Paper Mario: Sticker Star (3DS)

[Doctor MK]

As someone who firmly believes Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door are two of the greatest games ever made (the latter especially), I'm a little disappointed to see that Sticker Star doesn't look like it'll quite match up to them in terms of quality. But I'm still very much looking forward to it as, generally speaking, though the reviews may not all be "OMG AMAZEBALLS!", they all seem to agree that the game is at least good and a slightly sub-par Paper Mario game is likely still going to be a lot of fun in my book. The sticker mechanics, while potentially flawed, do look interesting and, frankly, I'm just eager to jump back into Mario's two-dimensional world and remind myself of how much I love it in the first place, even if it's not quite as spectacular as I remember.

[Tails spin]

I am honestly on the fence on this one. I started out not being interested, to finding interest, but these reviews have me second guessing. This seems to go back to how some people felt for NSMB2. I already knew how the NSMB games worked and like the formula so I was forgiving for its use of similar graphics, and I knew that at the end of the day I would really enjoy NSMB2. But in this case I haven't played any paper mario game so these reviews make me worry that I might not enjoy the game.

Anyone with thoughts on this.

[Nintendoga]

I am honestly on the fence on this one. I started out not being interested, to finding interest, but these reviews have me second guessing. This seems to go back to how some people felt for NSMB2. I already knew how the NSMB games worked and like the formula so I was forgiving for its use of similar graphics, and I knew that at the end of the day I would really enjoy NSMB2. But in this case I haven't played any paper mario game so these reviews make me worry that I might not enjoy the game.

Anyone with thoughts on this.

Well I mean if you never played a PM game before, this might actually work out in your favor. If the game truly is lackluster, then going back to play the other 3 games after this one, will probably make the others seem much better compared to this one. So yeah, it won't be a bad game, but long-time fans like some of us here are gonna be disappointed, while most likely newcomers will probably love it. Give it a go I say!

Someone's uploading their playthrough of the game

[Your Vest Friend]

Are all of the area bosses in the game just going to be Kings of basic enemy types? I mean we already know about King Goomba, King Pokey, King Blooper, and King Koopa Bowser. If so, that's really disappointing, I always loved the variety present in the bosses of the Paper Mario games, but looks like this is just another aspect of the previous games that this one will be skipping. ;3;

I just had a brainwave.

The collectibles in the game are called the Royal Stickers. Ergo, all of them are crowns, so yes the area bosses will just be kingly versions of the mooks.

...Aw.

[Mega]

Say, what's Miyamoto's beef with story, anyway? I mean, if this game did have executive meddling, I guess that'd make sense. Early trailers did show partners, didn't they?

[VO.SUPER]

Say, what's Miyamoto's beef with story, anyway? I mean, if this game did have executive meddling, I guess that'd make sense. Early trailers did show partners, didn't they?

Miyamoto is from a time when story didn't really factor into games all that much, and for Mario he's tried to keep it as simple as that because he probably thinks it distracts from the gameplay and would alienate new players, but in a game like Paper Mario where the story shares almost an equal standing with the gameplay, that approach falls short.

[Your Vest Friend]

Have to admit, while most of the fighting looks pretty tedious some of it has made me amused.

I wouldn't have expected them to make you fight Kamek with flip-flops, at the very least.

[JezMM]

What's funny is that Super Mario Bros. was pretty much THE pioneering game for narrative in video games. Very, very few games had stories, and even fewer had "endings" back in those days. Even Donkey Kong, despite having a narrative, just looped round and round until you got a Game Over.

I dunno whether it's exclusively Miyamoto's idea, but if so it is the one thing he does that really irks me.

Edited November 8, 2012 by JezMM

[Rinzler]

Well I mean if you never played a PM game before, this might actually work out in your favor. If the game truly is lackluster, then going back to play the other 3 games after this one, will probably make the others seem much better compared to this one. So yeah, it won't be a bad game, but long-time fans like some of us here are gonna be disappointed, while most likely newcomers will probably love it. Give it a go I say!

Someone's uploading their playthrough of the game

Huh. The combat doesn't seem terrible in that vid. Then again I haven't played any other PM games.

[Tails spin]

But I ask you guys this... Is Miyamoto really the only one where the blame should be placed on? I say this because look at DKCR. Yes, its a well known fact that Miyamoto put his foot down in respect to the Kremlings, but out of that Retro was able to make a slight narrative with the new tiki enemies.

Also I know its too early to call but Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon seems to have alot of personality and a change of story, and that is a game that Miyamoto said he was personally overseeing. Unless he has a more critical eye when it comes to just Mario, I am seeing he is more forgiving on the other series (other than Zelda).

[Blue Blood]

But I ask you guys this... Is Miyamoto really the only one where the blame should be placed on?

Well, Miyamoto has spoken out against the a deep story in Mario games before. We can't say sure sure it's him, but this is an article from 2009 talking about Galaxy 2:

I’d like to go with as little story as possible. I’ve always felt that the Mario games themselves aren’t particularly suited to having a very heavy story.

I just feel that the Mario games are something that should be a much more bright and active experience. With the Mario games, you don't need to have such a complicated setting where you have these particular characters with complicated backstories that can weigh down the bright and fun feel of the game.

So it may or may not have been him this time around. Ultimately it doesn't matter too much whether it was one man's decision or that of a group. I'd just like to see it change already.

Edited November 9, 2012 by Blue Blood

[Your Vest Friend]

I do find it weird that PM:SS has so little story given that Bowser's Inside Story came out just three years ago and was a much fuller experience. Unless that's like on the very tip of the time when the stories got simplified.

From what I've seen so far, the plot is simply that the Royal Stickers have driven everyone who wears one absolutely loopy. Well, maybe Kamek will have a bigger role since he's apparently been planting some, but still.

[Mega]

I really hope that Intelligent Systems is able to make another Paper Mario that captures the scope of TTYD or, hell, even the first Paper Mario. This simplistic story really does sound like a letdown, even moreso when there aren't really any ties to past Paper Mario games.

TTYD had Bow and Bootler appear and an introduction that mirrored the first game's. It felt like a direct sequel, only grander. I haven't played SPM, but from what I hear, its story is gigantic, too.

But this sounds about as paper thin as a Mario platform game's story. And where the heck is Kammy?

[Your Vest Friend]

And where the heck is Kammy?

Probably replaced by Kamek. This game has been all over making the aesthetic feel more like a mainstream Mario game (eg. Dry Bones finally appear properly instead of the Dull Bones, Koopatrols aren't in the game AFAIK, Bowser Jr is in and Kamek takes Kammy's place as Bowser's magical advisor).

Edited November 9, 2012 by VEDJ-F

[Mega]

I find that a huge shame. :/ Part of what made both Paper Mario games so enjoyable was their unique spin on the Mario universe, from the inventive locales to the unique enemies faced throughout. TTYD cranked it up a notch with its many bosses from Hooktail to Smorg.

Given all these changes, I can't help but suspect meddling took place. u_u

[Toby]

or perhaps Intelligent Systems are just losing their touch.

[Phantomime]

or perhaps Intelligent Systems are just losing their touch.

Could be, but I'd be more inclined to believe that if a lot of other recent Mario games weren't following this unsavory trend.

[Your Vest Friend]

Huh, I wasn't aware Gooper Blooper was a thing after Super Mario Sunshine. But there he is, doing some pseudo-Flamenco dancing while he's at it. Yeah, they're definitely trying to get a mainstream game feel.

Also that Poisoned Woods sections looks really long and tedious...and this is likely just halfway through. Great...

[TrueBlue]

Well, Miyamoto has spoken out against the a deep story in Mario games before. We can't say sure sure it's him, but this is an article from 2009 talking about Galaxy 2:

So it may or may not have been him this time around. Ultimately it doesn't matter too much whether it was one man's decision or that of a group. I'd just like to see it change already.

I will say that I don't think he's wrong, especially when it comes to the platformers. It does seem a little strange that Sticker Star seems to be the first RPG to follow this trend.

[Nintendoga]

or perhaps Intelligent Systems are just losing their touch.

Don't forget, these are the same people that just made Fire Emblem: Awakening, another story-heavy franchise.

I'm a little uneasy saying it's meddling, (or more so Miyamoto) something is going on, and I'll wait until we see the Wii-U Paper Mario or the next Mario & Luigi game before saying it's Miyamoto's fault.

Maybe they threw back the story to focus on the new combat system? But then again reviews and Super Paper Mario say otherwise I guess.

[Blue Blood]

I will say that I don't think he's wrong, especially when it comes to the platformers. It does seem a little strange that Sticker Star seems to be the first RPG to follow this trend.

Eeh, see, I didn't see the slightest problem with the story's in Sunshine and Galaxy. In Sunshine it was a very typical, light story with a bit of substance. In Galaxy, it quite literally took a back seat by being in the story book that the player had to seek out. There's not a problem with either of those, is there?

[TrueBlue]

Eeh, see, I didn't see the slightest problem with the story's in Sunshine and Galaxy. In Sunshine it was a very typical, light story with a bit of substance. In Galaxy, it quite literally took a back seat by being in the story book that the player had to seek out. There's not a problem with either of those, is there?

[SchemingMinor]

Oh hello Birdo. What? Yeah, they kept another transsexual reference about you in.

[Nintendoga]

Final Boss + Ending

Are you kidding me

the final boss

Is a giant Bowser.

Again!

[Soniman]

That music is really sweet though.