This is one of those games that you need a Nintendo 64. Man, I used to play the hell out of this game. The soundtrack is so awesome! It's like, cool and unique and memorable! The story is so solid and awesome! No, I am not kidding. No, I am not a small child. Though, this game is fit for small children. This is great for a child's first RPG. There is hours upon hours of gameplay and so much to do after you beat it. You can go back and get badges you missed. You can go and beat optional mini-bosses blocking paths. You can talk to each and every individual NPC and read what they have to say. It's just so great, and it's fun to replay. I think I replayed this game three times and started again recently-ish.
However, this game is not perfect. There are many moments where you want to throw your controller at the screen. I have ragequit for months on end. If you have an old N64 laying around gathering dust and you DON'T have this game, find it on eBay, hook up your system, drop Skyrim, and play this game. Yeah, I said it. Drop Skyrim to play Paper Mario.… Expand

One of my favorite games of my childhood, Paper Mario is a game that forms a marriage between the mechanics of the Mario series with turn-based RPG elements. Though past games (such as Super Mario RPG) have already introduced the RPG style of game-play, Paper Mario introduces new elements into the mix. With an amazing soundtrack and colorful characters, Paper Mario can truly be considered nostalgic.… Expand

One of my Favorite games. This is easily the best in the series for me. The chapters and partners are great and the battle system never gets old for me. The only problems are the fact that you can't do anything after you beat the final boss, you just go back to your last save, and the fact that you have a limit to leveling up. Despite the graphics being outdated, this game still holds up quite strong, and has many wonderful memories.… Expand

Justo cuando uno piensa que Mario no puede hacer nada nuevo es cuando Nintendo nos sorprenderá con algo original. Y eso fue lo que paso aquí.
Ver a Mario y a todo el Reino Champiñón es una mezcla extraña de formatos 2D/3D con es estilo de "dibujos a lápiz y papel" fue algo bastante interesante, y hasta la historia tuvo cierta emotividad.

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.… Expand

I wasn't a fan of Super Mario RPG. The story was boring, the characters were bland/cliché, and I couldn't get into the gameplay. Regardless, I dived into the second Mario RPG with an open mind and, I gotta tell you, I can't find a flaw with this game. The gameplay is very immersive and perfectly suited for a console, the characters are lively and entertaining, the level design is very colorful, and the story, while at its core is the same as any Mario platformer, takes its sweet time getting there with all of the aforementioned criteria. I recommend you ignore the idiot haters who can't provide any points and get this game. It's $10 on Virtual Console right now.… Expand

Amazing game. This is my favorite game of all time, and for good reason, the only thing bad about it is that it wasn't longer. This game is a great combination of RPG and platforming, the badges and upgrade systems really allow you to tweak your character just right.

Paper Mario is what I call, "Perfect Perfection." Everything in the game is truly memorable. From the characters, the environments, the enemies, and everything else! And thus far, I think it is one of the best RPG games ever made. The game is very original, turning Mario into Paper material, as you explore various worlds in search of the missing "Star Spirits." The plot is very well put together. And the battle system is just simply unique, easy to use, and fun. This is definetely a must play for Mario fans or any other serious gamer. In the end, this game receives a well earned score of 10 from me.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I grew up with Super Mario RPG on this SNES, and had wanted to play Paper Mario back when it was still Super Mario RPG 2 in development. So when I bought a Wii, this was the first game I downloaded. Did I enjoy the game? Yes and no.

Starting with the good points. - There is a LOT to see and do in the game, and since most of the backtracking can be avoided it doesn't get old quickly, which I can really appreciate.
- The character and enemy design is fairly decent. There's not a great deal of variety in either, but their graphics still look crisp for being 11 years old (though the 3D parts still look dated)
- There's a lot of customizing to be done with badges, which does present a bit of thought provoking when you have to choose what will be good in the upcoming battles.
- Humor is everywhere in the game. Most of it was too cheesy for me, but there were some I really enjoyed, like Whacka the mole.
- The end credits were perfect, doing another march as in Super Mario RPG. Couldn't have done them better.

Andddd the bad.
- The story. For an RPG, they really didn't try too hard to make a decent storyline, just the same "Bowser kidnaps Peach" plot that they've reused dozens of times since 1985. - Though there are a lot of badge options, the low maximum for badge number really limits the usefulness. After equipping the 3 "Attack/Defense Plus" badges, you're down to only 12 to play with. I found the most effective build was to boost your normal attacking/defending skills, which really only gave you room for 1 special attack.
- Whoever did the work on names really needed a second opinion. All of the toad names were mind numbingly terrible puns, like Tayse T. the cook, Russ T. the librarian, and Dain T. Gah.
- The battle system needed a lot of polish. It still uses the same basic system from Super Mario RPG but was simplified at just about every turn. No armor and 2 weapons to choose from in the entire game made shops mostly invalidated. The enemy queue system meant that you were mostly stuck attacking whoever was closest first, unless you invested heavily in mostly useless badges. The experience system was frustrating at best, seeing as level-ups quickly made most battles pointless, as no experience would be awarded.
- Mario's secondary characters were mostly useless. Goombario, Watt and Bombette would last you the entire game. The others were generally unimpressive in battle and really only served for non-combat abilities.
- Peach's scenes were the worst by far. She couldn't take any real actions (no jumping or attacking) and it quickly became repetitive, as she could even take a "secret" passageway into Bowser's room with him IN THERE, and still get to try it again next time. Baffling. The cake making was miserable.
- The arguing with Square got a lot of the more nostalgic points removed from the game (at least for me), with Star Hill becoming Shooting Star Point, and even "Time Hits" became "Action Commands". I would have loved to see Mallow in the game, but that's life.
- No real mini-games to speak of. Unless you want to count the letter delivering. Which I don't.

In the end, Paper Mario was a serviceable RPG. Too simplistic to really be called amazing, but it was decent. And it's hard to fault the game too much, because it's a non Squaresoft, non-Pokemon RPG. At least they tried. But I doubt I'd play it a second time through.… Expand

Engaging, varied, hilarious, and just plain fun. Even in 2012, Paper Mario still entertains far more than many new releases. The story and dialogue was written exceptionally well and it's turn-based combat system is still unmatched (apart from Paper Mario 2). I found only two flaws in this entire game: The introduction was very boring and you can't save your game after defeating the final boss.

The game succeeds in adapting classic Mario gameplay, enemies and regions into an RPG without feeling like a thin lick of paint on an RPG template. Dialogue is well written and occasionally funny, with a kind of self aware glee that would never be attempted in a main series Mario game. Paper Mario is an incredible game that manages to be gloriously simple and complex simultaneously.

This is one of the few (or maybe the only) RPG for N64. As RPG is very simple in its mechanics which I don't like. Some degree of complexity is always welcome in this kind of games. On the other side, I like the artistic style and the localizations. Maybe the only problem is that it could be completed in 10 or 20 hours (can't remember very well, sorry), which is very short for a RPG game. This game is in the middle of the genre, not the best but not the worst certainly.… Expand

The greatest rpg of all time and spiritually my favorite game. There is nothing about this game that isn't fun. From the Dry Dry Desert to Star Haven every moment of this game is memorable and perfectly done. Great classic Mario story and so much to do.

Paper Mario is a whimsical, number-light role-playing-game. Mario frequently receives partners who assist him in puzzles and combat, constantly refreshing the game, and the badge system (allowing Mario to use Badge Points to put on his equipment) is a brilliant way to add depth to an otherwise tired turn-based system. The story is unfortunately basic, particularly in that partners get shoved into the background after their chapter of the game. Though light on challenge and perhaps slightly too long for its simplicity, Paper Mario is not to be missed.… Expand

Mario does RPG (again) is the jist of this game, but this is not SMRPG: Seven Stars repeat folks. The story is pretty simple like most mario games (Princess is kidnapped again, oh no) but expands on it by adding more detailed characters and while it's not video game art, it pulls you in. The RPG gameplay fits perfectly in and is addicting. The only reason this game doesn't get a 10 is because I feel the game is way too easy, and while I appreciated it as a kid who had barely played, it feels WAY too easy nowadays as a teen who has played many other games. Great game, but needs a better difficulty curve. 9/10 A-… Expand

I love the graphics and while the gameplay is very simple, it is very well executed and fun. It is very unique to other games on the Nintendo 64, even though it came out late in the console's lifetime.

Great graphics and art direction with deep turn-based gameplay and a surprisingly good story. An army of charming supporting characters make this a larger scale adventure than most other Mario titles. Vibrant environments range from deserts to forests to the skies, each with its own personality. The game succeeds in adapting classic Mario gameplay, enemies and regions into an RPG without feeling like a thin lick of paint on an RPG template. Dialogue is well written and occasionally funny, with a kind of self aware glee that would never be attempted in a main series Mario game. Paper Mario is an incredible game that manages to be gloriously simple and complex simultaneously.… Expand

Despite its rather bland title, Paper Mario is a straightforward RPG game with a unique concept, simple, yet powerful weapons a good deal of humor, and is fun from beginning to end.

Paper Mario is an instant classic and PAPRMRIODSTROYR, I think it's pretty pathetic to make an account just so you can leave lies on this game. I don't really think your 0 did anything to the score. It's still a 9.1. I actually downloaded this game from the wii shop channel and I couldn't stop playing it. Great N64 game.

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!… Collapse

Project 64 emulator boots up. The lights dim. I think nothing of it. I open the paper mario rom for the first time. A cold shiver runs up my spine. Little did I know, a dark abomination had been loaded onto my computer. I could not unsee it. It was too late. My eyes darkened as my mortal coil was shattered. I had begun playing not a game, but something so bad, so horrible, so utterly ruinous that there are no words to describe how awful I felt after experiencing it. Pros: quirkly dialogue. Cons: everything. This is final fantasy + mario + dog sh*t spawn of satan combined into one. Save yourself before it's too late.… Expand

This is one of the greatest games for the N64. If you have an N64, buy it. If you don't, get it for the Virtual Console. If you don't have either. Then go to a friend's house, because not playing this game would be a terrible thing.

Fun gameplay, amazing music, creative, and oozing with charm, Paper Mario is definitely one of the top five games on the N64. There are plenty of side quests that will keep you playing even years after you've completed it.

A majestic mix of platforming and rpg. One of the greatest games of all time.

this is on my top 10 list :) its also got 97th place on IGN top 100 in 2008 - not bad considering the thousands of games out there

Honestly, my favourite game ever. Every moment is just perfect.

Rather easy and simple, but also fun and innovative. Great fun and a definite future classic.

A really awesome RPG game that has an awesome story and overall a really special experience.

This is one heck of a game. I was lucky enough to buy this when I was younger, and have a lot of great memories with this game. It is just amazing. The story manages to be both very epic and incredibly humorous at the same time. The graphics were damn sweet for an N64 game, gameplay was boss! Battling is cool with timed button presses with attacks. Lot's of neat abilities as well. The game is lengthy as well, with lots of sidequests. You NEED to download this game on the virtual console. It's a steal for $10! One of the greatest N64 games, very underated. You owe it to yourself to buy this amazing game!… Expand

A classic. Still playing seven years from now. Smart, innovative, creative worlds, and fun.

When I played this game I didn't even think about pokemon at all it has a complete different feel to it and Pokemon has brought in the dough for Nintendo and they have the right to make a game after Mario that is somewhat related and to draw people away from RPG games of other systems since Nintendo does not have that many.

Previous mario games, sadly, did not have much story involved. But, Paper Mario makes the story incredibly Epic, and started a series of more deep games after this. Not just other Paper Mario games, but the original descendants of Super Mario 64 [Such as Super Mario Sunshine and Mario Galaxy]. It takes days to finish, which is a good thing. And each time you play it, you can do it a different way [As you can focus and different strengths like badges and HP, I believe this is a form of RPG.] It also lasts to, as being a Nintendo 64 game - Many people still play this, 2 game consoles later after the N64. I believe this game deserves our full respect!… Expand

I just bought this for the Wii virtual console last week and I can't stop playing it! It is incredibly immersive and just plain fun!

On my top 5 list of N64 games. I have downloaded this game on the wii virtual console, and spent 3 days straight of just playing. Very addictive and fun. Great turn-base and is not like pokemon where every 5 steps there is an enemy. After the finishing the storyline, I had lots of fun collecting badges and extras. I recommend a buy on N64, and the wii virtual console.

If you liked Super Mario RPG, you will fall in love with this game. RPG fans should check this title out.

This is THE best game I have ever played, the second Paper Mario game for the GameCube was also great, but this game was better! If you dont have it, get it now.

Still one of the best games ever.

I think this roll playing game is one of the greatest N64 games EVER!!!!!

Most cool game on N64 if you see it buy it now.

I still play this game, you know?! Until now! It's just amazing!

This is the best N64 game since The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. And I totally agree with Mamada Guy!

Worth buying. If you loved Super Mario RPG or any RPG's period, then this is for you! You'll be hooked instantly.

Great game, deeper than SMRPG, hopefully 2 will be as good.

Like all the known Mario Games, it pretty much is the same story. BUT!!! It not only has more extra features with a great blend of comedy, it allows you to get the personality of every character, let it be Mario or Bowser or even a ghost shopkeeper. Let just say it's a unique RPG.

I think the game was fabulous, and although I'm stuck on Huff n Puff, I love it. It's adventurous and action packed!

Im sorry, is this pokemon?

MAKING THE CAKE KICKED ASS.

Admittedly I am not a fan of the RPG genre in general, but if I had to play one, this would be near the top of the list. It blends skill based moves with turn based combat. It's a decent game.

For once a perfect 64 game...

This game is one of the greatest games I have ever played. Once I started I just could not stop!

I´m a big Mario fan and I would say... Wow!!... This is one of Mario´s best games in my opinion, not only because I loved its ancestor, Super Mario RPG, but also because it´s a unique experience. Although at first place it seems to be a silly game, it isn´t at all! The Tayce T´s Recipes, the Badges Combinations, Mario´s new friends are the perfect ingredients for a perfect game!… Expand

This is the best game. Bow is my all time favorite partner.

Paper Mario is an overall good game, and holds some interesting quirks and features. The gameplay is a little simplistic, but the game is strangely challenging at the same time. A unique game, but it fails to compare to its predecessor.

I really liked the game although I think moustafa should be a partner.

It has lots of action and adventure. I love it.

The best RPG and 64 game I have ever played in my life.

Good game.