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&emdash;Basic Info. &emdash;

Release Date: February 5, 2001

Developer: Intelligent Systems

Publisher: Nintendo

Number of Players: 1

System: Nintendo 64

Genre: Role-Playing Game

 

Over Spring Break, during the disturbingly short periods of time I was at home, I discovered one thing about myself…. OH MY GOD WAS I BORED!! Let me tell you, I have never been this bored in my entire life. It's probably because I can't remember the last time I had so much free time. 2 whole days. Just me and no scheduled thing to do. Let me tell you, this is unheard of. So--- I did something I hadn't done in, well, months. I blew the dust of the little Tupperware containers that perfectly fit video games… and jumped in.

I played a video game.

And yes that was a long-winded, extended, "lets-get-in-touch-with-the-inner-Rei" introduction to say: I played Paper Mario recently and am reviewing it.

"Onward! No time to dilly-dally Mario!" (Kolorado. You run into him a lot.)

Paper Mario is a well thought out, freakish Super Mario RPG and Kirby's Dreamland hybrid for children a lot younger than me. However, that didn't stop me!

Music first. I'll admit, some of the songs are annoying. But, it fits. It's very repetitive. And it gets on my nerves. Mind you, there are some really cool songs. Gusty Gultch, The Chapter Opening, and Bowser's Battle Theme are pretty cool. There are two songs that really get to me tho. Koopa Bros' Battle theme drives me crazy because it sounds like a Surf-Remix of one of the Dr. Mario themes. If I remember correctly, it's the Fever germ theme… But, I could be very wrong. And the Starborn Valley Trail song sounds like a Kirby Theme laid over the Super Mario RPG "HEY I GOT THE STAR!" sound effects. I'll admit that scares me. I expect better than that, even from Nintendo.

The layout of the Mushroom Kingdom is very annoying at first. Toad Town is in the center of the world, and everything else lays in a very small looking map, quite close to Toad Town. However, the map doesn't show the painstakingly long routes, which you must take to each town. For example: Dry Dry Outpost. To get to it, you have to start at Toad Town, take the Train to Mt. Rugged, cross Mt. Rugged, then cross Dry Dry Desert. It takes a bloomin' century! Not to mention all the Koopa Knonies you run across on your way. The battle music is the most annoying, and when traveling, you notice that real fast. Mind you, these bad guys are all nice if you want to level up. However, the leveling up system is that so you can only level up from certain bad guys so much. After a while, your fights with them reap no benefits, and only result in you getting battered some.

Back to the layout issue, there is a solution. Do we remember our friends the Warp Pipes? As Mario completes tasks in specific areas, warp pipes appear. These blue (yes, blue pipes. Don't fret, there are green ones.) pipes take you from each city to the Sewers of Toad Town. You remember the faithful Underground theme from the original Super Mario Brothers? Yeah, it's there. These pipes create a world of convenience when you are sent on quests and need to get somewhere in a hurry. They become something of a second home.

Paper Mario boasts a original battle system. Like traditional RPG systems, the fights are turn based. However, the attacks require more than you choosing an option. Each attack is designed differently. For example, when Kooper joins you, his main attack has you push the control stick to the left until a timer runs out. If you let go of the control stick at the exact moment the timer runs out, Kooper does extra damage. And Watt has you hold down A until some lights light up. Spike has you move a small target around to better aim on your opponent. This involved battle system was something I was not expecting to come from a Mario game, but it was a welcome surprise.

The game is titled Paper Mario for a reason. In a world of 3D graphics-are-life, Paper Mario made a statement with its 2D graphics. Everything looks as though it is a child's storybook. Mario even rolls up to fit in the pipe, and floats like paper when he falls. The graphics are incredible for a 3D engine trying to be something its not.

Finally, for the hybridization:

Princess invites the Who's Who of the Mushroom Kingdom to a party at her Palace. The Mario Brothers attend, and little time passes before Bowser party-crashes and steals the Princess…. Again. Bowser has stolen the Star Rod from Star Haven and captured the Seven Star Spirits who guard the Star Rod. Without these things is heaven, wishes cannot come true. And if wishes cannot come true… then Mario can't save the Princess. Or can he?

Yeah, like I said: Super Mario RPG/Kirby's Dreamland hybrid. You might be surprised with the results tho. The game is very cutsy and suprisingly addicting. There are more side quests than you would expect as well. Paper Mario was a good surprise to me… well, I felt that way. My family, who wanted to watch some TV for some weird reason, thought differently.

 

 

&emdash;Scores&emdash;

Graphics: 9

Music: 7

Plot: 10

Characters: 7

Battle System: 10

Replay: 8

Originality: 10

Overall: 8.71

 

And one last thing: While the game is great, I can't help but love and feel sorry for lonely Bowser; and laugh my head off at the bloated-looking Princess Peach!!