The game follows Mario's adventure across Prism Island where, after he receives a color-drained Toad in the mail, he heads to Port Prisma to find out what is going on. Eventually, he meets up with Huey, who teams up with Mario to collect the six Big Paint Stars. After saving the first Big Paint Star, Princess Peach gets kidnapped by a possessed Bowser, and is taken to his castle high in the sky. While kidnapped, she sends Mario Holo-Peaches along his journey to inform him about Bowser's plans. After saving each Big Paint Star, a memory is shown, with each one detailing an event leading up to Bowser being possessed.
The gameplay is very similar to its predecessor and puts an even greater emphasis on the paper aspect. All characters now have white outlines around them and the battle system now requires Things for each boss fight. Things no longer need to be brought back to the main hub to be used; they become cards as soon as Mario collects them. Stickers have been replaced by Battle Cards, which share a similar function, but Battle Cards no longer take up multiple slots in Mario's inventory and can be painted to deal more damage. Many enemies from the predecessor return, while Dino Rhinos make their Paper Mario debut in this game, along with several new variants of Shy Guys, most notably Slurp Guys. Additionally, Paper Mario: Color Splash introduces a system where Mario can repaint colorless areas to collect Coins and Battle Cards.
On September 23, 2016, it was discovered that purchased Nintendo eShop pre-load data was actually the full game, granting players early access two weeks ahead of schedule in North America.[1] Nintendo, however, removed the pre-order option within hours, and stated that this was inadvertent.[2]
It has been requested that this section be rewritten and expanded to elaborate more on the events of the story.
The events that caused Port Prisma to be damaged and the black paint's creation are explained through the Big Paint Stars' memories, told throughout the game. One day, a group of Toads were playing at the Prisma Fountain, where they were throwing buckets of paint at each other. Bowser observed the Toads playing from above, and jumped down into the fountain because he wanted to have a rainbow shell. However, while splashing in the Prisma Fountain, Bowser mixed the colors around, creating black paint which possessed him. Shortly after this, a swarm of Slurp Guys attack Port Prisma, with hundreds falling from airships to slurp the paint out of it. During this invasion, a specific Toad is drained of its colors, folded into an envelope, and sent to Princess Peach to lure her to Prism Island. When the Slurp Guys are done draining the area of its color, they leave on the airships.
One stormy night, Princess Peach and Toad meet Mario at his house to deliver a strange letter: a Toad drained of his colors. Mario, who is initially shocked by the revelation, then realizes that the stamp on the letter points to Prism Island, where the three then travel to. Upon arriving, they find Port Prisma deserted and full of spots drained of color. After some exploration of Port Prisma, They activate the fountain, which releases a 3D paint can. After Mario tries hammering the paint can, it wakes up and is revealed to be Huey, who is initially annoyed by Mario hitting him in his sleep. Huey calms down shortly after, but he, Mario, and Princess Peach are then startled by the sound of Toad screaming. The three head to the yellow district of Port Prisma, and find Toad being drained by a Slurp Guy. Toad, just before being fully drained, gives Mario a set of Battle Cards that they found. Mario and Huey then proceed to fight the Slurp Guy, but then realize that they do not have any paint. Realizing this, Huey asks Mario to wring him in order to gain paint to battle the Shy Guys. This results in Huey turning into paper. Mario later uses this paint throughout the entire game to repaint the colorless spots across Prism Island, including the local Toads. After defeating the Slurp Guy and repainting Toad, the group head back to the central district of Port Prisma, where Huey discovers that the Big Paint Stars at Prisma Fountain are gone. Huey, initially sad, then sees a Big Paint Star aat the top of Port Prisma. After climbing up there, and unwinding the roll blocking the Paint Star, it is revealed that the Paint Star was actually a Mini Paint Star, not a Big Paint Star. Mario and Huey then set off to find the actual Big Paint Stars.
After saving Port Prisma, Mario and Huey set out to find the red Big Paint Star. First, they pass through Ruddy Road and Cherry Lake, learning the Cutout ability and collecting 3D real-world objects called Things. They find out that Bowser has stolen the paint from the Crimson Tower, where Morton is keeping a Big Paint Star captive. To open the gate, they must find the three Chosen Toads: Justice Toad at Cherry Lake, Surfing Kinopio at Bloo Bay Beach, and the Mountain Sage at Daffodil Peak. Additionally, Mario learns about the Unfurl ability and assembles the green and purple Rescue Squads at Indigo Underground and Ruddy Road to help him reach more Mini Paint Stars. When all the Chosen Toads have been found, Mario defeats Morton at the Crimson Tower, painting in a large gate at Sunglow Ridge.
At Sunglow Ridge, Mario witnesses a black missile cover an area with black paint, which Huey cleans up while Mario's eyes are closed. Afterward, he searches for Prof. Kinopio at Château Chanterelle, and finds him at Mondo Woods. The professor gives Mario an Excavation Site Permit, which he uses to enter Marmalade Valley. Here, Mario finds the professor's pet Chain Chomp, Princess, and brings her back to Château Chanterelle. The professor is happy and gives him the Sharp Spike as thanks. The spike unlocks the door to Kiwano Temple, which Mario must pass through to reach the Golden Coliseum, where Iggy is holding the yellow Big Paint Star. Mario defeats Iggy in a stadium battle and the Big Paint Star repaints an oversized coin in Mondo Woods.
Next, Mario investigates the mystery of ghosts haunting the Dark Bloo Inn, and explores the hotel's garden to find their Teapot to appease them. When he find their teapot and wrings it out, he realizes that Petea Piranha was inside it and now has to fight them. After this is done, he appeases the Toads and goes to Violet Passage, where he helps out the yellow Rescue Squad while on a pirate ship. The Rescue Squad goes to the shrunken Sacred Forest to unclog a pipe. Here, Mario pieces together a Mini Paint Star and gains access to Cobalt Base, where he participates in Snifit or Whiffit. After this, Mario infiltrates Fort Cobalt to defeat Ludwig in his Super Ludship and Super Ludsub. The recovered blue Big Paint Star repaints the ocean at Violet Passage.
With the ocean restored, Mario has to join a ship crew and venture to Fortune Island to find the purple Big Paint Star. Using clues left behind by a legendary captain, they first pass through the Lost Sea. They stop at Vortex Island to calm down a whirlpool, then help out a lighthouse keeper on Lighthouse Island to light the way to Fortune Island. Mario makes use of parallel worlds on all three islands to find the treasure but is confronted by Wendy on Fortune Island before he can collect it. Defeating Wendy and collecting the Big Paint Star repaints a sinkhole at Mustard Café, which the café's owner falls into.
After rescuing the café owner from the hole, including escaping a Snifit jail, Mario hears of the Sunset Express train stuck at Kiwano Temple. The blue Rescue Squad help fix the broken tracks, only for the train to be damaged by a Big Thwomp. The Toads push the train to Toad Trainworks, where Mario repairs it. Next, the train goes to Tangerino Grill, where Mario cooks pizza for the Toads, and serves steak to a VIP customer who is later revealed to be Larry. Larry hijacks the Sunset Express, but Mario defeats him with the help of the Toad train conductor. The train stops at Starlight Cape, where Huey makes a wish for the orange Big Paint Star; once it is granted, the Big Paint Star restores an unpainted Draggadon at Marmalade Valley.
After taming him, Mario guides Draggadon through Redpepper Volcano and platforms his way through Redpepper Crater to its hot spring. After returning to Tangerino Grill to get the Magnifying Glass Thing, he battles Kamek in the Sacred Forest. This opens a path to the Green Energy Plant, where Mario ventures into a Super Mario Bros. 3-like world to find a Mini Paint Star. He assembles the last members of the red Rescue Squad at Mossrock Theater, and visits the Emerald Circus, at which he meets Lemmy. Mario defeats Lemmy atop the circus tent and saves the green Big Paint Star, which then flies somewhere unknown and paints Luigi's kart.
Upon rescuing all six Big Paint Stars, they create a path to Black Bowser's Castle, which Mario and Huey head off to via a kart ride from Luigi. Inside they discover a factory producing Banzai Bills loaded with black paint, similar to the one dropped on Sunglow Ridge. After destroying the factory, they escape the flood of black paint and find Bowser with Princess Peach drained of her colors. As Mario battles Bowser, Huey has himself turned back into his 3D-self to absorb the black paint off and defeat Bowser, who has no memories of the incident. Black Bowser's Castle proceeds to collapse as Mario restores Peach's colors. Mario, Peach, and Luigi return to Port Prisma while Huey stays behind to contain the black paint and release it where it cannot do any more harm, to the skies. Later, while celebrating at Port Prisma, Peach comforts Mario when he laments Huey's disappearance. When all Super Flags are achieved, Huey can be seen falling back into the Prisma Fountain in the end screen.[3]
Paper Mario: Color Splash is an action-adventure RPG that elaborates on the mechanics of Paper Mario: Sticker Star. It is based on Mario using the Paint Hammer to paint colorless elements, characters, and parts of the environment in order to progress in the game and collect both Mini and Big Paint Stars. When a course is completed, several new courses may become available at once, and the number-based course naming that was seen in Super Paper Mario and Paper Mario: Sticker Star is gone (the game features a world map like the latter, however). Super Flags return as well, this time found in the main square of Port Prisma.
At the beginning of a battle, Kamek can sometimes appear and either flip over or steal most of the player's cards. Once the battle is won, all the stolen cards are regained and additional coins are obtained as well. The number showing the HP of the enemies as well as the number showing the amount of damage dealt in HP are both missing, while the health of each enemy is shown in the form of color that is gradually drained starting from the bottom.
Both the use of the Paint Hammer and the painting of uncolored cards require paint, which is indicated by the three bars on the top-left of the screen. After winning a battle, defeated enemies can drop coins, paint, Battle Cards, and cardboard hammers called Hammer Scraps. Hammer Scraps exist in four different varieties and are worth either 1 point, 5 points, 10 points, or 20 points, depending on how shiny they are. Hammer Scraps are used to fill the EXP bar that increases the maximum amount of paint that can be carried by the hammer.
At the start of the game, Mario can only play one card per turn. During the course of the game, he unlocks the ability to use more cards per battle turn by collecting Card Max Ups from the Soggy Guy in Cherry Lake, helping the ghosts in Dark Bloo Inn, and the Kamek battle in Sacred Forest. Similarly, the maximum amount of Mario's HP is increased by collecting HP-Up Hearts that are obtained when the player saves a Big Paint Star. Each HP-Up Heart increases the maximum amount of HP by 25 and increases the power of the First Strike as well.
In order to gain additional coins, there are side quests and mini-games that can be played. One of them is finding Luigi who is hiding in some places, and another is playing Super Roshambo against several opponents at the Roshambo Temples. Defeating the Shy Bandit on the world map also rewards the player with extra coins.
It has been requested that more images be uploaded for this section. Remove this notice only after the additional image(s) have been added. Specifics: Something for the jump first strike stat
Stat
Initial value
Max value
Function
0
9,999
The amount of coins Mario currently has.
100
600
The amount of paint Mario can carry.
1
4
The number of cards Mario can use per turn in battle.
50
200
The maximum amount of HP Mario can have.
3
15
The amount of damage Mario can do with the jump first strike.
3
15
The amount of damage Mario can do with the hammer first strike.
Battle Cards are the main items in Color Splash and serve as Mario's attacks. The battles are based on these Battle Cards and can be painted to increase their attack power. Battle Cards can be found in colorless spots, ? Blocks, by defeating enemies or by buying them at Prisma Cardware. Once used, cards are discarded, but it is possible to buy them directly in battle by using the Battle Spin. There are three types of cards. Basic Cards are used for various purposes, including attacking, healing, and replenishing paint. Many attacks are similar to those featured in Paper Mario: Sticker Star, with the hammer attacks now having a charging sign indicating at which point an "Excellent" attack can be obtained. Thing Cards are used to summon Things, both in battle and in the overworld to solve puzzles. Such cards can be obtained by directly squeezing Things into Thing cards. There is a shop in Port Prisma allowing the player to directly buy Things to squeeze them into Thing Cards, and there are Replica versions of Thing Cards that can be found as well. The last card type, Enemy Cards, are used to summon an enemy into the battle as an ally. They can be found by defeating an enemy. Only one ally can be present at a time, and the ally attacks the enemies in the current battle. When the enemies attack, they will position themselves in front of Mario to protect him, and they stay in battle until defeated. If an Enemy Card is used in a boss battle, it runs away.
There are many versions of Battle Cards that Mario can use. Alongside Jumps and Hammers are several variants of the two, such as Spin Jumps and KO Hammers. Several types from Sticker Star return, such as Hopslippers, which let the player jump on an enemy 10 times; Iron Jumps, which let the player jump on spiky enemies; Eekhammers, which let the player hit an enemy five times; and Hurlhammers, which let the player throw a hammer into the air to damage enemies. Fire Flowers and Ice Flowers also appear, allowing the player to throw fireballs and Ice Balls at enemies respectively. Alongside attacks, Mario can also use POW Blocks to crumple enemies, Mushrooms to heal, 1-Up Mushrooms to recover paint, Tails to counter enemy attacks, Spike Helmets to counter jump attacks, and Frog Suits to dodge enemy attacks. There is also one enemy card for every enemy in the game, as well as enemy cards for the Koopalings which can be found by playing in the Roshambo Temples.
There are four different variants of basic Battle Cards: Worn-out, Normal, Big, and Huge. Huge cards deal the most damage and worn-out cards deal the least. The stronger variants are found later on in the game. Despite the names, bigger cards do not take up more space than the weaker variants.
The main protagonist of the game. He first arrives in Port Prisma where he meets with Huey and begins collecting the Mini Paint Stars found throughout the game. After beating Black Bowser, Mario heads back to Port Prisma where he celebrates with the others and laments on Huey's disappearance.
Mario's main companion in this game, Huey is a paint can with the ability to absorb Black Paint. Huey allows Mario to paint uncolored areas by using paint from his hammer. He also introduces the Cutout technique and talks to Mario when the player presses . At the end of the game, he wrings Bowser's Castle into a card and flies off far away to discard the black paint.
After Mario saves the big Red Paint Star, she is kidnapped by Bowser in his possessed state. During Mario's remaining adventure, she helps out by leaving Holo-Peaches with information about Bowser's plans in them. Just before she sends the last one, she is captured and drained by Bowser.
After Mario rescues the green Big Paint Star, Luigi drives to Port Prisma to give Mario a ride up the newly made Rainbow Road. His kart is the object painted by said green Big Paint Star.
Yoshi, known in this game as It, is found in Dark Bloo Inn as the item one of the Tea Party Toads needs to be appeased. Yoshi is initially invisible but can be painted to reveal him. Trying to ride Yoshi results in him fluttering away to The Emerald Circus later in the game, thanking the player for freeing the other Yoshis.
These six stars are the source of Prisma Fountain's paint. During the events of the game, they are scattered away from Port Prisma and guarded by the Koopalings. Collecting them repaints a big colorless area needed to progress the story.
Birdo can be found at the performance at Plum Park. She also assists in the Balloons Thing animation where she blows a kiss to the enemies to make them fly away.
Prof. Kinopio's pet that has been turned giant due to Kamek's magic. During the game, Mario needs to use the Bone Thing in Château Chanterelle to bring her back to an upset Prof. Kinopio. She can be seen during the Bone Thing's animation, trampling enemies in battle.
Draggadon can be rescued by collecting the orange Big Paint Star to restore his fossil. After this, Draggadon attacks Mario by breathing fire until he uses the Basin Thing on him. When he is hit by the Basin, Draggadon gets knocked out until the player uses a Magma Burger on him. From then on, Mario can use him to traverse Redpepper Volcano safely. Every time Mario finishes the level, the player must give Draggadon the Magma Burger to collect the Paint Star.
A friendly Ptooie who is central to the sidequest in Port Prisma. He was friends with five other Toads named Purp, Redd, Greenie, Bloo, and Yella prior to the events of Paper Mario: Color Splash. By completing his sidequest, the six reunite and go to The Crimson Tower to play for the remainder of the game.
Toad comes with Mario and Princess Peach to Port Prisma at the start of the game. He has his color drained, and Mario needs to recolor him after he fights the Slurp Guy. He can be found in the hotel in the yellow district of Port Prisma after the Battle Card tutorial.
The leader of the Purple Rescue Squad. He makes a staircase to the blue Mini Paint Star and the Fire Extinguisher Thing along with the rest of the Rescue Squad.
These six Toads occupy Dark Bloo Inn when Mario arrives. Mario helps them enjoy their promised tea party during the events of the game, after which they ascend after finally being satisfied.
One of the Chosen Toads. He can be found in Cherry Lake where Mario needs to collect the clothing that fell off of him when he fell from the big paint bucket. He spends the rest of the game in the Crimson Tower entrance after he obtains the Mini Paint Star for Mario.
One of the Chosen Toads. He initially is the amnesiac gatekeeper to Daffodil Peak. After Mario repaints his drained head, he reveals himself to be the actual Mountain Sage. He spends the rest of the game in the Crimson Tower entrance after revealing his identity.
One of the Chosen Toads. He can initially be found in Bloo Bay Beach getting ready to travel the world to find his true calling, but gets shipwrecked not too far from the beach. After Mario uses the Fan Thing in the Cutout area, he reveals that he is a Chosen Toad while surfing the newly made wave. He spends the rest of the game in the Crimson Tower entrance after this.
These quintuplet Toads are the center of the minigames in Oceanfest. After Mario points out the scandal during Toad Shuffle, the manager tells them to give Mario the Blissful Beach Key. From then on, they can be seen whenever Mario takes a nap on Blissful Beach.
A yellow Toad who lives in Château Chanterelle with his pet Princess. Mario needs to bring back his pet (who has been enlarged by Kamek's magic) so that he can give him the Sharp Spike.
The leader of the pirate crew in Violet Passage. He is initially found stranded in the colorless sea until Mario saves the blue Big Paint Star. He is a recurring character during the voyage to Fortune Island. After he meets the Legendary Captain, he spends the remainder of the game learning from the Legendary Captain on Fortune Island.
A pirate Toad who was the first ever to reach Fortune Island. During the events of the game, he can be found in the parallel world cooking on a Charcoal Grill and causing smoke to rise into the purple Big Paint Star room. After Mario squeezes the Charcoal Grill Thing into a card, the captain gets angry and follows him until they reach the beginning of Fortune Island. Afterward, he says that the treasure has been claimed before he got there, and can be seen teaching the Violet Passage captain for the remainder of the game.
The owner of the lighthouse on Lighthouse Island. When Mario repaints him, he is depressed by the lack of light. He allows Mario to access the Parallel World pipe to collect the lightbulb and restore the lighthouse, after which he begins dancing for the remainder of the game.
The conductor of the Sunset Express. He helps Mario defeat Larry during Larry's battle by stopping the Shy Guy in the train's cabin. The train he is conducting is originally scheduled for decommissioning, but after arriving in Starlight Cape, he, along with another blue Toad, decides it should not be decommissioned. He reappears briefly during the "This Here's Paint Country!" dance.
The owner of the Mustard Café. After Mario collects the purple Big Paint Star, he falls into the newly made hole underneath him. Mario needs to escort him back to the Mustard Café during the level. As he is about to head back, Mario and the chef get pulled into the Snifit Undersand Hideout. When Mario frees him and finds the Café Key, he tells Mario to hold onto it as he does not trust himself losing it. He spends the rest of the game in the Café.
The head chef of Tangerino Grill. During the events of the game, he is injured by a Shy Guy jumping on him and is unable to make the Mamma Mia Pizza for the guests. Due to this, Mario needs to make it for him. Later, when Mario satisfies the VIP customer, he thanks Mario for satisfying him, as the VIP never liked any of the food.
The host/waiter of Tangerino Grill. When Mario finishes making the Mamma Mia Pizza, he serves the pizza to the guests and watches them devour it. The host is optimistic for Mario, saying that he is the only one that can satiate the VIP.
The master of Super Roshambo. They can be found after beating a chapter boss. When all 8 temples have been beaten, they reveal that they are a Toad and that there were actually eight Rock Paper Wizards all along.
A Toad who owns the post office in Port Prisma. They were drained and folded into a letter to lure Princess Peach to Port Prisma. After restoring them, they return to their post office and give Mario any new mail he receives from then on.
A Toad who lives in the Action Command Dojo. Mario can visit him anytime to practice action commands for hammering, jumping, Fire Flowers, and blocking.
The Toad who runs the Prisma Museum. He is first found by the blue Mini Paint Star in Port Prisma, where he examines Mario's cards while a Slurp Guy battles Mario. After Mario receives a letter from him, he opens the doors to the Prisma Museum.
A Toad found in the Yellow District of Port Prisma. If Mario pays him 50 coins, he will tell the player a hint as to where an uncut Cutout is. When the Cutout is found, he will allow Mario to pay again for another hint.
The last of Piper's friends. They say that they knew Piper died from being dried and shriveled up. Moments after saying this, Piper sprouts from the tree.
The foreman of Toad Trainworks. When Mario first meets him, he says he is planning on retiring soon. He takes the Sunset Express as his last job, but before this, he gives Mario a free Mini Paint Star. Later, after the conductor says he changed his mind on decommissioning the Sunset Express, the Foreman says that he changed his mind on retiring as well.
The barista for the bar in Bloo Bay Beach. While Mario cannot buy anything from him, he unknowingly plays a role in Toad and Go Seek; one of the Five Fun Guys hides behind him and copies what he is saying.
A Toad residing in the Green Energy Plant. During the events of the game, he pulls Huey in with a Science Claw to try and get energy from him. After the power is restored, he sits to the right of the monitor for the rest of the game, saying he has been researching the unusual images' effect on brain activity.
The guardian of the red Big Paint Star, battled atop the Crimson Tower. Morton calls in two Shy Guys with a pedestal and stands atop it during his battle. Once Mario defeats the two Shy Guys and knocks away the pedestal with a hammer attack, Morton pulls out a flaming hammer, which has to be countered with the Fire Extinguisher Thing.
Iggy is fought in the Golden Coliseum as part of a "Battle Royal" event. In battle, Iggy rides a chariot, driving away when Mario tries to attack. Mario has to use the Bone Thing and have Princess destroy Iggy's chariot, as well as the Chariot Bro and Chariot Snifit accompanying him. Once Iggy is defeated, Mario is rewarded with the yellow Big Paint Star.
Ludwig is found in Fort Cobalt with the blue Big Paint Star. He rides the Super Ludship, which is invulnerable to attacks; Mario must reflect Ludwig's projectiles with Tail attacks to destroy the ship. However, Ludwig resurfaces in the Super Ludsub, hiding in the water and firing missiles. The Balloons Thing must be used to lift the sub out of the water.
As the boss of Fortune Island, Wendy protects the purple Big Paint Star. She attacks by throwing enemies and coins at Mario, eventually preparing a giant ring to trap him. If Mario uses the Instant Camera Thing, he prints out a picture of himself, which Wendy attacks instead.
Larry is fought on the Sunset Express while it is heading to Starlight Cape. A Shy Guy supplies Larry with healing hearts through the smokestack, as the Sunset Express's conductor goes down to the cabin to stop it. Once the Shy Guy is defeated, Mario can plug the smokestack with the Cork Thing, making Larry vulnerable. After Larry is defeated, the conductor takes control of the train again and stops near the orange Big Paint Star at Starlight Cape.
As a performer at the Emerald Circus, Lemmy battles Mario on top of the circus tent while guarding the green Big Paint Star. Lemmy is the only Koopaling that requires two Things to be weakened; while he is spinning on the Wonder Ball, Mario has to use the Disco Ball Thing to distract him, then pop the ball with the Ice Pick Thing.
Roy is the only Koopaling that does not guard a Big Paint Star; instead, he is fought at the beginning of Black Bowser's Castle. Roy steals all of Mario's paint and shoots it back at him through a cannon, causing unique status effects. After taking enough damage, Roy mixes the paint together and covers the room in black paint; this can be removed with the Washing Machine Thing.
Black Bowser is the final boss of Paper Mario: Color Splash, appearing at the end of Black Bowser's Castle. For the first phase of the fight, Mario has to damage Black Bowser until his head is free of black paint; he appears shocked and unaware of what he has been doing. The black paint then covers Bowser again as he enlarges in size. Huey reverts into 3D and has Mario time his blocks perfectly to absorb the black paint. As a final attack, Black Bowser spits all the black paint into a giant ball, then fires it at Mario; if blocked, Huey is damaged, although Mario is able to finish off Bowser.
A live-action slab of meat battled at Tangerino Grill. Mario must use a correct series of attacks and Things to cook the steak, and then serve it to a VIP customer.
Kamek is fought directly in the Sacred Forest after enlarging a pipe with the Magnifying Glass Thing. He casts spells on Mario to hinder him throughout the battle.
A recurring mid-boss who appears on the world map. The Shy Bandit throws his calling card to a spot on the map and begins slurping the color out of the area. If Mario catches him first, he enters a battle. The Shy Bandit attacks like a regular Slurp Guy, but can also summon reinforcements.
Yoshis that appear in The Emerald Circus. If Mario tries to open the cage they are in, they will eat him and spit him out. After Lemmy flees the stage, they escape the cage they are in. During a battle on the stage, one of them may pop out from behind the curtains and try to eat Mario. If Mario does not block this, he loses his next card.
Banzai Bills appear in this game as black paint bombs made in Black Bowser's Castle. One lands on Sunglow Ridge and covers the area in black paint, which Mario must avoid or he will lose 30 HP.
Bullet Bills can be found in the Green Energy Plant in their Super Mario Bros. 3 sprite forms. They are shot by a Bill Blaster and drop paint when stomped on.
A cannon that fires Bullet Bills every few seconds and cannot be destroyed. One appears in the Green Energy Plant, using its appearances from Super Mario Bros. 3.
The game is set on Prism Island, shaped like a paintbrush, and on nearby islands shaped like drops of paint, which have been drained of their color. The locations are organized according to the game's seven main colors, with the three primary colors (red, yellow and blue) and the three secondary colors (violet, orange, and green) having four courses and a course with a main boss each. Port Prisma is dedicated to the game's three primary colors and Bowser's Castle is dedicated to the game's tertiary color, black. The map is colored in as Mario collects Mini Paint Stars, though it is not possible to view it completely colorless, as the world map is only unlocked after Mario collects the red Mini Paint Star from Port Prisma.
A grassland area that is also the first level in the game. Notable locations include a Toad's house and the Ruddy Road Cafe. The purple Rescue Squad's formation is located here.
A tall tower full of conveyor belts and stairways. The tower is initially unpainted, but is restored after Mario rides an airship and drops paint onto it. The three Chosen Toads must be gathered at the doorway to gain entry.
A mountainous area with a lumber mill. It contains the Scarlet Gate, blocking the level from entry until the red Big Paint Star is collected. A black paint bomb is dropped on Sunglow Ridge, and Huey cleans it up.
A tropical beach. Mario participates in the Oceanfest event to unlock access to Blissful Beach. Additionally, Surfing Kinopio of the Chosen Toads must be rescued.
A training area for Shy Guys. Many blue Rescue Squad members are found here, during their attempts to infiltrate the base. Ludwig acts as the boss, fighting Mario from both a boat and submarine.
The garden to the Dark Bloo Inn. The waters have been poisoned by Petea Piranha, and are purified after he is defeated by Mario. Birdo performs a concert in this area.
A port with a pirate ship. When Mario first visits, the water has been partially drained from the ocean, and he must save the yellow Rescue Squad from a Shy Guy attack. When the blue Big Paint Star restores the ocean, the ship's captain sets sail for the Violet Isles.
On this island, the lighthouse has burnt out. Mario goes to the parallel world and climbs the lighthouse to find the Lightbulb, returning it to the lighthouse keeper to illuminate the way forward.
An active dig site. Mario goes here in search of Princess, Prof. Kinopio's pet Chain Chomp. A Toad is trapped from a cave-in, and Mario scales cliffs and explores caves to save him.
An ancient temple full of Spiny Shell-shaped rocks. Mario must balance on top of cardboard tubes to avoid falling on the spikes. The Sunset Express first appears outside the temple, where it is crushed by a Big Thwomp. The blue Rescue Squad's formation is located here.
A miniature forest inhabited by small enemies. During his first visit, Mario collects pieces of a Mini Paint Star that has been torn apart by a Small Goomba Gang.
The final level of Paper Mario: Color Splash. It can only be reached once all six Big Paint Stars have been obtained, forming a Rainbow Road path up to the castle. A black paint mixing operation takes place here, where Banzai Bill bombs are filled and fired. After Mario defeats Black Bowser and rescues Princess Peach, they manage to escape on Luigi's kart. Huey stays behind to destroy Black Bowser's Castle, squeezing it into an Enemy Card.
Prisma Cardware is the only shop in the game where Mario can buy Battle Cards. As the player progresses, more cards can be bought. A red Toad outside the shop lets Mario know when a new card is available.
Prisma Café is a series of restaurants found throughout Prism Island. Here, Mario can buy Hearty Lattes and Prisma Juices, which restore HP and paint respectively. A few stores have extra things Mario can buy, such as the Magma Burgers in Fort Cobalt. A similar café, named the Mustard Café, also appears in the game.
The Know-it-All Toad is a Toad that appears near the entrance to the Red District in Port Prisma. If the player chooses to talk to him, he offers hints about the Thing Mario needs to progress now. For example, if Mario needs to find the Fire Extinguisher, the Know-it-All Toad says, "You must seek a red Thing on a red road... It cools that which is hot."
The Wringer is a shady Toad found in the Port District of Port Prisma. He runs a shop where Mario can purchase any Thing he found before if he does not have it on him currently. If Mario already has the Thing, it is marked as "Sold Out". If Mario did not find a specific Thing, its slot is marked as "Coming Soon".
The Prisma Museum is a museum hidden inside of the Action Command Dojo where the player can deposit Battle Cards to unlock concept art in the art gallery. Additionally, for every area that is fully repainted, the player unlocks music from that level in the sound gallery. When all types of cards are deposited, the museum lights up and Toads start visiting.
The Roshambo Temples are areas where Mario can play Super Roshambo for coins and Battle Cards. There are eight Roshambo Temples located throughout Prism Island. Roshambo Temples do not have any Cutouts, Things, colorless spots, Rescue Toads, or Mini Paint Stars. They are unlocked by collecting tokens after completing various levels. Additionally, the player can challenge the Rock Paper Wizard if they have beaten a chapter boss, who awards them an Enemy Card based on the Koopalings or Kamek for defeating him. If the boss has not been beaten, Mario competes against a generic enemy in the third match instead.
When Purp is repainted by the water wheel in Port Prisma, a sidequest initiates. Every time Mario finds one of Piper's friends, the tree in the yellow district grows a small amount. After Bloo is found, the tree begins to wither and the four friends set off to find the Rainbow Carnation. After Yella is found, he tells the gang that he knew Piper died, and the tree begins to wither even more before suddenly ejecting a seed that Piper sprouts out of. Mario begins to fight it, only for the five Toads to stop him and tell Mario that the Ptooie is Piper. After this, the six can be seen near the entrance to The Crimson Tower playing around.
The Spinning-Door is a three-segmented door appearing in some levels such as Daffodil Peak. When Mario hits it with his hammer, the segments begin rotating. He can then hammer it again to make the three segments have the same color. When all three segments match, the door becomes usable and leads Mario to a minigame depending on the color chosen; Blockstopper! for Red, Flippin' Cards! for Blue, Prize Pipe Paths for Yellow, and Paint Hunter! for rainbow.
Super Flags return from Paper Mario: Sticker Star. This time, there are only six flags to obtain instead of eight. When the player completes an achievement, its corresponding flag will unroll and be displayed in the credits parade. If the player manages to complete all six achievements, an alternate ending is unlocked after the end credits, with Huey falling from the sky into the Prisma Fountain.
Luigi can be found hiding in six locations across Prism Island. If the player uses the Cutout technique on these spots, Luigi will look around, face Mario, give the player 300 coins, and run off the screen. If the player finds all six Luigi spots, Luigi will appear at the start of the credits parade. Luigi can be found in the following areas:
Yellow blocks with a white ? symbol. They are very common and contain coins and Battle Cards. When hit, a ? Block's top flips open as the item inside pops out. Mario can either hammer a ? Block or jump into it from below to release its contents.
A ground counterpart to the ? Block that appears exclusively in the Flippin' Cards! minigame. When hit, a ? Panel will either reveal a Battle Card, which must be matched to form a pair, or add or subtract from the timer.
Large flying battleships used by Bowser's army. Outside the Crimson Tower, Mario boards an airship commanded by Shy Guys. An airship appears during Black Bowser's reveal, and another one is shown in the ending cutscene.
The main collectibles of the game. There are six Big Paint Stars in the game, each corresponding to the primary and secondary colors. When collected, a Big Paint Star repaints a major landmark on the map and moves back to the Prisma Fountain. At Port Prisma, Mario can hammer a Big Paint Star for paint or watch its memories.
Sticky pieces of tape with Bowser's insignia. They are found blocking folded-up pieces of ground, entrances, and doors. The removal of Bowser Tape often opens a shortcut to the previous parts of the level.
A rare object that permanently increases the number of cards Mario can use in battle. They are awarded at Cherry Lake, Dark Bloo Inn, and Sacred Forest.
Gold coins that serve as the game's main currency. They can be obtained by winning battles, finding them on the overworld, playing Super Roshambo, repainting colorless spots, and collecting a Mini Paint Star. Coins are primarily used to purchase cards at Prisma Cardware or Things from the Wringer. Mario can have up to 9999 coins at once.
Mario's hammer. He can use it on the overworld to hit objects and characters. In battle, hammer attacks deals minor splash damage, are effective against spiked enemies, and cannot hit flying enemies.
A Goal Pole, themed after its Super Mario Bros. appearance, appears at the end of the Green Energy Plant. Mario can use it to exit the Cutout section. Another Goal Pole with a Bowser logo appears in Black Bowser's Castle, which Mario slides down to get off the conveyor belt.
Poisonous water appears as an obstacle in Plum Park, having been tainted by Petea Piranha. The water is purified after his defeat. Roy's purple paint also poisons Mario, making him take damage every turn.
The Prisma Times is a newspaper that a Toad in Port Prisma reads. By paying the Toad 10 coins, Mario can have a section of the paper read to him, hinting at his next objective.
Quicksand appears in the Mustard Café. Mario's walking speed slows as he moves through it, and it pulls him downwards. If Mario drowns completely in quicksand, he gets a Game Over.
A special flower growing in Marmalade Valley that brings plants back to life. Piper's friends use it to revitalize his tree. Mario cannot directly interact with the Rainbow Carnation, as it only appears in a cutscene.
Special Battle Cards representing the Rock-Paper-Scissors symbols. They are played by Mario and his opponents during Super Roshambo. Roshambo Cards cannot be used in regular battle or taken outside of the Roshambo Temples.
Spikes hidden in the floor. They appear on Fortune Island, where Mario must memorize their locations in the main world to avoid them in the parallel world.
A semi-rare red block with a !? symbol. Hitting it gives Mario the Unfurl ability for 20 seconds: while active, he gains a shiny foil texture, can instantly defeat enemies with First Strikes, and can transform objects with an Unfurl Mark.
Yoshi, who is initially invisible. "It" is captured by a Shady Sledge Bro and his group near the Dark Bloo Inn, and must be returned to its Tea Party Toad owner.
A permit required to climb Daffodil Peak and find the Mountain Sage. Mario must cheer up the park ranger by repainting his cabin in order to get the Mountain Climbing Permit.
A mystery is afoot on Prism Island and only Mario™ can solve it——by restoring the land's vanishing colors with his new Paint Hammer. Puzzling battles await, but never fear; there's always a clever way to dish out the powerful Battle Cards up his sleeve. These fresh layers of strategy make this one of the most action-packed Paper Mario™ adventures ever!
It all begins when Mario receives an odd letter in the mail and heads for the unknown in a small boat. What he finds is a series of hilariously mysterious moments, each a clue that inches him closer to answering the riddle of Prism Island. To restore its former glory, he must first rescue the Big Paint Stars. Luckily, Mario's new companion Huey has granted him the power of paint, which can be used to recolor the exotic locales he'll hit up on his journey. Examine environments for clues, revive color-drained Toads, and even participate in strange events like the game show "Whifit or Snifit." Whatever it takes to make a splash on Prism Island!
In the American Spanish version of the game, one of the battle quotes for any red Shy Guy swinging on a trapeze at Mossrock Theater improperly refers to the Emerald Circus as the "greatest show" in Port Prisma. Most other interlanguage versions of the same battle quote properly refer to the entirety of Prism Island instead.
Concept art showing Decalburg and an unused location.
The inside of the unused location.
The game features a concept art gallery where concept art is gradually unlocked by donating Battle Cards to the museum. The concept art allows players to see how the characters, objects, and settings were gradually changed during development. It also reveals two locations that were cut from the game.
The first location is the east side of Decalburg from the previous game, that would have featured new objects including postboxes, differently placed Coins and ? Blocks and, most importantly, a river with sewage pipes, that would have been possible to cross using a bridge to reach an area not present in Paper Mario: Sticker Star. The second one is an unused location similar to a temple in a mountainous area of a rocky desert, that would have featured blue torches and at least three buildings connected by staircases and bridges. Many warp pipes would have been present as well, as in the concept art five of them can be observed, of which four are in a row.
The unused location on the inside would have featured blue torches, cacti, sandfalls, broken walls allowing light to enter, drawings of a Coin, a mushroom, and a star on the walls, very high pillars, bridges made of sand blocks, and spiked pits, thus making it similar to Kiwano Temple, suggesting, along with the rocky desert setting, that this unused location might have been a preliminary version of said location.
To promote the game, a series of videos about the Rescue Squad was produced called Rescue V: Fearless Color Defenders. The series revolves around the Rescue Squad trying to convince the listeners that the Rescue Squad were the real protagonists of the game, as according to them, they did all the hard work. The series has seven episodes total and each episode shows the parts of the game involving each color of the Rescue Squad. At the end of the last episode, the Chief fires the Rescue Squad leaders.
Upon being shown at the March 3, 2016 Nintendo Direct, Paper Mario: Color Splash received negative reception from some fans, the main complaint focusing around the game's similarities to Paper Mario: Sticker Star. Within hours of the game's reveal, a petition on Change.org ordered the game to be canceled, which TechRadar described as "a frightening example of how quickly, and harshly, we judge games we know next to nothing about."[4]
Despite this, the game received generally positive reviews at release. Most critics praised the game's art direction and humorous writing, though the lack of original characters and still-simplistic storyline were points of contention. In addition, while several reviewers noted gameplay improvements from Paper Mario: Sticker Star, some elements still drew criticism, such as the battle system and linear level design.
Terri Schwartz from IGN gave the game a 7.3/10, praising the game for balancing the battles and paint demands while also admitting it "could have benefited from more than one card shop (at the main hub of Port Prisma) and more readily available save blocks throughout the levels."[5] Ben Reeves from GameInformer gave it an 8.5/10, praising the game for its beautiful visuals and funny dialogue. He, however, said that the battle system was overly simple and that it "felt aimless with few far-reaching character goals."[6] Matt West from NintendoWorldReport gave the game a 9/10, praising the combat system for being strategic with the paint supply, while also praising the game's soundtrack and visuals. While he did say that the overabundance of Toads made the NPCs feel "same-y," he noted that those were "minor complaints in an otherwise excellent package."[7]
Miguel Concepcion from GameSpot gave the game a 7/10, praising the game's visuals and that its dialogue is a vast improvement over the previous Mario RPGs. However, they criticized the Cutout ability for being difficult to know when to use, and that it "can leave one stumped, disrupting the game's pacing and enjoyment of levels considerably."[8] Alex Jones from GamesRadar+ also gave it a 7/10, saying that while backtracking was a recurring theme and that the battle system was cumbersome, he also said the dialogue was superb and the presentation was carefully crafted. He ended by saying it is one of "one of the most heartwarming games you’ll play this year."[9] CJ Andriessen from Destructoid gave the game a higher rating, at 8.5/10. They praised the game for its rich storytelling, varied soundtrack, and beautiful visuals. Additionally, they noted that while the world map and battle system made the game feel slow at times, they said "the rewards you receive for stomping and smashing the familiar crop of Mario baddies are actually useful."[10]
Conversely, Dan Ryckert from Giant Bomb gave the game a 40/100, criticizing the game for having a tedious battle system that ruined the game's otherwise enjoyable gameplay. He noted that the fights made it easy to waste cards on almost defeated enemies, that strong cards can often be taken from the player without warning, and that he "never once felt like any of the standard fights were doing anything to progress the story or my character’s abilities."[11]
"Paper Mario: Color Splash is a step in the right direction for the series after the 3DS's Paper Mario: Sticker Star, continuing its shift from RPG to action-adventure game while also introducing some smart changes to its battle system. The beautiful Wii U graphics and playful humor stay true to the spirit of the Paper Mario franchise, but the story is straightforward and a bit bland. Inventive level design in the second act offers some much needed diversity to some of Color Splash's otherwise linear gameplay before the disappointing third act regresses into simple and uninteresting battles. Though Color Splash still isn't back to the high points of thefirstthree games in the Paper Mario series, it's a strong step in the right direction."
"At its most imaginative, Color Splash's visual gags and thoughtful manipulation of 2D objects rival any "wow" moment from Sony's Tearaway games. What Color Splash lacks in moment-to-moment paper tricks, it more than makes up for in persistent visual appeal and a wholly adorable cast, including antagonists from all pay grades. Its only frustrating feature is its Cutout interface, which can leave one stumped, disrupting the game's pacing and enjoyment of levels considerably. The novelty of the paint splashing doesn't grow tiresome, but it does take a backseat to the visual allure for which the series is known. Color Splash makes a solid case for a Paper Mario sequel that doesn’t need to rely on shtick like stickers or paint, though I won't be surprised if Nintendo's considering using crayons in the future."
"Color Splash's RPG elements might be paper thin, but fans of the series won't be disappointed with this latest adventure. While the game's combat isn't much deeper than Mario’s paper-thin body, this plumber's antics and colorful world are worth the price of admission."
"If you didn't like Paper Mario: Sticker Star because it wasn't like the first two games in the series, I don't think you'll be satisfied here. For everyone else willing to give it a chance, Paper Mario: Color Splash is a charming journey that will delight your senses, your funny bone, and the part of your brain that houses your nostalgic feelings towards Nintendo."
"Color Splash presents a beautifully crafted paper and cardboard world, populated by witty paper Toads and existential minions. Though it's got its share of backtracking and battle system quirks, the new painting mechanics are satisfying, and the mini-story arcs are almost creative and clever enough to make you forget that your princess is (yet again) in another castle."
In its opening week - October 10 through 16, 2016 - Paper Mario: Color Splash sold 20,894 copies in Japan.[12]
It left the top 20 after the week of October 31 with 37,093 copies sold.[13] Famitsu reported the game as selling a total of 65,316 copies over its entire lifetime in Japan, making it one of the lowest-selling retail Mario games in the country.[14]
Huey turns himself into a Battle Card to help Mario defeat Bowser, similar to how Kersti sacrificed herself by turning into a sticker during the final boss in Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
Bowser returns as the main antagonist like he was in Paper Mario and Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
Also, the black paint controls Bowser and makes him more powerful, much like the Royal Sticker in Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
There is a level in which Mario must go on a game show.
Snifit or Whiffit returns from Paper Mario: Sticker Star with new games involving Battle Cards.
Mini Paint Stars function like the Comet Pieces from Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
Battle Cards replace stickers.
Jumps, Hammers, their Worn-Out variants, Line Jumps, Hopslippers, Iron Jumps, Eekhammers, Hurlhammers, Blazehammers, Fire Flowers, Ice Flowers, POW Blocks, Mushrooms, Tails, Spike Helmets, and Frog Suits all return from Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
Things from Paper Mario: Sticker Star return, including the Fan, Cat-o-Luck, Basin, Lightbulb, and the Hair Dryer, along with the Teapot, although it has a different appearance.
Like in Paper Mario: Sticker Star, Luigi can be found hiding in some levels.
Like the previous home console installments of the Paper Mario series, the game starts at the Mario Bros.' House.
Much like Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Super Paper Mario, there is a generic enemy character named Johnson. In the former games' cases, he was an X-Naut and a Koopa Troopa respectively, whereas in this game, Johnson is a Shy Guy.
Bowser's castle floats, like it does in Paper Mario and Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
A parade takes place during the ending credits, just like in Paper Mario and Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
Differences from the other Paper Mario games[edit]
Lakitus are completely absent from this game, though they are mentioned by Luigi.
When fought, enemies say phrases to provoke Mario.
Parakarry makes no appearance in any form and is not mentioned in any version either.
As a result, this is the first game to not reference a partner from a previous game in any version.
A giant Blooper does not appear as a boss or mini boss.
There is no story-related recurring mini boss.
The HP of enemies cannot be seen and has been replaced by the color of the enemy draining, showing how much HP it has left.
The amount of damage inflicted on enemies can also not be seen.
There are no individual save files.
Players can only remove save data through the settings.
When Mario hits a Save Block, the game does not ask the player if they want to save, instead automatically saving the game by default.
The heads-up display (Heart Points and coins, and the Paint Meter in this case) no longer disappears after a short time when Mario does not collect anything or is hurt.
When Mario collects a coin, the counter only bounces slightly instead of flashing three times.
When Mario collects a Big Paint Star, his maximum HP increases by 25 points. Comparatively, in previous Paper Mario games, Mario's health only increased by 5 points at a time (either after leveling up or collecting an HP-Up Heart).
Unlike in Paper Mario: Sticker Star, where several Things can be used for the same puzzle, only one set Thing is required to change a level.
When getting a Perfect Bonus, it is no longer based on clearing the battle in one turn without taking damage, but rather not sustaining damage throughout the entire battle.
Characters and enemies in this game have a more papery appearance than in the rest of the Paper Mario series. They have a white outline, similar to Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, and they have no shading on their colors.
This is the first Paper Mario game where Boos are enemies, but no Big Boo variations are present.
This is the only Paper Mario game to have only one shop, which gets updated throughout the game; other games have multiple shops found in different areas.
This is the first Paper Mario game to contain an unlockable post-credits scene.
Super Mario Bros.: The Goal Pole makes an appearance in both the 8-bit sprite from this game which appears in Green Energy Plant and in Black Bowser's Castle. The Springboard uses this game's sprite in Green Energy Plant as well. A Toad in the audience of Emerald Circus throws the Super Mushroom sprite from this game and Mario uses his idle based on his sprite while he grows.
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels: When Huey realizes that the red Mini Paint Star in Ruddy Road has lost most of its color, he exclaims, "What in The Lost Levels is going on here?"
Super Mario Bros. 3: The Angry Sun is mentioned by one of the Five Fun Guys during Toad and Go Seek, and again by the Roshambo announcer while introducing Green Pokey. The Green Energy Plant is based on this game. When accessing the level, the soundtrack during normal gameplay is taken directly from the NES game, although flipping to 3D mode has it play a slightly orchestral cover. When Mario and Huey confront Larry on top of the train and the latter explains his motives, he makes clear he is doing his actions regarding hijacking the train to get the orange Big Paint Star solely to make sure Bowser isn't upset otherwise, which is what Larry stated in the Japanese manual for the game. The Recorder from this game (which, in turn, is from the original The Legend of Zelda game) appears as its 8-bit sprite in Green Energy Plant and can be squeezed into a more realistic-looking Thing Card; when used, the original notes are played by the flute itself, and it has the same effect of summoning a whirlwind, while three other flutes play the "Coin Heaven" theme in the background. Additionally, to board the airship, Mario hangs on an anchor, similar to how he did in this game. The Shy Guy Stack in Cherry Lake, upon seeing Mario, says, "HA! It looks like your upper lip found a Tanooki Suit!" Peach also uses Holo-Peachs to send Mario tips during the game after beating the various Koopalings, similar to her letters from Super Mario Bros. 3. Also, like in that game, she'll be unable to send a message to Mario after all objectives have been completed, although for different reasons (in Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser sends a letter in her stead stating he kidnapped her again. In Color Splash, her message is cut off via Black Bowser draining her color off-screen).
Dr. Mario series: After talking to the injured Purple Rescue Squad member on Daffodil Peak, if the player talks to Huey before helping the Toad, he'll mention Mario part-timing as a doctor.
Paper Mario: The jingle played when collecting a Big Paint Star is remixed from the first few notes of this game's opening theme.
Luigi's Mansion series: One of the Toads in Dark Bloo Inn references Luigi's role in these games, noting that he has dealt with paranormal activity before.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: The running gag that originated from this game in which an implied grunt character is referred to as Johnson returns after being absent from Sticker Star. Additionally, Port Prisma has an almost identical layout to Rogueport, with a staircase leading to the square where the major collectibles of the game are put in place in Prisma Fountain, like in Rogueport Sewers. In addition, Peach sends messages to Mario like in that game, and was ultimately responsible for getting him to the main area of the game in the first place, and late into the game, she also has her message cut off due to interference from the primary antagonist. The Hero's Journal looks similar to Goombella's Tattle Log.
Super Paper Mario: Mario can use flip in the Super Mario Bros. 3 part of Green Energy Plant in a similar way to this game.
Mario Party 8: The Five Fun Guys troupe name originates from the Mario and Toad team name featured in this game.[15]
Paper Mario: Sticker Star: Many of this game's elements and physics return. Photographs of the Yoshi Sphinx, a location in World 2, and Hither Thither Hill can be seen on the left wall in Dark Bloo Inn's lobby. Also, sound effects from this game are recycled. The music for Bowser's introduction is also the same music used for his introduction from the same game. When Mario gets a Big Paint Star, the music that plays when the area's color is restored is the same theme that plays when the flashbacks explaining how each of the bosses in that game got their respective Royal Stickers. Also, there are plenty of music tracks from this game that are remixed. The Koopalings' introduction themes were also taken from the Warning themes for the "Sticker Star" boss introductions. Snifit or Whiffit is also taken from this game as well. The fight against Wendy is a music-based fight similar to the Gooper Blooper battle in this game. Huey turning into a battle card mirrors Kersti turning into a sticker.
Mario Kart series: Luigi appears driving a Standard Kart modeled after the ones from Mario Kart 8. Additionally, the "Luigi's death stare" meme, which originated from that game, is referenced. Also, the title theme and the countdown timer to begin racing are taken from this game as well. Rainbow Road appears in the game and the music of that course is a remix from Mario Kart 64. When Luigi decides to floor it to rush to the castle despite its creepy appearance, he states that they should be careful because Lakitu will not save them this time around, alluding to how various characters in the Mario Kart series, if caught in various hazards (falling into water, quicksand, lava, or bottomless pits), are fished out by Lakitu and brought back onto the main course. After being beaten, Bowser asks Mario if he's at Black Bowser's Castle because they have a kart race scheduled for the day, referencing the Bowser's Castle tracks in the series. Just before leaving Black Bowser's Castle in the ending, Luigi reassures Mario that Huey is alright, mentioning that he fell off Rainbow Road lots of times, alluding to the difficulty of the courses in the game.
New Super Mario Bros. U: Similar to the ending of this game, the Koopalings and Bowser's last appearance before the credits was them and their already damaged airship crash landing. Unlike in this game, however, it crashing was not Bowser's fault, as it got hit by a stray firework. Morton Koopa Jr. has his Hammer (based on Mario's) and Roy Koopa has his Bill Blaster for their respective fights.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker: Draggadon makes his paper debut. After using the Basin Thing in Redpepper Volcano, a bump comes out of its head, just like in this game after a rock falls on it. Also, when this happens, Mario can ride Draggadon as Captain Toad does in this game. One of the yellow Rescue Squad members says they used "sophisticated Toad treasure-tracking technology" to track a stolen bone from Marmalade Valley to The Golden Coliseum.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam: Enemies can sometimes appear in stacks, just as the paper enemies do in this game. Also, the Koopalings have their first paper appearances, after it being foreshadowed by Roy and Wendy in this game.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey: In Bowser Jr.'s Journey, having Morton Koopa Jr. as a First Officer in the player's team changes the team's name to "More Tons", a phrase Morton uses in several of his dialogues in Paper Mario: Color Splash.
Paper Mario: The Origami King: This game runs on a similar graphic engine, with many character appearances and text box sound effects being reused. A Shy Guy with a straw appears in Shogun Studios. The music for Fortune Island plays when Mario meets Captain T. Ode. An image of Princess Peach's appearance from this game appears in The Princess Peach alongside images of her other appearances in the series.
The seven main colors on which the game is based (red, yellow, and blue as the primary colors; violet, orange, and green as the secondary colors; and black as the tertiary color) are actually the colors of the Koopalings' Magic Wands, first introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3 in 1988.
In some English-speaking countries (e.g. the United Kingdom and Australia), the correct spelling for color is "colour". Despite this, the title was not changed outside of the Americas to reflect this difference.
- Everyone
- Three years and older
- All ages
- General
- All ages
- All ages
Optical disc
Digital download
Main Theme - The music that plays on the title screen.
