Paper Mario (series)
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Template:Articleabout Template:Series-infobox The Paper Mario series is an RPG action-adventure series of the Mario franchise developed by Intelligent Systems. Four games have been released - three for home consoles, one for the Nintendo 3DS - and a fifth, for Wii U, is due to be released in late 2016. The series has gone through three iterations so far: Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door are RPGs, Super Paper Mario is a RPG-platformer hybrid, and Paper Mario: Sticker Star and Paper Mario: Color Splash are action-adventure games.
Chronological overview
Main series
First iteration
| Title | |
|---|---|
| Cover, original release and system | Synopsis |
| Paper Mario | |
| File:Papermario.PNG Template:Releasedate Nintendo 64 |
The series began in 2000 with Paper Mario. This was the second Mario RPG to be made, the first being Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. This game was originally going to be called Super Mario RPG 2, but the name was changed due to copyright issues with Square Enix. The game starts off with Mario receiving an invitation to Princess Peach's Castle, but when he arrives the castle is lifted up into the sky. This was caused by Bowser, who has stolen the legendary Star Rod, which can grant people's wishes. After being defeated, Mario must rescue the seven Star Spirits to be able to return to Bowser's Castle, recover the Star Rod and save Peach. The game was released on the Wii's Virtual Console in 2007 and the Wii U's in 2015. |
| Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door | |
 Template:Releasedate Nintendo GameCube |
Later, in 2004 Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door was released. Known as Paper Mario RPG in the Japanese territory, this game introduces the Paper Mario moniker in Japan. The antagonist is Sir Grodus, the leader of the X-Nauts. The X-Nauts have kidnapped Peach, and Mario heads to the seaside town of Rogueport to rescue her by finding the Crystal Stars. The game is a role-playing game like its successor, and shares many of its gmeplay mechanics. Bowser makes his first playable appearance during platforming sequences. |
Second iteration
| Title | |
|---|---|
| Cover, original release and system | Synopsis |
| Super Paper Mario | |
 Template:Releasedate Wii |
The third installment in the series, Super Paper Mario, removes the turn-based system and becomes a platformer-RPG hybrid. Mario and Luigi go to Bowser's Castle to rescue Princess Peach, but learn Count Bleck is behind her disappearance, and soon Luigi, Bowser and the entire Koopa Troop get captured as well. Mario must travel to the town of Flipside with Tippi to recover the eight Pure Hearts and prevent the world's destruction. Alongside the new platforming format, a new mechanic is introduced: Mario can Flip between 2D and 3D, changing the perspective of the environment at any time. The game was released on the Wii U's Virtual Console in 2016. |
Third iteration
| Title | |
|---|---|
| Cover, original release and system | Synopsis |
| Paper Mario: Sticker Star | |
 Template:Releasedate Nintendo 3DS |
The fourth installment of the series was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2012, making it the first handheld installment of the series. Unlike the previous title, the perspective is 3D again, but the game stops being a RPG and focuses on puzzle-solving and using stickers to attack. When Bowser accidentally destroys the Sticker Comet, Mario goes on an adventure with Kersti to recover the six scattered Royal Stickers, restore the Sticker Fest and rescue Princess Peach. Not being a RPG, this game removes elements of previous Paper Mario titles such as partners and Experience Points. |
| Paper Mario: Color Splash | |
 Template:Releasedate Wii U |
This fifth installment of the Paper Mario series was announced during the March 2016 Nintendo Direct. The game involves Mario using the Paint Hammer in order to color in colorless characters and level elements and progress through the story. This coloring feature is also implemented into battles, which appear to be quite similar in gameplay to Paper Mario: Sticker Star. The game is planned to be released for the Wii U at some point in 2016. |
Crossover
| Title | |
|---|---|
| Cover, original release and system | Synopsis |
| Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam | |
 Template:Releasedate Nintendo 3DS |
The fifth release of the Mario & Luigi series crosses over with the Paper Mario series, and was originally released in late 2015. One day, Luigi stumbles upon a book containing the Paper Mario universe, and accidentally releases the Paper Mario versions of various characters from the book. Despite some arguments, the two Bowsers decide to team up, combine their Koopa Troop armies, and kidnap the two Peaches. Thus, the Mario Bros. team up with Paper Mario to rescue both versions of Princess Peach from Bowser and Paper Bowser. |
Main characters
| Character | ||
|---|---|---|
| Image | Brief Biography | First Appearance |
| Mario | ||
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Mario is the main hero of the series. He is often saving Princess Peach from Bowser using his trademark Jump and Hammer, but also saves her from other villains in the series, such as Grodus and Count Bleck.
In Paper Mario, he recovers the seven Star Spirits to get the Star Rod back from Bowser after the villain steals it from Star Haven and lifts Peach's Castle in the sky alongside his own castle. After meeting many partners along the way, he successfully rescues the Star Spirits and Princess Peach, retrieves the Star Rod and defeats Bowser and his army. In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Mario receives a letter from Peach telling she's found a treasure map at Rogueport. He then learns she has been kidnapped by the evil group of the X-Nauts, who are after the seven Crystal Stars as well. Using the magic of the Magical Map, Mario goes to find the Crystal Stars and Princess Peach, and meets new partners along his adventure. Mario obtains new powers and can turn into a paper plane, paper roll and paper boat. After many difficult battles, he destroys the Shadow Queen's soul in the Shadow Palace and saves Peach again. In Super Paper Mario, Mario finds himself thrown in an interdimensional adventure, in which, with the help of Tippi, he must find the eight Pure Hearts to prevent Count Bleck from using the Chaos Heart to destroy all worlds. After being reunited with Peach, Bowser and Luigi and facing Count Bleck's minions, Mario successfully defeats Dimentio and foils the Dark Prognosticus' prophecies. In Paper Mario: Sticker Star, Mario must recover the six Royal Stickers to restore the wish-granting Sticker Comet after Bowser destroys it and kidnaps Princess Peach. With the help of Kersti, he retrieves the Comet Pieces and Royal Stickers and defeats Bowser again. |
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| Princess Peach | ||
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Princess Peach is the damsel-in-distress of the series. She is the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom and lives in her castle. Though captured throughout the games, Peach still is not completely helpless, and does whatever she can to lend Mario her help.
In Paper Mario, Princess Peach holds a party at her castle but Bowser disturbs it by lifting her castle into the sky with his own, defeats Mario, and captures Peach and many of her guests. Peach remains sealed inside her own castle for the majority of the game, but with the help of Twink recovers information for Mario by sneaking past Bowser's guards. However, she becomes unable to help Mario after she gets taken to the top of the castle in preparation for Mario's arrival and battle with Bowser. During Mario and Bowser's confrontation, Peach wishes to the Star Spirits for Mario to get stronger, creating the Peach Beam and allowing for Bowser to lose his invincibility. She is eventually rescued by Mario and her castle is brought back to its righteous location. In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, while on a stop to Rogueport, Peach sneaks away from Toadsworth and finds a Magical Map being given to her by Beldam. She sends Mario the map by mail, but gets kidnapped by the the X-Nauts afterward and ends up being kept in their secret base on the Moon. Thanks to TEC-XX, she is allowed to communicate with Mario and obtain information on Grodus' plans, but in compensation she must teach TEC what love is. Later on, she gets taken away from the Moon and into the Shadow Palace, as she was being kept for the purpose of using her body to revive the Shadow Queen. After Mario defeats her in her possessed form, she returns to normal and leaves Rogueport with him, but eventually brings him on another treasure-hunting adventure after finding another map. In Super Paper Mario, Princess Peach gets kidnapped by Count Bleck and forcefully married to Bowser so that the Chaos Heart may be created and destroy all worlds through the Void. She later manages to run away from Bleck Castle and joins Mario on his adventure to find the eight Pure Hearts and counter the Dark Prognosticus. After being reunited with Bowser and Luigi and fighting Count Bleck's minions (specifically Mimi), she defeats Dimentio and puts an end to the Chaos Heart. In Paper Mario: Sticker Star, Peach hosts the Sticker Fest but gets kidnapped by Bowser after a Royal Sticker falls on his head following the destruction of the Sticker Comet. She remains in Bowser's Sky Castle, waiting for Mario to rescue her. After Mario solves this incident, she hosts the renewed Sticker Fest. |
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| Luigi | ||
| Luigi is Mario's younger, less courageous brother. His role in the Paper Mario series tends to be minor and irrelevant to the storyline, zith the exception of Super Paper Mario.
In Paper Mario, Luigi goes to a party hosted by Princess Peach at her castle, but escapes when Bowser starts lifting the building into the sky. He spends the remaining of the game at Mario's House, waiting for his brother to rescue Peach and writing his secret diary. After the castle is brought back to the ground, Peach hosts another party and Luigi leads the following festival. In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Luigi goes on his own adventure that is documented in the Super Luigi series. After Mario leaves on an adventure to Rogueport, another letter is received at Mario's house, from Minister Crepe of the Waffle Kingdom. Luigi travels to the Waffle Kingdom to rescue Princess Eclair from the Chestnut King, and meets many partners along the way to recovering the seven parts of the Marvelous Compass in hope to locate Eclair. As his travels bring him to many continents, he stops regularly at Rogueport and as such meets Mario and tells him his story. Ultimately, Luigi defeats either the Chestnut King or Minister Crepe depending on who tells the story, and brings peace back to the Waffle Kingdom. In Super Paper Mario, Luigi gets kidnapped by Count Bleck as the Dark Prognosticus calls him the perfect host for the Chaos Heart. Luigi gets brainwashed into Mr. L and acts as an antagonist to Mario, Peach and Bowser and attacks them with his Brobot. However, Dimentio sends him to the Underwhere, undoing his brainwashing and allowing him to join back Mario's party. It is revealed that Dimentio planted a seed in Luigi's mind along the way, turning him back into Mr. L for the final confrontation and merginng with him and the Chaos Heart to become Super Dimentio. Mario's party defeats Super Dimention, giving Luigi back his mind and appearance, and ultimately saving the world from being destroyed by the Chaos Heart. In Paper Mario: Sticker Star, Luigi is found in five locations, aimlessly adventuring around the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario can make him leave using Paperization, which will lead to a newspaper entry being written about Luigi's whereabouts. |
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| Bowser | ||
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Bowser is Mario's main antagonist, with ambitions of world domination with Peach at his side. As the leader of the Koopa Troop, he is a recurrent and formidable threat to the Musroom Kingdom, but does not wish for its destruction.
In Paper Mario, Bowser and Kammy Koopa steal the Star Rod, a magical device that grants wishes, and imprison the seven Star Spirits who are supposed to protect it. Bowser also uses his castle to hijack Princess Peach's Castle, with Peach still inside, and lifts the castle high into the sky. He wishes to become invincible and to beat Mario, but is eventually defeated thanks to the power of the Star Spirits and his castle explodes. In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Bowser learns that Peach has been kidnapped and that Mario is after Crystal Stars and leaves for Rogueport to rescue Peach and beat Mario to the punch at getting the Crystal Stars. With Kammy Koopa, Bowser travels through the lands surrounding Rogueport, but always falling behind Mario and the X-Nauts' progression, before accidentally finding his way to the Palace of Shadows and fighting Mario. In Super Paper Mario, Bowser gets kidnapped by Count Bleck and married to Princess Peach to give birth to the Chaos Heart, which would destroy all worlds as the Dark Prognosticus foretells. Although he is pleased with the matter of becoming Peach's husband, disturbances during the marriage cause him to be sent to The Bitlands while most of his army remains in Bleck Castle and gets brainwashed into servitude. Although opposing Mario is usually Bowser's priority, not letting all worlds get destroyed is more important for him, or else he would have no territory to rule over in the first place, and this leads to him joining Mario and Peach in their adventure to recover the eight Pure Hearts. After facing many obstacles and fighting against his own troops as well as Count Bleck's commanders (notably O'Chunks), Bowser defeats Dimentio and prevents the world-ending prophecy from taking place. In Paper Mario: Sticker Star, on the night of the annual Sticker Fest, Bowser shows up and touches the Sticker Comet, causing it to explode and the Royal Stickers to get scattered over the Mushroom Kingdom. One of the Royal Stickers lands on Bowser, granting him strenght but also turning him insane and out of control. Bowser wrecks havoc on Decalburg and sends his troops to cause incidents throughout the Mushroom Kingdom after kidnapping Princess Peach. Although Kamek and Bowser Jr. are Mario's main opponents throughout his adventure, he eventually discovers the location of Bowser's Sky Castle, defeats him, takes back the final Royal Sticker and rescues Peach. Bowser shows up again during the second attempt at celebrating the Sticker Fest and tries to touch the Sticker Comet again, but gets scolded by Kersti. |
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Trivia
- The Paper Mario title itself is mentioned in several games. In the party at the end of Paper Mario, a Bumpty mentions that Herringway is writing a novel called "Paper Mario". The same occurs in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door with the blue Toad living in a house in the Rogueport west side, who also writes a Paper Mario novel based off Mario's adventures, which gets adapted into a play.
- The novel written by Herringway is titled "Mario Story" in Japanese. In Luigi's Mansion, Neville can be seen reading a book with the same title.
