[Wii] Super Paper Mario

Super Paper Mario
High resolution box art:

Spoiler:

Platform: Wii
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: April 9th, 2007

Over at GDC, we've got some impressions of the titles thanks to a demonstration by one of the localizers. The preview is downright glowing and with the game a little over a month away (April 9th), it won't be long until we can have a go at this one. Anyway, enough babbling. Here's some choice bits from the writeup.

Originally Posted by 1UP

As the name suggests, Super Paper Mario builds on the N64 and GameCube Paper Mario RPG titles, but with a difference. "I'd say the other Paper Marios are about 80% RPG and 20% action; this one is the opposite," Petersen explained. Gone are the random battles and menu-driven commands, replaced with more traditional Mario platforming -- something that was always present in the Paper Mario games to some degree, but is heavily emphasized here. So while there's plenty of story (which Petersen assures us is up to developer Intelligent Systems' usual standards of subversive humor) the emphasis is square on completing twitch-action challenges.

Quote:

In short, SPM takes a long-standing assumption about 2D platformers and turns it on its side, literally. At one point in our session, Mario reached what appeared to be a chasm far too wide to be leaped, but the presenter turned the game sideways with a press of the Wii's A button to reveal that the hills which appeared to be in the background were actually just wide enough to run along. It's a little like the white blocks in Super Mario Bros. 3, which could be ducked behind for a quick shortcut to the end of the stage, but more fully realized and integrated into the entirety of the game.

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Since the usual RPG combat is out the window, Mario's companion characters have changed as well. Rather than rushing into the fray with a Goomba or Bob-omb or Lakitu in tow, Mario's instead accompanied by creatures called "Pixies" -- odd pixellated creatures who bestow special abilities. Unlike previous companion characters, Pixies can be swapped out at any time.

For the most part, Pixies appear to duplicate some of the abilities that Mario and his previous companions possessed. In addition to allowing him to flip the game sideways, they allow let him drop bombs. One even lets him point the Wii Remote at the screen to serve like a flashlight, revealing secrets and highlighting points of interest for more information. That's not the only Wii Remote functionality added in the migration from GameCube. As in previous Paper Marios, attacks can be made "stylish" for extra points. This is done by shaking the Remote at the peak of Mario's jump, causing him to perform ridiculous acrobatics in mid-air. And points actually count for something in this game -- Mario's score is the equivalent of his experience points, and at certain score totals his level increases, alternately boosting his maximum health, strength and other attributes.

More of the Super Paper Mario preview

Images

Old 1Up screenshots:

GDC Demonstration Video

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Oh, I almost forgot. Apparently some new enemy (the guy you see marrying Bowser and Peach) gets them married and the event causes a tear or distortion in space/time and... that's why there are equations and crap in the sky.

If anyone's played TTYD, he has a similar design to that of the curse boxses that gave you your paper abilities.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Heh, looks like there's a few more videos to sink our teeth into. This time, we get to see Peach in action as well as character switching and a bit more. Looks fantastic. Makes me crave all the older titles in a similar style.

Super Paper Mario - Moves (Peach gameplay + floating)

Super Paper Mario - 8-Bit (Pixelated stage, Levelling up shown, Pixels power demonstration)

Super Paper Mario - Star

IGN's very nice video of a desert stage

Gamespots got 3 offscreen movies as well.

IGN's video is labeled 480p, so it might be that this game has a progressive scan option. Definitely a bonus to those out there with televisions who can take advantage of it.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Zyzex

This game will finally be the perfect reincarnation of a 2D and 3D world melding together. From what I've gathered this must have been a programing nightmare, but they really pulled it off quite well. And hopefully the RPG elements are still implemented in a way so that they don't come off hokey or unneeded. But the insane amount of creative thinking that went into this...I just can't wait to play it.

As you can see in a lot of the videos, there isn't that much in the way of RPG elements as the guy says. It's something like 80% side scrolling action platformer/20% RPG, instead of the reverse like the Paper Mario RPGs. So far there's leveling, item use and from what I heard earlier, shops.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?