I want to say — the name of that game has a typo. It says “RPM” instead of “RPG”. However, it’s sort of fitting because Paper Mario seems to be in constant motion, always doing something new, always surprising you and giving you credit for observing. The developers loved it so much that no one even thought to correct the error, and maybe that says a lot about the whole experience.
Having come out of the IT management industry, I tend to favor systems that are creative yet don’t get overly complicated. Paper Mario did the same thing as a template for RPGs (turn-based combat, party growth, progressing through the story through the overland environment) and asked, “What if we made the turn-based battles fun?” Most RPGs allow players to choose their menu options and sit back while animations play. Paper Mario wants you to actively participate in combat.
What Paper Mario Really Does
Mario is you and you have been invited to Princess Peach’s castle for a wedding when Bowser shows up and wreaks havoc (like usual). Bowser kidnaps Peach. The Star Spirits (magical beings that grant wishes) are all over the place and captured. Your job is to round-up the Star Spirits and stop Bowser. As far as plots go, this is pretty typical Mario. The twist here is that Mario cannot talk and no one thinks that is odd.
Paper Mario has chosen to embrace the silent protagonist (while most NPCs simply ignore that you cannot talk) to its fullest extent. Mario communicates using body language and facial expressions. Other characters will talk to him and he will respond through actions. The result is a game where Mario is a player character but also a developed character with personality expressed through his movements rather than through dialogue.
The world of Paper Mario is visually stunning with its paper-craft aesthetic. Everything looks like it is made from construction paper and cardboard. Depth in rooms is created using perspective. Although characters are two-dimensional they are animated with personality. The art direction is so committed to its vision that it is able to make something so simple look sophisticated. When you have a vision rather than ambition based on technology, this is what can happen.
Engagement Through Active Participation
The way turn-based combat is implemented is often a problem because too many games implement it poorly (you select an option, watch the animation and do this repeatedly for hours). Paper Mario asked, “What if the player had to participate in the action?” So each action requires input from the player. Press the right button to hit harder during attack. Press the right buttons to lower damage taken when you are hit. Spin a roulette wheel to see how effective an item is. Every single action requires player interaction.
It may seem simple and it is simple; however, the level of engagement that Paper Mario achieves is similar to what most RPGs achieve through complex gameplay mechanisms rather than through simple mechanics. The difference is that you are never sitting back watching the game – you are always doing something. This fundamentally changes the experience.
Your party includes Mario and several partners – Goombario, who is excited about everything, Kooper, who is worried about his lost shell, Bow, who is a shy Boo, Watt, who is a young Lil Sparky, Bonetail, who is a dinosaur detective, and Vivian, who eventually joins (there is actually character development in that and people at the time found it a little questionable). Each partner has unique abilities in exploring the world and unique attacks in combat.
The badge system allows you to customize Mario and your partners by attaching power-ups to them that give stat increases or special abilities. Throughout the game you earn badges – from NPCs, from bosses, from mysterious sources. Attaching different badges to create different builds for Mario and your partners. While this is a form of customization that is easy and does not require min-maxing, it rewards people who take the time to interact with the system.
Storytelling With Personality
Paper Mario takes itself very lightly and this is actually a part of the design philosophy behind the rest of the experience. Not only is Peach kidnapped, she is a proactive character that leaves on her own and travels with Bowser for a while. Bowser is not purely evil and has character development and is vulnerable. The main antagonist has real reasons for wanting to destroy the world (not just “I hate everyone“).
The writing in Paper Mario is great without being patronizing. The character moments land. The dialogue is humorous without being obnoxious. The NPCs have personalities. The world is populated because the characters talk to each other, not just the player. The narrative is complete in a way that most RPGs attempt to be.
While each chapter focuses on a specific area of the world and a specific partner, you are not just building a party – you are developing relationships with the partners as you progress through the story. By the end of the game, the party feels like a real group of individuals rather than just options for you to choose from.
Technical Achievement That Is Unrecognized
The paper-craft aesthetic is technically smart. It is hard to make believable, flat characters that show depth, animate them to express themselves, and keep things readable. The pre-rendered style of graphics combined with a clear artistic direction creates a visual cohesion that makes the technical limitations unnoticeable.
The transition between battles where the world literally unfolds is visually appealing and well-styled without being slow. The menus are clean and easy to use. The over-world exploration is readable and encourages thoroughness. The boss designs are unique and visually distinct. None of these are flashy technical achievements – they are a solid, competent execution of the game design.
The music by Kota Nakamura is excellent and thematic. The over-world theme is happy, but also slightly off-kilter, just like the paper-craft aesthetic. The boss themes are intense and develop the tension appropriately. The character themes are memorable and not overpowering. The music complements the experience without overwhelming it.
Why Paper Mario Matters To RPGs
Paper Mario showed that RPGs didn’t need to be sprawling or have convoluted systems to be successful. You didn’t need to have hundreds of spells or complex leveling systems. You needed a good story, enjoyable mechanics, and a clear vision. While this is not revolutionary – it is fundamental game design – it was nice to prove it at a time when RPGs were getting more and more complex.
The turn-based combat that requires active participation influenced numerous games after Paper Mario. Undertale’s combat system is heavily influenced by Paper Mario. Today’s turn-based RPGs understand that engagement comes from the mechanics, not just the story. Paper Mario was ahead of its time demonstrating this.
Does Paper Mario Still Work?
Yes. The story is entertaining and engaging. The combat is still fun – you are never just mashing A through a grind session. The exploration is fun. The optional content is considerable, but not overwhelming. The writing holds up. The character development works.
There are a few small issues – the difficulty is generally low (a couple of major spikes near the final boss, but nothing that is going to crush you); and there are sections of the game that involve running around to find things. But both of these feel like deliberate design decisions and not flaws in the game. The game understands your time and offers plenty of content.
The graphics hold up because of the art direction and the strength of the designs for the characters and environments. The paper-craft aesthetic is timeless because it is a design choice and not an attempt to show off technological prowess.
Conclusion
Paper Mario is an RPG that proves that Nintendo knows what makes adventure games work. A strong visual identity. Enjoyable mechanics. A good story. Developed characters. Pacing. Paper Mario does not break ground – it simply executes established concepts with a high degree of precision.
In Paper Mario every single element of the game serves the overall design goal of creating an enjoyable adventure. The badge system, the partner abilities, the active combat, the overworld exploration, etc. All of these elements work together to create a cohesive experience.
If you haven’t played it, play it and see why Thousand Year Door was so much bolder – because Paper Mario established the base upon which Thousand Year Door would expand. If you are an RPG developer, take note of how Paper Mario uses mechanics to create engagement, not complexity.
Rating: 9/10 – The RPG that proves Nintendo understands adventure. See the rest of our top 10 N64 games here
John grew up swapping floppy disks and reading Amiga Power cover to cover. Now an IT manager in Manchester, he writes about the glory days of British computer gaming—Sensible Soccer, Speedball 2, and why the Amiga deserved more love than it ever got.
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