"Super Paper Mario" is a platform game with action role-playing elements, deferring itself from previous games in the series. Like its predecessors, the graphics consist of 3D environments and 2D characters which look as if they are made of paper. The player controls Mario and various other characters, overcoming linear platforms as in other "Mario" games. The player's goal is to collect the eight Pure Hearts and defeat the main antagonist Count Bleck. The player can talk to non-player characters (NPC), defeat enemies, or interact with the environment. Unlike previous "Paper Mario" games which used a turn-based battle system outside of the overworld, in "Super Paper Mario" all combat is in real-time. Experience points are gained after defeating enemies and allow the player to level up to increase their stats. Mario can temporarily "flip" between dimensions, where the camera rotates 90 degrees to reveal a 3D perspective of the stage, revealing elements hidden in the regular 2D perspective, and can be used to maneuver around obstacles impassable in 2D.