Super Paper Mario

 Wii
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 657 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 481 out of 657
  2. Mixed: 121 out of 657
  3. Negative: 55 out of 657
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  1. TreasureOrTrash
    Sep 8, 2023
    10
    Treasure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  2. GameCatastrophe
    Sep 3, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is my favorite game on the Wii. It has so many things to offer, from difficult side-quests, fun bosses, and- most importantly- the best storyline I have ever seen in a video game. Watching as the worlds slowly crumbled, Mario getting killed, and the universes getting deleted, all made the bosses and final fight so cinematic. It made it feel important to save the worlds as the Void loomed overhead. The gimmicks were very fun and the post-game had just as much content as the main game.… Expand
  3. LagsMBH
    Jul 5, 2023
    10
    Good story, fun gameplay, amazing music, and good art. Overall a fun time all around and would 100% recommend.
  4. Idunno123
    Apr 15, 2023
    6
    A game made for younger audiences and practically no one else . I’ve tried to enjoy it but I feel there isn’t much to here enjoy. Perfect for younger people and those with nostalgia but it feels simple and sometimes with no navigation.
    I can enjoy simple gameplay but I feel this is to simple but somehow complex at the same time. Due to the controller having few buttons I feel the way it    A game made for younger audiences and practically no one else . I’ve tried to enjoy it but I feel there isn’t much to here enjoy. Perfect for younger people and those with nostalgia but it feels simple and sometimes with no navigation.
    I can enjoy simple gameplay but I feel this is to simple but somehow complex at the same time. Due to the controller having few buttons I feel the way it was adapted to wasn’t done the best.
    Altogether a Mario game for young people who have a long time on their hands    … Expand
  5. Nevu_z
    Feb 1, 2023
    10
    I love this Game alot. Played it as a Child and loved it so nostalgia carries
  6. cloudydays
    Jan 18, 2023
    10
    This is another one of my favorite Paper Mario entries. it is up there with TTYD and Paper Mario N64 to me. The story is one of the best in the series, I think. :) Flipping from 2D/3D was a charming inventive way to change up the platforming aspect. One thing about these games, the art style is so good. It's genuinely got some stunning dialogue and some parts that will make you chuckle out loud.
  7. Crimson9
    Dec 25, 2022
    4
    I remember one summer I was extremely bored and found this game on my cousins Wii. Despite my incredible boredom I could still barely get through it. Looking back, I think this is a downgrade in every way from its predecessors.
  8. Emperator_444
    Nov 19, 2022
    10
    Desde mi punto de vista, este debería de ser el formato a seguir para la franquicia de Paper Mario. Me gusta la idea de que al ser personajes físicamente planos, vivan en un mundo en dos dimensiones, y que el cambio a la tercera dimensión sea un poder especial.
    La historia me parece que es de la mejor de la saga, rompe con la idea de que este es un juego para niños, es una de las    Desde mi punto de vista, este debería de ser el formato a seguir para la franquicia de Paper Mario. Me gusta la idea de que al ser personajes físicamente planos, vivan en un mundo en dos dimensiones, y que el cambio a la tercera dimensión sea un poder especial.
    La historia me parece que es de la mejor de la saga, rompe con la idea de que este es un juego para niños, es una de las historias más profundas que he conocido en el mundo de los videojuegos.
    La jugabilidad está bien, me gusta como le saca partido a las habilidades únicas de cada personaje y a cada pixelito.
    No dudo al decir que este es mi juego favorito.    … Expand
  9. JaydonB
    Oct 28, 2022
    10
    Well, now it’s time for my personal favorite game in the “Paper Mario” series. Yet again, I think I might be blinded by nostalgia when writing this out to publish, but I think Super Paper Mario is actually a really, really good game that doesn’t get talked about a lot. Now it’s time to talk about the problems where everyone is like, “WAHHH THIS GAME ISN’T THAT GOOD”

    Okay, so… SPM    Well, now it’s time for my personal favorite game in the “Paper Mario” series. Yet again, I think I might be blinded by nostalgia when writing this out to publish, but I think Super Paper Mario is actually a really, really good game that doesn’t get talked about a lot. Now it’s time to talk about the problems where everyone is like, “WAHHH THIS GAME ISN’T THAT GOOD”

    Okay, so… SPM changes up the series a bit in terms of gameplay. It disregards the battle system from the previous installments, which is a hot take because a lot of people enjoy the series solely based on the RPG aspect. So, it gets rid of this, right? But it replaces it with enemies on the overworld when you go to levels, so you’ll be stomping on enemies to defeat them instead of jumping into a turn-based battle.

    It’s also a Wii game, which was originally supposed to be released on the GameCube, but they thought about the upcoming project Nintendo was working on, so Miyamoto decided to rework the game for the Wii. This can be a good thing, or a bad thing for SPM. It could either heavily be based on the motion control, or just be controlled normally without any sticks attached. But it goes into an entirely different direction and just makes it so you have the eye to detect secrets on the overworld.

    This is where I might get heavily biased… I love, LOVE the story in this game. It’s a love story between two people, but they end up getting separated because of their parents being overprotective. One of them turns evil, and the other one is left as good.

    So, at the end of the game they finally meet again and relight the flame they once had for each other back when they were young. So, after the staff roll and all that Jazz… You see both of them standing together on a hill while the sun is setting, and the wind is heavy. They walk off together and that’s the end.

    I forgot to mention that you have to collect these pure hearts in order to save the world in time before it gets sucked into a vacuum of space. You can switch between Mario, Peach, Bowser, and Luigi. It takes the humor from Paper Mario 64 and Thousand Year Door and just goes nuts. This game is hilarious.

    Well, this game is over-hated by fans of the Paper Mario series because of how it switched randomly, but this is a warm welcome because I absolutely appreciate this game for switching things up and telling a love story… A mature, love story that makes you wanna tear up in the end; that’s exactly what I ended up doing. I cried to these characters that the game developed and I will forever put this game in my top 10 games of all time.    … Expand
  10. Manwithnosoul
    Aug 14, 2022
    10
    This game is really good. It’s more on the easier side but story is amazing, gameplay is amazing, game mechanics are amazing, lore is amazing. But the only downside is the controls are sometimes a bit janky but that’s for most wii games. Overall this game is chill and really good
  11. ntBagel
    Apr 17, 2022
    8
    Super Paper Mario. this game is very good overall. there is not many absolutely amazing parts besides the very end was absolutely amazing a warped up the story very well. otherwise the game never got boring to me but also didn't blow me away with how good it was. i like the rpg and platforming mix it feels very nice controlls well and is just super intresting to see how the world is inSuper Paper Mario. this game is very good overall. there is not many absolutely amazing parts besides the very end was absolutely amazing a warped up the story very well. otherwise the game never got boring to me but also didn't blow me away with how good it was. i like the rpg and platforming mix it feels very nice controlls well and is just super intresting to see how the world is in a 2D and 3D space. I think this is another reason I did not get bored and it didnt feel repetitive because of the change from being a 3D game to a 2D game but also playing simaler to an RPG. It had everything so it never felt old to keep playing. The story is really good but I feel a majority of the story was shoved into the last hour of gameplay which did make it end on a very high note. overall the game is good. it doesn't absolutely wow me but none of the parts are bad its a very consistently good game the whole way through. If you want a game that you know you would enjoy this is a very safe option to go to.… Expand
  12. BaldursThones
    Apr 14, 2022
    8
    If I could delete the first world of this game then it would be one of my favourite Paper Mario games.
  13. RandomJukebox
    Sep 1, 2021
    10
    Super Paper Mario has the best story and characters of any game I've ever played. Pair this with a phenomenal soundtrack, like-able art style, and strange but very enjoyable gameplay, and this game shapes up to be one of my all time favorites.
  14. WhoDaDev
    Aug 6, 2021
    10
    A very good Paper Mario, and probably the last good Paper Mario game we'll see for a while.
  15. Kure19
    Jul 13, 2021
    10
    My favorite plot of any video game of ever played and significantly better combat than the last three games on the series. Easily one of my favorite games of all time.
  16. BIRDMAN07
    Jun 27, 2021
    10
    Absolute masterpiece by far the best story driven mario game that any mario fan should try
  17. DarCbrGr
    Jun 26, 2021
    7
    I remember this being a relatively enjoyable game. I think I beat it, but I can't fully remember.
  18. SirXyonder777
    Jun 8, 2021
    5
    This game is just one big gimmick. It tries to sell itself in a beloved series, but plays completely different. I'm not a huge fan of the pixls or swapping from 2D to 3D either, and what's with the difficulty spike on the desert level? This isn't a particularly great game unless you like Mario just that much.
  19. ND-Bringer
    May 27, 2021
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game's very presence is stunning. If Super Mario Bros and Thousand Year-Old Door had a child...just damn. This game combines the wonderful art style from Thousand Year-Old Door with a computer graphic style design and man...I just love. It makes this game feel so fresh, even 14 years later. That being said, some may say that it ruined the Paper Mario series with its diverse gameplay style. But then Sticker Star swoops in 5 years later and changes everything. Personally, I think Super Paper is fine for what it is. It's may not be as fantastic as the Thousand Year-Old Door, but the fact that Intelligent System's brilliant storytelling and creative level design was still at hand makes this one Big Bang of a game. I've always found classic Paper Mario magic to be so wonderful! While modern Paper Mario magic...is just acceptable. I would say my favorite thing about this game is the collection of dark levels. World 7-1 in particular just had me jump for joy, its hell that feels like heaven. A world of lost souls of video game characters that died in various ways, creepy hands in pool of whatever, and a surprise playable character...all in one! I also adore the quick World of Nothing stage that just blows gamers minds. It really makes you wonder if you're about to run into an evil game over sometimes. And trust this game has a few! Even playing with Bowser power, I can feel the icy touch of techno darkness is about to creep up on me! And that's the entire theme of World 8 and its just incredible. This game just has a wonderful variety of worlds. Desert ruins, 8-Bit terrain, , A SLAVERY LEVEL!? I'm just find it wonderfully bizarre that a level like that is apart of the Mario universe! But crazy things like aren't really meant for kids. Like the casinos in Pokemon, (And its very own casino!?) makes me wonder if Sticker Star was designed to be more kid friendly. After all Super Paper Mario is a complex game. If you don't pay attention to the vital dialogue you're likely to give up this game. I think this game is geared towards a teen level difficulty with the tricky puzzles. Heck, some levels can take hours if even minor details are ignored.It's not so bad though with fun battle mechanics keeping you awake. You're facing all sorts of silly and creepy enemies in this game. Even the innocent Luigi falls victim to evil mind control, and he's busting out giant missile blasting mechs on his own brother! And too makes things even darker, Dimentio, the true villain of this game, turns Luigi into some clown monster using the the Chaos Heart! I mean, holy smokes! To think, in the beginning of the game Mario and Luigi were just chilling with ice tea out on a nice summer day and forced to fight each other! Its like crazy fan fiction! This is one of my favorite final battles, if only I could listen to the awesome "The Man on the Internet Remix" while fighting him. MARIO, PEACH, AND BOWSER VS SUPER DIMENTIO! It's a near perfect ending, unfortunately its followed by the ol' "love conquers all" message. Yeah...I like Tippi and Bleck's story and all, but it's not all that interesting. I really love how Tippi, Count Bleck, O'Chunks, Mimi create a second set of Pure Hearts to help us break Dimentio's barrier. But my heart just slows down watching the over-sappy ending. And I'm not going to forget those irritating levels in the 2nd half world 7. Sometimes the camera is my enemy when I can't tell the the difference between a pit and a a shortcut to the lower cloud floor. And World 7-3, the constant backtracking you have to do in order to find the correct antidote fruit to cure Peach...I just hate it. Somehow hell feels like heaven and heaven feels look hell. And now my thoughts on the control, its fine and flexible. But it suffers in the cramped levels. But I love shaking the Wii-Mote to pull off fancy dance moves to increase my score. And in the place of the good guy minions, we have Pixls, digital fairies that give you all sorts of new and old abilities. You can shrink, place bombs, and let's not forget hammering foes. To bad I have to wait until I get to world 5 in order to get it. At least it's there. I understand if Sticker Star was aiming for a simpler setting, but it failed where Super succeeded. Super has both a great story and a fun new gameplay style, that combines classic Mario platforming with a RPG elements. And we're not just exploring another Mushroom Kingdom, we're exploring unique dimensions full of all sorts of creative characters like the enemy that wasn't meant to be, Fracktail! Well, he's all over the cover and he's also a Thousand Year-Old Door reference, he's more interesting then you think! Keep in mind, if you keep slipping up during battle or get stumped on a puzzle, I can relate. This game is about patience and soaking in each world. This series is all about breaking through normal settings and creating crazy creative dreams. I wouldn't call it a masterpiece, but its an incredible Wii console highlight!… Expand
  20. LirioLeo
    May 19, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Even though it starts off like a relatively conventional fetch quest storywise, Super Paper Mario goes on to surprise the player at every corner. Be it the sudden gameplay changes or the surprisingly emotional and, at times, really dark story - I mean, how many Mario games are there where you see our hero pretty much die and go to hell? - , this game doesn't hold its punches and surely knew to dazzle me all the way through. Its humour is just as on point as ever in the series and the dialogue is so well-written that I got more invested in the story and the characters than I ever thought I could in a Mario game. The music is weird and different, but really catchy and the art style is realling something unique. It helps convey the impression that we are witnessing a different world altogether. Gameplaywise, the platforming and combat are fine in my opinion, Mario controls just as you'd like him to, his jump does not feel to floaty, and the change away from turn-based combat does the game a favor the way it's set up, however, the flipping mechanic does not dazzle as much as you'd like it to. There are many areas where turning to 3D allows you to rush through the levels avoiding most enemies with ease - the fact that you lose a miniscule amount of HP when flipping for too long does not balance this out at all - and because most of the rooms are just squares when in 3D, the world feels a little less organic and exciting when seen from this perspective. Many puzzles just go "when you don't know what to do, just flip", which becomes a little stale after a while, in the beginning however it is still fun to flip and find the right ways to make your way through the platforming sections. The levels themselves are well-designed and not always sticking to the usual themes of the Mario series - which is what we love the Paper games for - still makes it fun to traverse the worlds, even though I got lost a lot of times trying to figure out which door I need to go through next as the environment can look a little indistinguishable at times. Most of the worlds however have creative concepts behind them and are interesting in that way. There might be mechanics that don't work as well as you'd like, like the aforementioned flipping or the way the funcionalities of the Wii remote that were worked into the game, but never was there a moment where I really couldn't stand the gameplay. The way the story is set up, despite the humourous dialogue and characters, dread is always present in the form of a giant tear in the sky, and switching perspectives to see what the villains are up to once in a while works wonders for their character development and our understanding of what's actually going on. Slowly discovering Count Bleck's backstory was one of the most fun and gripping parts of the story for me personally, and his interactions with his loved one are so well-written, they drove tears in my eyes without any visuals. Bleck's henchmen have fun personalities that make their squabbles a joy to watch, even though Mr L and Dimentio clearly steal the show. The plottwist at the end is so well set up and executed that even though I already knew what it was going to be from the internet, I almost doubted the information I was given there. Some scenes in the game are so well set up, they even put setting the right atmosphere over the gameplay, like the disturbingly long walk in the dimension of nothing - or how could anyone forget Francis' dating simulation or the part where you literally spend five minutes pressing right in a hamster wheel - which makes it clear that Super had the goal to not only be a fun game, but also just an incredibly memorable experience by subverting expectations and some times even pushing the boundaries of what you think a Paper Mario could be altogether. Even though some parts of the gameplay and the menuing weigh the game down overall, Super Paper Mario is still a really fun and unique experience I would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who owns a Wii and hasn't played it yet. As far as I know, this was the last Paper title where Intelligent Systems were still allowed to create entirely new characters, and in that they created one of the most exciting and extraordinary Mario games they could. Even though it's not perfect and might not be as universally attractive as most Mario games are, despite the fact I hold no nostalgia for it, Super Paper Mario has a special place in my heart. With it's backstory that is so complex it even leaves room for interpretation at times, its extremely charming characters, its morbid sense of humour and its wacky, yet perfectly fitting and super catchy soundtrack, this game will be a blast to play through, and even though the Origami King - which was a return to form for the series in many ways - is a more rounded, technically superior romp, Super is my favourite game in the series and just thinking about it, I feel I want to play through it again.… Expand
  21. MaddoxWhite
    Apr 24, 2021
    7
    This was my first Paper Mario game. I don't like many RPGs, so seeing all the different opinions on this game that differ so widely is something I totally understand.

    For me, then and now, it's still all right. Story is better than the gameplay IMO.
  22. Nick384
    Apr 12, 2021
    10
    Es el primer juego que jugue y lo disfrute muchisimo de pequeño y cada vez que lo vuelvo a jugar me gusta mas
  23. Old_Duck
    Apr 4, 2021
    10
    This game is one of the wii's best; it has a super deep storyline, great gameplay with all the RPG elements of the previous two games in the paper mario series, and is just an all round good time.

    Sure, it may be different to the first two games, not having battles in the same way, but it is still a fantastic RPG adventure, and the last proper paper mario game in my opinion. From    This game is one of the wii's best; it has a super deep storyline, great gameplay with all the RPG elements of the previous two games in the paper mario series, and is just an all round good time.

    Sure, it may be different to the first two games, not having battles in the same way, but it is still a fantastic RPG adventure, and the last proper paper mario game in my opinion.

    From getting all the recipes and cards, to fighting the 100 sammer guys, to the pit of 100 trials, this game is perfect, providing hours of fun.    … Expand
  24. FinnGalaxy
    Mar 31, 2021
    4
    This game... is a mess.

    It's a game that tries to be a platformer with RPG elements, with the same good writing of the old games and that's not a bad thing, some variety in this franchise was more than welcome back then . The thing is that it doesn't execute them well, at all, as a platformer is very slow, with enemies that just require to jump on them until you're tired and half of    This game... is a mess.

    It's a game that tries to be a platformer with RPG elements, with the same good writing of the old games and that's not a bad thing, some variety in this franchise was more than welcome back then
    .
    The thing is that it doesn't execute them well, at all, as a platformer is very slow, with enemies that just require to jump on them until you're tired and half of the time you're just walking straight until a puzzle shows up. As an RPG all those puzzles are really arbitrary, one chapter is just as fun as using your abilities to climb a try, and in the next one is memorizing an extremely large order of blocks to jump under in order to progress and ends up making the pacing very sluggish, leveling up just means having to jump less on an enemy and ends up being redundant when you can just walk through them in 3D, and the items ended up being useless when most of the time taking down an enemy is as easy as jumping on them.

    And finally, the story; it's a good-ish one. Yes, it has the same writing of the old games... without any of the interesting main characters, the only ones that are interesting to see are the villains, who don't show up until the last moment every chapter, while the story is entertaining is so poorly paced that doesn't make the player overlook all of the other flaws of this game.

    I really wanted to like the game as much as other people but as it is, is just a boring game at best.    … Expand
  25. BeeSting1
    Jan 1, 2021
    6
    It's not a Paper Mario game.

    Good - it's nice to see peach being a playable character. Her umbrella techniques are pretty cool. - it's fun to flip in different places to see what secrets May lie in the 3D world. - I'm glad I'm able to stay on Carrie pixl and still am able to interact with things, so that I can maintain my speed. In the old paper Mario games all the fast    It's not a Paper Mario game.

    Good

    - it's nice to see peach being a playable character. Her umbrella techniques are pretty cool.

    - it's fun to flip in different places to see what secrets May lie in the 3D world.

    - I'm glad I'm able to stay on Carrie pixl and still am able to interact with things, so that I can maintain my speed. In the old paper Mario games all the fast partners couldn't interact or jump high enough for me to maintain them throughout the level usually.

    - squirps and the chameleons stories were really really funny. The pixl in squirps story using the elder's ancient clue to wipe his ass after 1000 years, so squirp can use the bathroom. And chameleon's play on the stereotype anime loving geek trying to mac on peach.

    - the ending was very bittersweet. I cared a lot about the story between Bleck and Tippi. Seeing how they sacrificed themselves to save the worlds was noble and touching. Something I've never felt in a Mario game.

    Bad

    - I think this is a good game for a Mario platformer, but I don't like how it's considered part of the paper Mario series. Besides the 2D characters being in the 3D world when you use the flip ability, there are no paper jokes like the past two paper Mario had.

    - not being able to use badges, special attacks, and star Spirit attacks takes a lot away from the diversity of the gameplay known to the paper Mario series. The only thing that remains are the items. And the partner abilities, which are moderately fun to use.

    - the pixels don't have a backstory, which means I can't relate to them or bond with their character. Every time I find a new one, their dialogue is just a bunch of nonsense. Each time I find a new one, I just want them to shut up, come with me, so that I can use their power. They're simply not memorable at all compared to Mario's partners in the old paper Mario games. Heck, even Yoshi is more memorable than these pixels in the normal Mario games despite not having a voice.

    - some puzzles are extremely boring and stupid like the one where I had to hit blocks in a long sequence. The game actually told me to write down the sequence and hit the blocks in that order, which was not fun.

    - the 2D shooting in the squirp levels were pretty boring. I don't play Mario for side scrolling shooting gameplay.

    - The hub world is too big and too similar looking to navigate. Sometimes it's hard to remember where everything is, especially looking for some hard pillars. I forget exactly obstacle which was in the way, but now I can pass with a new ability, because the areas just look so similar especially between flipside and flopside

    - in world 8-3, there was a completely non-intuitive puzzle design where I had to hit a block to open a door that was completely not obvious. Pointing with Tippi didn't even help. In 8-3, what is the points of following dementio into all the old worlds again, when there's absolutely nothing new, and I'm just walking down the same paths for the sake of it. It just feels like unnecessary filler.

    - The combat is too damn easy. The fights required almost no thought. A huge step down from its two predecessors. Very rarely did I feel a threat in a boss fight. And peach had the most OP move, her umbrella made her virtually invincible.    … Expand
  26. NCL209
    Dec 3, 2020
    8
    While this was nowhere near as good as TTYD, I still had fun with this game and hey, at least it's not as bad as Sticker Star or Colour Splash.
  27. Squizzoo
    Oct 13, 2020
    9
    This is my favorite game of all time. Anyone reading this and questioning whether or not you should give this game a try, just do it. Ignore the negative reviews going on and on about "how the gameplay sucks wahhh it's not an RPG anymore!" for what this game is, it is fantastic. I'll admit that this game's gameplay is a downgrade compared to the first two games, but that doesn't make thisThis is my favorite game of all time. Anyone reading this and questioning whether or not you should give this game a try, just do it. Ignore the negative reviews going on and on about "how the gameplay sucks wahhh it's not an RPG anymore!" for what this game is, it is fantastic. I'll admit that this game's gameplay is a downgrade compared to the first two games, but that doesn't make this game any less fun. The characters are still eccentric and interesting, especially the villains. And this game has one of, if not THE best story I have ever experienced out of any Mario game. It doesn't have much replayability once you know the whole story and what will happen next, but the first time through this game is an experience you won't soon forget. Casual gamers and hardcore paper mario fans alike should both give this game a go because, if not for the slightly mediocre gameplay, Super Paper Mario would be a masterpiece. Give it a go!!… Expand
  28. AlexCraft
    Aug 17, 2020
    10
    I loved this Game! The best ideas of ever, Nintendo is number one. It's original
  29. Zethor
    Aug 17, 2020
    8
    What this game lacks in gameplay depth, it makes up for in masterful writing; Super Paper Mario is an enjoyable experience that, while marred by some uninspired or boring areas, is punctuated by the best Mario story the series has seen, paired with a simple but enjoyable style of gameplay, a great soundtrack, and the great wit that the Paper Mario series is well known for.
  30. EdwardG
    Aug 6, 2020
    7
    Super Paper Mario is a flawed game. It's certainly a well-written one, with funny dialogue and a genuinely good story, but it's just not as fun as a lot of other Mario games. The 2D gameplay with the 3D flipping gimmick is decent for the most part, but the platforming isn't as fun as it is in more traditional Mario titles. The combat is nothing special but it's serviceable and fun enough.Super Paper Mario is a flawed game. It's certainly a well-written one, with funny dialogue and a genuinely good story, but it's just not as fun as a lot of other Mario games. The 2D gameplay with the 3D flipping gimmick is decent for the most part, but the platforming isn't as fun as it is in more traditional Mario titles. The combat is nothing special but it's serviceable and fun enough. Being able to switch between different characters on the fly is nice though, and getting to play as Bowser is pretty cool.

    Really, I was having fun most of the time but there's just some stretches of gameplay that are a chore to get through. The quality of the different chapters varies quite substantially. One particularly funny one sees Princess Peach stuck in a dating sim with a chameleon, but another is a tedious combat marathon of running to a platform in the middle of a room, beating an opponent, and running to the next room over and over. I wish this was a more consistent game, but as it is some bits just aren't fun enough.

    Moving away from gameplay, I've got to say that the story is good in Super Paper Mario. I wouldn't say it's amazing, as some of its power of love elements feel a little simple. There's a lot of well written dialogue though that bring the characters to life. Mario's silent throughout but his companions have some funny things to say. The music is also solid, as you'd probably expect from a Mario game. Visually, it's got a decent style but it's nothing spectacular.

    After finishing the game, I'd say getting through its weaker parts was worth it in the end as it has a strong ending with good boss fights and a sweet ending to the story that mostly gets away with its simple love trumps all message.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Best Wii Game of 2007
2
#2 Most Discussed Wii Game of 2007
2
#2 Most Shared Wii Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 56
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 56
  3. Negative: 0 out of 56
  1. Play Magazine
    85
    It feels and looks polished, considerate, and expensive. [Apr 2007, p.40]
  2. GamesRadar+
    80
    Anyone with half a heart will absolutely fall in love with the characters, the graphics, the dialogue, the old-school shout-outs to previous games, the little visual effects lingering in the skies of every world... the love just keeps plopping out of the speakers at an incredible rate. For every annoying, excessively long fetch quest or mundane puzzle, there's a huge, cutesy payoff that makes all the trouble worthwhile.
    Read full review
  3. IGN
    89
    It controls tightly and uses the Wii remote in a smart manner without stepping into forced territory. The new 2D-to-3D dynamic is built around clever and surprisingly complex puzzles that will challenge and impress you. And it all comes together to make Super Paper Mario a highly enjoyable title, whether you want to call it a platformer, an RPG, or something in-between.
    Read full review
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