I'm tempted to get it, even though I already have a copy sitting in the house.
And now, to celebrate, I'm going to list my preferences of the Mario RPG games. Favorite to hated.
1. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Was a tough choice. The deciding factor was the fact that I must've beaten this game like 20 times by now, while Paper Mario 2 I've beaten maybe three times.
I'm sure the fact that one game is about 8 years newer helps, but... well, I'll explain more about that in a bit. So, this game. Great graphics, awesome music. The story is entertaining, even though it tends to wander, so much so that it doesn't tend to climax like more epic RPGs. Least not 'till the end. The game is super-easy as far as RPGs go, but otherwise it's very fun to play. Also contains probably the best set of optional quests (read: not drawn out) in the entire series. And I'm sure the nostalgia of it being my first RPG experience plays a role.
2. Paper Mario 2: The Thousand-Year Door. When I first played through this, I thought it trumped the original in such a way that I soon after got rid of the original. I later regretted having done so, and I own it again for the Virtual Console, but my feelings for it still stand. This game was probably the most epic of the Mario RPGs. Granted, the story is rather broken by the chapters, but there is some overall plot going on through the quest, and each chapter had its own exciting tale to tell. Yes, even the dreaded RPG staple, the chapter-long battle arena, got me interested, at least midway through. However, there's a serious problem with the quest flow. Several chapters contained portions that involved going back and forth multiple times from point A to point B, and Chapter 7 had the second-worst wild goose chase I've ever played in a video game. But everything else worked well, and the dark story and even darker final battles really helped make this Mario game a memorable one.
3. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. The story is fantastic, funny, has the biggest plot twist found in the entire series, and not as near as broken as the chaptered stories of the Paper Mario games. Some of the music is pretty good, too. And props for finally bringing Luigi back to the team in a Mario quest, though they sorta overdid the "Luigi who" jokes. My problem with the game was the battle system. Well, I admit, it was fun, but bosses seemed to take forever unless you spammed Bros Attacks. The final boss was especially annoying, though not necessarily difficult (at least not after you figured out how to dodge her attacks).
4. Paper Mario. While originally, I thought the game was awesome... Well, I still think it's pretty good. Love the game's music, the quest is fun, the ending is nostalgic, and Pop Diva's song screams for a lyrical remix. The problem is the chapters. They're a little
too separate from each other. The only recurring villain you encounter is some nutcase (yet hilarious at times) Jr Troopa. The majority of the chapters weren't that thrilling, either *hates on Chapter 6*. And the overall quest (and I use this term loosely, as I didn't feel a connection to a "main" quest like in PM2) never seemed to pick up or get real exciting until after the end of the seventh chapter, when Bowser finds out you've rescued the last Star Spirit. Still an entertaining game, though, and I have played through more than a few times.
5. Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. Ugh, break up the dungeon crawling! At one point there were five dungeons in a row. Granted, at one point you could take a pitstop in Peach's Castle (Btw, giving an RPG only a single "town" location is a horrible idea). But it was optional. And the Bros Attacks... They weren't so bad in the previous M&L, but this one, they're way overdone, especially now that they're items. And bosses take longer than ever to defeat, even with Bros Attacks. Like, Final Fantasy 8 length battles. By the time I reached the massive end dungeon, I was ready for the game to end. Except they pit me with the most difficult, drawn out final battle in the entire series. Needless to say, I hated it and will be getting rid of it the next chance I have.
I have yet to play Super Paper Mario, but I don't have the greatest hopes for it.