Paper Mario
North American box art
Developer(s)	Intelligent Systems
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Nintendo 64 iQue Player Virtual Console Nintendo DS
Release date	JP August 11, 2000 NA February 5, 2001 PAL October 5, 2001 Virtual Console JP July 10, 2007 PAL July 13, 2007 NA July 16, 2007
Genre(s)	Role-playing game
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	ESRB: E (Everyone) ELSPA: 3+ PEGI: 3+ (Wii) OFLC: G
Media	320 Mbit (40 MB) N64 cartridge
Input methods	Nintendo 64 controller, GameCube controller (Wii), Classic controller (Wii)

This article refers to the first video game in the 'Paper Mario series'. A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual that creates Video games A developer may specialize in a certain video is a Video game developer and internal team of Nintendo Co Ltd. is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on In Computing, a platform describes some sort of Hardware architecture or Software framework (including Application frameworks, that allows The, often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo 's third home Video game console for the international market The iQue Player (pronounced "IQ" is a Video game console that was manufactured by IQue, a Joint venture between Nintendo and Virtual Console, sometimes abbreviated as VC, is a specialized section of the Wii Shop Channel, an online service that allows players to purchase and download The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Events 2492 BC - Traditional date of the defeat of Bel by Hayk, progenitor and founder of the Armenian nation 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Events 1576 - Henry of Navarre converts to Roman Catholicism in order to ensure his right to the throne of France. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. The PAL region is a Video game publication territory which covers Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and varying European countries Events 869 - The Fourth Council of Constantinople is convened to decide about what to do about Patriarch Photius of Constantinople Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The PAL region is a Video game publication territory which covers Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and varying European countries Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. See also [[Game classification]] Video games are categorized into Genres based on their Gameplay interaction A console role-playing game is a video game genre that has its origin rooted in Video game consoles and includes game mechanics and frequently settings derived In video gaming, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of Video games into suitability-related groups The Entertainment Software Rating Board ( ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, Advertising guidelines and The Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association ( ELSPA) is an Organisation set up in 1989 by British Software publishers It Pan European Game Information ( PEGI) is a European Video game content rating system. The Office of Film and Literature Classification is a Statutory Censorship and classification body which provides day to day administrative support for the Classification Digital media (as opposed to analog media) usually refers to Electronic media that work on digital Codes. A megabit is a unit of Information or computer storage abbreviated Mbit (or Mb) A megabyte is a unit of Information or Computer storage equal to either 106 (1000000 Bytes or 220 (1048576 bytes depending on In various types of electronic equipment a cartridge can refer one method of adding different functionality or content (e The Nintendo 64 controller is the standard Game controller included with the Nintendo 64. The, often abbreviated as GCN, is Nintendo 's fourth home Video game console and is part of the sixth generation console era. The Wii Remote, sometimes Nicknamed " Wiimote " is the primary controller for Nintendo 's For the article on the actual series, see: Paper Mario (series).

Paper Mario, known in Japan as Mario Story (マリオストーリー, Mario Sutōrī^?) is a role-playing (RPG) video game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. A console role-playing game is a video game genre that has its origin rooted in Video game consoles and includes game mechanics and frequently settings derived A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. is a Video game developer and internal team of Nintendo Co Ltd. is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on The, often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo 's third home Video game console for the international market It was first released in Japan on August 11, 2000, in North America on February 5, 2001, and in Europe on October 5, 2001. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Events 2492 BC - Traditional date of the defeat of Bel by Hayk, progenitor and founder of the Armenian nation 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Events 1576 - Henry of Navarre converts to Roman Catholicism in order to ensure his right to the throne of France. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Events 869 - The Fourth Council of Constantinople is convened to decide about what to do about Patriarch Photius of Constantinople Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar.

Paper Mario was a spiritual sequel to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars for the Super NES,hence it was orignaly supposed to be named Super Mario RPG 2. A spiritual successor, sometimes called a spiritual sequel or a companion piece, is a successor to a work of fiction that instead of being a standard Sequel Super Mario RPG Legend of the Seven Stars, released as simply in Japan is a hybrid adventure / Console role-playing game developed and published by The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES (also called SNES and Super Nintendo) is a 16-bit Video game console that was It is the first game in the Paper Mario series of video games. It has had two sequels released; the first, for the Nintendo GameCube entitled Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, and a second for the Wii entitled Super Paper Mario, which is designed as a platformer with role-playing elements. The, often abbreviated as GCN, is Nintendo 's fourth home Video game console and is part of the sixth generation console era. Paper Mario The Thousand-Year Door, released in Japan as, is a Console role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo is a platform / Console role-playing game (RPG developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo.

The game's English title comes from its unique graphical style, reminiscent of older Mario titles, which features 2D looking characters resembling paper cutouts contained within 3D environments, with a full range of 3D movement, hence the name. The term graphic design can refer to a number of artistic and professional disciplines which focus on visual communication and presentation In mathematics the dimension of a Space is roughly defined as the minimum number of Coordinates needed to specify every point within it Paper is thin material mainly used for writing upon printing upon or packaging 3D computer graphics (in contrast to 2D computer graphics) are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer

The game was re-released on Wii's Virtual Console on July 13, 2007. Virtual Console, sometimes abbreviated as VC, is a specialized section of the Wii Shop Channel, an online service that allows players to purchase and download Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[1] The game has been in the Top 20 Most Popular Downloads on the North American Virtual Console since its release and was the Number 1 download when the Wii Shop Channel Updated on August 6, 2007. It was displaced by Super Mario Bros.

Gameplay

A distinguishing characteristic of Paper Mario is that, while the game features a 3D environment similar to that used in Super Mario 64, the characters are designed as flat two-dimensional sprites reminiscent of 16-bit Mario titles, creating the impression of the characters being paper figurines. is a Platform game developed by Nintendo in late 1985 and published for the Nintendo Entertainment System, a sequel to the 1983 game Mario is a Platform game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64.

Another departure from previous Mario games and from RPGs in general is the game's narration. The story is divided into eight chapters and a prologue. The beginning of a new chapter is announced with a cutscene and a scene with a curtain opening, similar to a theatrical production. When the chapter is completed, another cutscene is shown with the curtain closing. In between these chapters, interludes showing dialogue between other characters take place, advancing the story. These interludes are also times when the player takes control of Princess Peach and attempts to navigate the castle while avoiding being seen by Bowser's guards.

The interior of Peach's castle

Paper Mario takes place in a real world environment made from folded paper, with many towns, castles, and areas of wilderness which can be identified as geographical locations. The game is set in the Mushroom Kingdom, which is divided into different regions through which Mario must traverse. The Mario series is a series of highly popular and acclaimed Platform games by Nintendo, featuring Nintendo's mascot Mario and in most of the Locations include a tropical island, a vast desert, a frozen mountain, a haunted forest, a paradise flower garden, Bowser's castle, and the inside of a toy box.

The action of Paper Mario is divided into two separate areas: the overworld and battle. The overworld is the area of the game in which the player navigates the game's locations, talks with characters, purchases items, and advances the plot. While in the overworld, Mario retains several basic actions including walking, running, and jumping. Other abilities include spinning, which speeds up Mario in conjunction with movement, hammering, which allows Mario to break certain obstacles that hinder progress, and the classic ground pound, which allows Mario to break through certain sections of floor. Many parts of the overworld require the player to solve puzzles, complete tasks for certain characters, or navigate platform-style areas in order to progress through the game.

Mario and Kooper navigating Pleasant Path

Battles are accessed by making contact with enemies that are visible in the overworld. Each individual enemy in the overworld may actually represent several enemies to fight in the upcoming battle. The other area of the game in which action takes place is in battle against enemies. Much like in Super Mario RPG, the battles in Paper Mario rely on a cross between traditional turn-based RPG battle system and timed button presses or other such motions that allow for increased damage to enemies or reduced damage taken, a concept known in the game as the Action Command. Paper Mario builds on this concept, introducing a larger variety of moves and timed actions. Unlike in Super Mario RPG, the size of a party in battle is two, instead of three, with Mario and only one of his party members fighting against the enemies. Apart from starting the battle by touching the enemy, Mario and/or his team members can try and attack the enemy right off the bat. If successful, Mario will receive a "First Strike" which allows him to attack the enemies without using up a turn. On the other hand, enemies can also perform First Strikes on Mario and thereby get the first hit, unless a badge called "Chill Out" is worn. Apart from this, Mario and his team always get the first turn.

Badges in Paper Mario represent different powers, such as the ability to jump on top of spiked enemies, or different types of attacks and abilities. Some will increase the amount of FP or HP that Mario can find, others will increase or decrease HP as a trade off for increase in attack.

Plot

Bowser's fortress with Princess Peach's castle perched atop it

The story of Paper Mario begins with an introduction to Star Haven, a place where the seven Star Spirits reside and, using the Star Rod, an item with the power to grant any wish, grant the requests of those who wish upon the stars. The story's conflict begins when Bowser and his assistant Kammy Koopa invade Star Haven, steal the Star Rod and transform the seven Star Spirits into cards. Bowser, also known as King Koopa, is a Video game character and the main antagonist of Nintendo 's ''Mario'' series. This is a list of various fictional and recurring characters who appear in the Mario series of video games created by Nintendo, as well as spin-off media such

Meanwhile, Mario and Luigi, unaware of what has taken place, receive an invitation from Princess Peach to a party at her castle. is a Fictional character created by game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. is a Video game character created by Nintendo 's game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. This article is about the princess from the Mario series For the video game starring her see Super Princess Peach. Upon arrival, Mario retires from the guests to the back of the castle to pay a visit to Peach in private. Peach greets Mario and asks him to accompany her to her balcony. Before Mario and Princess Peach reach the balcony, a loud rumbling noise is heard. The Princess' castle is then lifted into the sky by a fortress that had been located underneath the ground below the castle. The sky is the part of the Atmosphere or of Outer space visible from the surface of any Astronomical object. Bowser then enters the castle and reveals that he is once again attempting to kidnap Princess Peach. Mario does battle with Bowser, but fails because of the Star Rod's ability to make Bowser invincible. After beating Mario, Bowser throws him out of the window into space.

An injured Mario is healed by the Star Spirits

Mario lands injured and unconscious in a grassy clearing. Projections of the seven Star Spirits appear above Mario and with the strength that remains within them, the Star Spirits give the wounded Mario the strength to survive via these projections. Astral projection (or astral travel) is an esoteric interpretation of a type of Out-of-body experience that assumes the existence of an " Astral Soon after, a Goomba girl, named Goombaria, encounters Mario still unconscious and takes him to his village to heal. This is a list of enemies in the ''Mario'' series of Video games Blooper Bloopers ( in Japanese originally known in English as Bloobers During his unconscious state in the village, Mario receives a vision from Eldstar, one of the Star Spirits, telling him to come to Shooting Star Summit as soon as possible, as the Star Spirits will be better able to communicate with him there. After arriving at Shooting Star Summit, the seven Star Spirits reveal to Mario what Bowser has done and tell him that the only way he will be able to defeat Bowser is to rescue all seven of them, each of whom has been placed under the care of Bowser's minions in a particular area of the Mushroom Kingdom, for only their combined power will be able to overcome that of the Star Rod.

Throughout his quest, Mario makes many friends and succeeds in rescuing the seven Star Spirits, who then open up a portal atop Shooting Star Summit providing access to Star Haven. Upon arriving there, the Star Spirits combine their power and grant Mario an ability called the Star Beam, which can negate the effects of the Star Rod, and also provide Mario with a flying machine for him to use to gain access to Bowser's flying fortress. Mario enters the fortress and confronts Bowser again, revealing to Bowser that he is now able to counter the Star Rod. Bowser, however, lures Mario to an area where a machine is kept that he uses to amplify his power to such an extent that he becomes resistant to the Star Beam. Princess Peach upon seeing this makes a desperate wish upon the stars in Mario's favor. As the Star Spirits gain their power from people's wishes, this wish provides them with enough power to increase that of the Star Beam, now called the Peach Beam (with a little help from Twink), allowing Mario to defeat Bowser and recover the Princess and the Star Rod. Bowser's castle and his device that was used to increase his power is destroyed causing him and Kammy Koopa to fall off the castle. The Star Spirits carefully put Peach's castle back in its original place. Twink says a tearful goodbye to Princess Peach before leaving to Star Haven.

Back at home, Mario has finished telling Luigi the story, when Parakarry arrives with a letter to Peach's castle. All of the party members that had joined Mario on his quest are also invited as the guests of honor. Upon entering the castle, Peach emerges, congratulating Mario and his friends for retrieving the Star Rod and defeating Bowser.

After a parade through the credits (led by Luigi), Mario takes Peach to his house to watch the fireworks, with the intro music playing lullaby-style. The scene will continue to play the fireworks until the player turns off the game.

Development

Paper Mario was developed by Intelligent Systems. is a Video game developer and internal team of Nintendo Co Ltd. The directors were Toshitaka Muramatsu, Takahiro Ohgi, and Hironobu Suzuki. Kumiko Takeda and Kaori Aoki wrote the game's script and Naohiko Aoyama was the art director responsible for the game's distinctive graphical style. ^[2] The game was initially called Super Mario RPG 2, then Super Mario Adventure during production. It was originally supposed to be for the Nintendo 64DD, until that failed and Square and Nintendo split. The Nintendo 64DD ("DD" being short for "Disk Drive" is an expansion system for the Nintendo 64.

The game was first revealed at Nintendo Space World '97, a video game trade show hosted by Nintendo. Space World was a Video game trade show hosted by Nintendo, typically to unveil new consoles or handhelds A trade fair (or trade show) is an exhibition organised so that companies in a specific Industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products service study Initially called Super Mario RPG 2, critics compared the game's 2D character style to PaRappa the Rapper. PaRappa the Rapper (パラッパラッパー 1996 also known as "PaRappaRappa" and "PaRappa the Rappa" is a rhythm video game for the Shigeru Miyamoto, who consulted on the project, stated that the game was being developed with beginning and amateur gamers in mind. is a Japanese Video game designer. He is the creator of the Mario, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, ^[3] He had earlier revealed at E3 that around twenty developers were actively involved with the project. The E3 Media and Business Summit, formerly known as Electronic Entertainment Expo and commonly known as E3, is an annual Trade show for the computer ^[4]

Yuka Tsujiyoko composed the game's musical score. Yuka Tsujiyoko (辻横 由佳 Tsujiyoko Yuka) is a Japanese Video game music composer for Nintendo. The song in the beginning of the game (in which the story about the Star Spirits is told) and the song by the Pop Diva are two very recognizable songs among gamers. They are heard at the end of the game, as well, when Mario and Peach are watching the fireworks. Her goal was to reflect the comical and lively sound of Koji Kondo's original Mario music in new ways. is a Japanese Composer and Musician best known for his scores for various Video games produced by Nintendo. Tsujiyoko has also stated that the nature of her personality and the influences of her composing partner, Taishi Senda, were reflected in the finished music for the game. ^[5]

Reception

Paper Mario immediately met with critical acclaim from a number of reviewers. ^[6] Although the game's release at the end of the Nintendo 64's lifespan affected sales, it was still the 8th best selling game for the period from January to June of 2001. ^[7] It was also the top selling game in Japan the week of its release, despite the availability of several games for PlayStation 2 and Dreamcast, which were then "next-generation" consoles. The is Sega 's most recent Video game console and the successor to the Sega Saturn. It was voted one of the top 100 games of all time, by Electronic Gaming Monthly. Electronic Gaming Monthly (often abbreviated to EGM) is an American Video game magazine. On GameSpot, the N64 score is 9. 5 and the Wii score is 9. ^[8] It was rated the 63rd best game made on a Nintendo System in Nintendo Power's Top 200 Games list. Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo. ^[9]

DS remake

On April 16, 2008 the Japanese magazine CoroCoro said that there would be a remake of the N64 game. is a Japanese monthly Manga magazine published by Shogakukan, starting in April 15, 1977. It was said to be released in Japan in July 2008 , although as of May there has been no official release confirmation from Nintendo. is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on ^{[10] [11]}

References

External links

• RPGClassics' Paper Mario Shrine
• Paper Mario at the Super Mario Wiki
• Paper Mario guide at StrategyWiki