NINTENDO-64
10
Paper Mario
Intelligent Systems' charming RPG gave Mario the storybook treatment — flat paper characters in a colorful 3D world — and delivered a warm, witty adventure with a battle system accessible enough for beginners yet deep enough for RPG veterans. Paper Mario is pure Nintendo joy in interactive form.
💡 Paper Mario — Key Facts
- → Paper Mario was developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo
- → Released in 2000 on NINTENDO-64
- → Genre: RPG, Adventure
- → We rate it 9.3/10 — an absolute classic
- → Part of the mario franchise
- → Intelligent Systems' charming RPG gave Mario the storybook treatment — flat paper characters in a colorful 3D world — and delivered a warm, witty adventure with a battle system accessible enough for beginners yet deep enough for RPG veterans. Paper Mario is pure Nintendo joy in interactive form.
Overview
After Super Mario RPG proved that Mario worked in a turn-based RPG format, Nintendo entrusted the follow-up to Intelligent Systems — the developer behind Fire Emblem and Advance Wars. Their vision was whimsical and visually bold: a world in which Mario and every character are rendered as flat paper cutouts moving through a dimensional environment.
Paper Mario arrived in Japan in August 2000 and immediately established itself as one of the N64’s finest late-period releases. Its combination of accessible RPG mechanics, warm humor, and exceptional visual design created something genuinely unique in the Nintendo catalog.
Gameplay
Paper Mario’s battle system uses Action Commands — timed button presses that enhance Mario’s attacks or reduce incoming damage when executed correctly. This transforms what could be passive turn-based combat into an actively engaging series of mini-performances: timing a jump attack for a stomp bonus, pressing A when an attack lands to increase damage, or tilting the analog stick at the moment of impact to defend.
Mario travels with one active partner at a time, switchable freely between the eight available companions. Each partner has unique combat moves and overworld abilities: Kooper’s shell can hit distant items, Parakarry can carry Mario across wide gaps, Bombette can blow open cracked walls. Selecting which partner to use is as much a puzzle element as a combat choice.
Why It’s a Classic
Paper Mario works because it commits fully to its paper-craft world. The humor — NPCs commenting on their own flatness, elaborate sight gags involving paper tearing and stacking — arises naturally from the aesthetic rather than feeling forced. The eight Chapters are imaginatively varied: a haunted mansion chapter, an arctic mountain chapter, a chapter set entirely in the sky.
The game also demonstrates Nintendo’s skill at building games that feel warm and safe without being boring. Its world invites exploration; its characters invite conversation.
Legacy
Paper Mario launched a franchise that has continued producing entries through the Nintendo Switch era, including Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GameCube), Super Paper Mario (Wii), and more. The 2024 Nintendo Switch remake of The Thousand-Year Door confirmed the franchise’s ongoing vitality.
Our Review
9.3
Outstanding / 10
🎮
Gameplay
★★★★★
🎨
Graphics
★★★★★
🎵
Audio
★★★★★
🔄
Replay
★★★★★
Gameplay
The Action Command battle system transforms traditional turn-based RPG combat into an active experience — timing button presses to enhance attacks and block damage keeps every encounter engaging. Eight party members (Goombario, Kooper, Bombette, Parakarry, Lady Bow, Watt, Sushie, Lakilester) each have unique field and battle abilities. The eight Chapters are excellently paced with varied environments and challenges.
Graphics
The paper craft aesthetic — flat characters and enemies in a dimensional world — is an inspired visual concept that creates a storybook warmth unlike any other Mario game. The world's color saturation and charm are unmatched among N64 releases. The transition between overworld and battle screens is elegant.
Audio
Yuka Tsujiyoko's warm, accessible score perfectly suits the game's storybook tone. Each area has a distinct musical personality — the Boo Mansion's spooky melodies, Shiver Mountain's frosty themes, the Peach's Castle interlude music. The battle themes are energetic and satisfying.
Replayability
Moderate. A single playthrough runs 20–30 hours, and completing all optional content (Star Pieces, badges, Rowf's badge shop progression) extends it. The game's structure doesn't lend itself to mechanical replay, but its warmth and charm make it a game many players return to for comfort.
Historical Significance
Paper Mario launched one of Nintendo's most successful and longest-running sub-franchises, with entries continuing through the Switch era. Its accessible RPG design influenced subsequent Mario RPG games and demonstrated that turn-based combat could be broadly appealing when enhanced with active mechanics.
✅ Pros
- + Paper craft visual aesthetic is unique, warm, and distinctive
- + Action Command battle system keeps every fight actively engaging
- + Eight diverse partner characters each with distinct abilities
- + Witty, warm writing with memorable characters and dialogue
- + Excellent pacing across eight varied chapters
- + Badge system provides meaningful character customization
❌ Cons
- - Mario is generally the weakest character in battle — partners do much of the heavy lifting
- - Some puzzles require specific partners that must be swapped frequently
- - Late-game difficulty spikes can catch unprepared players off guard
- - No New Game+ or post-game content for completionists
- - Some optional badge and Star Piece collecting is non-intuitive to locate
Also Known As
Mario Storyマリオストーリー
In the Series
Paper Mario FAQ
How is Paper Mario different from Super Mario RPG?
Paper Mario was developed as the successor to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996, SNES), which was a collaboration between Nintendo and Square. After Square focused on Final Fantasy VII's development, Intelligent Systems developed Paper Mario independently. The games share a Mario RPG lineage but have different battle systems, world designs, and tones. Paper Mario's Action Command system is simpler and more accessible than Super Mario RPG's timed attacks.
Who are the partner characters?
The eight partner characters are: Goombario (attack and enemy information), Kooper (shell throwing), Bombette (bomb attacks for breaking walls), Parakarry (aerial delivery for crossing gaps), Lady Bow (Boo attacks and invisibility), Watt (electrical attacks that bypass defense), Sushie (water attacks and swimming), and Lakilester (cloud riding). Each has a field ability used outside of combat to solve environmental puzzles.
What is the badge system?
Badges are collectible items that provide passive bonuses, new special attacks, or modified mechanics when equipped. Each badge has a BP (Badge Point) cost, and Mario's available BP increases with levels. Badges range from simple stat boosts (Power Plus, Defense Plus) to transformative mechanics (Multibounce, which hits all ground enemies with one jump) to amusing modifiers (Mario can change his colors with certain badge combinations).
What is the Star Rod and why is Bowser so powerful in this game?
Bowser has stolen the Star Rod — a wish-granting artifact — from Star Haven and used it to make himself invincible. Mario must recover seven Star Spirits (held captive by Bowser's generals) who together can overcome the Star Rod's protection. This setup explains why combat with Bowser in the finale is a special encounter requiring the Star Spirits' power rather than normal attacks.
Is Paper Mario available on modern systems?
Paper Mario is available on Nintendo Switch via Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, which includes the Nintendo 64 version. It was also previously available on the Wii and Wii U Virtual Consoles.
