Paper Mario Sticker Star is not an awful game. In fact, it has everything that should deliver a great game.
The Paper Mario formula is pretty typical. You typically have a partner, you have HP points and FP points, and the combat is based on reaction time. The issue is only half of those elements actually carry over to Sticker Star. You have reaction time combat and you have HP points. Those parts of the game are fantastic. The sticker system is a one trick pony.
One may be questioning why I am talking about a 3DS game from 2012. The reason is that Paper Mario Color Splash was just recently announced for the Wii U at a Nintendo Direct on March 3rd. Many people are very disappointed at how the game looks just based on very little footage. Everyone has the same fear of it being exactly like Sticker Star. Being exactly like Paper Mario Sticker Star is the last thing you want to be.
I think Sticker Star is worth discussing again because of the announcement of Color Splash. As I said, Sticker Star isn’t inherently an awful game. Some of the levels are very enjoyable and I actually enjoy the world map system that is very typical Mario. It doesn’t bother me and I like that the levels have more separation from each other. Although, this world map system would actually work if Paper Mario Sticker Star didn’t insist on me backtracking. Again. And again. And again. And again. You need to find this very specific sticker thing for this very specific puzzle that is completely and utterly irrational. The sticker system at its core is the reason for many of these irrational puzzles.
The game is insistent on you seeking out stickers all over each level. Most of these stickers are used for combat, but some of them are very specific items you get for no reason at the moment and then apparently need to use them later on for this very specific thing. It simply is illogical. The player is given no sensible indication for what they are supposed to do unless they do tedious trial and error to the point of making the game…not fun anymore. I would hope the reason we play games in the first place is because they are fun.
I am not saying that I am not up for a challenge because I actually am. I will admit that I don’t enjoy very difficult games (you won’t see me touching Bloodborne anytime soon) and I prefer a just right difficulty in my games where I can still feel satisfaction in beating it. Occasionally, Paper Mario Sticker Star does just that and I felt a sense of satisfaction after beating level 2-4. The level is a maze and does require trial and error and I actually felt satisfied after beating it. But then I need to backtrack to the level in order to unlock 2-5. (Note: The game literally makes me go back to the level right after I just beat it to unlock the next level. It simply doesn’t make sense.) It is aspects of Sticker Star that make me never want to touch the game again or a Paper Mario game ever again.
I would like to say that I am excited for Paper Mario Color Splash. In a strange way, I still am excited for the game but only because I am excited for it to be like the N64 or GameCube game. I have my doubts that it will be either of those. Will I probably still give the game a chance? Yeah, I probably will. I won’t deny that. The point is, games that focus on a single gimmick (stickers) don’t really work. It is different to have a one trick pony in gameplay, like something such as Dynasty Warriors, which still has a sense of enjoyment in its simplicity. When you look at Sticker Star, it rides itself on this single gimmick and limits the scope of possibility in innovation. You can keep the core gameplay elements of Paper Mario alive while also doing something new. That is okay to do. Sometimes I wish Nintendo would realize these things, but I don’t foresee it happening with Paper Mario these days. At the very least, we all have Star Fox Zero and The Legend of Zelda to look forward to this year, which I have plenty of faith in both of them.
What did you think of Paper Mario Sticker Star? What do you think of Paper Mario Color Splash? Will it be like Sticker Star? Or like the old games? Or something entirely different? Let us know in the comments! If you haven’t seen the Paper Mario Color Splash trailer, I recommend checking it out right here.
