Editing Paper Mario (video game) (section)

== Reception and legacy ==
{{Video game reviews
| MC = 93/100 <br />(15 reviews)<ref name="Metacritic">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/paper-mario/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-64|title=Metacritic—Paper Mario|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=June 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125002330/http://www.metacritic.com/game/nintendo-64/paper-mario|archive-date=November 25, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>
| Allgame = 4/5<ref>{{Cite web|last=Frankle|first=Gavin|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114213740/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=19946&tab=review|archive-date=November 14, 2014|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=19946&tab=review|title=Paper Mario |work=[[AllGame]]|access-date=October 25, 2020}}</ref>
| Edge = 7/10<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Paper Mario|magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]|issue=96|date=April 2002|page=80}}</ref>
| EGM = 9.33/10<ref name="Gamerankings">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages4/198849.asp|title=Game Rankings: Paper Mario|website=[[GameRankings]]|access-date=August 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907054231/http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages4/198849.asp|archive-date=September 7, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref>
| EuroG = 9/10<ref name="Eurogamer"/>
| Fam = 33/40<ref>''ニンテンドウ64 - マリオストーリー''. Weekly Famitsu. No.915 Pt.2. Pg.30. June 30, 2006.</ref>
| GameFan = 358/400 (Import)<ref>''GameFan'', volume 8, issue 11 (November 2000), pages 27 & 134-135</ref>
| GamePro = 4/5{{efn|''GamePro'' scored ''Paper Mario'' two 4/5 scores for fun factor and sound, a 5/5 for control and a 3/5 for graphics.<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Four-Eyed Dragon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031102130049/http://www.gamepro.com/nintendo/n64/games/reviews/11047.shtml|archive-date=November 2, 2003|url=http://www.gamepro.com/nintendo/n64/games/reviews/11047.shtml|title=Paper Mario|magazine=[[GamePro]]|access-date=October 25, 2020}}</ref>}}
| GameRev = B+<ref>{{cite web|last=Silverman|first=Ben|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010216055540/http://www.game-revolution.com/games/n64/rpg/paper_mario.htm|archive-date=February 16, 2001|url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/32630-paper-mario-review|title=Paper Mario|work=[[GameRevolution]]|date=February 2001 |access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref>
| GSpot = 9.5/10<ref name="GameSpot"/>
| IGN = 9/10<ref name="IGN"/>
| N64 = 90% (EU)<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Evans|first=Geraint|date=November 2001|title=Paper Mario|issue=58|magazine=[[N64 Magazine]]|pages=52–57}}</ref><br/>85% (JP)<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Maddrell|first=Alan|date=November 2000|title=Mario Story|issue=46|magazine=N64 Magazine|pages=62–65}}</ref>
| NG = 94/100<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Steve|title=Paper Mario|magazine=[[Nintendo Gamer]]|issue=5|date=December 2001|pages=46–47}}</ref>
| NGen = 5/5<ref name="NG"/>
| NLife = 10/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/n64/paper-mario|title=Paper Mario N64 review|date=July 13, 2007|access-date=June 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502184625/http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/vc/paper_mario_n64|archive-date=May 2, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
| NP = 4.5/5<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Paper Mario|magazine=Nintendo Power|page=122|volume=141|date=February 2001}}</ref>
| ONM = 93%<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Paper Mario|magazine=[[Official Nintendo Magazine|Nintendo Official Magazine]]|issue=109|date=October 2001|pages=20–25}}</ref>
| XPlay = 4/5<ref>{{cite web|last=Flynn |first=Jason |url=http://www.techtv.com/extendedplay/reviews/story/0,23008,3313290,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010417054301/http://www.techtv.com/extendedplay/reviews/story/0,23008,3313290,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 17, 2001 |title=Paper Mario (N64) Review |publisher=[[TechTV]] |date=February 23, 2001 |access-date=April 15, 2021}}</ref>
}}

''Paper Mario'' received critical acclaim, receiving a 93/100 on [[review aggregator]] website [[Metacritic]] based on 15 reviews.<ref name="Metacritic"/> The game was the top-selling game in Japan on the week of its release, selling more than 276,000 copies,<ref>{{cite web|title=Nintendo Dominates Japanese Charts|date=August 18, 2000|website=[[IGN]]|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/08/19/nintendo-dominates-japanese-charts|access-date=June 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320013513/http://ign64.ign.com/articles/083/083746p1.html|archive-date=March 20, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> and the top-selling game for two weeks in other regions.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Mario stays on top|url = http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-stays-on-top/1100-2691281/|website = GameSpot|access-date = October 30, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171225145002/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-stays-on-top/1100-2691281/|archive-date = December 25, 2017|url-status = live}}</ref> It was ranked #141 on ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]''<nowiki/>'s "Greatest 200 Videogames of their Time" in February 2006,<ref>{{Cite web|title = The Greatest 200 Videogames of Their Time|url = http://www.1up.com/features/egm-200-greatest-videogames?pager.offset=2|website = 1Up.com|access-date = October 30, 2015|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150629072014/http://www.1up.com/features/egm-200-greatest-videogames?pager.offset=2|archive-date = June 29, 2015}}</ref> the 63rd best game made on a Nintendo system in ''[[Nintendo Power]]''{{'}}s "Top 200 Games" list,<ref name="NP Top 200">{{Cite magazine |date=January 2006 |title=NP Top 200 |magazine=[[Nintendo Power]] |volume=199 |first=Pete |last=Michaud|pages=42–43}}</ref> and the 13th greatest Nintendo 64 game of all time by the same magazine.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=August 2008 |magazine=[[Nintendo Power]] |volume=231 |title=Best of the Best |pages=70–78}}</ref> It currently ranks as the sixth-highest scoring Nintendo 64 game on Metacritic,<ref name="metacritic-search">{{Cite web|title = Advanced Search|url = http://www.metacritic.com/search/game/results?plats%5B14%5D=1&search_type=advanced&sort=score|website = Metacritic|access-date = October 30, 2015|archive-date = July 16, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210716200431/https://www.metacritic.com/search/game/results?plats&#91;14&#93;=1&search_type=advanced&sort=score|url-status = live}}</ref> the ninth highest rated video game of 2001,<ref name="metacritic-search" /> and the highest-scoring Nintendo 64 game released that year.<ref name="metacritic-search" />

''[[IGN]]''{{'}}s [[Matt Casamassina]] praised the game's accessibility, commenting that "it serves as the perfect introductory game to any person hoping to explore the genre".<ref name="IGN"/> Nonetheless, other reviewers complained about the "brain-dead easy" puzzles and bosses requiring "basic strategy at best".<ref name="RPGamer">{{cite web|url=http://www.rpgamer.com/games/mario/pmario/reviews/pmariostrev1.html|title=RPGamer—Paper Mario|website=RPGamer|access-date=August 17, 2008|last=Tidwell|first=Mikel|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831001300/http://www.rpgamer.com/games/mario/pmario/reviews/pmariostrev1.html|archive-date=August 31, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> The game's nostalgic value was lauded, with reviewers noting the sense of familiarity with the ''Mario'' series present in the game's settings and characters.<ref name="GameSpot"/><ref name="IGN"/> The game has often been compared to the previous Mario RPG title, ''[[Super Mario RPG]]''. ''[[Eurogamer]]''{{'}}'s Tom Bramwell judged that "''Paper Mario'' is a vastly superior game to ''SMRPG''",<ref name="Eurogamer"/> while ''IGN'' compared the game's simple plot unfavourably with the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]] game, and ''RPGFan'' claimed that some of ''Paper Mario''{{'}}s story was copied from it.<ref name="IGN"/> ''RPGFan'' also questioned the name of ''Paper Mario'', as there were, in their opinion, insufficient gameplay features or aspects which used the paper theme to justify the name.<ref name="RPGFan"/>

Critics lauded the game's blend of RPG and platforming aspects.<ref name="Eurogamer"/><ref name="GameSpot"/> ''[[GameSpot]]'' noted the "exciting and somewhat strategic" battle system, which requires the player exploit the enemies' weak points.<ref name="GameSpot"/> The "refreshing" action command features was praised in particular for adding originality to a battle formula that was present in many games of the same genre.<ref name="IGN"/> ''IGN'' claimed the game was "the best RPG for Nintendo 64", calling it "fantastically deep, intuitively designed, and wonderfully rewarding".<ref name="IGN" /> Despite this, enemy design itself was bemoaned for being "corny and generic", with notable exceptions to some of the ''Paper Mario''{{'}}s original boss characters.<ref name="RPGFan"/> ''Eurogamer'' noted how "Of the various characters you meet, none is of less importance than any other", welcoming the partner characters and their relating puzzles.<ref name="Eurogamer"/> ''GameSpot'' praised the game's use of humour and side quests, with references to the control of Peach in particular.<ref name="GameSpot"/>

The reaction to the game's visuals was generally positive. ''IGN'' noted some paper-based visual effects such as when Mario folds in a bed to sleep, but complained about character zoom-ins, which revealed "a pixelated mass of colors".<ref name="IGN"/> Although reviewers claimed that the novel graphical style was initially confusing, most welcomed the style eventually,<ref name="Eurogamer"/> with ''GameSpot'' claiming that it was "extremely well done".<ref name="GameSpot"/> The audio was also mainly praised, although reviewers criticised the lack of voice acting and character-specific sound effects.<ref name="GameSpot"/><ref name="IGN"/> ''RPGFan'' was particularly critical of the game's "generic filler music", despite enjoying use of multiple songs simultaneously.<ref name="RPGFan"/>

Chester Barber reviewed the Nintendo 64 version of the game for ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'', rating it five stars out of five, and stated that "One of the best RPGs ever, and definitely the best RPG available for Nintendo 64. Even if you've only been buying games for newer systems, this is a must-buy."<ref name="NG">{{cite magazine|last=Barber|first=Chester|title=Finals|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|volume=4|issue=5|publisher=[[Future US|Imagine Media]]|date=May 2001|page=85}}</ref> ''GameSpot'' named ''Paper Mario'' the best Nintendo 64 game of 2001. It was a runner-up for the publication's annual "Best Role-Playing Game" prize among [[console game]]s, which went to ''[[Final Fantasy X]]''.<ref name=bestworst2001>{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020803185618/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/bestof_2001/ | url=http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/bestof_2001/ | title=''GameSpot''{{'}}s Best and Worst Video Games of 2001 | author=''GameSpot VG'' Staff | date=February 23, 2002 | work=[[GameSpot]] | archive-date=August 3, 2002 | url-status=dead }}</ref> During the [[5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards]], ''Paper Mario'' was nominated for the "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Role-Playing Game of the Year|Console Role-Playing]]" award by the [[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=2002&idGame=415 |title=D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details Paper Mario |publisher=[[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]] |access-date=25 July 2023 |archive-date=July 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726000639/https://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=2002&idGame=415 |url-status=live }}</ref> 

The game was also well received upon release for the [[Virtual Console]], with ''IGN''{{'}}s Lucas M. Thomas stating "it's held up very well even placed into context against its GameCube and Wii era sequels, and it's an RPG for goodness sakes".<ref name="IGN review" /> ''Paper Mario'' also proved popular on the Virtual Console, reaching a high of "second most downloaded game" in the US in August 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=Popular Virtual Console games|date=August 8, 2007|website=Wii Fanboy|url=http://www.nintendowiifanboy.com/2007/08/08/popular-virtual-console-games-according-to-the-wii-shop-channel/|access-date=August 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913180944/http://www.nintendowiifanboy.com/2007/08/08/popular-virtual-console-games-according-to-the-wii-shop-channel/|archive-date=September 13, 2008|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

In 2023, enthusiasts fully decompiled the game's ROM into human-readable C code.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-20 |title=Paper Mario has been fully decompiled, meaning PC ports and mods are possible |url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/paper-mario-has-been-fully-decompiled-meaning-pc-ports-and-mods-are-possible/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=VGC |language=en-GB |archive-date=November 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113230827/https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/paper-mario-has-been-fully-decompiled-meaning-pc-ports-and-mods-are-possible/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

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