List of Paper Mario characters

The following is a list of characters from the Paper Mario series of video games, a spinoff of the Mario franchise in which the characters are, or can become, 2D paper cutouts. ^[1]

Development

The first two Paper Mario games were noted for introducing unique, original companions that were either existing Mario races or related to the Mario universe, with well-known examples being Goombella, a student Goomba, Madame Flurrie, and Vivian. However, after Thousand-Year Door , the series largely moved away from this in favor of using existing characters or introducing new characters unrelated to the Mario universe. ^[2] This restriction was dubbed the "Mario mandate" by fans and critics and was controversial due to causing characters to lack uniqueness. However, the 2024 remake of Thousand-Year Door featured a purple Toad with a unique design, which seemed to contradict such a mandate and was cited as evidence that the restrictions could be loosening. ^[3]

Main characters

Main articles: Mario, Princess Peach, Bowser, and Luigi

Mario, Princess Peach, Bowser, and Luigi are the four playable characters in the Paper Mario series. ^[4] Matt Casamassina of IGN notes that the main characters are "all fun to play for different reasons" and that the ease of moving between playable characters "is a plus since there are some well-designed puzzles that require you to use two or more of the heroes to continue forward." ^[5]

Party members

In his adventures, Mario is assisted by various partners.

Paper Mario

• Goombario, the Goomba, is a fan of Mario who takes his father's advice and accompanies him on his quest to save the Star Spirits. Goombario can use his tattle to find out Mario's location and tell him about the people they meet and enemies they battle.

• Kooper, the Koopa Troopa, joins Mario's party to follow in the footsteps of his childhood hero, the archaeologist Kolorado. He can retreat into his shell for Mario to kick him, allowing him to flip switches, grab items, and attack enemies.

• Bombette, the Bob-omb, is an unwilling minion of the Koopa Bros, who was sent to the dungeons after her anger caused her to explode on them and joins Mario to rebel against her captors. She can explode, allowing Mario to destroy cracked walls and boulders, flip switches, and attack enemies. She was one of the characters featured by Nintendo in their 2015 Women's History Month celebration. ^[6]

• Parakarry is a Paratroopa mailman who joins Mario's party after he helps him retrieve his letters, which he lost in Dry Dry Desert and other parts of the Mushroom Kingdom. He can carry Mario for a short amount of time, allowing him to fly over gaps he cannot jump over.

• Lady Bow is a member of Boo royalty, who holds the Star Spirit Skolar as part of a bargain until Mario defeats the Boo-eating Tubba Blubba and saves her subjects. She can make Mario invisible from enemy attacks, preventing him from being attacked.

• Watt is a baby electric spark who joins Mario after he frees her from a lantern, which the Big Lantern Ghost of Shy Guy's Toybox imprisoned her in. Mario can hold her like a lantern to illuminate dark areas and find invisible blocks and items.

• Sushie is a Cheep-Cheep and the babysitter of five Yoshi children on Lavalava Island, who joins Mario to find them after they go missing. When on a dock, Mario can ride Sushie to swim on water and dive.

• Lakilester, the Lakitu, attacks Mario and joins him after being defeated, as his girlfriend asks Mario not to finish him off. Mario can ride his cloud and hover over certain surfaces, such as spikes and lava, without getting hurt. ^[7]

The Thousand-Year Door

• Goombella is a student of archaeology. ^[8] She was one of Prof. Frankly's students and is the first partner to join Mario on his quest to find the Crystal Stars after he saves her from Lord Crump.

• Koops is a timid Koopa who lives in Petal Meadows, which is being besieged by the dragon Hooktail. He joins Mario to save his town, avenge his father, and prove himself to his girlfriend, Koopie Koo.

• Madame Flurrie is a wind spirit and former actress, who can attack enemies with powerful gusts. ^[9]

• Yoshi is a baby Yoshi who follows Mario after he rescues his egg from a hotdog vendor in the Glitz Pit, which later hatches. The player can name him, and his colors vary depending on how long it takes for his egg to hatch.

• Vivian is the youngest of the Shadow Siren sisters, who is constantly put down by her oldest sister, Beldam, and blamed when things go wrong. Mario helps her recover her sisters' missing Superbobomb, although Vivian is unaware of who he is. When she discovers his true identity, she is initially hurt, but then joins him. Vivian is male in the original Japanese version of the game and female in the international version.

• Admiral Bobbery is a Bob-omb sailor. ^[8] Bobbery retired from the seas after his wife Scarlette died, blaming himself for her death. After Mario shows him an old letter she wrote on her deathbed, he once again sets out towards Keelhaul Key.

• Ms. Mowz, a Squeek, is the only optional partner and has the ability to steal items. ^[10] She helps run the Lovely Howz of Badges, but is actually a world-famous badge thief. She joins the team when Mario completes her quest by finding the secret badge in Hooktail Castle.

Super Paper Mario

• The Pixls are digital fairy-like beings. These include Tippi, ^[11] a main character, and others, including Thoreau, Boomer, Slim, Thudley, Carrie, Fleep, Cudge, Dottie, Barry, Dashell, Piccolo, and Tiptron, a robotic Pixl based on Tippi.

Sticker Star

• Kersti is a sticker fairy who came from the Sticker Star to grant people's wishes as part of the Sticker Fest and aids Mario in his quest to retrieve the Royal Stickers.

Paper Mario: The Origami King

• Olivia is a creation of origami and King Olly's younger sister, who allies with Mario after he frees her from being trapped in Peach's Castle after she rebelled against Olly. She can help Mario use the 1000-Fold Arms and transform into a Vellumental to solve puzzles.
• Bobby is an amnesiac Bob-omb without a fuse who joins Mario and Olivia. After traveling with them through Autumn Mountain, he begins to regain his memory at Shogun Studios and continues with them to Sweetpaper Valley, where Olivia is crushed by a boulder and he sacrifices himself to get his fuse back and blow up the boulder.
• Professor Toad is a historian who joins Mario and Olivia in Sweetpaper Valley. He helps them decipher writings that allows them to enter the Fire Vellumental Cave and Temple of Shrooms.
• Kamek and Bowser Jr. appear in Shangri-Spa and help Mario and Olivia enter Bowser's Castle. Bowser Jr. goes through a series of changes in each spa in order to return to normal and use his Junior Clown Car to defeat a fold Boss Sumo Bro.
• Bowser is found in Peach's Castle, folded up into a square, later leading his minions towards Peach's Castle after Mario frees him from Scissors. After defeating Stapler, Bowser is able to unfold himself back to normal and helps Mario and Olivia in their fight against King Olly.

Other characters

Paper Mario

• Twink is a young Star Kid. At the beginning of Paper Mario, he is summoned by Peach when she wishes for help against Bowser.

• Goombario's Family is Goombario's family, who lives in Goomba village.

• Fice T. is the nervous and neurotic indigo Toad guard of Forever Forest, also known for being petrified of ghosts, making him very inept for his guard position of that same forest.

• Tayce T. is a female Toad cook that lives in Toad Town, and also serves as the local cook in that same town, cooking items for Mario if he brings ingredients to her.

• Minh T. is a cheery, flower-loving pink female Toad who gardens by the post office in Toad Town, also believing that she has a green thumb.

• Chanterelle, also known as Pop Diva, is a purple female Toad who's introduced as a singer that performs at Club 64, located in Toad Town's port on its westernmost side.

• Harry, also referred to as the Storekeeper, is a green-capped Toad who runs his own shop (being called Harry's Shop) in Toad Town's southern end.

• The Three Beautiful Sisters are three Toad sisters living in Toad Town during the events of that same game. They consist of Kris T., Miss T., and Felissa T. and they are always seen standing next to the Toad Town Dojo.

• The Great Gossip Trio is a group of three Toads living in Toad Town, each being named Green Toad, Red Toad and Yellow Toad. They are also known for sharing gossips about various characters in the game, such as Parakarry being easily distracted and Fice T. fearing ghosts.

• The Rangers are a group of three Toad kids living in Toad Town, each being named Red Ranger T., Yellow Ranger T., and Green Ranger T.. They are also known for dreaming of becoming heroes, and will also tell Mario their plans for outdoor activities which involve role-playing if Mario talks to them.

• Professor Kolorado is a Koopa archaeologist from Koopa Village.

• Koopa Koot is an elder Koopa Troopa that lives in Koopa Village.

• Moustafa is a mouse who lives in Dry Dry Outpost.

• Bootler is a Boo butler and loyal servant of Lady Bow.

• Yoshi Kids are the children of the Yoshis of Lavalava Island.

• Raphael the Raven is the guardian of Lavalava Island, who the Yoshis sometimes visit for advice.

• Wise Wisterwood is a talking tree that lives in Flower Fields.

• Lakilulu is Lakilester's girlfriend, who he tries to impress. When Mario defeats Lakilester, Lakilulu begs for Mario to forgive him. After Lakilester joins Mario's group, Lakilulu promises to wait for his return.

The Star Spirits

The Star Spirits are a group of deity-like beings that reside in Star Haven in the heavens and watch over the Mushroom Kingdom, granting the wishes of good people using the Star Rod. They also possess the power to neutralize the Star Rod's power should it fall into the wrong hands. In Paper Mario, Bowser steals the Star Rod and captures the Star Spirits, ^[12] turning them into cards and having his most powerful followers guard them. They also appear in Mario Party 5 .

The Thousand-Year Door

• Toadsworth is Princess Peach's attendant.
• Professor Frankly is a Goomba professor and Goombella's archaeology teacher at the University of Goom.
• The Punis are a species of small gray creatures that live in the Great Boggly Tree.

Super Paper Mario

• Bestovius is a wizard living in Lineland, who gives Mario the power to flip into 3D to bypass various obstacles and find secrets that could not be seen in 2D. He is also part of the side-quest toobtain Piccolo.

• Francis is a lizard that lives in the Bitlands who kidnaps Tippi in chapter 3-1. In 3-4, Peach enters a dating simulator with him, leading to a boss fight with him Francis and Tippi being rescued. In 8-2, he can be fought again if the player selects the right choice.

• Squirps is a Prince who joins Mario from chapters 4-1 to 4-4, where he reveals the Pure Heart in front of a statue of his mother, the queen.

• Flint Cragley is a Cragnon and explorer known among the Cragnons for his TV show, Flint Cragley, Cragtrotter.

• King Sammer is the king of the Sammer Kingdom and possesses its Pure Heart. In chapter 6, he refuses to give the Pure Heart to the party unless they can defeat 100 Sammer Men. He and the Kingdom's inhabitants are killed after it is destroyed by the Void and the Pure Heart is turned to stone, but are revived after the Kingdom is restored. In the post-game, he awards cards of the partners from The Thousand-Year Door if the player defeats 100 Sammer Men.

• Queen Jaydes is the queen of the Underwhere and Luvbi's mother.

• Luvbi is a Nimbi of the Overthere. She is revealed to be the eighth Pure Heart disguised as a Nimbi and sacrifices herself to help Mario save the universe.

• Nolrem is a wizard and the alternative version of Merlon, who lives in Flopside and helps the party by providing information.

Merlon Family

In the first three Paper Mario games, Mario and his friends are assisted by a character named Merlon, as well as his similarly named family.

Villains

Paper Mario

• Jr. Troopa is a young Koopa Troopa.
• Kent C. Koopa is an enormous Koopa Troopa that used to live in Koopa Village.

Bowser's forces

Kammy Koopa is an old female Magikoopa, and head advisor to Bowser.

• Guardians of the Star Spirits: After Bowser and Kammy Koopa raided Star Haven, stole the Star Rod, and captured the Star Spirits, Bowser placed several of his highest ranking and strongest minions in charge of guarding the Star Spirits.
  • The Koopa Bros. are four Ninja Koopa brothers.
  • Tutankoopa is a Koopa Pharaoh that Mario encounters in Dry Dry Ruins.
  • Tubba Blubba is a reluctant ally of Bowser.
  • General Guy is the general of the Shy Guy army.
  • Lava Piranha is a giant species of Piranha Plant that can survive in lava.
  • Huff N. Puff is a giant cloud monster that commands Puffs and squads of Lakitus, including Lakilester before he defects to Mario's side.
  • The Crystal King is a monster made of crystal ice that conquered the Crystal Palace in the Shiver Region.

The Thousand-Year Door

• The X-Nauts are a group of extraterrestrial beings led by Sir Grodus who seek to conquer the world. Their headquarters is stationed on the moon.
  • Sir Grodus is the leader of the X-Nauts.
  • Lord Crump is a higher-rank X-Naut, who is also known as X-Naut Black.
  • TEC is a highly-advanced computer created by the X-Nauts.

• The Shadow Queen was an ancient demon who was sealed away for a thousand years through the power of the Crystal Stars. After being freed, she possesses Peach before being defeated by Mario. ^[13]

• The Shadow Sirens are a trio of shadowy sisters allied with the X-Nauts. Vivian is a former member of the trio.
  • Beldam is the oldest of the three sisters.
  • Marilyn is Beldam's younger sister.

• The Dragon Siblings, Hooktail, Gloomtail, and Bonetail, are three dragons that Shadow Queen had as pets who spread terror throughout the world.

Glitz Pit

Rawk Hawk is a boss based on Hulk Hogan who can be fought at the Glitz Pit. ^[14]

Super Paper Mario

Count Bleck's forces

Count Bleck, originally known as Lord Blumiere, is the presumed main antagonist of Super Paper Mario, who seeks to use the Chaos Heart to destroy all dimensions. ^[11]

• Nastasia is Count Bleck's loyal assistant, who was responsible for brainwashing Luigi into becoming Mr. L.

• Mimi is one of Count Bleck's minions, who has the ability to shapeshift.

• O'Chunks is a former general who lost his world and army after being betrayed by his adviser.

• Dimentio is the true villain of Super Paper Mario and its final boss as Super Dimentio, a fusion of him, Mr. L, and the Chaos Heart. ^[13]

Paper Mario: The Origami King

• King Olly is a origami being given sentience by a Toad, who aims to conquer all Toads due to a misunderstanding. ^[13] He was created by the Origami Craftsman toad, who wrote a message on his back encouraging him to become a fair king. However, he did not see the message and believed that he was scribbled over, leading him to want to destroy all Toads as revenge. After trapping the Origami Craftsman toad, he created his sister Olivia before starting his evil plans.
• The Legions of Stationery are a group of stationery brought to life by Olly. They include:
  • Coloured Pencils is a box of coloured pencils that guards the red streamer at Overlook Tower, which it has vandalized with its drawings.
  • Rubber Band is a humanoid figure made of rubber bands that guards the blue streamer in Big Sho' Theater, capturing Toads and forcing them to watch its performances.
  • Hole Punch is a hole punch that guards the yellow streamer in the Temple of Shrooms, cutting out the faces of Toads and forcing them to dance.
  • Tape is adhesive tape which guards the purple streamer at the Sea Tower, where it has taped Toads to the walls.
  • Scissors is a pair of scissors which guards the green streamer at Bowser's castle and uses its blades to cut up his minions, including Kamek and Bowser Jr.
  • Stapler is a stapler that folded Bowser and his minions and which Olly sends to attack Mario, Olivia, and Bowser at his castle.

Reception

GameAxis Unwired praised the characters as "colorful". ^[15]

References

1. Steven E. Jones, The Meaning of Video Games (2008), 139 Archived 2024-03-08 at the Wayback Machine .
2. Phillips, Tom (2020-07-17). "Paper Mario developer discusses why you don't see original characters like Vivian anymore". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on 2023-12-19. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
3. Bailey, Dustin (2023-09-14). "Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake's new Toad could mean an end to the controversial "Mario mandate"". GamesRadar+ . Archived from the original on 2023-12-19. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
4. Stang, Bendik (2007). The Book of Games. Book of Games. ISBN   978-82-997378-2-1.
5. Matt Casamassina, "Super Paper Mario Review: 2D and 3D come together as platformer and RPG join hands in Nintendo's fun (and nearly unclassifiable) new Mario outing Archived 2007-09-14 at the Wayback Machine ," IGN (April 5, 2007).
6. Hilliard, Kyle (17 March 2015). "Nintendo Celebrating Women's History Month By Highlighting Its Female Characters". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
7. Greif, Zackari (December 12, 2021). "Paper Mario: All Partners". Game Rant. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
8. Robinson, Andy (29 July 2020). "Paper Mario's producer elaborates on the 'challenge' of NPC restrictions". VGC. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
9. Gibson, Nathan P. (25 October 2022). "Things Only Adults Notice About Mario". SVG. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
10. Williams, Isaac (4 October 2023). "10 Video Game Characters You Can Unlock Who Aren't Worth The Hassle". CBR. Archived from the original on 6 October 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
11. Scullion, Chris (8 September 2022). Jumping for Joy: The History of Platform Video Games: Including Every Mario and Sonic Platformer. White Owl. p. 29. ISBN   978-1-5267-9016-3. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
12. Carter, Jonathan; Carter, Chip (20 February 2001). "Mario's back in a big way". Rome News-Tribune. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
13. Quick, William Antonio (2 December 2022). "Super Mario: 8 Most Evil Villains In The Series". TheGamer. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
14. Griffiths, Josh (27 October 2020). "10 Most Unique Boss Fights In Super Mario History". TheGamer. Archived from the original on 12 February 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
15. Jason Woo, GameAxis Unwired 15 (Nov 2004): 26 Archived 2024-03-08 at the Wayback Machine .

External links

• "Super Paper Mario: Characters and History Interview," GameTrailers.com (Apr 16, 2007).