Super Paper Mario: Level Design
by ViviFlorea
Video game developers love to experiment, exploring new ideas to provide unique and enjoyable gameplay that lets new titles distinguish themselves from the standout titles which precede them, as well as the myriad of games that hit the market monthly. One of the most prolific series which has constantly evolved over time is the Super Mario series, and in this article, we’ll take a brief look into the level design and structure, of 2007’s Super Paper Mario.
Super Paper Mario takes our beloved protagonist to a new world, filled with dazzling landscapes, unique powerups, and an eclectic cast of new and returning characters. Levels are designed with the control scheme in mind, as the player uses the sideways Wii remote standalone in a simplified manner reminiscent of the original NES, with the occasional use of the remote’s pointer and gyro functions mixed in.
Super Paper Mario brings the third dimension to a traditional platformer.
When introducing new gameplay mechanics, it is important to ease the player into the use of said mechanic before exposing them to any danger, to ensure the player is comfortable and without frustration, before being challenged on their skill and understanding. A challenge is presented, but the penalty for failing that challenge is removed, allowing players to learn, before reintroducing the penalty of failure later on.
3D movement is taught in relative safely, before being ramped up in difficulty later on.
The Mario series loves these design techniques, and this can be seen in Super Paper Mario as early as the first level, Lineland, albeit not used to the same effectiveness as seen in other titles. Here, the player is introduced to the 3D flip ability, an ability exclusive to Mario, which allows the player to change their perspective, introducing a third dimension and allowing movement in three dimensions. Right away, you are encouraged to use this ability, rewarding you with several items. Slowly, secret pathways and hidden items are introduced into the 3D realm to get the player familiar with exploring their environment with the tool, while enemies and pitfalls are used to challenge your platforming and combat abilities.
This is merely a third of a single section of the vertical levels present in Chapter 7’s The Overthere.
Unfortunately, Super Paper Mario does not expand greatly upon this mechanic much more than this, and players will find themselves flipping between a 2D and 3D perspective throughout the rest of the game, without much more to look forward to than the odd hidden chest or rare enemy hidden away in the corner of a level. Where the game attempts to differentiate itself further is through the layout of each level. While the majority of the game’s levels are standard platformer fare, with linear areas with the goal marked at the far right, others, such as chapter 5’s Land of the Cragnons, will have you exploring cramped, dimly lit caverns which can be maze-like in structure and require backtracking to previous areas. The Fourth chapter will see you in outer space, removing the force of gravity on your movement, while the Overthere in Chapter 7 has levels with so much verticality, they won’t render within view of the camera. The latter stage’s verticality encourages, and sometimes outright requires, using Luigi’s powerful jump ability, to maintain forward progression, and get players to use the characters at their disposal, rather than mainlining a single character.
The character’s movement is based around their design to fit the story, and the levels are in turn based on the character’s movement, leading the level designers to place each obstacle with deliberation, to subtly guide the players. Every gap in the floor, every hidden powerup, designed to get the player questioning which character is optimal to use in that situation (spoilers: it’s not hard to guess). In Super Paper Mario, the “Pixls” are small beings which partner with you and can help you traverse the game world, taking the place of traditional “partners” from previous Paper Mario titles. These serve as an extension to the player’s moveset, with most having a utilitarian purpose in exploration, whether it’s bombing walls or carrying the player over dangerous floor tiles. While some environmental points of interest lead to interesting secrets and treasures, they often feel arbitrarily sprinkled about the game worlds, and it reminds one that, yes, this is a video game, and the story that is a defining feature of this game, often feels as a servant to the gameplay, rather than being a cohesive, structured world where gameplay and story is balanced (which is a shame, because the story is the strong point here, for better or for worse).
Chapter 6’s Void area is just a blank plane. Interesting, but not very fun.
There are equally points in the game’s level design, which, while unique, only serve to hinder the game’s pacing and overall enjoyment. These include Chapter 2’s Merlee’s Mansion area, where the player is forced to run on a hamster-wheel like contraption for several real time minutes in order to progress, or Chapter 6’s empty void which players must traverse with nothing to see or interact with. These are here to serve the narrative, but the thing is, they just aren’t fun, and keeping a player performing monotonous tasks for minutes at a time is a quick way to lose their interest. Moments like these are reflective of the game’s experimental nature, as noted by director Ryota Kawabe, who envisioned 2D-to-3D playstyle during a train ride, taking inspiration from prior Mario titles. Past titles such as Super Mario World showcased levels which had a clear evolution in their design, using various techniques to keep a linear, rising path of increasing difficulty, so naturally implemented as to feel imperceptible to the player. When placing the beginning and end of a level in comparison, a sharp contrast is seen in relative complexity, whereas an organic play-through of the level shows how well the evolution of the level’s design elements are placed and spaced.
Levels are uniquely designed and themed, albeit sparsely populated.
Overall, Super Paper Mario’s levels are designed to leverage the use of the 3D-flip mechanic and bridge the gap in design of traditional platformers with the more basic but open design of the Paper Mario subseries, utilizing unique 3-dimensional layout and varying thematic design for each level as an aid in presenting a narrative. The result is a game which, perhaps as a result of it’s very concept, has decent platforming, and tells a stronger story than is typical for the Mario franchise, but does not particularly excel in any area. Future titles would put less emphasis on the platforming, leaning heavily toward a more engrossing story, but Nintendo’s endeavour here shows their dedication to innovation in new ways to play.
Wahoo! You are a Super Reader! But the adventure doesn’t stop here… There’s more of this project in another castle! This article is just one level in an entire Super Mario Multiverse, a galactic collaboration between writers around the world sharing a bit of our hearts and memories about our favorite Mario games. Visit the Center of the Multiverse to see more:
I know Super Paper Mario is a contentious one in the world of Paper Mario titles, but I still loved it when I played it. As you mentioned, the story really elevated it above the mechanisms. And even as you shared very fair criticisms for some of the levels (Merlee’s Mansion…ugh), I still found myself smiling at the memories of the fun circumstances or quirky characters who appear in those annoying stages. Great article!