Super Paper Mario 5079149 226053511 2008-07-16T16:53:31Z Rhonin the wizard 5180871 [[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 226049346 by [[Special:Contributions/200.106.36.176|200.106.36.176]] ([[User talk:200.106.36.176|talk]]) rv {{Infobox VG |title=Super Paper Mario |image=[[Image:Super Paper Mario cover.jpg|250px]] |caption=North American boxart |developer=[[Intelligent Systems]] |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |distributor= |designer= |engine= |version= |released={{vgrelease|North America|NA|[[April 9]] [[2007]]}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Super Paper Mario|publisher=Nintendo|url= http://www.nintendo.com/gamemini?gameid=_bua93nkRXBBWiJ8ulRPXASuK0xbcL8l|accessdate=2007-05-23}}</ref><br />{{vgrelease|Japan|JP|[[April 19]] [[2007]]}}<ref>{{cite web|first=Patrick|last=Klepek|title=Nintendo Japan Outlines 2007 DS, Wii Schedule|publisher=1UP|date=2007-02-21|url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3157360|accessdate= 2007-05-23}}</ref><br />{{vgrelease|Europe|EU|[[September 14]] [[2007]]}}<ref name="eurorelease">{{cite web|url= http://www.nintendo-europe.com/NOE/en/GB/news/article.do?elementId=9QS2B9aXy0L8FhSqWeQd0UJrlhXGmzAz|title=Summer Loving from Nintendo|publisher= Nintendo of Europe|accessdate=2007-06-21}}</ref><br/>{{vgrelease|Australasian|AUS|[[September 20]] [[2007]]}}<ref>http://games.nintendo.com.au/title.php?id=1146 Nintendo Australia's official Super Paper Mario page</ref> |genre=[[Platform game|Platform]]/[[console role-playing game|RPG]] |modes=[[Single player]] |ratings=[[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]]: E (Everyone)<br>[[Pan European Game Information|PEGI]]: 3+<br>[[Computer Entertainment Rating Organization|CERO]]: A (All ages)<br />[[Office of Film and Literature Classification (Australia)|OFLC]]: G |platforms=[[Wii]] |media=[[Nintendo optical discs|Wii Optical Disc]] |requirements= |input=[[Wii Remote]] }} {{nihongo|'''''Super Paper Mario'''''|スーパーペーパーマリオ|Sūpā Pēpā Mario}} is a [[platform game|platform]]/[[console role-playing game|role-playing]] [[video game]] developed by [[Intelligent Systems]], a division of [[Nintendo]]. Originally developed for the [[Nintendo GameCube]], it was released for the [[Wii]]. The style of gameplay is a combination of the previous ''[[Paper Mario]]'' titles and ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' titles. Unlike the [[console role-playing game|RPG]]-style gameplay of previous ''Paper Mario'' games, the game combines platforming gameplay, RPG, and puzzle elements.<ref name="reveal">{{cite web|accessdate=2006-05-19|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/11/super-paper-mario-release-notes/|title=Super Paper Mario release notes|publisher=[[Joystiq]]}}</ref> It is the third game in the [[Paper Mario (series)|''Paper Mario'' series]]. ==Gameplay== {{Cleanup-section|date=April 2008}} At the beginning of the game, the player controls [[Mario]] directly, and later obtains [[Princess Peach]], [[Bowser (Nintendo)|Bowser]], and [[Luigi]] as playable party members. The player controls the characters by holding the [[Wii Remote]] sideways like a [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] controller.<ref>Thomason, p. 45.</ref> While the 2 button causes the character to jump, akin to the A button in [[Super Mario Bros.]] games for NES, the 1 button controls Pixls, kindred spirits that perform special actions. Mario and his party must use these new abilities, such as turning sideways to slip through cracks, hammering down large blocks, or planting bombs to defeat foes, to advance. One of these allows Mario to run, making the 1 button on the Wii Remote analogous to the B button on an NES controller, though Mario's other standard B-button abilities, such as grabbing, require different Pixls. With the Pixl Tippi or Tiptron, the player can also point to the screen with the Wii Remote to find out their next objective, identify features on the screen such as hidden objects and find out information about an enemy or character. Both the current character and Pixl can be switched out at any time during the game, though characters and Pixls are occasionally separated from the main party, rendering them unplayable for a time. ''Super Paper Mario'', like other ''Paper Mario'' games, borrows both [[Console role-playing game|RPG]] and [[platformer|platforming]] elements in its gameplay, with a noted shift towards platforming in this installment. In this game you get to switch from 2-D to 3-D whenever needed to solve problems on how to get past that particular part of the level. A main hub city called "Flipside" provides a location for Mario and his party to talk to residents, shop, and rest, as well as to open doorways to other worlds. There also exists a mirror version of Flipside called "Flopside" that becomes available in the last half of the game with improved items and shops.After obtaining the fifth pure heart, Flopside must be discovered in order to find the fifth heart pillar.To do that, the player must first find the mirror hall. A mirror version of Merlon called "Nolrem" also lives there. As it turns out only Merlon and Nolrem knew about Flopside ( It was created by the ancients so only the heroes could find the last remaining heart pillars. ) Flopside also retains a darker color and atmosphere than in Flipside. Unlike previous ''Paper Mario'' games, there is no turn-based fighting (with the exception of one boss battle in the 7th chapter against the Underchomp); instead the player faces foes directly on screen as in a usual ''Mario'' platforming game, and through experience gains and special items, the amount of damage dealt per hit can be increased. The player also must watch the party's health taken as damage from foes, though this can be restored with special health items. The traditional [[Score (game)#Video games|scoring]] system used in most platforming games doubles as an [[experience point]] system.<ref name="Thomason 46">Thomason, p. 46.</ref> After jumping on an enemy, the player can shake the controller for extra points. The player can also collect Catch Cards for all the major characters and enemies; possessing an enemy card will double damage dealt for that enemy. The maximum Attack stat one can achieve is confirmed to be 99 for Mario, Peach, and Luigi, and 198 for Bowser, and the maximum HP stat one can achieve is confirmed to be 999. The only possible way to achieve either of these stats is by using many Attack Plus and/or HP Plus items, which are bought at the Flipside Arcade for 2,500 Flipside Tokens each. Using any more of these items after reaching the maximum in the respective stat will result in a +0 bonus in the respective stat. [[Image:SPM 3D.jpg|thumb|left|150px|The perspective and level design seems to change as the player switches from 2-D (top) to 3-D (bottom)]] ===Flipping and character-specific abilities=== While the concept of a "paper" Mario (existing in only two dimensions) still continues through the game, a frequently used power obtained early in the game allows the player to "flip" Mario into the third dimension at nearly any point in the game. When this occurs, the current 2D level is rotated to become 3D in a third-person view; obstacles that may have blocked progress in 2D can simply be walked around in 3D, or hidden blocks or enemies may become visible. There are also numerous secrets to the 3D version of the level. The game takes account for players flipping into 3D in midair (where there was a solid platform for them to be on in 2D Mode) by allowing the player to make a single jump in an attempt to hit solid ground. In the game, this is represented by Mario flapping his arms about frantically and a speech balloon with the graphic for the "2" button presented above Mario's head. Generally, Mario can only spend a short amount of time in this 3D form before taking damage (normally 1 HP per time Mario exhausts his 3D mode gauge, the gauge refills instantly when exhausted or is hit by an enemy and gradually while he is in 2D mode), though completing a certain sidequest removes this penalty. Only Mario has the power to flip into 3D; the other party members have other unique abilities. *Peach can float using her parasol to reach far-away ledges. Her parasol is also useful as a shield. *Bowser can breathe fire, and does double-damage with his attacks compared to the other characters. *Luigi can charge a super jump to reach high places and do damage to foes directly above him. ===Layout=== There are total of eight worlds in the game, all split into four chapters (with the exception of World 6), with final section and often other sections culminating in a boss fight. For all but the last chapter, the goal is to collect a "Pure Heart" which is then used somewhere in Flipside or Flopside to unlock the door to the next chapter. Save points are located strategically throughout Flipside and Flopside and through and between sections. A save point will refill all health and star points; if the character's health points drop to 0, the player must restart at the last save point, though the player can escape to Flipside at nearly any point in the game. Though this has the cost of having to restart the entire unfinished chapter upon return to it, Mario will retain any items obtained and some puzzles will remain in their previous state. The player can return to any section of a finished chapter. Additional side quests also can be performed once the player can access these areas through the use of the Pixls and new characters. Two quests, the Pit of 100 Trials in both Flipside and Flopside, yield rewards that are very worthwhile: a secret Pixl companion and the ability to flip to 3D for an unlimited amount of time. Every level also contains hidden treasures which can only be located using treasure maps sold in Flopside and a special Pixl, which encourages revisiting previously completed levels. ==Plot== {{See also|List of Paper Mario series characters}} In light of a recent kidnapping of [[Princess Peach]], [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] head to [[Bowser (Nintendo)|King Bowser]]'s castle to retrieve her, only to find that Bowser wasn't responsible for it. It is then revealed that the true kidnapper is Count Bleck, a sorcerer who wields an ancient, prophetical tome called the ''Dark Prognosticus.'' In addition to Princess Peach, he kidnaps Luigi and Bowser, and brainwashes Bowser's Koopa and Goomba army. The Count then employs the [[Hypnosis|hypnotic]] powers of his right-hand woman, Nastasia, and forces the [[marriage]] of Princess Peach to Bowser in order to, as the ''Dark Prognosticus'' foretells, unleash a destructive power known as the Chaos Heart. Count Bleck uses the Chaos Heart to open an inter-dimensional rift known as "The Void", which will eventually grow large enough to engulf the entire [[universe]]. Mario meets a butterfly-like Pixl named Tippi and a wizard named Merlon, who have come in search of Mario. They inform him that he matches the description of the Hero, described in another prophetical tome called the ''Light Prognosticus'', who is able to halt the impeding doom of The Void. In order to banish the Chaos Heart and reverse the destruction, the Hero requires the eight Pure Hearts, artifacts created from genuine [[love]]. Mario and Tippi set off to collect the Pure Hearts and stop Count Bleck's plan. On Mario's journey, he encounters a number of antagonistic forces that attempt to stop him from retrieving the Pure Hearts, such as a race of [[mind control]]ling sentient plants, a die-hard [[otaku]] and [[nerd]] named Francis, and a horde of demons. Some of Mario's more prominent foes include Count Bleck's minions: O'Chunks, a dim-witted but loyal warrior with phenomenal brute strength; Mimi, a sadistic [[shapeshifter]] obsessed with wealth; Dimentio, a [[evil clown|psychotic]] and dimension-crossing [[jester]]; and Mr. L, a mysterious masked villain with a flair for robotics who is actually a brainwashed Luigi. Dimentio is eventually revealed to be secretly working against Bleck's vendetta; he spirits away Peach from Bleck's clutches and reunites her with Mario; Bowser eventually joins up with Mario due to Peach's insistence. Dimentio also covertly assists Mario by sowing distrust between Bleck's minions; at one point Dimentio "kills" both Mario's group and Mr. L, though in actuality he merely restored Luigi's memory and sent him and Mario's group to the afterlife unscathed, resulting in the brothers' reunification and the cleansing of a Pure Heart that had been nearly destroyed by The Void. Both Mario and Bleck are unaware of Dimentio's standalone agenda. At the end of each chapter, another story is told of a passionate relationship between two people, Blumiere and Timpani, that was ended by the hand of Blumiere's disdainful father, who banished Timpani and left her to die. The identity of these characters and their relationship to the story are initially unknown, though Tippi is later revealed to be Timpani, and "Count Bleck" is the [[pseudonym]] of the inconsolable Blumiere, who--unknowing of Timpani's rescue by Merlon--wanted revenge for his love's disappearance and sought to bring existence to ruin. Upon collecting all of the Pure Hearts, Mario, Timpani, and company confront Blumiere in his castle. They defeat Blumiere but fail to halt The Void's destruction. The Chaos Heart falls from Blumiere's possession and Dimentio picks it up; he reveals that he has studied the Dark Prognosticus extensively and that he wishes to use the Chaos Heart and the Void in conjunction to create an entirely new universe in his image. Dimentio brainwashes Luigi into becoming Mr. L once more, saying that the Dark Prognosticus revealed him as the ideal host for the Chaos heart; Dimentio fuses the Chaos Heart, Luigi, and himself into one entity called Super Dimentio, who has complete control over the Void; Super Dimentio uses this power to shatter the Pure Hearts, and begins making his new universe. However, Blumiere and Timpani's renewed love for one another, as well as the feelings of loyalty felt towards Blumiere by his remaining minions, restore the Pure Hearts; Mario and Timpani use their power to battle Super Dimentio, who upon defeat splits back into three parts: Luigi, the Chaos Heart, and Dimentio, who perishes. However, Dimentio's lasting influence on the Chaos Heart causes the Void to expand uncontrollably, threatening all of existence. Blumiere reveals the wedding chapel in Castle Bleck that was used to marry Peach and Bowser, and he and Timpani then restore their true love for each other and exchange their [[wedding vows|vows]], which banishes the Chaos Heart, seals The Void, returns the other characters to Flipside and restores order in the universe, effectively nullifying the prediction in the Dark Prognosticus. However, Blumiere and Timpani disappeared after the rebirth of their love; it is assumed by the company they perished. Merlon cheers up Mario and company, as well as Blumiere's minions, stating that they are likely in a better place. After the credits, Blumiere and a human Timpani are shown together in a place resembling [[paradise]]. ==Development== ''Super Paper Mario'' was created out of a desire to combine the familiar look of the ''Paper Mario'' series with a new style of gameplay.<ref name="Williams 76">Williams, p. 76.</ref> Chief director Ryota Kawade was on a train thinking about ways to adapt a mini-game from ''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]'' in which the player controls a large [[Bowser (Nintendo)|Bowser]] in a short side-scrolling stage; he noticed that the other end of the train looked like a stage in a ''Mario'' game and envisioned switching between two and three dimensions.<ref name="Williams 78">Williams, p. 78.</ref> When producer Kensuke Tanabe was told about the idea, he decided to make the sequel an [[action-adventure game]],<ref name="Williams 76" /> but retained some role-playing elements to establish the game in the ''Paper Mario'' franchise.<ref name="Williams 77">Williams, p. 77.</ref> Kawade and Tanabe also felt that these elements, as well as the ability to switch between two and three dimensions, would make the game more accessible to players unaccustomed to action games.<ref>Williams, pp. 76–77.</ref> The team played side-scrolling ''Mario'' titles for inspiration, envisioning how the levels would look in 3D.<ref name="Williams 77" /> ''Super Paper Mario'' was announced by Nintendo on [[May 11]] [[2006]] at [[E3]] for the Nintendo GameCube.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cube.ign.com/articles/708/708018p1.html|title=E3 2006: Super Paper Mario|author=JKR|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=[[2006-05-11]]|accessdate=2007-03-07}}</ref> On [[May 30]] [[2006]], Nintendo set a release date of [[October 9]] [[2006]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cube.ign.com/articles/710/710515p1.html|title=Nintendo's Latest Line-up|last=Harris|first=Craig| publisher=[[IGN]]|date=2006-05-30|accessdate=2007-03-07}}</ref> That summer, the game was "quietly moved" to the Wii.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/757/757502p1.html|title=Paper Mario Unfolding in April?|last=Hatfield |first=Daemon|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=2007-01-22|accessdate=2007-03-07}}</ref> PAL copies of the game contain a glitch if the language is set to UK English, German, or Spanish. In Chapter 2-2, after [[Mario]] finds a key, the game will freeze if Mario speaks to the character Mimi without first picking up the key. Nintendo of Europe is replacing the game disc for no charge with a version that does not contain the glitch.<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/2007/super_paper_mario_announcement.html|title=Super Paper Mario announcement|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|date=2007-09-19|accessdate=2008-04-25}}</ref> Nintendo of Europe announced details of the replacement on their website in November 2007.<ref>[http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/2007/super_paper_mario_announcement_6497.html Nintendo - News - Super Paper Mario announcement<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> == Reception == {{Expand-section|date=June 2008}} {{VG Reviews |Edge = 7 out of 10<ref>{{Citation|title=Super Paper Mario review|periodical=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]|volume=176|pages=84–85|date=June 2007}}</ref> |Fam = 35 out of 40<ref>{{cite web|url=http://geimin.net/da/cross_review.php|publisher=GEIMIN.NET|title=週刊ファミ通クロスレビュープラチナ殿堂入りソフト一覧|language=Japanese}}</ref> |GI = 9.5 out of 10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200706/R07.0411.1202.25242.htm|title=Super Paper Mario review|last=Vore|first=Bryan|publisher=[[Game Informer]]|accessdate=2007-05-23}}</ref> |GSpot = 8.8 out of 10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/wii/rpg/superpapermario/review.html|title=Super Paper Mario for Wii Review|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|last=Torres|first=Ricardo|date=2007-04-09|accessdate=2007-09-14}}</ref> |GSpy = 4 out of 5 <ref>{{cite web|url=http://wii.gamespy.com/wii/super-paper-mario-/779073p1.html|title=Super Paper Mario for Wii Review|publisher=[[GameSpy]]|last=Williams|first=Bryan|date=2007-04-09|accessdate=2008-04-11}}</ref> |IGN = 8.9 out of 10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/778/778606p1.html|title=Super Paper Mario Review|publisher=[[IGN]]|last=Casamassina|first=Matt|authorlink=Matt Casamassina|date=2007-04-05|accessdate=2007-09-14}}</ref> |NP = 9.5 out of 10<ref>{{Citation|periodical=[[Nintendo Power]]|title=Reviews: What's Playing Now|volume=216|pages=100}}</ref> |XPlay = 4 out of 5<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/reviews/1502/Super_Paper_Mario.html|title=G4 - Reviews - Super Paper Mario| publisher=[[X-Play]]|last=Mollenkopf|first=Emily|accessdate=2007-12-27}}</ref> | |rev1 = [[RPGamer]] |rev1Score = 5 out of 5<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rpgamer.com/games/mario/pmario3/reviews/pmario3strev1.html|title=Super Paper Mario - Staff Review|accessdate=2007-09-14|last=Schreier|first= Jason|publisher=[[RPGamer]]}}</ref> | |rev2 = [[Nintendo World Report]] |rev2Score = 9 out of 10<ref>{{cite web|last=Cole|first=Michael|title=Super Paper Mario review|url= http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewArt.cfm?artid=13290|accessdate=2007-09-14}}</ref> | |rev3 = ''[[Official Nintendo Magazine|ONM]]'' |rev3Score = 81%<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/news_130907_mario.html|title=Review: Super Paper Mario| publisher=[[Official Nintendo Magazine]]|date=2007-09-13|accessdate=2007-09-15}}</ref> | |compilation = yes | |MC = 85 out of 100 (based on 55 reviews)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/wii/superpapermario|title=Super Paper Mario (wii: 2007)|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=2008-03-14}}</ref> |GR = 85.2% (based on 68 reviews)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/933012.asp|title=Super Paper Mario Reviews|publisher=[[Game Rankings]]|accessdate=2008-03-14}}</ref> }} Reviews for ''Super Paper Mario'' were generally positive. As of [[December 31]], [[2007]], the game has sold 2.16 million copies worldwide, with 500,000 of those copies being sold in Japan alone.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2008/080125e.pdf#page=6 | title=Financial Results Briefing for the Nine-Month Period Ended December 2007 | publisher=[[Nintendo]] | date=2008-01-25 | accessdate=2008-01-25 | pages=6}}</ref> {{-}} [[Plugged In]] gave it a positive review, saying that it "carries us along with its clever, lighthearted banter" and that "the mechanics are simple". ==References== {{Reflist|2}} *{{Citation|last=Thomason|first=Steve|title=A Matter of Perspective|periodical=Nintendo Power|volume=214|pages=44–48|date= April 2007|id=ISSN: 1041-9551}} *{{Citation|last=Williams|first=Drew|title=Super Paper Mario: The Interview|periodical=Nintendo Power|volume=215|pages=76–78| date=May 2007|id=ISSN: 1041-9551}} ==External links== *[http://ms.nintendo-europe.com/superpapermario/?l=enGB Official Site (Europe)] *[http://www.nintendo.com/sites/spm/ Official Site (USA)] *[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/r8pj/index.html Official Site (Japan)] *[http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/_bua93nkRXBBWiJ8ulRPXASuK0xbcL8l Nintendo.com] *[http://www.gamespot.com/wii/rpg/superpapermario/index.html ''Super Paper Mario''] at [[GameSpot]] *[http://wii.ign.com/objects/853/853822.html ''Super Paper Mario''] at [[IGN]] *[http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3150711 ''Super Paper Mario''] at [[1UP.com]] *[http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?r=1&type=mov&id=17761 ''Super Paper Mario'' Story and Controls Interview] at [[GameTrailers]] *{{StrategyWiki}} {{Mario RPG series}} [[Category:2007 video games]] [[Category:Cancelled GameCube games]] [[Category:Intelligent Systems games]] [[Category:Mario platform games]] [[Category:Mario role-playing games]] [[Category:Wii games]] [[Category:Wii-only games]] [[ca:Super Paper Mario]] [[es:Super Paper Mario]] [[fr:Super Paper Mario]] [[it:Super Paper Mario]] [[nl:Super Paper Mario]] [[ja:スーパーペーパーマリオ]] [[no:Super Paper Mario]] [[pt:Super Paper Mario]] [[fi:Super Paper Mario]] [[sv:Super Paper Mario]]