Discover expert tips and strategies for mastering Paper Mario 64 like a pro. From battling foes to uncovering secrets, elevate your gameplay with these expert tips.
The latest fantastic game for the Nintendo Switch is Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door , which is shaping up to be, so far, the best title of the year for Nintendo’s console. This remake of the RPG originally released on GameCube is a true masterpiece that should be in every collection.
To make your adventure a little easier, we’ve put together the following list with some of the best tips and tricks to keep in mind during combat or when you’re exploring the environments
Examine all enemies thanks to Goomarina
All of Mario’s companions have their own special abilities, but one in particular is the most important throughout the entire game. Goomarina has a book that allows him to examine each enemy and thus find out their attack and defense points, their hit points, their abilities and weaknesses, making it a wonderful and one of the most essential techniques in the adventure when facing any battle for the first time, especially against the final bosses.
Change your partner’s position when appropriate.
During battles, Mario will always be accompanied by his assigned partner. This partner will always be positioned behind him, but when choosing actions, their positions can be swapped so that the partner moves to the front . There are two main reasons for this: the main one is that enemies tend to attack the character in front, while the other is that the character in front attacks first, so in certain situations it’s more effective for the partner to take the lead.
It is also another way to prevent Mario from taking more damage than normal, because if a helper is eliminated, he will be replaced by another from the group, but if Mario loses all his life points, the game will end.
Go to the purple Toads to learn how to play
At certain points in the levels, you’ll occasionally see Toads distinguished from the others by their purple spots. These characters act as trainers and will help you master all of Mario and his friends’ attacks. By talking to them, you can practice any offensive or defensive move in a sort of tutorial, whether it’s jumping, blocking, or using the powers of the Star Crystals. They’ll also give you tips on how to get the most out of each move.
Distribute the suns well
One of the collectibles scattered throughout the game is the sun. These items are among the most important in the entire game, as they boost the stats of your companions and grant them new special attacks during battles. For this reason, it’s important to spend them on the Mario allies you use most often to strengthen them as quickly as possible, thanks to the wizard located in the eastern part of Rogueville.
Use the star pieces wisely
Star pieces are another type of collectible, hidden in bushes, trees, behind columns, in floor trapdoors, and so on. They’re also essential because you need to speak to one of the characters underground who asks for a certain number of these fragments to exchange for medals . So, be sure to take a good look at the list to decide which ones you want to collect first.
Don’t forget to go to the bank when it’s convenient.
During the adventure, it’s easy to accumulate a huge amount of items, some offensive and others healing. Mario’s pockets are somewhat limited, as he can only carry a maximum of 15, so you’ll soon find them full. To avoid this becoming a problem, it’s best to use them whenever possible, although you’d be wise to store the most important and valuable items in the bank, which has a capacity of 32 slots , to save them for the final stretch of the adventure.
Earn the First Strike medal
In Villa Viciosa, there’s more than one shop where you can buy medals, though one is a bit more hidden. You’ll find it by going into the bar, up the stairs to the inn, and then out the door on the left. As you exit, you’ll see the entrance to another area that leads to the shop in question, where you can obtain some of the rarest medals in the entire game, including the First Strike medal.
The reason it’s so important is that it can eliminate any enemy on the map with a single blow , without needing to engage in combat. However, it’s only effective against enemies much lower than Mario’s level, but it’s certainly useful for avoiding wasted time on encounters that don’t grant experience points.
Think carefully about which medals you want to use
Upon leveling up, you have three options: increasing your health, magic points, or medal points. Medal points are essential for equipping more medals , as each medal requires a certain number of points, ranging from one to five or six. Therefore, the more medal points you gain upon reaching a new level, the more medals you can equip. For this reason, carefully consider which options you want to use to avoid increasing this stat indiscriminately and only do so when absolutely necessary.
Fast travel around the world
This remake includes several quality-of-life improvements, and one of the best is located in the underground of Vicious Village. In this area, you’ll find a completely new room containing a network of pipes that lead directly to the main cities of each chapter. These pipes are only unlocked after completing the corresponding episodes, so they’re incredibly helpful when you need to complete side quests or want to revisit areas for other reasons.
There are places that cannot be accessed until later.
Throughout your journey, you’ll see cracked walls, walls that look like they could be torn down, bars blocking access to other areas, and even seemingly inaccessible zones. Don’t worry, because as you progress through the chapters, you’ll unlock new abilities for Mario , and you’ll also encounter companions you can interact with in the environment. In some cases, it can take dozens of hours, so be patient.
The power of the underground wizards
Beneath the surface of Villa Viciosa, you’ll find several wizards you can interact with , each offering different advantages or abilities. Here’s a list of them all, where to find them, and what each one does, so you can visit their booths whenever needed:
- Fortune Teller Wizard : Entering through the pipe in East Villa Viciosa, follow the path to the left and enter the first house you see. Inside, a fortune teller awaits who can tell you the way forward or where to find star pieces and suns in exchange for a few coins.
- Stat-Changing Wizard : Entering through the same pipe, you’ll see a wall that can be destroyed by Bombard’s explosion. This will grant access to a pipe leading to a wizard’s house where you can change Mario’s or his companions’ stats, in case you want to distribute experience points and sun differently, in exchange for a few coins.
- Random Spell Wizard : Once again, you must enter through the same pipe, but this time go to the right. You’ll need Mario’s sideways power to pass through some bars leading to another pipe. Following this path leads to a wizard’s house. He can cast different types of spells depending on how much money you spend. This allows him to appear randomly during or after battles, granting more coins, defense, experience points, and so on.
If you get stuck, use the help features.
Another new feature in this version is a revamped hint system to ensure no one gets stuck. Simply press the ZL button on the controller, and one of the characters will explain the next step. While it doesn’t explicitly state what needs to be done, it does offer a series of intuitive clues that make things very clear.
The importance of the “Rare Medal” mission
In the eastern part of Villa Viciosa, there’s a place with a sort of notice board that displays a long list of side quests. The vast majority reward you with coins, items, or medals, but one of them is more special than the rest. It’s the “Rare Medal” quest, essential for unlocking Lupina , the thieving rat who appears at a certain point in the game and can join your party as a playable character.
Beyond being an extra ally during battles, what makes her so useful is her special ability. As she moves around, she can be tasked with sniffing out the surroundings , which will help detect star pieces or other objects hidden on the ground, in trees, behind bushes, etc.
