 3D that could not be seen in 2D.
On May 11, 2006, Super Paper Mario was announced for the GameCube during a trailer at E3 2006. It was planned to release in the fourth quarter of 2006. Nintendo did not provide a playable demo of the game on the show floor. GameSpot named Super Paper Mario as a finalist for its E3 Editor’s Choice award. Nintendo later confirmed the release date as October 9, 2006. The game was expected to be one of the last first-party GameCube games, but development moved to the Wii in 2006. It was released in April 2007, becoming the first Mario game for the Wii. The controls stayed similar to the GameCube version, and the use of the Wii’s motion controls was limited.
Early PAL versions of the game had a problem if the language was set to English, German, or Spanish. Nintendo of Europe reported that if Mario talks to the character Mimi in chapter 2–2 without first collecting a key, the game would freeze and force the player to restart from the last saved point. Nintendo of Europe offered to replace any affected game discs with fixed versions for free. The Korean version was released two years after the Japanese version and included unused development materials unique to its edition.
Reception
According to the review website Metacritic, Super Paper Mario received "generally favorable reviews" with a score of 85 out of 100, based on 57 critics. It has the sixth-highest score among Wii games released in 2007.
The dimension-flipping mechanic, which allows players to switch between two worlds, was praised by many critics. Gamasutra called the game a "landmark Wii release" and a "hit with critics." Critics also praised the game’s puzzles, creativity, and writing. Most criticism focused on the game’s inability to fully satisfy players who prefer pure role-playing games (RPGs) or platforming games. The story received praise, though some critics noted the large amount of text. Game Informer reviewer Bryan Vore appreciated the mix of platforming and RPG elements, as well as the writing, which he called "arguably the best" in any Mario RPG. Famitsu reviewers praised the dimension-flipping mechanic, game balance, and control system.
Matt Casamassina of IGN called Super Paper Mario a "must-buy" and praised its mix of platforming and RPG styles, controls, and writing. However, he criticized the "ridiculous" amount of text and the "barren" appearance of the 3D segments. GameTrailers reviewers also criticized the heavy use of text but praised the story and "robust" and "addictive" gameplay. Bryn Williams of GameSpy praised the "highly bizarre and amusing story line," level design, and controls but said the game was too easy and lacked replay value. GamesRadar+ reviewer Brett Elston praised the graphics, dialogue, and controls but said the game "petered out" near the end.
Shane Bettenhausen of Electronic Gaming Monthly called Super Paper Mario a "must-play for any Wii owner" and praised its creativity, gameplay, puzzles, and script. However, he criticized the "undercooked" RPG elements. Eurogamer reviewer John Walker said the gameplay was "slightly weaker" than most Mario platformers but praised the writing as "consistently hilarious" and "impressively touching" toward the end. Ricardo Torres of GameSpot said the game was "not quite on par with some of the other entries in the series" but praised its gameplay, writing, length, and side quests. Michael Cole of Nintendo World Report criticized some "tedious puzzles" and backtracking but praised the writing, visuals, and gameplay, calling it a "peculiar, unexpected love-letter to Nintendo fans." Several reviewers at RPGamer praised the writing and comedic dialogue.
In its first week of release in Japan, 144,000 copies were sold, a number similar to previous Paper Mario games. It ranked as the best-selling game of the week. According to the NPD Group, 352,000 copies were sold in the United States in April 2007, making it the third-best-selling console game of that month in the U.S., behind Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl. By March 2008, Nintendo reported 2.28 million copies sold worldwide, with 500,000 sold in Japan and 1.78 million sold overseas. According to Kotaku, more than 4.23 million copies were sold worldwide, making it the best-selling entry in the Paper Mario series.
Super Paper Mario was nominated for Best RPG and Best Wii Game in GameSpot and IGN’s Best of 2007 awards, winning the Best RPG award from IGN. 1UP.com nominated it for Best Adventure Game and Game of the Year. It received six award nominations from Nintendo Power, including Wii Game of the Year and Game of the Year, and won the Reader’s Choice award in the Best Story/Writing category. It is ranked as the second-best Wii game of the year in RPGamer’s Editor’s Choice awards, and three of RPGFan’s nine editors ranked it among their top five RPGs of the year. CNET, IGN, Game Informer, GameSpot, and GamesRadar+ have listed it as one of the best games for the Wii.