Super Paper Mario: For Truth and Great Justice!

I am nearing the end of Super Paper Mario for the Nintendo Wii and I can say with certainty I wish the joy would not end. I have been vocally enthusiastic about this game since it's original announcement as a Gamecube title. The Paper Mario games have always filled a special place in my game library that no other turn based RPGs could occupy. I have never been able to play these turn based RPG games that many find so endearing. The only ones I have ever finished were Earthbound, Super Mario RPG, Paper Mario and Paper Mario: Thousand Years Door. The Paper Mario games were enthralling to me because they were so well written and filled with jokes and call backs to games of my childhood. The hilarity, quirky art style and the fact that it's Mario allowed me to see past the turn based battle system that I hated so much.

Now Super Paper Mario is some of the same things I loved about the previous Paper Mario games and some differences that could arguably be better or worse. Why don't I attack the positive qualities of the game up front. First, all of the writing and in-jokes still exist in all of their glory. Second, it's colorful and crisp graphically (though arguably not as pretty as it could be on any other system). Third, it's still mario. In addition to those wonderful qualities the turn based battle system has been removed and replaced with real time combat more akin to the Mario games of my childhood. All of these qualities bring me happiness and the stupid smile of someone who is feeling like a kid again.

There are some problems with the game and while most are nit picky on my part, some are bothersome to me on a larger level. The Wii control in this title just feels tacked on and I realize that has been a complaint many have had with Wii games as a whole but here I feel it is valid. This games would have been better served as a Gamecube title and if Nintendo hadn't chosen to move the game to Wii we would have had this in our greasy gamer hands that much quicker. My other very minor complaint is that it just feels too short. I didn't get the epic feeling from this game that I did from the past two Paper Mario titles (most especially Thousand Years Door) and that does bother me a bit. My more major concern with the title is how boring the boss battles felt to me. I never felt a sense of danger from the bosses and I rarely had to venture into the menus to engage a healing item. This was unexpected because of how difficult and huge the boss battles were in Paper Mario: Thousand Years Door. I felt as if the boss battles in Super Paper Mario were quick and easy and never left me feeling any sense of accomplishment from passing them.

Beyond my complaints though lies a happy consumer. My problems with the game were mostly minor and I did feel like I was delivered what was promised to me and what I had been looking forward to. I will say that after playing Super Paper Mario I am actually all for a move back to turn based battles if that system will reintroduce the length and danger of boss battles that were present in past Paper Mario titles. I definitely recommend Wii owners pick up Super Paper Mario, it will give you the best reason to turn on your Wii since Zelda.