List of Paper Mario pre-release and unused content
This is a list of pre-release and unused content for the game Paper Mario.
Early iterations[edit]
Paper Mario was originally going to be named Super Mario RPG 2[1] (also called Mario RPG 2[2] or Mario RPG 64[3]), but due to complications involving Square, the makers of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, the name was changed to Super Mario Adventure and later Mario Story. When it was decided that the Western title should reflect the unique graphical style of the game, the finalized Japanese title was retained (with the subtitle The Paper Trail)[4] before the title was shortened to simply Paper Mario.
In an early interview with Nintendo Power, Shigeru Miyamoto (after being asked about Super Mario RPG 2) said that they wanted the game's graphics to be in the vein of its predecessor, as well as include multiple events and characters that are commonly featured in other games in the Super Mario franchise.[5]
The game was originally in development for the failed Nintendo 64DD, but was ultimately released as a cartridge.
An early concept image for Mario RPG 64 dated March 5, 1997.[3] It acted as the basis for the style of the game, having 2D sprites from Super Mario World in a 3D environment.
Early builds[edit]
Early screenshots of this game showed that Poochy was going to play some sort of role in the game, and another screenshot showed that Nep-Enuts were going to be in this game also (indicating that Lavalava Island was going to be more like Yoshi's Island). Also, the early version of Forever Forest showed that it would be much smaller, with all the forest's trees having sinister faces. A screenshot had also shown a strange early Whale.[citation needed] Mario has a different look in the early version, having sclera in his eyes as he does in artwork for other Super Mario games such as Super Mario Bros. 3, instead of simple black dots in the final version. According to an old article from Nintendo's website, the game was being developed by HAL Laboratory and also suggests that Mario's followers would fight on their own, without any input from the player.[6]
An early screenshot of an area with Poochy in it
A Nep-Enut
An early screenshot of Forever Forest with different trees
Entering Koopa Village
An early Goomba Village, with unfinished textures
Early Koopa Bros.
An early Toad Town
An early battle with the Goomba King, who has a white bandage visible under his crown
An early battle against the Goomba King
Early artwork of Lakilester and Kooper
Unused data[edit]
- Main article: Dark Paratroopa § Paper Mario unused data
Fully functional Dark Paratroopa, Albino Dino, and Whacka enemies exist in the ROM. Also, Goombaria's, Goompa's, and Twink's names and icons are present in the game's list of partners for Mario.
In the Crystal Palace, an unused graphic identical to Spiny Tromp's face labeled "Ice Dossun" appears in the texture data, indicating icy versions of Thwomps were intended to appear there; note that the graphic in Mt. Lavalava is labeled as "Goron," Spiny Tromp's Japanese name, and includes the spikeless body.[7]
Unused items[edit]
These unused items were found in the code of Paper Mario[8]. Most of their names and descriptions were never translated officially.
Item number | Name | Icon | Effect | In-game description |
---|---|---|---|---|
0087 | むしよけそう Mushiyoke Sō Insecticide Grass |
Attacks one enemy. Does zero damage to most enemies, but defeats bugs instantly, with no Star Point gain. Likely removed due to Bzzap! being the only standard insect enemy. | 虫のてきを おいはらう (Drives away bug-like adversaries.) | |
0091 | ハッスルドリンク Hassuru Dorinku Hustle Drink |
Appears to be something Mario drinks during battle which causes him to steam. Once it is used, Mario can take two actions next turn. Not usable in the field. | バトルで つぎのマリオのばんが きたとき 2回 こうどうできる (Next turn in battle, Mario can take 2 actions.) | |
0099 | おねがいカムバック Onegai Kamu Bakku Please Come Back |
When used in battle, it becomes a broken dizzy dial and wastes Mario's turn. Not usable in the field. The sign on the tag looks like the Japanese character for sun. Has the same name as Peach's special move "Come Back" in the Japanese version of Super Mario RPG. It was probably meant to bring back partners that 'have gone missing?' when used in battle/the overworld. | どこかへ とばされた なかまも おねがいすれば もどってくるぞ (If you wish for the partner that has been scattered somewhere, it will return.) とばされた パーティーキャラを よびもどす。 (Calls back removed party characters.) |
Item number | Name | English name | Icon | Effect/description |
---|---|---|---|---|
0008 | ち ず Chizu Map |
|||
0009 | おおきなちず Ōki na Chizu Big Map |
|||
0018 | おうごんのツボ Ōgon no Tsubo Golden Jar |
Golden Jar | In game description: "A sparkling gold pot. Moustafa was looking for this." No known use, though possibly replaced by the Lemon. Looks like the Volcano Vase | |
001B | もりのつうこうしょ* Mori no Tsūkōsho Forest Pass |
森のばんをしている キノピオから もらった まよいの森の通行しょうです。 (This is the Forever Forest Pass that you received from the Toad who guards the forest.) | ||
0026 | あやしいメモ Ayashii Memo Suspicious Memo |
Looks like a mystery note prototype. This is corroborated by the fact that it can be presented to Russ T. any time after rescuing Skolar. It doesn't seem to change the conversation, however. In game description: "あやしいもじが かいてあるメモ" (A note with mysterious characters printed on it.) | ||
0028 | ネジまわし Nejimawashi Screwdriver |
ネジを回す どうぐです はやく クリパパに わたしましょう (It's a tool for turning screws. Hurry it to Goompa.) Probably a tool for an intended sidequest in the prologue. | ||
002F | キノピオのにんぎょ* Kinopio no Ningyo Toad Doll |
In game description is 「キノピオの にんぎょう」、 which is the same as the item's name. | ||
0035 | テンバーヘのてがみ Tenbā e no Tegami Letter to Tenbā |
データなし "(There is) no data" A letter to an unused character. | ||
003F | ゆきぐにへのてがみ Yukiguni e no Tegami Letter to Yukiguni |
データなし "(There is) no data" "Yukiguni" is Japanese for "snow country" or "snow kingdom", so it is likely referring to someone in Shiver City. | ||
0042 | ラジオヘのてがみ Rajio e no Tegami Letter to Radio |
データなし "(There is) no data" | ||
0043 | さくしかへのてがみ Sakushika e no Tegami Letter to Lyricist |
データなし "(There is) no data" The lyricist being Pop Diva in the Club 64, so this would have likely been a letter to her. | ||
0044 | たびびとへのてがみ2 Tabibito e no Tegami Ni Letter to Traveler 2 |
データなし "(There is) no data" | ||
004D | テレサヘのてがみ3 Teresa e no Tegami San Letter to a Boo 3 |
データなし "(There is) no data" | ||
0055 | テンバーヘのてがみ Tenbā e no Tegami Letter to Tenbā |
データなし "(There is) no data" Another letter to Tenbā. | ||
0072 | ノコジロウのコウラ Nokojirō no Kōra Koopa Koot's Shell |
ノコジロウのたのまれもの The object requested by Koopa Koot. | ||
0075 | しゃしん Shashin Photograph |
This would appear to be a dummy of one of Koopa Koot's quest items. | ||
007D | Prison Key | This icon is used for the keys in Peach's castle. There is an item called "Prison Key," but it looks different. | ||
007E | Prison Key | Same as 0x007D | ||
007F | Prison Key | Same as 0x007D |
* These names lack a vowel length-denoting う at the end.
Unused Badges[edit]
The release version of the game contains some scrapped Badges that can be accessed with a GameShark or a similar device. These Badges can be found in the game's data[9] and are never seen during the game.
Badge number | Name | English name | Icon | BP needed | Effect/description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
00F0 | ハンマチャージ0 Hamma Chāji 0 Hammer Charge 0 |
1 | Uses 1 FP. Increases Mario's hammer attack by 1. Name, appearance, and effect suggest this would be obtained before Smash Charge. | ||
00F6 | ジャンチャージ0 Jan Chāji 0 Jump-Charge 0 |
1 | Uses 1 FP. Increases Mario's jump attack by 1. Name, appearance, and effect suggest this would be obtained before Jump Charge. | ||
0101 | イカリノパワー Ikari no Pawā Anger's Power |
8 | Causes Mario to assume a dark red tinge and angry pose during battles. Increases Mario's attack by 2, but also causes him to attack at random on his turn, instead of being controlled by the player. Mario may or may not succeed with action commands, and may choose actions that are unwise (such as jumping on spiked enemies). Mario's partner is unaffected and is controlled normally; Mario attacks before the player can choose to make the partner go first. Effects are much like the "berserk" status from other RPGs. | ||
0102 | バッチリコマンド Batchiri Komando Perfect Command |
Right On! | 8 | Activates all action commands perfectly and automatically. Causes a Japanese sign (バッチリ batchiri, which means perfect or right on the mark) to appear over the description of the action command. Note that it works for Mario, but not his partner. | |
010E | ヒッサツフミイ Hissatsu Fumī One-Shot Step |
1 | Uses two FP to execute a standard jump attack perfectly. | ||
010F | ヒッサツナグーリ Hissatsu Nagūri One-Shot Strike |
1 | Uses two FP to execute a standard hammer attack perfectly. | ||
0110 | ハピハピーハート Hapi Hapī Hāto Happy Happy Heart |
10 | Like Happy Heart, but recovers three HP every turn instead of one. | ||
0115 | スーパーゲットー Sūpā Gettō Super Get |
10 | Decreases attack power by 2, but makes Mario recover 2 HP per hit. Oddly enough, doesn't stop giving HP like the normal HP Drain. | ||
0118 | オートツギツギー Ōto Tsugitsugī Auto Multibounce |
2 | Uses 5 FP, has the same effect as Multibounce, but no action command is required. | ||
0119 | トテモセツヤーク Totemo Setsuyāku Total Saving |
10 | Reduces the FP consumed by every move by 2. It won't make a move free. Note that it stacks on top of the 2 Flower Saver Badges. | ||
0122 | バゴーンジャンプ Bagōn Janpu Bagōn Jump |
2 | Uses 4 FP to do 4, 5, or 6 damage to 1 enemy, depending on which set of boots Mario has. The action command, which is the normal jump action command, increases damage by 1. Appearance suggests the Badge would "belong" between Power Jump and Mega Jump (having three spikes on the bottom, whereas the others have two and four). | ||
0125 | バゴーンナグーリ Bagōn Nagūri Bagōn Strike |
2 | Uses 4 FP to do 4, 5, or 6 damage to 1 enemy, depending on which hammer Mario has. The action command, which is the normal hammer action command, increases damage by 1. | ||
0127 | ガツーンナグーリ Gatsūn Nagūri Force Strike ドカーンハンマー Dokān Hanmā Bang Hammer |
Power Smash/Mega Smash | 3 | Called Power Smash in the field, Mega Smash in battle. Uses six FP to do Mega Smash. Its in-game description changes to match its name. | |
0128 | ガツーンナグーリ Gatsūn Nagūri Force Strike ドカーンハンマー Dokān Hanmā Bang Hammer |
Power Smash/Mega Smash | 3 | Identical to Badge #127. | |
012A | スーパーネガーウ Sūpā Negāu Super Deep Focus |
5 | Appears to be a different design for Deep Focus. It was supposed to be a better version of the normal Deep Focus, though its leftover functions exactly like Deep Focus (it appears on one of the stone columns in front of Bowser's Castle, but when Mario collects it, its design changes to that of the regular Deep Focus Badge). | ||
012B | ミニミニナグーリ Minimini Nagūri Minimini Strike |
Shrink Smash | 1 | Uses 2 FP to create a hammer-based Shrink Stomp. Its description, notably, says it uses only 1 FP. | |
012C | コウラワーリ Kōra Wāri Shell Crack |
3 | Uses 6 FP to execute a normal hammer attack. No other effects. | ||
012D | カイデーン Kaidēn Initiation |
0 | Effect unknown. Possibly not a Badge. | ||
0131 | ジシーンジャンプ Jishīn Janpu Earthquake Jump |
2 | Uses 2 FP. "(NOT USED ANY LONGER!)" appears at the bottom of the screen in place of an action command. Mario jumps up and down repeatedly in the center of the enemy side of the field. All ground enemies are hit for 1 damage each time he lands. The player must press A every time Mario hits the ground to keep him jumping and racking up damage. | ||
0149 | ピッキョローンF Pikkyorōn F Attack FX F |
Attack FX F | 0 | Changes the sound effects from Mario's hammer and jump attacks. The sound effect is the laughter of flowers in Forever Forest. | |
0150 | ゲンキゲンキ Genki Genki Healthy Healthy |
1 | Prevents poison and dizziness. | ||
0151 | ピッキョローンF Pikkyorōn F Attack FX F |
Attack FX F | 0 | Identical to Badge #149. | |
0152 | ピッキョローンF Pikkyorōn F Attack FX F |
Attack FX F | 0 | Identical to Badge #149. | |
0153 | ピッキョローンF Pikkyorōn F Attack FX F |
Attack FX F | 0 | Identical to Badge #149. | |
0154 | ピッキョローンF Pikkyorōn F Attack FX F |
Attack FX F | 0 | Identical to Badge #149. |
The sound effect used for Attack FX F
In addition to the above, the following images were found within the game's ROM[10] Though they have no assigned item, they are likely to be unused item sprites. The key items are on top, Badges are in the center, and normal items are on the bottom.
Extra Badges[edit]
In addition to unused Badges, some Badges have unused duplicates in the game's data, presumably implying the player was supposed to be able to own multiple copies of specific Badges. All of these function as intended.[11]
Badge number(s) | Badge | Description |
---|---|---|
0137 | Happy Heart | This third duplicate exists in the game's data. In the final game, only two can be obtained. |
0139 | Flower Saver | This third duplicate exists in the game's data. In the final game, only two can be obtained. |
013B | Damage Dodge | This third duplicate exists in the game's data. In the final game, only two can be obtained. |
013D | Power Plus | This third duplicate exists in the game's data. In the final game, only two can be obtained. |
013E 013F |
Defend Plus | These two duplicates exist in the game's data. Notably, only one is available in the final game; in all other cases of Badge duplicates, the duplicates are fewer in number than the ones normally available. |
0142 | Happy Flower | This third duplicate exists in the game's data. In the final game, only two can be obtained. |
014B 014C |
HP Plus | These two duplicates exist in the game's data. In the final game, only three can be obtained. |
014E 014F |
FP Plus | These two duplicates exist in the game's data. In the final game, only three can be obtained. |
Unused enemy palettes[edit]
The ROM contains several unused palettes for enemies, including aqua-blue Fuzzies, bright Embers, frosty Goombas and Koopas, and even Crystal King palettes.
An aqua colored Fuzzy
A blue-colored Bandit. This palette would later on be used in the sequel
A flying Gray Magikoopa
Three unused palettes for the Crystal King
Debug rooms[edit]
Debug rooms are areas in a game that facilitate testing. Some leftover debug rooms were found in the Paper Mario ROM.[12] As with most debug rooms, they are accessible using an exit modifier GameShark code.
Room eight: the Koopa Troopas transformed
- In this debug room, the text 'MARIO RPG' is written on the floor and the blocks give mushrooms. If Mario attempts to talk to the Star Rod, the game freezes. There is a hammer in the chest (which also freezes the game), another small chest, several mushrooms and paths numbered from 0 to 7 (the numbers shown are in the same font used in Super Mario 64 and leads to the chapter with the number the player chooses). If Mario jumps on Goompa, it acts as if it were an enemy, but there is no battle. Mario's partner will fly through this room. When Mario talks to Kolorado (in the 2nd path) his HP changes to 11. When he talks to the Koopa (in the 1st path) his HP changes to 8.
- Some blocks appear in this room.
- A chest, stairs and some blocks appear here, but they are empty.
- Here, there are several blocks, including an unused POW Block. If Mario hits it, it will just shake the screen and nothing will happen.
- This is an area with a Mario clone, a useless switch, and Goompa, who says nothing.
- In this room, if Mario goes through any of the doors, he will reappear in the opposite path. Colored arrows reorient the camera if stood on. A health block and star piece panel are also in the area. This area is likely a test room for Forever Forest.
- This room looks like it is in Crystal Palace, except the background is different than in the final version.
- In a strange unused area, there are Koopas who have the ability to transform into Mario's partners. The floor will also start moving in a wave-like way whenever Mario walks somewhere.
- This room has various pipes in the floor, which do not lead to anywhere (Mario cannot enter them).
- In this room, Goombario is shown saying the same tattle he says in the Jump Attack game.
Unused enemy formations[edit]
This section is under construction. Therefore, please excuse its informal appearance while it is being worked on. We hope to have it completed as soon as possible.
The ROM contains some enemy formations not used in the game.
Unused enemy formations | |||
---|---|---|---|
Enemy 1 | Enemy 2 | Enemy 3 | Enemy 4 |
Goomba Village | |||
Spiked Goomba | |||
Paragoomba | Paragoomba | ||
Goomba Road | |||
Goomba | Goomba | Goomba | |
Goomba | Paragoomba | ||
Goomba | Goomba | Goomba | Goomba |
Goomba | Spiked Goomba | ||
Goomba | Paragoomba | Goomba | Paragoomba |
Paragoomba |
Unused character sprites[edit]
Princess Peach has an unused sprite of her kissing someone. The dark palette suggests it happens sometime during the ending epilogue when her castle returns to the ground. The Village Leader's friend, who usually sits next to him, has unused sprites standing up. Jr. Troopa has an entire unused set of sprites depicting him with a spike on his head but no wings, presumably intended for a cut battle or phase.
References[edit]
- ^ Owsen, Dan (January 1998). Nintendo Power Volume 104, "Insider Collector's Edition". Nintendo of America (American English). Page 16 .
- ^ July 29, 1997. Miyamoto Reveals Secrets: Fire Emblem, Mario Paint 64. IGN (English). Retrieved July 2, 2024.
- ^ a b Iwata Asks: Paper Mario: Sticker Star: "Going All Out with Stickers". Nintendo of America (American English). Retrieved July 2, 2024.
- ^ July 2000. Nintendo Magazine System #88.[page number needed]
- ^ "We are going forward with the concept of those unique 2-D graphics. We are now incorporating events in the game that are associated with the Super Mario series, and most of the characters who appear in the Mario games will appear in Super Mario RPG 2." – Miyamoto, Shigeru. Nintendo Power Previews '99. Page 3.
- ^ Super Mario RPG 2. Nintendo of America (American English). Archived February 3, 1999, 16:20:09 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
- ^ noclip
- ^ GameShark code 8110F456 XXXX for Normal Items, and 8110F342 XXXX for Key Items. "XXXX" should be a value from the leftmost column of the table
- ^ GameShark code 8110F442 XXXX where "XXXX" is a value from the leftmost column of the table
- ^ Nintendo 64 - Paper Mario - Items. The Spriters Resource (English). Retrieved July 2, 2024.
- ^ TCRF. Paper Mario/Unused Items. The Cutting Room Floor (English). Retrieved July 2, 2024.
- ^ U64 Staff & Contributors (June 6, 2008). Paper Mario (N64 – Debug Rooms / Unused Stuff). Unseen64. Retrieved July 2, 2024.