Paper Mario's Not-So-Secret Glue

[@mak_707]

The most consistent part about "Mario RPG" is the Hammer.

[@BeanoNintendo]

And, even then, the Rabbids games don't have it

[@ExplodingCherrim]

@@BeanoNintendo the first one still does with the hammer in both marios' skill trees. not sure about the second one though.

[@KirbingusThe64rd]

@@ExplodingCherrimyeah, in Kingdom Battle it’s used by both Mario’s, but there’s (sadly) no Hammer in Sparks of Hope

[@Raisei-with-an-ak47]

The hammers seem more similar to mallets

[@the_slime_cat]

Also the jump.

[@Celticers]

i wish the people working on Paper Mario games would see this video, because Paper Mario without the partners is not a very enjoyable Paper Mario, imo

[@i_am_a_dot]

From my perspective the series kind of became a testing ground for new RPG ideas after TTYD. But none of those ideas were as successful as the partner system (imo). I think a greater issue with Sticker Star and Color Splash is that the new battle system (which while a cool idea) isn't as fun and fine-tuned as the one they had originally. It's easy to point to their lack of partners and say that their absence is the problem - but really those games don't *need* partners. From my perspective, Origami King tried to remedy this by including partners, even those it's ring battles didn't need them. Such is the life of a Paper Mario fan...

[@ShiaTheBunnyGirl]

@@i_am_a_dot The thiing with color splash is that genuinely I think its a cool game. If nintendo remastered it with a better battle system and brought back the partner system I think it'd be a contender for one of the better mario rpgs!

[@ShuckleShellAnemia]

@@i_am_a_dotthis is one of the most reasonable takes on Sticker Star ever. It drives me mad when people say “just add partners to Sticker Star” when clearly it was going for something else and its issues were largely because their experimental ideas needed more refinement. That said, Sticker Star did have a lot of major issues that I’m willing to talk about. But criticizing it for being different is just insulting to a series whose high notes are themselves a result of experimental gameplay.

[@KyleDavis328]

One of the issues with later Paper Mario is that it seemed like Nintendo felt that two separate RPG subseries for Mario was too much, so Mario & Luigi (the one that literally had RPG is the title in regions other than North America) kept the RPG going on the portable systems where RPGs were abundant and well loved, and Paper Mario took the backburner and started experimenting and settling on a more casual style. But with the bankruptcy and closure of AlphaDream in 2020, it seems like Nintendo might be more willing to test the waters with other Mario RPGs, starting with the two remakes. I certainly hope that the success of the Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario The Thousand-Year Door remakes on Switch shows the execs at Nintendo that this is exactly the kinds of games the fans want, and hopefully they'll greenlight a new Paper Mario sequel from Intelligent Systems in the style of the older RPGs as a true successor to TTYD... Of course this is all just hopes and dreams...

[@MegaMacX]

@@i_am_a_dot In my opinion, the later Paper Mario games had 3 big issues (never played origami king, so i cant compare that): - Too much paper. The first, TTYD and even Super "barely" tapped into the whole paper asthetic. Sure, it looked like paper and even used the fact that it was paper. But then when sticker star rolled around the game was basicly just all around paper. Paper-puns, paper powers, paper dialogue, paper problems, paper... everything. It was no longer Mario's Story, just... paper. - No reason to fight. Since Super Paper Mario was basicly just a sidescroller ofc there was no need to fight every single enemy, but even in sticker star and color splash, there was no real reason to fight at all (except bosses or unavoidable battles). In sticker star the only reason to fight was to get money, to buy more stickers, to fight more, to get more money, to buy more stickers... which was basicly the same problem colorsplash had just in a different way. There was no difference between fighting vs not fighting. - The same issue i found with Mario & Luigi, especially in the remakes: toadification & unpersonalisation. The first games had all kinda of races living somewhere in the world we played in. And even in Toad Town of the first game, sure, there were a lot of toads, but even then almost every toad was a bit different than the other. Like the Toad(ette) tending to the flower field, Taste T., the dojo master or the conductor toads. After a while, the games were just full of toads, default look, sometimes the colors got changed, but nothing else. The total collaps was for me when Paper Jam rolled around and except toadette every single toad was the same. Also other races were basicly reduced to just being enemies again after the first games gave goombas, koopas, bob-ombs etc such a different perspecitve than just to be "things" mario has to jump on.

[@adamkahmann2937]

This is the best video explaining the appeal of Paper Mario I have ever seen. I often struggle to find the words to express it, but "strategical thinking" is really the best way to put it. Paper Mario isn't a game where you mash A to win, you actually have to think before acting.

[@voltron77]

Especially in the first one where you can’t super guard everything.

[@adamkahmann2937]

@@voltron77 I was also thinking the same thing haha

[@i_am_a_dot]

Thanks for checking the video out! Really glad you enjoyed it! There really isn't much out there like the first two Paper Mario games! I guess that's why they're still so beloved 20+ years later

[@KyleDavis328]

@@i_am_a_dot Bug Fables gets close, but at least for me it never captured the magic.

[@abra_escaped]

​@@voltron77even then the superguard window is so short that you should only really go for it if you're familiar with the timing of the enemy's attacks

[@GeebzGBZ]

I find it funny how this video simultaneously explains why quick change is by far the best badge in paper mario, turns the partner action into anything you need it to be.

[@VonFirflirch]

Then again, it unfortunately kind of hurts the concept of Partners with pro and cons when you can have all their pros with none of their cons.

[@GeebzGBZ]

@@VonFirflirch in TTYD the con is eating a large amount of BP, and each partner still has their own HP there, it's a side grade to the experience, in my opinion. In 64 however it does hurt the game a bit.

[@DefinitivNichtSascha]

Were I to design Quick Change for a new Paper Mario entry, I'd make it so it costs FP to use it, like Double Dip. Wanna change partner but you can spare a turn? Good, use it without FP. Need to switch to a different Partner immediately? Great, spend some FP to quick change.

[@GeebzGBZ]

@@DefinitivNichtSascha if it went back to being 4bp, and it cost 1fp to activate quick change on the turn, I think that'd be pretty fair, yeah.

[@Sharpteeth32]

For sure, the partners are such an integral part of the Paper Mario formula. The idea that Mario goes on an adventure with a colorful cast of familiar yet distinct group of characters is so charming and creative. I'd say my favorite partner in 64 is Goombario. While technically not the best in terms of combat practicality, he was the OG partner, and I just love how he's Mario's biggest fan and admirer. Seriously great video, man, and I love the editing and artwork. Top quality stuff.

[@Oldney]

A uniquely styled, tight, polished video about my favorite game? You better believe that's a subscribe.

[@i_am_a_dot]

Awesome! Thanks for the sub!

[@artsykero]

This guy gets it, this is what has always been the appeal and force of progression of paper mario games, *THE PARTNERS* Nintendo failed to see this, and i can only hope this is reverted back as the standard after TTYD remake

[@TheBriceisright938]

Now talk about ttyd’s not-so-secret glue

[@i_am_a_dot]

😉

[@StyleSnivy]

Isn’t it mostly the same glue? Just polished up a bit?

[@xdCloudxd1996]

@@StyleSnivy the secret glue is love ;)

[@PsychoSpartan7]

Backtracking?

[@StyleSnivy]

@@PsychoSpartan7 that’s more sticker star. Though maybe nobody has finished that game to realize how awful the backtracking there is. I guess there’s better things to complain about there anyway….

[@Ezel17]

I really love your take on partners being the heart of the game. If you pay attention, that's also reinforced in the game cover art. The first impression you get of the game is not Mario either being the star or battling enemies to rescue princess Peach, but rather Mario being helped by Parakarry. For me, it's a clear reminder that this is not just Mario's story on its own.

[@theaddictofgaming9174]

Honestly, this is the main reason I couldn't get into bug fables. Sure, they have all the interesting over world abilities and interesting battle dynamics I'd expect between the three leads, but the episodic charm of meeting new people and helping an area is instead this really serialized adventure with a consistent cast

[@xxProjectJxx]

I actually preferred that about Bug Fables. That cast in that game was way more developed than Paper Mario's characters. The character interactions were so much richer than anything in Paper Mario, and a bunch of new allies would have muddied that. But, I think the consequence is that Bug Fables kind of ends up repetitive from a gameplay perspective. Once you find a basic strategy that works, practically every battle will boil down to doing the same thing over and over.

[@OriginalGameteer]

The consistent cast is why I greatly prefer Bug Fables to 64/TTYD. Frankly, barring Vivian none of Mario's partners really mean anything narrative-wise if you ask me. If any even HAVE character arcs it's before they join you officially (barring Koops). They're fun characters sure, but they barely leave any real impressions on me ultimately because of this. They're just... there for 90% or so of their screentime. It's why I find Kabbu, Vi, and Lief to be significantly more compelling and memorable. The course of the game is them growing and changing, you see other parts to their story as the game progresses onwards. I'd say it's also why I have fonder memories of Tippi, Huey, and Olivia. Even if they contribute barely anything gameplay wise, they still left a greater impression on me overall

[@theaddictofgaming9174]

@@OriginalGameteer I'm really glad you guys like Bug Fables. I wish I liked it too. It's just ultimately not for the same audience as Paper Mario.

[@kiddkd7242]

I fall in the prefers Bug Fable’s consistent cast group. That main cast was way more memorable than most of the partners. Like, I love Kooper for example, but he doesn’t do much after his chapter and that’s basically the case for every character. Also the writing in that game is top notch! Definetly scratched the classic Paper Mario itch that I needed after replaying the first 2 a bunch lol.

[@strangefishman7635]

as much as i prefer paper mario to bug fables, i do wish partners did more after their "intro chapter"

[@DisableYT]

Wow, really great video! I've always loved the elegance of the jump and hammer. They're kind of like elemental attacks, functionally, but their strengths and weaknesses are really intuitive. Most RPG elemental weaknesses and resistances feel kind of arbitrary. You just have to look at an enemy's design and determine if it looks like it might be weak to ice or something. But in the case of the jump and hammer, what they can and can't do is just an extension of those moves' basic properties. It's so smart, and it's something I haven't found replicated in any other RPG series.

[@Commander-peepers]

Why did this video almost make me cry? I grew up with the new paper Mario games, but still only having beating this game only twice, I kinda started getting emotional at the end. Can’t wait to see what you’re making next 👍

[@aneonfoxtribute]

Playing the TTYD remake, and this actually holds for TTYD as well. I never noticed it befor,e but after watching this video, I'm noticing it now. Like in Hooktail's Castle, there are flying enemies, spiked enemies, and enemies with defense. Koops can't handle the flying enemies, and Goombella can't handle the enemies with spikes or defense, so Mario is once again left to pick up the slack for the partner he doesn't choose because he can attack all of them.

[@Vieislost]

This is why flurrie stands out as a terrible battle partner, because by the time you get her, Goombella can deal with everything she can and much better, by the time she's upgraded you most likely have vivian or your yoshi who does her job better. There is no reason to pick flurrie over everyone else, because she has a attribute that every other partner can do better.

[@kingcrimson2643]

​@@Vieislost Flurrie is actually really good against bosses and the pit. Dogdy Fog is real useful if you can get the timing down.

[@AlexanderTheGrey]

I recently plugged in my childhood N64 with my old copy and was blown away to be greeted by me and my brothers 20 year old save file 😢

[@vulcanraven9701]

That's awesome. Goes to show how well built the n64 was

[@BurnabyBoyZippy]

This game is so beloved, and all the creators want to do is move away from it, as far as possible. It's so sad. Great video man.

[@AndratVO]

TTYD quite literally *just* got a remake, which is selling better than Origami King. I think they’re considering going back to this

[@TrixieMatteI]

@@AndratVOThey’re probably not going back to this. They’ve known for decades that this format is loved, but Nintendo likes try new things out, and for the most part it works (look at the last 4 mainline Zelda games). That being said, I wish they’d just stick with this format on paper Mario lol.

[@elijahkeay3906]

I love how you explained this in the video. Paper Mario may be “simple” in some ways compared to other RPGs, but the low damage numbers and simple combat allow the player to make decisions that are entirely thought out. Battles are often puzzles that the player often doesn’t even realize that they are solving. I’ve never thought of it as being so dependant on the partners but you’re totally right

[@megascopsasio2015]

How charming!! The paper cutout style is just perfect!

[@asdasd-dx6hc]

I always liked Paper Mario 64's gameplay mechanics but couldn't really put a finger on why. This video explains it very well.

[@Twisted_Logic]

Concise, well-produced, and has something both original and insightful to say? This is the best video essay I've seen in a long time. And some love for Paper Mario 64, which is so often overshadowed by its younger brother, is just the cherry on top! I've thought way too much about these games and their mechanics over the years, but even I hadn't noticed just how well the pacing of introducing new partners and enemies complimented each other in allowing for more and more complex decision making as the game goes on while maintaining the simple mechanics.

[@archaicnoise]

this guy gets game design. break down the available player actions into easily defined categories and then analyze them based on how the player interacts with the game in order to avoid the obstacles put in front of them. great video essay A+ work

[@joeseph2258]

There is so much love and care put in to your video. I can see why I was recommended it. As someone who first played Paper Mario 64 while growing up, this really hits home. The partners in this game feel like childhood friends that I look fondly back on every now and then. Thanks for making this great video!

[@tylerhughes9090]

So hope Paper Mario gets a remake, definitely deserves it !

[@AugustBurnsSam]

Paper Mario 64 was like, the first game I reaaally got into as a kid. I had a spiral notebook where i wrote down all the secrets and recipes and things. The series really holds a special place in my heart. Phenomenal video. I've been considering trying to emulate Paper Mario in a TTRPG and this video will serve a great resource. Subbed!

[@culases]

Clicked on this video to have my positive bias about the mechanics of the partners in these games reinforced. I finished it a little teary eyed??? The way you talk about the simple, but incredibly effective characters, is so sweet! Great video.

[@i_am_a_dot]

Thank you for watching! I'll admit I got really emotional while replaying the game for this video. I think it's really special that this game can have that kind of effect on so many people!

[@kyleowsen]

Cannot get over how cute the partner drawings are.

[@thewanderingchelmet]

This is probably one of the best edited videos I have ever seen.

[@Forg0-Nan0]

I think thats why sticker star is so hated, its just so devoid of unique characters and feels empty

[@elsamarks8477]

I appreciate you adding Mario+Rabbids in with the other RPGs, there is like a 50% chance a KZbinr won’t mention it, and I think that’s a shame! Both are incredible and belong in the grand Mario RPG tradition

[@Color_Splsh]

No. I think sticker star is hated because its story is shallow, its battle system poorly thought out, and its overworld exploration confusing and contrived. Yes, unique characters would add charm to a game, but charm does not a good game make. Adding partners and making every NPC unique would not "fix" sticker star. And vice versa! Making every character in ttyd into generic looking Mario characters wouldn't turn it into a bad game. Color splash and origami king fixed almost all of the issues sticker star had (except the battle system), and that's why they have a lot of new age fans today.

[@1un4cy]

I also fuckin hate fighting office supplies

[@danyosuna7276]

It's hated because it's fking Bad. Nothing works on that Game.

[@colonel1003]

Wow uploaded on May 15th, the same day I started playing Paper Mario for the first time in almost two decades. Last time I played it was in 2005 or 6, lost it sadly. The file select menu song is still one of the most calming songs I’ve ever heard.

[@Gewitt]

I’ve been a paper Mario content glutton for a the last few weeks leading up to TTYD remake. Thanks for helping scratch that itch! This was great!

[@retro356]

The way you presented everything was really clean and well done, great video

[@toniv4903]

I never played Paper Mario as a youngin, TTYD was my first Mario RPG. I played 64 for the first time on the Switch and it’s amazing to see how much they got right and how well this game holds up!

[@TheXPR3]

Just wanted to say that this was a LOVELY video. I appreciate your visuals and breakdown if enemy types! I never used Parakarry in Dry Dry Ruins and formed a completely diff strategy bc it didn't occur to me!! Which shows just how flexible the game can be and give Mario the right tools for almost any partner to work! Definitely subscribing!!

[@mostafabalboul3966]

The stylized drawings of the paper partners are the icing on the cake with this video 👌🏻 fantastic analysis, it opened my eyes to yet another reason I love chapter 2 so much

[@professionalkek8937]

Love the editing and the commentary! You explained everything really well and made these cute cut outs. Thank you. As a big fan of the Mario RPGs, this means a lot to me

[@kingknight_real]

Great video! Paper Mario is among my favorite games ever, and the simple yet deep combat system makes it easy to start strategizing. If you really like the concept of covering character’s blind spots in Paper Mario, I implore you to play Bug Fables! There’s no partner switching, but there is heavy emphasis on doing as much as you can with a single turn while having characters cover each other’s weaknesses!

[@i_am_a_dot]

Thanks for watching! Bug Fables has been on my Steam wishlist for literally years. Might have to check it out!

[@kingknight_real]

@@i_am_a_dot You also mentioned that you like the characters in Paper Mario for the fact they have personalities, right? I think you’ll love the chemistry between the cast of Bug Fables. All the characters you control have pretty deep backstories and very lovable personalities!

[@i_am_a_dot]

@@kingknight_real Nice! Yeah that seems like something that would be right up my alley. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@rafadalcin4526]

I love that while being a veteran in this game I still watch videos explaining how the game works lol

[@SugaredEdits]

Excellent video, but I just wanted to say how charming the editing is 🥺 Everyone talks about TTYD so it’s nice to see my favorite of the games get talked about. Made me think about how the game influenced my way of thinking when I play harder games: I have friends always comment on how I’m always minmaxing for a situation…was it this basic system that taught me to think so critically…? 🤔

[@YellowpowR]

I didn't want this video to end.

[@HatInLime]

Honestly I prefer the simpler, smaller numbers of the Paper Mario battle system to more complex RPGs. More complicated doesn't always mean better- I enjoy being able to plan out my next moves, especially when moving through the game avoiding as many non-required battle encounters as possible, some of the bosses can become genuinely challenging- Planning out your next moves ahead of time and executing them successfully, barely beating the battle by your last HP point just as calculated is extremely satisfying. Paper Mario isn't a baby RPG, it's a different kind of RPG. Not to mention it modulates difficulty extremely well, like- If a younger player is struggling on a boss they're on, they will have the option to grind out lesser battles to gain XP and get stronger- Wheras a veteran player on a repeat playthrough will naturally be skilled enough with the movement to skip many non-required fights, and so the boss fights will naturally get harder.

[@Tiwill]

Yep. It's easier to do math with smaller numbers; like if an enemy's max health is 8 and you deal 3 damage per hit, you know for a fact that you'll have to attack three times to defeat it, or you can defeat it in two hits if you use something that increases your damage by 1. Those decisions are very fun to make in an RPG, and we don't necessarily need massive damage numbers to experience that fun. Though, larger numbers can suit other games; dealing 9999 damage is super iconic in Octopath for example.

[@HatInLime]

@@Tiwill Yea it really just depends on the game and what it's going for, really

[@SubSpaceKing]

Very well point on, I didn't think much about the party members to Paper Mario 64 as the lose alot of their story charm and dialogue upon joining you. But they do fill in the battle roles well as you said. I have more fond memories of the TTYD partners like Goombella, Koops, and Flurrie. They continue to evolve and grow in the story and get more interaction with the plot, plus their backstories add to their charm. Like Vivian standing up to the abuse she takes from her sisters and Bobbery mourning his late-wife. They also, fill in the roles similar to that of the Paper Mario 64 partners, but in different ways.

[@AverageT]

This was one of the greatest Mario related videos I’ve seen in a while, fantastic job :)

[@DaNintendude]

I think this is fascinating to look at from the perspective of how The Origami King handled partners. The Origami King stripped away basically every main point talked about in this video. And it was probably for the better, given that the battle system would've been complicated by the addition of another character to control and take note of. Now, I don't really like the game's battle mechanics, but it's notable that partners were not in mind when they were developed. And the way partners are integrated into the story goes against the point that "Goombario could leave at any time." Professor Toad stayed behind to continue his studies. Kamek got left behind near the end of his own chapter. Bobby... finished his character arc. And I think the interesting thing is that it works better this way. They saw how people missed the partners, so they brought them back. But they had to do so in a way that fit the game they wanted to make. And while there's next to no gameplay aspects to them, they're built into the stories of the chapters fantastically. Bobby isn't just a partner of Chapter 2. He's a main character. And I think that's something future Paper Mario games should take inspiration from. I want Paper Mario to return to the gameplay format of PM64 and TTYD-- or perhaps switch to real-time action if they continue to reject RPG gameplay, And I want partners to be uniquely designed and have interesting gameplay functions like they used to. But story-wise? Origami King did a great job. And it's a shame that the characters had to be restricted how they were.

[@DaNintendude]

I do think Sticker Star could've had partners and benefited from them. I think Color Splash complicated the battle system a little too much, but Sticker Star is simple enough that I think it could work. My idea would be to restrict certain stickers to certain partners. Ya know how Kooper is basically just a hammer attack? Well a shelled partner in Sticker Star would only be able to use hammer stickers. All of them would be able to use item stickers, as well as some random oddballs that would make sense to play into special attacks. They could have simple overworld abilities for puzzles, fun & short character arcs that play into the areas you visit, and add a bit more strategy to battles.

[@volvoman5262]

To be fair tho, withound those restrictions, Bobby woud never be created Neither the main villian too

[@Snaps12345]

Meh. I feel like partners were forced in so they can say Origami King has partners. And this is part of a bigger problem with Origami King. Its combat system at the core is a puzzle game and you can tell by how little the partners, items and equipment actually matter. If you just solve the puzzles correctly, youre perfectly fine with using only base jump and hammer, never giving any partner a turn and never using an item. So no, I dont think partners work well in Origami King. Atleast not from a gameplay perspective. They are more like a side kick character like Olivia with some mistake mitigation sometimes I guess

[@ruscribbles]

Between the visuals, the design, the sound mixing and the content of what you're taking about as well, the video quality on this is insane! Not to mention the clear love you have for this game; it's such a classic that every new video covering it is always fun to see. You've earned yourself a subscriber for sure. I can absolutely see this channel doing amazing things in the future and I'm so stoked to see you grow as a creator ❤❤❤!!!

[@shadow838290]

This game I played and beat in the early 2000's. When i bought the game at a Game Crazy, I got made fun of by the employees saying hope you enjoy the paper. Little did they know i did :) Awesome video! I enjoyed what you had to talk about.

[@untoages]

The animations and visual aids really make this video awesome. Great work!

[@Oldtowncop]

This video is so amazing. I’ve played through Paper Mario so many time and have NEVER thought of it like this.

[@RedMage8BT]

This is precisely why Super Paper Mario couldn't have had a similar partner system even if it had tried. It was such a mechanically different game that it couldn't have replicated anything resembling this sort of dynamic. Given that, I think it did the best it could.

[@KOkami03]

Hopefully, Nintendo is taking the sales of TTYD HD as a wake up call that "The partners need to make a come back!".

[@lonkbubba1766]

This editing and presentation is actually insanely good. Paper Mario is my latest hyper fixation, so this video is very enjoyable to me. Keep making these videos, you have serious potential.

[@MisterZebra42]

This is phenomenal. Incredibly charming and readable graphics, flawless editing, and a perfectly stated argument to tie it together. Where did you come from???

[@bradymeeks65]

Great video! Love the color pencil style drawings used of the characters!

[@mrbluesky1115]

Love your video essay!! This was my first rpg and introduction to the genre. Definitely have a soft spot for it :)

[@Michafrar]

Wonderful job with the visuals and diagrams, this really adds to the video and really gets your point across very well

[@tastethepainbow]

Speaking from my heart, I always preferred the designs of this game. Don't get me wrong, TTYD's partners and NPCs are fantastic, but some of them definitely feel a little overdesigned, bordering on Deviantart OC at times, and I don't think I even need to explain SPM, which was so far removed from Mario in general that I can kinda see why Nintendo was so restrictive after this game (not that I hate these designs at all, but you can tell that it was in a very experimemtal place). PM64's designs, on the other hand, managed to hit that perfect balance of "simple, but distinctive". I can say the same about the game as a whole, actually, and that's why it's so comfy to me and will always be my favorite Paper Mario, even if I think TTYD is technically better.

[@i_am_a_dot]

"Simple but distinctive." I really like that description! I go back and forth on which one if my favorite. TTYD strikes a balance between the traditional Mario aesthetic and the insanity that is SPM, which is probably a big reason why it resonates with so many people. But I do really like how the first Paper Mario wasn't trying to "break the mold." It played to its strengths style, gameplay, and writing-wise.

[@strangefishman7635]

Super Paper Mario character designs are the best in the series don't @ me

[@DaNintendude]

I totally agree! I tend to give TTYD's characters a pass, because, even though they're overdesigned, they are visually interesting and not super cluttered. There are tons of fan designs that just baffle me because of how overboard they go, but TTYD has somehow found the perfect edge of what looks nice. PM64's designs are much more in-line with other Mario games, and they're still appealing and recognizable. TTYD gave the characters better personalities, but PM64 gave them more grounded designs.

[@Tiwill]

I adore TTYD as well, but yeah. 64 is pure soul. The sprites were actually given a bit more care; you can tell with Mario in particular, when you win a battle he does an iconic finger wag and readjusts his hat. In TTYD he just stands there. Also it's subtle, but the art style was different in 64 in a way I thought was a bit more charming and consistent. Small details, but still.

[@DaNintendude]

@@TiwillI think a good example of this is just looking at how the PM64 partners look in the TTYD/SPM artstyle. There were pretty subtle design quirks to each of the partners that ended up being lost in the transition. Kooper just looks like any other TTYD/SPM Koopa, for example.

[@odinmanders556]

This was such an incredibly satisfying and fun video. Your art, your editing and how well you have made it clear that the partners are the life and blood of Paper Mario has made me a fan of you right away. Its these 8 companions of Mario that always made me so intrested to play the original Paper Mario and once it got added to Switch online and I finished it I can safely say it was one of the most charming and wonderfull Mario expierences out there. Each and every partner is a character I can say I like when it comes to their character and I love how you highlighted that at the end after your very well put together explenation about what they all add to the gameplay of the game. I would love to see a breakdown of ttyd sometime if you think there is anything left to say about the partners of the sequel after this video. Either way I look forward to see more of you.

[@jinkleburg]

Fantastic video. This is my favorite childhood game and I’ve never thought of how certain levels are designed to be partner-driven vs Mario-driven. Love the editing and vibe of the video too. Would love to hear your thoughts on TTYD and its design too.

[@LaCazaLP]

You know. you usually dont expect THIS level of High Tier Editing when clicking on a KZbin video that 9 days old and has only 13k views... But my god. This dude HAS to blow up.

[@MentosLover87]

I absolutely love this editing style that you use, such a high-quality video!!!

[@haydenhouts]

What a great video! It’s so “stylish” and well thought out! Definitely subscribing!

[@DeathByAnvil]

Not a direct comparison but it reminds me somewhat of the way dqxi lets your party members use different weapons, so you have to build your hero based off what your party members lack.

[@DDKoD]

To correct you on something, Parakarry actually CAN hurt Spiked enemies due to Shell shot, as well as high def enemies

[@ANS1E]

I think he was referring to what they can do without using FP

[@DDKoD]

@@ANS1E he mentioned Bow’s and Sushie’s first special moves so he wasn’t

[@MrBlue11900]

I was thinking that until he mentioned Susie's special ability ​@@ANS1E

[@lemoncakestudios3031]

Oh this video is so good. The editing is cozy and really matches Paper Mario’s aesthetic (not to mention it’s just incredibly artistic in its own right). I love how you break down the partners and how they contribute to the game. It’s complexity truly is in it’s simplicity. This video is amazing and I’d love to see you make a full on video about the game in this style! Well done and God bless. I’m gonna go play Paper Mario now 😄

[@ChristianJiang]

2:54 Lol front-facing Paper Mario looks so cute

[@SonofMrPeanut]

Too, if there were no partners, it would just be a pattern of "Mario's turn" and then waiting for multiple enemies to go just for one more turn. A partner alleviates this potential tedium, gives you a character to get attached to and, along w/ the strategic benefits mentioned, makes the game more fun. Luigi brings a similar benefit in the M&L series.

[@Prof_Granpuff]

I enjoyed watching this video; it was very interesting to hear from someone who really appreciates the mechanics of the game. I love this game (and TTYD) predominantly for its partners as well, although I'd have to put the characterization/story elements of them way ahead of any of the strategy. I'm glad we can all like different parts of the same thing!

[@Torraduke]

The lack of partners to future entries after TTYD did more harm than good honestly.

[@connorwalker8927]

3:20 I’ve rewatched the next 5 seconds so many times. This is GREAT editing.

[@LNVA3]

Beautiful video! This game is one of my all-time favorites c: Absolutely love the visuals and how you explained the mechanical shortcomings of each partner while promoting their importance to the overall gameplay. I would love more videos in this style :D Awesome work.

[@gavinwightman4038]

The partners all have enemy counterparts, making the paper mario world seem more personal. Having some goombas be friendly is a nice touch

[@Deepstab1]

The main thing that made the first mario rpg interesting its the ability to explore the mario world in a way normal platform games dont let you, seeing what lies beyond ghe mushroom kingdom guves a sense of depth to the world but if you make any interaction feel generic then that feeling of depth goes away, the partnerts not only look unique they each give even if a minor difference in POV when you have them around

[@nwz6084]

1.- Mario can hit ceiling enemies with Quake Hammer. Quake Hammer is relevant throughout the entire game both as an answer and as a strong AoE tool. 2.- Bombette hits with the "explosion" property. Undead (dry bones, etc) and other specific enemies are weak to this 3,- Sushi has water property, effective versus Fire enemies. There's also an Ice property badge, which also makes mario attacks hit fire enemies and be effective against them. 4.- Quick Badge really alleviates decision making with no opportunity cost. Granted, it is your choice to equip it or not, same with challenge-increasing badges like Double Pain. In practice, the partners don't really dictate the behavior much thanks to party customization. But that's ok. Because the player chooses his parameters at the end of the day.

[@Kyoko_]

This video was amazing. The pic of all the partners at the end of the vid is so cute too.

[@elijahstrohmann6196]

these drawings are sick

[@Hutch2Much]

i think this is why i dropped origami king, and then binged through TTYD. things are just so much more interesting with a group of partners, each with their own personality and charm

[@espelhodasconstelacoes]

Magnificent content my brother, God bless! Love to see people talk about the underrated first game

[@halfdecentstrange]

I love how South Park: The Stick of Truth used the systems from the original paper mario games.

[@iamLI3]

yes exactly right on everything , in a not-back-handed way paper mario is the beginner rpg , or perhaps to give it it's proper accolades , the best beginner rpg ever

[@daniellelondon439]

Paper Mario TTYD was my first RPG as well. I never was able to get ahold of the first one, but this series is probably one of the things that cemented my love of this genere. And as we all now know, without partners the Paper Mario story falls apart.

[@Wezla]

I keep running into your videos by chance and they're always visually stunning while making a clear salient point. Things that are very rare in this saturated video essay space. Subscribed, keep it up man!

[@BananaR777]

It's like a mix of platforming and rpg. smrpg started out with time button presses for each attack to grant more damage while in the overworld had some areas with platformering.

[@halfyou]

amazing video, the editing and polish are top notch! will definitely be subscribing to see what’s next! :]

[@Optimal60]

Your channel is ridiculously underrated?? This is a high quality video with fresh insights I hadn’t put together in twenty years of appreciating this game, snappy graphics, and doesn’t talk the ear off. Looking forward to great things

[@gdrgsgdgdfsfgrgdfh]

What a great explanation of why this is one of my favorites videogames of all times. Thank you ❤

[@Phoenix58803]

I was expecting the video to say “for the most part, you’re going to have to use one partner for quite a bit at a time. Or you can just use quick change, I don’t know, whatever works for you.

[@FallafelWaffle]

"It never talks down to the player, telling them what to do" Wait until he finds out about sticker star "The characters are... characters" Wait until he finds out about Pixls

[@saladplainzone]

Really great video!! I'm replaying PM64 right now, actually, getting ready for TTYD. I have to ask though, is this a reupload? I swear I remember watching the segment from 10:49 onwards before, but maybe it's just weird deja vu shenanigans

[@Fritzafella]

I adore seeing art forms through this lens of "What is the focus." I'd played Paper Mario, and loved em to death (esp ttyd) Whenever prompted I just said, "Battling is fun." Now I see its the way you must always play around limitations, there never is one best solution, and you are always, ALWAYS, trying to come up with better solutions in an inuitive system.

[@LucasLima-sb6cp]

Not this video making me emotional 🥲

[@violetshadowstone5250]

I hope they see this and *remake Paper mario 1 as well!*

[@Darakudemon]

It helps that all of them are also flawed in some way at the start and through the journey they grow together. I really wish there was more partner interaction as a whole group seeing them all talk to each other about whats been happening.

[@SSL26]

Your editing on this is top notch. Great video man!

[@MountainFudgecake27]

Another game that does this well is the recent persona games. The partners you choose determine what elemental affinities you are lacking and what types of moves you have access to in different fights. It makes choosing how you make your MC operate have to synergize instead of just minmax damage

[@door-chan]

Megidolaon:

[@TipiX_il_piu_TopiX]

​@@door-chanto be fair, Megidolaon don't do so much damage, by being an attack without a: " *element* increase " passive move, and without having Weakness to hit, it's like TTYD's Supernova, but a weaker normal move that still cost a ton of FP (or in Persona case, SP)

[@door-chan]

@@TipiX_il_piu_TopiX almighty damage does have passive boosting skills though, I don't know what made you think it doesn't, and most bosses have no weaknesss anyway. why do you think the dlc izanagi no okami is op in both p5r and p3r? almighty damage

[@TipiX_il_piu_TopiX]

@@door-chan not gonna lie, i never heared about an Amp/Boost move for Almighty damage and i had to search it up for 5 minutes for finding it in the wiki- So yeah, fair point, but still the point was that no character in particular is focused on using Almighty skill (Naoto have every element + Almighty, but mostly insta kill attacks, and Akechi use Curse the most) and since there is no enemy weak to Almighty (since his purpose is to be a neutral move) it fits perfectly as a Special Attack in TTYD for example, an attack that hit everyone no matter what, while the other characters do have different element that make them good in different dungeons and against different enemies, like they do in Paper Mario with the type of enemies / type of attack system, while Mario (just like a Persona protagonist, on the 3 onward i mean) can use everything, but need the support of the others to be really complete and ready to fight and make strategies. I didn't want this to escalate in an internet argument, i'm sorry.

[@TipiX_il_piu_TopiX]

@@door-chan oh god i only just realised now you are called Door-Chan, for god sake-

[@MindForgedManacle]

This is some really good video production.

[@hedgehogpower194]

This was such a cute video talking about the importance of the partners

[@abbiepancakeeater52]

this is such a high quality video, especially for only 3.4k subscribers!

[@gregosaurusgames]

Blown away by the visuals and editing on this! Super impressive video sir! I totally agree, partners are the most vital aspect to the Paper Mario experience. Hoping they make a grand return one day 🤞🏼

[@sonicgamer178]

I love this video! I just finished replaying Paper Mario 64 after like 6+ years and basically blind. I went in with smarter strategies for battles with my badge setups, plus I got so immersed in the world and its characters that I accidentally did a 100% run (minus the dishes which I got 25/50 cooked) and loved it. Also using goombario's tattle in every room and npc reveals some funny interactions like kooper finding goombario's taste in ravens weird or goombario having a bit of a crush on some characters in toad town lol. I really wish the other partners got more screentime, Spike just doesn't get much screentime in general which is a shame.

[@jedisalsohere]

i don't think there's really a "wrong way" to play most games, but i definitely played this game wrong. i completely ignored badges and just upgraded my hp so that i could ignore all these clever systems and just tank a bunch of hits.

[@pendranomechannel6786]

At 10:12, I think the D-Down Pound badge would be more effective than both the options you mentioned. Interesting video nonetheless.

[@StarHaven64]

Would love to see a retrospective of this game or something similar. Great video man, Paper Mario 64 is easily one of my top three video games.