Paper Mario: Sticker Star (3DS)

[MegasonicZX]

I haven't played this (yet), but I really want to. I've played Paper Mario TYD and it's AMAZING, but I'm slightly worried because I've heard some very mixed reviews for this. What worries me most though is that Sticker Star doesn't have companions., which for me were the highlight of TYD. What I want to know is, since I'm not a Paper Mario expert, is this game really for me or should I just get it when it's cheap?

I agree with the guy above me wait until its a bit cheaper (if you don't get much money) cause after playing this 40$ is a bit steep and I only got like 12 bucks back on it when I traded it in (at gamestop) so yeah I would wait till its cheaper. Also, in case anyone didn't know, paper mario 64 is available for 200 coins on club nintendo till march 10.

[Your Vest Friend]

Instead of just having a big Pokey and Blooper redesign them in the same vein as Petey Piranha.

 

Technically, the Blooper is a redesign in the same vein as Petey Piranha. In fact, Gooper Blooper has the same debut game as him, Super Mario Sunshine. 

[Conando]

Yeah, that Pokey is the only generic giant thing I remember in the game. Obviously, most of the bosses are just the leaders of a specific part of the Koopa Troop but, they're not just giant variants.

[Salamander]

I will accept, then, that they are technically already redesigns, but I will retain the right to think they aren't redesigned enough.  Much less recharacterised enough.

[Cola]

Oh my god this game is terrible why is this even a thing

Don't buy it

PLEASE don't buy it

I got it for $20 and I regret it immensely

Edited March 24, 2013 by Cola

[Komodin]

Oh my god this game is terrible why is this even a thing

Don't buy it

PLEASE don't buy it

I got it for $20 and I regret it immensely

 

Well, I wouldn't say that this game is terrible, so much as merely mediocre/meh ... which, admittedly, for a Paper Mario game, is rather disappointing, but still!

[Diogenes]

It's still better than SPM

[Nintendoga]

I dunno man, at least SPM had RPG elements, a debatably good story, likeable cast of characters, and never tried to hide the fact that it was a platformer.

SS just has no RPG elements (even though it touts itself to be one), the sticker mechanic is more troublesome then it's worth, and worst of all Luigi is reduced to cameos and Bowser has no lines.

Seriously though, I'd say SPM was more of a PM game then SS was easily.



 

[Soniman]

It's still better than SPM

Better at being a Paper Mario game maybe, as a game in general? Nah.

[Diogenes]

SPM was the most boring platformer with the lamest tacked-on RPG elements. The story was better, but it was a boring-ass game. Sticker Star has plenty of problems but at least there are solid RPG ideas in there and more gameplay than "jump on it".

[JezMM]

I think SPM and SS are polar opposites in terms of how to desecrate the Paper Mario formula.

 

 

Though desecrate is a strong word, I enjoyed both games.  Though I'll admit despite finding both a bit "whatever" gameplay-wise, between SPM and SS I know which one I couldn't put down to see more story and which one took me several weeks of on and off gameplay to finish.

[Carbo]

Paper Mario Sticker Star has some moments of brilliance and is mostly YMMV. Most of it's problems are down to awkward and bad design decisions which come and go.

Super Paper Mario is bland and samey almost all the way through with the only chapter anyone remembers being the last part of the fourth one. Two of the chapters are filled with artificial padding because they were running out of ideas and it reflects in how lazy all the new characters are. With the exception of Underwhere, every single world is tropey and uninspired as fuck. Story is it's only saving grace but it was clearly written for something better than the game was.

[Diogenes]

I think SPM and SS are polar opposites in terms of how to desecrate the Paper Mario formula.

This is basically true, yes.

[Your Vest Friend]

Paper Mario Sticker Star has some moments of brilliance and is mostly YMMV. Most of it's problems are down to awkward and bad design decisions which come and go.

Super Paper Mario is bland and samey almost all the way through with the only chapter anyone remembers being the last part of the fourth one. Two of the chapters are filled with artificial padding because they were running out of ideas and it reflects in how lazy all the new characters are. With the exception of Underwhere, every single world is tropey and uninspired as fuck. Story is it's only saving grace but it was clearly written for something better than the game was.

 

The fourth? But the alien plot was barely a thing!

 

Unless you meant the third...

[Carbo]

The game is so forgettable that I've forgotten the chapter orders

[Your Vest Friend]

I guess I just got more immersed in the story then, because I can remember them without reference with relative ease.

 

Granted, chapters 2 and 4 are still miserable excuses for chapters. Where's My Merlee and Brobot-L can't make up for the fact that those chapters were absolute snore-fests. 

 

The Bitlands and the Underwhere/Overthere were neat to me, and chapter 5 was decent, even if the characters were less distinct. 

[TrueBlue]

Oh my god this game is terrible why is this even a thing

Don't buy it

PLEASE don't buy it

I got it for $20 and I regret it immensely

 

How far are you into it?

[Cola]

How far are you into it?

 

I'm fighting the final boss as we speak. The last phase.

[Komodin]

Well, I guess there's at least one thing that we can all agree on with this game: Kersti is a rather useless helper character.

[-Mark-]

I haven't played this (yet), but I really want to. I've played Paper Mario TYD and it's AMAZING, but I'm slightly worried because I've heard some very mixed reviews for this. What worries me most though is that Sticker Star doesn't have companions., which for me were the highlight of TYD. What I want to know is, since I'm not a Paper Mario expert, is this game really for me or should I just get it when it's cheap?

 

The only other Paper Mario game I'd played before Sticker Star was the original, which I loved.

 

If you go in expecting it to hold even the tiniest of candles to the original or TTYD, you're going to be seriously disappointed.

 

Sticker Star is a horrible game full of awful design choices and frustrating gameplay mechanics. It's certainly not the worst game I've ever played, but it'd definitely one of the most disappointing. :/

[Nix]

Well, I guess there's at least one thing that we can all agree on with this game: Kersti is a rather useless helper character.

 

I think we can all agree that beating Kamek over the head with flip-flops is probably the greatest thing ever.

[Cola]

Welp, just beat the game.

 

I really did hate it, but there were parts that I enjoyed, like Snifit or Whiffit, the Sticker Museum, and the Enigmansion. But, at the same time, I liked it. It's got that Paper Mario charm.

 

It's a shame, really. It had tons of potential to be so much more.

 

 

Time to trade it in. I only got Sticker Star for $20, and Gamestop, as much as I detest their practices, has 30% extra trade in value towards Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon. I'll be covering my losses, and then some.

[TrueBlue]

You hate it and like it? Kinda sums up the game's reception if nothing else.

[Cola]

It got everything right EXCEPT for the gameplay, which in my eyes is the most important things. Sure, I preferred the original formula (partners, strong story, great cast of characters), but I had no problems with what this one had to offer. The writing, controls, music, graphics; they were all there. It's even got that classic Paper mario charm!

However, the game fell flat in the most important area: the game design. Most of the levels are filled with frustrating puzzles without obvious clues. Battles are useless for the most part; it's better to avoid them than to waste your stickers. Thing stickers are pretty overpowered for the most part. There are too many stickers and not enough album pages.

I could go on. Really, I could.

I'd also like to mention that Kersti's name should have been Kertsi instead. It's a pun! She's royalty, and curtsy and and it's still an anagram of sticker without the c

[JezMM]

It got everything right EXCEPT for the gameplay, which in my eyes is the most important things. Sure, I preferred the original formula (partners, strong story, great cast of characters), but I had no problems with what this one had to offer. The writing, controls, music, graphics; they were all there. It's even got that classic Paper mario charm!

However, the game fell flat in the most important area: the game design. Most of the levels are filled with frustrating puzzles without obvious clues. Battles are useless for the most part; it's better to avoid them than to waste your stickers. Thing stickers are pretty overpowered for the most part. There are too many stickers and not enough album pages.

I could go on. Really, I could.

I'd also like to mention that Kersti's name should have been Kertsi instead. It's a pun! She's royalty, and curtsy and and it's still an anagram of sticker without the c

 

Yeah but I believe her Japanese name was also a sticker punny name that, spoken aloud, was a real regular-people name too, like Kersti/Kersty.

 

I think we can all agree that beating Kamek over the head with flip-flops is probably the greatest thing ever.

 

In concept it's friggin' hilarious yeah.  But like every other boss in this game though, it's fucking annoying because you literally cannot prepare for it without knowing in advance that it's coming.

 

And like... the fact that you literally cannot attack him when he's in the air - you have to just choose a sticker to throw away, is ridiculous.  What part of that game design is "fun".

 

I'm also bitter because there should have been a Save Point after the final encounter with him.  You can save by leaving the castle and going back to the map, but there's no inclination to do so, again unless you know in advance what's going to happen, because EVERY big boss beforehand has had a save block before it.

Edited March 25, 2013 by JezMM