Paper Mario Nintendo 64
  • Publisher: Nintendo
  • Release Date: Feb 5, 2001
Metascore
93 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 15 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
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  1. Games Radar
    100
    No matter what your tastes are, after just an hour in Mario's new world, we can guarantee that you?ll not want to move from your chair. Ever.
  2. Daily Radar
    100
    If you're severely allergic to overly cute-and-cuddly games, take some Dramamine before heading off on Mario's adventure.
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  3. Hot Games
    100
    Deceptively deep, this is the new blueprint for action RPGs and one of the last must-haves for the N64.
  4. Core Magazine
    100
    Easily one of the best games available for the N64, Paper Mario is a fantastic experience that shouldn't be missed.
  5. Nintendojo
    96
    While said story may not live up to the expectations of most RPG fans, or fans of Super Mario RPG, it is far better and more interesting than the typical 'stories' you have to endure in a Mario game.
  6. Da Gameboyz
    95
    With its light-hearted plot, loveable characters, innovative gameplay and perfectly fitting music, this game should appeal to anyone and everyone.
    All this publication's reviews
  7. GameSpot
    95
    With stunning graphics, excellent sound, and extremely solid gameplay, Paper Mario is a quality game on all fronts.
  8. Electric Playground
    95
    What it does have is a great story, fun puzzles, and epic battles. Any RPG fan would be absolutely nuts to pass on Paper Mario.
  9. Gaming Maxx
    92
    With a standout graphical look to it, and the great traditional RPG style, Paper Mario is certainly one of the best RPG games out there.
  10. Gaming Age
    91
    Not only is Paper Mario a superb RPG, but it's also another quality N64 game that simply shouldn't be missed.
  11. Happy Puppy
    90
    Much like Journey's Greatest Hits CD, it takes the best of the '80s and serves up a timeless experience. It's a classic in the best sense of the word.
  12. IGN
    90
    Underneath its 2D surface, Paper Mario is a fantastically deep, intuitively designed, and wonderfully rewarding experience complete with enhanced takes on old-school turn-based fighting mechanics and a statistic system that would satisfy any RPG fanatic.
  13. GameShark
    84
    What makes the game so visually stunning is the multitude of graphical styles.
  14. Game Revolution
    83
    The story is delivered with a good dose of humor, taking occasional potshots at Mario's past. The familiarity of the world is one of the game's greatest assets, and Nintendo does a great job keeping its tradition alive.
  15. GamePro
    80
    Despite having a unique look, the visuals certainly aren't the highlight of Paper Mario. It's the fun adventure, mixing intuitive controls and straightforward gameplay that make this a great addition to the N64 library.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 111 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 56 out of 60
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 60
  3. Negative: 3 out of 60
  1. jamba24
    10
    Where to begin...This game is my favorite game of all time. To begin, let's start with the presentation, graphics and audio. The graphics are very good for n64. The contrast of the 2D characters with the 3D background still holds up today.
    The music is almost flawless. The title screen music gives the player a sense of fun urgency to begin the adventure, the battle themes are classic, and the remaining themes are all conducted perfectly, fitting their respective environments.
    The story appears to be typical of a mario game as bowser steals peach and mario must rescue her. However, Paper Mario's story shines in its details. The npcs of the game are given a great amount of characterization, which this creates a sense of connectivity within the game that is not seen in many other mario games. The story is revealed in storybook fashion, with each world being called a chapter instead. Each chapter is completely different from the previous, keeping the game fresh by introducing new environments, objectives, puzzles, characters, and gameplay. After each chapter, you get to see what peach is up to. This is the worst part of the game, as you have to control kidnapped peach in an attempt to find out information to get relayed to mario. However, this is an interesting concept that would get expanded on in the next 2 paper mario games.
    Onto the actual gameplay elements: As you progress in the game, you pick up several party members. These party members are needed for puzzles and assist you in battle. The battles are turn based, yet are interactive, as you can perform action commands to do more damage or block attacks, much like in mario rpg. As you progress, you get more attacks, upgrades, badges, and items that add an amazing amount of depth and strategy to the game. You can level up if you get enough battle experience. As a kid I didn't know any better but to always increase my heart points (health) rather than allocating it between flower points and badge points. The bosses all bring something new to the table, and you must figure out a strategy to beat each one. Other gameplay elements include solving well thought out puzzles that progressively get more rewarding and challenging, collecting star pieces to get new badges, and exploring the vast maze of the toad town tunnels. Yeah, so in summary, the battle system is pretty amazing and deep and tops off an almost flawless game.    … Full Review »
  2. AZWification
    10
    GOD!!!!!When i played this game I started to see the light!The light of a good game!This game is just a piece of COOLNESS!Paper Mario is a RPG game where you control Mario and his partners: Goombario, Kooper, Bombette, Parakarry, Bow, Watt, Sushie and Lakilester!This game gives you a lot of things to do!Fight bad guys, collect stuff, discover things(Luigi's Diary,8-bit Mario,etc)..The graphics are a bit too colorful for the N64, but it still works!In this game are some classic songs and classic sound effects and this is just great!Paper Mario is a MUST-HAVE for N64!… Full Review »
  3. MarkM.
    10
    Honestly, my favourite game ever. Every moment is just perfect.
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