Paper Mario

Paper Mario, known as Mario Story (マリオストーリー Mario Sutōrī) in Japan, is an action-adventure RPG video game for the Nintendo 64 released on August 11, 2000 in Japan, February 5, 2001 in North America, October 5, 2001 in Europe and Australia, and for the iQue Player on June 8, 2004. It was also released for the Virtual Console on July 10, 2007 in Japan, July 13, 2007 in Europe and Australia, and on July 16, 2007 in North America. It was also released on the Virtual Console for the Wii U in North America on April 30, 2015, May 21, 2015 in Europe, May 22, 2015 in Australia, and July 15, 2015 in Japan.

It was originally in development for the Nintendo 64DD. Originally a sequel to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, the game would instead become the first installment launching the Paper Mario category of games for the Mario series overall.

Storyline
The story, from the instruction booklet:

Story: Once Upon a Mushroom Far, far away beyond the sky, way above the clouds, it's been said that there was a haven where the Stars lived. In the sanctuary of Star Haven there rested a fabled treasure called the Star Rod, which had the power to grant all wishes. Using this wondrous Star Rod, the seven revered Star Spirits watched over our peaceful world carefully...very carefully. Then one day, a terrible thing happened... The evil King Bowser appeared in Star Haven and stole the Star Rod! Using its incredible power he quickly imprisoned the seven Star Spirits! Completely unaware of the trouble in far-off Star Haven, Mario was back home in the Mushroom Kingdom, eagerly reading a letter from Princess Peach. It was an invitation to a party at the castle! With much anticipation, he and his brother Luigi set off for the party, oblivious to the chaos that lay ahead...

Opening: The Stolen Star Rod
The story opens with a place that lies far beyond the sky and far above the clouds, called Star Haven. Within the sanctuary of Star Haven lies the Star Rod, which can grant any and all wishes. The seven Star Spirits use this artifact to watch over and protect Mushroom Kingdom. Until one day, Kammy Koopa uses her magic to teleport herself and Bowser into the sanctuary and, using his fire-breath, Bowser shatters the protective seal over the Star Rod and grabs it, in hopes of using its power to defeat Mario. Kammy Koopa then traps all of the Star Spirits inside cards, then leaves.

Prologue: A Plea from the Stars
The game begins at Mario's house. Parakarry delivers some mail and Luigi reads it. Princess Peach has invited Mario and Luigi to her castle for a party. Mario and Luigi go to the castle where everything is fine until Bowser and Kammy Koopa use their own castle to steal Peach's. The two castles are taken up into the air and Mario fights Bowser, but Bowser uses the Star Rod to make himself invincible. Bowser then defeats Mario. After his defeat, Mario is then knocked out of the window by Bowser and lands in Goomba Village. Peach is horrified to see this, but Kammy orders a pair of Koopatrols to nab her.

At Goomba Village, a family of Goombas rescue Mario. Eldstar tells him in a dream to go to Shooting Star Summit. Kammy Koopa finds out that Mario is still alive and blocks his way with a huge block. Goompapa tells Mario to get a hammer from Goompa. After they fall off of a broken veranda, they find the Hammer in a bush, get in a fight with a small and very persistent Koopa named Jr. Troopa, and return to the village. Goompa then allows Goombario, one of the members of the Goomba family, to go with Mario on his adventure. Mario and Goombario find the Goomba King along the way, whom they fight and defeat. They then continue to travel to Shooting Star Summit. Once Mario gets there, Eldstar tells him to rescue the seven Star Spirits, who are trapped in various places throughout the Mushroom Kingdom.

Back at Princess Peach's Castle, Peach is visited by Twink, a young Star Spirit. Her initial reaction to Twink's appearance is for a wish for Twink to procure the Star Rod, but when the requested wish cannot be fulfilled, she instead asks Twink to tell Mario that she is safe.

Names in other languages

Chapter 1: Storming Koopa Bros. Fortress
Before Mario can get the first Star Spirit in the Koopa Bros. Fortress, there are four mysterious-looking Toads blocking the way. Mario gets help from a wizard named Merlon, who then reveals the mysterious Toads' true identities, the Koopa Bros. On the way to the Koopa Bros. Fortress, they find Koopa Village, which is infested with Fuzzies, who are stealing shells from the Koopa Troopas. Mario meets a Koopa Troopa named Kooper in the village, who joins Mario after Mario retrieves Kooper's stolen shell. Mario, Goombario and Kooper eventually end up at the Koopa Bros. Fortress.

Once outside the Koopa Bros. Fortress, they immediately see Black Ninjakoopa, who goes off to warn Red Ninjakoopa of Mario's arrival. After a while of traveling through the fortress, Yellow Ninjakoopa sets a trap for Mario so when he hits a ? Block, he falls into the fortress' dungeon. Mario falls for the trap and finds himself in a prison where he meets a Bob-omb named Bombette, who is trapped in the jail as well. She explodes, making an escape route, and together the four manage to get to the highest parts of the towers where they find three Bill Blasters, Bowser??? and the Koopa Bros. They manage to defeat their enemies, retrieving the first Star Spirit, Eldstar.

Back at Princess Peach's Castle, Peach remembers that there is a secret passageway that leads out of her room. They find the secret passageway and move through it and end up in a room on the other side of the castle. There, they read Bowser's Diary, which reveals that the second Star Spirit is in Dry Dry Ruins. Twink leaves to give Mario the information, and the Princess is discovered by Bowser. He then orders two Koopatrols to take Princess Peach back to her room.

Storyline text "And so Mario and friends beat the Koopa Bros. at their fortress and rescued the first Star Spirit. Still, six Star Spirits remain imprisoned, and they must save them as quickly as they can. The future of the Mushroom Kingdom, Star Haven and, of course, Princess Peach... lies in the hands of Mario... and his new friends. Their adventure has just begun."

Names in other languages

Chapter 2: The Mystery of Dry, Dry Ruins
After returning to Toad Town and getting ambushed by Jr. Troopa, Twink flies to Toad Town to tell Mario that the second Star Spirit is hidden in Dry Dry Ruins. Mario and his party take a train to the foot of Mt. Rugged. On the way to Dry Dry Desert, they find a mail-delivering Paratroopa named Parakarry, who joins their party after Mario helps him find three lost letters. They also find the condor Buzzar, and the Koopa archaeologist Kolorado. Mario goes through Dry Dry Desert to Dry Dry Outpost, where they search for clues about Dry Dry Ruins. Eventually, they meet with Moustafa, who gives them the Pulse Stone, which will tell them where Dry Dry Ruins is. After searching through the Dry Dry Desert, they eventually find Dry Dry Ruins. They also discover that it has many traps and hiding places such as rooms filling with sand and hidden keys. They find many artifacts to uncover more of the Ruins. They eventually get to the very end of the ruins, where they find Tutankoopa and his Chain Chomps. After defeating him, the second Star Spirit, Mamar, is released.

Meanwhile, in the sky, Bowser comes into the princess's room to brag that he has decided to use the Invincible Tubba Blubba on Mario next. Kammy Koopa enters and tells Bowser that the Star Spirit Blubba had trapped managed to escape his grip. Peach and Twink decide to use the passage again to find out more about Invincible Tubba Blubba. They sneak into the castle's library and eavesdrop on a Koopatrol and a Hammer Bro talking. They reveal that Tubba Blubba indeed has a secret weakness; Twink leaves to give this message to Mario and the Koopatrol and Hammer Bro spot Peach and return her to her room.

Storyline text "Thus Mario and party unearthed the legendary Dry Dry Ruins deep within Dry Dry Desert. They smashed Tutankoopa the Wizard and freed Mamar, the second of the wish-granting Star Spirits. But the enemies awaiting Mario grow ever stronger... and the challenges more difficult. What's in store for Mario and friends... Where will their adventure take them next?"

Name in other languages

Chapter 3: The "Invincible" Tubba Blubba
The third Star Spirit is originally held in Tubba Blubba's Castle, but since Tubba Blubba let it escape, it is now being held in Boo's Mansion. Bootler appears on the edge of Forever Forest and tells Mario to come to Boo Mansion. A strange hermit named Oaklie tells Mario how to get through the forest. When Mario reaches Boo's Mansion, he finds that Lady Bow, princess of the Boos, has trapped the third Star Spirit, Skolar. She informs Mario that she will only release Skolar if Mario saves Gusty Gulch from Tubba Blubba. Mario and Bow travel to Tubba Blubba's Castle and after searching, they find the literal key to Tubba Blubba's weakness and find his heart, isolated from his body by Bowser. They nearly defeat it, but not before it reunites with Tubba Blubba, who is then defeated by Mario. Bow gives back the Star Spirit, and decides to join Mario on his quest.

In the castle, the princess and Twink use the secret passage to escape again, hoping to hear about Mario's travels. As they turn into Bowser's room, though, they find that both Bowser and Kammy are in the room talking. The princess is relieved to not be seen using the secret passage and to hear that Tubba Blubba was defeated, but Bowser notices her. He decides to ask her what Mario hates most of all; the Princess can answer honestly, or give trick answers that are actually beneficial items such as Mushrooms. Kammy leaves to place these items in Shy Guy's Toy Box, where the next Star Spirit waits, and Twink follows her to tell Mario. The guards then take Peach back to her room.

Storyline text "After solving the secret of 'Invincible' Tubba Blubba, Mario and party set free Star Spirit Skolar. Now, with Tubba Blubba just a bad dream, the Boos are free to haunt to their hearts' content. Even the lonely wind echoing through Gusty Gulch seems to be celebrating the victory... at least for now. With newest party member, Bow, in tow, Mario and friends are ready to take on their next challenge."

Names in other languages

Chapter 4: Trials in the Toy Box
The fourth Star Spirit is hidden deep inside Shy Guy's Toy Box. When Mario returns to Toad Town, being ambushed in Forever Forest yet again by Jr. Troopa, he finds that it has been overrun by Shy Guys, who are stealing from and bothering the townspeople. A group of Toads tells him that strange noises have been coming from one of the houses. Mario goes to investigate, but the house seems empty. Bow then suggests using her invisibility power. Once they're transparent, a pink Shy Guy runs in and reveals the entrance to Shy Guy's Toy Box. Mario and his partners enter the Toy Box, where they see a small train station. To reach the captured Star Spirit, Mario must go through several train stations. However, unfortunately, the train is missing. After finding a storeroom key and several other items in the Toy Box, Mario returns them to their rightful owners. The shopkeeper who owns the key lets Mario enter the storeroom, in which he finds the missing toy train and a few free items. Mario then places the train back in the Toy Box. He gets on the train and proceeds to the next station, where he meets Gourmet Guy, a massive Shy Guy. Mario must give him a cake baked by Tayce T. so he will move out of the way. At the final station, he meets and defeats the Big Lantern Ghost, and inside his lantern they find a Li'l Sparky named Watt. She thanks Mario for rescuing her and joins the party. At the end of the Toy Box, they find General Guy, the leader of the Shy Guys using Watt's light power. They defeat him and claim the fourth Star Spirit, Muskular.

At the castle, the Princess and Twink sneak out once again and discover the massive Gourmet Guy in the dining room. He promises not to report their escape if they make him something delicious to eat. The Princess and Twink go down to the first floor and use the castle's kitchen to prepare a "Surprise Strawberry Cake." Peach demonstrates her baking skills to make the perfect treat, which sends Gourmet Guy flying for joy in the same way Tayce T.'s cake did. In thanks, he tells the two that the fifth Star Spirit is in Mt. Lavalava, on Lavalava Island. Twink heads out the window once more, and the Princess ends up being spotted by Kammy, having heard Gourmet Guy's bouncing around.

Storyline text "To save the fourth Star Spirit, Muskular, Mario and team disbanded the gang of Shy Guys toughs. Slowly, it seems as if the life force is returning to the once bleak night sky... But the stars won't truly shine until the Star Rod is wrested from Bowser's evil grasp. Three Star Spirits still await rescue. Where in the world are they being held?"

Names in other languages

Chapter 5: Hot, Hot Times on Lavalava Island
Players cannot reach Lavalava Island initially, but then a whale is introduced on the docks of Toad Town and asks Mario to get rid of a Fuzzy, by the name of Fuzzipede, inside his stomach. Mario defeats Fuzzipede and the whale takes him to Lavalava Island along with Kolorado, who is looking for a different treasure on the island. They arrive at Yoshi's Village and see the volcano, but are unable to reach it immediately. Mario returns to the village, where he finds everyone panicking because five Yoshi Kids have gone missing. The Village Leader says he'll help Mario to get to the volcano if he finds and returns the Yoshi Kids. Mario ventures off into the forest where he finds Sushie, the Yoshis' babysitter, trapped in a tree by the Yoshi Kids. Mario helps her and finds out that Sushie is a friendly Cheep Cheep, and decides to help Mario find the Yoshis. After they find the Yoshis, Mario and Sushie go to the volcano with the help of Raphael the Raven. Mario and company go into the volcano along with Kolorado, who wants the legendary treasure hidden in the volcano. Mario and company manage to defeat the Lava Piranha, setting the volcano up for eruption. They narrowly escape the volcano with their lives, obtaining the fifth Star Spirit, Misstar. After finding an artifact which had been blown out by the eruption, Mario and Kolorado use the whale to return to Toad Town, where Jr. Troopa attacks them upon arrival.

Back at the castle, Peach and Twink escape once again and explore the first floor for more information. While there, a Hammer Bro asks her to participate in a strange quiz show. The questions are actually pieces of information regarding the sixth Star Spirit; the minion holding him is Huff N. Puff, and he is in Flower Fields, which can only be reached through Toad Town's Flower Garden. If the Princess wins the show, she earns a Jammin' Jelly as a prize. Regardless of winning or losing the show, she also gets a prize for participating, the amazing Sneaky Parasol. Attracted by the noises in the room, Bowser enters and wants to play, but since the game is over, he snarls in disappointment and settles for returning Peach to her room again.

Storyline text "Venturing deep into the steamimg[sic] Mt. Lavalava, Mario and friends plucked the Lava Piranha... and rescued the fifth Star Spirit, Misstar, from a fiery fate. But the 'treasure' Kolorado is looking for is yet to be found. Wherever could it be? What's that...? Something...strange...is going on around here..."

Names in other languages

Chapter 6: Dark Days in Flower Fields
The sixth Star Spirit is hidden in beautiful Flower Fields. After Mario finds the four Magical Seeds from the four Bub-ulbs from Mt. Rugged, Forever Forest, Toad Town, and Lavalava Island, he opens the portal to Flower Fields in Toad Town. When Mario enters, he sees clouds and withering plants. The Wise Wisterwood tells Mario that the clouds are the result of the truly evil Huff N. Puff, who is using his Puff-Puff Machine to cover Flower Fields in clouds. Mario then meets four different flowers who help him create a beanstalk to reach the Cloudy Climb where Huff N. Puff is hiding with his Star Spirit. Mario first meets Petunia, who gives him a magic bean for clearing out some Monty Moles. Mario then encounters Posie, who gives him fertile soil so his nose can grow bigger like hers. Mario then visits Lily, who is in a state of crisis; her pond has dried up because Lakitus stole the Water Stone, the stone that produces the water known as Miracle Water. To keep her alive, Mario vows to find the stone. Mario then searches for it, eventually finding the Lakitus and besting them in battle.

He then meets a self-absorbed flower by the name of Rosie. She holds the Water Stone and won't give it to Mario unless he finds something more beautiful. Mario asks Posie for a Crystal Berry which she gives him. He then presents this berry to Rosie who immediately falls in love with it, and lets Mario have the Water Stone. Mario then takes it back to Lily. After the Water Stone is back in place, she gives Mario some of the Miracle Water. Mario now has everything for his beanstalk except the Sun. Mario meets with the Sun who says that it is impossible for him to return to the sky in its current state. Mario then sets off on a quest to destroy the Puff-Puff Machine. On the way, he meets a very confused Lakitu who hates his name and challenges Mario. After the Lakitu is defeated, he uses his real name, Lakilester, and joins Mario's party. Mario then proceeds to destroy the machine, after which the Sun is able to rise into the sky again. Flower Fields then rejoices, but Huff N. Puff is still at large. To finish the job, Mario grows the beanstalk and heads to Cloudy Climb and defeats Huff N. Puff for the sixth Star Spirit, Klevar.

Back at the castle, Peach uses the Sneaky Parasol she won at the quiz show to turn herself into one of the guards, allowing her to move around the castle without fear of getting caught. Peach then learns that Kammy Koopa is building a weapon designed to defeat Mario. Before she can find out what it is, however, Kammy notices a peculiar smell coming from her disguise. Kammy then casts a spell on her, reverting her to normal. She is then taken back to her room yet again.

Storyline text "So it is that Mario and party defeat cruel cloud Huff N. Puff and set free the sixth Star Spirit. The thick clouds that once cast dark shadows have gone, and Flower Fields is bathed in sunshine again. A single Star Spirit waits to be rescued, waits to take its place in the Star Sanctuary. Perhaps you will see Princess Peach soon... Perhaps... Just wait and see. Kammy Koopa, who watches impatiently from Bowser's Castle, is waiting, too... for you to try to save them..."

Names in other languages

Chapter 7: A Star Spirit on Ice
The seventh and final Star Spirit is said to be held in the ancient Crystal Palace. After being given advice by Merlon and a Ninji, Mario heads to Shiver City. When Mario arrives via the sewers, he finds a Bumpty blocking the way to Starborn Valley. The Bumpty says he will not let anyone pass unless the mayor gives permission. Mario then seeks the mayor out so he can leave the city. When Mario visits the mayor's house, though, he finds him knocked out on the floor. His wife then comes in and assumes that Mario killed him. Mario's partner at the time is horrified and objects by pointing that Mario wouldn't murder the mayor. A police bumpty says he'll let Mario go only if he finds the real murderer. Mario notices that there is a crumpled note in his hand with a single word written on it: "Herringway". Mario then goes out into town looking for Herringway and finds him, who is currently writing his future novel in his house. Mario tells Herringway the story, after which Herringway agrees to go to the mayor's house to help with the investigation. Mario then tells the police about the note. The police then starts accusing Herringway instead, with the mayor's wife still thinking Mario did it. Suddenly the mayor starts twitching and he pops up. The mayor's wife screams for help yelling out that he's a ghost. The mayor explains he was unconscious and gives a present to Herringway, the same present that fell and knocked him out. The mayor then allows Mario to go to Starborn Valley.

Once he gets attacked again by Jr. Troopa and reaches the outskirts of Starborn Valley, an odd monster called Monstar appears. Mario defeats it and reveals it to actually be a bunch of very protective Star Kids. Mario then meets Merle who tells Mario to go to the Crystal Palace where the seventh Star Spirit is being held. He then gives Mario a scarf, telling him to use it on something special, then telling Mario to go and ask Mayor Penguin for the other special item. Mario then receives a bucket from the mayor who tells him he has no idea what it does. Mario then goes a line of snowmen on the path between Shiver City and Starborn Valley, Two, however, are missing something: One is missing a scarf and the other is missing a a hat. Mario gives the items to the respective owners. The snowmen thank him and open the way to the Crystal Palace. Along the way to the palace, they meet Madam Merlar, who gives Mario the Star Stone, letting him reach the palace. Once inside, the group realizes that it contains many traps and puzzles involving Duplighosts and fake mirrors with real mirror effects. Once they reach the Crystal King at the palace's back, Mario defeats him for the final Star Spirit, Kalmar.

The final segment at Peach's Castle is simply a cutscene, as opposed to a playing experience. Bowser enters Peach's room and tells her that if Mario comes, he will destroy him. Kammy informs him that Mario now has all seven Star Spirits. Bowser orders the Koopa Troop to their battle stations and threatens to kill them if the princess escapes their vision. He has the princess tied up to keep her out of mischief; Twink, furious, jumps out and tries attacking him, but it doesn't work. Bowser hisses at Twink through bared teeth and swats him out of the window. Soon he, Kammy, and the princess go upstairs to where Bowser first defeated Mario.

Storyline text "Mario has saved the last Star Spirit, Kalmar, from the Crystal Palace at the edge of the world. Now, with the seven Star Spirits together, he has the power to challenge Bowser...and the Star Rod. At last, it is time for Mario's showdown with Evil King Bowser. Can Mario rescue Princess Peach and recover the Star Rod? Or will wishes forever go ungranted?"

Names in other languages

Chapter 8: A Star-Powered Showdown!
With the help of the 7 Star Spirits, Mario and the team reach Star Haven, acquire the Star Beam, and use the power of the Star Spirits to travel to Bowser's Castle. After going through the castle, falling for traps, solving puzzles (and possibly fighting 3 Anti Guys), and getting attacked by Jr. Troopa one last time in the process, they finally find Princess Peach. Bowser fights Mario in the same exact spot where they fought at the beginning, but the Star Spirits' combined power now lets Mario stop Bowser's invincibility. Bowser takes Peach and flees, and the group follows him up to the castle roof to reclaim the Star Rod. Kammy then uses her Power Platform to pump Bowser up in both power and size; when he powers up with the Star Rod, Mario finds that the Star Beam is now uneffective.

Meanwhile, Twink frees the Princess, and the two start to battle Kammy. Twink's attacks start out ineffective, and it falls to the Princess to help him. She uses her "Focus" power and makes wishes, which give Twink more power with each turn, to the point where Kammy's attacks become ineffective. Kammy remembers the secret of all Stars before her defeat - they get their power from the wishes of ordinary people. Twink urges the Princess to make a wish for "everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom". The Princess concentrates and prays her hardest; this action fills the Star Spirits with more power than ever. Twink joins them to create the almighty Peach Beam, which cuts through Bowser's enhanced power. After a long and hard battle that leaves Bowser snarling in pain, Mario recovers and returns the Star Rod to the Star Spirits, lets Bowser's Castle self-destruct and restores Peach's Castle to its spot and the rest of the world to its former peace. To celebrate, the Princess throws another party a few days later with a parade, featuring characters from the whole game.

Names in other languages

Ending
Mario walks in to the castle and is greeted by the Toad Minister who says that Princess Peach is coming out. As Peach comes out she says that, thanks to Mario and his friends, the Mushroom Kingdom is now at peace once again. Then an eight minute staff credit parade starts. Luigi walks on screen, dressed somewhat like a British guard, and signals the parade to start. A group of 2X3 Toads march on screen. The first two are playing trumpets. The second ones are the drum line. The last row is holding big banners in the air. Then the Star Ship used to travel to Bowser's castle appears, holding all of Mario's partners on it. Then three Toad girls who are twirling sticks walk by, followed by Chuck Quizmo and Vanna T.

After Chuck Quizmo and Vanna T., the Koopa Bros. are seen on a parade car similar to the Bowser tank, possibly made from the remnants of the Bowser??? but four Bob-ombs explode on them. Professor Kolorado and his wife are seen on top of the whale in the background, and Moustafa runs into Rowf and Rhuff. Tutankoopa is being chased by a Chomp (like in the game) and manages to avoid it. Meanwhile, in the background Buzzar is seen on a mountain, with three eggs in his nest, and they hatch. Tutankoopa then runs by being chased by three Chomps. Bootler enters the screen and Tubba Blubba appears to fly by behind him, but is really being carried by Boos. His heart frantically chases after his body. Afterward, a tree slides by with the Goomba King stuck upside-down in it, and the Goomba Bros. circling it. Goomba King falls out of the tree, stands up and joins the parade with his minions.

Afterward, a Lavalava Island float slides by, with all the adult Yoshis on it (including the chief) except the red and purple adults. Raphael the Raven and Lava Piranha alternate between peeking out from behind Mt. Lavalava. After the island goes off the screen, the five Yoshi kids jump off. Huff N. Puff and Gourmet Guy walk by them, and the Yoshi kids attack them with their tongues, shrinking Huff N. Puff, and leave. Gourmet Guy then pulls out a knife and fork and chases Huff N. Puff, intending to eat him. What appears to be the Crystal King appears next, but another Crystal King comes and reveals the first to be a Duplighost. The real Crystal King reveals the second as another Duplighost, but is then carried away by his Crystal Bits. Finally, Jr. Troopa and Kammy Koopa come onscreen, fighting using magic. Bowser rides by in his Koopa Clown Car between two juggling Hammer Bros. and two Koopatrol flagmen, and Jr. Troopa and Kammy Koopa's attacks collide on him, blowing him up and making the surrounding minions flee. He chases them off the screen, then an explosion can be seen, and a charred Jr. Troopa and Kammy Koopa are sent flying onscreen to the ground.

Afterward, the parade shifts to nighttime, in which a parade car is shown with the Star Spirits. Penguins are seen skating, followed by Mayor Penguin and his wife, as well as a second band of Toads (with the Chanterelle), two Amazy Dayzees, the sun, and Merlon, Merluvlee, Merlee, Merlow, Merle, and Madam Merlar on a stage with the Wise Wisterwood. Then, a stage slides by with General Guy, two Shy Guys of the Shy Squad, and four Groove Guys dancing. Following up are 16 more Shy Guys in the Shy Squad, and after they walk by, the straggler Shy Guy runs after them in his usual fashion. The parade ends with the same Toads from the beginning of the parade (with their spots flashing), followed by a float with Mario and Princess Peach on it. Twink comes down, now a full-grown Star Kid, and Mario and Peach leave the float to go to Mario's house. Three more stick-twirling Toad girls and two more Toad flagmen are seen before the camera cuts to Mario's house, where Mario and Peach watch a fireworks display, and a THE END screen comes on. After a while "The End" shrinks and sits in the lower-right hand corner of the screen, and the fireworks continue until the game is shut off.

Overworld
When not in battle Mario and the partner he has selected move around the overworld. Mario's jump and hammer, as well as his partners abilities must be used many times to traverse the terrain. Many enemies wander around, and making contact with one will start a battle, as opposed to random encounters. There are also many NPCs which Mario can talk to, some of which, like Koopa Koot will offer up sidequests. Toad Town serves as the hub of the game, were Mario can shop for items or Badges, give items to Tayce T. so she can combine them to create potentially more powerful items, or compete against The Master in optional battles.

Badges
During the game, badges can be found in a variety of ways, including hitting special blocks, buying from a store or by trading Star Pieces to Merlow. Once found they can be equipped at the cost of Badge Points, or BP. If a badge is removed, the BP it was using are liberated for use with a different badge. Badges may give Mario more moves, increase his stats or many other things. See List of Badges for a complete list.

Battle system
Paper Mario introduced a battle system unique to the Mario series as well as to RPGs in general. Mario and one partner of their choice fight against the enemies. Mario has Heart Points (abbreviated HP) and Badge Points (abbreviated BP), while he shares Flower Points (abbreviated FP) with his partner. FP applies towards special moves, HP towards Mario's life, and BP affects the number of Badges Mario that can wear. When Mario levels up, the player can choose to increase HP by 5, FP by 5 or BP by 3. Mario can go up to 27 levels in this game, and, including the HP and FP Plus badges, Mario can have a maximum life meter of 65 HP, power meter of 65 FP, and 30 BP.

Each attack has its own "Action Command", which increases damage if performed or timed correctly. For example, for a "Jump" attack, the player must press just as Mario is about to hit the enemy, and for a Hammer attack, the player must hold left and release at the right time. Mario can also decrease enemy damage by 1 by pressing just as they hit him.

When Mario and his team rescue a Star Spirit, they can summon them to use their powers either against an enemy (sometimes one, sometimes multiple, depending on the Star Spirit) or on Mario himself. Star Spirit Powers can be used if Star Energy is filled to a certain point on the meter. If Star Energy is used up, Mario can use a turn to use Focus and regain some Star Energy. Star Energy also steadily regains as a battle continues.

Bestiary (Tattle Log)
See Paper Mario bestiary for a list of all enemies found in Paper Mario. See the below section for a list of bosses.

Boss battles (in order found through the game)
Yellow signifies chapter bosses. Please note that there are several battles in the game where players must beat an amount of enemies in order to proceed or gain an item (for example, in Chapter 1 at Koopa Village, the player must face a hoard of Fuzzies); as these are merely groups of common enemies, and not specific bosses, they are not listed here.

Virtual Console differences
The Wii Virtual Console version has more lag than the Nintendo 64 version, but has less lag than the original during screen transitions. Graphics on the Wii version are more pixelated, and special effects have been changed: fire/explosion effects are solid colors, magic/transformation wave effects no longer have flashing colors of white and yellow and are waves of purple and pink, and the brightness of light effects from Super Blocks have been reduced.

The Wii U Virtual Console version is darker, but has smoother graphics like the Nintendo 64 version. Fire/explosion effects match that of the original version (albeit darker) but the magic/transformation wave effects are still altered.

Wii Shop Description
''Paper Mario is a graphically innovative game that breaks the confines of the RPG genre. Now slimmed down, everyone's favorite plumber flips, spins, jumps, and hammers his way through scads of exotic worlds that teem with a huge and hugely entertaining supporting cast. Players control numerous characters, both old and new, in a complex, nonlinear story that follows different scenarios depending on player choices. A dizzying collection of spells, attacks, skills, and special items can be collected by players willing to thoroughly explore the lush 3-D environments!''

Wii U eShop Description
''After Bowser™ steals the Star Rod and kidnaps Princess Peach™, Mario™ plots to rescue the seven Star Spirits and free the Mushroom Kingdom from the Koopa's rule. As Mario travels from the tropical jungles of Lavlava Island to the frosty heights of Shiver Mountain, he'll need all the help he can get. Master the abilities of the seven Star Spirits and the other allies joining the adventure to aid our hero on the battlefield. There are over 50 Badges to locate that, when equipped, will grant special abilities and powerful attacks. The turn-based battle system will make fighting Bowser's baddies equal parts strategy and timing. Discover over 100 items, mix them together, and cook up fantastic creations that will send your enemies' spinning and fleeing. Close the book on Bowser's story before his evil deeds turn the world upside down and only his wishes come true!

Similarities with Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Paper Mario contains many elements that were lifted from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, such as:
 * Paper Mario was originally going to be called Super Mario RPG 2, but was later renamed "Super Mario Adventure" (while still in development) due to legal reasons. Eventually, it received its finalized international title to emphasize the unique graphical style of the game.
 * As with Super Mario RPG, Bowser is the very first boss to be fought in the game.
 * After the cutscene that takes place when Mario is defeated by Bowser, the Paper Mario logo is displayed in a similar manner to how the Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars logo is displayed after Exor crashes into Bowser's Keep and destroys the Star Road.
 * The battle systems of both games are nearly identical.
 * Redesigned versions of Star Hill and the Chancellor from Super Mario RPG reappear, although this is lost in translation in the international versions.
 * The Shy Guy riot in Toad Town is similar to Mack and the Shysters' takeover of the Mushroom Kingdom in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.
 * Both Paper Mario and Super Mario RPG contain karate dojos.
 * The Master is Paper Mario's equivalent of Jinx, as they are both powerful senseis that are fought three times (with each battle getting harder), and are completely optional. The Master also shares the role of an optional boss harder than the final, main boss, like Culex.
 * Both games have plots that involve finding seven stars, and have something to do with wishes not being granted due to what the games' main antagonists have done.
 * The opening storylines of both games begin with the usual "Mario battling Bowser to save Peach" scenario, when Mario suddenly becomes overpowered and sent hurtling a great distance away. In Super Mario RPG, as Mario goes to free Peach after defeating Bowser, Smithy's gang sends Exor crashing into the castle, the impact sending Mario flying, landing back at his house. In Paper Mario, as Mario is fighting Bowser, Bowser makes himself invincible with the Star Rod, then dispatches Mario out a window, and he crash lands in a field just outside Goomba Village.
 * In both games, Bowser's castle is unreachable throughout most of the story. In Super Mario RPG, it cannot be reached because the bridge is down; in Paper Mario, the castle is all the way up in the sky. Also, both games feature a special vehicle that is used to reach the castle.
 * Mario uses jump and hammer attacks, which in both games have regular, super, and ultra variations. Both have the three hammer variants, but the jump variants in Super Mario RPG are special moves Mario learns, whereas Paper Mario has these variants as the boots Mario finds to improve his jumping ability.
 * The Power Bounce badge is reminiscent of Mario's Super Jump ability in SMRPG.
 * Mario's first partner in both games has a special move that identifies the enemy (Mallow's "Psychopath" and Goombario's "Tattle").
 * Both games feature a special area where Mario can turn into 8-bit Mario, complete with 8-bit sounds and music.
 * In both games, Mario can travel to an island where Yoshis live. In fact, Mario needs to travel there in the latter to save one of the Star Spirits.
 * During the second boss battle with Bowser, he has the ability to temporarily disable some of Mario's commands, similar to how Bowyer disables certain button commands during his battle in Super Mario RPG.
 * When Lava Piranha re-emerges from the lava after the first phase of the battle, it resembles Czar Dragon's resurrection as Zombone.
 * Both games feature a volcano as a location where a star is hidden. Both areas have an escape sequence after locating the Star, though the reason behind it is different (in Super Mario RPG, the Axem Rangers are escaping with the Star; in Paper Mario, the volcano is erupting).
 * The endings in both games feature a parade that is led by Luigi and ends with a fireworks display.
 * Both Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario feature a Hammer Bro who hosts a quiz game.
 * During the parade in the ending of Paper Mario, Twink flies by with Mario and Peach waving at him on a starlit float, as Geno does in Super Mario RPG.
 * Both games feature antagonist groups that are based on characters from TV series (the Koopa Bros. are based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, while the Axem Rangers are based on the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers).
 * In both games, the battle for the sixth star takes place in the sky (the Axem Rangers battle and the Huff N. Puff battle).
 * Both games have a party member who fights against Mario first before joining him (Bowser and Lakilester).
 * Both Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario have three-headed Piranha Plant bosses (Lava Piranha and Smilax).
 * Neither game features an Endless Play mode, so if the player wants to collect something or accomplish a task, they must do so before facing the final boss.
 * Paper Mario uses action commands to increase damage dealt and decrease damage received, much like in Super Mario RPG. Mario has these abilities from the beginning in SMRPG, but in PM, he cannot use them until he receives the "Lucky Star" from Peach.
 * Both games were released towards the end of their respective console's life. SMRPG was released for the Super NES in May of 1996, four months prior to the launch of the Nintendo 64. Paper Mario was released for the Nintendo 64 in February of 2001, and the Nintendo GameCube was released in November of that year.

References to other games
In addition to the many elements it lifts from Super Mario RPG, Paper Mario has elements that reference the following games:
 * Super Mario Bros. - By entering a vase in Boo's Mansion, Mario can assume his appearance from this game's sprites, albeit with the color scheme used for him in the game's artwork. Also, if the player waits fifteen or more seconds when a chapter title is shown on screen, the overworld theme will play.
 * Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels - At the end of the game, when Peach thanks all of the friendly characters for helping restore peace to the Mushroom Kingdom, the music that plays is this game's ending theme.
 * Super Mario Bros. 3 - When the Koopa Brothers fire Bullet Bills at Mario and his partners, a cover of the Koopalings' Airship theme plays. The Koopa Bros. fight theme is a cover of the Hammer Bros. theme from this game. The level up music is a cover of the overworld theme from World 1. When Mario wins the Star Rod back from Bowser, the "King Saved" theme is played.
 * Dr. Mario - When Mario defeats the Fuzzipede boss, the Whale exclaims that "they should call [him] Dr. Mario!"
 * Super Mario World - The Attack FX E badge makes the same sound that Yoshi makes when jumping on his back. Also, the overworld/underwater theme is a cover for Paper Mario ' s title screen music. The song that plays on the Golden Oldies station of the radio is a cover of the credits theme.
 * Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - The music used for Yoshi's Village is a cover of this game's title screen music.
 * Super Mario 64 - Peach's Castle returns and is near identical inside, but without the paintings, and both games begin with a letter from Peach. Also, Mario jumps into a painting to access the third floor of Boo's Mansion similar to the way he accessed areas in this game.
 * Mario Kart 64 - When riding the K64 train, a cover of the Kalimari Desert theme plays. Also, the concept of a train running through a desert and the train itself originates from this game.
 * Mario Golf, Mario Tennis, and Mario Party series - In one of the pages of Luigi's diary, it says, "I remember the carefree days when we played Golf and Tennis and had Parties." The capital letters specifically hint at their respective games.

References in later games

 * Mario Kart: Super Circuit - Peach's castle is seen on top of Bowser's castle just like in Paper Mario, located in the background of the course Rainbow Road.
 * Super Smash Bros. Melee - Paper Mario appears as a trophy.
 * Mario Party 5 - The Star Spirits return as hosts.
 * Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - Parakarry makes a brief cameo at the beginning of the game, and delivers a letter to Mario from Peach, just like the previous game. Lady Bow also makes a cameo appearance, and makes a direct reference to Boo's Mansion, as well as the adventure they had. There is also a random Toad at the Excess Express (after Chapter 6 is completed) that will ask Mario a quiz question, ("What did Bowser steal in the first Paper Mario?"), and the answer is, "Star Rod". The video game-obsessed Toad kid from Petalburg also mentions that he's been playing this game, describing Bow as the "cutest Boo of ALL TIME!!!" Jr. Troopa also appears in the background in the picture that Zip Toad attached to his e-mail. The Goomba King is also mentioned in Luigi's travels, although this was lost in translation.
 * Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga - A block from Paper Mario appears in Woohoo Hooniversity, along with blocks from other games. The name of the game is even mentioned in the block's description.
 * Mario Pinball Land - Koopatrols appear as enemies in Bowser's castle.
 * Super Mario 64 DS - The Goomba King returns in this game, renamed to Goomboss.
 * Super Princess Peach - Koopatrols appear as statues in Bowser's Villa.
 * Mario Kart DS - Goomboss also appears in this game's Mission mode.
 * Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time - Star Hill appears once again and is north of the castle just like in this game.
 * Super Paper Mario - Every partner here returns as a Catch Card in this game. Francis also has posters of Lady Bow and Bootler in his castle. Tubba Blubba was also mentioned, and had his own TV show called, "The Blubbening". At the beginning of this game, all of Mario's partners, as well as his ones from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, are all seen together in a photo.
 * Super Mario Galaxy - Both games begin with a letter from Peach to Mario, also Bowser's way of kidnapping Peach (by lifting her castle into the sky) is reused here.
 * Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Kooper, Lady Bow, General Guy, and Kammy Koopa appear as Stickers. Three of the Star Spirits - Eldstar, Muskular, and Misstar - are also represented by Stickers, but use their Mario Party 5 artworks.
 * Paper Mario: Sticker Star - Similar to Bowser's role in this game, Bowser ends up being the main villain as well as being superpowered by a wish-granting object. Unlike in Paper Mario, however, his gaining the object was completely accidental.
 * Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS: In the Paper Mario stage the Whale from chapter 5 appears under the S.S. Flavion variation of the stage lifting the ship up above the water.

Enemy formations


In Mario's adventure in Paper Mario, he will encounter enemies on the field. When he engages battle with them, there are often other enemies that accompany the one that Mario encountered on the field.

Hidden block locations


In Paper Mario, Mario can discover hidden ? Blocks throughout the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario can reveal them by using Watt's field ability by pressing. There are 47 invisible ? Blocks in the game.

Koopa Koot's Favors
The elderly Koopa Koot of Koopa Village will ask Mario many favors throughout the game. Some of his favors require Mario to meet specific people and get an item in return. For every four favors Mario does for him, Koopa Koot will give Mario Star Pieces, making this sidequest a necessity to fully complete the game.

Letters


Letters can be received throughout the game for Mario and his eight partners. The letters for Mario can be found at his house, while the rest of the letters for his partners are found at the Toad Town Post Office.

Selling prices


In Paper Mario, Mario can sell items from his inventory to shopkeepers in the nine item shops around the Mushroom Kingdom. Most items can be sold to the shopkeepers for a set price at every shop, however, some items will sell at a higher price depending on the location of the shop and the item itself. Mario can make a profit if he purchases an item at a low price from one store, and sells it to another that will buy it from him at a higher price.

Star Pieces


During Mario's adventure, he can collect Star Pieces by finding them in hidden spots, underneath chambers which he can use the Spin Jump or Ultra Hammer to reveal, earning them from NPCs, and more. Mario can then trade them with Merlow for Badges. There are 160 Star Pieces in the game.

Star Point amounts


When Mario defeats enemies or bosses, he is awarded with Star Points at the end of the battle. How much he earns from each enemy or boss depends on his current level compared to the enemies he earns them from; as his level goes up, he earns less Star Points from them. If Mario's level matches or exceeds the enemy's, or reaches the maximum level, 27, he will not earn any Star Points from them at all.

Tayce T. Recipes


A list of Recipes that can be made by Tayce T., a Toad Town chef, in Paper Mario.

Shops


The player can visit a shop to buy, sell, check, or claim items.

Chief director game design

 * Ryota Kawade

Director

 * Toshitaka Muramatsu
 * Takahiro Ohgi
 * Hironobu Suzuki

Script writers

 * Kumiko Takeda
 * Kaori Aoki

Art director character design

 * Naohiko Aoyama

Graphic designers

 * Chie Kawabe
 * Hitomi Nakano
 * Tokuko Hirose
 * Takeshi Ando
 * Shigeyuki Asa
 * Sachio Kurita
 * Kiyoshi Mizuki
 * Jun Takamura
 * Shinko Konishi
 * Michiko Ishida
 * Rumiko Matsumoto
 * Misa Nagai
 * Gou Matsuda
 * Takahiko Shimada
 * Hiroko Watanabe

Big Lantern Ghost

 * "Wee hee hee hee...Someone...has come..."
 * "Someone is here in the dark..."
 * "Wee hee hee...Oh...Could it be...? Wee hee hee hee... It's Mario!!"
 * "Looks like you're mine, Mario! Wee hee...I won't let you go...anywhere..."
 * "Wee hee hee...I'll take care of you quickly, then return to my darkness."
 * "I hate the light..."
 * "So...I'll take you with me... ...to the deep dark..."
 * "I hate light!!!"
 * "I'll make it darker...then even darker than that..."

Boo's Portrait

 * "Phew... Ah, that feels better! It's nice to be back inside my frame after so long!"
 * "But I didn't even tell you to go find the drawing! You solved the riddle on your own!"
 * "Are you just lucky or what? Mweh heh heh... Maybe it's just a coincidence..."
 * "In any case, you've managed to stumble on the secret way to the upper floor."
 * "Jump toward the drawing and I'll take care of the rest. You've earned your way up to the third floor."
 * "Say hello to Bow for me."

Pre-release and unused content
Early screenshots of this game showed that Poochy was going to play some sort of role in the game, and another screenshot showed that Nep-Enuts were going to be in this game also (indicating that Lavalava Island was going to be more like Yoshi's Island). Also, the early version of Forever Forest showed that it would be much smaller, with all the forest's trees having sinister faces.

Herringway can be morphed into a normal Bumpty or become invisible if the player pauses the game right after Mario and Herringway go into the mayor's room and right before initiating the conversation with the detective during Chapter 7. If invisible, he will reappear when the room is left. If Herringway becomes a normal Bumpty, the game will freeze when the mayor gives him the present. Upon freezing, a debug screen will appear.

Trivia

 * This is one of four Mario RPG games that has Bowser as the main antagonist; the others are the game's 3DS sequel, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team and Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam. In all the other RPG games, Bowser is either an ally, a minor foe, or a penultimate boss.
 * This is the only game in the series not to be called Paper Mario in Japan, as there it is called "Mario Story".
 * This game was released in China on the iQue Player just one month before Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door was in Japan.
 * In Italy, the title is written with a lower-case p, thus being called "paper Mario".
 * This is the final Mario game released for the Nintendo 64 in Australia, while in the rest of the world, Mario Party 3 was the last Mario game to be released for said console.