Paper Mario was a game for the Nintendo 64. In the United States it was released in Japan in the year 2000 and hit the United States in early 2001. When this game first came out I played it some of my friends's house. I did not get a copy of this game till years later. Let me say it is easy to see why this game is such a huge hit. Today, I'm going to be doing a review of this classic as it is an oldie but goody.


Story- 9

The story may start off being your typical Bowser kidnaps Peach and tries to take over the Mushroom Kingdom plot. However, there is a lot going on in the plot. The 7 Star Spirits watch over the star rod and grant wishes to people who have good intentions. The star spirits ignored Bowser's wishes because they where selfish wishes such as more power, being ruler of the Kingdom, getting Peach to like him and being able to defeat Mario. Tired of his wishes being ignored. Bowser steals the Star Rod gaining more power than he has. He also picks 7 guardians to guard the star spirits and imprisons them.

Meanwhile Luigi and Mario receive and invitation to attend a ball hosted by Peach. Mario attends and speaks to Peach privately. Suddenly Bowser attacks the Castle. Mario attacks Bowser, but this time Bowser overpowers Mario due to having the star Rod. He throws Mario outside of the window after he lifts Peach's Castle several feet in the air. Mario is knocked out but is aided by a family of goombas. Mario makes his way to the Shooting Star summit which the star spirits use their last power to fill Mario on what has happened. Mario sets out with several tasks, save the 7 Star Spirits, defeat Bowser, and rescue Peach. Can Mario accomplish this difficult task or has Bowser finally got the upper hand?

I must say this is more than your typical Mario Plot. Yes, Bowser does what he normally does. But he also does other things which to me offers something different. When I first played this game it was like this is different than past Mario Games. Therefore, I give the story a solid 9 out of 10.

Sound-10

The sound is flawless in the game. The music is so relaxing and reminds me a lot of the Mega Man Games in terms of music. Also the sounds the characters make was nicely done. The battle music and battle sounds are also very nicely done. What I like is each character has different sounds. The enemies and bosses sounds let you know they mean business. Mario and his allies sounds also are different depending on who he uses letting you know his attacks are powerful. Plus it would not be a Mario game without Bowsers evil laugh, which is sharper and better than Mario for Nintendo 64. Therefore, I give the sound a 10 out of 10.

Graphics-10

This game has amazing graphics and really shows what the Nintendo 64 was capable of. I may take heat for this but I believe the graphics are better in this game than Mario for N64 are. This game's style is similar to Super Mario All stars for the SNES. There are no randomly changing cameras in this game as it is not 3D. I liked that, again this is just me, as I have low vision, so sometimes the randomly changing cameras like Mario 64 would mess me up. It felt nice to be playing a classic like game.

The colors in this game where nicely done. The colors blend in well with the background. I also like how the colors change depending on the stage. The animations are also nicely done. Not one time is there any blurriness in this game.

The controls are also amazing in this game. Not one time did it feel like I was fighting the controls while playing through the game. In addition, the game does not lag at all it plays smoothly.

Overall, I give the graphics and controls a 10 out of 10. It does not get much better than this.

Replay Value-9

When I first played this game at my friend's houses I could not wait to get to play it again. I was so glad when I got an actual copy of the game. I played this game a lot and it is still fun to playthrough to this day. The game is so well designed that it is a fun game to play through. It seems like everytime I play this game I discover something different. The only thing that keeps this rating from being a 10 out of 10 is that the sequel is even more better. Still, its fun to go back and play the game that started the Paper Mario series. I give the replay value a solid 10 out of 10.

Depth 10

The game really shines with its sound, graphics/controls, and depth. This is a very long game that will take you a while to master. The stages are very long and have so many things to find in them. There are lots of side quests in each world to complete before getting to try the main quest in each stage. Also, each stage has several hidden items, power ups, and puzzles to solve in it. You can expect to spend several days on each level. Furthermore, some of the worlds require revisiting to get items with different power ups. Concerning the game's death it reminds me a lot of the Mega Man Legends Games as well as some of the Mega Man X games. Those games took several days to get all items. I really like games that include a lot of depth it adds to the replay value and also keeps you coming back for more. Thus, I give the depth of this game a solid 10 out of 10.

Difficulty-8

When I first played this game it was very difficult, but that was me just learning how to play the game. Once I played this game several times the difficulty was still there but it is doable and seems like it is the right type of difficulty.

The game's main difficulty comes from as you advance into the game the stages get harder, and the bosses get tougher. That is why it is important for you to be upgrading your abilities. Otherwise its going to not go well. A lot of the later bosses have high health meters and powerful attacks that do a lot of damage. When you reach Bowser you need to have every power up collected and your health, and attack abilities to the max.

Also, as you advance enemy placement adds to the difficulty. Enemies just love to jump out from behind and attack you. When doing battle with an enemy sometimes the enemy will bring backups. Yes, enemies just love to hind behind objects to sneak attack you in this game. Furthermore, some of the puzzles can be difficult get a puzzle wrong and enemies will come out to do battle.

So yeah, the game can be difficult, but it is doable. Here is where I'm doing with the doable part. You can buy items to use in battle this items can really help if you are having to fight several enemies at once. Second, you will have every chance to upgrade your power and attacks. This can really help you out in tough situations. It is like the game is trying to help you out when it comes to your quests. In addition, when you free a star spirit they can help you in battle in so many ways. Again, the game is trying to assist you in your quest.

Given that the game tries to help you out, but the enemies and boses can be tough. I think an 8 out of 10 does it for the difficulty. The game is difficulty but doable. Chances are you might get a few game overs in this game, but its not going to turn you off from playing the game. That is why I think this game has the right type of difficulty. I like games that challenge you and this one does. It tests your skills, problem solving skills, and battle skills. But its not going to make you really frustrated that you no longer want to play, so 8 out of 10 sounds about right for the difficulty.


In General I give Paper Mario a very high 9.3 rating. Everything a great game has this game has. The plot is your traditional Bowser vs Mario plot, but it offers something different. The sound in this game is amazing and was nicely done. The graphics and controls are flawless. The depth is so amazing and is what helps this game be special. The difficulty I covered above.

I really liked this game and I always have fun while playing it. The game makes you want to come back for more. If there is any flaws with this game its that the sequel is actually better. Paper Mario the thousand year door tops this and in my opinion is the best game in the Paper Mario line. However, this is a minor flaw as this is also a great game as I stated. I actually like playing both games to be honest. That is the only flaw I have concerning this game.

I highly recommend this game. This would even be a good game to introduce somebody to the Mario games too. The difficulty is hard but its not unbearable. This is a great game due the reasons I mentioned above. Chances are you will enjoy this game. If your a traditional gamer but have not come across this game yet. I highly recommend you find a way to get a copy of this game and an N64 gaming system. You will not be disappointed.

In conclusion, this is a great game and I had fun playing it.I think my rating of 9.3 is right for this game. Like I stated the only flaw is the second game tops this one. That is a very minor flaw though. Everything else is just about right concerning game play. I hope you take to time discover this now oldie but goodie. You will have fun and enjoy this game. This concludes my Paper Mario review. I highly recommend this game.