Super Paper Mario
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Posted April 30th, 2007 at 1:18pm
by Kit Pierce
Moving it Makes Him Jump Better
So, stylish moves. Yep. That’s all you’ll be jiggling the Wiimote for this game, but when you think about it, cast your mind back to the very first time you ever played Super Mario Bros. on your original NES. Remember how you used to move the controller whenever you had to make a long jump, as if moving the controller actually affected your jump but it didn’t? Remember how you were flailing about because your mind perceived jump and your body went along with it? Well, now the flailing serves a purpose. It’s sweet fanservice to see Mario come full circle like this.
The only other motion-sensitive control requires you to point the Wiimote at the screen, using the special ability of your pixl, Tippi, to reveal hidden items or to impart advice about your enemy or objective. This can be pretty handy, especially to find an invisible door at the end of an otherwise empty room, or to gain that critical bit of insight so you can get the upper hand on that boss you just can’t seem to beat.
Other than that, there’s not much to the Wii side of the controls. The Wiimote works quite well with its simple button layout because there’s not that much to the game mechanic requiring complexity. What’s amazing is that the developers eke out this much depth from such a simple concept. It can be argued that the simplicity of the Wiimote leads to an awkward selection process switching between characters or pixls, but I’ll go the other way here. It never really becomes an issue because you don’t often have to change characters or pixls, and when you do, the menu system isn’t particularly awkward.
Easy on the Eyes and the Ears
Super Paper Mario is an excellent example of one of my favorite Wii riffs: strong art direction can overcome any perception of uderpowered graphics. The reality of 2D characters is fully formed in this game. The design is consistently beautiful throughout, and the animations are smooth and evocative. Wow moments are sprinkled all through this game as the designers reveal their choices regarding interacting within the digital Flatland of Super Paper Mario. The choices are fun, believable, and compelling as you begin looking for things you wouldn’t expect in any other game.
I mentioned the lack of voice acting a little earlier, and I stand by the conclusion above. I’m glad there are limited vocalizations in this game. It would have slowed the show down to an interminable pace. Despite the lack of voice acting, the effects and soundtrack are all lovely. If you want to listen to the soundtrack, it won’t offend. As good soundtracks go, it blends with the action perfectly and gets out of the way. Nothing jumped out at me as strange, and the sounds fit just right.
The Fine Print
The pacing of the game breaks at times. When a level gets going, the action usually moves briskly, but the designers tend to throw these necessary side-quests right in the middle of the path. At times, these side-quests completely break the flow of the game without adding much to the overall plot. It’s a side-effect of the story, and I like the story, so I have to live with the breaks.
The reading can be cumbersome. As far as I can tell, there’s no way to skip the intro story at the start of a new game, and that alone can take around 15 minutes even with button mashing advancing the text at full speed. The plot doesn’t require the reading of everything, but sometimes a vital clue is presented that could be lost by speeding through. Non-readers will need help — this is only a problem because kids love this game. In fact, every five-year-old I’ve spoken to about Super Paper Mario is practically addicted to it.
If you choose to hammer through the game, you can knock it out in about 20 hours by most accounts, reading and all. If you take your time to savor the detail, you’re looking at probably double that. I know I haven’t found everything yet, and I’m making steady progress every couple of days clocking up about 30 hours total so far.
Final Word
The Wii needs more epics, and this game fits the bill. The Super Paper Mario team did a fantastic job of giving us a game that is clever without being obvious, has depth despite a lack of complexity, and a fun experience for players young and old. It has some flaws, but they don’t keep me from recommending this game highly. Super Paper Mario defies classification and turns out a solid gaming experience on the Wii that offers something for just about everyone.
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