Paper Mario: Color Splash Reviews
Paper Mario: Color Splash is the kind of simple, lightly enjoyable experience that I might have willingly gotten lost in at one point in my life. It's mostly inoffensive, usually charming, and a visual treat. The battle system is a drag, but it's emblematic of a larger problem that is also reflected in the quests: it simply doesn't respect the player's time. With more aggressive story editing and less desire to reinvent the wheel, this may have been something truly special. Instead it's merely fine.
Paper Mario Color Splash was a solid game that's great for all ages packing not only a vibrant world, but a charming story as well.
Overall, Paper Mario: Color Splash is quite a remarkable experience despite some ideas falling flat. The sluggish battle system hinders the gameplay as a whole, despite the amount of fun I had exploring each level. It may not be the sequel to the ever beloved Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, but I’m glad I played it.
So, yeah, while Color Splash isn’t quite perfect when it comes to its battle system, there’s still more than enough to enjoy here, especially when it comes to exploration, storyline, genuine laughs and solid presentation. If all you have is a Wii U this holiday season, consider this a colorful addition to your collection.
Paper Mario: Color Splash is a complete joy aesthetically, looking and sounding fantastic, complemented by some very amusing script work. At its core, though, whilst attempting to mix things up as much as it can in order to keep the action fresh, its battle system grows tiresome very quickly, dragging the enjoyment factor down several notches. When tied in with its unnecessary - and awkward - reliance on the GamePad, it makes for somewhat of a rollercoaster ride, with fun elements followed by lots of frustrating experiences during the battling sections. Nintendo and Intelligent Systems should pick one route and stick with it: either go for straight-up platform action or make it the true RPG successor to the original Paper Mario and The Thousand Year Door that fans keep asking for. This current mish-mash of styles just drags down the series' reputation. For now, stick with the Mario & Luigi titles…
Paper Mario: Color Splash is a vibrant, humorous and fun experience. Continuing on the path of Sticker Star, its lack of more traditional RPG elements will leave some players cold, but it still carves a satisfying path all its own.
Paper Mario: Color Splash could have been so much more than it was, but its attachment to Sticker Star’s failed mechanics holds it back.
Paper Mario: Color Splash is a charming, but paper-thin RPG
‘Paper Mario: Color Splash’ makes a game of dragging the past into the present
Bowser's latest m'ch�-nations are boringly familiar. Despite the usual fizzy writing, this series doesn't make us crease up like it used to.
If you’re willing to accept the fact that Color Splash is more of an adventure platformer, and less of an RPG, then you’ll be in for an absolute treat of a game.
Color Splash's story, gorgeous aesthetic, and brilliant writing keep it from being an absolute waste of time. But, it's utterly broken battle system proved to be just as aggravating and pointless as it was three years ago.
A dreadful combat system brings down an otherwise beautiful and funny Mario adventure.
This artsy, pseudo-RPG’s bland combat is at least partially overcome by terrific visual style, a rich score, and great writing
Paper Mario: Color Splash is clever and funny but a chore to play
Prism Island is full of secrets, and finding them all is an adventure worth having in itself.
Paper Mario: Color Splash is the best looking installment in the series, offering the most immersive world to-date. Still, its battle system suffers in a misguided bid to innovate.
A colorful experience held back by a few paper cuts
Paper Mario: Color Splash is one of those games that works best if you play it a couple of hours each time. The graphical design is as wonderful as ever, and the adventure offers plenty of charming settings. Sadly the gameplay feels a little too monotonous, and the battles aren’t as dynamic as the previous games.
Review in Swedish | Read full review
Paper Mario: Color Splash is an endlessly charming, cutesy journey that represents a greater achievement for the art directors and script writers than Intelligent Systems as a whole. It’s a shame that such a talented studio opted only to tweak the flawed Sticker Star and, as a result, dull and unbalanced gameplay often holds back this whimsical romp. As one of the final Wii U titles, though, it’s certifiably hilarious and might just warrant a second look.