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Paper Mario 64 WAS and still IS the best game on the Nintendo 64

Richardbro

Richardbro

Banned
Oct 29, 2017
335
I absolutely love Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Smash Bros. and the Banjo's. However, Paper Mario is just a masterpiece.



I bought it during release day when I was in grade 5 and it blew me away. I still go back to it every few years and its just a beautiful game. The graphics have unfortunately not aged well, but the game is pure bliss to play.



It has the best soundtrack on the system:





It has a perfect combination of humor and epic moments and its just insanely fun and tuned well.



And its not just me, my sister and all of my friends agree that it's a masterpiece. We all replay this damn game every few years and have amazing play session all over again.
 
Flon

Flon

Is Here to Kill Chaos
Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,122
Played it for the first time a couple years ago and I agree. I think it's also the best Paper Mario.
 
Noppie

Noppie

Member
Oct 27, 2017
13,801
Best Paper Mario, Best Mario RPG.

Won't say best N64 game, but I can't blame anyone for having it as their favorite.
 
Berordn

Berordn

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 26, 2017
9,772
NoVA
i mean, it's missing the single greatest track to grace the N64 (rusty bucket bay), but i'll grant it a close second

also yes it's the best paper mario
 
fiendcode

fiendcode

Member
Oct 26, 2017
24,963
It's up there for sure. I think it's pretty easily the big N64 game that holds up best visually too.
 
mopinks

mopinks

Member
Oct 27, 2017
30,622
it has certainly aged more elegantly than most N64 games

but it's not quite as fun as some of the slower, uglier ones
 
DealWithIt

DealWithIt

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,821
I'm sorry did you say hybrid heaven? Yes I agree.

It's 100% OoT or MM, Those are some of the most influential and interesting games of all time.
 
Bard

Bard

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
12,587
I loved the first PM but the fact that partners don't have HP in this is just baffling. There were quite a few improvents to the battle system that TTYD did that make it better than the first to me, but I love both a lot.

Best N64 game is Wave Race though.
 
Why would you do that?

Why would you do that?

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,825
New York City
I would definitely say it's the best Paper Mario, but not the best N64 game. Nothing can touch Zelda OoT for me.

Either way, the original Paper Mario is an incredible game, and as good as its GameCube sequel also was, the disappointment I felt by TTYD and its world at the time I played it will always stay with me a little. So the N64 game remains my favorite.
 

Deleted member 3294

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
1,973
I just finished replaying it a few days ago and it holds up super well. I don't know if it's the best Paper Mario, I just started TTYD and that's still pretty great as well, but even if it's not it's a close second. And it's definitely one of the best N64 games as well.

One thing that I did like about the original Paper Mario that The Thousand Year Door has kinda been lacking in is the animations. Paper Mario 64 still used sprite animations for the characters, while TTYD seems to use some sort of puppet animation. And it doesn't really feel like the charm the first game's animations have is there anymore. it still makes up for it in spades with how good the environments look and how charming the writing is, but I still miss it.
 

Mudo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,117
Tennessee
I am playing this at the moment (I've never beaten it but gotten pretty far) and it....probably is my favorite game on the N64. I also think it's pretty equal to TTYD overall. I adore TTYD also and the graphics are just wow on it, but the original game doesn't seem like a dumbed down or simpler version to me. They both stand tall. So yeah, I am currently playing this and trying to get through both it and TTYD before OK releases. Just wonderful games all around and there really isn't anything else out there like them (well...Bug Fables lol but that's it).
 
butalala

butalala

Member
Nov 24, 2017
5,392
It's up there, but I don't think I'd want to replay it today. I just remember walking taking forever and a generally slow pace. If you gave me a 64 and a complete library, I'd probably go for one of the Zeldas, Mario 64 or Kart/Tennis.
 
Crashman

Crashman

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,152
The actual answer is Star Fox 64.

But if you're more RPG inclined, I can certainly see why you'd go with Paper Mario, as the game is quite solid, and still looks really good because of the art style it went with.
 
oni-link

oni-link

tag reference no one gets
Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,093
UK
How is the Wii U VC version of this?

Been considering getting this and F-Zero X since there is no talk of an N64 mini and Nintendo don't seem to care about adding older games to Switch at anything but a snails pace
 
RochHoch

RochHoch

One Winged Slayer
Member
May 22, 2018
19,016
Absolutely

It's aged ridiculously well for an N64 game. It doesn't necessarily NEED a remake, but it sure as hell deserves one.
 
TeraDax

TeraDax

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,363
Québec
Well, it's one of my favorite game ever. Like one of the few game I can always start again without getting bored. That game is simply fantastic and I love everything about it.

But then again, my actual favorite game, Majora's Mask, is also on the N64.
 
KiNolin

KiNolin

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,298
oni-link said:
How is the Wii U VC version of this?

Been considering getting this and F-Zero X since there is no talk of an N64 mini and Nintendo don't seem to care about adding older games to Switch at anything but a snails pace
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
HxmVBMv.png
 
Green Mario

Green Mario

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,325
Third best for me, but I think that graphically it's aged better than my top two - Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time.
 
Josh5890

Josh5890

I'm Your Favorite Poster's Favorite Poster
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
23,465
Played it on Wii VC a few years back. Great game. I should play the rest of the series.

I want to get a N64 copy but prices are a little high right now
 
babyzelda

babyzelda

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 31, 2017
376
I've never gotten very far in this game, and I love all the other Paper Marios, and among the things I dislike about it are the soundtrack, so I'm always kind of surprised by how beloved it is.

Like this song seemed to go on forever and haunts my dreams:

Just had to turn it off.
 
Zyrox

Zyrox

One Winged Slayer Corrupted by Vengeance
Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,648
Best N64 game will always be Ocarina of Time. Paper Mario was great though. Its sequel was even better. They never quite recaptured that magic afterwards though.
 
sir_crocodile

sir_crocodile

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,572
mmm, I dunno on a console with Mario 64, Hybrid Heaven, 1080 snowboarding, ISS 64, Mischief Makers, F-Zero X, Pokemon Puzzle League, WWF No Mercy & Star Fox 64.

does have a kinda timeless look to it that helps though
 
Wariobenotware

Wariobenotware

Alt Account
Banned
Apr 2, 2020
1,869
One of the best games on the system. TTYD was better but this was still an amazing game.

I do think Mario 64 is the best game on the system tho.
 
MrCibb

MrCibb

Member
Dec 12, 2018
5,349
UK
Best soundtrack on N64? Not while this exists.




Paper Mario game is pretty damn good though.
 
Mandos

Mandos

Member
Nov 27, 2017
31,282
DealWithIt said:
I'm sorry did you say hybrid heaven? Yes I agree.

It's 100% OoT or MM, Those are some of the most influential and interesting games of all time.
Click to expand...
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I still need to put some time into this... perhaps it's time to fire up my n64(and voting thread) and get back to this and some other games I never got around to beating
butalala said:
It's up there, but I don't think I'd want to replay it today. I just remember walking taking forever and a generally slow pace. If you gave me a 64 and a complete library, I'd probably go for one of the Zeldas, Mario 64 or Kart/Tennis.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Pace is actually great, way better than TTYD and not that much backtracking. It's under 20 hrs if you know what you're doing
 
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