Effective story delivery in a Mario game

[Evil Yoshi Toes]

I agree with you about SPM's story integration. I think a story heavy 2D platformer can work, but the short and linear structure of the levels didn't work well with it. You're going from point A to point B on a 2D plane, which encourages fast-paced run-and-jump gameplay. Had it been more like the first two games in the sense that you can explore the entire area for the entirety of the chapter it could have worked. More emphasis on exploration would have slowed the pace down, and finishing a level and seeing those story summaries in between would feel more rewarding because we actually accomplished something of note. The fragmented and fast-paced nature of each level did not mesh well with the story telling style. It's like playing through Super Mario World but with less precise physics and constant interruptions.

I still enjoy SPM for its writing, but I have a lot of issues with the gameplay so I could never consider it as good as the first two games.

EDIT: Actually, thinking back on the game I remember liking the mansion chapter the best. I think the reason is because they slowed down the pace a bit. Rather than being platforming segments where you jump on enemies and move forward there was some exploration and that part where you have to pay off your debt doing chores, both of which really slowed down the pacing and made the story integration feel more natural. I still don't like that the levels were fragmented, but it at least did a better job than the other chapters, minus the earlier parts of that chapter where you're on the way to the mansion.