Super Paper Mario (スーパーペーパーマリオ, Sūpā Pēpā Mario?) is a Platform/role-playing video game currently in development by Intelligent Systems, a division of Nintendo. Originally developed for the Nintendo GameCube, it is now scheduled to be released for the Wii on April 9, 2007 in North America and April 19, 2007 in Japan.
It is similar to the previous two Paper Mario titles and Super Mario Bros. The game will combine side-scrolling 2D gameplay with free roaming 3D graphics and to a somewhat lesser extent, RPG elements (unlike the RPG-style gameplay of previous Paper Mario games).
Count Bleck overlooks the wedding of Princess Peach and Bowser
Princess Peach is forced to marry Bowser by Count Bleck; a book called the Dark Prognosticus predicts that the marriage will open a dimensional rift that will engulf the universe. Then, Mario is transported to the town of Flipside, where the Light Prognosticus states that a hero matching Mario's description can close the rift. To accomplish this, Mario must find the eight items called Pure Hearts.
According to a fact sheet, Luigi was accompanying Mario to find Bowser when Princess Peach disappeared, and Count Bleck is said to have taken Luigi away as well.
Gameplay
Unlike previous Paper Mario games, there is no turn-based fighting in Super Paper Mario; the game is predominately a side-scrolling platformer. Some RPG elements have been added; for example, the traditional scoring system doubles as an experience point system. After jumping on an enemy, the player can shake the controller for extra points. Characters are controlled by holding the Wii Remote sideways like a NES controller.
Mario can view levels from a third dimension, giving access to places otherwise unreachable.
Characters and abilities
Mario, Peach, Bowser, and at least one other character are playable. Luigi is seen in a screenshot, the current title screen, and the current box art.
Each playable character has different traits and a character-specific ability.Mario's ability allows the player to view the two-dimensional world from the side, along a third dimension. This allows Mario to bypass obstacles that appear impassible when viewed in two dimensions. Staying in this mode causes Mario to gradually lose power from his ability meter, and then eventually health. Princess Peach uses a parasol to float long distances, and can also duck under her parasol for protection. Bowser can breathe fire, dealing more damage than a normal attack.
Pixls
Pixls give the player new abilities, reminiscent of helpers in other Paper Mario games.
Tippy allows the player to point the Wii Remote at the screen like a spotlight. This spotlight can give more information about enemies, allies, items, and surroundings, and reveal hidden objects.
Thoreau gives the power to pick up and throw enemies and can be interchanged with other Pixls.
Boomer can be placed like a bomb that leaves behind pixelated fire and dust.
Slim allows the character to turn sideways and become paper thin, making it possible to slip between bars or other narrow places.
One of the Pixls will act as a floating platform that can carry the player across certain hazards.
Power-ups
The E3 trailer showcased new abilities and power-ups, including a space helmet: Mario is seen floating in mid-air, shooting enemies with a ray gun, and running sideways down a wall. Newer videos and information reveal more items available in the game. On the subject of Badges, it is unknown what kinds are available in this game, given their prominence in previous Paper Mario games. The following is a list of items slated to appear in the game, some of which have appeared in preceding Paper Mario games:
Super Paper Mario alludes to preceding Mario games by giving each character a giant, 8-bit, sprite-like form
Health Items
These items are used on the player's character in order to restore his or her status.
Mushroom: Restores 10 heart points (HP).
Life Shroom: If the player's HP drops to 0, the Life Shroom will restore it by 5 points.
Shroom Shake: Restores 10 HP and cures poison.
Horsetail: Restores 7 HP and cures poison.
Dried Shroom: Restores 1 HP and cures poison.
Turtlely Leaf: Reduces all damage to the player by half.
Combat Items
These items are used against enemies.
Fire Burst: When used, every enemy visible on the screen bursts into flames. The effectiveness of the Fire Burst depends on how vigorous the player shakes the Wii Remote up and down while performing the attack.
Shell Shock: Rams into enemies when kicked.
Pal Pills: These cause a group of miniature 8-bit Marios to follow the player around and act as a personal army. Coincidentally, a similar concept appeared in the Super Mario World cartoon in the episode Rock TV, where Yoshi and the Princess distract King Koopa and his cohorts by hitting a block which expelled a dozen tiny, mini-Marios.
POW Block
Thunder Rage: Similar to the fire burst item, this sends strikes of lightning to greatly damage all enemies shown on the screen.
Special Items
These items power-up the player's character.
Starman: Causes the character to grow to immense size (similar to the Mega Mushroom in New Super Mario Bros.), allowing him or her to crash through the level, effectively invincible. It also causes the character to appear in the form of a NES-style sprite.
Red Flower (a variation of Fire Flower): Deviating from its traditional role of allowing Mario to throw fireballs, the Red Flower speeds up time.
Slow Flower: The opposite of a Red Flower; it causes time to slow down.
Happy Flower: This item takes the shape of the Flower Points(FP) in the previous Paper Mario's, and when touched, will send coins raining down on the screen for a limited time.
Unknown
These items, although seen in game footage and screenshots, do not have any official details available that cover what they do in the game.
Honey Jar
Long-Last Shake
Sleepy Sheep
Mighty Tonic
Enemies
Since the demonstration of the game at E3, various enemies have progressively been revealed to be in the game.
E3 2006
The trailer has shown that staple Mario series enemies, such as Goombas, Koopa Troopas, and Hammer Bros. will appear.
Other characters revealed in screenshots also appear to be boss entities, such as a blocky white enemy, a chomping monster, and a giant Blooper.
2006 World Hobby Fair
A boss character based on what appears to be a mix of a Chinese dragon and Hooktail is shown in an area of desert terrain.
GDC 2007 and Nintendo Power 4/07
Squiglet - A pink square-shaped enemy. A blue variation exists that is able to shoot projectiles.
A spherical Thwomp-like enemy (first seen in Paper Mario) rolls down a slope, which can be avoided when Mario switches to 3D mode.
A small dragon-like enemy with a glowing tail has been shown. Its tail seems to be a square that, when approached, will have a head and tail pop out. The Pixl Boomer seems to be needed to defeat this enemy.
Bowser is a boss before joining Mario's party
__________________