Paper Mario: Color Splash Review

Paint the town any color you want.
paper mario color splash

Color Splash also plays with the idea of paper, oftentimes requiring Mario to unfurl areas of the world to keep progressing. Certain areas in levels allow you to hit the Y button, to perform a cutout. This takes you to the Wii U Gamepad, where you cut along a line to help Mario reach an inaccessible area or solve a puzzle. Sometimes you’ll also encounter giant realistic looking items in the world. Mario and Huey can squeeze these items of their paint, to obtain a card of that item. That card can be used in battle with deadly effects, or is required to solve different puzzles in the world.

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There are a few sequences in the game however, that require a little bit of trial and error and can be frustrating. One such example sees Mario being chased by a giant chain chomp, and having to escape in a short sequence. Although it was short, I had to replay the sequence eight times, all because I couldn’t figure out where to go. Because of the design of the game, you’ll also be backtracking to areas a lot.

Some levels have multiple paint stars, and if you collect one, you’ll have to restart all the way from the beginning of the level to go collect the other one. While exploring new areas and unlocking more of the world is incredibly fun, the repetition can drag the experience down at some moments.

paper mario color splash

Unfortunately, there’s another aspect of the game that can slow down the experience, the battle system. Color Splash’s battles aren’t necessarily bad, just very slow. You have a deck of cards to choose from in battle, with Mario taking a turn to attack before the enemies turn. You select from your cards on the Gamepad, dragging them into a slot at the top. You then have an option to paint unpainted cards and increase their power, before hitting a ready button and then having to swipe up on the Gamepad to initiate battle. Keep in mind this is what you have to do every single time you battle.

Having to time the attacks you use does keep things more engaging, but battling really slows down the experience of world exploration. It got to the point at times where I just wanted to keep moving through levels, so I avoided every battle I could. Color Splash’s battle system just feels very mediocre, it’s fun to a point, but it can really slow things down and distracts from the better parts of the game.

The powerful item cards that you collect from the world however, can be great fun to use. These allow you to use the giant items you encounter to hilarious effect. A break dancing piggy bank, giant sentient cat statue, and humongous fire extinguisher are just a few. Each scene that plays out in battle is lavishly animated and causes huge damage to the enemy. It’s always exciting to find a new item, and see what kind of ridiculous effect it has in battle.

paper mario color splash

The soundtrack  also keeps things light and fun, with a mix of orchestral, pop, and even rock music. There’s plenty of traditional Mario tunes you hear, and the music of each level seems to fit it well.

When Color Splash works, it really works. Exploring the world is exciting, with the promise of some wacky new thing always around the corner. The hilarious writing only helps to strengthen that fact, as you can’t wait to see what character or event happens next.

Small touches like all the Toads of Port Prisma having a dance party when Mario collects a Big Paint Star, help the game have a unique personality. However, some of the repetition in structure and the battle system, can really slow your experience down, and just don’t measure up to the rest of the game. Nevertheless, it’s a game that any fan of Mario should play. It’s an incredibly fun experience, where the strong points of the game more than make up for its shortcoming.

SCORE: 4/5 – GREAT


PROS

  • Gorgeous art style that makes the world pop.
  • Consistently humorous and smart writing, that draws you into the world and characters.
  • Levels are nicely varied and each feels distinct.
  • Hilarious battle card animations.

Editor's Choice smallest

CONS

  • Battle system is slow and repetitive.
  • Quite a bit of backtracking between areas, throughout the game.
  • Wii U Gamepad uses feel a bit gimmicky.

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Author
Hayes Madsen
A connoisseur of all things RPG related, and always looking for the artistic expression in gaming. His love of Gundam is only matched by his love of Pizza. Playing Games Since: 1991 Favorite Genres: RPGs, JRPGs, Strategy,