Reviews

Paper Mario

by Corey

For years people have been begging for a sequel to the last Square game on a Nintendo system, Super Mario RPG. It is finally here, but not what most people expected. Paper characters?!? I think most people will be pleasantly surprised with the outcome of this title...

Graphics: 9

The title says it all. The characters to be made out of paper in an otherwise 3D world. It makes the game look "kiddy" but it really is a perfect fit for the theme of the game. Otherwise everything is colored nicely, there obviously aren't any framerate problems, and though they are paper, the characters of have some fluid animations (like when Mario uses his hammer).

Gameplay: 9

You probably know how an RPG plays, so I'll explain differences from normal RPGs here.

First, you don't buy equipment like armor or weapons. To attack, you have the boots and a hammer. You can upgrade each of those as you go through the game. You can also upgrade your stats a different way, but I'll get to that in a little bit.

Second, the way damage is calculated is a little different. Each character has an attack and defense value. Say you are fighting a Goomba. Mario's offense starts at 1 and a Goomba's defense value is 0. You subtract defense from offense (1 - 0 = 1) to get how much you'll hurt the enemy. So in this case you'll do 1 point of damage. This means that Hit Points are relatively low. Instead of the normal maximum of 9,999 HPs you see in Final Fantasy, Mario can only have up to 50. This is ok, because it plays into the strategy?

"So, Corey, what happens when you get an enemy that has a higher defensive value?" Good question. So now you face an enemy that has a defensive value of 2. Well, this is why there are badges in the game. Badges give you the ability to upgrade your stats, let you do certain attacks, avoid certain attacks, and more. You'll be able to find these badges through out the game or buy them in shops. Each badge costs you a certain number of Badge Points, which limits the number that you can have equipped at one time. You can increase the number of BP you have by leveling up.

Speaking of leveling up, this is a bit different too. You get star points after every fight. When you get 100 star points, you'll level up. You'll be able to choose whether you want to increase Hit Points, Flower Points (used to do certain attacks), and Badge Points. Increase them however you want, but your stats will eventually level out since there is a maximum of 50 HP, 50 FP, and 30 FP. You'll reach this at level 27 if you get that far.

One other difference that should be explained is the role of other party members. As you go through the game, you'll meet characters that'll help you in battle. You can only have one out at a time. If they get hit with an attack they don't die, but they will be unable to attack for a few turns.

Oh yeah, there aren't any random battles like most RPGs. You'll be able to see all the enemies on the screen. This will enable you to dodge fights if you really want to.

All in all, this all works really well. My only complaint is that the game is fairly easy, so if you're looking for a challenge, this game isn't it.

Sound: 8

It sounds like a Mario game. If you like the sounds and music from other Mario games, you'll probably like it here too. If not, bring out a radio or something. There isn't any speech in the game, so it's not essential that you listen.

Lasting Value: 9

It took me around 40 hours to find everything. I took my time, so it may take others less time if they rush through. In addition to beating the game, you'll have the challenge of finding all 160 star pieces, all 80 badges, making all 50 of Tayce T's recipes (you'll find out about her if you play the game), and performing 101 power jumps. This all adds up to pretty good replay value.

Bottom Line

This is a solid sequel to Super Mario RPG. Some of you will be turned off by the fact that the game has a kiddy look and that it is easy, but really this is a good game most people will like. If you hate RPGs, you probably won't like this so stay far away.

Final Score: 9 out of 10