Commentary

11/12/2012

Paper Mario: Sticker Star Review

Is this the first anti-JRPG?

By: Jason Johnson

Filed Under: Adventure Review Role-playing

Though fondly remembered, Japanese role-playing games can get monotonous pretty quickly, and I couldn’t fault anyone who’d sooner catch up on some Zzz’s than play one. But Paper Mario: Sticker Star, a new game by Intelligent Systems, is one JRPG worth your attention. People (namely, me) say Nintendo exists in its own little world, but the guys who made this were fully aware of the critical beef with the genre. Their solution seems to have been, do everything else excellently, and hope we all overlook the role-playing stuff. They have gone out of their way to pack Sticker Star with wit, charm, and adorable baby ninjas. And it worked out really nicely.

You’d be forgiven––wrong, but forgiven––for ignoring the sporadic series of JRPGs about Mario and pals on the grounds that, well, they’re JRPGs about Mario and pals. Though the series has a rep for running wild with the license, by law it contains the umpteenth remix of the ditty from level 1-1 of Super Mario Bros. The Princess has been kidnapped for the thousandth time, and you will need to hop, bop, and snag gold coins to save her. The main difference is that tripping over a turtle shell will trigger the role-playing equivalent of trench warfare: the turn-based battle.

To be fair, these fights are brief, fun affairs, with rhythmic elements, and some role-playing trappings. There is nil leveling or stats to it, and you don’t gain abilities either. Instead, you have a book of stickers, yep stickers, which are found everywhere. Old boots, hammers, cigarette lighters, frog suits, mushrooms, poison mushrooms, sombreros, flowers, sandals with springs on the bottom, paper fans, etc. are all used for one thing or another. Sparkly stickers, of course, do twice the damage in battle.

Stickers also play a part in solving rather obvious puzzles, such as knocking down bowling pins with, you guessed it, a bowling ball. The puzzles have curiously been called out by some sites claiming they are too tough. (I’ll name no names, but one of them rhymes with Otaku.) All I have to say about that is those reviewers either a.) rushed through the game for deadline, or b.) flunked out of kindergarten.

The Paper Mario series is known for being almost inconceivably cute, in the manga and J-pop kind of way, and Sticker Star is no exception. My favorite battle item, for example, is a Lucky Cat, one of those porcelain statues ubiquitous at hibachi joints and cat shrines across Tokyo. Who could not love a towering kitty that is wheeled in on a wooden stage, accompanied by kabuki music, and then blasts off like a rocket? The rest of the game is every bit as endearing, with a paper-craft aesthetic fit for, say, Pinterest: landmarks unfold like the pages of a pop-up book, clouds are dangling from string, and every character seems to be cut out from a sheet of paper. Thus, the name.

If you couldn’t guess, Sticker Star is far from your typical outing in Mario-land. The bonkers story is a welcome surprise, as I learned in a surreal moment when Birdo, everyone’s favorite transgendered amphibian, dropped in to spit a rhyme on the nature of sexuality, which was capped off with, believe it or not, a double entendre about egg on your face. And then, and then! she tossed to me a plastic figurine of a goat. Seriously, what has gotten into nice, normal, overconscientious Nintendo? I don’t know, but I like it.

One huge, colossal fault with JRPGs, and just RPGs in general, is they’re filled with throw-away chatter and lore that makes you want to face-palm yourself. So, it would be a major oversight not to bring up the writing, which in this games writer’s humble opinion is some of the best to grace a video game screen. It’s first-class, but not in the sense of gnarly plot twists and boring universal themes about humanity. No, it’s great because you will actually enjoy reading it, you know, like a good blog. I appreciate that it’s smart and funny and someone gets called a hipster. I will also point out there’s a shady sticker vendor with the demeanor of a stoned drug dealer, greeting me with beady eyes in a low-key “I got the goods.”

The 3D is especially dazzling, by far the best I’ve come across on the fledgling 3DS. It’s worth mentioning that when Mario whacks a Koopa with a sledgehammer, the hapless creature is knocked smack into the screen, like a hummingbird against a bay window. The tech swings for the fences, but it also impresses with flourishes, like snowflakes and confetti. I’ll admit that, until now, I haven’t been enthusiastic about the system’s 3D, but Sticker Star has changed my mind. I keep the effects turned up to the max, and though I’ve been playing for twenty hours, turning down the game’s steady requests that I take a break, I’m happy to report that my eyes are not bleeding.

Yet even with all that, Sticker Star would get stale sooner or later. After all, it is, deep down, a JRPG. The genius stroke is that you can pretty much avoid the boring stuff whenever you feel like it. In fact, it doesn’t become a truly outstanding game until your patience wears thin, and you start sidestepping the enemies instead of picking fights. Then, it’s good-ol’ Mario, with tricky jumps and smiling cactuses to elude––and when you screw up by running into an enemy, there’s a turn-based battle. It really flips the genre on its noggin. Paper Mario: Sticker Star might be the first anti-JRPG; a game that tries so hard to make the JRPG bearable that it has become the opposite: something that is thoughtful and brilliant for the duration.

***

9

Paper Mario Sticker Star

This review based on a 3DS copy of the game provided by the publisher

Filed Under: Adventure Review Role-playing

About the Author:
Jason Johnson is a freelance writer. His work has appeared in Kill Screen, Gamasutra, Unwinnable, GameSetWatch, FingerGaming, WSJ Speakeasy, and The Guide to Classic Graphic Adventures. He owns 27 Sun Ra albums.

10,209 Responses to “Paper Mario: Sticker Star Review”

  3. essieteric

    OK. Now I am actually intrigued about playing this game! (I’m still getting over the sadness of Super Mario 3D Land….)

  4. Jason Johnson

    i feel like most of the reviews i saw missed the point. i like this game! its currently battling out with analogue for my goty.

  5. finestglasses j.

    Myself, I'll stick with rimless spectacles geek trendy shopping, on the other hand appreciate that FinestGlasses.Net mention rimless glasses with vary fashion design and style. More attractive using attractive sensation!!!

  8. hey

    Taxi moto line
    128 Rue la Boétie
    75008 Paris
    +33 6 51 612 712  

    Taxi moto paris

    No matter if some one searches for his vital thing, therefore he/she wants to be available that in detail, therefore that thing is maintained
    over here.

  9. Headache medications for sale

    Thanks for your tips. One thing we have noticed is always that banks and also financial institutions have in mind the spending behavior of consumers and also understand that a lot of people max away their own credit cards around the holiday seasons. They prudently take advantage of this kind of fact and begin flooding the inbox and also snail-mail box together with hundreds of Zero APR card offers immediately after the holiday season finishes. Knowing that in case you are like 98% of all American open public, you’ll hop at the opportunity to consolidate personal credit card debt and move balances for 0 interest rates credit cards. gffffhk https://headachemedi.com – Headache medications for sale

  10. buy Headache pain medicine

    Thanks for your ideas. One thing I have noticed is that banks and financial institutions know the spending habits of consumers and understand that most people max out their credit cards around the holidays. They wisely take advantage of this fact and begin flooding the inbox and also snail-mail box together with hundreds of Zero APR card offers immediately after the holiday season comes to an end. Knowing that in case you are like 98% of all American open public, you’ll hop at the possiblity to consolidate personal credit card debt and move balances for 0 interest rates credit cards. hhhggil https://headachemedi.com – Headache pain drugs

  11. thyroid medication for sale

    Thanks for your tips. One thing we have noticed is always that banks and also financial institutions have in mind the spending behavior of consumers and also understand that a lot of people max out there their own credit cards around the holiday seasons. They prudently take advantage of this kind of fact and begin flooding the inbox and also snail-mail box together with hundreds of Zero APR card offers immediately after the holiday season comes to an end. Knowing that in case you are like 98% of all American open public, you’ll hop at the possiblity to consolidate personal credit card debt and move balances for 0 interest rates credit cards. ggggfik https://thyroidmedi.com – thyroid medication for sale

  12. thyroid pain medicine

    Thanks for your ideas. One thing I have noticed is that banks and financial institutions know the spending habits of consumers and understand that most people max out their credit cards around the holidays. They wisely take advantage of this fact and start flooding your inbox and snail-mail box with hundreds of 0 APR credit card offers soon after the holiday season ends. Knowing that if you are like 98% of the American public, you’ll jump at the chance to consolidate credit card debt and transfer balances to 0 APR credit cards. bbbbbba https://thyroidmedi.com – thyroid pain medicine

  13. stomach medications for sale

    Thanks for your tips. One thing we have noticed is always that banks and also financial institutions have in mind the spending behavior of consumers and also understand that a lot of people max away their own credit cards around the holiday seasons. They prudently take advantage of this kind of fact and begin flooding the inbox and also snail-mail box together with hundreds of Zero APR card offers immediately after the holiday season finishes. Knowing that in case you are like 98% of all American open public, you’ll hop at the opportunity to consolidate personal credit card debt and move balances for 0 interest rates credit cards. ffffehk https://stomachmedi.com – stomach medications for sale

  14. stomach pain medications

    Thanks for your ideas. One thing I have noticed is that banks and financial institutions know the spending habits of consumers and understand that most people max out their credit cards around the holidays. They wisely take advantage of this fact and start flooding your inbox and snail-mail box with hundreds of 0 APR credit card offers soon after the holiday season ends. Knowing that if you are like 98% of the American public, you’ll jump at the chance to consolidate credit card debt and transfer balances to 0 APR credit cards. bbbbbbi https://stomachmedi.com – stomach pain medications

  16. buy stomach drugs

    Thanks for your suggestions. One thing I’ve noticed is the fact that banks as well as financial institutions really know the spending routines of consumers as well as understand that many people max away their credit cards around the vacations. They sensibly take advantage of this particular fact and start flooding your own inbox as well as snail-mail box along with hundreds of 0 APR credit card offers right after the holiday season finishes. Knowing that if you’re like 98% of the American public, you’ll leap at the opportunity to consolidate credit debt and transfer balances to 0 annual percentage rates credit cards. dddccei https://pancreasmedi.com – buy stomach drugs

  28. hair loss drug

    Thanks for your advice on this blog. One particular thing I would choose to say is the fact purchasing gadgets items over the Internet is certainly not new. In truth, in the past few years alone, the marketplace for online gadgets has grown drastically. Today, you could find practically virtually any electronic tool and product on the Internet, including cameras in addition to camcorders to computer pieces and games consoles. https://hairlossbimedi.com – hair loss drug

  31. impotence medications for sale

    Today, with the fast way of life that everyone leads, credit cards have a huge demand in the economy. Persons from every area are using the credit card and people who are not using the card have arranged to apply for 1. Thanks for discussing your ideas on credit cards. https://impotencemedi.com impotence medications for sale

  34. psoriasis threatment

    Today, with all the fast life style that everyone is having, credit cards have a big demand throughout the economy. Persons coming from every area of life are using credit card and people who aren’t using the credit cards have made up their minds to apply for even one. Thanks for expressing your ideas about credit cards. https://psoriasismedi.com psoriasis threatment

  44. hypertension threatment

    Today, considering the fast life-style that everyone leads, credit cards have a big demand throughout the economy. Persons throughout every area of life are using the credit card and people who aren’t using the credit cards have made up their minds to apply for even one. Thanks for revealing your ideas about credit cards. https://hypertensionmedi.com hypertension threatment

  49. new drugs for multiple sclerosis

    Today, taking into consideration the fast chosen lifestyle that everyone is having, credit cards get this amazing demand throughout the market. Persons out of every arena are using credit card and people who not using the credit card have prepared to apply for just one. Thanks for spreading your ideas in credit cards. https://multiplesclerosismed.com new drugs for multiple sclerosis

  50. new ms treatments

    Today, taking into consideration the fast way of living that everyone is having, credit cards get this amazing demand throughout the market. Persons out of every arena are using credit card and people who not using the credit card have prepared to apply for just one. Thanks for giving your ideas in credit cards. https://multiplesclerosismed.com new ms treatments

  67. osteoporosis threatment

    I realized more something totally new on this fat loss issue. 1 issue is that good nutrition is very vital whenever dieting. An enormous reduction in junk food, sugary food items, fried foods, sugary foods, beef, and whitened flour products could be necessary. Keeping wastes parasitic organisms, and toxic compounds may prevent targets for fat loss. While specific drugs in the short term solve the situation, the awful side effects usually are not worth it, and so they never offer you more than a momentary solution. This is a known undeniable fact that 95% of dietary fads fail. Thank you for sharing your opinions on this website. https://osteoporosismedi.com osteoporosis threatment

  69. buy bronchitis drugs over the counter

    I just wanted to make a quick note so as to express gratitude to you for some of the marvelous pointers you are posting here. My long internet lookup has at the end of the day been paid with high-quality ideas to share with my family members. I ‘d express that most of us site visitors actually are truly endowed to dwell in a magnificent place with so many marvellous people with insightful pointers. I feel rather grateful to have encountered your web site and look forward to really more entertaining moments reading here. Thanks once again for all the details. https://bronchitismed.com buy bronchitis drugs over the counter

  70. bronchitis medication for sale

    I just wanted to post a quick note to say thanks to you for the pleasant secrets you are posting here. My particularly long internet lookup has finally been paid with pleasant information to share with my friends and classmates. I would mention that most of us visitors are undeniably fortunate to exist in a notable place with so many outstanding people with interesting principles. I feel really happy to have encountered your weblog and look forward to so many more excellent moments reading here. Thanks once again for all the details. https://bronchitismed.com bronchitis medication for sale

  71. best bronchitis medications

    I actually wanted to construct a comment in order to appreciate you for all the fantastic guides you are giving out at this site. My extensive internet investigation has at the end been compensated with excellent details to exchange with my colleagues. I ‘d assume that many of us readers actually are quite blessed to be in a fantastic community with many brilliant individuals with good hints. I feel pretty fortunate to have come across the web page and look forward to plenty of more brilliant minutes reading here. Thank you again for a lot of things. https://bronchitismed.com best bronchitis medications

  75. over the counter osteoporosis drugs

    I mastered more new stuff on this fat reduction issue. Just one issue is a good nutrition is tremendously vital if dieting. A big reduction in bad foods, sugary ingredients, fried foods, sweet foods, pork, and white colored flour products can be necessary. Retaining wastes bloodsuckers, and wastes may prevent desired goals for shedding fat. While a number of drugs quickly solve the condition, the terrible side effects will not be worth it, and in addition they never supply more than a short-lived solution. This can be a known indisputable fact that 95% of fad diet plans fail. Many thanks sharing your notions on this web site. https://osteoporosismedi.com over the counter osteoporosis drugs

  99. termometry bezkontaktowe

    Dzięki za zaleceń dotyczących naprawy kredytu na temat tego niesamowitego witryny. Kilka rzeczy i chciałbym powiedzieć ludziom zawsze zrezygnować z konkretnej mentalności mogą dzisiaj i wypłać później. Like a as be a} społeczeństwo {my|my wszyscy|my wszyscy|wielu z nas|większość z nas|większość ludzi} ma tendencję do {robienia tego|robienia tamtego|próbowania tego|zdarzyć się|powtórz to} dla wielu {rzeczy|problemów|czynników}. Obejmuje to {wakacje|wakacje|wypady|wyjazdy wakacyjne|wycieczki|rodzinne wakacje}, meble, {i|jak również|a także|wraz z|oprócz|plus} przedmiotów {chcemy|chcielibyśmy|życzymy|chcielibyśmy|naprawdę chcielibyśmy to mieć}. Jednak {musisz|musisz|powinieneś|powinieneś chcieć|wskazane jest, aby|musisz} oddzielić {swoje|swoje|to|twoje obecne|swoje|osoby} chcą {od wszystkich|z potrzeb|z}. {Kiedy jesteś|Kiedy jesteś|Kiedy jesteś|Jeśli jesteś|Tak długo, jak jesteś|Kiedy} pracujesz, aby {poprawić swój kredyt|poprawić swoją zdolność kredytową|zwiększyć swój kredyt|zwiększyć swój kredyt|podnieś swój ranking kredytowy|popraw swój kredyt} wynik {musisz zrobić|zrobić|faktycznie potrzebujesz|naprawdę musisz} dokonać kilku {poświęceń|kompromisów}. Na przykład {możesz|możesz|możesz|możesz|będziesz mógł|| możesz|prawdopodobnie możesz} robić zakupy online {aby zaoszczędzić pieniądze|aby zaoszczędzić pieniądze|aby zaoszczędzić} lub {możesz przejść do|może się zwrócić|może odwiedzić|może obejrzeć|może sprawdzić|może kliknąć} używane {sklepy|sklepy|detaliści|sprzedawcy|punkty sprzedaży|dostawcy} zamiast {drogie|drogie|drogie|drogie|drogie|drogich} domów towarowych {dla|w odniesieniu do|dotyczących|odnoszących się do|przeznaczonych dla|do zdobycia} odzieży {termometr bezdotykowy|termometry bezdotykowe|termometry bezdotykowe ranking|termometr do czoła|termometry do czoła|termometr bezkontaktowy|termometry bezkontaktowe|termometr koronawirus|termometr|termometr na podczerwień|termometry na podczerwień|termometr lekarski|termometry lekarskie|szybki termometr medyczny|szybkie termometry medyczne}.

  100. strzykawka insulinowa

    Dzięki za sugestii dotyczących naprawy kredytu na temat tego konkretnego sieci -teren. Rzeczy i chciałbym zaoferować jako rada ludziom oznacza zwykle zrezygnować z a mentalności że w tym momencie i spłać później. as be a as be a} społeczeństwo {my|my wszyscy|my wszyscy|wielu z nas|większość z nas|większość ludzi} ma tendencję do {robienia tego|robienia tamtego|próbowania tego|zdarzyć się|powtórz to} dla wielu {rzeczy|problemów|czynników}. Obejmuje to {wakacje|wakacje|wypady|wyjazdy wakacyjne|wycieczki|rodzinne wakacje}, meble, {i|jak również|a także|wraz z|oprócz|plus} przedmiotów {chcemy|chcielibyśmy|życzymy|chcielibyśmy|naprawdę chcielibyśmy to mieć}. Jednak {musisz|musisz|powinieneś|powinieneś chcieć|wskazane jest, aby|musisz} oddzielić {swoje|swoje|to|twoje obecne|swoje|osoby} chcą {od wszystkich|z potrzeb|z}. {Kiedy jesteś|Kiedy jesteś|Kiedy jesteś|Jeśli jesteś|Tak długo, jak jesteś|Kiedy} pracujesz, aby {poprawić swój kredyt|poprawić swoją zdolność kredytową|zwiększyć swój kredyt|zwiększyć swój kredyt|podnieś swój ranking kredytowy|popraw swój kredyt} wynik {musisz zrobić|zrobić|faktycznie potrzebujesz|naprawdę musisz} dokonać kilku {poświęceń|kompromisów}. Na przykład {możesz|możesz|możesz|możesz|będziesz mógł|| możesz|prawdopodobnie możesz} robić zakupy online {aby zaoszczędzić pieniądze|aby zaoszczędzić pieniądze|aby zaoszczędzić} lub {możesz przejść do|może się zwrócić|może odwiedzić|może obejrzeć|może sprawdzić|może kliknąć} używane {sklepy|sklepy|detaliści|sprzedawcy|punkty sprzedaży|dostawcy} zamiast {drogie|drogie|drogie|drogie|drogie|drogich} domów towarowych {dla|w odniesieniu do|dotyczących|odnoszących się do|przeznaczonych dla|do zdobycia} odzieży {strzykawki insulinowe 1ml|strzykawki tuberkulinowe|strzykawki|strzykawka|strzykawki insulinowe|strzykawki do insuliny|strzykawki trzyczęściowe tuberkulinowe|strzykawka tuberkulinowa|strzykawka insulinowa|strzykawka do insuliny|strzykawka trzyczęściowe tuberkulinowa} {strzykawki insulinowe 1ml|strzykawki tuberkulinowe|strzykawki|strzykawka|strzykawki insulinowe|strzykawki do insuliny|strzykawki trzyczęściowe tuberkulinowe|strzykawka tuberkulinowa|strzykawka insulinowa|strzykawka do insuliny|strzykawka trzyczęściowe tuberkulinowa}.

  101. strzykawka trzyczęściowe tuberkulinowa

    Dzięki za przydatnych informacji na temat naprawy kredytu na temat twojego sieci -teren. To, co chciałbym zaoferować jako rada ludziom będzie zrezygnować z a mentalności kupią w tej chwili i spłać później. as be a as be a} społeczeństwo {my|my wszyscy|my wszyscy|wielu z nas|większość z nas|większość ludzi} ma tendencję do {robienia tego|robienia tamtego|próbowania tego|zdarzyć się|powtórz to} dla wielu {rzeczy|problemów|czynników}. Obejmuje to {wakacje|wakacje|wypady|wyjazdy wakacyjne|wycieczki|rodzinne wakacje}, meble, {i|jak również|a także|wraz z|oprócz|plus} przedmiotów {chcemy|chcielibyśmy|życzymy|chcielibyśmy|naprawdę chcielibyśmy to mieć}. Jednak {musisz|musisz|powinieneś|powinieneś chcieć|wskazane jest, aby|musisz} oddzielić {swoje|swoje|to|twoje obecne|swoje|osoby} chcą {od wszystkich|z potrzeb|z}. {Kiedy jesteś|Kiedy jesteś|Kiedy jesteś|Jeśli jesteś|Tak długo, jak jesteś|Kiedy} pracujesz, aby {poprawić swój kredyt|poprawić swoją zdolność kredytową|zwiększyć swój kredyt|zwiększyć swój kredyt|podnieś swój ranking kredytowy|popraw swój kredyt} wynik {musisz zrobić|zrobić|faktycznie potrzebujesz|naprawdę musisz} dokonać kilku {poświęceń|kompromisów}. Na przykład {możesz|możesz|możesz|możesz|będziesz mógł|| możesz|prawdopodobnie możesz} robić zakupy online {aby zaoszczędzić pieniądze|aby zaoszczędzić pieniądze|aby zaoszczędzić} lub {możesz przejść do|może się zwrócić|może odwiedzić|może obejrzeć|może sprawdzić|może kliknąć} używane {sklepy|sklepy|detaliści|sprzedawcy|punkty sprzedaży|dostawcy} zamiast {drogie|drogie|drogie|drogie|drogie|drogich} domów towarowych {dla|w odniesieniu do|dotyczących|odnoszących się do|przeznaczonych dla|do zdobycia} odzieży {strzykawki insulinowe 1ml|strzykawki tuberkulinowe|strzykawki|strzykawka|strzykawki insulinowe|strzykawki do insuliny|strzykawki trzyczęściowe tuberkulinowe|strzykawka tuberkulinowa|strzykawka insulinowa|strzykawka do insuliny|strzykawka trzyczęściowe tuberkulinowa} {strzykawki insulinowe 1ml|strzykawki tuberkulinowe|strzykawki|strzykawka|strzykawki insulinowe|strzykawki do insuliny|strzykawki trzyczęściowe tuberkulinowe|strzykawka tuberkulinowa|strzykawka insulinowa|strzykawka do insuliny|strzykawka trzyczęściowe tuberkulinowa}.

  176. Peterzoolo

    can i buy cialis online ed drugs – buy cialis tadalafil uk
    buy cialis without perscription

  177. Peterzoolo

    buy cialis online overnight ed drugs – buy cialis with paypal
    buy cialis online in canada

Leave a Reply

  • (will not be published)

XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

The Latest:

  • Originals

    Swan Song

    This is a tough one to write. For those of you who know me, in person, by my writing, or…


  • Originals

    The Fool and the Villain, Part II

    (Warning: In Second Life, pixelated tits and dicks abound. Abandon all hope, all ye who enter this article at work.)…


  • Commentary

    The Edge Of The Ocean

    The problem is to plot the map. My sense of geography is spotted with black holes. There’s the Chinatown and…


  • Originals

    Play Everything

    Play everything. No, I’m serious, play everything. Play that game of hopscotch those kids drew up on the sidewalk with…


  • Commentary

    Genre In Question

    Why are there so few video game comedies? At least twice in the past year I’ve bumped into conversations trying…