Graphics 10/10: Amazing graphics, the best I've seen since Super Smash Bros. Melee! Except this is an RPG with great camera angles! If you ever get a chance to play it, look at the water, it is the bluest, clearest water ever! Isle Delfino is such a paradise! Nintendo did an amazing job making everything look so realistic. Great Job!
Music & Sound 7/10: The sound is amazing, you can hear every individual footstep, and each footstep sounds different depending on where you're walking. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the music. There are a couple good tunes, but nothing that can get them a skyrocketing mark in this category
Items 4/10: Now here's where this game takes it's biggest flump. FLUDD is the only item, but it's one heck of an item, and you need it to beat the game so I quadroupled its mark to a 4.
Characters 7/10: Well, there's Mario, the Pianta's, Toadsworth, Toads, Shadow Mario, Bowser, Baby Bowser, good old Yoshi is back, and a bunch of others that make futile appearences. But you know, each Pianta has it's own individual personality, so I give the character mark a 7.
Fun Factor 13/10: This is definately the best game ever, and Paper Mario comes in a close second, but this tops it. The best Mario game I've ever played, and my prediction is that it will be the game of the year in 2002.