Paper Mario has a different and new style that may turn some away, but if you're a fan of the series it's worth getting
Story: 3.75/10
Compared to the other paper mario games this one is lacking. It used to be that each world had its own little intriguing story that tied in to a bigger picture but this one just doesn't. Aside from helping Wiggler in world 3 there isn't really much of a story other than stop bowser, save peach, and collect the royal stickers. However, the gameplay makes up for this lack of story and makes you want to see it through to the end
Score: 7/10
A good score that fits a mario game well, but there's nothing really memorable/
Characters/ Character Development: 3/10
In previous games you had some teammates that would provide for some interesting dialogue, but in this game you're going solo with the exception of Kersti. She is a good teammate, but she's really the only person you get to know since Mario doesn't talk, bowser doesn't show up until the end of the game and peach is captured (it's not a spoiler alert if it happens in every game).
Graphics: 9.25/10
As ironic as it is that a two dimensional world would be made for the 3DS, paper mario looks fantastic on it. The developers have also played with the fact that the world is paper and have really taken advantage of how things look and how to twist things into the third dimension. You're definitely going to like the way this game looks.
Gameplay: 9/10
The new sticker method of attacking is really innovative for the series. It's also very nice that the series went back to the turn based style of attacking, because it allows more time to plan and set up better combos. The stickers do allow for more diverse attacks then other entries in the series. Also the paperize feature is very cool and adds to the world. Doing something as simple as peeling and repeeling a piece of the background can open new paths and unlock new secrets.
Difficulty: 3.5/10
This game is fun, but it provides little challenge with the exception of the boss fights. Most minor fights can be finished in one turn making the need for more damage dealing stickers not really necessary. While playing through I was just hoping for tougher enemies every now and then that would be more of a challenge. Also health refills are located at least somewhere once in every level. This is nice, but it also takes away from the challenge of needing to stay alive or making sure you brought enough mushroom stickers along with you.
Organization/ Clarity: 4/10
You're definitely going to need a strategy guide of some sort to get through this one. Even if you are really clever and can match using a certain sticker for certain places, there are just some times when the game doesn't give you enough information to put it all together. There are times when you're going to get stuck in this one and just not know what to do until you look it up online.
Fun: 8.5/10
This game is really fun despite the difficulty it can bring to figure out where to go. Collecting stickers and adding them to the sticker museum is fun which will make you want to seek out all the hidden battle items to unlock something cool. Although there isn't the exploration or as many towns which previous entries had, the areas are still big enough to not feel limited.
My final verdict is that this game deserves 7.5 out of 10 and although that seems a bit low, it is only due to a few frustrations this game can bring. It's definitely worth picking up if you're a fan of the paper mario games or are looking for a solid 3DS game.
Recommended for:
• Fans of the paper mario series
• 3DS players
• Anyone looking for a turn- based action game.