Mt. Rugged

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The pop-up maze that is Mt. Rugged.

Mt. Rugged is a mountain that Mario, Goombario, Kooper and Bombette climb in Paper Mario. Mt. Rugged has a station where the K64 train from Toad Town stops frequently. This is where they meet Parakarry, the mail-delivering Paratroopa who joins the party. Not to mention they have to face Buzzar, a sheriff who works for Bowser. Buzzar won't let Mario and co. enter the Desert if Mario says his name is Mario or Peach, because then, Mario and company will have to fight him. But he will let Mario and co. enter if Mario says his name is Luigi.

Enemies

• Monty Mole
• Cleft
• Buzzar (optional boss)

Area Goals

When Mario meets Parakarry, he tells them that he has lost letters all over the Mushroom Kingdom; several on Mt. Rugged. Mario must first locate Parakarry's three letters on Mt. Rugged before Parakarry will join his party. Mario needs Parakarry to hover across a broken bridge on the mountain, so he cannot progress until Parakarry's letters are located.

Mario also has the choice of battling Buzzar, which can help get him Star Points, or he can tell Buzzar a false identity and Buzzar will surprisingly leave him alone.

Monty Moles are faced here on Mt. Rugged for the first time, and pop up out of nowhere in the mountaneous dirt.

Mario can also find treasures hidden around on the mountain, often in small mountain balconies that waterfalls can loom over; he can find treasures down in lower areas of the mountain using Parakarry's gliding move as well.

Whacka

An extraordinarily cheerful creature named 'Whacka' is found on Mt. Rugged. When poor Whacka is hit with Mario's Hammer, an item appears from his head called Whacka's Bump that very well could be one of the most useful items in the game. Several of these can be gotten from Whacka until he is killed. He is also found later on Keelhaul Key in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.

Area Tattles

• This is the Mt. Rugged station on the Dry Dry Railroad line. Not much grows around here or on the barren mountain.
• What a steep mountain!
• Watch out for the sneaky Monty Moles that are common to this area. They're dirty fighters. They pop up from underground and chuck rocks at people. The cowards!
• Phew! Maybe we ought to take a break! I didn't realize the road up would be so rough! Of course, as nice as it would be to take five on a rock, you have to watch yourself. Enemies disguise themselves as rocks. They're nasty and spiky, so keep your eyes open.
• Whoa! We're pretty high up! Ooog... I feel a little faint. I never told you this before, but I have a fear of heights.
• This is the gateway between Mt. Rugged and Dry Dry Desert. If we head due east from here, we'll eventually reach the town called Dry Dry Outpost.