Prison Key

The Prison Key is an item found in Bowser's Castle in Paper Mario during Chapter 8. It is held by the Koopatrol outside the prison.

There are two prisons in Bowser's Castle used to lock the people at Princess Peach's party who failed to escape (excluding one which isn't locked by a Prison Key). The first one is to the east in the first center of the castle and imprisons three Toads and a Dryite. The second one is to the west in the second center of the castle and imprisons three Toads and a Bumpty. When Mario sees a prison, he can optionally defeat the Koopatrol outside it and open the prison door. But if he does so, the prisoners inside will say that it is safer for them to stay there and wish Mario good luck defeating Bowser. One Toad will also make a makeshift Toad House with the slate in the prison.

Trivia

 * If the player collects a key from a prison room and leaves without opening the prison door in that room, they can open the prison door in the other prison room without defeating the Koopatrol in that room.