In thePaper Marioseries, we venture through the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond - even to the end of the universe at times. Our adventures take us through haunted woods, winter wonderlands, and islands where few else dare to venture, to name just a few locations.
Paper Mario is a series that stays with us, and the vibrant worlds it creates is just one of the many reasons why. Out of these vast worlds, some places stick out to us more than others, left in our memories even when we move past the game. Those places are the best regions in the Paper Mario series.
8The Bitlands
Super Paper Mario
In Super Paper Mario, going through Flipside’s yellow door takes the chapter into the Bitlands to find the fourth Pure Heart. The Bitlands resemble pixel art drawn on a grid. Mario, Peach, and Bowser journey though green fields, deep water, and a massive tree to reach Fort Francis - a pixel art castle owned by a nerdy chameleon.
This world is full of meta humor, complete with cat robot maids, rooms full of Paper Mario and kawaii merchandise, and even a dating sim to help the super nerd Francis talk to the beautiful Princess Peach, which the latter clearly wants no part of.
7World 4
Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Paper Mario: Sticker Star is often thought to bethe worst Paper Mario game. Many elements of it leave us scratching our heads, but World 4 is a pleasant exception in the middle of all that.
This world isfull of ice and snow, complete with delightfully frosty enemies. The Enigmansion is a creepy level slipped into this winter wonderland, full of paranormal humor and ghostly goodness. Mario rides a ski left to make it to Bowser’s Snow Fort to fight this world’s final boss: Mizzter Blizzard, whose dying wish is to be built against next winter. If the entire game was like this, maybe Sticker Star wouldn’t have such a bad reputation.
6Blue Streamer Map
Paper Mario: The Origami King
Of all the locations in a paper-themed game series, you’d think we would have gotten a Japanese-themed location for the sake of origami by now. Strangely enough, we didn’t get one until we headed to the Blue Streamer Map inPaper Mario: The Origami King.
The map has Mario and pals traversing a scenic mountain painted in all the colors of autumn to reachShogun Studios, a Japanese-themed amusement park based on the real world Edo Wonderland, complete with plenty of attractions for Mario to enjoy. This historical beauty will linger with you long after turning off the game.
5Twilight Town
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
While many of the locations in the Paper Mario series are bright and cheery, The Thousand Year Door’s Twilight Town leads Mario and his partners into a dreary town perpetually shrouded in twilight, thus aptly named Twilight Town.
When you first arrive, the town has a big problem. Every time the bell at Creepy Steeple rings, one of the people in town transforms into a pig, with seemingly no way to turn back. Past the town is a forest leading to the steeple, a ghost-filled manor owned by a Duplighost named Doopliss, who is the chapter’s boss. Originally, the level led to some complaints about backtracking, but this wasfixed in the remake for the Switch.
Paper Mario 64
In Paper Mario, Toad Town is the hub location leading to everywhere else in the game. It’s also where you begin your journey. What started as just another of Princess Peach’s fun parties transforms into the secondMario RPGever made.
Toad Town is full of bright and cheery Toads, many of which have their own unique names and personalities, such as the logical Russ T. or the brilliant chef Tayce T. There’s a fortune-teller to help you find your way, a dojo to test your strength, and a cute Li’l Oink farm where you can have cute pigs of your own. You have to pass through here every time you want to go somewhere else, so you’re bound to grow attached by the end of the game.
3Glitzville
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door’s third chapter sends you to an artificial floating island called Glitzville by blimp. Its main attraction is theGlitz Pit, an arena-style tournament where fighters compete for their chance at fame and glory.
Mario and his partners get to fight their way through the tournament from the minor leagues all the way to the champion spot, coming across a few mysteries along the way. In addition to the Glitz Pit, there’s also a hot dog stand, a souvenir shop, and a juice bar. In the Switch remake, you can also find thesuperboss Prince Mushhere if you want to try your luck.
2The Underwhere And Overthere
Super Paper Mario’s seventh chapter pulls no punches, sending Mario and his friends straight to the afterlife. Mario, Luigi, and Bowser find themselves inthe Underwhere, this game’s version of the Underworld. Peach, however, winds up in the Overthere, which is comparable to Heaven. There are even friendly NPCs called Shaydes, which are those in Purgatory.
Like Dante’s Inferno, Mario and friends climb up from the depths of the Underworld all the way up to the gates of the Overthere in order to find this world’s Pure Heart. Still, it is a strangely dark turn to send friendly faces like Mario and Luigi to Hell. That sort of thing sticks with you.
1Rogueport
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door’s hub area gives you a rogue’s welcome, making sure you’re perfectly aware you’re no longer in the Mushroom Kingdom. Once you’ve passed the docks full of sea-worthy Toads and Bob-ombs, you make your way into the main square, where you’re immediately greeted with a noose. You can even find the outline of a Toad’s corpse in a back alley house in the Japanese version.
Rogueport lets you know exactly what kind of game you’re getting into. The Thousand Year Door is a whimsical adventure that doesn’t mind taking itself seriously from time to time, handling tough topics with its signature charm. Rogueport is the perfect way to open a game like that.
