Genre: Action platformer
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo

Super Paper Mario uses single polygon characters, which can then be twisted and warped to create the illusion that the character is flat, like a piece of paper. To my knowledge, Parappa the Rappa invented this style, and it still looks sharp today. However, it's arguable that Intelligent Systems probably would have been better of either creating seriously rich, soft, hand-drawn graphics, or bright, geometric construction paper-like effects. Caught between the two, Super Paper Mario looks merely typical.

Given the game's goofy sense of humor in which the writing is cognizant of the fact that it is in a game, talking about gaming, to gamers, I would expect a selection of timely, catchy, upbeat tunes that feature so prominently in titles like Ape Escape. Instead, the selection consists of rather flat, dull, light remixes of old Mario themes. There is no voice acting, and the sound effects take a back seat to the offbeat writing and unusual gameplay.

Super Paper Mario plays like a 2d Mario platformer-- you can bump blocks, traverse green pipes, and stomp on baddies. With a hit of the A button, the world is flipped to 3d, whereupon Mario can navigate around obstacles that were unpassable in 2d. There are also three other playable characters, and a selection of special abilities called "Pixls", which factor heavily in the puzzle-laden stages. Characters and "Pixls" alike can be switched between at will during gameplay, and your characters gain experience and level up as they eliminate enemies.

Right when you've settled into a few moments of classic Mario platforming glee, you are rudely interrupted by several minutes of dialogue, a cut-scene, or an obtrusive puzzle to solve. The designers of this title were caught in two minds-- it's evident with the visuals, and it's really apparent with the gameplay-- and they should have made up their minds; make a Castlevania of the Mario universe, or make a Zelda-esque adventure title. What they wound up with is an entertaining, witty combination that works for the most part, but feels a bit taped together.