Super Paper Mario

4. The graphics - clean visuals that look unlike any game on the market

If you've played the other two games in the series, you already know how charming the visuals are. In Super Paper Mario, they're just as cute, but packed with much more hard-angled elements. Enemies, at least in this mansion, don't follow the goomba/koopa style. Instead, they're collections of crazily colored squares and triangles. The backgrounds and overall presentation of the game are so unique, we can't imagine anyone seeing this game in motion and not cracking a smile. Good thing, cuz the series' trademark humor is in full effect too.

Above: Bowser and Peach are married, which sends shockwaves through reality. Wait... what?

5. The humor - just watching people is a blast

"Coins?! No one uses coins anymore! I SPIT on your coins!"

This is what happens when Mario tries to use his vast collection of gold coins to pay for a broken vase (he's collected quite a few in his day). The vase's owner isn't afraid to tell it how it is, while also throwing a little Nintendo in-joke to fans who've been playing for all these years. Such referential humor seeps through the gameplay - any scene with Bowser is usually a winner, and Mario's constant silence always makes him a joy to watch. Bowser and Peach will actually play a prominent role in the game too...

6. The characters - play as Mario, Peach and Bowser as they... do stuff

Does it matter what the goal is? The point is that you're playing as Peach, who gets a PIXL that lets her float around using her umbrella, Super Mario Bros. 2-style. Bowser comes into play at some point too, hopefully stomping and tromping around like he does in Paper Mario 2.

Look for Super Paper Mario to hit on April 9.

Brett Elston

A fomer Executive Editor at GamesRadar, Brett also contributed content to many other Future gaming publications including Nintendo Power, PC Gamer and Official Xbox Magazine. Brett has worked at Capcom in several senior roles, is an experienced podcaster, and now works as a Senior Manager of Content Communications at PlayStation SIE.