Super Paper Mario

For more uses, see Paper Mario (disambiguation).

Super Paper Mario is a yet-to-be-released RPG-type platformer for the Wii, in the vein of the classic Mario titles, but with the aesthetic qualities of the Paper Mario series. However, it's not just a 2D side-scroller. The game fuses elements of 2D and 3D gameplay together, shifting back and forth between dimensions. As Nintendo Power magazine describes it. It is the first 5D sidescrolling videogame.

Though the character you start out with is Mario, as time moves on Princess Peach, Bowser, and an unknown returning character (presumably Luigi) will be playable and switched at anytime with a press of the B button. The characters in the game are able to transform into humongous 8-bit sprite versions of themselves, and plow through enemies and bricks with reckless abandon. Interesting to note is that the giant characters are actually versions of the original Super Mario Bros. sprites, blown up to epic proportions.

The game was originally planned for the Nintendo Gamecube, but Nintendo changed it to the Wii. Additionally, the game was originally going to be released in 2006, but the year has been changed to 2007.

All of the graphics in the game also seem to have pixelated effects, including small squares to make up colors of objects and backgrounds; however, they are visible and share a style with Super Mario Picross.

Super Paper Mario has recently been confirmed to be released in North America on April 9, 2007.

Story
As so many stories start, Princess Peach has been kidnapped and, upon hearing this news, Papery Mario and Luigi set off to save her from Bowser, whom they suspect to be the kidnapper.

However, it is not true. Bowser is also a prisoner of the nefarious Count Bleck, a mastermind who reffers to himself and others in third person, who has used his control of black holes to take everyone in Bowser's Castle into his own keep. He has possession a book named Dark Prognosticus which tells of a marriage of a powerful king, Bowser and a pure-hearted princess, Peach that will open a dimensional rift that will swallow the whole universe. Mario has recently found the opposite of Bleck's book called the Light Prognosticus which tells of a hero to stop Bleck, which exactly describes Mario. But before he can do anything, he must find the eight Pure Hearts (much like the Crystal Stars and Star Spirits) not two found in the same dimension.

Items

 * Mushroom - Replenishes HP.
 * Starman - Unlike in regular Super Mario Bros. games the Starman will turn Mario, Peach, Bowser, and the secret character into a giant Super Mario Bros. sprite like the Mega Mushroom. Like the Mega Mushrrom in the beta versions of New Super Mario Bros., enemies can also catch ahold of these to turn large.
 * Red Flower - This will boost the character's speed.
 * Blue Flower - This will make the character sluggish.
 * Shroom Steak - Replenishes HP.
 * Sleepy Sheep - Makes enemies fall asleep.