Paper Mario: Color Splash
| Paper Mario: Color Splash | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 For alternate box art, see the game's gallery. | |||||||||||||
| Developer | Intelligent Systems | ||||||||||||
| Publisher | Nintendo | ||||||||||||
| Platform(s) | Wii U | ||||||||||||
| Release date |  October 7, 2016[?] October 7, 2016[?] October 8, 2016[?] October 13, 2016[?] | ||||||||||||
| Language(s) | English (United States) French (France) French (Canada) German Spanish (Spain) Spanish (Latin America) Italian Dutch Portuguese (Portugal) Russian Japanese | ||||||||||||
| Genre | Role-playing, action-adventure | ||||||||||||
| Rating(s) |
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| Mode(s) | Single-player | ||||||||||||
| Format | Wii U:  Optical disc Digital download | ||||||||||||
| Input | Wii U:
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| Serial code(s) | WUP-CNFE-USA | ||||||||||||
- Everyone
- Three years and older
- All ages
- General
- All ages
- All ages
Paper Mario: Color Splash is an action-adventure, turn-based role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and released in 2016 for the Wii U. It is the fifth installment in the Paper Mario series as well as the twentieth and final Super Mario game released for the Wii U. As a successor to the Nintendo 3DS game Paper Mario: Sticker Star, it expands on many gameplay elements introduced in that game. Its own sequel, Paper Mario: The Origami King, was released for the Nintendo Switch in 2020.
The game follows Mario's adventure across Prism Island where, after he receives a color-drained Toad in the mail, he heads to Port Prisma to find out what is going on. Shortly after, he meets up with Huey, who teams up with Mario to collect the six Big Paint Stars. After saving the first Big Paint Star, Princess Peach gets kidnapped by a possessed Bowser, and is taken to his castle high in the sky. While kidnapped, she sends Mario Holo-Peaches along his journey to inform him about Bowser's plans. After saving each Big Paint Star, a memory is shown, with each one detailing an event leading up to Bowser being possessed.
The gameplay is very similar to that of its predecessor and puts an even greater emphasis on the paper aspect. All characters now have white outlines around them and the battle system now requires Things for each boss fight. Things no longer need to be brought back to the main hub to be used; they become cards as soon as Mario collects them. Stickers have been replaced by Battle Cards, which share a similar function, but Battle Cards no longer take up multiple slots in Mario's inventory and can be painted to deal more damage. Many enemies from the predecessor return, while Dino Rhinos make their Paper Mario debut in this game, along with several new variants of Shy Guys, most notably Slurp Guys. Additionally, Paper Mario: Color Splash introduces a system where Mario can repaint colorless areas to collect coins and Battle Cards.
On September 23, 2016, it was discovered that purchased Nintendo eShop pre-load data was actually the full game, granting players early access two weeks ahead of schedule in North America.[1] Nintendo, however, removed the pre-order option within hours, and stated that this was inadvertent.[2]
Story
Background
The events that caused Port Prisma to be damaged and the black paint's creation are explained through the Big Paint Stars' memories told throughout the game, each viewable after rescuing the respective Big Paint Star. One day, a group of Toads were playing with paint at the Prisma Fountain. Bowser observed the Toads playing from the top of a building, and jumped down into the fountain after imagining himself with a rainbow shell. However, while spinning in the Prisma Fountain, Bowser mixed the colors around, creating black paint which possessed him. Shortly after this, a fleet of airships carrying paint buckets arrives to Port Prisma, and a swarm of Slurp Guys deploys from them to drain the town of its colors. They then take the red, blue and yellow paint to the buckets on each airship. The ships with the yellow and blue paint, while the one with red paint stays in the town, presumably being the same airship Mario rides before entering the Crimson Tower. During this invasion, the Toadmaster General is taken out of Prisma Postal Toad and drained of its colors, folded into an envelope, and given to Kamek, to then send it to Princess Peach to lure her to Prism Island. Meanwhile, a group of Bob-ombs destroy the bridge in the Yellow District, which stops a yellow Toad from running away as a Slurp Guy drains him. Bowser then throws the six Big Paint Stars away from Port Prisma, as a red Mini Paint Star is shown to fall out of the red Big Paint Star onto the big building near the fountain.
Prologue
One stormy night, Princess Peach and Toad meet Mario at his house to deliver a strange letter: a Toad drained of his colors. Mario, who is initially shocked by the revelation, then realizes that the stamp on the letter points to Prism Island, where the three then travel to. Upon arriving, they find Port Prisma deserted and full of spots drained of color. After some exploration of Port Prisma, They activate the fountain, which releases a 3D paint can. After Mario tries hammering the paint can, it wakes up and is revealed to be Huey, who is initially annoyed by Mario hitting him in his sleep. Huey calms down shortly after, but he, Mario, and Princess Peach are then startled by the sound of Toad screaming.
The three head to the yellow district of Port Prisma, and find Toad being drained by a Slurp Guy. Toad, just before being fully drained, gives Mario a set of Battle Cards that they found. Mario and Huey then proceed to fight the Slurp Guy, but then realize that they do not have any paint. Realizing this, Huey asks Mario to wring him in order to gain paint to battle the Shy Guys. This results in Huey turning into paper. Mario later uses this paint throughout the entire game to repaint the colorless spots across Prism Island, including the local Toads.
After defeating the Slurp Guy and repainting Toad, the group head back to the central district of Port Prisma, where Huey discovers that the Big Paint Stars at Prisma Fountain are gone. Huey, initially sad, then sees a Big Paint Star at the top of Port Prisma. After climbing up there, and unwinding the roll blocking the Paint Star, it is revealed that the Paint Star was actually a Mini Paint Star, not a Big Paint Star. Mario and Huey then set off to find the actual Big Paint Stars.
Red Big Paint Star
After saving Port Prisma by finding Huey and painting the colorless spots, Mario and Huey set out to find the red Big Paint Star. First, they pass through Ruddy Road and re-paint a red Mini Paint Star to unlock Cherry Lake, learning the Cutout ability and being introduced to 3D real-world objects called Things. When they arrive at the Crimson Tower, they find three Toad-shaped indents in the gate, and must find the three Chosen Toads around the island. The player does not need to find them in a specific order. In-between these objectives, Mario must assemble the green and purple Rescue Squads at Indigo Underground and Ruddy Road to help him reach a Mini Paint Star and the Fire Extinguisher.
One Chosen Toad, a wannabe superhero who calls himself Justice Toad, is found back in Cherry Lake. He fell from an airship that Bowser's minions were piloting, losing his clothes and belongings. Once Mario and Huey reclaim his stuff, he awakens his powers and helps move a Mini Paint Star so they can collect it. Justice Toad then leaves for the Crimson Tower gate.
At Bloo Bay Beach, Mario and Huey come across a blue Toad vowing to sail to the end of the world to find his true calling. After celebrating Oceanfest to get a key to Blissful Beach, which is the location of another Mini Paint Star, they return to find the Toad shipwrecked. They use the Fan Thing to blow him back to shore, where he surfs on a piece of driftwood and uses his powers to stop the wave in its tracks. The blue Toad is informed of the gate and leaves as well.
Visiting Daffodil Peak, Mario and Huey help the park ranger out of his depression by repainting his cabin, learning the Unfurl ability in the process. He gives them permission to climb the mountain and seek the Mountain Sage. When they arrive, they find only a cardboard cutout of a yellow Toad. Enraged, Huey yells at the gatekeeper, who leaves his post to reveal a blank spot on the top of his head. When Mario repaints it, the gatekeeper remembers his true identity as the sage, leaves for the Crimson Tower, and the ranger is forced to take his place as the gatekeeper.
When all the Chosen Toads have been found, they open the gate for the Crimson Tower. Mario and Huey find that the tower has been drained of all its color, with the minions responsible having poured all the paint in a giant bucket attached to their airship. The airship is still anchored, so Mario raises it to get on board the ship, then defeats the captain to crash the ship and drop the paint back over the tower. While climbing it, Mario and Huey meet Morton, who is keeping the red Big Paint Star captive. Morton attacks with a hammer that he lights on fire, but Mario's Fire Extinguisher extinguishes it and leaves Morton defenseless.
The Big Paint Star repaints a large gate at Sunglow Ridge. When Mario and Huey return to Port Prisma, they discover that Peach has just been kidnapped by Bowser, and decide that the only way to track them down is by collecting all the Big Paint Stars.
Yellow Big Paint Star
At Sunglow Ridge, Mario witnesses a black missile cover an area with harmful black paint, which Huey cleans up while Mario's eyes are closed. In their quest, they come upon an active dig site at Marmalade Valley, and are denied access until they get a permit. The guard explains they can get a permit from the professor at Château Chanterelle. However, the professor's assistant explains that he is not in, and he took his pet Chain Chomp, Princess, out for a walk to Mondo Woods. Deep in the woods, Mario and Huey find the Professor sobbing over his pet's disappearance. Huey suggests that Princess may have just gone home, cheering up the professor and making him give them the permit.
Exploring Marmalade Valley, Mario and Huey are twice attacked by Princess, who is now giant. They also acquire a Bone from a digging Toad, which can be taken back to the professor's house to bring Princess back to her dog house. Happy about Princess's return, the professor gives them the Sharp Spike from his desk as thanks. The spike unlocks the door to Kiwano Temple, which Mario must pass through to reach the Golden Coliseum, where Iggy is holding the yellow Big Paint Star as a prize in his Battle Royale. Using the Bone to attract Princess and have him attack Iggy, Mario wins the fight and collects the Big Paint Star. It repaints an oversized coin in Mondo Woods.
Blue Big Paint Star
Despite its size, the giant coin is worth very little, angering Huey. Its disappearance opens the path to the Dark Bloo Inn, a hotel haunted by Toad ghosts. Learning that the ghosts are not yet at rest because they have unfinished business -- a tea party -- Mario explores Plum Park, the hotel's garden, to find their Teapot to appease them. Bringing it back satisfies the ghosts and makes them move on, earning Mario the hotel staff's thanks.
The Mini Paint Star found there leads to Violet Passage, a harbor where Mario helps out the yellow Rescue Squad while on a pirate ship. This Rescue Squad goes to the shrunken Sacred Forest to pull out a turnip clogging a pipe. Here, Mario pieces together a Mini Paint Star and gains access to Cobalt Base, where he participates in a game of Snifit or Whiffit.
After this, Mario infiltrates Ludwig's base in Fort Cobalt. Ludwig attacks Mario in a battleship, but he uses the Tail Card to reflect his attacks. Ludwig resurfaces in a submarine, and Mario uses Balloons he found in Plum Park to pull it out of the water and destroy it for good. The recovered blue Big Paint Star repaints the ocean at Violet Passage.
Purple Big Paint Star
With the ocean restored, Mario has to join a ship crew and venture to Fortune Island to find the purple Big Paint Star. Using clues left behind by a legendary captain, they pass through the Lost Sea and solve all its challenges. They are suddenly confronted by an impassible vortex, so they stop at Vortex Island. This island introduces the parallel world, a mirror dimension drained of its water and full of undead enemies. The source of the vortex is revealed to be a Washing Machine in the parallel world. Once Mario wrings it out, and faces off against angry residents who were using it, the vortex calms down.
The next obstacle is a wall of darkness, caused by the lighthouse on Lighthouse Island not working properly. Mario climbs the lighthouse to find the bulb missing, then climbs it in the parallel world to find a working replacement bulb. Once the bulb is replaced, the path to Fortune Island is illuminated.
Fortune Island also requires the use of the parallel world to navigate. Deep in its caves, Mario comes across the legendary captain, who is barbecuing on a grill. Mario squeezes the grill, angering the captain and leading him to follow Mario as payback. After being brought to the regular world, he drops his grudge out of gratefulness at meeting the crew's captain. Mario and Huey find their way to the treasure room, only for Wendy to ambush them. Mario defeats Wendy by using Fortune Island's treasure, an Instant Camera that was stolen for Snifit or Whiffit, to trick Wendy into using her best attack on a photo of him instead. Defeating Wendy and collecting the purple Big Paint Star repaints a sinkhole at Mustard Café, which the café's owner falls into.
Orange Big Paint Star
When Mario and Huey investigate the sinkhole, a gust of wind blows them in. They escort the chef back to the entrance, but are captured by Snifits and must escape from their jail. The chef reopens his cafe and gives Mario a Mini Paint Star. Afterwards, Mario hears of the Sunset Express train stuck at Kiwano Temple, with the tracks being destroyed due to a column Mario toppled on his first visit. Mario saves the rest of the blue Rescue Squad, who fold themselves up to replace the broken tracks. After the train gets going, it is crushed by a Thwomp. The passengers get out and push it to Toad Trainworks for repairs.
Mario helps the trainworks foreman repair the train, which goes to its next destination, the Tangerino Grill. The Toads from the train are very hungry, so Mario cooks them pizza, which satisfies them. Suddenly, he is informed of a VIP customer order that nobody has fulfilled yet: a steak. Mario cooks the steak in a battle and the VIP eats it, then leaves a Mini Paint Star as a tip.
The Sunset Express takes off again, but is blocked by a sleeping Thwomp. Huey uses a Megaphone from the trainworks to yell and wake it up. The train is hijacked by Larry, who turns out to be the same VIP customer he served at the restaurant. With the help of the Toad train conductor and his handcar, Mario catches up to the train and fights his way to the front car, rescuing many red Rescue Toads in the process. Assisted by the conductor, Mario defeats Larry by clogging the train's smokestack with a Cork from Vortex Island. The train stops at Starlight Cape, where Huey makes a wish for the orange Big Paint Star; once it is granted, the Big Paint Star restores an unpainted Draggadon at Marmalade Valley.
Green Big Paint Star
Mario and Huey consult the professor for advice on where the Draggadon might have gone, and he suggests that it went to Redpepper Volcano. Using a spicy Magma Burger from Fort Cobalt, Mario rides Draggadon through the lava and into the volcano's crater, which contains a hot spring with the rest of the red Rescue Squad. Taking the Hair Dryer found in the crater, Mario melts the ice block in the Tangerino Grill freezer, which contains a Magnifying Glass. This is used to enlarge a shrunken pipe in the Sacred Forest. It leads to another Mini Paint Star, but Mario is ambushed by Kamek, who he manages to defeat. This opens a path to the Green Energy Plant, where Mario ventures into a Super Mario Bros. 3-like world to find a Mini Paint Star.
After collecting the Mini Paint Star, Mario makes his way to Lemmy's circus and assembles the last members of the red Rescue Squad at Mossrock Theater. At the circus, Mario has the red Rescue Squad serve as the audience. Lemmy shows up to do an act, where he shows off the green Big Paint Star, then makes it and himself disappear. Trying to follow him, Mario and Huey end up on stage and are pressured to perform. Huey's impressions bomb, but Mario impresses the audience with a trick. They then face off against a rush of circus-themed enemies. The last of them, the Trampoline Shy Guys, leave their trampoline behind. Mario jumps off of it to the top of the circus tent, where Lemmy reveals himself. He is distracted with the aid of a Disco Ball found backstage, and his Wonder Ball is popped with an Ice Pick from the Golden Coliseum. Unlike the other Big Paint Stars, what the green one repaints is not initially seen: it flies off-screen and Luigi is heard exclaiming.
Black Bowser's Castle
Upon rescuing all six Big Paint Stars and bringing them back to Prisma Fountain. They create a path to Black Bowser's Castle. Mario and Huey try to climb it, but it is too slippery, leaving them stuck. Luigi shows up in his kart, revealing it had been repainted by the green Big Paint Star, and gives them a ride to the castle. which Mario and Huey head off to via a kart ride from Luigi. Mario finds a colorless Peach put on display, but when he approaches her, he falls into a trapdoor. Roy shows up to attack, stealing Mario's paint and shooting it back at him with his cannon. As a last-ditch attack, Roy mixes all the paint together, creating more black paint. Mario must use the Washing Machine from Vortex Island to clean it up and defeat him.
Progressing further, Mario and Huey discover a factory producing Banzai Bills loaded with black paint, similar to the one dropped on Sunglow Ridge. After destroying the factory with the aid of some Mega Bob-ombs, they escape the flood of black paint. Before they fight Bowser, Huey takes a moment to confess to Mario that he will always be grateful for their friendship. Entering the throne room, Mario and Huey find Bowser with the portrait of color-drained Peach. Since Bowser uses black paint to fight, Huey reverts back to his 3D self to contain it. When Bowser has all the paint removed, he appears to have no memories of the incident.
Black Bowser's Castle proceeds to collapse as Mario restores Peach's colors. The party makes it to the entrance, where Mario and Peach hop onto Luigi's kart. Huey, however, stays behind: he explains that when the castle disappears, the black paint will fall out and land somewhere. Huey has realized his true purpose is not to recover the Paint Stars, but to destroy the Black Paint. Using the power of the Big Paint Stars, he squeezes the entire castle into his body, then takes it where it cannot do any more harm, to the skies. Later, all the Toads are celebrating the restoration of the fountain in Port Prisma. Peach comforts Mario when he laments Huey's disappearance, saying that she is sure he is still watching over Prism Island. When all Super Flags are achieved, Huey can be seen falling back into the Prisma Fountain in the end screen.[3]
Gameplay
Paper Mario: Color Splash is an action-adventure RPG that elaborates on the mechanics of Paper Mario: Sticker Star. Each level requires Mario to collect a Mini Paint Star or a Big Paint Star to progress. Some levels contain multiple Mini Paint Stars, though Mario can only collect one at a time. When Mario collects a Mini Paint Star, it opens up the world map and flies to an unpainted area. It then colors in the area, which unlocks a course to explore. Not all of the Mini Paint Stars need to be collected to complete the game, as some simply open paths to previous levels for faster navigation on the world map. Big Paint Stars are only found in the boss battles against the Koopalings (excluding Roy); when collected, they repaint a major area needed to progress in the game.
Although Paper Mario: Color Splash uses a world map much like its predecessor, there is no concrete distinction of worlds or chapters in the game, unlike the previous installments in the Paper Mario series. Each Big Paint Star requires the player to complete multiple courses across Prism Island, and not all of them match the color of the Big Paint Star. Additionally, the player is free to explore any of the previously unlocked courses at any time, and may need to do so to obtian any missing Things.
Overworld
The Paint Hammer is the main new mechanic in Paper Mario: Color Splash, and can be used on the overworld to repaint colorless spots, characters, and items. It requires paint to use, which is divided up into blue, yellow, and red paint on the top left of the screen. Paint can be found by hitting overworld objects, defeating enemies, repainting colorless spots, drinking Prisma Juice, or by sitting in the Prisma Fountain. Each time the player uses their hammer on the overworld (including when not repainting colorless spots), they will lose a bit of paint, and will be unable to repaint any more spots once they run out of paint. At the start of the game, Mario can only hold 100 units of paint, but this capacity can be increased by collecting Hammer Scraps to fill his EXP bar. Hammer Scraps exist in four different varieties and are worth either 1 point, 5 points, 10 points, or 20 points, depending on how shiny they are; when enough are collected to fill the player's EXP bar completely, the player will be able to carry more paint at once. However, each upgrade increases the capacity by a smaller amount than the last time, and the upgrades will stop once the paint storage capacity reaches 600 units. Hammer Scraps are only found by defeating enemies in combat.
On the overworld, the player can use a move similar to paperization known as the Cutout technique by pressing 
. This technique only works at certain locations; if the player tries using it at a place that does not have any Cutout spots, the screen will flash for a brief moment and nothing will happen. If the player performs the Cutout technique with a Cutout area nearby, but not in the right spot, the screen will flash again but the music will intensify and an outline will appear on the screen. If the Cutout technique is used in the right spot, Mario will ride on top of Huey and a pair of scissors will appear on the screen. The player will then need to move 
in the direction the scissors are facing on a dotted line. When the line is fully cut, the player will either need to walk to a green flag, place a card in the slot, or do nothing, depending on the specific area. The Cutout technique is sometimes needed to progress in the game, specifically at times when a Thing Card needs to be placed, and also at the Green Energy Plant to enter the level.
When the Cutout is used at the Green Energy Plant, the player enters a course based on Super Mario Bros. 3. The course is the only place that the player can use the Flip technique, which was previously seen in Super Paper Mario as the main gameplay mechanic. Here, the Flip technique requires paint to use, and can only be used for 10 seconds before Mario is forced to revert back to 2D. However, the Flip technique does not hurt Mario when the timer runs out. This technique is required to obtain the course's Mini Paint Star, two Things, and the 46th red Rescue Squad member.
Battle
Enemies can be found on the overworld, and will pursue Mario if he is too close to one at any given time. While chasing Mario, the enemies may trip or stop searching, giving the player more time to run away if they do not wish to fight. A battle is initiated when Mario comes into direct physical contact with an enemy. If Mario hits an enemy on the overworld with his hammer or jumps on them, Mario will initiate combat with an additional attack to the enemy; the transition screen will have stars and display the word "Nice!" when this happens. Conversely, if the enemy attacks Mario on the overworld, combat will initiate with the enemy attacking Mario first; the transition screen will turn red when this happens. During combat, each enemy's HP is represented by the amount of paint left on their body, as opposed to a number on the screen; Mario's HP is still represented by a number. When Mario's HP drops below a certain number, the music will become distorted and the screen will pulsate red, with Mario appearing to be tired. When Mario loses all his HP, he falls onto the floor, and several Slurp Guys drain him of his paint.
At the start of the game, Mario can only play one card per turn. This limit increases as Mario collects Card Max Ups at certain points in the story, which increase the number of cards that can be used in battle by one. They can be obtained by helping a Soggy Guy in Cherry Lake, by using the Teapot in Dark Bloo Inn, and by beating Kamek in Sacred Forest. Similarly, the maximum amount of Mario's HP is increased by collecting HP-Up Hearts that are obtained when the player saves a Big Paint Star. Each HP-Up Heart increases the maximum amount of HP by 25 and increases the power of the First Strike as well.
There are two instances in the game where Mario will encounter an environmental hazard that carries over to the main combat. The first instance is in Plum Park, when the water is poisoned by the Teapot. Fighting an enemy while the water is poisoned will damage Mario by 1 HP at certain intervals, only stopping briefly when the player has confirmed the cards that they wish to use. The second instance is in the Mustard Café, when the player needs to rescue the Mustard Café chef. If the player attacks an enemy during this time, the combat will take place on quicksand, which will slowly pull Mario down as the player decides which cards to use. If the player does not decide fast enough, Mario will completely submerge, and the player will receive a Game Over.
When an enemy is defeated, they can drop coins, paint, or Hammer Scraps, and will occasionally drop an Enemy Card. The number of coins and Hammer Scraps an enemy drops is random, while the amount and color of paint dropped depends on the enemy. Generally, the paint an enemy drops matches the color that the enemy was, though some of the paint may be a different color; for example, Red Shy Guys will drop mostly red paint, but will also drop a smaller amount of blue paint. If Mario's attack is sufficiently high, where one attack can instantly defeat a specific enemy, attacking that enemy on the overworld will have them instantly be drained of color and disappear, dropping a smaller amount of coins and/or paint. If Mario is able to defeat an enemy in combat without taking any damage, he will receive a Perfect Bonus and earn additional coins. Once the player encounters a certain Goomba on Daffodil Peak, Kamek can sometimes appear during combat and either flip over all cards, steal all but six of the player's cards, or turn all cards into a specific type of card. Once the battle is won, all the stolen cards are regained and all transformed cards turn back to normal, and 300 coins are obtained as well.
Controls
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Battle
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Overworld
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Mario's stats
| Stat | Initial value | Max value | Function | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 
|
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0 | 9,999 | The number of coins Mario currently has. |
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100 | 600 | The amount of paint Mario can carry. | |
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1 | 4 | The number of cards Mario can use per turn in battle. | |
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50 | 200 | The maximum amount of HP Mario can have. | |
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3 | 15 | The amount of damage Mario can do with the jump first strike. | |
 
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3 | 15 | The amount of damage Mario can do with the hammer first strike. |
Stats after each Big Paint Star
| Big Paint Star obtained | Max HP | Power of First Strike (Damage in HP) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jump | Hammer | ||
| None | 50 | 3 | 3 |
|
75 | 5 | 6 |
|
100 | 7 | 9 |
|
125 | 10 | 11 |
|
150 | 13 | 13 |
|
175 | 14 | 14 |
|
200 | 15 | 15 |
Battle Cards
- Main article: Battle Card (Paper Mario: Color Splash)
Battle Cards are the main items in Color Splash and serve as Mario's attacks. The battles are based on these Battle Cards and can be painted to increase their attack power. Battle Cards can be found in colorless spots, ? Blocks, by defeating enemies or by buying them at Prisma Cardware. Once used, cards are discarded, but it is possible to buy them directly in battle by using the Battle Spin. There are three types of cards. Basic Cards are used for various purposes, including attacking, healing, and replenishing paint. Many attacks are similar to those featured in Paper Mario: Sticker Star, with the hammer attacks now having a charging sign indicating at which point an "Excellent" attack can be obtained. Thing Cards are used to summon Things, both in battle and in the overworld to solve puzzles. Such cards can be obtained by directly squeezing Things into Thing cards. There is a shop in Port Prisma allowing the player to directly buy Things to squeeze them into Thing Cards, and there are Replica versions of Thing Cards that can be found as well. The last card type, Enemy Cards, are used to summon an enemy into the battle as an ally. They can be found by defeating an enemy. Only one ally can be present at a time, and the ally attacks the enemies in the current battle. When the enemies attack, they will position themselves in front of Mario to protect him, and they stay in battle until defeated. If an Enemy Card is used in a boss battle, it runs away.
There are many versions of Battle Cards that Mario can use. Alongside Jumps and Hammers are several variants of the two, such as Spin Jumps and KO Hammers. Several types from Sticker Star return, such as Hopslippers, which let the player jump on an enemy 10 times; Iron Jumps, which let the player jump on spiky enemies; Eekhammers, which let the player hit an enemy five times; and Hurlhammers, which let the player throw a hammer into the air to damage enemies. Fire Flowers and Ice Flowers also appear, allowing the player to throw fireballs and Ice Balls at enemies respectively. Alongside attacks, Mario can also use POW Blocks to crumple enemies, Mushrooms to heal, 1-Up Mushrooms to recover paint, Tails to counter enemy attacks, Spike Helmets to counter jump attacks, and Frog Suits to dodge enemy attacks. There is also one enemy card for every enemy in the game, as well as enemy cards for the Koopalings which can be found by playing in the Roshambo Temples.
There are four different variants of basic Battle Cards: Worn-out, Normal, Big, and Huge. Huge cards deal the most damage and worn-out cards deal the least. The stronger variants are found later on in the game. Despite the names, bigger cards do not take up more space than the weaker variants.
| Name | Worn-out | Normal | Big | Huge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jump |   |
  |
  |
 
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| Jump ×2 |   |
  |
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| Jump ×3 |   |
  |
||
| Jump ×5 |   |
|||
| Line Jump |   |
  |
 
| |
| Hopslipper |   |
  |
 
| |
| Hopslipper ×2 |   |
|||
| Hopslipper ×3 |   |
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| Iron Jump |   |
  |
 
| |
| Iron Jump ×2 |   |
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| Iron Jump ×3 |   |
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| Spin Jump |   |
  |
||
| Hammer |   |
  |
  |
 
|
| Hammer ×2 |   |
  |
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| Hammer ×3 |   |
  |
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| Hammer ×5 |   |
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| KO Hammer |   |
  |
 
| |
| Eekhammer |   |
  |
 
| |
| Eekhammer ×2 |   |
  |
||
| Eekhammer ×3 |   |
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| Hurlhammer |   |
  |
 
| |
| Hurlhammer ×2 |   |
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| Hurlhammer ×3 |   |
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| Blazehammer |   |
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| Fire Flower |   |
  |
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| Ice Flower |   |
  |
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| POW Block |   |
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| Mushroom |   |
  |
 
| |
| 1-Up Mushroom |   |
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| Tail |   |
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| Spike Helmet |   |
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| Frog Suit |   |
Characters
Protagonists
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Mario | The main protagonist of the game. He first arrives in Port Prisma where he meets with Huey and begins collecting the Mini Paint Stars scattered around the island. After beating Black Bowser, Mario heads back to Port Prisma, where he celebrates with the others and laments on Huey's disappearance. |
|
Huey | Mario's main companion in this game, Huey is a paint can with the ability to absorb black paint. Huey imbues Mario's hammer with painting powers that can only be used while he is in the party. He also introduces the Cutout technique and gives context-specific hints to Mario when the player presses  . At the end of the game, he wrings Black Bowser's Castle into a card and flies off far away to prevent the black paint from doing more harm.
|
Allies
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
 |
Princess Peach | After Mario saves the red Big Paint Star, she is kidnapped by Bowser in his possessed state. During Mario's remaining adventure, she helps out by leaving Holo-Peaches with information about Bowser's plans in them. Just before she sends the last one, she is captured and drained by Bowser. |
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Luigi | After Mario rescues the green Big Paint Star, Luigi drives to Port Prisma to give Mario a ride up the newly made rainbow road. |
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Yoshi | In the Dark Bloo Inn, Mario comes across a mysterious invisible object known only as "It": repainting it reveals it to be Yoshi. Trying to ride Yoshi results in him fluttering away to the Emerald Circus, where he thanks Mario for freeing the other Yoshis. |
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Big Paint Stars | These six stars are the source of Prisma Fountain's paint. During the events of the game, they are scattered away from Port Prisma and guarded by the Koopalings. Collecting them repaints a big colorless area needed to progress the story. |
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Birdo | Birdo can be found at the performance at Plum Park. She also assists in the Balloons Thing animation where she blows a kiss to the enemies to make them fly away. |
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Princess | Prof. Kinopio's pet that has been turned giant due to Kamek's magic. During the game, Mario needs to use the Bone Thing in Château Chanterelle to bring her back to an upset Prof. Kinopio. She can be seen during the Bone Thing's animation, trampling enemies in battle. |
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Draggadon | Draggadon can be rescued by collecting the orange Big Paint Star to restore his fossil. After this, Draggadon attacks Mario by breathing fire until he uses the Basin Thing on him. When he is hit by the Basin, Draggadon gets knocked out until the player uses a Magma Burger on him. From then on, Mario can use him to traverse Redpepper Volcano safely. Every time Mario finishes the level, the player must give Draggadon the Magma Burger to collect the Paint Star. |
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Piper | A friendly Ptooie who is central to the sidequest in Port Prisma. He was friends with five other Toads named Purp, Redd, Greenie, Bloo, and Yella prior to the events of Paper Mario: Color Splash. By completing his sidequest, the six reunite and go to The Crimson Tower to play for the remainder of the game. |
Toads
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Toad | Toad comes with Mario and Princess Peach to Port Prisma at the start of the game. He has his color drained, and Mario needs to recolor him after he fights the Slurp Guy. He can be found in the hotel in the yellow district of Port Prisma after the Battle Card tutorial. |
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Rescue Blue | The leader of the blue Rescue Squad. He and his team replace the train tracks in Kiwano Temple. |
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Rescue Red | The leader of the red Rescue Squad. He and his squad attend the Emerald Circus, making up half the audience. |
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Rescue Green | The leader of the green Rescue Squad. He helps make a bridge to the Mini Paint Star and the Lemon Thing along with his cadets. |
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Rescue Yellow | The leader of the yellow Rescue Squad. He pulls out the giant turnip in Sacred Forest along with the rest of his squad. |
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Rescue Purple | The leader of the purple Rescue Squad. He and his three recruits make a staircase to the blue Mini Paint Star and the Fire Extinguisher Thing. |
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Rescue Squad Chief | The leader of all the Rescue Squads. When Mario talks to him, he tells him how many Rescue Squad Toads are left to find. |
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Tea Party Toads | These six Toads occupy Dark Bloo Inn when Mario arrives. Mario helps them enjoy their promised tea party, after which they ascend once finally being satisfied. |
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Justice Toad | One of the Chosen Toads. He can be found in Cherry Lake where Mario needs to collect the clothing that fell off of him when he fell from the big paint bucket being carried by an airship. He spends the rest of the game in the Crimson Tower entrance after he obtains the Mini Paint Star for Mario. |
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Mountain Sage | One of the Chosen Toads. He initially is the amnesiac gatekeeper to Daffodil Peak. After Mario repaints his drained head, he reveals himself to be the actual Mountain Sage. He spends the rest of the game in the Crimson Tower entrance after revealing his identity. |
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Surfing Kinopio | One of the Chosen Toads. He can initially be found in Bloo Bay Beach getting ready to travel the world to find his true calling, but gets shipwrecked not too far from the beach. After Mario uses the Fan Thing in the Cutout area, he reveals that he is a Chosen Toad while surfing the newly made wave. He spends the rest of the game in the Crimson Tower entrance after this. |
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Five Fun Guys | These quintuplet Toads are the center of the minigames in Oceanfest. After Mario points out the scandal during Toad Shuffle, the manager tells them to give Mario the Blissful Beach Key. From then on, they can be seen whenever Mario takes a nap on Blissful Beach. |
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Prof. Kinopio | A yellow Toad who lives in Château Chanterelle with his pet Princess. Mario needs to bring back his pet (who has been enlarged by Kamek's magic) so that he can give him the Sharp Spike. |
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Violet Passage captain | The leader of the pirate crew in Violet Passage. He is initially found stranded in the colorless sea until Mario saves the blue Big Paint Star. He is a recurring character during the voyage to Fortune Island. After he meets the legendary captain, he spends the remainder of the game learning from the legendary captain on Fortune Island. |
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Legendary captain | A pirate Toad who was the first ever to reach Fortune Island. During the events of the game, he can be found in the parallel world cooking on a Charcoal Grill and causing smoke to rise into the purple Big Paint Star room. After Mario squeezes the Charcoal Grill Thing into a card, the captain gets angry and follows him until they reach the beginning of Fortune Island. Afterward, he says that the treasure has been claimed before he got there, and can be seen teaching the Violet Passage captain for the remainder of the game. |
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Lighthouse keeper | The owner of the lighthouse on Lighthouse Island. When Mario repaints him, he is depressed by the lack of light. He allows Mario to access the parallel world pipe to collect the lightbulb and restore the lighthouse, after which he begins dancing for the remainder of the game. |
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Sunset Express conductor | The conductor of the Sunset Express. He helps Mario defeat Larry by stopping the Shy Guy in the train's cabin. The train he is conducting is originally scheduled for decommissioning, but after arriving in Starlight Cape, he, along with another blue Toad, decides it should not be decommissioned. He reappears briefly during the "This Here's Paint Country!" dance. |
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Mustard Café chef | The owner of the Mustard Café. After Mario collects the purple Big Paint Star, he falls into the newly made hole underneath him. Mario needs to escort him back to the Mustard Café during the level. As he is about to head back, Mario and the chef get pulled into the Snifit Undersand Hideout. When Mario frees him and finds the Café Key, he tells Mario to hold onto it as he does not trust himself losing it. He spends the rest of the game in the Café. |
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Tangerino Grill Chef | The head chef of Tangerino Grill. During the events of the game, he is injured by a Shy Guy jumping on him and is unable to make the Mamma Mia Pizza for the guests. Due to this, Mario needs to make it for him. Later, when Mario satisfies the VIP customer, he thanks Mario for satisfying him, as the VIP never liked any of the food. |
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Tangerino Grill host | The host and waiter of Tangerino Grill. When Mario finishes making the Mamma Mia Pizza, he serves the pizza to the guests and watches them devour it. The host is optimistic for Mario, saying that he is the only one that can satiate the VIP. |
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Rock Paper Wizard | The master of Super Roshambo. They can be found after beating a chapter boss. When all 8 temples have been beaten, they reveal that they are a Toad and that there were actually eight Rock Paper Wizards all along. |
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Toadmaster General | A Toad who owns the post office in Port Prisma. He was drained and folded into a letter to lure Princess Peach to Port Prisma. After restoring him, he returns to his post office and give Mario any new mail he receives from then on. |
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Action Toad | A Toad who lives in the Action Command Dojo. Mario can visit him anytime to practice action commands for hammering, jumping, Fire Flowers, and blocking. |
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Card Connoisseur Toad | The Toad who runs the Prisma Museum. He is first found by the blue Mini Paint Star in Port Prisma, where he examines Mario's cards while a Slurp Guy battles Mario. After Mario receives a letter from him, he opens the doors to the Prisma Museum. |
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"Deep Cuts" Toad | A Toad found in the yellow district of Port Prisma. If Mario pays him 50 coins, he will tell the player a hint as to where an uncut Cutout is. When the Cutout is found, he will allow Mario to pay again for another hint. |
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Purp | The first of Piper's friends. He says that Piper was magnetic and lovable. |
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Redd | The second of Piper's friends. He says that Piper helped them win a field day race, presumably on purpose. |
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Greenie | The third of Piper's friends. He says that during a school play, Piper offered to take the role of a "down-on-his-luck potted plant" that no one else wanted to take. |
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Bloo | The fourth of Piper's friends. He says that Piper ate a thug that was picking on them. |
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Yella | The last of Piper's friends. He says that he knew Piper died from being dried and shriveled up. Moments after saying this, Piper sprouts from the tree. |
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Foreman | The foreman of Toad Trainworks. When Mario first meets him, he says he is planning on retiring soon. He takes the Sunset Express as his last job, but before this, he gives Mario a free Mini Paint Star. Later, after the conductor says he changed his mind on decommissioning the Sunset Express, the foreman says that he changed his mind on retiring as well. |
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Bloo Bay Beach barista | The barista for the bar in Bloo Bay Beach. While Mario cannot buy anything from him, he unknowingly plays a role in Toad and Go Seek; one of the Five Fun Guys hides behind him and copies what he is saying. |
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Green Energy Plant researcher | A Toad residing in the Green Energy Plant. During the events of the game, he pulls Huey in with a Science Claw to try and get energy from him. After the power is restored, he sits to the right of the monitor for the rest of the game, saying he has been researching the unusual images' effect on brain activity. |
Enemies
- Main article: Paper Mario: Color Splash bestiary
Paper Mario: Color Splash features a smaller number of enemy species compared to previous games in the Paper Mario series. Many species that appear have either appeared earlier in the Super Mario series or in previous Paper Mario installments; additionally, Paper Mario: Color Splash does not have any new enemies that are not based on other enemies, unlike the first three games in the Paper Mario series. Instead, Paper Mario: Color Splash features a number of new enemy variants that are based on other enemies. For example, this game marks the debut of Juggler Bros, Shady Sledge Bros, and Shunned Guys, which are variants of Hammer Bros, Sledge Bros, and Shy Guys, respectfully. Shy Guys receive the most new variants in Paper Mario: Color Splash, as they are the most prominent enemy type seen. Paper Mario: Color Splash features a total of 53 variants of Shy Guys, the most of any game, although a number of them only vary by color or an item. Additionally, this game introduces Dino Rhinos as enemies, which have not previously appeared in the Paper Mario series (although a variant of Dino Rhinos, known as Albino Dinos, appear in Paper Mario).
All enemies in Paper Mario: Color Splash have been redesigned from their previous appearances in the Paper Mario series. Every enemy has a white outline surrounding them, and the shading seen in all prior installments has been removed in favor of flat coloring. Some enemies have also had their designs changed to better match their most recent appearances, although this varies between each enemy. As the gameplay of Paper Mario: Color Splash is heavily based on colors, the color an enemy has plays a role in where they appear, and on what color of paint they drop when defeated. This is best seen in Ruddy Road, where a group of red Shy Guys turn blue out of fear, and leave behind large quantities of blue paint when crushed by an angry Toad.
The following is a table of battle statistics for each enemy as obtained directly from the game's data. In gameplay, an enemy's HP is only represented by the amount of color left on their body, and reaches 0 when there is no color left; the actual number never appears as in-game text. For the attacks, "Normal" refers to the enemy's base attack unless otherwise stated, while "Blowback" refers to the damage the enemy inflicts upon other enemies when using the KO Hammer.
Bosses
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Morton | The guardian of the red Big Paint Star, battled atop the Crimson Tower. Morton calls in two Shy Guys with a pedestal and stands atop it during his battle. Once Mario defeats the two Shy Guys and knocks away the pedestal with a hammer attack, Morton pulls out a flaming hammer, which has to be countered with the Fire Extinguisher Thing. |
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Iggy | Iggy is fought in the Golden Coliseum as part of a "Battle Royal" event. In battle, Iggy rides a chariot, driving away when Mario tries to attack. Mario has to use the Bone Thing and have Princess destroy Iggy's chariot, as well as the Chariot Bro and Chariot Snifit accompanying him. Once Iggy is defeated, Mario is rewarded with the yellow Big Paint Star. |
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Ludwig | Ludwig is found in Fort Cobalt with the blue Big Paint Star. He rides the Super Ludship, which is invulnerable to attacks; Mario must reflect Ludwig's projectiles with Tail attacks to destroy the ship. However, Ludwig resurfaces in the Super Ludsub, hiding in the water and firing missiles. The Balloons Thing must be used to lift the sub out of the water. |
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Wendy | As the boss of Fortune Island, Wendy protects the purple Big Paint Star. She attacks by throwing enemies and coins at Mario, eventually preparing a giant ring to trap him. If Mario uses the Instant Camera Thing, he prints out a picture of himself, which Wendy attacks instead. |
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Larry | Larry is fought on the Sunset Express while it is heading to Starlight Cape. A Shy Guy supplies Larry with healing hearts through the smokestack, as the Sunset Express's conductor goes down to the cabin to stop it. Once the Shy Guy is defeated, Mario can plug the smokestack with the Cork Thing, making Larry vulnerable. After Larry is defeated, the conductor takes control of the train again and stops near the orange Big Paint Star at Starlight Cape. |
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Lemmy | As a performer at the Emerald Circus, Lemmy battles Mario on top of the circus tent while guarding the green Big Paint Star. Lemmy is the only Koopaling that requires two Things to be weakened; while he is spinning on the Wonder Ball, Mario has to use the Disco Ball Thing to distract him, then pop the ball with the Ice Pick Thing. |
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Roy | Roy is the only Koopaling that does not guard a Big Paint Star; instead, he is fought at the beginning of Black Bowser's Castle. Roy steals all of Mario's paint and shoots it back at him through a cannon, causing unique status effects. After taking enough damage, Roy mixes the paint together and covers the room in black paint; this can be removed with the Washing Machine Thing. |
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Black Bowser | Black Bowser is the final boss of Paper Mario: Color Splash, appearing at the end of Black Bowser's Castle. For the first phase of the fight, Mario has to damage Black Bowser until his head is free of black paint; he appears shocked and unaware of what he has been doing. The black paint then covers Bowser again as he enlarges in size. Huey reverts into 3D and has Mario time his blocks perfectly to absorb the black paint. As a final attack, Black Bowser spits all the black paint into a giant ball, then fires it at Mario; if blocked, Huey is damaged, although Mario is able to finish off Bowser. |
Mini-bosses
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Big Spiny | A large Spiny fought in Kiwano Temple. |
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Petea Piranha | A version of Petey Piranha who is hiding in the Teapot at Plum Park. Once defeated, the park's waters are purified and Mario can collect the Teapot. |
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Black Shy Guy | A Shy Guy in a black cloak who speaks in haiku and ambushes Mario in Violet Passage. |
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Steak | A live-action slab of meat battled at Tangerino Grill. Mario must use a correct series of attacks and Things to cook the steak, and then serve it to a VIP customer. |
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Big Lava Bubble | A giant Lava Bubble battled in Redpepper Crater. A Shy Guy accompanies it to translate its speech. |
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Kamek | Kamek is fought directly in the Sacred Forest after enlarging a pipe with the Magnifying Glass Thing. He casts spells on Mario to hinder him throughout the battle. |
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The Shy Bandit | A recurring mid-boss who appears on the world map. The Shy Bandit throws his calling card to a spot on the map and begins slurping the color out of the area. If Mario catches him first, he enters a battle. The Shy Bandit attacks like a regular Slurp Guy, but can also summon reinforcements. |
Other
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Yoshis | Yoshis that appear in The Emerald Circus. If Mario tries to open the cage they are in, they will eat him and spit him out. After Lemmy flees the stage, they escape the cage they are in. During a battle on the stage, one of them may pop out from behind the curtains and try to eat Mario. If Mario does not block this, he loses his next card. |
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Banzai Bill | Banzai Bills appear in this game as black paint bombs made in Black Bowser's Castle. One lands on Sunglow Ridge and covers the area in black paint, which Mario must avoid or he will lose 30 HP. |
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Mega Bob-omb | Large Bob-ombs found in Black Bowser's Castle. When Mario arrives in Black Bowser's Castle, he uses them to destroy the black paint mixing room. |
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Volcanic debris | Molten rocks that jump out of lava. They are found at the end of Kiwano Temple, damaging Mario if he comes into contact with them. |
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Bullet Bill | Bullet Bills can be found in the Green Energy Plant in their Super Mario Bros. 3 sprite forms. They are shot by a Bill Blaster and drop paint when stomped on. |
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Bill Blaster | A cannon that fires Bullet Bills every few seconds and cannot be destroyed. One appears in the Green Energy Plant, using its appearances from Super Mario Bros. 3. |
Locations
The game is set on Prism Island, shaped like a paintbrush, and on nearby islands shaped like drops of paint, which have been drained of their color. The locations are organized according to the order listed in the game's status menu, though there are five courses for each of the six main colors (red, yellow, blue, purple, orange, and green), with one for each of them having a main boss. Port Prisma is dedicated to the game's three primary colors and Bowser's Castle is dedicated to the game's tertiary color, black. The map is colored in as Mario collects Mini Paint Stars, though it is not possible to view it completely colorless, as the world map is only unlocked after Mario collects the red Mini Paint Star from Port Prisma.
| Image | Level | Description | Things found | Colorless spots | Connects to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Port Prisma | A harborside town, and the main hub of the game. Notable features in the main plaza include the Prisma Fountain and various Super Flags. Port Prisma is divided into various districts, all accessible from the plaza. The blue district contains Prisma Postal Toad, Prisma Cardware, and a Prisma Cafe. The yellow district has the Prisma Museum, Action Command Dojo, Rescue Squad HQ, and Peach and Toad's guest rooms. At the harbor district, Mario can talk to the Wringer or the Know-it-All Toad. | 
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80 | Ruddy Road Indigo Underground Black Bowser's Castle |
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Ruddy Road | A grassland area that is also the first level in the game. Notable locations include a Toad's house and the Ruddy Road Cafe. The purple Rescue Squad's formation is located here. | 
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40 | Port Prisma Cherry Lake Indigo Underground |
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Cherry Lake | An area with many waterwheels that Mario must navigate through. Justice Toad is found here, and Mario has to collect the various items he has lost. | 
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29 | Ruddy Road The Crimson Tower Bloo Bay Beach |
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Indigo Underground | A cavernous area where Rescue Green and all five members of his squad are found. | 
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39 | Bloo Bay Beach Ruddy Road Port Prisma Daffodil Peak |
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Bloo Bay Beach | A tropical beach. Mario participates in the Oceanfest event to unlock access to Blissful Beach. Additionally, Surfing Kinopio of the Chosen Toads must be rescued. | None | 38 | Indigo Underground Cherry Lake Sunglow Ridge Plum Park |
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Daffodil Peak | A tall mountain. Mario must talk to the park ranger to obtain a climbing permit. The Mountain Sage is found here. | None | 53 | Indigo Underground Sunglow Ridge Ruddy Road |
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The Crimson Tower | A tall tower full of conveyor belts and stairways. The tower is initially unpainted, but is restored after Mario rides an airship and drops paint onto it. The three Chosen Toads must be gathered at the doorway to gain entry. | 
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24 | Cherry Lake |
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Sunglow Ridge | A mountainous area with a lumber mill. It contains the Scarlet Gate, blocking the level from entry until the red Big Paint Star is collected. A black paint bomb is dropped on Sunglow Ridge, and Huey cleans it up. | None | 44 | Daffodil Peak Bloo Bay Beach Château Chanterelle |
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Château Chanterelle | A small level that contains Prof. Kinopio's house. | 
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8 | Sunglow Ridge Mondo Woods Marmalade Valley |
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Mondo Woods | An enlarged forest, featuring Mega Goombas and big objects. Mario visits this area to search for Princess. | None | 19 | Chateau Chanterelle Sacred Forest Dark Bloo Inn |
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Marmalade Valley | An active dig site. Mario goes here in search of Princess, Prof. Kinopio's pet Chain Chomp. A Toad is trapped from a cave-in, and Mario scales cliffs and explores caves to save him. | 
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36 | Chateau Chanterelle Kiwano Temple |
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Kiwano Temple | An ancient temple full of Spiny Shell-shaped rocks. Mario must balance on top of cardboard tubes to avoid falling on the spikes. The Sunset Express first appears outside the temple, where it is crushed by a Thwomp. The blue Rescue Squad's formation is located here. | None | 37 | Marmalade Valley The Golden Coliseum Toad Trainworks Redpepper Volcano |
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The Golden Coliseum | An ancient coliseum. Mario participates in a Battle Royal held by Iggy, the boss of the area. |  
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31 | Kiwano Temple |
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Dark Bloo Inn | A hotel haunted by a group of six ghostly Toads. The Dark Bloo Inn is stuck in a time loop, and is only freed after the Toads are satisfied. | None | 14 | Plum Park Mondo Woods |
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Plum Park | The garden to the Dark Bloo Inn. The waters have been poisoned by Petea Piranha, and are purified after he is defeated by Mario. Birdo performs a concert in this area. |  
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38 | Dark Bloo Inn Violet Passage Bloo Bay Beach |
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Sacred Forest | A miniature forest inhabited by small enemies. During his first visit, Mario collects pieces of a Mini Paint Star that has been torn apart by a Small Goomba Gang. | 
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47 | Mondo Woods Green Energy Plant Cobalt Base Mustard Cafe |
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Cobalt Base | A militaristic base near the ocean. Mario is challenged to a game of Snifit or Whiffit: Seabed Edition, a quiz show based on memorizing Battle Cards. | 
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3 | Sacred Forest Fort Cobalt |
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Fort Cobalt | A training area for Shy Guys. Many blue Rescue Squad members are found here, during their attempts to infiltrate the base. Ludwig acts as the boss, fighting Mario from both a boat and submarine. | 
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21 | Cobalt Base |
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Violet Passage | A port with a pirate ship. When Mario first visits, the water has been partially drained from the ocean, and he must save the yellow Rescue Squad from a Shy Guy attack. When the blue Big Paint Star restores the ocean, the ship's captain sets sail for the Violet Isles. |  
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10 | Plum Park Vortex Island Redpepper Volcano |
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Vortex Island | Mario visits this island and makes use of the parallel world to remove the source of a large vortex: the Washing Machine. |  
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56 | Lighthouse Island Violet Passage Redpepper Crater |
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Lighthouse Island | On this island, the lighthouse has burnt out. Mario goes to the parallel world and climbs the lighthouse to find the Lightbulb, returning it to the lighthouse keeper to illuminate the way forward. | 
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35 | Fortune Island Vortex Island Mossrock Theater |
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Fortune Island | A large island featuring a prominent skull-shaped cave. Mario and the ship crew investigate, finding a parallel world with a legendary captain inside. |  
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42 | Lighthouse Island |
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Mustard Café | A Prisma Café variant located in the desert. Mario and the café's chef fall into a deep hole, and are imprisoned by Snifits. | None | 54 | Toad Trainworks Sacred Forest |
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Toad Trainworks | A train repair station that the Sunset Express stops at. Various green Toads assist Mario with repairing the train so it can get to Tangerino Grill. | 
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28 | Kiwano Temple Mustard Cafe Tangerino Grill Redpepper Crater |
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Tangerino Grill | A restaurant staffed by yellow Toads. Mario serves many hungry diners by cooking Mamma Mia Pizza, and serves steak to an anonymous VIP customer. | 
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8 | Toad Trainworks Mossrock Theater Sunset Express |
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Sunset Express | A runaway train, hijacked by Larry. Mario acquires many members of the red Rescue Squad while making his way to the front of the train. | None | 14 | Tangerino Grill |
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Redpepper Volcano | A volcanic level. Draggadon resides here, and can be guided using the Fishing Pole and Magma Burger. | None | 13 | Redpepper Crater Violet Passage |
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Redpepper Crater | A deep volcanic area, containing hot springs. | 
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19 | Redpepper Volcano Toad Trainworks Vortex Island |
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Green Energy Plant | A Toad House laboratory. Inside, Mario can use Cutout to transport himself into a world themed after Super Mario Bros. 3. |  
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1 | Sacred Forest Mossrock Theater |
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Mossrock Theater | A foggy forest area located before the Emerald Circus. Mario fights various circus-themed enemies while rescuing members of the red Rescue Squad. | None | 34 | Green Energy Plant The Emerald Circus Tangerino Grill Lighthouse Island |
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The Emerald Circus | A circus tent where the green Big Paint Star is held. The red Rescue Squad's formation is here, where they form half of the audience. | 
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12 | Mossrock Theater |
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Black Bowser's Castle | The final level of Paper Mario: Color Splash. It can only be reached once all six Big Paint Stars have been obtained, forming a Rainbow Road path up to the castle. A black paint mixing operation takes place here, where Banzai Bill bombs are filled and fired. After Mario defeats Black Bowser and rescues Princess Peach, they manage to escape on Luigi's kart. Huey stays behind to destroy Black Bowser's Castle, squeezing it into an Enemy Card. | None | 0 | Port Prisma |
Services
Prisma Cardware
- Main article: Prisma Cardware
Prisma Cardware is the only shop in the game where Mario can buy Battle Cards. As the player progresses, more cards can be bought. A red Toad outside the shop lets Mario know when a new card is available.
Prisma Café
- Main article: Prisma Café
Prisma Café is a series of restaurants found throughout Prism Island. Here, Mario can buy Hearty Lattes and Prisma Juices, which restore HP and paint respectively. A few stores have extra things Mario can buy, such as the Magma Burgers in Fort Cobalt. A similar café, named the Mustard Café, also appears in the game.
Know-it-All Toad
The Know-it-All Toad is a Toad that appears near the entrance to the Red District in Port Prisma. If the player chooses to talk to him, he offers hints about the Thing Mario needs to progress now. For example, if Mario needs to find the Fire Extinguisher, the Know-it-All Toad says, "You must seek a red Thing on a red road... It cools that which is hot."
The Wringer
The Wringer is a shady Toad found in the Port District of Port Prisma. He runs a shop where Mario can purchase any Thing he found before if he does not have it on him currently. If Mario already has the Thing, it is marked as "Sold Out". If Mario did not find a specific Thing, its slot is marked as "Coming Soon".
Side activities
Prisma Museum
- Main article: Prisma Museum
The Prisma Museum is a museum hidden inside of the Action Command Dojo where the player can deposit Battle Cards to unlock concept art in the art gallery. Additionally, for every area that is fully repainted, the player unlocks music from that level in the sound gallery. When all types of cards are deposited, the museum lights up and Toads start visiting.
Roshambo Temples
- Main article: Roshambo Temple
The Roshambo Temples are areas where Mario can play Super Roshambo for coins and Battle Cards. There are eight Roshambo Temples located throughout Prism Island. Roshambo Temples do not have any Cutouts, Things, colorless spots, Rescue Toads, or Mini Paint Stars. They are unlocked by collecting tokens after completing various levels. Additionally, the player can challenge the Rock Paper Wizard if they have beaten a chapter boss, who awards them an Enemy Card based on the Koopalings or Kamek for defeating him. If the boss has not been beaten, Mario competes against a generic enemy in the third match instead.
Piper's sidequest
When Purp is repainted by the water wheel in Port Prisma, a sidequest initiates. Every time Mario finds one of Piper's friends, the tree in the yellow district grows a small amount. After Bloo is found, the tree begins to wither and the four friends set off to find the Rainbow Carnation. After Yella is found, he tells the gang that he knew Piper died, and the tree begins to wither even more before suddenly ejecting a seed that Piper sprouts out of. Mario begins to fight it, only for the five Toads to stop him and tell Mario that the Ptooie is Piper. After this, the six can be seen near the entrance to The Crimson Tower playing around.
Spinning-Door
- Main article: Spinning-Door
The Spinning-Door is a three-segmented door appearing in some levels such as Daffodil Peak. When Mario hits it with his hammer, the segments begin rotating. He can then hammer it again to make the three segments have the same color. When all three segments match, the door becomes usable and leads Mario to a minigame depending on the color chosen; Blockstopper! for Red, Flippin' Cards! for Blue, Prize Pipe Paths for Yellow, and Paint Hunter! for rainbow.
Super Flags
- Main article: Super Flag
Super Flags return from Paper Mario: Sticker Star. This time, there are only six flags to obtain instead of eight. When the player completes an achievement, its corresponding flag will unroll and be displayed in the credits parade. If the player manages to complete all six achievements, an alternate ending is unlocked after the end credits, with Huey falling from the sky into the Prisma Fountain.
| Achievement | How to obtain |
|---|---|
| Excellence Embodied | Perform 200 Excellent attacks. |
| Sizzlin' Scissors | Perform every Cutout. |
| Gold Bug | Collect 10,000 coins. |
| Card Champion | Buy 200 cards from Prisma Cardware. |
| Honorary Paint Can | Repaint all Colorless spots. |
| The One and Roshambonly | Beat the Rock Paper Wizard in all eight Roshambo Temples. |
Luigi sightings
Luigi can be found hiding in six locations across Prism Island. If the player uses the Cutout technique on these spots, Luigi will look around, face Mario, give the player 300 coins, and run off the screen. If the player finds all six Luigi spots, Luigi will appear at the start of the credits parade. Luigi can be found in the following areas:
| Level | Location |
|---|---|
| Bloo Bay Beach | The outdoor shower room behind the juice bar. |
| Marmalade Valley | Near the Save Block found on the second level of the excavations area. |
| The Golden Coliseum | On top of one of the spectator stands in the arena. |
| Plum Park | The tree in the area where Birdo is encountered. |
| Redpepper Crater | Behind a waterfall within the hot springs area. |
| Green Energy Plant | A monitor outside the Green Toad House. |
Items and objects
General
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
? Block | Yellow blocks with a white ? symbol. They are very common and contain coins and Battle Cards. When hit, a ? Block's top flips open as the item inside pops out. Mario can either hammer a ? Block or jump into it from below to release its contents. |
|
? Panel | A ground counterpart to the ? Block that appears exclusively in the Flippin' Cards! minigame. When hit, a ? Panel will either reveal a Battle Card, which must be matched to form a pair, or add or subtract from the timer. |
|
Airship | Large flying battleships used by Bowser's army. Outside the Crimson Tower, Mario boards an airship commanded by Shy Guys. An airship appears during Black Bowser's reveal, and another one is shown in the ending cutscene. |
|
Barrel | Common wooden barrels. They contain paint, coins, and Battle Cards. |
|
|
Big Paint Star | The main collectibles of the game. There are six Big Paint Stars in the game, each corresponding to the primary and secondary colors. When collected, a Big Paint Star repaints a major landmark on the map and moves back to the Prisma Fountain. At Port Prisma, Mario can hammer a Big Paint Star for paint or watch its memories. |
|
Bowser Tape | Sticky pieces of tape with Bowser's insignia. They are found blocking folded-up pieces of ground, entrances, and doors. The removal of Bowser Tape often opens a shortcut to the previous parts of the level. |
|
Brick Block | Ordinary blocks that appear in nearly every level. Mario can destroy them by hitting them with his hammer or striking them from below. |
|
Bucket | A large, wooden bucket ridden through the waters of Plum Park. Can protect its passenger from poisonous water. |
|
Cannonball | Projectiles that can be fired from the Violet Passage captain's ship to hit targets. |
|
Card Max Up | A rare object that permanently increases the number of cards Mario can use in battle. They are awarded at Cherry Lake, Dark Bloo Inn, and Sacred Forest. |
|
Coconut | Papercraft coconuts found growing on trees. When Mario hammers the tree, a coconut falls and cracks open to reveal a coin. |
|
Coin | Gold coins that serve as the game's main currency. They can be obtained by winning battles, finding them on the overworld, playing Super Roshambo, repainting colorless spots, and collecting a Mini Paint Star. Coins are primarily used to purchase cards at Prisma Cardware or Things from the Wringer. Mario can have up to 9999 coins at once. |
|
Conveyor Belt | Paper rolls that automatically move Mario in a set direction as he stands on them. They appear in the Crimson Tower and Black Bowser's Castle. |
 
|
Crate | Wooden crates that appear in two sizes. They can contain paint, hearts, Battle Cards, or coins. |
|
Empty Block | A ? Block after it has been struck. These blocks sometimes serve as platforms. |
|
Fireball | Fiery projectiles that are thrown by Fire Mario and Fire Bros. |
|
Hammer | Mario's hammer. He can use it on the overworld to hit objects and characters. In battle, hammer attacks deals minor splash damage, are effective against spiked enemies, and cannot hit flying enemies. |
|
Hammer Scrap | Scraps that drop from enemies upon defeat, increasing the capacity of Mario's Paint Hammer when collected in large quantities. Hammer Scraps are found in 4 progressively shinier and more potent varieties. |
|
Heart | Pink hearts that restore either 20 or 40 of Mario's HP when collected. |
| N/A | Hidden Block | Invisible ? Blocks, often used to alert Mario towards secret areas. |
|
Holo-Peach | Holographic messages sent by Peach to alert Mario on the details of Black Bowser's plan while being held in captivity. |
|
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HP-Up Heart | Rare items that are awarded to Mario every time he returns a Big Paint Star to the Prisma Fountain, increasing his maximum HP. |
|
Ice Ball | Projectiles that are thrown by Ice Mario and Ice Bros. |
|
Goal Pole | A Goal Pole, themed after its Super Mario Bros. appearance, appears at the end of the Green Energy Plant. Mario can use it to exit the Cutout section. Another Goal Pole with a Bowser logo appears in Black Bowser's Castle, which Mario slides down to get off the conveyor belt. |
|
Golden ring | A gold ring thrown by Wendy during her boss fight. |
|
Kart | Luigi's green kart, which he uses to drive Mario and Huey to Black Bowser's Castle. |
|
Magical ball | A striped, red-and-green ball that Lemmy balances on. |
|
Mamma Mia Pizza | A pizza that Mario cooks for the diners at the Tangerino Grill. |
|
Mega ? Block | Large ? Blocks that are found in Mondo Woods. |
|
Mega Block | Large Brick Blocks that are found in Mondo Woods. |
|
Mini Paint Star | One of the game's main collectibles. Mini Paint Stars open up new paths on the world map by restoring color to blank areas. |
|
Paint | Blobs of paint found scattered around the world, ranging from red to purple and even multicolored. Paint pops out of the interactive scenery and from defeated enemies. |
|
Paint Hammer | A 3D hammer infused with paint by Huey. The Paint Hammer is used to restore colorless spots around the world. |
|
Poison | Poisonous water appears as an obstacle in Plum Park, having been tainted by Petea Piranha. The water is purified after his defeat. Roy's purple paint also poisons Mario, making him take damage every turn. |
|
POW Block | Special blocks that, when hit, crumple and stun nearby enemies. POW Blocks appear both on the overworld and as a Battle Card. |
|
Prisma Times | The Prisma Times is a newspaper that a Toad in Port Prisma reads. By paying the Toad 10 coins, Mario can have a section of the paper read to him, hinting at his next objective. |
|
Quicksand | Quicksand appears in the Mustard Café. Mario's walking speed slows as he moves through it, and it pulls him downwards. If Mario drowns completely in quicksand, he gets a Game Over. |
|
Rainbow Carnation | A special flower growing in Marmalade Valley that brings plants back to life. Piper's friends use it to revitalize his tree. Mario cannot directly interact with the Rainbow Carnation, as it only appears in a cutscene. |
|
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Rope | Hanging ropes and vines that can be pulled to hide or reveal various pieces of scenery. They appear in Lighthouse Island, Mustard Café, Mossrock Theater, and the Emerald Circus. |
  
|
Roshambo Card | Special Battle Cards representing the Rock-Paper-Scissors symbols. They are played by Mario and his opponents during Super Roshambo. Roshambo Cards cannot be used in regular battle or taken outside of the Roshambo Temples. |
|
Roulette Block | Three Roulette Blocks cycling through various rewards appear in the Blockstopper! minigame. The picture shown when Mario hits it determines what he will earn. |
|
Save Block | Rainbow-colored blocks with a spinning "S". When Mario hits one, the game's progress is saved. |
|
Science Claw | An invention at the Green Energy Plant. Huey is caught in the claw until the power is restored. |
|
|
Sign | Signboards that provide information. Some are unpainted and must be colored in before Mario can read them. |
|
Spike Trap | Spikes hidden in the floor. They appear on Fortune Island, where Mario must memorize their locations in the main world to avoid them in the parallel world. |
|
Spiked Ball | Projectiles used by Spikes and Ptooies. |
|
Spinning-Door | A door consisting of three rotating segments. Matching all three panels allows Mario to play a minigame, depending on the color of the segments. |
|
Super Ludship | Ludwig's vehicle during the first phase of his boss fight. He summons troops to fight aboard the Ludship. |
|
Super Ludsub | A submarine used by Ludwig after the Ludship is sunk. To attack the submarine, Mario must lift it out of the water with the Balloons Thing. |
|
|
Super Star | Rare power-ups that grant Mario invincibility for a short period of time. |
|
Trampoline | A Trampoline appears in the Green Energy Plant, styled after its Super Mario Bros. appearance. Mario can jump off of it to reach a higher area. |
|
Treasure chest | Golden treasure chests. They are found throughout the purple Big Paint Star levels, containing a blue Rescue Toad, coins, and important notes. |
|
Unfurl Block | A semi-rare red block with a !? symbol. Hitting it gives Mario the Unfurl ability for 20 seconds: while active, he gains a shiny foil texture, can instantly defeat enemies with First Strikes, and can transform objects with an Unfurl Mark. |
|
Warp Pipe | Common pipes that, when entered, transport Mario to another area. They appear in green, orange, and red varieties. |
Key items
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Toad's Pants | One of Justice Toad's items at Cherry Lake. They are found stuck in a tree. |
|
Toad's Shoes | One of Justice Toad's items at Cherry Lake. They are found in a bush. |
|
Toad's Vest | One of Justice Toad's items at Cherry Lake. It is stuck in a piece of wood. |
|
Hero's Journal | One of Justice Toad's items at Cherry Lake. It is stolen and read aloud by Pry Guy. |
|
Blissful Beach Key | The key to Blissful Beach. It is won from the Toad Shuffle event at Bloo Bay Beach. |
|
Tea Recipe Book | A book found in the Dark Bloo Inn. It must be given to a Tea Party Toad to appease him. |
|
Birdcage | A birdcage found in room 303 in the Dark Bloo Inn. |
|
Caged "Bird" | A Koopa Paratroopa in the Birdcage. It is used to appease a Tea Party Toad at the Dark Bloo Inn. |
| "It" | Yoshi, who is initially invisible. "It" is captured by a Shady Sledge Bro and his group near the Dark Bloo Inn, and must be returned to its Tea Party Toad owner. | |
|
Fresh Sheets | Bedsheets found in the linen closet of the Dark Bloo Inn, given to a Tea Party Toad in room 301. |
|
Mountain Climbing Permit | A permit required to climb Daffodil Peak and find the Mountain Sage. Mario must cheer up the park ranger by repainting his cabin in order to get the Mountain Climbing Permit. |
|
Excavation Site Permit | A permit needed to enter Marmalade Valley, given by Prof. Kinopio so Mario can look for Princess. |
|
Sharp Spike | A spike similar to one on a Spiny's shell, rewarded by Prof. Kinopio and used to enter Kiwano Temple. |
    
|
Paint Star Pieces | Five pieces of a Mini Paint Star, torn apart by a Small Goomba Gang and scattered around Sacred Forest. |
|
Magma Burger | A spicy burger sold at the Prisma Café in Fort Cobalt. It is used to lure Draggadon at Redpepper Volcano. |
|
Fishing Pole | A fishing rod sold as a combo with the Magma Burger. It is used with the Magma Burger to guide Draggadon. |
    
|
Journal Entries | Five journal entries written by the legendary captain, scattered around the ship at Violet Passage. |
|
Letter from Chest | A note found on Fortune Island, informing Mario and Huey that the Instant Camera has been taken by Snifit or Whiffit. |
|
Snifit's Card Key | A key card needed to use the elevator in the Snifit Undersand Hideout, found underneath a sofa on the bottom floor. |
|
Café Key | The key to the Mustard Café, stolen by Snifits. Mario needs to bring it to the Mustard Café chef to open the café and get the Mini Paint Star inside. |
|
Trunk Key | The key to a trunk on the Sunset Express, containing 30 members of the red Rescue Squad and obtained after defeating some Snifits. |
Nintendo eShop description
A mystery is afoot on Prism Island and only Mario™ can solve it——by restoring the land's vanishing colors with his new Paint Hammer. Puzzling battles await, but never fear; there's always a clever way to dish out the powerful Battle Cards up his sleeve. These fresh layers of strategy make this one of the most action-packed Paper Mario™ adventures ever!
It all begins when Mario receives an odd letter in the mail and heads for the unknown in a small boat. What he finds is a series of hilariously mysterious moments, each a clue that inches him closer to answering the riddle of Prism Island. To restore its former glory, he must first rescue the Big Paint Stars. Luckily, Mario's new companion Huey has granted him the power of paint, which can be used to recolor the exotic locales he'll hit up on his journey. Examine environments for clues, revive color-drained Toads, and even participate in strange events like the game show "Whifit or Snifit." Whatever it takes to make a splash on Prism Island!
Pre-release and unused content
The game features a concept art gallery where concept art is gradually unlocked by donating Battle Cards to the museum. The concept art allows players to see how the characters, objects, and settings were gradually changed during development. It also reveals two locations that were cut from the game.
The first location is the east side of Decalburg from the previous game, that would have featured new objects including postboxes, differently placed Coins and ? Blocks and, most importantly, a river with sewage pipes, that would have been possible to cross using a bridge to reach an area not present in Paper Mario: Sticker Star. The second one is an unused location similar to a temple in a mountainous area of a rocky desert, that would have featured blue torches and at least three buildings connected by staircases and bridges. Many warp pipes would have been present as well, as in the concept art five of them can be observed, of which four are in a row.
The unused location on the inside would have featured blue torches, cacti, sandfalls, broken walls allowing light to enter, drawings of a Coin, a mushroom, and a star on the walls, very high pillars, bridges made of sand blocks, and spiked pits, thus making it similar to Kiwano Temple, suggesting, along with the rocky desert setting, that this unused location might have been a preliminary version of said location.
Staff
- Main article: List of Paper Mario: Color Splash staff
Directors
- Naohiko Aoyama (Concept)
- Taro Kudo (Writing)
Level Design
- Shingo Igata (Lead)
- Kayoko Takamizawa
- Yuki Agata
- Tomomi Fujisawa (Support)
Producers
- Kensuke Tanabe
- Toshiyuki Nakamura
- Toshio Sengoku
- Naoki Nakano
- Shinya Takahashi
- Keisuke Terasaki
- Satoru Iwata (Executive)
- Tatsumi Kimishima (Executive)
Technical aspects
The game supports 5.1 surround. Though the rear speaker effects are very faint, certain effects like Mario preparing to attack or jump do use the rear speakers to a small extent.
Promotion
To promote the game, a series of videos about the Rescue Squad was produced called Rescue V: Fearless Color Defenders. The series revolves around the Rescue Squad trying to convince the listeners that the Rescue Squad were the real protagonists of the game, as according to them, they did all the hard work. The series has seven episodes total and each episode shows the parts of the game involving each color of the Rescue Squad. At the end of the last episode, the Chief fires the Rescue Squad leaders.
A game on the Play Nintendo website was released in 2016 called Paper Mario: Color Splash Trivia Quiz.
Reception
Critical reception
Upon its reveal during the March 2016 Nintendo Direct, Paper Mario: Color Splash received negative reception from fans, the main complaint focusing around the game's similarities to Paper Mario: Sticker Star, including its combat system, presence of Things and lack of original characters outside of Huey. Within hours of the game's reveal, a petition on Change.org ordered the game to be canceled even though its development started immediately after the development of Sticker Star was over, which TechRadar described as "a frightening example of how quickly, and harshly, we judge games we know next to nothing about".[4]
Despite this, the game received generally positive reviews at release. Critics praised the game's art direction and writing, though the lack of original characters and still-simplistic storyline were points of contention. In addition, while several reviewers noted gameplay improvements from Paper Mario: Sticker Star, some elements still drew criticism, such as the battle system and linear level design.
Terri Schwartz from IGN gave the game a 7.3/10, praising the game for balancing the battles and paint demands while also admitting it "could have benefited from more than one card shop (at the main hub of Port Prisma) and more readily available save blocks throughout the levels".[5] Ben Reeves from GameInformer gave it an 8.5/10, praising the game for its visuals and dialogue. He, however, said that the battle system was overly simple and that it "felt aimless with few far-reaching character goals".[6] Matt West from NintendoWorldReport gave the game a 9/10, praising the combat system for being strategic with the paint supply, while also praising the game's soundtrack and visuals. While he did say that the amount of Toads made the NPCs feel "same-y", he noted that those were "minor complaints in an otherwise excellent package".[7]
Miguel Concepcion from GameSpot gave the game a 7/10, praising the game's visuals and that its dialogue is a vast improvement over the previous Super Mario RPGs. However, they criticized the Cutout ability for being difficult to know when to use, and that it "can leave one stumped, disrupting the game's pacing and enjoyment of levels considerably".[8] Alex Jones from GamesRadar+ also gave it a 7/10, saying that while backtracking was a recurring theme and that the battle system was cumbersome, he also said the dialogue was superb and the presentation was carefully crafted. He ended by saying it is one of "one of the most heartwarming games you’ll play this year".[9] CJ Andriessen from Destructoid gave the game a higher rating, at 8.5/10. They praised the game for its storytelling, soundtrack, and visuals. Additionally, they noted that while the world map and battle system made the game feel slow at times, they said "the rewards you receive for stomping and smashing the familiar crop of Mario baddies are actually useful".[10]
Conversely, Dan Ryckert from Giant Bomb gave the game a 40/100, criticizing the game's battle system, opining that it ruined otherwise enjoyable gameplay. He noted that the fights made it easy to waste cards on almost defeated enemies, that strong cards can often be taken from the player without warning, and that he "never once felt like any of the standard fights were doing anything to progress the story or my character’s abilities".[11]
| Reviews | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Reviewer, Publication | Score | Comment | |
| Terri Schwartz, IGN | 7.3/10 | "Paper Mario: Color Splash is a step in the right direction for the series after the 3DS's Paper Mario: Sticker Star, continuing its shift from RPG to action-adventure game while also introducing some smart changes to its battle system. The beautiful Wii U graphics and playful humor stay true to the spirit of the Paper Mario franchise, but the story is straightforward and a bit bland. Inventive level design in the second act offers some much needed diversity to some of Color Splash's otherwise linear gameplay before the disappointing third act regresses into simple and uninteresting battles. Though Color Splash still isn't back to the high points of the first three games in the Paper Mario series, it's a strong step in the right direction." | |
| Miguel Concepcion, GameSpot | 7/10 | "At its most imaginative, Color Splash's visual gags and thoughtful manipulation of 2D objects rival any "wow" moment from Sony's Tearaway games. What Color Splash lacks in moment-to-moment paper tricks, it more than makes up for in persistent visual appeal and a wholly adorable cast, including antagonists from all pay grades. Its only frustrating feature is its Cutout interface, which can leave one stumped, disrupting the game's pacing and enjoyment of levels considerably. The novelty of the paint splashing doesn't grow tiresome, but it does take a backseat to the visual allure for which the series is known. Color Splash makes a solid case for a Paper Mario sequel that doesn’t need to rely on shtick like stickers or paint, though I won't be surprised if Nintendo's considering using crayons in the future." | |
| Ben Reeves, GameInformer | 8.5/10 | "Color Splash's RPG elements might be paper thin, but fans of the series won't be disappointed with this latest adventure. While the game's combat isn't much deeper than Mario’s paper-thin body, this plumber's antics and colorful world are worth the price of admission." | |
| CJ Andriessen, Destructoid | 8.5/10 | "If you didn't like Paper Mario: Sticker Star because it wasn't like the first two games in the series, I don't think you'll be satisfied here. For everyone else willing to give it a chance, Paper Mario: Color Splash is a charming journey that will delight your senses, your funny bone, and the part of your brain that houses your nostalgic feelings towards Nintendo." | |
| Emma Schaefer, EGM | 8/10 | "Color Splash presents a beautifully crafted paper and cardboard world, populated by witty paper Toads and existential minions. Though it's got its share of backtracking and battle system quirks, the new painting mechanics are satisfying, and the mini-story arcs are almost creative and clever enough to make you forget that your princess is (yet again) in another castle." | |
| Aggregators | |||
| Compiler | Platform / Score | ||
| Metacritic | 76 | ||
| GameRankings | 76.25% | ||
Sales
In its opening week - October 10 through 16, 2016 - Paper Mario: Color Splash sold 20,894 copies in Japan.[12] It left the top 20 after the week of October 31 with 37,093 copies sold.[13] Famitsu reported the game as selling a total of 65,316 copies over its entire lifetime in Japan, making it one of the lowest-selling retail Super Mario games in the country.[14]
Similarities to the other Paper Mario games
- Huey is Mario's companion in the game, fulfilling the role of Tippi from Super Paper Mario and Kersti from Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
- Huey turns himself into a Battle Card to help Mario defeat Bowser, similar to how Kersti sacrificed herself by turning into a sticker during the final boss in Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
- Bowser returns as the main antagonist like he was in Paper Mario and Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
- Also, the black paint controls Bowser and makes him more powerful, much like the Royal Sticker in Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
- There is a level in which Mario must go on a game show.
- Snifit or Whiffit returns from Paper Mario: Sticker Star with new games involving Battle Cards.
- Mini Paint Stars function like the Comet Pieces from Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
- Battle Cards replace stickers.
- Jumps, Hammers, their Worn-Out variants, Line Jumps, Hopslippers, Iron Jumps, Eekhammers, Hurlhammers, Blazehammers, Fire Flowers, Ice Flowers, POW Blocks, Mushrooms, Tails, Spike Helmets, and Frog Suits all return from Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
- Things from Paper Mario: Sticker Star return, including the Fan, Cat-o-Luck, Basin, Lightbulb, and the Hair Dryer, along with the Teapot, although it has a different appearance.
- Like in Paper Mario: Sticker Star, Luigi can be found hiding in some levels.
- Like the previous home console installments of the Paper Mario series, the game starts at the Mario Bros.' House.
- Much like Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Super Paper Mario, there is a generic enemy character named Johnson. In the former games' cases, he was an X-Naut and a Koopa Troopa respectively, whereas in this game, Johnson is a Shy Guy.
- Bowser's castle floats, like it does in Paper Mario and Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
- A parade takes place during the ending credits, just like in Paper Mario and Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
- Luigi leads the parade, just like in those games.
Differences from the other Paper Mario games
- Lakitus are completely absent from this game, though they are mentioned by Luigi.
- When fought, enemies say phrases to provoke Mario.
- Parakarry makes no appearance in any form and is not mentioned in any version either.
- As a result, this is the first game to not reference a partner from a previous game in any version.
- A giant Blooper does not appear as a boss or mini boss.
- There is no story-related recurring mini boss.
- The HP of enemies cannot be seen and has been replaced by the color of the enemy draining, showing how much HP it has left.
- The amount of damage inflicted on enemies can also not be seen.
- There are no individual save files.
- Players can only remove save data through the settings.
- When Mario hits a Save Block, the game does not ask the player if they want to save, instead automatically saving the game by default.
- The heads-up display (Heart Points and coins, and the Paint Meter in this case) no longer disappears after a short time when Mario does not collect anything or is hurt.
- When Mario collects a coin, the counter only bounces slightly instead of flashing three times.
- When Mario collects a Big Paint Star, his maximum HP increases by 25 points. Comparatively, in previous Paper Mario games, Mario's health only increased by 5 points at a time (either after leveling up or collecting an HP-Up Heart).
- Unlike in Paper Mario: Sticker Star, where several Things can be used for the same puzzle, only one set Thing is required to change a level.
- When getting a Perfect Bonus, it is no longer based on clearing the battle in one turn without taking damage, but rather not sustaining damage throughout the entire battle.
- Characters and enemies in this game have a more papery appearance than in the rest of the Paper Mario series. They have a white outline, similar to Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, and they have no shading on their colors.
- This is the first Paper Mario game where Boos are enemies, but no Big Boo variations are present.
- This is the only Paper Mario game to have only one shop, which gets updated throughout the game; other games have multiple shops found in different areas.
- This is the first Paper Mario game to contain an unlockable post-credits scene.
- This is the first Paper Mario game where Mario is not joined at any point by a character he previously battled; in the first four games, this applies to Lakilester, Vivian, Bowser, and the Wiggler Segments, respectively.
References to other games
- Super Mario Bros.: The Goal Pole makes an appearance in both the 8-bit sprite from this game which appears in Green Energy Plant and in Black Bowser's Castle. The Springboard uses this game's sprite in Green Energy Plant as well. A Toad in the audience of Emerald Circus throws the Super Mushroom sprite from this game and Mario uses his idle based on his sprite while he grows.
- Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels: When Huey realizes that the red Mini Paint Star in Ruddy Road has lost most of its color, he exclaims, "What in The Lost Levels is going on here?"
- Super Mario Bros. 2: The "Ground Theme" is rearranged, titled "Spinning-Door Game." The vases also make an appearance in Château Chanterelle. Wart is mentioned in the game by a yellow Toad at Sunglow Ridge.
- Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic: At the concert in Plum Park, Birdo sings the line "two hearts in doki doki panic," referencing her first appearance in this game.
- Super Mario Bros. 3: The Angry Sun is mentioned by one of the Five Fun Guys during Toad and Go Seek, and again by the Roshambo announcer while introducing Green Pokey. The Green Energy Plant is based on this game. When accessing the level, the soundtrack during normal gameplay is taken directly from the NES game, although flipping to 3D mode has it play a slightly orchestral cover. When Mario and Huey confront Larry on top of the train and the latter explains his motives, he makes clear he is doing his actions regarding hijacking the train to get the orange Big Paint Star solely to make sure Bowser is not upset otherwise, which is what Larry stated in the Japanese manual for the game. The Recorder from this game (which, in turn, is from the original The Legend of Zelda game) appears as its 8-bit sprite in Green Energy Plant and can be squeezed into a more realistic-looking Thing Card; when used, the original notes are played by the flute itself, and it has the same effect of summoning a whirlwind, while three other flutes play the "Coin Heaven" theme in the background. Additionally, to board the airship, Mario hangs on an anchor, similar to how he did in this game. The Shy Guy Stack in Cherry Lake, upon seeing Mario, says, "HA! It looks like your upper lip found a Tanooki Suit!" Peach also uses Holo-Peachs to send Mario tips during the game after beating the various Koopalings, similar to her letters from Super Mario Bros. 3. Also, like in that game, she will be unable to send a message to Mario after all objectives have been completed, although for different reasons (in Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser sends a letter in her stead stating he kidnapped her again. In Color Splash, her message is cut off via Black Bowser draining her color off-screen).
- Super Mario Land: An arranged version of the credits theme is present in the Roshambo Temples.
- Dr. Mario series: After talking to the injured Purple Rescue Squad member on Daffodil Peak, if the player talks to Huey before helping the Toad, he will mention Mario part-timing as a doctor.
- Super Mario World: Dino Rhinos return from this game.
- Paper Mario: The jingle played when collecting a Big Paint Star is remixed from the first few notes of this game's opening theme.
- Luigi's Mansion series: One of the Toads in Dark Bloo Inn references Luigi's role in these games, noting that he has dealt with paranormal activity before.
- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: The running gag that originated from this game in which an implied grunt character is referred to as Johnson returns after being absent from Sticker Star. Additionally, Port Prisma has an almost identical layout to Rogueport, with a staircase leading to the square where the major collectibles of the game are put in place in Prisma Fountain, like in Rogueport Underground. In addition, Peach sends messages to Mario like in that game, and was ultimately responsible for getting him to the main area of the game in the first place, and late into the game, she also has her message cut off due to interference from the primary antagonist. The Hero's Journal looks similar to Goombella's Tattle Log.
- Super Paper Mario: Mario can use flip in the Super Mario Bros. 3 part of Green Energy Plant in a similar way to this game.
- Mario Party 8: The Five Fun Guys troupe name originates from the Mario and Toad team name featured in this game.[15]
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Iggy taunts Mario by slapping his behind, like in this game. A Junior Clown Car, which is shown to be Koopa Clown Car in concept art, is seen in the back room of The Emerald Circus.
- Paper Mario: Sticker Star: Many of this game's elements and physics return. Photographs of the Yoshi Sphinx, a location in World 2, and Hither Thither Hill can be seen on the left wall in Dark Bloo Inn's lobby. Also, sound effects from this game are recycled. The music for Bowser's introduction is also the same music used for his introduction from the same game. When Mario gets a Big Paint Star, the music that plays when the area's color is restored is the same theme that plays when the flashbacks explaining how each of the bosses in that game got their respective Royal Stickers. Also, there are plenty of music tracks from this game that are remixed. The Koopalings' introduction themes were also taken from the Warning themes for the "Sticker Star" boss introductions. Snifit or Whiffit is also taken from this game as well. The fight against Wendy is a music-based fight similar to the Gooper Blooper battle in this game. Huey turning into a battle card mirrors Kersti turning into a sticker.
- Mario Kart series: Luigi appears driving a Standard Kart modeled after the ones from Mario Kart 8. Additionally, the "Luigi's death stare" meme, which originated from that game, is referenced. Also, the title theme and the countdown timer to begin racing are taken from this game as well. Rainbow Road appears in the game and the music of that course is a remix from Mario Kart 64. When Luigi decides to floor it to rush to the castle despite its creepy appearance, he states that they should be careful because Lakitu will not save them this time around, alluding to how various characters in the Mario Kart series, if caught in various hazards (falling into water, quicksand, lava, or bottomless pits), are fished out by Lakitu and brought back onto the main course. After being beaten, Bowser asks Mario if he is at Black Bowser's Castle because they have a kart race scheduled for the day, referencing the Bowser's Castle tracks in the series. Just before leaving Black Bowser's Castle in the ending, Luigi reassures Mario that Huey is alright, mentioning that he fell off Rainbow Road lots of times, alluding to the difficulty of the courses in the game.
- New Super Mario Bros. U: Similar to the ending of this game, the Koopalings and Bowser's last appearance before the credits was them and their already damaged airship crash landing. Unlike in this game, however, it crashing was not Bowser's fault, as it got hit by a stray firework. Morton Koopa Jr. has his Hammer (based on Mario's) and Roy Koopa has his Bill Blaster for their respective fights.
- Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker: Draggadon makes his paper debut. After using the Basin Thing in Redpepper Volcano, a bump comes out of its head, just like in this game after a rock falls on it. Also, when this happens, Mario can ride Draggadon as Captain Toad does in this game. One of the yellow Rescue Squad members says they used "sophisticated Toad treasure-tracking technology" to track a stolen bone from Marmalade Valley to The Golden Coliseum.
- Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam: Enemies can sometimes appear in stacks, just as the paper enemies do in this game. Also, the Koopalings have their first paper appearances, after it being foreshadowed by Roy and Wendy in this game.
References in later games
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: The battle theme from Paper Mario: Color Splash appears in this game. Additionally, Huey appears as a Spirit, and Petea Piranha is mentioned in Piranha Plant's Palutena's Guidance.
- Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey: In Bowser Jr.'s Journey, having Morton Koopa Jr. as a First Officer in the player's team changes the team's name to "More Tons", a phrase Morton uses in several of his dialogues in Paper Mario: Color Splash.
- Paper Mario: The Origami King: This game runs on a similar graphic engine, with many character appearances and text box sound effects being reused. A Shy Guy with a straw appears in Shogun Studios. The music for Fortune Island plays when Mario meets Captain T. Ode. An image of Princess Peach's appearance from this game appears in The Princess Peach alongside images of her other appearances in the series.
Glitches
- Main article: List of Paper Mario: Color Splash glitches
Angled Mario
At Plum Park, station a barrel raft close enough to a ledge facing north, then get between the raft and the ledge and continually hammer the raft. If done correctly, Mario will glitch into the raft. When jumping out and walking around, Mario's model will appear at an odd angle, even though the overall physics will remain constant. The glitch ends if the player stops moving.
Flower pot clipping
Flower pots are interactable details found in various levels including Plum Park. When hammered they stay squished for a few seconds before rising back up. Before it un-squishes, if Mario is positioned on the edge of the flower pot and runs towards a wall close to the pot, it is possible for the player to be clipped through the wall. This also allows Mario to fall out of bounds and Game Over.
Tree clipping
The corners of the tree canopies in Port Prisma and Ruddy Road are slightly buggy, and it is possible for Mario to jump into and stand inside the canopy.
Quotes
- Main article: List of Paper Mario: Color Splash quotes
- "Anyway, now that I'm awake, you wanna grab a burger or something? Your treat." - Huey
- "Mario! Princess Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser! No one could have predicted this!" - Toad
- "NO PAIN STAR FOR DA MARIO!" - Morton Koopa Jr.
- "Well, I've already locked you in jail. There isn't actually much worse I can do without raising this game's age rating." - Snifit
- "Thanks for listening, Mario. I'm sure we'll meet again... maybe as enemies." - Red Shy Guy
- "Wha...? What's going on? MARIO?! What are YOU doing here? Do we have a kart race scheduled for today?" - Bowser
Gallery
- For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Paper Mario: Color Splash.
Media
- For a complete list of media for this subject, see List of Paper Mario: Color Splash media. For this subject's sound test, see Prisma Museum.
 Main Theme - The music that plays on the title screen. | File info |
| Overworld - Plays on the world map. | File info |
| Fight! - The regular battle theme. | File info |
| Port Prisma - Plays at Port Prisma. | File info |
| Cherry Lake - Plays at Cherry Lake. | File info |
| Sunglow Ridge - Plays at Sunglow Ridge. | File info |
| Bloo Bay Beach - Plays at Bloo Bay Beach. | File info |
| Island in Violet - Plays while exploring Vortex Island and Lighthouse Island. | File info |
| Sunset Express - The theme of the Sunset Express. | File info |
| Mossrock Theater - Plays at Mossrock Theater. | File info |
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ペーパーマリオ カラースプラッシュ[?] Pēpā Mario Karā Supurasshu |
Paper Mario: Color Splash | |
| Chinese (traditional) | 紙片瑪利歐Colour Splash[16] Zhǐpiàn Mǎlì'ōu Colour Splash |
Paper Mario: Colour Splash | |
| German | Paper Mario: Color Splash[?] | - | |
| Italian | Paper Mario: Color Splash[?] | - | |
| Korean | Paper Mario: Color Splash[?] | - | |
| Spanish | Paper Mario: Color Splash[?] | - |
Trivia
- The seven main colors on which the game is based (red, yellow, and blue as the primary colors; violet, orange, and green as the secondary colors; and black as the tertiary color) are actually the colors of the Koopalings' Magic Wands, first introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3 in 1988.
- In some English-speaking countries (e.g. the United Kingdom and Australia), the correct spelling for color is "colour". Despite this, the title was not changed outside of the Americas to reflect this difference.
- In some sprites, Mario's cap briefly rises, but it does not show his hair below, unlike other games in the franchise, including Super Mario Party's cover, which shows Mario's hair visible whenever he raises his hat. This was corrected in Paper Mario: The Origami King, where both Mario and Luigi have sprites that show them without their hats.
References
- ^ https://www.polygon.com/2016/9/23/13028328/paper-mario-color-splash-leaks
- ^ http://kotaku.com/nintendos-big-fall-wii-u-game-briefly-went-on-sale-two-1786995541
- ^ Crunchii. (September 30 2016) [Spoilers] 100% Ending - Paper Mario: Color Splash. YouTube. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
- ^ http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/paper-mario-color-splash-has-been-around-30-minutes-and-people-already-hate-it-1316232
- ^ https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/10/05/paper-mario-color-splash-review
- ^ https://www.gameinformer.com/games/paper_mario_color_splash/b/wii_u/archive/2016/10/05/paper-mario-color-splash-game-informer-review.aspx
- ^ http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/43515/paper-mario-color-splash-wii-u-review
- ^ https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/paper-mario-color-splash-review/1900-6416536/
- ^ https://www.gamesradar.com/paper-mario-color-splash-review/
- ^ https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-paper-mario-color-splash/
- ^ https://www.giantbomb.com/reviews/paper-mario-color-splash-review/1900-753/
- ^ Romano, Sal. Media Create Sales 10/10/16 - 10/16/16 (October 19, 2016). Gematsu. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- ^ Romano, Sal. Media Create Sales: 10/31/16 – 11/6/16 (November 9, 2016). Gematsu. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
- ^ https://sites.google.com/site/gamedatalibrary/game-search
- ^ McWhertor, Michael (June 23, 2016). Nintendo denies Paper Mario: Color Splash makes jokes about 'online hate campaign'. Polygon. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
- ^ Official Chinese website for the Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
