Paper Mario (series)

The Paper Mario series is one of the many sub-series of the Mario series. Only three games have been released in this series: Paper Mario, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, and Super Paper Mario, with an upcoming fourth game. All of the games in the series are RPGs with platforming elements, except for Super Paper Mario, which was a sidescroller that did not have RPG battles, but retained similar elements. The three games have been released on separate consoles, The Nintendo 64, the GameCube, and the Wii, with the fourth game to be released on the Nintendo 3DS.

Trivia

 * In all three games, Bowser is fought at least once, with the more times he is fought, he gets harder to beat. His increased power when fought for the first time in the Glitz Pit in The Thousand-Year Door could be a result of prolonged exposure to the Star Rod's powers, or it could simply be due to the fact that Bowser is powerful enough without the Star Rod.
 * Bowser has a heroic role in Super Paper Mario, as he joins Mario's team only because Peach asks him to. He is only doing it because if Count Bleck destroyed the worlds, there would be no Mushroom Kingdom for Bowser to rule.
 * This is similar to his heroic role in the Mario & Luigi Series, as in all three games, he is allied with the Mario Bros. in some way. In Superstar Saga, he allies himself with the Mario Bros. only to stop Cackletta from stealing Peach's voice and awaken the Bean Star (only so he can use the Bean Star in his own selfish ways).  In Partners in Time, his baby self is allied with the Mario Bros. of past and present to save the Mushroom Kingdom (only so Baby Bowser can seize the kingdom for himself).  And in Bowser's Inside Story, he unknowingly allies himself with Mario and Luigi in an effort to destroy Fawful.  It is also similar to his TEMPORARY heroic role in Super Mario RPG:  Legend of the Seven Stars, where he accompanied Mario and his allies to stop Smithy and retake his castle.  However, most of the time, it's only so he can capture Peach in which in Bowser's Inside Story, he almost did, but Fawful's "last-ditch explosion" saved the princess.
 * Unlike most Mario Games, in Super Paper Mario, Bowser got his way and got married to Peach (although it was not legal) and got the 8 Pure Hearts just as Mario, Luigi, and Peach did. He also got his way at the end as he got to have a big meal which he somehow wanted all day (no doubt he had cake for dessert, too).
 * The Mario & Luigi Series could very well be a continuation of the Paper Mario Series, as both have some similar qualities:
 * Almost or all the games in both series have battles that are played out in a stage-like style with each side taking turns (the only exception is Super Paper Mario).
 * Both have the main character learn Special Moves.
 * Both have the main character get partnered up with at least one person.
 * Both use save blocks to save the player's progress.
 * Both have Bowser being fought at least once.
 * Both use maps to help the player with his/her missions (the only exception is once again Super Paper Mario, as it recaps the levels the player did).
 * Both have a sort of "tutorial" character who, in some way, aids the player with moves and badges.
 * Both have badges.
 * Both include Peach being kidnapped in some way and Mario having to rescue the entire Mushroom Planet.
 * Finally, both have Mario set on strange adventures most away from the Mushroom Kingdom.