I will say outright that the Paper Mario Series has some of my favorite games of all time. While the series has definitely fallen from grace as of late with the releases of Sticker Star and Paper Jam, they do remind us of the great times when Nintendo actually knew how to make a good Mario themed RPG.
With the recent unveiling of Paper Mario: Color splash at E3, it feels like a good time to reminisce on the good times that Paper Mario has given to all of us.
I am going to restrict this list to the first three games of the series. I chose it this way because Super Paper Mario was the last one of the series to follow the “traditional” formula. Some may argue that SPM doesn’t fit or that Sticker Star fits more, but I disagree. The third game still has most of the mainstay mechanics and what I consider to be the last “good” game of the series to this point.
This list will judge the best chapters of the first three games based on a number of different factors including gameplay, music, story, etc.
10. Paper Mario TTYD: Chapter 1: Castle and Dragon
One of the great things about Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, is that it keeps the player interested from the word go. This chapter set the bar for how other game should start their main stories. It has a very clear objective, pleasing aesthetics and a mini storyline within itself.
In many games, fighting a dragon was a final boss or special achievement. In this game, you fight one as the first real boss. That is how to start a game ladies and gentleman. When the first boss is a frickin' dragon, you know that this game is going to be epic.
This chapter earns it’s place on the list almost solely for this reason. The only real reason why it isn’t higher is that it is so early that most of the game mechanics aren’t in play yet. If this chapter was put later in the game, it could be perfect. For now, it will just have to settle as a near perfect start to any game.
9. Paper Mario TTYD: Chapter 7: Mario Shoots the Moon
Nearing the end of this game, chapter seven rolls around after the player finally finds out where Peach has been held hostage for the duration of the adventure. That place … is the moon.
This chapter earns its place on the list for a few reasons. The NPC’s are probably the funniest/coolest idea for a minor character I have ever seen. The player finds themselves in a snowy area called “Fahr Outpost” where they meet some bomb-ombs to try and use their cannon to reach the moon (I know, logic does not apply here). However, all of the bomb-ombs are meant to look and speak like they are Russian. The thought of a bomb with a Russian accent makes me smile to no end.
As for story purposes, the moon makes a great place for any story piece, including the twist that Peach has been moved in the end and is no longer there.
Why is this so far down the list if I like these things? I personally hate all the backtracking in order to find General White so Mario can use the cannon. Call it personal bias, but I feel that it really detracts from the overall feel of the chapter.
8. Super Paper Mario: Chapter 7: The Underwhere/Overthere
The land of ended games’ earns its place on the list for a number of reasons, but most of them are fairly obvious to people who have made it this far in the game. The main aesthetic of this chapter is supposed to be ascending from Hell into Heaven. While this can be a touchy subject, the game put enough comedy in it to distract from the main theme, but kept it serious enough to keep the chapters credibility.
People say that the boss for this area, Bonechill, is one of the worst bosses is the whole series, if not the true worst. I fully disagree. While his actual fight is extremely easy, his story makes up for it. He represents the devil of the Paper Mario world and his big plot reveal about Luvbi took me by surprise. Also, the idea of Satan raising an army from hell to fight the angels of Heaven really piqued my interest and showed that this series was not afraid to cross any barrier.
Plus, the fact that the makers actually referenced a world where all games are ended and made several past Mario jokes just shows how clever the writers can be.
7. Paper Mario 64: Chapter 5: Hot Hot times on Lava Lava Island
While the original Paper Mario had some standout chapters, it is almost universally agreed upon that chapter five is the best one for one reason alone: baby Yoshis. Yoshis are one of the most beloved characters in the Mario Universe, so the only way to make them even more beloved is to make baby versions.
Aside from the adorable baby Yoshis, the story of the chapter is pretty solid. It is based around the Yoshi’s Island games which already has a solid following. Add that with fighting a decent boss, getting a new party member that is a fish nanny and being accompanied by Professor Kolorado who fills the role of comic relief perfectly with his non-stop hunt for treasure even at the expense of his own life, and it makes a recipe for a great Paper Mario chapter.
This is just a solid chapter overall with a good story, good characters and great background.
6. Paper Mario TTYD: Chapter 5: The Key to Pirates
When I first played this chapter, I absolutely hated it. However, the more and more I re-visit this pirate themed area, the more and more I fall in love with every aspect of it. In the interest of brevity, I will keep it to the main points.
The first is the partner that joins at the beginning of the chapter. Admiral Bobbery is a bomb-omb that used to be a master navigator and talks like a salty sea-dog. In my opinion, he is one of the best party members that Paper Mario has ever presented. His ability, story and character all make him one of the most memorable party members of any game.
The next is the companion from this storyline. Flavio is extremely funny as comic relief, but actually turns out to be very vital to the story of that chapter. It also helps that there is a glitch in the game so then Flavio accompanies Mario throughout the entire game. It is one of the best glitches I have ever seen. To this day, I still find myself randomly singing Flavio’s song when I am bored.
The last point to bring up on this chapter is the boss fights. The main boss is the Ghost Pirate Cortez, and he is extremely entertaining. He has three stages that are all fun, yet slightly challenging. Plus, Cortez compliments you as he is fighting giving the feel of two evenly matched friends sparring. Once defeated, Cortez isn’t even mad (he is a ghost, he can’t die) he lets you go free with the Crystal Star until Lord Crump crashes the party and the player has to then fight him once more. The boss battles are extremely fun, and Crump coming out of nowhere at the end really tied the chapter together.
My love for the Paper Mario series is strong. It is so strong that if I were to try and put the full list on one article, it would not fit. Stay updated for next week when I reveal the top five of this list. Also, if anyone disagrees or likes the list, feel free to give it a share and complain/praise it. They both help the series grow and opinions spread.
