This was one of my all-time favorite Mario games when I was a kid. Playing a revamped version again twenty years later was a dream come true.
For those of you new to this game, you'll control Mario on another paper-style RPG adventure to rescue Princess Peach, uncover a lost treasure, and save the world from a new enemy. At certain intervals, you'll control Peach and even King Bowser.
The game borrowed elements from Color Splash and Origami king with its polished appearance and more lifelike 3D graphics, such as improved lighting, shading and other features. The colors are brighter and more vibrant and beautiful than ever before. There are new camera angles that add a more cinematic feel during cutscenes. Even the opening story contains a pop-up book style narration instead of just pictures.
The music has been remixed in a way that is quite good. I especially liked the final boss theme. There is some new dialogue as well that differs from the original, but not in a detrimental way. The characters now emit voice blips during dialogue in a fashion similar to Banjo Kazooie which adds more life and charm to them, as do their new gestures and facial expressions.
There are plenty of new gameplay features available that expand the game from the original, such as the ability and switch partners on the spot, new items and badges, faster pipe travelling, the opportunity to unlock special galleries for art and sounds, etc. You even get to fight Prince Mush in the Glitz Pit after completing Chapter 4.
Overall, this is an excellent and beautiful remake and a must play for Mario fans, especially retrogamers who enjoyed the original version.
