There are a whole bunch of new Paper Mario: Sticker Star details in this month’s Nintendo Power. The magazine shared some story information, outlined the game’s world/level structure, and more.
We’ve summarized Nintendo Power’s article below with a ton of juicy tidbits.
Story details
– Begins on the night of Sticker Fest
– Mushroom Kingdom holds annual Sticker Fests so that its residents can see the Sticker Comet arriving
– A wish made on the comet is said to likely come true
– Bowser and his crew show up and disturb the festivities
– Bowser wants the comet’s powers for himself
– Browser lunges toward the comet, but once he does so, it shatters and its pieces fly across the kingdom
– Crown sticker lands on Bowser’s head
– Bowser becomes sparkly and more powerful than ever before
– He kidnaps Princess Peach and runs off
– Mario goes after Peach right away
– He comes across a flying crown named Kersti
– Kersti is the caretaker of the Royal Stickers
– Royal Stickers are wish-granting elements of the comet
– One of them wounded up on Bowser
– Kersti accompanies Mario on his quest and helps him out in using stickers
Stickers
– Stickers are the main gameplay element in Sticker Star
– Can find stickers all over
– Take a sticker by walking up to it and pressing “A”
– Need stickers to use techniques and attacks in combat
– Stickers can be purchased at one of the game’s shops for coins
– Album holds a limited number of sticker
– More pages will be added to your album as you progress
Battles
– Turn-based battles
– Choose a sticker from your album
– Each sticker features a corresponding move that you’ll carry out such as a jump or hammer attack
– Tap the “A” button right before an attack to cause extra damage
– When an enemy is attacking, hit “A” right before the attack to lessen the damage
– A sticker’s efficacy is based on its condition
– A mint-condition sticker is more powerful that a worn-out one
– Special stickers have boosted stats
– Can use the Battle Spinner before a fight
– Spinner is a machine-style mini-game
– Uses some of your coins
– Match two or more symbols to earn bonus items and the opportunity to take more stickers into the fray
Level structure
– Paper version of the Mushroom Kingdom appears as an overworld map
– Decalburg is the starting hub
– Buy and sell stickers at Decalburg
– Talk to residents as well
– Head off to new worlds from Decalburg
– Worlds have multiple levels like a Mario platformer
– Worlds have enemies, stickers, and puzzles
How levels play out
– World 1-3 – Bowser-shaped watersprout is in your way; need to turn it off to progress
– Need to obtain the comet piece at the end of each level
– You’ll sometimes encounter 3D objects such as scissors, a faucet, and a trumpet
– These are categorized as “Things” in the game
– Use these items to solve puzzles
– Some portions of the world will be missing
– Bowser Jr. will tear up a bridge away from the background and crumple it
– Returning it to its rightful place requires “Paperization”
– Press “Y” to make your immediate surroundings become 2D and fall down like a piece of paper lying on a table
– Mario and Kersti hover above the page
– Mario can place something (like the bridge) on the background
– Added object becomes a part of the scene once you return the setting to normal
General
– World looks like its composed of paper and cardboard
– Arts-and-craft project feel is emphasized
– Bridge is folded up like an accordion and sealed with a sticker
– Peeling the sticker away causes the paper to realistically bounce upward before settling down
– Paper characters can be flown around, folded, and crumpled
– All of these can be used against you during battle
– Enemies may roll themselves up into a cone to prevent you from jumping over them
– Other enemies fold themselves like a card to double the enemies
– First world boss: Goomba that combines with a troupe of his minions to form a giant Goomba with Megasparkle strength
– Koopa Troopas fold up into their shells like origami
– Has humor like previous Paper Marios
– Paper nature of the characters/environments is used for gags
– Nintendo Power says the dialogue is consistently clever
Sticker examples
– Jump: stomp on a single foe; can use it to bounce multiple times; can’t be used on spiked enemies
– Hammer: Common attack; can’t be used on flying creatures; produces a shockwave that hurts an enemy group
– Mushroom: restores hearts
– Fire Flower: throw fireballs; can hit multiple targets
– Shell: hit enemies with the shell; hits anything in its path; won’t hit flying enemies
– POW Block: useful for a lot of damage; smash it to damage all ground-based enemies; can crumple (stun) them
– Baahammer: decorated with a sheep image; makes your enemies fall asleep; enemies will be open to further attacks, but they’ll regain some health while sleeping
– Eekhammer: like a normal hammer, but can be swung multiple times
