Basin (Thing)

The Basin is a Thing in Paper Mario: Sticker Star and Paper Mario: Color Splash. In Japanese culture, basins and other similar objects are dropped onto heads as a comedic gag; the Super Mario franchise also uses a similar joke in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam if Luigi attempts to leave the attic at the beginning of the game.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star


In Paper Mario: Sticker Star, the Basin is found behind the Secret Door in Rugged Road. It remains in Mario's Album until it is turned into a sticker at a Sling-a-Thing station. Once it has been used as a sticker, it returns to its original position. It can also be purchased from the Shady Toad for 150 coins and sold as a sticker for 20 coins.

The basin is a medium-sized sticker, taking up 1.5×1.5 squares in Mario's album. When it is used in battle, as with the Square Can and Drum, Mario tilts his head up to the sky as the basin's shadow covers the enemies. After a moment, it falls on them, inflicting some damage. The player may press as it collides with the enemies to increase the damage.

The basin can also be placed into the Sticker Museum as #21, alongside the other "crush"-based Things. Its basic description notes its outdated use and overall gratitude for modern plumbing. Its museum description identifies it as an expensive solar hot tub made useless by the fact that everyone is made of paper.

Paper Mario: Color Splash
In Paper Mario: Color Splash, the Basin is found within Fort Cobalt. It hangs above one of the fences and drops onto Mario if its fence is hit with Mario's hammer, causing 40 points of damage and giving him a large bump on his head. Once the Basin has been picked up, it is wrung out, refills Mario's paint, and become a colorless card. Once it has been used as a card, it returns to its original position. It can also be purchased from the Wringer for 300 coins and sold as an unpainted card for 1 coin. A replica version of the Basin can be collected from the Battle Spin.

When it is used in battle, the battle area transitions to a field where Mario looks up and ducks. The camera zooms in on the enemies as the Basin crushes them and bounces offscreen. The player can press as the Basin crushes the enemies to deal more damage.

The Basin is needed to progress in Redpepper Volcano. After being chased by the Draggadon, Mario must use Cutout to make space for the Basin card. It drops on top of the Draggadon and leaves a large bump on its head. Mario can then use the Magma Burger on a Fishing Pole to control it around the volcano.

The Basin can also be placed into the Prisma Museum, where it can be tested.

Paper Mario: The Origami King
The Basin returns in Paper Mario: The Origami King, although not as a collectible item. When Mario attempts to retrieve an Orb from Diamond Island's Trial of Courage, he must release a rope connected to this an object and let it fall until it is below a specified threshold. The first two rooms of this trial use the Basin as the object of choice, albeit sporting a gray coloration and no longer giving Mario a comedic bump when struck on the head.