Paper Mario: Sticker Star

Paper Mario: Sticker Star (known as Paper Mario: Super Seal in Japan) is an upcoming RPG for the Nintendo 3DS developed by Intelligent Systems. It is set to be released in North America on November 11, Japan on December 6, Europe on December 7, and Australia on December 8, 2012. As the fourth installment in the Paper Mario series, it is the first Paper Mario title to be released for a handheld console. It is named after the artifact of the same name.

Storyline
The story starts during the night of the annual holiday, the Sticker Fest, where the citizens come to witness the Sticker Comet fly by in the sky. It is said that the Sticker Comet will actually make wishes come true. Princess Peach, on stage, shows the audience (which consists of Mario and a myriad of Toads) the comet as it floats down to the scene. Suddenly, Bowser and his troops appear and crash the festivities. Out of want for the comet, Bowser decides to take it as his own, while Goombas and Koopa Troopas applaud. Three Toads attempt to pull Bowser away but inadvertently have him crash into the Sticker Comet, breaking it into six pieces and sprawling them across the Mushroom Kingdom. One of them happens to fall on Bowser’s head making him more powerful, and unleashes a tornado which scares away the Toads. A furious Mario tries to attack him, but is overpowered and later wakes up with the Sticker Fest in a disaster, Toads stuck to Bowser stickers, and Princess Peach missing. After regaining conciousness, Mario meets Kersti, a sticker fairy and the caretaker of the Royal Stickers. At first, she blames Mario for touching the Sticker Comet and causing the destruction of the Sticker Fest, as she tells him that a Sticker Comet must never, ever be touched. Mario tries to explain that it was Bowser for touching the comet, but Kersti takes this as a cowardly excuse of him at first. Mario then suggests that he'll help Kersti get the Royal Stickers back, with Kersti finally agreeing with him. It's now Mario's goal to retrieve the 6 Royal Stickers that have spread across the land and rescue Princess Peach and the Toads from Bowser, who is also aided by Bowser Jr. and Kamek.

Nintendo eShop Description
Launching this holiday, this classic action role-playing franchise gets a fresh 3D look in its hand-held debut as Mario uses stickers found in the game to win battles and solve puzzles.

Gameplay
After forgoing the classic battle system in favor of a sidescrolling platformer-style system in Super Paper Mario, Paper Mario: Sticker Star returns to the turn-based system from the first two installments. However, players will have to gather stickers, which in addition to be needed to solve puzzles to advance through the game, they also needed for battle commands. Stickers are a major part of the gameplay and storyline. Some objects appear in the form of stickers, and they will also have the ability to give power ups to Mario, such as the Frog Suit. They can also be used to overcome obstacles. Various real-world objects also appear and after being turned to stickers in Decalburg, they can be used in battle or in the overworld (e.g, a Fan sticker can be used in World 1-2 to gain entrance to a windmill). Instead levelling up from experience points in the previous installments, Mario must solve problems (one example is that a Toad in World 1-2 has a ruined flower bed, thanks to the aforementioned fan, but can be solved using Kersti's 'Paperization' ability (which is another new feature) and three of Mario's attack flowers) and will be rewarded with an HP Up Heart. Stickers also appears to replace Badges from the first two installments in the series. A new feature include a "Battle Spinner" slot machine, which is similar to Bingo! in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door; it allows Mario to get set of extra stickers or coins.

Protagonists

 * Mario

Supporters

 * Toads
 * Princess Peach
 * Luigi

Enemies

 * Goomba
 * Shiny Goomba
 * Paper-Cone Goomba
 * 2-Fold Goomba
 * Pokey
 * Paragoomba
 * 5-Fold Paragoomba
 * Koopa Troopa
 * Koopa Paratroopa
 * Shiny Koopa Paratroopa
 * Dry Bones
 * Piranha Plant
 * Hammer Bro.
 * Boomerang Bro.
 * Fire Bro.
 * Ice Bro.
 * Magikoopa
 * Buzzy Beetle
 * Spiny
 * Swooper
 * Bob-omb
 * Para-bomb
 * Spike
 * Snow Spike
 * Whomp
 * Shy Guy
 * Snifit
 * Spear Guy
 * Clip Guy
 * Mariachi Guys
 * Accordion Guy
 * Sombrero Guy
 * Maraca Guy
 * Fuzzy
 * Boo
 * Ninji
 * Scuttlebug
 * Purple Blooper
 * Mural Goomba
 * Mural Koopa

Mini-Bosses

 * Big Buzzy Beetle
 * Mega Cheep-Cheep
 * Bowser Jr.
 * Kamek

Main Bosses

 * Megasparkle Goomba
 * Tower Power Pokey
 * Unnamed crowned Monty Mole
 * Gooper Blooper
 * Bowser

Partners
Partners work differently in Sticker Star, only being used one time to solve certain puzzles and not in battle. The only true partner is Kersti, and partner attacks have been removed entirely in favor of stickers; i.e. Shell Toss has been replaced by a Koopa Shell sticker.
 * Kersti

Traveling Partners

 * A Chain Chomp
 * A Green Toad
 * A group of Toads

Fighting Partners

 * Green Koopa
 * Red Koopa
 * A Bob-omb

Other

 * Wiggler
 * Cheep Chomp
 * Whomp
 * Snifit
 * Boo
 * Blooper
 * Lakitu
 * Birdo

Items

 * Question Block
 * Brick Blocks
 * Coin Blocks
 * Coins
 * Large Coins
 * 10 Gold Coins
 * Recovery Block
 * Save Block
 * Warp Pipe
 * Sticker Album
 * HP-Up Heart

Objects

 * Fan
 * Cat-o-Luck
 * Scissors
 * Tap
 * Trumpet
 * Radio
 * Stop Watch
 * Car Sponge
 * Office Pins
 * Goat
 * Vacuum Cleaner
 * Baseball Bat
 * Soda/Pop
 * Cell Phone
 * Bowling Ball
 * High Heel
 * Lighter Box
 * Light Bulb
 * Bed
 * Car Battery
 * Shuriken
 * Drill

Attacks

 * Jump -- This attack allows Mario to continuously jump on an enemy until he misses an Action Command. If Mario jumps on a spiked enemy, Mario will lose HP.
 * Power Bounce
 * Multibounce
 * Line Jump -- This attack allows Mario to jump in a row of enemies on and on until he misses and action command.
 * Shiny Jump
 * Flashy Jump
 * Iron Jump -- Allows Mario to inflict more damage to enemies as well as jump on spiked enemies without losing HP.
 * Worn-Out Jump
 * Unknown triple Boots
 * Hopslipper
 * Unnamed Red Boot
 * Big Shiny Jump
 * Hammer
 * Shiny Hammer
 * Eekhammer
 * Slaphammer
 * Shiny Slaphammer
 * Hurlhammer
 * Burnhammer
 * Megaflash Hammer (Japanese: メガキラハンマー, Mega Kira Hammer)
 * Worn-Out Hammer
 * Baahammer
 * Bubble hammer
 * Items
 * Mushroom
 * Poison Mushroom
 * Fire Flower
 * Ice Flower
 * Shiny Fire Flower
 * Shiny Ice Flower
 * POW Block
 * Mystery Box
 * Frog Suit (Japanese: カエルシール, Frog Seal) -- This sticker allows Mario to don the Frog Suit Sticker on his head. It then grants him the ability to increase his airtime, which makes it easier to avoid enemy attacks.
 * Spike Helmet, Japanese name トゲぼうし, which means "spiny hat".
 * Koopa Shell
 * Red Shell
 * Super Leaf
 * Unknown Door
 * Shiny Goomba
 * Goomba's Shoe
 * Orange flip-flop with Bowser's emblem
 * Bob-omb
 * Sombrero
 * Spike Ball-- This attack allows Mario to throw a spiked ball from Spike at a single enemy.
 * Unknown bubble (Possibly a snowball)
 * Bomb

Obstacles

 * Podoboo
 * Stickers which must be pulled off by pressing . "Bowser" is written on it and it has Bowser's emblem. Pull it off to find hidden Stickers/Areas. It should be noted that it is similar to the paper that can be blown off by Flurrie in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.

Confirmed Locations
Unlike previous instalments, the game has a level progression system, similar to the platformer games. Along with that is a world map, similar to the main series, as well as a throwback to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars' overworld map.


 * Decalburg, the main town. It is the smallest town in a Paper Mario game.
 * A sticker shop.
 * A sticker museum that can be filled in during the game. A reward is offered to Mario if every sticker has been collected.
 * A stand owned by a Toad, where the player can turn things into stickers.
 * A first set of worlds/areas:
 * World 1: An area full of grassy plains and high stone mountains similar to World 1 and World 6 from the New Super Mario Bros. games.
 * W1-1: Warm Fuzzy Plains, a grass plain, with mountains in the background. Bowser Jr. is first encountered here.
 * W1-2: Bouquet Gardens, Another simple grassy area with a strong wind caused by a fan. This fan can be found here to help gain access into the windmill found in W1-4. A puzzle involving a Toad with a flower bed can also be found here.
 * W1-3: Water's Edge Way, a grassy area with a stream and a waterfall. Kamek is first encountered here.
 * W1-4: Hither Thither Hill, a hill where a giant windmill is. There is a Green Toad that Mario must guide back to Decalburg. A secret exit can be found here, skipping World 1-5. A cave area is also found here.
 * W1-5: Whammino Mountain, A mountain where Mario finds a dry tree.
 * W1-6: Goomba's Fortress, a castle with a bridge and Para-Bombs falling from the sky. It's also where the Megasparkle Goomba is fought and the first Royal Sticker is collected.
 * World 2: A desert with pyramids. A door at the beginning must be opened via entering 'Paperization' mode and using six stickers as 'keys' in order to enter the desert (a possible reference to Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins).
 * W2-1: Drybake Desert, the first part of the desert, which introduces enemies like Para-Goombas, Pokeys and Sombrero Guys. The setting of W2-2 can be seen in the background. The stage ends with a pyramid that has the Goal Star on top.
 * W2-2: Yoshi Sphinx, a sphinx which resembles a Yoshi with a treasure chest on its tongue. Mario battles a 'Paratroopa Air Squadron' here.
 * W2-3: Sandshifter Ruins, An ancient ruins found in the desert.
 * W2-4: Damp Oasis, Both a desert area caught in a strong sandstorm and a house next to a oasis. The use of the faucet near a giant jug of water can restore the oasis, as the sandstorm caused it to dry out, and the use of the vacuum cleaner can get rid of the tornado that caused the sandstorm.
 * W2-5: Sandbake Stadium, a coliseum within the desert where a Giant Pokey wearing the second Royal Sticker is fought.
 * World 3: A dark dense forest area. A sleeping Wiggler blocks the path until it is woken up.
 * W3-1: Leaflitter Path
 * W3-2: The Bafflewood
 * W3-3: Wiggler's Tree House : Mario must find a Wiggler's segments to clear this level.
 * W3-4: Strike Lake
 * W3-5: Loop Loop River
 * W3-6: Outlook Point
 * W3-7: Scuttlebug Burrow
 * W3-8: Tree Branch Trail
 * W3-9: Gauntlet Pond
 * W3-10: Stump Glade
 * W3-11: Holey Thicket
 * W3-12: Whitecap Beach


 * Surfshine Harbor: A small pier outside of Decalburg . A boat found here can be used to reach a second set of worlds:
 * World 4: A snowy world, just north of World 3.
 * A snowy mountain inhabited by Snow Spikes.
 * A snow plains similar to Shiver Mountain from Paper Mario, or World 3 of New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
 * A snowy area with a Snifit.
 * World 5: A jungle inhabited by Spear Guys
 * A river where Mario can use a raft. A Cheep Chomp inhabits this place.
 * World 6: A volcanic area similar to Barrel Volcano or Mt. Lavalava.
 * An area with rising lava and hexagonal rocks.
 * A passage where lava arcs are found.
 * A lava pool with moving platforms.
 * A wooden tower resembling a Ghost House.
 * A castle inhabited by Goombas and a Whomp.
 * A maze made out of giant playing cards.
 * A quiz show with a Snifit as the host.

Critical Reception
The game has recieved mixed reviews. 1UP gave the game an A- grade, Gamesradar gave the game 4.5/5, Game Informer gave the game 8.75/5, IGN gave the game 8.3/10, Modojo gave the game 4/5, Nintendo Life gave the game 8/10, Digital Chumps gave the game 7.6/10 and Venture Beat gave the game 68/100 (68%). However, GameXplain gave the game 2 stars out of 5.

Nintendo Life gave the game 8/10.

Most criticised the game for straying too far from the rest of the series, but praised its graphic style.

Trivia

 * This is the first Paper Mario title to not start at Mario's House.
 * This is the first Mario RPG since Paper Mario to have Bowser as the main villain and not an ally, a minor foe or a penultimate boss.
 * Whenever a new character is introduced, the game pauses to show the player their name, not unlike Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
 * From its release for download onto the Nintendo eShop until January 13, 2013, Club Nintendo members in North America who download Paper Mario: Sticker Star and register it on Club Nintendo will also receive Donkey Kong: Original Edition for free.