Nintendo @ E3 2016

[Sebastian]

I thought they were gonna show off Paper Mario: Color Splash. Even though I know it's a Sticker Star copy, I'm still interested to see how it turns out.

[DocDoom2]

Color Splash surprised me, I really enjoyed the humor and thought the puzzles they showed were all well designed.
My opinion on Sun/Moon and Zelda have both changed as I get a second look at them too!
Overall E3 was fairly good this year so far, at least for me. Still waiting for my mainline Mario game though...

[Nebbles]

Color Splash drives me to drink.

[TheDreamingHawk]

I really like Color Splash so far. It seems like the game that I was hoping for after playing and loving the N64 Paper Mario, as it still has a good sense of humor and does something new and clever instead of it be more of the same (like TTYD) or something horribly boring and dull (Like SPM and Sticker Star). Plus it looks very pretty, too. I'm going to give it a chance even if the childish reactions to the game (as evidenced by the trailer's dislike bar climbing high almost like Metroid Prime Federation Force despite it only being uploaded a few moments ago) are dumb. My only nitpick is the fact that the Koopalings are being plopped into yet another Mario game, but as long as stupid Boom Boom doesn't show up I should be sane, hopefully.

I'd also complain about toads looking very similar to one another but then I remembered the horrible, HORRIBLE attempt at characterization they tried to give them in Mario Party Advance and remembered that having them suffer from OC syndrome isn't the best idea. (Although I thought the ones in the N64 game were well written and designed for the most part)

[Nebbles]

You think, after seeing PM64 and TTYD, Color Splash looks GOOD?

ok

[Sebastian]

I really like Color Splash so far. It seems like the game that I was hoping for after playing and loving the N64 Paper Mario...

As a huge fan of the original Paper Mario game I would have to disagree. There are a colossal amount of elements that are missing from Color Splash that really make Paper Mario the game it is. First, you have the Battle System. What is so great about the original Paper Mario (and The Thousand-Year Door) is that you are given the sense of accomplishment and advancement after winning a battle. You start out with 10 HP, 5 FP, and 3 BP instead of 50 HP and no FP/BP. Taking these out is a huge loss and, in my opinion, a step backward for Nintendo to make. BP (and the use of Badges) gives Paper Mario games strategy. "Which badges should I use for this battle? Which badge(s) will defeat this enemy?" etc. Let's not forget the star points which advance your level and the audience from The Thousand-Year Door. That was something I wished they had in Paper Mario.....but they took it out of Sticker Star and Color Splash D:
Also, frankly, starting out with 50 HP and not being able to level up kills the motivation to play or even buy this game.

Secondly, you have no partners (except for the paint can: Huey). Adding the ability to recruit new partners, in my opinion, is a no-brainer. It's what builds the story and helps you look forward to the next area. "I wonder which kind of partner I'll get in this area? What will be his/hers abilities? How will he/she build on the story?"

Which leads into my third point: Story.
This game seems to lack story (much like Sticker Star). One thing I loved about Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door were the sidequests in between chapters. You know, where you play as Peach and Bowser. This gave a huge twist to the plot line and an excellent addition to the story. Not having some sort of interlude really kills the story. Also, what story is even in this game? An island lost it's color?    Where's Bowser?
I really loved The Thousand-Year Door's story line. A+. The Thousand-Year Door is easily my favorite Paper Mario game.

Finally, you have the collectibles. Something that really kills my joy for this game are the lack of collectibles. Badges, Star Pieces, items, etc.....none of those? For shame. Collecting these was something I really enjoyed doing in the previous Paper Mario games (excluding Sticker Star). I even went as far as to collect them all. Not having a wide variety of collectibles is not cool in my opinion. Something else that should be included are the shamans. I loved the shamans (Merlon, Merluvlee, Merlow, Merlee, etc.) from the other games. Again, they seemed to add that story (ever so slightly) that is needed. Going to them to level-up, get badges by giving them star pieces, etc. is like sooooo Paper Mario-esque that excluding them just doesn't feel right.

something horribly boring (Like SPM and Sticker Star).

I thought Super Paper Mario had an excellent and deep story. Lots of great enemies, bosses, collectibles, partners (pixls), and characters really made SPM great, despite it's lack of the normal battle system and 3D gameplay. This is an example of Nintendo going in a new and wild direction the correct way.

Also, yes. Sticker Star was boring

Plus it looks very pretty, too.

I would have to agree with you here. It does look good aesthetically; however, a new coat of paint alone won't make it great.....no pun intended lol.

My only nitpick is the fact that the Koopalings are being plopped into yet another Mario game, but as long as stupid Boom Boom doesn't show up I should be sane, hopefully.

Am I the only one who thought it was cool that the Kooplings were added?

I'd also complain about toads looking very similar to one another but then I remembered the horrible, HORRIBLE attempt at characterization they tried to give them in Mario Party Advance and remembered that having them suffer from OC syndrome isn't the best idea. (Although I thought the ones in the N64 game were well written and designed for the most part)

I agree with you here. They really need to have variety with the characters like they did with Paper Mario, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, and especially Super Paper Mario.


All in all, I don't know if I'll buy Color Splash.....unless there are major game changes from now until the game release in October.....which I doubt will happen.

~SeaBass

[Maelstrom]

I'm entirely with you, Sebastian. Paper Mario has always been a bit of an RPG-lite game, but the mockery of a combat system in Sticker Star takes it too far. It looks so gorgeous, but I can't bring myself to ever consider a new paper mario game after the trainwreck of SS.

[TheDreamingHawk]

You think, after seeing PM64 and TTYD, Color Splash looks GOOD?

ok

The visuals look lovely and fit the idea of a paper world better than what it could do on the N64/GCN. I don't think anyone can deny that the visuals are a major increase from Sticker Star.

And really the major reason I'm excited for the game is because it seems they're trying something NEW for once instead of more of the same, and it seems this game could very well fix the flaws that dragged sticker star down and make a fun experience for all. Just as long as there's no heavy backtracking or boring puzzles, I think the game will be fine. As I said, PM N64 will likely stay as my go to PM game, but this is looking to be a more enjoyable and creative adventure for me. Certainly not worthy of a childish petition to cancel the game.

It should also be noted that in an interview with Gamexplain, one of the devs working on the game stated that Paper Mario is pretty much going to be exclusively a series where new things are being tried out in terms of gameplay, with the goofy story bits being saved for the Mario and Luigi series. This seems to be a full decision that will affect the two series forever. Having Sticker Star sell extremely well in Japan probably helped in that regard as well (Even if that game was rather dull and boring IMO)

[SlowPokemon]

I love when people complain that all games in a series are exactly the same and then whine when it's "too different"

[Maelstrom]

And really the major reason I'm excited for the game is because it seems they're trying something NEW for once instead of more of the same

>_<
This is literally the same as Sticker Star, with better visuals.
There is no creativity, aside from, as I said, the visuals.
I hate it when companies try to be new and inventive and re-invent the wheel every game, when innovation simply for the sake of innovation is the worst thing possible.
Look at Sonic. He's been bouncing back and forth from ideas and because the devs decided to "innovate," it's slowly killed him.
That's one end of the spectrum.
The other is the more stale annualized  releases, that, as it appears, have been slowly improving.
A good pattern is to stay in the middle. Don't innovate constantly, but don't stop innovation because it takes time and money.
Refine.
Anyway, after that ramble, I'm trying to say that Paper Mario had no need of innovation. The last 2 entries, and Color Splash, have been trying to reinvent the wheel that was already fine, and had no need for a re-invention.
/ramble.

[cashwarrior1]

I've never played paper mario, but I can tell that the first few are far better just by looking at them. As for me, the first Mario RPG (As well as my first Mario) game I played was Superstar Saga, and I really liked this game. I fear that the ones after bowser's inside story aren't nearly as good as the first one and I'm afraid to lose my love for this series so I'm afraid to try it. But paper mario on the other hand, I haven't played any, so I dunno if I should try this one.

[SlowPokemon]

^Dream Team and Paper Jam are both great. I got more mileage out of Dream Team just because I like the plot better, but there's a lot of great humor in Paper Jam (and Paper Jam also is the more polished, wisely wrapping up its campaign in 25-30 hours while Dream Team goes on for 40 hours just because it can and suffers from slow pacing as a result). The battle systems are hella fun though, in either game. I've played Dream Team four times through to the end and have over 165 hours on it. Paper Jam I haven't gone back to yet but I undoubtedly will. It's just too fun not to.

[cashwarrior1]

Okay, mostly the graphics, the plots, and the battle system were scaring me. Plus, I have nostalgia trips everytime I think about Superstar Saga.

[mikey]

I love when people complain that all games in a series are exactly the same and then whine when it's "too different"

this is true.  A lot of zelda games get flack for one or the other when in reality 18 of them are great and the rest are meh

[cashwarrior1]

What do you mean? Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks are amazing!