Pros

Easy, intuitive controls and gameplay. Increasingly challenging, giving you a great experience and an absolutely fantastic adventure. The flip into 3D feature adds a great dynamic to the game and the use of the Wii controller. It also gives you a great reason to pick this game up. A lot of Wii games seem to be port-overs using the controls more as a gimmick, rather than to improve average games.

Cons

No online features, which isn't an deal breaker but it's a constant reminder that this game is just an early Wii release. The game doesn't really need online features but given this is a next-gen, some could have been thought out. The only major gripe with this game is the dialogue! The text just goes on and on and on. It gets a bit daunting after a while, since you worry about missing important text while ripping through the dialog. The instructions could have been rewritten to focus on key concepts.

Interesting Info

If you don't know what to do next, you can point at items to learn about them. Such as how to defeat an enemy or operate a strange object. If you are out of ideas where to go next, FLIP!!

Related Links

• Official Website

Super Paper Mario takes you into a time where Bowser is no longer a problem (well, he kind of is). You definitely get a sense that this Mario is a post-Bowser era similar to having the Ninja Turtles fighting new foes with Shredder long gone. It's really one of those games you pick up and know immediately that it will more than likely suck you in and keep you entertained for a few months (lifestyle permitting, of course). The first major thing of note is that this game is incredibly wordy! You have to read tons and tons of dialogue before things start happening and a lot more when your done, especially early on. At the beginning you are introduced to a new villain "Count Blek" and his entourage. They take Bowser, Princess and Luigi. I can't spoil much more, you'll have to play this incredibly addictive ongoing saga of Mario.

There have been many Mario games but none have ever seemed to fail us. Although it seems as this game would be a disappointment, things start turning. You get introduced to pixels, which are ultra cool companions who follow you around and give Mario some really interesting and helpful powers. For example: one pixel can blow up and be reused over and over to destroy blocks. Another example would be a pixel you can throw to catch items and enemies, allowing you to throw them and such.

The game continues the very interesting concept of Mario being a paper character, which allows you to slip through tight spaces. For the most part, you can use this ability to cheat your way through a lot of puzzles and enemies. It's a bit of an adjustment being able to switch between 2D and 3D but you eventually get the hang of it and find key places to use the ability.

At first, the game comes off as pretty easy because it feels like you can avoid all the obstacles. As the game progresses, the puzzles get more complex and fast. I loved the 3D switch dynamic, it encourages you to look around. The dynamic is also well thought out, only allowing you to flip between 2D/3D for a short period of time. There's a huge advantage in the 2D world where everything is flat, or so it seems. But it opens a whole new perspective on the previous Mario games.