PixlBit

After a long wait for Paper Mario Color Splash, I finally was able to run over to Best Buy on Friday to pick up my preordered copy. Here are my intial thoughts:

Story: Mario, Peach and Toad embark on a journey to Prism Island, a favorite place of Toads looking to have a nice vacation from the Mushroom Kingdom, after recieving a mysterious piece of mail. The "letter" turns out to be a Toad drained of his color who was folded, stamped and mailed in hopes of finding help for this mysterious and seemingly deadly problem. True to the Paper Mario series, the writing in this game is fantastic and will give you more than a few chuckles. The addition of the Rescue Squad Toads is fun, and your new companion, a paint can named Huey, is great at pointing out the silliness of your situation (and is much less annoying than Kirsti from Sticker Star). 

Look and Feel: This game stays true to Paper Mario style with colorfully constructed landscapes and our familiar paper characters. The Wii U really makes everything look polished, even down to the sparkly cardboard coins you collect along your way. Enemy stickers can get "wet" in this game when falling into water, making them soggy and faded and easier to defeat. The draining of color is a perfect touch for the theme of this game, which is really carried out in every level and into the battle system. I especially like the way the Thing objects (a la Sticker Star) are contrasted in style to their surroundings. The music, while nothing to write home about, is fun and enjoyable and adds to the atmosphere just like in any other Mario game. 

Controls: Paper Mario Color Splash is soley played with the game pad, and this time around, Nintendo has done a fantastic job incorporating this extra screen into the game. As always, Mario is armed with a hammer, but this time the hammer has two functions and two seperate button assignments: B for your normal hammer to break objects hit blocks and collect paint, and X for the new paint hammer. This hammer allows you to use paint from your paint meter to color in areas or characters that have been sucked (literally, with a straw) dry of color. Each Toad you recolor is appreicative in his own way, and filling in patches lands you coins and battle cards. 

Also unique to this game is the cut out ability, accesible in certain areas by using the Y button. When a cut out area is found, Mario is taken to the gamepad where the player traces along a cutting edge to reveal a new area or new path for Mario to use to reach new places. This ability can also be used to place Thing cards, which work just as they did in Paper Mario Sticker Star. 

Battle: The battle system in Color Splash uses Battle Cards, which can be collected from filled in dry spots, won from enemy battles or coin blocks, or purchased from the Battle Card store. Hammers, shoes, fire and ice flowers and mushrooms all make their return from Sticker Star with some modifications and additions. During battle, you are asked to choose your card(s) on the gamepad. You are then asked to color them in if needed, using your paint but making the card more powerful. Be sure to look up at the screen while you're selecting your cards; your enemies can be seen taunting you as they wait for you to make your decision. If you're lucky, your fallen foe will drop a character battle card, which can be super useful in future battles. 

Overall, I'm really enjoying this game and think it's a fantastic addition to the Paper Mario series. Definately one to add to your list if you're a Nintendo fan!