Paper Mario
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Paper Mario, known as (マリオストーリー) Mario Story in Japan, is a video game for the Nintendo 64 released in 2000. This game was released for Virtual Console on July 16, 2007 in America. It was also originally in development for the Nintendo 64DD.Template:Refneeded
In this game, King Bowser steals the Star Rod from Star Haven and imprisons the seven Star Spirits. He plans to use it to get all his selfish wishes, while everyone else's wishes go ungranted, and after using the Star Rod to destroy Mario and kidnap Princess Peach, he uses his Castle to uproot Peach's Castle into the stratosphere. Now, Peach's Castle is teetering on top of Bowser's. It may look as if the Mushroom Kingdom is doomed with Peach in Bowser's sinister clutches, so Mario and his party members must embark on a mission to set free the Star Spirits, defeat King Bowser, rescue Princess Peach, and take back the Star Rod.
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 a fabled treasure, known as the Star Rod, which can grant any and all wishes. The seven Star Spirits used this artifact to watch over and protect the peaceful world. Until one day, Kammy Koopa used her magic to teleport herself and her king, Bowser, into the sanctuary and, using his firebreath, Bowser shattered the protective seal over the Star Rod and grabbed it, in hopes of using its power to defeat Mario. As a test of the Star Rod's power, Bowser traps all of the Star Spirits inside playing cards then leaves.
Prologue: A Plea From the Stars
The game begins at Mario's house. A Paratroopa 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, but King Bowser and Kammy Koopa use their own castle to steal Peach's! The two castles are taken up into the air. Mario fights King Bowser, but he uses the Star Rod (which he stole from Star Haven) to make himself invincible. Mario flies out of the window and lands in Goomba Village.
At Goomba Village, a family of Goombas rescue Mario. A star in his dream tells him to go to Shooting Star Summit. Goombario, one of the Goomba family, decides to go with Mario on his adventure. Mario and Goombario battle the Goomba King before traveling to Shooting Star Summit, and Eldstar tells him to rescue the 7 Star Spirits, who are trapped in various places throughout the Mushroom Kingdom.
Back at Princess Peach's Castle, Peach is trapped in her room, unable to leave. She wishes for help. To her surprise, a Star Kid appears at the window. His name is Twink, and he has come to grant her wish. The Princess asks him to free her and steal the Star Rod back; Twink, sad, tells her that he is "not grand enough" to grant such a wish. Peach cheers Twink up and makes another wish-go to Mario, present him with a Lucky Star, and tell him that she is safe. Twink agrees, and flies out the window. The Princess steps onto her balcony and wonders where her hero is...
Chapter 1: Storming Koopa Bros. Fortress
Mario and Goombario eventually end up at Koopa Bros. Fortress, where the first spirit is trapped. On the way, they find Koopa Village, which is infested with Fuzzies who are taking all the shells from the Koopa Troopas. The two later meet a Koopa Troopa named Kooper, who joins them after retrieving his lost shell.
Once in Koopa Bros. Fortress, they find a Bob-omb named Bombette trapped in jail. She explodes and makes an escape route and together the three defeat three Bill Blasters, Bowser??? [who is actually easier then the koopa bros.] and the Koopa Bros., 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. She and Twink search for it, and discover a hidden button behind a painting in her room. The button opens the fireplace, revealing the passage! She and Twink move through it and end up in Bowser's private room. There, they read his diary, which reveals that the second Star Spirit is in Dry Dry Ruins! Twink leaves to give Mario the information, and the Princess is captured again.
Chapter 2: The Mystery of Dry, Dry Ruins
Twink comes and tells Mario that the second Star Spirit is in Dry Dry Ruins. On the way to Dry Dry Desert, they find a mail-delivering Paratroopa named Parakarry, who joins their party. They find the not so bright condor Buzzar, and the koopa archeologist Kolorado. Mario goes through the Dry Dry Desert to Dry Dry Outpost, where the meet Moustafa, who gives them the Pulse Stone that will tell him where Dry Dry Ruins is. Upon finding Dry Dry Ruins, they discover it has many traps such as filling rooms with sand and finding keys. They eventually get to the very end of the ruins, where they find Tutankoopa and his Chain Chomps. After defeating him, they release the second Star Spirit, Mamar.
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. 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 through the castle's library and eavesdrop on two Koopatrols talking. They reveal that Blubba indeed has some secret weakness; Twink leaves to give this message to Mario.
Chapter 3: The "Invincible" Tubba Blubba
The third star spirit is in Boo's Mansion. Bootler appears in Forever Forest and tells Mario how to get through the forest. When Mario reaches Boo's Mansion, he finds that Bow, Princess of the Boos, has trapped the third Star Spirit, Skolar. She won't let him go until Mario helps her defeat the evil Tubba Blubba of Gusty Gulch. Mario and Bow go to Tubba Blubba's Castle and find the key to Tubba Blubba's weakness and defeat him. 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, 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 hear that 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. 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.
Chapter 4: Trials in the Toy Box
The fourth star spirit is in Shy Guy's Toy Box. Shy Guys have invaded Toad Town, and go on a crime spree, bothering everyone and stealing personal items! Mario follows one of them to Shy Guy's Toy Box. There, Kammy Koopa lays all the things Peach said Mario hated. To get to the end, they must clear 3 out of the 4 train stations. They eventually meet Gourmet Guy and must give him a piece of cake so they can repair the 2nd railroad track. At the final stop, they meet and defeat the Big Lantern Ghost and inside his lantern they find a Lil' 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 for the 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 them as escaped-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 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 captured again.
Chapter 5: Hot, Hot Times on Lavalava Island
The fifth star spirit is in Lavalava Island. They can't reach it, but then a whale comes 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. He goes to Yoshi Village and finds the volcano, but he can't reach it. When he returns to the village, everyone is panicking because 5 Yoshis have gone missing. Mario helps Sushie, a friendly Cheep Cheep, find them. After they find the Yoshis, Mario and Sushie go to the volcano and defeat the Lava Piranha for the fifth star spirit, Misstar.
Back at the castle, Peach and Twink escape again and explore the first floor for more information. While there, a Hammer Brother asks her 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; she also gets a prize for participating, the amazing Sneaky Parasol. Bowser enters and wants to play, but since the game is over, he settles for trapping Peach again.
Chapter 6: Dark Days in Flower Fields
The sixth star spirit is in Flower Fields. After Mario finds the 4 Magical Seeds, he opens the portal to Flower Fields. He meets a Lakitu named Lakilester, who joins him and together they destroy the Cloud Creation Machine, go to Cloudy Climb and defeat the evil cloud 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 getting caught! Peach will also learn that Kammy is building a weapon designed to defeat Mario.
Chapter 7: A Star Spirit on Ice
The seventh and final star spirit is held in the Crystal Palace. In order to open the way forward, Mario must solve a penguin murder mystery in Shiver City, visit Starborn Valley, and dress a snowman for the cold. Along the way, they meet Madam Merlar, who gives Mario the Star Stone, giving him access to the palace. Once inside, the group realized that it contained many traps and puzzles involving Duplighosts and mirrors. Once they reached the Crystal King, Mario defeated him for the final Star Spirit, Kalmar.
The final segment at the castle is simply a cutscene, as opposed to a playing experience. Bowser enters Peach's room and tells her that Mario is coming-but he will destroy him! He ties the Princess up to keep her out of mischief; Twink, furious, jumps out and tries attacking him. Bowser brushes him away, and they all go upstairs...
Chapter 8: A Star-Powered Showdown!
With the help of the 7 Star Spirits, Mario and the team go to Star Haven and use the power of the Star Spirits to travel to Bowser's Castle. After going through the castle, they finally find Princess Peach. After a long, hard battle, interrupted by a cutscene in which Peach and Twink have a battle with Kammy Koopa, King Bowser is defeated, even with the power of the Star Rod and with the device Kammy Koopa told the guards about during the Chapter 6-7 intermission. Mario and his team return the Star Rod to its rightful owners and are later invited to Peach's second party. Template:Endspoiler
Battle System
Paper Mario introduced a new battle system. Mario and one partner of their choice fight against the enemies. Mario has HP and BP, while all characters share FP. FP is used for special moves, HP is Mario's life force and BP affects the types of Badges Mario can wear.
Each attack has its own "Action Command", which increases the damage if performed correctly. For example, for "Jump", the player must press A just as Mario is about to hit the enemy, and for Hammer, He must hold left and release at the right time. Mario can also decrease enemy damage by 1 by pressing A just as they hit him.
When Mario levels up, the player can choose to increase HP by 5, FP by 5 or BP by 3. The best idea is to upgrade BP with the occasional HP/FP boost until his BP is at maximum (30), then upgrade HP and FP.
When Mario and his team rescue a Star Spirit, they could summon them to use their powers against an enemy or two. Star Spirit Powers can be used if there is plenty of Star Energy. If Star Energy is used up Mario can use focus to regain Star Energy. Star Energy can also fill up as a battle progresses.
Mario's Partners
| Name | Summary | Ablites | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Goombario.gif Goombario |
Informed by his sister, both of the siblings carried Mario into a Toad House back at their village. He's Mario's biggest fan, he even was named his name and by wearing a blue cap with a G written on it. His main role is tattling at everything during battle, and outside battle both of them encounters. | Headbonk 0 FP |
Bonks a single enemy. |
| Tattle 0 FP |
Informs enemy's description and stats during battle, and other characters, areas, and objects outside battle. | ||
| Charge 1 FP |
Boosts attack power by 2 for one turn. | ||
| Multibonk 3 FP |
Similar to Mario's Power Bounce, bonks an enemy multiple times until he misses the impact hit. | ||
 Kooper |
Recently had Fuzzy attacks in his village, most of the shells including Kooper were stolen. He is a young adventure-loving koopa who has dreams of becoming an archaeologist like Kolorado. His main role is he can be shell tossed by Mario in short distances, allowing him to hit switches, gather items, and attack enemies making the First Strike. | Shell Toss 0 FP |
Attacks one enemy at the front during battle, and flips switches, grabs items, and attacks enemies outside battle. |
| Power Shell 3 FP |
Attacks all ground enemies. | ||
| Dizzy Shell 4 FP |
Makes enemies dizzy for a couple of turns. | ||
| Fire Shell 5 FP |
Attacks all ground enemies inflicting with fire. | ||
| File:PM Bombette.jpg Bombette |
Locked deep inside the Koopa Bros. Fortress, she wanted to defeat the Koopa Bros. for locking up those good-side Bob-ombs that have been captured. She packs a punch into attacking enemies when it comes to explosion despite her size. Her main role is to blast off cracked or fake walls that reveal an opening to gain access. | Body Slam 0 FP |
Charges at one grounded enemy. |
| Bomb 3 FP |
Attacks one grounded enemy during battle, and destroys fake/cracked walls and attack enemies outside battle. | ||
| Power Bomb 6 FP |
Attacks all grounded enemies. | ||
| Mega Bomb 8 FP |
Attacks all enemies. | ||
| File:Parakarry.gif Parakarry | Traveling around the Mushroom Kingdom sending letters, he's been losing a couple of letters during his flight. He works in the Post Office back in Toad Town, delivering various letters around such places exclusively with flight. His main role is to carry Mario over gaps for a short moment due to the plumber's weight. | Sky Dive 0 FP |
Kicks one enemy while airborne. |
| Shell Shot 3 FP |
Charges at one enemy while airborne. | ||
| Air Lift 3 FP |
Lifts enemies out of battle, and lifts Mario to hover over short distances due to Mario's weight outside battle. | ||
| Air Raid 6 FP |
Flies around like crazy, inflicting damage to all enemies. | ||
| File:Bow.gif Lady Bow |
Despite residing back in her mansion, she wanted to stop Tubba Blubba from eating her native species. She's pretty strong headed towards some of her kind and others, including her butler while assigned in royality. Her main role is to protect Mario by hiding his appearance from obstacles and encounters with enemies when held. | Smack 0 FP |
Smacks an enemy multiple times. |
| Outta Sight 2 FP |
Makes Mario invulnerable to attacks during battle, and makes Mario invisible and protected from obstacles and enemies. | ||
| Spook 3 FP |
Scares enemies away from battle. | ||
| Fan Smack 5 FP |
Smacks an enemy more stronger. | ||
| File:Watt.gif Watt |
Trapped in a Lantern Ghost's lantern used as eternal light, she wanted just to be set free from that mysterious place. Although a young female-- noting the pacifier she had on her mouth, she can ally Mario to fighting enemies along the way. Her main role is to illuminate hidden goods for Mario to sight and quite good at penetrating enemies' defenses and paralyzing enemies. | Electro Dash 0 FP |
Attacks one enemy, ignoring enemy's defense value. |
| Power Shock 2 FP |
Paralyzes a single enemy. | ||
| Turbo Charge 3 FP |
Temporarily boosts Mario's attack power. | ||
| Mega Shock 5 FP |
Paralyzes all enemies. | ||
| File:Sushie.gif Sushie |
A babysitter residing in Lavalava Island along with the native Yoshis, she lost the five Yoshis deep inside the rain forest playing hide and seek and wanted to find them. She appears strict towards those youngsters when they decide to create some mischief, though she required help from Mario. Her main role is to guide Mario though bodies of the water when ready on a wooden dock. | Belly Flop 0 FP |
Hops on one enemy during battle, and when on a wooden dock, Mario can hop on her to move though water outside battle. |
| Squirt 3 FP |
Shoots water at one enemy. | ||
| Water Block 3 FP |
Boosts Mario's defense by varies. | ||
| Tidal Wave 6 FP |
Launches water attacks against all enemies. | ||
| File:Lakilester.gif Lakilester |
Once an ally towards the Koopa Troop-- under his nickname Spike or Michael, Mario was stopped by his girlfriend because he was following Huff N. Puff's pointless orders. He had a nerve when he was called by his original name instead of one of the two nicknames, still though he was now a partner towards the main hero. His main role is to let Mario ride in his cloud to overcome dangerous obstacles. | Spiny Flip 0 FP |
Throws a Spiny Egg at one enemy. |
| Spiny Surge 4 FP |
Throws multiple Spiny Eggs at all enemies. | ||
| Cloud Nine 4 FP |
Boosts Mario's evasion rate during battle, and can ride his cloud cross dangerous terrain similar to Parakarry outside battle. | ||
| Hurricane 5 FP |
Blows enemies out of the battle. |
The Star Spirits' Powers
Eldstar
As his name implies, he's the elder of Star Haven and he's respected by all others.
He is the Star Spirit the Koopa Bros. guard.
- Found in: Koopa Bros. Fortress
- Boss required to defeat: Bowser??? Koopa Bros.
- Powers
- Focus
- Refresh: Needs 1 Star power.
- Powers Obtained: Chapter 1: Storming Koopa Bros. Fortress
- What Focus does: Boosts Star energy.
- What Refresh does: Replenishes Mario's HP and FP by 5. Needs 1 Star power.
Mamar
Happy and kind hearted, she looks after the others.
She is the Star Spirit Tutankoopa guards.
- Found in: Dry Dry Ruins
- Boss required to defeat: Tutankoopa
- Power: Lullaby
- Power Obtained: Chapter 2: The Mystery of Dry, Dry Ruins
- What it does: Puts enemies to sleep for a short time by singing a lullaby.
- Star Power needed: 1
Skolar
As his name implies, like most scholars, he's always studying.
He is the Star Spirit Tubba Blubba guards, but he escaped from Tubba Blubba's Castle and was searching for a way out in the Forever Forest and was captured by Boos, who promised to set him free after Mario and Co. defeat Tubba Blubba.
- Found in: Boo's Mansion
- Boss required to defeat: Tubba Blubba + Tubba Blubba's Heart
- Power: Star Storm
- Power Obtained: Chapter 3: The "Invincible" Tubba Blubba
- What it does: Attacks all enemies, damaging 7 HP each.
- Star Power needed: 2
Muskular
This young Star Spirit is always full of energy.
He is guarded by General Guy and his troops.
- Found in: Shy Guy's Toy Box
- Boss required to defeat: General Guy and his troops
- Power: Chill Out
- Power Obtained: Chapter 4: Trials in the Toy Box
- What it does: Decreases enemies' attack power by 3.
- Star Power needed: 2
Misstar
This young Star Spirit is pure hearted but strong.
She is guarded by Lava Piranha and his Lava Buds.
- Found in: Mt. Lavalava
- Boss required to defeat: Lava Piranha
- Power: Smooch
- Power Obtained: Chapter 5: Hot, Hot Times on Lavalava Island
- What it does: Replenishes Mario's HP by 20 with a kiss.
- Star Power needed: 3
Klevar
Young and-- as his name implies-- he is very clever and is always reading books.
He's the Star Spirit Huff N. Puff guards.
- Found in: Flower Fields and Cloudy Climb
- Boss required to defeat: Huff N. Puff
- Power: Time Out
- Power Obtained: Chapter 6: Dark Days in Flower Fields
- What it does: Immobilizes enemies for a short time.
- Star Power needed: 2
Kalmar
Very warm hearted. As his name implies, he hates fights or arguments.
He is the Star Spirit the Crystal King guards.
- Found in: Crystal Palace
- Boss required to defeat: Crystal King
- Power: Up and Away
- Power Obtained: Chapter 7: A Star Spirit on Ice
- What it does: Turns enemies into stars, knocking them out of battle.
- Star Power needed: 2
Star Beam/Peach Beam
- Power Obtained: Chapter 8: A Star-Powered Showdown!
- What it does: Negates the effects of the Star Rod. During the final battle with Bowser, Star Beam has no effect against the Star Rod due to the device Kammy Koopa made. After Peach and Twink defeat Kammy Koopa, this power is upgraded to Peach Beam.
- Star Power needed: None
Bestiary
- See Paper Mario (Bestiary) for a list of all enemies found in Paper Mario. Also see the bestiary for bosses in the game.
Badges
- See Paper Mario Badges for a list of all of the badges found in Paper Mario.
Trophy Information from Super Smash Bros. Melee
The Star Rod: Bowser stole it, and Mario wants it back. Bowser vs. Mario is familiar for Mario aficionados, but Paper Mario is novel. What this game brings to the 3D polygon-filled gaming world is its art style: everything is wafer thin! What the visuals lack in realism, they more than make up for in unique artistry.
Trophy Information from Super Smash Bros. Brawl
A legendary hero whose adventure unfolds when he sets out to rescue Princess Peach from the nefarious clutches of Count Bleck. He has the ability to flip the world from 2-D to 3-D and back again. If he grabs a Mega Star, he'll transform into a pixelated giant Mario. In this state, he's invulnerable and capable of stomping through enemies and obstacles with ease.
Trivia
- This is the only Mario RPG game that has Bowser as the main antagonist. In all of the other RPG games Bowser is either an ally or a minor foe.
- Several characters have appeared in 3D in other non-Paper Mario games:
- The Goomba King reappeared in Super Mario 64 DS though he is called Goomboss.
- Koopatrols reappeared as enemies in Mario Pinball Land.
- Whacka has reappeared on a board in Mario Party 6.
- Many Paper Mario characters, enemies, and possibly dreams of their locations make at least a cameo appearance in Mario Party 5. Most notably, the game is hosted by the Star Spirits, marking their only appearance outside Paper Mario.
- This is the only Paper Mario game that has no optional characters.
- This is also the only Paper Mario game that doesn't have the endless play mode, where the player can continue playing the game even after the final boss is defeated. At the end of Paper Mario, after the credits have rolled, Mario and Peach will watch the fireworks of the Mushroom Kingdom victory parade at the Mario Bros.'s house. "The End" will appear and Mario and Peach will stand there and watch the fireworks, endlessly. This forces the player to turn off the console leaving all data back where they last saved before the final boss. In a positive way, however, this allows the player to defeat the final boss more than once.
- A few of the characters from Paper Mario made a brief cameo appearance in the game's sequel, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door.
- This Paper Mario doesn't have heart points for Mario's partners like in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. So whenever the partner got attacked, he/she would be Injured, meaning the partner will unable to move for a certain amount of turns.
- This is the only Paper Mario game where all enemies and bosses have 99 life points or under.
- At the beginning of Super Paper Mario, all of Mario's partners as well as his ones in Paper Mario 2, are all together in a photo. These special pictures are seperated.
- Bow and Bootler make another a cameo appearance in Super Paper Mario in Francis' room.
Template:Mario RPGs Template:Fourth Wall
| Nintendo 64 games | ||
|---|---|---|
| Super Mario franchise | Super Mario 64 (1996) • Mario Kart 64 (1996) • Mario no Photopi (1998) • Mario Party (1998) • Mario Golf (1999) • Mario Artist: Paint Studio* (1999) • Mario Party 2 (1999) • Mario Artist: Talent Studio* (2000) • Mario Artist: Communication Kit* (2000) • Mario Tennis (2000) • Paper Mario (2000) • Mario Artist: Polygon Studio* (2000) • Mario Party 3 (2000) • Dr. Mario 64 (2001) | |
| Donkey Kong franchise | Diddy Kong Racing (1997) • Donkey Kong 64 (1999) | |
| Yoshi franchise | Yoshi's Story (1997) | |
| Crossovers | Super Smash Bros. (1999) | |
