Shy Guys Finish Last
- “Welcome to the show! You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll wish you were in the audience instead of onstage!”
- —Emcee Shy Guy, Paper Mario: The Origami King
Shy Guys Finish Last is a game show located on the path to the Spring of Rainbows in Paper Mario: The Origami King. The name of the show is based on the phrase "nice guys finish last." It is done in a similar manner to Snifit or Whiffit from Paper Mario: Sticker Star and Paper Mario: Color Splash, except it is hosted by Emcee Shy Guy and the audience is consisted of solely Shy Guys. The show is sponsored by Shangri-Spa, as shown in the outro.
The first time Mario comes here, he must take part in the show and reach 100 points. In subsequent visits, Mario is given the option to take part or skip the show and go straight to the Spring of Rainbows.
There are four different challenges, each with three different levels of difficulty. Level 1 awards 10 points, Level 2 awards 30 points, and Level 3 awards 50 points. If Mario reaches 100 points, he will be able to play the Sudden Death round. When the quiz show is replayed, Mario can go for a perfect game, where he must pass every challenge, including Sudden Death, to get the Quiz Master trophy.
List of challenges[edit]
Ring Scramble[edit]
- “Ring Scramble will test your ring control and your visual memory. Good luck!”
- —Emcee Shy Guy, Paper Mario: The Origami King
A scrambled image is displayed on the arena. Mario must organize the rings to display the image correctly within a limited number of moves in a limited time.
- Level 1: The image is of the Canned-Food Par-tay Trio. There are no slides, only rotations. Mario is given four moves and 40 seconds.
- Level 2: The image is of Emcee Shy Guy. Sliding is involved for this one. Mario is given seven moves and one minute.
- Level 3: The image is of Overlook Mountain. Mario is given six moves and one minute.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | くるくるえあわせ[?] Kurukuru Eawase |
Round and Round Picture Matching | |
| French (NOE) | Anneaux mélangés[?] | Mixed rings | |
| Italian | Mischia anelli[?] | Mixed rings | |
| Spanish | Anillos mezcladores[?] | Mixing rings |
Race 'n' Place[edit]
- “The Race 'n' Place game will test your eyesight and your memory. Good luck!”
- —Emcee Shy Guy, Paper Mario: The Origami King
A 100m footrace is shown between four different species of the Koopa Troop. The species featured can be a Goomba, a Koopa Troopa, a Ninji, a Shy Guy, or a Snifit. Their ending results must be memorized.
- Level 1: The winner must be placed in a certain spot on the arena within 40 seconds.
- Level 2: The one who finished in either second, third, or fourth must be placed in a certain spot of the arena within 40 seconds.
- Level 3: All contenders must be placed in a line formation in a certain column in the order they finished within one minute.
Starting line
Finish line
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | かけっこクイズ[?] Kakekko Kuizu |
Race Quiz | |
| French (NOE) | Ruée des sbires[?] | Rush of minions | |
| Italian | Bulli sprint[?] | Sprint bullies | |
| Spanish | Carrera de secuaces[?] | Minion race |
Ninji Skills[edit]
- “Ninji Skills will test your dynamic vision tracking. Good luck!”
- —Emcee Shy Guy, Paper Mario: The Origami King
Several species of the Koopa Troop are shown and then placed under blue boxes, after which they get shuffled around. The Ninjis must be memorized and placed within a blue box in the arena after they are shuffled, and only Ninjis must be in the box.
- Level 1: There is one Ninji and four other different species. Mario has 40 seconds to pick his answer.
- Level 2: There are two Ninjis and four other different species. Mario has 40 seconds to pick his answers.
- Level 3: There are four Ninjis and two other different species, and they get shuffled for an even longer period of time. Mario has one minute to pick his answers.
Level 1 with one Ninji
Level 3 with four Ninjis
Boxes being shuffled
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ハックンはどれだ[?] Hakkun wa Dore da |
Which One is Ninji? | |
| French (NOE) | Talents de Ninji[?] | Ninji skills | |
| Italian | Scova Ninji[?] | Find Ninji | |
| Spanish | Técnica Ninji[?] | Ninji technique |
Bath Math[edit]
- “The Bath Math game will test your memory and your math skills. Good luck!”
- —Emcee Shy Guy, Paper Mario: The Origami King
Goombas are shown entering and leaving a hot spring, and the number of Goombas that are in the spring at the end must be memorized. An equation that either adds or subtracts to that number must be placed in a line formation in a certain column, with a number or a +/- sign filling each space.
- Level 1: The Goombas move in and out at a slower rate. Mario has 40 seconds to make the equation.
- Level 2: The Goombas move in and out at a faster rate. Mario has 40 seconds to make the equation.
- Level 3: Steam covers the hot spring, preventing the Goombas inside from being seen. Mario has 60 seconds to make the equation.
Goombas entering and exiting the Spring of Jungle Mist
Steam obscuring the Spring of Jungle Mist (Level 3 only)
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | おんせんクイズ[?] Onsen Kuizu |
Hot Spring Quiz | |
| French (NOE) | Ça plouf de source[?] | It's springing up (wordplay on "ça coule de source", it goes without saying) | |
| Italian | Conta termale[?] | Termal count | |
| Spanish | Cálculo en remojo[?] | Soaking calculation/calculus |
Sudden Death[edit]
As the name implies, if Mario loses this round, he gets an instant Game Over. A song from earlier in the game is played ("Happy & Sappy," "Go with the Flow," or "My Heart's a-Burnin'"), with one lyric replaced with a "?" Mario is put in a cannon, and a path leading to the correct answer (the missing lyric) must be made for Olivia to traverse in a similar manner to a boss battle. The path must be made within three moves and one minute. If Mario clears the Sudden Death round for the first time, he is rewarded with Collectible Treasure No. 108: Sudden Death Cannon; for each subsequent time, he is rewarded with 3,000 coins. Failing the round results in Mario getting shot out of the cannon and out of the game show.
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | スペシャルクイズ[?] Supesharu Kuizu |
Special Quiz | |
| French (NOE) | Le casse Maskass[?] | Shy Guys Heist | |
| Italian | Tutto o niente[?] | All or nothing | |
| Spanish | Todo o Nada[?] | All or Nothing |
Media[edit]
 Shy Guys Finish Last - The main theme of the show. | File info |
| Tell 'Em How It Works - Plays while the rules are explained and during the results. | File info |
| Today's Contestant - Plays when a category is selected. | File info |
| Try the Sudden Death Round - Plays when the Sudden Death round is introduced. | File info |
| Ring Scramble - Plays during the Ringle Scramble game. | File info |
| Race 'n' Place - Plays during the Race 'n' Place game. | File info |
| Ninji Skills - Plays during the Ninji Skills game. | File info |
| Bath Math - Plays during the Bath Math game. | File info |
| Sudden Death - Plays during the Sudden Death round. | File info |
Gallery[edit]
Mario wins the "Sudden Death Cannon" Collectible Treasure.
Musée Champignon Art Gallery No. 107: Shy Guys Finish Last
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ヘイホー no Hey! ヘイホー[?] Heihō no Hey! Heihō |
Shy Guy's Hey! Shy Guy (pun on "hey" and Heihō, Shy Guy's Japanese name) | |
| French (NOE) | Le quiz Maskass[?] | The Shy Guy Quiz | |
| German | Sei nicht Shy, Guy[?] | Don't Be Shy, Guy | |
| Italian | Tipo Timido Show[?] | Shy Guy Show | |
| Spanish | Desafío Shy Guy[?] | Shy Guy Challenge |
