Ludwig: Welcome everyone, to Review Mania, the newest series on the SMC (Super Mario Channel). We will review a game, giving you essential (or not) info, helping you to get some ideas about a game, and maybe even inspiring or discouraging you from buying it! So, I’ll give it over to Toad for the intro!

Toad: Today, we are reviewing the much hyped Paper Mario 2. With another addition to the Mario RPGs, this game had a lot to live up to. Will this continue the tradition in grace, or be a major disappointment? Read on!

Gameplay: 9.5

Really good. Since the GameCube has many more buttons than the N64, there were, of course, many more actions to do, which is a good thing, as it makes the game much more diverse and filled with more possibilities, making for a great RPG. For instance, Mario now gains different paper abilities, such as folding into a paper airplane or turning sideways to slip through grates and such, as you progress through the game. This makes for many good puzzles, plenty of secret areas, and an overall nice touch. I like it. Not enough to give it a perfect 10, but pretty good.

Controls: 8

The controls were good overall. Like I mentioned above, there are many more buttons, and thus, many more actions. I like the new battles with the audience and such. My only complaint about this is that sometimes audience members will throw things to you. Fans might throw useful items, like Mushrooms, but sceptics might throw rocks or hammers at you, hitting you for a point or two of damage. If you press X at the right time, Mario will go down and whack the person. A lot of times I would be really into a battle and wouldn’t see the warning sign, and so would get hit for some damage. Other times, I would see it and, on instinct, press the button, when the audience had something I could really use. My other peeve was that every once and a while, I would press the wrong button or something, thus really messing up my game. Other than the two mentioned things, I like the controls. They take a little bit to get used to, but you get plenty of time to do that before the serious stuff begins.

Music: 10

If I could give a better rating than perfect, I would. Nintendo hit the jackpot here. There were lots of old retro themes, some remixed, and some not. The battle theme is even a remix of the SMB theme. You also get treated to a Bowser-like remix of some classic SMB tunes when you do a Bowser scene at the end of a chapter. Plus there were plenty of new tunes that were stuck in my head for days, like Doopliss’ battle theme, the Shadow Sirens' battle theme, Peach’s theme, and the panic theme. Absolutely wonderful.

Replayability: 9

Unlike RPGs of the past, Paper Mario 2 doesn’t stop when you beat the final boss. There are many other things to do after you beat the game, like beat the Pit of 100 Trials, complete all the trouble quests, or get 300 shop points. And of course, when you are done, you can start a new game and play again! Of course, it’s never quite as fun after the game is over, so I can’t give this 10.

Fun Factor!: 10

You may call me biased, as I love RPGs. However, I just couldn’t resist giving this a 10. I mean, this game has lots of side quests, plot that isn’t completely revealed until the end, diverse and unique items, and good length. If I could think of anything else, then I would put it here. Good, good, good.

Other: 9

One really interesting thing is that Luigi is on an adventure at the same time as you! After you complete a chapter, he’ll be somewhere in Rogueport with a new party member and tell you his story. It’s pretty interesting. Also, there are numerous cameos from the original Paper Mario, from unforgettable people (Kolorado) to optional bosses (Buzzar)! Also, some pretty good humor. I had a fun time with this stuff.

Overall: 9.25

This game lived up to expectations. Not only was it fun to play, but it had amazing music (one of the most important criteria in my mind). If you have the money to spend, buy this game immediately. It is more than worth it.

Toad: And so, we conclude our debut of Review Mania! This game gets a green light for being above 8 in overall rankings. So, goodbye, and happy gaming!

Double D: Hey, give me back my Paper Mario 2!

Ludwig: Uh, End Transmission!

Want to review a game yourself? Email me!
Go back to Lemmy's Reviews.
Go back to my main page.