Super Paper Mario
Encyclopedia
is a platform
style console role-playing game (RPG) developed by Intelligent Systems
and published by Nintendo
. Originally developed for the Nintendo GameCube
, it was released for the Wii
in 2007. The style of gameplay is a combination of the previous Paper Mario titles and Super Mario Bros.
titles. Unlike the RPG-style gameplay of previous Paper Mario games, the game combines platforming and RPG gameplay with puzzle elements. It is the third game in the Paper Mario series.
In 2011, the game has been re-issued as a Nintendo Selects title.
with role-playing elements. The player moves through a series of levels, where he explores various landscapes, fights enemies, and solves puzzles. The game is divided into 32 levels within eight chapters, each of which takes place in a unique location, or "dimension". The main objective is to collect the eight Pure Hearts, one in each chapter, which is used to gain access to the next. Each area is joined to a central hub, a town called Flipside.
The majority of gameplay is in 2D. Early in the game, Mario is given the ability to "flip" into 3D. By doing so, the perspective shifts and the 2D level rotates to reveal a hidden z-axis
, placing Mario in a 3D environment. Flipping therefore allows the player to maneuver around obstacles impassable in the 2D perspective, or find items, enemies or varying landscapes only visible along the z-axis. However, staying in the 3D perspective too long depletes Mario's health.
The game uses a scoring
system where points are accumulated through defeating enemies and using items. It also acts like the player's experience point
s system, however; points allow the player to level up and gain stronger attacks and higher resistance to damage from enemies or hazards. If the player's heart points
(HP) reaches 0 from too much damage, they receive a game over
and must resume play at the previous save point
. Some recovery items, like mushrooms, restore HP.
As well as Mario, the player gains control of Princess Peach
, Bowser, and Luigi
as the game progresses and can switch between them at almost any point in the game. Princess Peach can float over long distances, Bowser can breathe fire, and Luigi can perform a super jump. Only Mario can flip between dimensions.
sideways, akin to the Nintendo Entertainment System
control scheme, though very little of the controller's motion sensing
is implemented. During gameplay, the Pixl Tippi allows the player to use the Wii Remote pointer like a spotlight to highlight and read the descriptions of items and enemies, or spot any hidden objects. The 1 and 2 buttons on the Wii Remote allow the player to use the ability of a Pixl (a digital fairy-like character) and jump, respectively. Pixls grant the player abilities such as throwing or destroying obstacles, becoming tiny, or defending against enemies.
Wii Remote motion controls are used primarily for activating items through tilting the remote or shaking it. Also, shaking the remote after attacking an enemy causes the player to pull a "Stylish move" and earn extra points, and consecutive Stylish moves accumulate even more.
and Luigi
being alerted that Princess Peach
was recently kidnapped. Suspecting that King Bowser is the culprit, they travel to his castle to retrieve her. After Mario and Luigi discover that Bowser was not responsible, Count Bleck, the true kidnapper, appears. Count Bleck, who possesses an prophetic tome called the "Dark Prognosticus," kidnaps Luigi and Bowser, and brainwashes Bowser's entire army. Count Bleck arranges a wedding
between Peach and Bowser and, utilizing the hypnotic
powers of his ally Nastasia, forces the two to marry. As foretold in the Dark Prognosticus, their marriage summons the Chaos Heart, a destructive power. Count Bleck uses the Chaos Heart to open a black hole
known as "The Void" which will eventually grow large enough to engulf the entire universe.
Mario is found and greeted by Tippi, a butterfly-like Pixl
, who transports him to the inter-dimensional town of Flipside. There, Mario meets the wizard Merlon, who tells Mario that he matches the description of the Hero described in the "Light Prognosticus," another prophetical tome. According to the Light Prognosticus, the Hero will travel to various dimension
s to collect the eight Pure Hearts, which together can be used to banish the Chaos Heart and reverse the destruction. The tome also mentions that the Hero will ally with three other Heroes. Shortly after Mario and Tippi set off to collect the Pure Hearts and stop Count Bleck's plan, Mario is bestowed with the power to "flip" between dimensions as a means of easier travel. Count Bleck periodically sends out his minions, O'Chunks, a warrior; Mimi, a shapeshifter
; and Dimentio, a magician
, who oppose Mario as he progresses.
Meanwhile, Peach awakens in Castle Bleck and, during her escape, is cornered by Nastasia. Peach is suddenly spirited away from the castle by an unknown force before Nastasia could brainwash her. Mario and Peach reunite in Flipside, and Peach agrees to help Mario find the Pure Hearts. They also reunite with Bowser, who reluctantly joins their quest. Luigi, however, is not able to escape Castle Bleck and is brainwashed into a gentleman thief
alter ego
named Mr. L, who also antagonizes Mario and company as they progress.
The Void grows dangerously in size and becomes more prominent in the sky as the adventure moves forward. Before Mario, Peach, and Bowser can obtain the seventh Pure Heart, the world it resides in is consumed by The Void, leaving behind a bleak, colorless space. There, Mr. L attempts to steal the petrified Pure Heart but is defeated by Mario, regaining the Pure Heart. Dimentio appears to Mr. L and seemingly obliterates him from existence. Dimentio then ambushes the group, and obliterates them as well. Mario reawakens in a heaven and hell-inspired afterlife
, where he reunites with Luigi, who has had his memory restored. The Pure Heart is revitalized by one of the rulers of the afterlife; Mario and Luigi are soon able to reunite with Tippi, Peach, and Bowser. After eventually collecting the eighth Pure Heart, the group returns to Flipside.
A series of flashback
s dispersed throughout the game tell the story of a romantic relationship between two people, Blumiere and Timpani, that was ended by the hand of Blumiere's disdainful father, who banished Timpani to wander between dimensions and left her to die. The identity of these characters and their relationship to the story are initially unknown, but it is gradually revealed that Tippi is Timpani and "Count Bleck" is the pseudonym
of the devastated Blumiere, who—unknowing of Timpani's rescue and transformation into a Pixl by Merlon—was driven insane
by the loss of his love. After he took on the persona of Count Bleck, Blumiere sought to bring existence to ruin and turned to the Dark Prognosticus. Over the course of the game, Blumiere and Timpani begin to realize the other's true identities, and Blumiere begins to regret his actions; nevertheless, Blumiere continues with his plans, knowing that he has gone too far to stop.
Mario, Timpani, and company open a portal to the final dimension where Castle Bleck resides. They fight and defeat O'Chunks and Mimi, losing contact with Bowser and Peach in the process. Mario, Luigi, and Timpani confront Dimentio, who reveals his true intentions to betray Blumiere. Dimentio reveals he had anonymously helped the group along, first rescuing Peach and Bowser from Castle Bleck and then sending the group into the afterlife, knowing it was the only place the seventh Pure Heart could be revitalized. Dimentio offers alliance with Mario, who refuses. Luigi fights and defeats Dimentio, who commits suicide, bringing Luigi with him. Mario and Timpani continue their journey through Castle Bleck.
Mario and Timpani confront Blumiere but are unable to attack due to the power of the Chaos Heart. Peach, Bowser, and Luigi reappear and use the Pure Hearts to destroy Blumiere's defenses. They then proceed to defeat Blumiere, but fail to halt The Void's destruction. Dimentio appears and takes the Chaos Heart from Blumiere's possession. Dimentio reveals that he has studied the Dark Prognosticus extensively and that he wishes to use the Chaos Heart and the Void in conjunction to create an entirely new universe in his image. Dimentio takes control of Luigi once more, saying that the Dark Prognosticus revealed him as the ideal host for the Chaos Heart. Dimentio fuses the Chaos Heart, Luigi, and himself into one entity called Super Dimentio, who has complete control over The Void; Super Dimentio uses this power to shatter the Pure Hearts, and begins making his new universe. However, Blumiere and Timpani's renewed love for one another, as well as the feelings of loyalty felt towards Blumiere by his remaining minions, restore the Pure Hearts. Mario uses their power to battle Super Dimentio, who upon defeat splits back into Luigi, the Chaos Heart, and Dimentio, who perishes. However, Dimentio's lasting influence on the Chaos Heart causes The Void to expand uncontrollably.
Blumiere and Timpani enter the wedding chapel used to wed Bowser and Peach, where they exchange their vows
. The Pure Hearts then unify and banish the Chaos Heart, sealing The Void and restoring order in the universe, effectively nullifying the prediction in the Dark Prognosticus. Mario, Peach, Bowser, Luigi, and Blumiere's minions awaken in Flipside. However, Timpani and Blumiere have disappeared and it is assumed that they did not survive. Merlon states that they are likely in a better place, and everyone leaves to celebrate their victory with a meal. Blumiere and a human Timpani are then shown together in a place resembling a paradise
.
Chief director Ryota Kawade was on a train thinking about ways to adapt a mini-game from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
in which the player controls a large Bowser in a short side-scrolling stage; he noticed that the other end of the train looked like a stage in a Mario game and envisioned switching between two and three dimensions. When producer Kensuke Tanabe was told about the idea, he decided to make the sequel an action-adventure game
, but retained some role-playing elements to establish the game in the Paper Mario franchise. Kawade and Tanabe also felt that these elements, as well as the ability to switch between two and three dimensions, would make the game more accessible to players unaccustomed to action games. The team played side-scrolling Mario titles for inspiration, envisioning how the levels would look in 3D.
Super Paper Mario was announced by Nintendo on May 11, 2006 at E3 for the Nintendo GameCube. On May 30, 2006, Nintendo set a release date of October 9, 2006. That summer, the game was "silently moved" to the Wii.
PAL copies of the game contain a bug if the language is set to English, German, or Spanish. In Chapter 2-2, the game will freeze if Mario speaks to the character Mimi without first picking up the key. Nintendo of Europe is replacing the game disc for no charge with a version that does not contain the bug. Nintendo of Europe announced details of the replacement on their website in November 2007.
Super Paper Marios plot has been praised by most critics. GameSpot
said that its plot's history has a "great sense of humor", while GameSpy
called it "funny". However, X-Play
criticized the plot as a "con" of the game, stating that it is "cutesy". The graphics were also well received. GameSpy praised its "clean visuals" and IGN
, giving the graphics a score of 7.5 out of 10, said "A beautiful 2D platformer and an uninspired 3D one. The worlds Mario explores look fantastic when they're flat, but the moment they gain depth they become barren landscapes". X-Play said that "everyone should rejoice that the long suffering 2D platform genre has gotten a much needed makeover courtesy of the mustachioed man that helped create it in the first place." On 2010, IGN named the game the 9th best game on the Wii, on their "The Top 25 Wii Games".
There were also some complaints about the game. Game Informer
criticized the after-end of the game and the side-quests (such as recipes), as said "There also isn’t much impetus to collect enemy cards, bake things, or do anything extra since the game never gets hard enough to warrant it. And after beating the game (it takes a little over 20 hours), there isn't any significant additional content to keep players coming back." GameSpot criticized the audio, saying "The weakest element is the game's audio, which is a little too retro. Although the soundtrack is solid, there are no standout tracks. The sound effects are effective, albeit a bit too familiar. Voice is used too sparingly, though what's there fits the archetype set by the previous games." Though IGN praised the plot, they said "The writing is well-crafted and humorous, but there is so much to read that it actually interrupts the flow of the game."
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
style console role-playing game (RPG) developed by Intelligent Systems
Intelligent Systems
is a Japanese first-party video game developer and internal team of Nintendo Co., Ltd. It has its headquarters in the Nintendo Kyoto Research Center in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture....
and published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
. Originally developed for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, it was released for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
in 2007. The style of gameplay is a combination of the previous Paper Mario titles and Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros.
is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
titles. Unlike the RPG-style gameplay of previous Paper Mario games, the game combines platforming and RPG gameplay with puzzle elements. It is the third game in the Paper Mario series.
In 2011, the game has been re-issued as a Nintendo Selects title.
Premise and setting
Super Paper Mario is a platformerPlatform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
with role-playing elements. The player moves through a series of levels, where he explores various landscapes, fights enemies, and solves puzzles. The game is divided into 32 levels within eight chapters, each of which takes place in a unique location, or "dimension". The main objective is to collect the eight Pure Hearts, one in each chapter, which is used to gain access to the next. Each area is joined to a central hub, a town called Flipside.
Cartesian coordinate system
A Cartesian coordinate system specifies each point uniquely in a plane by a pair of numerical coordinates, which are the signed distances from the point to two fixed perpendicular directed lines, measured in the same unit of length...
, placing Mario in a 3D environment. Flipping therefore allows the player to maneuver around obstacles impassable in the 2D perspective, or find items, enemies or varying landscapes only visible along the z-axis. However, staying in the 3D perspective too long depletes Mario's health.
The game uses a scoring
Score (game)
In games, score refers to an abstract quantity associated with a player or team. Score is usually measured in the abstract unit of points, and events in the game can raise or lower the score of different parties...
system where points are accumulated through defeating enemies and using items. It also acts like the player's experience point
Experience point
An experience point is a unit of measurement used in many role-playing games and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's progression through the game...
s system, however; points allow the player to level up and gain stronger attacks and higher resistance to damage from enemies or hazards. If the player's heart points
Health (gaming)
Health is a game mechanic used in role-playing, computer and video games to give value to characters, enemies, NPCs, and related objects. This value can either be numerical, semi-numerical as in hit/health points, or arbitrary as in a life bar....
(HP) reaches 0 from too much damage, they receive a game over
Game over
Game Over is a message in video games which signals that the game has ended, often due to a negative outcome - although the phrase sometimes follows the end credits after successful completion of a game...
and must resume play at the previous save point
Saved game
A saved game is a piece of digitally stored information about the progress of a player in a video game. This saved game can be reloaded later, so the player can continue where he or she had stopped...
. Some recovery items, like mushrooms, restore HP.
As well as Mario, the player gains control of Princess Peach
Princess Peach
is a character in Nintendo's Mario series of video games. She is the Princess of the fictitious Mushroom Kingdom, and often plays the damsel in distress role within the adventure series. In 2007, Princess Peach landed on Forbes magazine's Wealthiest Fictional People list, with a fortune upwards of...
, Bowser, and Luigi
Luigi
is a fictional character, featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by prominent game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the slightly younger fraternal twin brother of Nintendo's mascot Mario, and appears in many games throughout the Mario series,...
as the game progresses and can switch between them at almost any point in the game. Princess Peach can float over long distances, Bowser can breathe fire, and Luigi can perform a super jump. Only Mario can flip between dimensions.
Controls
The game is controlled by holding the Wii RemoteWii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
sideways, akin to the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
control scheme, though very little of the controller's motion sensing
Motion detection
Motion detection is a process of confirming a change in position of an object relative to its surroundings or the change in the surroundings relative to an object. This detection can be achieved by both mechanical and electronic methods...
is implemented. During gameplay, the Pixl Tippi allows the player to use the Wii Remote pointer like a spotlight to highlight and read the descriptions of items and enemies, or spot any hidden objects. The 1 and 2 buttons on the Wii Remote allow the player to use the ability of a Pixl (a digital fairy-like character) and jump, respectively. Pixls grant the player abilities such as throwing or destroying obstacles, becoming tiny, or defending against enemies.
Wii Remote motion controls are used primarily for activating items through tilting the remote or shaking it. Also, shaking the remote after attacking an enemy causes the player to pull a "Stylish move" and earn extra points, and consecutive Stylish moves accumulate even more.
Plot
Super Paper Mario opens with MarioMario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
and Luigi
Luigi
is a fictional character, featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by prominent game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the slightly younger fraternal twin brother of Nintendo's mascot Mario, and appears in many games throughout the Mario series,...
being alerted that Princess Peach
Princess Peach
is a character in Nintendo's Mario series of video games. She is the Princess of the fictitious Mushroom Kingdom, and often plays the damsel in distress role within the adventure series. In 2007, Princess Peach landed on Forbes magazine's Wealthiest Fictional People list, with a fortune upwards of...
was recently kidnapped. Suspecting that King Bowser is the culprit, they travel to his castle to retrieve her. After Mario and Luigi discover that Bowser was not responsible, Count Bleck, the true kidnapper, appears. Count Bleck, who possesses an prophetic tome called the "Dark Prognosticus," kidnaps Luigi and Bowser, and brainwashes Bowser's entire army. Count Bleck arranges a wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
between Peach and Bowser and, utilizing the hypnotic
Hypnosis
Hypnosis is "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."It is a mental state or imaginative role-enactment . It is usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a long series of preliminary...
powers of his ally Nastasia, forces the two to marry. As foretold in the Dark Prognosticus, their marriage summons the Chaos Heart, a destructive power. Count Bleck uses the Chaos Heart to open a black hole
Black hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
known as "The Void" which will eventually grow large enough to engulf the entire universe.
Mario is found and greeted by Tippi, a butterfly-like Pixl
Sprite (creature)
The term sprite is a broad term referring to a number of preternatural legendary creatures. The term is generally used in reference to elf-like creatures, including fairies, and similar beings , but can also signify various spiritual beings, including ghosts. In Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books,...
, who transports him to the inter-dimensional town of Flipside. There, Mario meets the wizard Merlon, who tells Mario that he matches the description of the Hero described in the "Light Prognosticus," another prophetical tome. According to the Light Prognosticus, the Hero will travel to various dimension
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
s to collect the eight Pure Hearts, which together can be used to banish the Chaos Heart and reverse the destruction. The tome also mentions that the Hero will ally with three other Heroes. Shortly after Mario and Tippi set off to collect the Pure Hearts and stop Count Bleck's plan, Mario is bestowed with the power to "flip" between dimensions as a means of easier travel. Count Bleck periodically sends out his minions, O'Chunks, a warrior; Mimi, a shapeshifter
ShapeShifter
ShapeShifter is an Application Enhancer plugin for Mac OS X developed by Unsanity that allows the user to make system-wide modifications to the appearance of the operating system's graphical interface by applying GUI skins through “injection” into running code and without modifying system files,...
; and Dimentio, a magician
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
, who oppose Mario as he progresses.
Meanwhile, Peach awakens in Castle Bleck and, during her escape, is cornered by Nastasia. Peach is suddenly spirited away from the castle by an unknown force before Nastasia could brainwash her. Mario and Peach reunite in Flipside, and Peach agrees to help Mario find the Pure Hearts. They also reunite with Bowser, who reluctantly joins their quest. Luigi, however, is not able to escape Castle Bleck and is brainwashed into a gentleman thief
Gentleman thief
In the Victorian vernacular, a gentleman thief is a particularly well-behaving and apparently well bred thief. A "gentleman" is usually, but not always, a man with an inherited title of nobility and inherited wealth, who need not work for a living. Such a man steals not in order to gain material...
alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
named Mr. L, who also antagonizes Mario and company as they progress.
The Void grows dangerously in size and becomes more prominent in the sky as the adventure moves forward. Before Mario, Peach, and Bowser can obtain the seventh Pure Heart, the world it resides in is consumed by The Void, leaving behind a bleak, colorless space. There, Mr. L attempts to steal the petrified Pure Heart but is defeated by Mario, regaining the Pure Heart. Dimentio appears to Mr. L and seemingly obliterates him from existence. Dimentio then ambushes the group, and obliterates them as well. Mario reawakens in a heaven and hell-inspired afterlife
Afterlife
The afterlife is the belief that a part of, or essence of, or soul of an individual, which carries with it and confers personal identity, survives the death of the body of this world and this lifetime, by natural or supernatural means, in contrast to the belief in eternal...
, where he reunites with Luigi, who has had his memory restored. The Pure Heart is revitalized by one of the rulers of the afterlife; Mario and Luigi are soon able to reunite with Tippi, Peach, and Bowser. After eventually collecting the eighth Pure Heart, the group returns to Flipside.
A series of flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
s dispersed throughout the game tell the story of a romantic relationship between two people, Blumiere and Timpani, that was ended by the hand of Blumiere's disdainful father, who banished Timpani to wander between dimensions and left her to die. The identity of these characters and their relationship to the story are initially unknown, but it is gradually revealed that Tippi is Timpani and "Count Bleck" is the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of the devastated Blumiere, who—unknowing of Timpani's rescue and transformation into a Pixl by Merlon—was driven insane
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
by the loss of his love. After he took on the persona of Count Bleck, Blumiere sought to bring existence to ruin and turned to the Dark Prognosticus. Over the course of the game, Blumiere and Timpani begin to realize the other's true identities, and Blumiere begins to regret his actions; nevertheless, Blumiere continues with his plans, knowing that he has gone too far to stop.
Mario, Timpani, and company open a portal to the final dimension where Castle Bleck resides. They fight and defeat O'Chunks and Mimi, losing contact with Bowser and Peach in the process. Mario, Luigi, and Timpani confront Dimentio, who reveals his true intentions to betray Blumiere. Dimentio reveals he had anonymously helped the group along, first rescuing Peach and Bowser from Castle Bleck and then sending the group into the afterlife, knowing it was the only place the seventh Pure Heart could be revitalized. Dimentio offers alliance with Mario, who refuses. Luigi fights and defeats Dimentio, who commits suicide, bringing Luigi with him. Mario and Timpani continue their journey through Castle Bleck.
Mario and Timpani confront Blumiere but are unable to attack due to the power of the Chaos Heart. Peach, Bowser, and Luigi reappear and use the Pure Hearts to destroy Blumiere's defenses. They then proceed to defeat Blumiere, but fail to halt The Void's destruction. Dimentio appears and takes the Chaos Heart from Blumiere's possession. Dimentio reveals that he has studied the Dark Prognosticus extensively and that he wishes to use the Chaos Heart and the Void in conjunction to create an entirely new universe in his image. Dimentio takes control of Luigi once more, saying that the Dark Prognosticus revealed him as the ideal host for the Chaos Heart. Dimentio fuses the Chaos Heart, Luigi, and himself into one entity called Super Dimentio, who has complete control over The Void; Super Dimentio uses this power to shatter the Pure Hearts, and begins making his new universe. However, Blumiere and Timpani's renewed love for one another, as well as the feelings of loyalty felt towards Blumiere by his remaining minions, restore the Pure Hearts. Mario uses their power to battle Super Dimentio, who upon defeat splits back into Luigi, the Chaos Heart, and Dimentio, who perishes. However, Dimentio's lasting influence on the Chaos Heart causes The Void to expand uncontrollably.
Blumiere and Timpani enter the wedding chapel used to wed Bowser and Peach, where they exchange their vows
Marriage vows
Marriage vows are promises each partner in a couple makes to the other during a wedding ceremony. Marriage customs have developed over history and keep changing as human society develops.-Background:...
. The Pure Hearts then unify and banish the Chaos Heart, sealing The Void and restoring order in the universe, effectively nullifying the prediction in the Dark Prognosticus. Mario, Peach, Bowser, Luigi, and Blumiere's minions awaken in Flipside. However, Timpani and Blumiere have disappeared and it is assumed that they did not survive. Merlon states that they are likely in a better place, and everyone leaves to celebrate their victory with a meal. Blumiere and a human Timpani are then shown together in a place resembling a paradise
Paradise
Paradise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and...
.
Development
Super Paper Mario was created out of a desire to combine the familiar look of the Paper Mario series with a new style of gameplay.Chief director Ryota Kawade was on a train thinking about ways to adapt a mini-game from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, or Paper Mario 2, released in Japan as , is a console role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube...
in which the player controls a large Bowser in a short side-scrolling stage; he noticed that the other end of the train looked like a stage in a Mario game and envisioned switching between two and three dimensions. When producer Kensuke Tanabe was told about the idea, he decided to make the sequel an action-adventure game
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
, but retained some role-playing elements to establish the game in the Paper Mario franchise. Kawade and Tanabe also felt that these elements, as well as the ability to switch between two and three dimensions, would make the game more accessible to players unaccustomed to action games. The team played side-scrolling Mario titles for inspiration, envisioning how the levels would look in 3D.
Super Paper Mario was announced by Nintendo on May 11, 2006 at E3 for the Nintendo GameCube. On May 30, 2006, Nintendo set a release date of October 9, 2006. That summer, the game was "silently moved" to the Wii.
PAL copies of the game contain a bug if the language is set to English, German, or Spanish. In Chapter 2-2, the game will freeze if Mario speaks to the character Mimi without first picking up the key. Nintendo of Europe is replacing the game disc for no charge with a version that does not contain the bug. Nintendo of Europe announced details of the replacement on their website in November 2007.
Reception
Reviews for Super Paper Mario were generally positive. One comment by IGN was that Mario's flip ability was somewhat overused. NGamer magazine also stated that the 3D flipped worlds were rather barren compared to the 2D worlds. As of March 31, 2008, the game has sold 2.28 million copies worldwide, with 500,000 copies sold in Japan.Super Paper Marios plot has been praised by most critics. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
said that its plot's history has a "great sense of humor", while GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
called it "funny". However, X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
criticized the plot as a "con" of the game, stating that it is "cutesy". The graphics were also well received. GameSpy praised its "clean visuals" and IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, giving the graphics a score of 7.5 out of 10, said "A beautiful 2D platformer and an uninspired 3D one. The worlds Mario explores look fantastic when they're flat, but the moment they gain depth they become barren landscapes". X-Play said that "everyone should rejoice that the long suffering 2D platform genre has gotten a much needed makeover courtesy of the mustachioed man that helped create it in the first place." On 2010, IGN named the game the 9th best game on the Wii, on their "The Top 25 Wii Games".
There were also some complaints about the game. Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
criticized the after-end of the game and the side-quests (such as recipes), as said "There also isn’t much impetus to collect enemy cards, bake things, or do anything extra since the game never gets hard enough to warrant it. And after beating the game (it takes a little over 20 hours), there isn't any significant additional content to keep players coming back." GameSpot criticized the audio, saying "The weakest element is the game's audio, which is a little too retro. Although the soundtrack is solid, there are no standout tracks. The sound effects are effective, albeit a bit too familiar. Voice is used too sparingly, though what's there fits the archetype set by the previous games." Though IGN praised the plot, they said "The writing is well-crafted and humorous, but there is so much to read that it actually interrupts the flow of the game."