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.… Expand

   • Helpful? 6 of 6 users said Yes.
2. kevinhooks

   8

   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

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.
3. bestbloodyday

   7

   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

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.
4. PAPRMRIODSTROYR

   0

   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

   • Helpful? 2 of 15 users said Yes.

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