Paper Mario

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JaySevenZero
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Paper Mario

Post by JaySevenZero »

Here's where you can contribute your thoughts and opinions of Paper Mario for potential inclusion in the forthcoming podcast.

A friendly reminder to all that where feedback for the podcast is concerned, we love it - but self-editing (brevity) is appreciated. We do want to include a breadth of opinions where appropriate, but no-one wants a discussion podcast that’s mainly reading. Better to save yourself time and cut to the chase if you can.
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Jobobonobo
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Re: 430: Paper Mario

Post by Jobobonobo »

N64 and RPG were words that rarely went together and for fans of the genre, it is understandable that they left for greener pastures on the PS1. But there were a few attempts made for the system and Paper Mario was easily the best of the lot. It was this, not Super Mario RPG that really made me fall in love with the concept of Mario with RPG mechanics. It does so much right. Its graphics have aged really well for an N64 title and it truly made the Mushroom kingdom into a living breathing world. Typical Mario mainstays such as boos, goombas and koopas were not just fodder for Mario’s boots but had their own communities where they are just trying to get by like everyone else. Playing as Peach in between chapters as she is trying to help Mario from her floating castle prison helped in fleshing her out as being more resourceful than how she is typically portrayed. The battle system with its timed button presses along with the badges helping you out in various ways really built upon what made the battle system in Super Mario RPG so fun. The partners are also a great addition with typical Mario enemies becoming your allies and their uses both in and out of battle implemented very satisfactorily.

But what really makes Paper Mario a joy is that while the story is for the most part pretty basic stuff, the stories making up each individual chapter help in fleshing out Mario’s world. In this game, you have to deal with a monster that eats Boos, get shrunk into a toybox run by a militaristic Shy Guy and help an explorer in discovering a tropical island. In later games, these scenarios get even more creative but this chapter structure really turns this game into a charming anthology of stories. To quote a certain Tarantino film, Super Mario RPG got my curiosity but it was Paper Mario that had my attention.
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Toon Scottoon
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Re: 430: Paper Mario

Post by Toon Scottoon »

Whoever put this game on the show list this year, I owe you a big thank you. Until this February I had never played a Paper Mario game. I’d tried Super Mario RPG and it didn’t work for me enough to stick with it for more than an hour. In fact it made me write off all Mario RPG’s, but Cane and Rinse got me to give this version a shot on my WiiU, and I’m much happier for it. The combination of diet Zelda puzzle solving, varied combat styles, and truly equisest character writing rocketed me not only though this game but further into this game series, compelling me to dust off my original Wii, and spend a decent amount of money on a Gamecube controller, Gamecube memory card, and copy of Paper Mario and the Thousand Year Door. Sadly the copy of the game I ordered doesn’t work properly, so it will be about a month before the replacement arrives, but I then found Bug Fables, which is scratching this itch I didn’t even know I had a few month’s back, and of course the next chapter in the series is also on the way.

Anyway, I do want to take a little more time to talk about the writing because I thought it was really interesting. The plot is just what you’d expect. Peach is in a jackpot, Mario has to get her out. It’s the structure of many, many Mario games, but the way that this game tackles side characters, building out a universe with game show loving Koopa Troopa guards, bumbling penguin cops, and a butt-kicking lady Boo made the whole affair fresh and memorable in a way I just just wasn’t prepared for. The game just kept surprising me right up until the very end with that very cute celebratory parade that goes by when you roll the end credits. So thanks again to the person or persons who put this on the show list this year. You’ve added one more fan to the stack of Paper Mario supporters.

Three Word Review: Sheet impressed me

PS I just read Jobobonobo's post before copying this over from my files. Seems like we had a weirdly similar expeirence, which is kind of fun and interesting. Check out that Bug Fable's game Jobobonobo if you aren't into the more modern Paper Mario's, it is a lot of fun.
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Alex79
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Re: 430: Paper Mario

Post by Alex79 »

I really hope this comes out on Switch, either as part of an N64 collection via the online service or even just a paid download. I owned it at one point on the original hardware, paid a small fortune at the time, but never played it really. I then bought it on the Virtual Console for Wii and played a decent chunk of it, but it's one of those games I keep meaning to get round to completing at some point. Along with Chrono Trigger >_<
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Jobobonobo
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Re: 430: Paper Mario

Post by Jobobonobo »

Toon Scottoon wrote: June 21st, 2020, 7:51 pm PS I just read Jobobonobo's post before copying this over from my files. Seems like we had a weirdly similar expeirence, which is kind of fun and interesting. Check out that Bug Fable's game Jobobonobo if you aren't into the more modern Paper Mario's, it is a lot of fun.
Thanks for the kind words, Toon Scottoon! It is nice when someone else clicks with a series the same way you do and the great news is that all those things you love this game for, Thousand Year Door doubles down on all of it. It is honestly my favourite GameCube game and is exactly how you should do a sequel. Easily the peak of the series for me.

I have also been keeping an eye on Bug Fables and it looks amazing. Have heard nothing but great things so it will be on my list of must plays for later this year! Will be a nice back up of Origami King turns out to be a disappointment.
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NoMoreSpearows
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Re: Our next podcast recording (2.8.20) - 430: Paper Mario

Post by NoMoreSpearows »

Every now and then, I feel a strong urge to replay Paper Mario. It's not surprising that I feel this way given the immense amount of charm the game has, a strength ever Mario RPG has played up to the best of their abilities. Mario might not be as effective a storyteller as his more animated self in Super Mario RPG, but that's more than made up for through the partner system; being able to receive letters for all eight of Mario's companions, whether they be family, friends, or former foes, highlights just how important a role they play in saving Peach from the clutches of a practically invincible Bowser. It's a shame that only Goombario is allowed time to develop outside of these letters, since the partners tend to not talk that often after joining the cause, but he's a highlight in and of himself as equal parts encyclopedia, idolizing fanboy, and snarker; if you have the time to walk through all 49 tiles of Dry Dry Desert, he has a remark for each one, and seeing him grow more and more frustrated from the heat is both very funny and a little cruel.

Paper Mario also manages to be one of the rare games where backtracking doesn't feel like as much of a chore as it could be. There's always something new to be found, whether it's a new encounter with the feisty Jr. Troopa or a unique bit of environmental interaction like the pole that watches your movements on Pleasant Path (run in circles around it to earn hearts!). If nothing else does show up, even the basic action of moving is genuinely fun because of the spinning mechanic, letting Mario twirl forward instead of just walking along. I don't know why it was removed from future games in the series, but I miss it every time it once again is missing.

Everything should line up: a fun battle mechanic, interesting characters to meet, and all the spinning one could ever ask for. So why do I never replay Paper Mario?

The prologue.

I can see an argument for why the Action Commands are tucked away for as long as they are. It allows players completely unfamiliar with RPGs to get a general understanding of how they work, and allows for a bit more of a tactical approach to early encounters like the Goomba King. The problem is that it's just too slow, taking about an hour even for seasoned players for the "action" part of "action RPG" to be introduced. To my knowledge, it's the only game in the series to do this, and it's easy to see why it wasn't repeated.

That said, I absolutely still recommend Paper Mario, especially to those who are playing it as their first in the series. But for experienced players, that early game can feel like an absolute slog. For them, it's all a matter of just how much they like spinning.
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BlueWeaselBreath
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Re: Our next podcast recording (2.8.20) - 430: Paper Mario

Post by BlueWeaselBreath »

I remember when this one came out, I had already finished and loved Super Mario RPG. I was hoping in vain for a sequel to that game, not quite understanding that Paper Mario was a kind of follow-up, and the closest we could hope for at the time, given that the Square—Nintendo partnership was done by that time. But when I eventually realized Paper Mario was, for all intents and purposes, the spiritual successor to Mario RPG, I decided I need to check it out.

When I started playing it many years after its release—through emulation, as I never owned a Nintendo 64—the linkage was clear. The main motif from the Super Mario RPG battle theme is even hidden in the Paper Mario battle theme for a few measures, serving as a subtle thematic link. I remember playing this on my laptop in empty classrooms between college classes. Some screwy emulation errors compromised the experience somewhat for me, but I still had a good time.

I recently decided to download this on the Wii U eShop so I could play it along with the show. I still enjoy the experience just as much, even at 35 years old. I’ve never grown tired of the silliness and whimsy of the RPG-style Mario titles, even if the writing is clearly aimed at a younger audience and forgoes deep themes and complex, subversive narrative. While the battle system and other mechanics are streamlined, the battles still require strategy, like all the best RPGs. In fact, the simplified HP and attack systems, in which you know each time how many points of damage you’ll inflict if you get the timing right, require more intentional strategy than RPGs in which random number generators and a bunch of complex algorithms decide how much damage within a range of possible damage values you’ll do. Since each attack does a reliable amount of damage and leads to predicable outcomes, it’s possible to make more strategic decisions about which character should use which attack on which enemies. Therefore, when things don’t go your way during a battle, it’s usually because you made a strategic or tactical error or missed a timed attack or defense—not because an RNG calculation outside your control screwed you over. Call me lame, but I find Paper Mario’s system to be a much more enjoyable experience.
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DeadpoolNegative
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Re: Our next podcast recording (2.8.20) - 430: Paper Mario

Post by DeadpoolNegative »

It's been far, far too long since I played it so my memories of it aren't exact, but I played Paper Mario over the summer of 2001, and it has stuck in my mind ever since as one of the most enjoyable RPG experiences I've ever had.

Some of my favorite games of all time are games where I just like existing in and exploring the world. Open world Sandbox games and RPGs fit this category, and Paper Mario was a big one. The world of Super Mario RPG was fun, but it felt fragmented and detached in a way the world of Paper Mario is not. For the first time in franchise history the Mushroom Kingdom and its outskirts feel REAL and vibrant, and full of people with their own lives. As others have pointed out, this is a game where backtracking doesn't feel like a problem since the game world is so fun to be in. The writing is witty and clever.

The Princess Peach missions, between each chapter, I found myself particularly looking forward to as it was neat to not only get to play Peach again after all these years, but to do it in a way that can be only described as Tactical Mushroom Kingdom Action: Metal Gear Princess, as she tries to sneak out of the castle. Okay, it's not REALLY a stealth game, as most of the segments have

And the various companions Mario meets throughout his journey are part of why the world is so memorable too. Although Goombario gets the lions' share of the writers' attention, I had a particular affection for Bombette, one of the most adorable designs in video game history.

Sorry I don't have more fully formed thoughts on this game, I wasn't able to get around to playing it again. But I want to talk about one other reason I remember it so fondly. I was playing it the week 9/11 happened, and I beat it that following Friday. It was a small thing, but being transported into that world that horrible week, and helping Mario and his friends save the Mushroom kingdom and Peach throwing him a party in the end, seeing the good guys win, well, that was a bit of a balm on my soul.

Paper Mario N64 had a dynamite sequel but the subsequent games have struggled to live up to the first two, but I still love visiting their worlds.

--Dan
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