Paper Mario

For the Virtual Console.

If you've been roasting in Hell for the last 500 years, you'll need me to explain Paper Mario. It's an RPG. Mario is flat (they jokingly say he slimmed down), thus the "Paper" part. Everything is paper, actually. It allows a really fabulous graphics system. You'd have to see it, and it's even more fantastic in Paper Mario 2. Still, there are some awe-inspiring scenes, which are...nice.


You have a standard leveling system in the form of star points. Once you get 100 of these, you level up (duh!). You can put a level into either HP, FP (Flower points, call them magic points) or BP (Badge points). Badge points allow you to don badges, which range from attacks such as Sleep Stomp to Deep Focus. Attacks such as Sleep Stomp use Flower points; the more powerful the attack (typically), the more Flower points it uses.

You have a hammer and boots to attack with. You go through the world like any normal Mario adventure, but attacking enemies is different- when you jump on them, hammer them, or attack them with an ally (or the enemy attacks/bumps into you), it starts a turn-based battle sequence. You get one turn, then your allies (they're cool) get a turn, then the enemy attacks. Then it's your go again until the battle is over, at which point you get star points, eventually leveling up.

You have access to items. Flower points are restored with sweet things like syrup or jelly, health points by mushrooms, coconuts, berries, etc. You can cook via a chef in town. You could take a Super Mushroom (10 HP) and combine it with Maple Syrup (10 FP) to make a Maple Super, restoring 10 HP and 10 FP, but only using 1 turn (important, as it's turn-based).


As for the story, it's somewhat-standard. Bowser has once again kidnapped the Princess, Peach. However, he also kidnapped the seven Star Spirits (and their little Star Rod, too!). These things, which all have different personalities ("nerdy bookreader" star is one of them, for example) reside in Star Haven (which I thought was Star Heaven for years), where they receive wishes and grant them. They are assisted by many stars who aren't as "stellar" as they are, Star Kids. They're...star kids.

People make wishes, giving the Star Spirits power, then they grant the wishes, so people make more wishes, granting more power. They're a sort of deity, and they do not take it too far. Anyway, they make use of this magical thing called the Star Rod to grant the wishes. Bowser steals this (he's angry that they never grant his wishes), making himself invincible. Great.


The story may not sound too inventive, but I feel it is. Much, much more so than previous Mario titles (though, I am not sure about that older Mario RPG). You can talk to just about every character in the game, save enemies, to get information. There's a little bit of humor, such as one of Mario's partners (allies) is a fish...named "Sushie." Her daughter is named "Sashimie." Kinda unnerving, sort of funny.

That's another thing- Mario has allies in this adventure. They walk around with him, they all have their own abilities and attacks, and really, there's not much more to it. What I really like about Paper Mario is the ability to multi-task. I can listen to a sermon on a tape player and also play. Or listen to music. It's not too involved until you get to tough fighting or talking, and the story isn't so deep that you're going to miss something.

I spent right around 30 hours playing; on a first playthrough, I'd spend 35-40. My Brother spent 27 or so on his first playthrough...he'll regret it when he gets to the final boss. Which is very, very tough. Not as tough as the nail-biting 5+ hours you'll spend fighting your way through the 100 Trials in Paper Mario 2...but still tough. Enough items would make it easy and simple, my Brother's only hope.

My personal opinion of Paper Mario is very high. It does not introduce technology like Paper Mario 2 does, nor is its plot as intricate. Paper Mario 2 kind of got frustrating when dealing with those finicky enemies...you know, the ones that had tons of armor or powered themselves up and just would not die. I suppose Paper Mario is simpler, with Paper Mario 2 being more complicated with a bit of a dreary feel (though the fighting level = unsurpassed by ANY NON-METROID GAME EVER!).

So, I give Paper Mario a 9.6 out of 10, but its replay value is somewhat low. It's ingenious, sure, but I never, EVER want to see a Paper Metroid. Hear me, Nintendo?

No Paper Smash Brothers, either. Or Paper Donkey Kong's. That freak is too stupid to exist as paper.

Next up is...well...Super Paper Mario. This'll be interesting. I dislike what I read about it, and I predict a personal rating of 7.6. I bet I'm wrong. I just heard my brother die fighting some tough enemy in the other room. A Storm Koopa, no doubt. Those purple-shelled menaces.