Topic: Mah brain has asploded

[Lumi Kløvstad]

THE HELL.

WHAT.

THE.

HELL.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

I think that this is the premise of Paper Mario as well; that all the world is a stage, a diorama.
In fact, when you're done with a story chapter (and in the title screen) you see the same checkerboarded floor and red curtain.
The clouds are held up by stage wire in the first game, haha.

Thing is, I think at times the characters know this.  It's so Meta!  Check out this video from Paper Mario 2: The Thousand Year Door:
Paper mario 2 Boss Fight: Hooktail

[Dominus Agony]

Now I feel like playing Mario 3 again. I never did beat that game. 

[knightmere]

Thats some good analysis of the conspiracy that is  Super Mario Bros. 3.

[beingthehero]

I guess it's not all that different from how the early CV games and the arranged opening of Castlevania Chronicles presented the games as classic Hammer Horror Films, complete with scrolling film (and in the classic of the latter, 1930's-style reel scratchiness.)

[Ratty]

Well, it's like Shakespeare put it:
"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts..." etc.