[quote name='Sir_Fragalot']I am debating whether or not I should buy this game or not, here is my story. I didn't fall in love with New Super Mario Bros., and I never played a paper mario game (I did play the GBA rpg but I never bet it due to grinding which I can never finish a rpg with countless grinding to level). I don't mind stupid menues because I play world of warcraft and I know all about

ing menues or reading through text, but a lot of people here didn't have good first impressions and well I don't know if it is worth putting my $50 down on. I mean I read the gamespot review which seemed cool, but I don't know, I haven't been impressed with mario lately except for mario strikers and well should I buy it tomorrow or not?
Thanks[/quote]Well, there's no grinding in the game, so take that concern off your mind (at least to the point I'm at, mid-way through World 7).
Really, I think the level design as more in common with Yoshi's Island then it does with any previous 2D pure-Mario platformer. It's a really hard game to get a handle on because they're blending so many elements of Platformers & RPGs. Couple that with the freak-out-inducing 3D "flip" and you've got a game that just doesn't fit into most genre labels that we have.
I'll have to say I'm a tad disappointed in the game just because I had myself hyped up for another game in the line of Mario 1, 3, World, NSMB, but this isn't that. It's a great game and I'm having a lot of fun, I just had too many hopes, dreams, and expectations of what the style would be and it's not it. At this point I'd rate it along the same lines as I did Sonic on the Wii, an 8.5. The difference is I went into Sonic expecting 6.5-quality and got really plesantly surprised. I came into this hoping for 9-9.5 quality ("quality" meaning "meeting my tastes"--SPM is pure polish) and am
somewhat disappointed.
I'd give it a rent (or a buy-then-resell as I often do to "try" games) to see if you like it. Despite my expectations not being met, I'm really enjoying the game. It's fun, funny, and pretty meaty. And I guess I don't understand everyone's issue with the text noise. I think every Final Fantasy I've ever touched has been worse on that.