Paper Mario (series): Difference between revisions

{{series-infobox

|number=6

|parent=''[[Mario (franchise)|Mario]]''

|staff=[[Ryota Kawade]] (2000-2007)<br> [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] (2000-2004)<br> [[Kensuke Tanabe]] (2007-present)<br>[[Naohiko Aoyama]] (2012-present)<br>[[Taro Kudo]] (2012-present)<br>[[Masahiko Nagaya]] (2016-present)

'''''Paper Mario''''' is a [[wikipedia:Role-playing video game|role-playing]] and [[wikipedia:Action-adventure game|action-adventure]] spinoff series of the [[Mario (franchise)|''Mario'' franchise]], developed for [[Nintendo]] by affiliate company [[Intelligent Systems]]. The series is renowned for its distinctive visual style, which consists of 2D paper [[wikipedia:Cutout animation|cutout]] characters moving about in 3D [[wikipedia:Papercraft|papercraft]] environments. It is considered a [[wikipedia:Informal sequel|thematic]] and [[wikipedia:Spiritual successor|spiritual sequel]] to ''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]'', the first game to introduce RPG elements into the ''Mario'' franchise, and follows many conventions established in that game. The first installment in the ''Paper Mario'' series was launched on [[Nintendo 64]] in 2000/2001, and five sequels have since followed: four for home consoles, and one handheld entry, with an additional crossover title also featured on a handheld.

During the {{wp|fifth generation of video games}}, {{wp|Sony Interactive Entertainment}}'s original {{wp|PlayStation (console)|PlayStation}} console overtook Nintendo's long-standing dominance in the home console market, resulting in the latter company's own console from that generation, the [[Nintendo 64]], being relegated to a distant second place. Nintendo's downfall during that era can be attributed to multiple decisions and strategies made by the company during this generation, namely launching the N64 in the U.S. a full year behind the PlayStation,<ref name="Schilling">Schilling, Melissa A. “Technological Leapfrogging: LESSONS FROM THE U.S. VIDEO GAME CONSOLE INDUSTRY.” California Management Review, vol. 45, no. 3, Spring 2003, pp. 6–32. EBSCOhost, doi:10.2307/41166174, https://www.researchgate.net/public...ssons_from_the_US_Video_Game_Console_Industry. Accessed March 27, 2020.</ref> continuing to store games in cartridges instead of switching to the less expensive CD-ROM format,<ref>Subramanian, Annapoornima M., et al. “Capability Reconfiguration of Incumbent Firms: Nintendo in the Video Game Industry.” Technovation, vol. 31, no. 5-6, Elsevier Ltd, May 2011, pp. 228–39, doi:10.1016/j.technovation.2011.01.003, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0166497211000137. Accessed 27 Mar. 2020.</ref> utilizing a pricing strategy that was not complex enough to allow it to maintain a strong position in the market, and requesting high fees and enforcing strict policies for licensing of third-party developers.<ref name="Schilling"/> The aforementioned factors resulted in multiple third-party developers abandoning Nintendo and moving development to Sony's console. One of these developers was [[Squaresoft]], creators of the ''{{wp|Final Fantasy}}'' series, which had previously developed the ''Mario'' franchise's first role-playing game, ''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]'', for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] (SNES).

Square's move to developing exclusively for Sony resulted in Nintendo turning to [[Intelligent Systems]] to create Mario's next RPG title.<ref name="PM History">Scullion, Chris (December 29, 2020). [https://web.archive.org/web/20210116131625/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/12/feature_the_complete_history_of_paper_mario "Feature: The Complete History of Paper Mario"]. ''{{wp|Nintendo Life}}''. Retrieved January 31, 2021.</ref> Intelligent Systems was founded in the 1980s by Toru Narihiro, and started out providing auxiliary programming for games on the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (known as the Family Computer in Japan) and its add-on, the [[Family Computer Disk System|Famicom Disk System]]. As its history progressed, the studio went on to develop two successful series for Nintendo: ''[[warswiki:Wars series|Wars]]'', a military-themed {{wp|turn-based strategy}} series, and ''[[fireemblem:Fire Emblem (series)|Fire Emblem]]'', a fantasy-oriented {{wp|tactical role-playing}} series; the successes of these two series' debut installments resulted in Intelligent Systems expanding its services beyond just programming and engineering, and introducing game designers, script writers, artists, and musicians into its staff. At the time the new ''Mario'' RPG was to be created, both of the aforenamed franchises were still exclusive to Japan only.

Shortly after the Nintendo 64's release in Japan, [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] started production work on the next ''Mario'' RPG. The game, developed (as Miyamoto stated) with amateur gamers in mind,<ref name="for the kids">[https://www.ign.com/articles/1997/11/22/mario-rpg-is-for-the-kids "Mario RPG is for the Kids"]. {{wp|IGN}}. November 21, 1997.</ref> was initially going to be a direct sequel to its Square-developed predecessor, using a similar graphics style, and be released for the N64's disk drive add-on, the [[Nintendo 64DD|64DD]].<ref name="PM History"/> The game utilized some gameplay mechanics carried over from ''Super Mario RPG'', such as timed button presses to deal more damage in combat, which were implemented as a means of easing fans into finding interest in the role-playing genre.<ref>Park, Gene (July 17, 2020). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/reviews/with-origami-king-paper-mario-series-leaves-role-playing-fans-behind/ "With ''Origami King'', the ''Paper Mario'' series leaves role-playing fans behind"]. ''{{wp|The Washington Post}}''. Retrieved February 4, 2021.</ref> Art director Naohiko Aoyama was responsible for creating the series' distinct paper-like style for character graphics,<ref name="twenty">[https://www.pcmag.com/news/20-years-ago-nintendo-transformed-the-rpg-genre-with-paper-mario#:~:text=20%20Years%20Ago%2C%20Nintendo%20Transformed%20the%20RPG%20Genre%20With%20Paper%20Mario,-Thor%20Jensen&text=Error!&text=It's%20undeniable%20that%20Nintendo%20masters,the%20kart%20racer%20and%20more. "20 Years Ago, Nintendo Transformed the RPG Genre with ''Paper Mario''"]. ''{{wp|PCMag}}''. August 11, 2020.</ref> taking inspiration from the graphics of the PlayStation's ''{{wp|PaRappa the Rapper}}'' and traditional animated films, such as those in the {{wp|Walt Disney Animation Studios|Disney}} animation canon or the ''{{wp|Looney Tunes}}'' franchise.<ref name="for the kids"/> Aoyama believed that players would prefer a game with "cute" paper-like character designs over one with low-polygon 3D graphics.<ref name="twenty"/> The title ''Paper Mario'', used for all releases of the series except the Japanese release of the first game, was chosen to emphasize this unique graphical style.

''Paper Mario'' combines traditional role-playing gameplay elements with concepts and features from the ''Mario'' franchise. The main protagonist, [[Mario]], overcomes obstacles placed in the game's [[wikipedia:Overworld|overworld]] by [[jump]]ing and using his [[hammer]]. The graphics consist of a mixture of [[wikipedia:3D computer graphics|3D]] environments and [[wikipedia:2D computer graphics|2D]] characters who look as if they are made of paper. Battles in the ''Paper Mario'' games borrow elements from ''Super Mario RPG'' and traditional role-playing titles; and feature a turn-based system, in which players select an attack, defense, or item from a menu; and an "[[Action Command]]s" mechanic where the player can receive substantial attack or defense bonuses when they perform a timed button press correctly or follow some other instruction. Mario's [[wikipedia:Health (gaming)|health]] is measured in [[Heart Point]]s (HP), of which one or more are consumed by attacks from the enemies he combats in battle; once his HP is reduced to zero, the game will end and the player will have to reload from the last [[wikipedia:Saved game|save point]] reached.

[[File:PMTTYD Battle.png|thumb|right|225px|The combat system in ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door''.]]

In ''[[Paper Mario: Sticker Star]]'', the gameplay was overhauled again, with this formula differing drastically from those of previous games in the series. Various critical elements of the original gameplay are absent, namely special moves points, badges, the experience point system, and the use of partners. As such, ''Sticker Star'' and its follow-up game ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]'' are not classified as RPGs per se, but are instead action-platformers designed in an RPG style. Both games also mostly exclude characters unique to the series and a similar setting with previous games, the reason being that [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] felt a more complex plot was unnecessary in a ''Mario'' game.<ref>http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/papermario/0/2</ref> An interview in 2020 revealed that the limitation of new characters (as in age or gender) was indeed a deliberate restriction by [[Nintendo]].<ref>https://www.videogameschronicle.com/features/interviews/paper-mario-origami-king/</ref>

|style="text-align:center;"|[[File:Paper Mario 64 box.png|145px]]<span style="font-size:8pt"><br>{{released|Japan|August 10, 2000}} [[Nintendo 64]]</span>

The game was rereleased for the [[Wii]] [[Virtual Console#Wii|Virtual Console]] in 2007, and for the [[Wii U]] [[Virtual Console#Wii U|Virtual Console]] in 2015.

|style="text-align:center;"|[[File:PMTTYD.jpg|145x145px]]<span style="font-size:8pt"><br>{{released|Japan|July 22, 2004}} [[Nintendo GameCube]]</span>

|style="text-align:center;"|[[File:SuperPaperMarioBoxart.jpg|145x145px]]<span style="font-size:8pt"><br>{{released|USA|April 9, 2007}} [[Wii]]</span>

|style="text-align:center;"|[[File:Paper mario sticker star box-art.png|145x145px]]<span style="font-size:8pt"><br>{{released|USA|November 11, 2012}} [[Nintendo 3DS]]</span>

|style="text-align:center;"|[[File:PMCS Boxart.png|145x145px]]<span style="font-size:8pt"><br>{{released|USA|October 7, 2016}} [[Wii U]]</span>

|style="text-align:center;"|[[File:Paper Mario The Origami King Boxart.png|145x145px]]<span style="font-size:8pt"><br>{{released|2=July 17, 2020}} [[Nintendo Switch]]</span>

|''[[Paper Mario: The Origami King]]'' was released for the [[Nintendo Switch]] worldwide on July 17, 2020. The game follows the aesthetic style of its predecessor, ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]'', and follows [[Mario]] opposing an evil army of origami characters known as [[Folded Soldiers]], ruled by the Origami King, [[King Olly]], which have taken over the [[Mushroom Kingdom]].

|style="text-align:center;"|[[File:Mario & Luigi - Paper Jam - NOA Boxart.png|145x145px]]<span style="font-size:8pt"><br>{{released|Japan|December 3, 2015}} [[Nintendo 3DS]]</span>

''Paper Jam'' can be considered the aftermath of ''Sticker Star'' and ''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]'', resulting in the sprite-based residents of one universe meeting their paper-thin counterparts from the other one. Paper Mario can use his paper thin body to perform his own unique actions that will help the brothers, or make copies of himself during battle to deal extra damage or attack multiple enemies at once. Mario and other characters also gain their own papercraft versions which can be used in certain sections of the game to defeat papercraft enemies.

|Mario is the eponymous main character of the series, often accompanied by different partners throughout each game. As in most games in the ''Mario'' franchise, Mario is a silent protagonist, thought he mostly communicates by nodding and hand gestures. In ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' and ''Super Paper Mario'', Mario also grunts and has very little quotes.

|Luigi often acts as an NPC, who in ''Paper Mario'' stays at the [[Mario Bros.' House]] and in ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' goes on his own adventure which Mario can hear about if he talks to him. Luigi took on a more major role in ''Super Paper Mario'', where for most of the game he is brainwashed and turned into [[Mr. L]] who works for [[Count Bleck]], but after Chapter 6 he is turned back to normal and becomes a playable character. While playing as Luigi, as usual he has a higher jump height and lower ground traction, and he can also do a [[Super jump (Super Paper Mario)|Super Jump]], which can be used to jump super high or deal double-damage to enemies directly above him. In ''Paper Mario: Sticker Star'' and ''Paper Mario: Color Splash'', Luigi hides in certain spots in some levels and can be pulled out by using [[Paperize]] and [[Cutout]] respectively. In the latter, Luigi also helps Mario reach [[Black Bowser's Castle]]. In ''Paper Mario: The Origami King'', Luigi's role in the story is to find the key to Peach's Castle. However more often then not, he ends up finding different keys that he mistakens for the right key instead, even though these keys are still helpful to Mario.

|Princess Peach is usually the damsel in distress in most of the installments. In ''Paper Mario'' and ''Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door'', the player briefly takes control of her while she tries to find out more about the plans of her kidnappers and give this information to Mario. In ''Super Paper Mario'', she is a more major playable character available after Chapter 1. She can duck under her parasol to become invulnerable to enemy attacks and can also use her parasol to float a long distance in the air. In ''Paper Mario: Color Splash'' before she is kidnapped (which happens after obtaining the first [[Big Paint Star]]), she can heal Mario fully whenever he speaks with her. In ''Paper Mario: The Origami King'', Peach is turned into Origami and brainwashed by King Olly to do his bidding.

|Kersti is Mario's Partner in ''Paper Mario: Sticker Star''. She arrived at the Mushroom Kingdom on the Sticker comet, but after Bowser stole the Royal Stickers, she was stuck to a sign when she and Mario first met. She allows Mario to use the [[Paperize]] move in the field, and in battle, allows him to use the [[Battle Spin]], which lets Mario use multiple stickers in one turn.

|Parakarry is Mario's fourth partner in ''Paper Mario''. In this game and in ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'', he delivers a letter to Mario which starts off the adventure. He lost a lot of [[List of letters in Paper Mario|letters]] throughout the Mushroom Kingdom, and joins Mario after finding his lost letters on [[Mt. Rugged]]. In the field, Parakarry can deliver letters to recipients if Mario talks to them while he is active, and he can carry Mario over large gaps. In battle, he can use [[Sky Dive]] or [[Shell Shot]] to damage one enemy. When Super-Ranked, he can use [[Air Lift]] to carry an enemy out of the battle. When Ultra-Ranked, he can use [[Air Raid]] to damage all enemies.

|Sushie is Mario's seventh partner in ''Paper Mario''. She is a babysitter for five Yoshi children on [[Lavalava Island]]. After they went missing in [[Jade Jungle]], she joined Mario to find them and then decided to stick with him. In the field, she can ferry Mario across water at certain docks, and can dive briefly. In battle, she can [[Belly Flop]] or [[Squirt (move)|Squirt]]one enemy, the latter dealing Water damage. When Super-Ranked, she can use [[Water Block]] to boost Mario's defense. When Ultra-Ranked, she can use [[Tidal Wave]] to deal Water damage to all enemies.

|align="center"|[[File:Cudge.png|100px]]

|Dottie is the eighth and final Pixl in ''Super Paper Mario''. She is found acompanying [[Gabbro]] in the [[Floro Caverns]], but leaves him to join Mario. She can shrink Mario to let him go under tiny gaps and avoid detection from enemies.

|Piccolo is an optional Pixl in ''Super Paper Mario''. She is found in an empty house in [[Flopside]], which can be accessed after completing a trading quest starting and ending with [[Merlee]]. She can cure any status effects and make Mario's jumping & Bowser's fire breath sound effects the same as the original ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''. She can also put the [[Underchomp]] to sleep.

|Bob-omb is an amnesiac Bob-omb without a fuse in ''Paper Mario: The Origami King''. He meets Mario in a cable car, and joins Mario during the blue streamer area. In battle, Bob-omb attacks one enemy using a Bomb Bump move.

*All games have at least one game show event. In ''[[Paper Mario]]'' there is the [[64th Trivia Quiz-Off]] and [[Chuck Quizmo]]'s quizzes, in ''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]'' there are the [[65th Super Fun Quirk Quiz]] and [[66th Annual Quirk Quiz]], in ''[[Super Paper Mario]]'' there is the [["That's My Merlee!" show]], and in ''[[Paper Mario: Sticker Star]]'', there is [[Snifit or Whiffit]], in ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]'', there is ''[[Snifit or Whiffit|Snifit or Whiffit Seabed Edition]]'', and ''[[Paper Mario: The Origami King]]'' has ''[[Shy Guys Finish Last]]''.

*All six games had a remix of the [[Super Star]] theme play somewhere. In ''Paper Mario'', when Mario runs around a certain [[Candy Pop|Candy Cane]] in [[Pleasant Path]], the theme will start playing. In ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'', when playing the Bowser segments, if the player collects enough [[Meat]] in a level, Bowser grows huge and the theme plays. In ''Super Paper Mario'', when the player obtains a [[Mega Star]], the theme plays, and in ''Paper Mario: Sticker Star'', ''Paper Mario: Color Splash'' and ''Paper Mario: The Origami King'', the theme plays when the player grabs a Star.

{{MarioGames}}