Super Paper Mario coming to Wii this April
by Blake Snow 
{ Jan 22nd 2007 at 9:25PM }
Ever since Wii was announced, last bastion GameCube games have been dropping like flies to the newer console. Super Paper Mario is the latest game to suffer the same fate as the recent issue of Nintendo Power confirms via Codename Revolution. The game, expected this April, will use the Wiimote side-style with the directional pad for platforming, the "2" button for jumping and "A" button to switch from 2D to 3D visuals. Graphics were said to have received an upgrade since the game's unveiling at E3 last year, and the title is expected to make "interesting use" of the Wiimote.
If you didn't see the transition from GC to Wii coming (as IGN alluded to back in September), you've been drinking way too much Nintendo Kool-Aid. Sure, it's tasty. But sometimes it has a bitter aftertaste.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
RDX @ Jan 22nd 2007 9:45PM
This is awesome. I love both Paper Mario games. I know this is a far cry from the other two but honestly, as long as it keeps the series trademark charm intact, this game will be a winner.
Jay @ Jan 22nd 2007 9:45PM
I will buy that.
Namssorg @ Jan 22nd 2007 9:46PM
Oh my god yes. Side style controls, side scroller! IN 2007! This is the game I always tried to imagine when playing Super Mario Bros. years ago. I am pooping my pants with excitement about this game.
vidGuy @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:00PM
Fantastic! Sucks for the GC, but man, this sounds like beyond perfect use of the remote for this game. I can't wait.
CJC @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:01PM
New Super Mario Bros. was pretty decent. Not great, but pretty good. The levels were just too short. If this fixes that problem, and the 2D-3D switching is done creatively, we'll have one hell of a game on our hands.
Mario really does need to go back to his roots more frequently.
Kimosabae @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:04PM
Fucking fantastic. Another Gamecube port for the Wii.
Guess this also means I'll have to wait till' the end of the year to play Mario Galaxy too. When is this system going to deliver something triple A I can give a damn about?
-Kye
vidGuy @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:11PM
@Kimosabae,
The game's been redesigned for the Wii. New controls, new play elements, updated graphics. It doesn't sound like it could be released on GC at all, which means it's not a port, just a re-envisioning of the original idea.
Super Paper Mario, Metroid Prime 3, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Bros, Disaster: Day of Crisis, Project H.A.M.M.E.R., probably several Mario Sports games, Sadness, Darkness, Orb, Thorn, all expected in 2007. Do you give a damn about those? j/w
Vision67 @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:07PM
That looks really interesting. I've never really been into the game play mechanics of the Paper Mario series (I guess I have a thing for 4 digit hp/mp and 5 digit dmg crits), I still have to say that this game looks impressive.
Kimosabae @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:26PM
Yes, I do give a damn about most of those. But as per usual, my problem with Nintendo isn't what's potentially incoming, but simply, what isn't.
Nintendo hasn't released anything substantial since launch (Zelda doesn't cut it for me) and Miyamoto and co. don't have a reputation for being punctual. I don't think anyone expects Brawl or Galaxy to be released before fall. No Mario Sports game has even been officially announced yet, so I don't expect any of those this year and the rest on your list are just throwaways in my eyes.
Honestly, if it weren't for Brawl, this system wouldn't even be on my radar (and that's assuming the game turns out the way I'm hoping).
Still looking for Nintendo to give me a reason to purchase this system.
-SynikaL
Optimus Prime @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:34PM
Nah, the Wii isnt a GC at all, not at all.
All they did was take a late cycle GC game, tweak it a bit, tack on some Wii controls, and ta-da! a Wii game. That doesnt make it GC1.5 does it?
Why do Nintendo fans put up with this crap?
M Boisv @ Jan 24th 2007 9:29PM
Awesome!!!
I'm so glad this game wasn't cancelled. Any time I hear the words 'Nintendo' and 'side-scrolling' in the same sentence I melt a little. I'd buy this in a heartbeat. It's just what I'll need to tide me over until Super Mario Galaxy.
snoopdiggity @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:39PM
honestly, i dont own a GC. so the more the merrier for my wii. If i can play it on my system, with my stock controller, i am happy. If it came out for GC, i prolly wouldnt buy it, but since it is for the wii, i will probably pick it up.
ACE @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:41PM
All furture GC games are going to be Wii titles, but its trying to force kids to buy wiis, instead of buying the wii for a new experence. Nintendos having us buy Wiis for good games that were perfectly fine on GC. I have a Wii but if i was expecting to be able get the game on my gc, i would be pissed right now.
shouryuuken @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:19AM
oh yeah the wii is a gamecube.. i loved playing metroid prime with my cube-mote.. and windwaker.. oh man.. swinging the sword for myself was.. no waitaminute.. i couldnt do that on gamecube. youre right.. the "lamecube 1.5" sux! id rather go to play resistance and all the other great games on my ps3.. oh dang.. wrong again.. nothing on there is worth mentioning.. ok well i have my superior xbox 360.. huh whats that? xbox 180? the grafx arent truly next gen! crap i forgot... dang.. why am i even playing games if i cant be happy and enjoy myself instead of whining about everything else.. oh yeah... because im stupid as hell. thats it.
Padriac @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:45PM
Why is changing the way you interface with the game dismissed as "tacking on Wii controls" while increasing the resolution to the same shooter or sports game you've been playing for the last five years count as next-gen? Just curious.
vidGuy @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:47PM
@Kimosabae,
I know what you mean, just look at how long LoZ:TP was delayed. But quality is quality. I'm much more interested in that list of games than Halo 3, MGS4, Bioshock, or Final Fantasy 13. Different tastes and all that.
Actually, if even 6 of those games comes out this year, it'll be a very expensive year for me :)
Falsoman @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:48PM
Do people know that Kameo was intended to be a N64 game?
oe @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:14PM
oh man, I wanted this for the Cube. Damn you Nintendo! Soon there will be too many compelling games for me to keep putting off a Wii purchase.
Beans @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:55PM
Or that Too Human "was" going to be a ps1 game? It really doesn't matter much. My sentiments are exactly that of Padriac. Also, I'm a huge Paper Mario fan and as interesting as this game looks I'll probably get it very close to release.
Tom @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:57PM
Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door was the best 47 hours of my life... now I just have to finish Twilight Princess before April...
Zoob @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:10PM
Huzzah! There are a lot of good games "in the works" for the Wii. It'd be nice if they could actually start releasing them, though. This "not drought" thing was complete bull. We're not going to see anything significant for the next month or two (except for SSX Blur). Nintendo really needs to get the ball rolling with Wii or people are going to start getting frustrated. I have confidence that by this time next year, though, I will have a fantastic library of amazing Wii titles.
josh @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:05PM
"Nintendo hasn't released anything substantial since launch"
wasn't launch only like 2 months ago? it's a little soon to be bemoaning, i would think... most of my friends are still scouring stores weekly to try and get a system at all.
v1cious @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:10PM
"ok well i have my superior xbox 360.. huh whats that? xbox 180? the grafx arent truly next gen!"
oh wow... you're really reaching, aren't you?
Capt. Castellanos @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:24PM
to #12, Padriac
finally someone is able to say correctly
what i've been thinking.
good show!
Fatass of Kickassness @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:14PM
No, Optimus Prime, I don't see how it does make it a GC1.5.
It just makes the game an upgraded Gamecube game. And I'm not denying that.
But you're acting as though the game can't be good... just because it got bumped up to Wii.
There's something wrong with you, man. I'm gonna keep enjoying my Wii... and my PS3, and my 360. I don't have any vendettas against any systems, faceless companies, or their supporters, and I'm truly sick of seeing people who do.
RDX @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:17PM
Optimus Prime-
Nintendo fans put up with this "crap" because the games, no matter what system they were originally developed on, kick ass the vast majority of the time. This game is going to rock. The perfect light hearted title to rip out of a depressing Minnesota winter.
Kimosabae @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:22PM
"wasn't launch only like 2 months ago? it's a little soon to be bemoaning, i would think... most of my friends are still scouring stores weekly to try and get a system at all."
Had the Wii actually provided a compelling launch for me, I wouldn't "bemoan" so prematurely.
Gamecube gave me Smash to sink my teeth into less than a month after the consoles' release. With a game that meaty I could have waited another year for Mario Sunshine (which was dissappointing anyway).
-Syn
Optimus Prime @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:25PM
I just think its lame that they intentionally keep delaying games.. and delaying and delaying... to the point that they have to be released on their next gen. system. Thats a load of crap.
It would be like if God of War were delayed, and delayed, and finally skipped PS2 and released on PS3. Way to support your fanbase.
Remember, they demoed Paper Mario as a GC game, now they saying that it aint coming out at all for GC. Actually, no, they didnt make any announcement of canceling this for GC... they just hoped you guys wouldnt notice.
Capt. Castellanos @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:30PM
"A delayed game is eventually good, a bad game is bad forever"
-Shigeru Miyamoto
bo @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:32PM
yeah why dont you wii-hating asshats read number 12 and respond to that???
Fatass of Kickassness @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:38PM
Now that time, what you said made sense Optimus. But that happens to a lot of games. The only time I ever hear it pointed out, however, is when it has something to do with Nintendo.
Where's my Duke Nukem Forever?
Optimus Prime @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:39PM
"A delayed game is eventually good, a bad game is bad forever"
-Shigeru Miyamoto
Sure.. and you can watch your market share go from 90% NES to less than 15% for GC. Seriously, not everyone is willing to wait forever for the next AAA Nintendo franchise (and it has to be Nintendo since third apps tend to suck on Nintendo consoles).
Not everyone is a die hard Nintendo fan. They keep doing this, and only the most devoted Nintendo fans are left. Its happened in the past and it will happen again.
And to no. 12... you missed out on better physic, AI, character modeling, audio, lighting effects,.. and better resolution, etc. Why did you leave those out?
Kimosabae @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:40PM
"yeah why dont you wii-hating asshats read number 12 and respond to that???"
I'm no "Wii-hater", but in regards to the Wii dissenters have case examples to discuss, while 12 blurted out an assinine blanket generalization, which is nothing to cling to; so I suggest you support your own argument (you did plan on having one of those, right?)
-Kye
sovietdancinbear @ Jan 24th 2007 4:17PM
where's the update to Super Mario RPG, would love to see that on the DS, or hell even on the Wii VC.
john @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:55PM
Geez, I don't know what drought you guys are having, but I've more Wii games than I can play through in the next month. I already finished Zelda, and had my fill of Monkey Ball. I'm currently playing Super Swing Golf which looks it will keep me interested for a while. I've played a bit of Wario Ware and intend to return to it when I'm done with golf. I also have Madden and Dragon Ball which I've barely touched yet. I still haven't picked up Elebits or Trauma Center. I figure all that will keep me busy until the next spat of releases.
john @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:31AM
"33. where's the update to Super Mario RPG, would love to see that on the DS, or hell even on the Wii VC."
Check out Mario + Luigi: Partners in Time for the DS. I'm in the middle of it right now, and it's very similar.
David004 @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:08AM
Fuck you Nintendo.
Jay @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:18AM
Apparantly David004 really, REALLY likes Nintendo.
Unfortunately, I happen to know you need to buy Nintendo some flowers before she puts out.
Chocolates wouldn't hurt either.
And remember to practice safe sex. Nintendo gets a LOT of action, who knows what you could pick up?
Padriac @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:27AM
@ "Kye"
If Zelda Twilight Princess is not a "substantial" launch title, then I don't know what to tell you. More substantial than any launch title since Mario 64, Xbox 360 *definitely* included. In fact, Zelda is the most substantial title I can think of right now for any system, launch or not (titles like Oblivion and Gears of War are not as substantial as Zelda).
The only way I can make any sense of the statement that Zelda is not substantial is if your definition of "substantial" is really a synonym for heavy multiplayer component. If that's the case, please come out and say it. Otherwise, you're just crazy and to be ignored.
And speaking of examples to discuss, Call of Duty 3 is on the Wii and the 360. I thought all that processing power of the 360 would mean that a game couldn't possibly be ported to the Wii? If the 360 is so advanced, why can 360 games get ported to the Wii, but you can't port games like Wii Sports to the 360? (hint: the answer is that advanced lighting does not equal gameplay)
Kimosabae @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:38AM
I think John got one of those unannounced limited-edition pink Wiis with the pair of audacious, rose colored glasses with heart-shaped rims.
-SynikaL
Killer Instinct @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:05AM
Makes sense, Nintendo dumped the SNES when the N64 was launched, only a few SNES games were made the year it came out, everyone stopped making games for it.
jaysins @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:56AM
I think Nintendo might have bastardized the GC worse than MS did the xbox. Seriously though, if they cancel it for GC to put it exclusively on the wii I will feel very shafted. At least MS killed the console, Nintendo is lying to us fans. Both companies could learn a lot from Sony in supporting previous gen consoles. I enjoyed the cube but so far am really hesitant about buying a wii after all seeing GC games ported last minute to keep GC sales up and screw owners in the end. $300 (console plus component cables) is a lot of many to play the same game but with different controls that don't really interest me in the majority of games.I'm considering sticking to my 360 and picking up a PS3 once the library matures but will likely break down and get a wii once SSB comes out.
Eggmanimn @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:03AM
No, no he didn't. I have 8 Wii titles and have only finished 2. The majority of you guys are being cynical "jaded" asshats who expect instant gratification. And no, Smash didn't come out within a month of the Cube's release. It was four months later.
I could honestly go on and on about how dumb the gaming community's gotten but why bother? No one is able to actually respond without bias.
Figboy @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:31AM
"12. Why is changing the way you interface with the game dismissed as "tacking on Wii controls" while increasing the resolution to the same shooter or sports game you've been playing for the last five years count as next-gen? Just curious.
Posted at 10:45PM on Jan 22nd 2007 by Padriac"
and:
"yeah why dont you wii-hating asshats read number 12 and respond to that???
Posted at 11:32PM on Jan 22nd 2007 by bo"
i'll bite.
the 360 and PS3 do way more than just up the resolution of "games you've been playing for the last five years."
want some examples? sure:
Assassin's Creed: This game just wouldn't be possible in it's current design on the Wii. Why? The animations, the AI, the physics. Watch the videos. It looks like a living, breathing world, and it's not just because of the graphics.
Bioshock: This is another title that will never be possible on the Wii in it's current design. Why? The animations, the AI, the physics. Like before; watch the 15 minute demonstration of the game in action, then Wiip. You'll never see a game like this on the Wii. it's just not possible.
Heavy Rain: Samus or Link will never be capable of this level of emotion on the Wii. This game could potentially revolutionize how we look at realistic gaming. The animations and facial expressions are impressive, even though the video is.
these are just a few examples, but also games with massive scale battles, where you are just one lone soldier, in a throng of hundreds, if not thousands of fellow allies and enemies, duking it out (and potentially online, with 40 or so more human players at your side or against you), will not be possible on the Wii.
a game is more than just it's individual components. you are purposely focusing on one aspect of "next gen," gaming to justify the Wii's subpar potential.
a video game is more than just a controler. it is more than just graphics, and it is even more than just gameplay. truly great games combine all of those elements into an excellent whole.
don't believe me? look at some of the best games ever made, they all featured great graphics for their times, as well as excellent controls and great game design.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night: great graphics, superb controls, and incredible gameplay.
Shadow of the Colossus: ditto
Halo
Ninja Gaiden
Resident Evil 4
Metal Gear Solid (the whole damn console series)
Super Mario Bros (i'm thinking in particular #3 and World, as well as 64)
The Legend of Zelda
God of War
Ico
Half Life 2
F.E.A.R.
Oblivion
Resistance: Fall of Man
Viewtiful Joe
Okami
Klonoa 2
and so many more i couldn't list them all.
not one single thing makes a game great. the Wii may have one element (the control, potentially, but it still has yet to prove itself outside of Nintendo branded games), but it completely forsakes the other element that makes games immersive: the technology going into the game.
games like MGS4 will not only look amazing, but they will usher in an era of gaming that the underpowered Wii won't. people think Gears of War is amazing, that's just the tip of a great iceberg. even early PS3 games like Motorstorm and Resistance are just a sample of what consoles like the 360 and PS3 will be capable of.
Wii owners will forever be satisfied with nothing but Nintendo titles (as evidenced by the poor sales of most 3rd party titles on the Gamecube and DS), so they'll still be happy as larks, but everyone else, who desire a bit more than Mario, Zelda, and Metroid, will go to other consoles, either a 360 or PS3, to get some "next gen" gaming, in the definition i've given above.
i can't help but imagine the types of games Nintendo would have created if they had the power of the Xenon or Cell Processor *AND* the wand controller.
I can't help but imagine how stunning and immersive Twilight Princess would have been with all that technology pushing it. The types of high concept designs they'd be able to pull of due to added horsepower.
that wand could be inifinte freedom, but it's hindered by the technology it's tethered to. and, sadly, companies like EA or Activision will never give the Wii a serious glance, due to their "make a quick buck on our licensed drivel, regardless how shitty it is, and other developers, like Epic, have already shrugged off the console as not worth a true investment, as it can barely run the technology they have *now* let alone the new engines being developed for gaming even as i type this.
the Wii has immense hype, and relatively positive press backing it now, but come on, how long does hype really stay with a product? eventually it will have to prove it's worth or get out. the PS3 is in this position right now. i'm rooting for it (i happen to enjoy Sony games, as well as the 3rd party support it gets), but, at least, Sony has the technology to last beyond the next year. the Wii is a Gamecube on steroids, and a small dose of steriods at that. it's already outdated.
the massive success of the PS2, ironically, is what could keep the market for the Wii open longer than just two years, due to the huge install base of the PS2, that era of technology has a lot more legs than normal. developers will go to the PS2 and Wii for their lower cost games, and in attempts to offset the costs of their 360 and PS3 games by making these easy to develop and cost efficient games for the older consoles.
I know this site is heavily a Nintendo ogling one, but they are far from perfect, and they have made numerous mistakes before. Much like Sony hinging their success on Blu Ray and the PS3, Nintendo is hinging it's success on this wand controller, and the continued dominance of the DS in the handheld arena.
there, bo, does that answer your question sufficiently enough for you?
Adran @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:06AM
@ Kimosabae
Part of me definitely agrees with you, in that, besides Zelda, there don't appear to be any really 'meaty' games out now or (and this, I think, is the important thing) in the near future. Lots of fun little games: pick up, play, put down. I, too, wish that Brawl was coming out soon, as I think that game could keep me happy for a year if it's even -as good as- Melee... longer if they manage to improve it.
I do think, though, that this is not unusually bad. The first year of a console's life is often kind of dull... not that there's no life in it at all, but there are more promises of a bright future than amazing moments in the now. Mario Galaxy, Brawl, Metroid Prime, or whatever Wii game you are looking forward to will come out, eventually... and the second year will likely look a whole lot nicer than the first.
As an aside, while I enjoy Zelda very much, and I know Nintendo didn't have complete control over it, I don't think it was the best -launch title-, simply for the fact that it ends. You can complete it and that's, more or less, it. I think a game like Smash Bros. or Oblivion, or some other game with tons of content/playability makes the best launch title... because for all the droughts that inevitably come in a console's first year, you have something on the system that doesn't really get old. This is, of course, just my opinion.
... but hey, at least Wii owners have more to do right now than the PS3 folks :P
Antonio @ Jan 23rd 2007 6:50PM
@ Padriac
Have you even played Oblivion? Because if you had you would know that it has a lot more depth tha Zelda. There is so much freedom in the game and you can play it so many ways. It was interesting to learn how everybody played the game a little differently and was still able to be succesful. And while it's true that graphics and sound do not make a game it's also true that we don't live in a vacumn where it's only gameplay versus graphics/sounds/effects. Seriously, how many Wii owners would of rather Nintendo not packed in a game and instead beefed up the hardware to have the wiimote and 720p with Dolby Digital? Seriously, wouldn't a Zelda that plays the same but looks and sounds better be BETTER?
I enjoyed Ocarina of Time, did not play Majora's Mask, and got halfway thru Windwalker before stopping. Zelda games are repetitive. How many times can you find the same items, move the same torch to an empty spot, etc. It's time for Zelda to change or die. As a Gamecube owner I'm not excited for the Wii. Nintendo will never have the depth of games that PS2 had last generation and 360 may have this generation (if more crossplatform development happens). Right now it's 360 and PS3 for me (yeah - a 360 fan that wants a PS3 also).
Kimosabae @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:19AM
Padriac:
As I stated, I don't see Zelda as a substantial title. This is about as subjective a discussion as you can get, label me whatever. I'm the meantime, I'll label you absurd for stating Zelda is the industry's most substantial title as fact.
Yes, Multiplayer is VERY important to me. In fact, Nintendo's pre-release promises of making the fleeting notion of couch huddled multiplayer experiences cool again (the lack of which has been steadily chasing me away from this hobby) was a huge reason Wii had me excited. Wii Sports is a great start, but isn't substantial enough IMO, and I see nothing outside of Brawl on the horizon.
With that said, multiplayer is not a requisite of substantiality. A challenging and wholly engaging experience is. Twighlight Princess fails to scintillate my interests on any level.
As for your example:
If you really wanted a relevant parrallel, you'd cite Perfect Dark Zero, or Kameo. Of course, even if you did, that still wouldn't address the problem I have with NINTENDO (I'm not the one that made statements regarding the games "tacked on" functionality), which is their ingratiating knack for delaying their most eminent games into eternity while I've got nothing to play. I love a polished game just as much as the next man, but Nintendo needs to find a method to maintain a steady influx of games. I shouldn't have to deal with droughts just because I'm a Nintendo fan.
-SynikaL
mark @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:14AM
"Why do Nintendo fans put up with this crap?"
We could go to Sony and pay $600 for a system that has 1 good game out for it...
Nah, I much rather prefer paying $250 and having alot of fun with Zelda, Warioware, Wii Sports, Super Monkey Ball, and Rayman.
FSK405K @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:15AM
Yes! This will end the Nintendrought!
bo @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:22AM
@ 32
oh yes, because your posts are equally as substantial, not to mention unbiased, yes?
"Fucking fantastic. Another Gamecube port for the Wii."
" No Mario Sports game has even been officially announced yet, so I don't expect any of those this year and the rest on your list are just throwaways in my eyes"
...followed by a bunch of whining about SSB
if this game is anything like the thousand year door, then it will rock. if SSB is the only game that you want, then just shut up, wait for it, post about it when its more APPROPRIATE, and stop trolling.