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Paper Mario: Sticker Star

Paper Mario, or PAPER Mario?

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Pictocheat
Posted 11/25/2012 12:12:41 AM

(edited)
One complaint I see a lot on this board is that this game doesn't feel like a Paper Mario game. This reminds me of the people who look at a certain Pokemon and say it looks more like a Digimon than a Pokemon, leading people to ask what the difference is, or what makes a Pokemon a Pokemon and a Digimon a Digimon. Likewise, I'm wondering what exactly makes Paper Mario, Paper Mario?

I think what most people mean when they say this game doesn't feel like Paper Mario is that it isn't like previous Paper Mario games; namely, the N64 Paper Mario and TTYD. Yes, there is a huge difference between how those games and this game work. But what I see when I look at PM64 and TTYD is something closer to a traditional RPG. In fact, PM64 didn't have much of an emphasis on paper at all; it was mostly notable for its gameplay elements. And while TTYD expanded on the paper concept somewhat, it was still praised for it's expansion (and overall maintenance) of the battle system.

Conversely, Sticker Star threw almost all aspects of what made those two installations memorable out the window: no more badges, no more experience, and a much greater emphasis on puzzle-solving than before. However, the creators have stated that as a result of Miyamoto's request to use only traditional Mario characters, they've chosen to focus on making this game as "papery" as possible. This is clearly evident in several puzzles, the Toads' knowledge that they're paper, and even in the battle system, which revolves around the game's namesake: stickers. It's a drastic change from what fans of the series grew up with, but it's perhaps the most papery Mario yet.

So I ask the board: should we be debating whether this game feels like Paper Mario, or PAPER Mario?
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Chaosmaster00
Posted 11/25/2012 12:13:29 AM
I, for one, welcomed the open awareness of being made of paper. The sheer number of jokes and puns revolving around it was staggering... many led to at least a chuckle.

The charm of the dialogue and personalities of the NPC's seemed to be somewhat of what I was expecting, and for what it's worth, when it was presented, it was indeed there. I play this game, and no matter how much other people will say otherwise, I can definitely feel like I'm playing a Paper Mario game.

The game plays fairly closely to the original two, and the only major difference was a change in battle style, which I welcomed greatly. The sticker system has led to some skepticism, due to the "broken" or "OP" nature of Things, but barring that, the game was fun, battles became much more fast-paced (since you were rewarded for completing them quickly, making strategy and efficiency key to victory in the battles that were not bosses). I found myself battling foes not for any immediate reward, but because I enjoyed what I was being offered a chance at later and the potential for an immediate reward if I was actually prepared for what I was going into.

This game is definitely in the"Paper Mario" style, but I do think they may have led to a bit too much Paper references... PAPER Mario does sound fitting for this game, though, being that the past ones were barely aware of the whole "being 2D" thing...
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howdydoodle
Posted 11/25/2012 11:12:25 AM
Chaosmaster00 posted...
This game is definitely in the"Paper Mario" style, but I do think they may have led to a bit too much Paper references... PAPER Mario does sound fitting for this game, though, being that the past ones were barely aware of the whole "being 2D" thing...


Although, in Paper Mario 64, in the beginning of the game when Mario fell from a great distance and just floated like a paper would - that was the moment when I totally loved the "paper" concept.
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EvenSpoonier
Posted 11/25/2012 7:45:26 PM
The series has long been a commentary on the other Mario games. With this game, it's gone meta -commenting on the other Paper Mario games- but that's all that has really changed story-wise.
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