Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam -- Part 9: Feeding the Cleaning Beast

In Peach's Castle, the Toads say the situation is awful. A Toad spotted the Bowser Jrs. with the princesses on Mount Brrr. That's where Bowser's villa is. I thought he'd pick a more tropical place. At the villa, Bowser Jr. enjoys the view while Paper Bowser Jr. checks out the papercraft that looks like them. The princesses are cold and have no idea where they are. They have each other for company and warmth. They also wonder where the bros are. After a while, they start talking about their appearance. They want to change their hair, possibly going shorter, but someone talks them out of it. The reason being it's not princess-like, but clearly, these people have never met Daisy. Paper Peach suggests changing the dress, but Peach says it's her favorite. The minions watch them with curiosity. The princesses plan a fashion show after they escape to show off their new looks. The minions seem to be in love with the princesses.

Back in Peach's Castle, the Toads are imagining how things are going for the princesses. The bros set off for Mount Brrr, which is north of Gloomy Woods. Toadette says she'll prep a papercraft for the bros. One lone courageous Toad sets forth to help save the princesses. Head to Sunbeam Plains. At level 12, the bros will reach Boomerang Rank. Go as far north as possible, then east once. Use the Trio Grab to move to the north. You'll see Paper Petey Piranha chasing the brave Toad from before. Paper Petey Piranha tosses the Toad away. Paper Petey Piranha will take the Copy Block and make copies of himself. He'll then charge at the bros. Use the hammer to counter. If a copy is defeated, it will fall onto the ground. Two copies will jump into the air and land to create shockwaves. Jump to dodge. After a while, the copies will heal and reform the stack. At some point, all of the copies may be down. Attack the one that lifts its head periodically. They may then shuffle around. Keep track of them, as the real one won't lift its head anymore. When Paper Petey Piranha gets angry it will chase the bros. Remember the order each copy flies to which side, then Airplane Dodge as each copy appears on the ground. If they're not close to each other, a normal jump will suffice. If you're having difficulty keeping all three bros alive, just leave one down so this attack is easier to dodge.

After the battle, go north. There's a Toad Village, with Yoshis present. The Toads have seen a lot of Bowser's minions lately, some working on a gate. The red Toad House has a Toad with a quiz.
1. What does a Paratroopa become when it loses its wings? Choose Koopa.
2. How many fangs does Bowser Jr. have? One
3. Kamek's attacks take the shape of circle, square and what else? Triangle
4. What baddie is this? Hammer Bro
5. What hairstyle does Toadette have? Braids
For winning, you get 3 Speed Beans. When you're ready, go north.

Paper Kamek appears, saying he doesn't have time to deal with the bros. He turns his magic into cardboard to block the path. Walk to the west and you'll find a berry growing on a tree. Jump to grab it. Wiggler is nearby. It's hungry. Give it the berry. Apparently, Wiggler guards the forest, but couldn't because he was hungry. He plows through the cardboard. He blocks the path to the east. He's hungry again, and won't move until he's fed 10 more berries. Walk back to where you found the first berry and Trio Grab to cross the gap. Walk up the stump and cross to the other stump with (X). Use the Trio Hammer on the tree to make three berries drop. Walk around to the left and Trio Hammer the stump so you can reach the berry with Trio Grab. Go north. You'll find some Ninji hiding by the walls. If you hit them with one attack, they'll be able to dodge that same attack, so don't use jump attacks twice in a row on the same Ninji. Dash into the orange spring to the left to jump up to the next platform. There are Paper Spear Guys here. Go south.

On the tree, there's a Paratroopa with a berry. Bowser likes berries and the Paratroopa needs a promotion. Trio Grab it from it anyway. Return north. Use the orange spring to find more berries. Give the ten berries to Wiggler. Unfortunately, he's still too weak to move. It needs dessert. A Yoshi appears with a melon. Of course, Wiggler's favorite food is a melon. Follow the Yoshi and return to the village. The Yoshi is reluctant to give up the melon, but is willing to wager it as a prize in a race. A Lakitu will explain the races. It's a race around the village, where there are tree stumps, mud, and Dash Panels. You can't change directions after you've hit a Dash Panel. You must pass through the flag at the halfway point. Get too close to Yoshi and he'll ground pound you. You can avoid the shock by jumping. Use (X) to jump. Towards the end, move closer to the item shop so you'll hit the spring to jump over the mud. Yoshi reluctantly hands over the melon when you win. He says he has a faster pal in the mountains the bros should challenge. Wiggler enjoyed eating the melon and spitting out the seeds. Wiggler walks east and finds more cardboard. He plows through it with ease.

Go east and walk to the north. There's an electric fence that Wiggler can't get past. Wiggler notices a nearby Bomb Bud that could get rid of the gate. You can't grab the Bomb Bud from where you stand. Walk a little to the south and use the Trio Hammer on the draw bridge. Cross the bridge and Nabbit appears. Grab the Bomb Bud and throw it to the rock Nabbit's standing on. Nabbit falls into the water and the chunks of rock form a bridge. Nabbit jumps out of the water and leaves the Bomb Derby Bro attack behind. Walk across the rock bridge to find another Bomb Bud. Toss it onto the gate's generator by walking up the ramp and pressing (Y). The gate is no longer electrified and drops away. Wiggler goes north to clean up the ahead.

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam -- Part 8: Troubled Toads in Paradise

The bros exit the dungeon through the pipe to the Twinsy Tropics, a tropical paradise where there are many Koopas. One Toad doesn't know where they are and wants to return to Peach's Castle. The Toads agree to scope out the area in the meanwhile as thanks for saving them. There's a Toad Village to the west, but many Toads are too scared to venture out there, due to the Koopas. Go east and you'll find a dead end with a Grab Pole. Use the Trio Grab to grab the pole across the gap to reach a new area. Walk to the south and you'll see a rock formation with a gap. Send Paper Mario through for an item block with an accessory for him. There's a donut-shaped area to the east with coins and Supersyrup Jars. Walk around for more item blocks with coins. Return to previous area.

Battle the Koopas and head west. Send Paper Mario through the gap for another accessory, this time for Mario and Luigi. Nearby is a Toad with a quiz. He's pondering the other side of the ocean, so he'll quiz you later. Go north to the Toad Village. There are more Koopas here. Walk to the west to the dock and you'll find a sad Paper Toad who wants to fold up into a boat and sail home. He notices the bros and is startled, as that soliloquy was private. Mario expresses interest in crossing the sea and the Paper Toads says he could make a boat. He needs more Toads and there's a Lakitu Info Center to the east. In the red Toad House, talk to the pensive Toad and he'll say some Toads didn't make it out of the dungeon. Offer to save them and you'll be warped there.

The Toads are freaking out. They must be corralled into the safe zone within the time limit of three minutes. There are blocks you can hit to add time. Clear out the ores and build bridges to herd the Toads. It can be a little tricky, but you'll need to clear out most of the ore, as Toads are hiding behind it. Back in the village, there are three shops. The green shop sells Battle Cards. Go east and you'll find Cheep-Cheeps and Urchins to battle. The Urchins won't attack, but if you do, they'll explode. Guard with (X). At the Lakitu Info Center, which is brand new, there are a couple of missions.

The first one is Tropical Paper Toad Hunt. Some are held by enemies, some must be chased, and others are trapped in bubbles. Approach the bubbles to make them lift in the air, then activated the orange spring platform to pop them. If they don't lift into the air, use Trio Grab. Sometimes, just being in Trio Grab's tower formation is enough. Others are hiding past the gaps in rocks. Flip over rocks with Trio Hammer to find more. For the ones in bubbles on the east side, dash when the bubble is close to the ground. Fly Guy Patrol involves rescuing the Paper Toads without being spotted by Fly Guys. You can be spotted twice without failing, but you'll be placed back at the start. Just follow the path. Once you save them all, there are enough to make a boat.

I decided to go east first, but you can't go very far. Meet the Paper Toads at the dock. They've built an impressive ship and are thrilled to get off the island. They won't be riding in the boat; the Lakitu will take them to Peach's Castle. Before they set sail, Luigi invites on the Toads from the dungeon. Paper Mario becomes the sail and they get underway. Unfortunately, one Toad is left behind. They dock in Sunbeam Plains. The Toads notice the changes and say to check out Peach's Castle.

Use the Trio Grab to cross the water. There are Monty Moles here. They throw rocks while getting closer to the bros. Keep going west and you'll find a Lakitu Info Center. The Lakitu the bros met outside Peach's Castle is here. He says the pipe in the Info Center is open. It leads to an arcade. You can redo boss and papercraft battles, or put your Bros./Trio Attack skills to the test for points to use in the gear shops. Go west when you're ready. A Toad will appear when you cross the river. Something's happened at Peach's Castle. The bros should go see for themselves.

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam -- Part 7: Breaking the Fourth Wall to Freedom

In Bowser's Castle, the Bowser Jrs. wonder what to do with the book. Bowser Jr. wants to throw it away. Paper Bowser Jr. agrees. Bowser Jr. has second thoughts after a while. He thinks it may come in handy. Perhaps they will terrorize the paper world. He wants to show it to Bowser. The Bowsers are pleased with Mario's destruction and Kamek says the plan involving the Toads working underground is proceeding nicely. Bowser Jr. tries to talk to Bowser, but Bowser talks to Paper Bowser Jr., thinking he's his son. The Bowsers are too busy to deal with their sons and tell them to stay on guard duty. They throw temper tantrums. Kamek suggests sending them to the villa. Paper Kamek says the papercraft should provide a diversion. Paper Bowser makes it sound like a surprise, so their sons agree to go to the villa.

Elsewhere, the princesses are plotting their escape. Paper Peach has a spare cardboard cutout of herself. She thinks Bowsers' sons won't notice. Peach is tired of getting kidnapped (and everyone else is tired of her getting kidnapped). Flying in the clown car isn't so bad, but can't stand saying "Save me, Mario" another time. Peach asks Paper Peach if she feels the same. The Bowser Jrs. say they're leaving for the villa and the princesses are coming with them.

The bros leave through the gate in Twinsy Tropics Dungeon. They're still in the dungeon, however. There are Paper Scaredy Rats here. There's some of that mysterious ore that the Toads keep mentioning. Use the Trio Hammer to break them. They may give you coins. Nearby, use the Trio Grab to grab the yellow platforms on the other side of the water to form a bridge. Go north and you'll find Bowser's emblem. Luigi finds it suspicious. He suggests they should remember this exact spot because this type of adventure has some sort of foreshadowing device. He's also worried about the abducted Toads. Mario thinks the wall is connected to Bowser's Castle, but Starlow's not sure how.

After the fourth wall is broken, walk to the left to find a couple of Toads carrying the ore near a conveyor belt. They toss it onto the conveyor belt and collapse. They say it's hard work and the ore is shipped directly to Bowser's Castle. They inform the bros there's a pipe past here, but it's guarded. Roy appears and tells the Toads to stop slacking off. He thinks the area's given up all its ore. He tells them they're not paying the Toads to chat, or at all for that matter. He leaves and the Toads say they're cheering for the bros. Go south. Use the Trio Grab to form more bridges near the circles in the ground.

Go west to find more prison cells. Behind the wall is a block. There's a Paper Goomba in a cell. It's the Paper Goomba the bros crumpled a couple of times earlier. After his defeat, he was deemed unfit as a minion according to management. He got demoted to janitor and is cleaning cells. It's all the bros' fault. He also accidently locked himself in the cell. The bros try to walk away, but ihe wants to escape and not work for Bowser anymore. He promises a reward and to forget what the bros did to him. He slides them a battle card set. In return, Paper Mario shows him how to flip sideways. Two Hammer Bros appear. The Paper Goomba runs off as the battle starts, but reappears to teach about battle cards. A new card will be dealt from your set each turn. Star Points are required to used the cards as indicated on each card. Battle to get more Star Points by filling the meter. Only 3 cards can be out at once. You can flip cards over if you don't want them to free up a slot. After the battle, the Paper Goomba will show you the battle card menu. To use a card, it must be registered to a set, which can have only 10 cards. Registered cards have a check mark on them. After the tutorial, the Paper Goomba leaves, saying perhaps they will meet again. In the left cell, there's a crack in the wall, but the Toad won't move, saying it's his ticket to freedom. Go south to form a bridge, return and go west.

There are more enemies and ore here. Form the bridge and go west. Starlow spies a pipe ahead. Walk to the south to form more bridges. One requires going under a stone bridge to reach it. Walk up to the pipe and Roy and Wendy drop in. She says they could've stayed in their cell, but were inconsiderate for making them chase them. Roy calls for Larry, but he doesn't appear. Roy thinks he may be playing videogames. Wendy will toss rings for the bros to dodge. Roy tosses rocks. Successfully counter and the rock will hit Wendy. She will then attack Roy. They can also team up to launch their shells. Counter with the hammer. After a while, the two will get angry and chase the bros. Wendy will breathe fire to take out Paper Mario, so be sure to dodge. Use the Airplane Dodge to dodge the giant ball Roy throws. If Roy holds a rock over his head without attacking, attack to make him drop it. Keep yourself healed. If you defeat Wendy first, Roy will attack with magic. A giant ball of magic will fall on a bro. Counter with the hammer.

Wendy blames their defeat on Larry's absence. The two leave, and before the bros can make their escape, the Toads stampede to freedom. Before the bros do the same, we backtrack to the cell with the crack. Send Paper Mario to the block behind the wall for some 1-up Mushrooms. Take the pipe out of this depressing place.

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam -- Part 6: Reaching for Freedom

The new and improved papercraft is Papercraft Luigi. It's holding a hammer. There are Papercraft Pokeys on the battlefield, as well as Papercraft Goombas. Papercraft Luigi's flying hammer attack (the throw attack) is needed to defeat these spikey enemies. Charge up the Toads again, but the rhythm is different. Clear the field to make Papercraft Kamek appear. The Kameks use magic to surround Papercraft Kamek with a barrier and make more brick blocks appear. Use the flying hammer attack to hit it. Papercraft Kamek can warp around the battlefield, so don's expect it to stay put for long. It can also expand its barrier to cause damage. After it has half of its health, the barrier will disappear and it will shoot magic. Counter the attack with the flying hammer attack. Keep attacking and keep your papercraft healed with Mushrooms from the item blocks.

After Papercraft Kamek is defeated, Kamek says they could've won if it wasn't so ugly. They retreat to come up with a new strategy. Approach the bridge to Bowser's Castle and something appears in the sky. It's a giant cannonball with Bowser's emblem on it. It destroys the bridge. Bowser wants a damage report from within his castle. He was aiming for Mario and wonders if his minions do anything correctly. He apparently has planned for their ineptitude and tells them to keep firing, as they have enough cannonballs to compensate for their terrible aim. The next one nearly hits them and knocks them away. Roy Koopa, Ludwig von Koopa, Wendy O. Koopa, and Larry Koopa appear. Ludwig says they have to take the bros to the secure location. Roy summons a pickup from some Chargin' Chucks. In the process, the book falls out of Luigi's hands. The Koopalings are about to walk away when Roy wonders why there aren't paper versions of them. Wendy thinks their paper versions are doing important things in their world. She also thinks they don't need their help. She leaves and Roy spots the book. He thinks books are dumb, so he decides to throw it away when the Bowser Jrs. appear. Bowser Jr. says he'll tell his dad if Roy throws his book away. Bowser Jr. picks it up.

In the secure location, the Mario Bros are tied up and Paper Mario is tied up in a roll. Paper Mario stands up and rolls himself up tighter so the ropes fall away. He frees and wakes up the bros. Starlow wonders how they'll escape the cell and Paper Mario slips through the door's bars. He hits the lock with his hammer to open the cell door. The bros leave the cell and Luigi starts checking for something. Mario explains the book containing the Paper Mushroom Kingdom is gone. Luigi mopes around for a while. Starlow tries to make him feel better, but then makes it worse. Paper Mario suggests they look for it after they defeat Bowser. Paper Mario folds himself into a hankerchief, then wrings himself out after Luigi dries his eyes. Starlow suggests exploring to figure out where they are. There are a couple of cells in the area. Send Paper Mario into the one with the Toad, who says they're in the Twinsy Tropics Dungeon. A nice paradise having a dungeon is creepy. He says the minions are talking of harvesting something from here. Go east, as you can't get far going west.

There's not much here except some item blocks with coins. Go east. There are more cells here. The blue Toad explains that Bowser's after an ore only found here. The yellow Toad says they are used to haul the ore to Bowser's Castle. Try to go east and a Hammer Bro notices they're trying to escape. More Hammer Bros appear. The bros want to fight, but the Hammer Bros say they'll find battle difficult without their Command Blocks. They can't attack, use Bro or Trio Attacks, flee, or use items. The bros will have to fight for their Command Blocks back. They leave to go on patrol. Getting their Command Blocks back is the bros' next challenge.

Find a Hammer Bro and engage it. You can't attack, so all you can do is counterattack. They'll throw three hammers, then charge. Jump to dodge the hammers, except the ones that are thrown high in the air, then jump to counter. The first Command Block you'll retrieve is the flee one. You can press [R] to idle, which is a problem when your [R] button is broken. You'll then recover Drill Shell and Rocket Blast, then hammer, Trio Kite, then everything else. Go east. There are a few Hammer Bros here. The sign says the bridge is old and rickety. There's also a key to the gate on the other side. Walk under the bridge and up the ramp to reach the bridge. The bros are initially cautious about crossing, but then start jumping lightly and the bridge collapses. The bros form their own bridge using themselves and inch their way back up. Luigi gets an idea. It's the Trio Grab. Like the Trio Hammer, press (A), (B), and (Y) in order, which allows the bros to form a chain to reach things. Unlock the door and Starlow suggests they go outside to see what the Bowsers have done to the Mushroom Kingdom. She also says they should look out for the book, as it would be terrible if it fell into the wrong hands (too late for that), and they have to save the princesses. Being a hero requires a lot of multitasking.

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam -- Part 5: Double Pokey Tower Power

The bros have to get past the Pokeys in Doop Doop Dunes Grotto. There are Paper Spinies wandering around down here. Walk to the south and you'll find some Pokey-shaped plants. Use the Trio Hammer to get rid of them. The trick for the taller ones is to knock away segments with Mario, then quickly unleash the Trio Hammer. Nearby, you'll find a pipe out of the grotto. Hit the switch to raise a platform so you can come back to the grotto. You'll also find Sandmaarghs, creatures that will dive into the sand, then surface to attack. Exit to the southwest.

Walk southwest to find more of the plants. Hit the one farther south into the north one to clear a path. Walk up that path to hit a switch, which raises a rock to the south. Walk across the rock to find another plant, with one on a moving platform to the north. Clear off the north plant and cross the gap on the yellow platform. Follow the path around to a high rock near another pipe. Step on the yellow platform. It will take you to a large yellow platform with a plant. Hit the plant into the plants on the nearby rocks. The timing can be a little tricky. One platform has an item block with a Steady Hammer. The other has a ! Block that will make a spring appear so you can reach the other yellow platform with a plant. Hit the two plants you pass to clear the way to the pipe. Hit the switch before you go through the pipe to raise the platform.

The pipe leads to an oasis in the dunes. A Paper Toad appears, asking the bros to help. Bowser's minions kidnapped his friends. All seven must be rescued within the time limit of 20 minutes. One is to the north. There are stone brick blocks near a Fly Guy with a Paper Toad. Destroy two block in the left and middle columns to reach it and engage it in battle. The time limit continues during battle. If you need to reset the blocks, hit the ! Block. Fly Guys will pass around a bomb. Defeat the one with the bomb to make it drop the bomb to hurt its allies. Approach the Paper Toad to save it. Walk south and you'll find another Fly Guy with a Paper Toad. Use the spring to reach it. After the battle, walk east. Walk to the right to the spring. Spring to the stone block, then spring again to a plant. Hit it at the Fly Guys. When you hit the Fly Guy with the Paper Toad, it will attack you. Walk to the left and you'll find Sandmaarghs and springs. Use the spring when the Fly Guy flies toward the bros to attack it. There are two Paper Toads in this situation. Go north and walk to the left. Dash into the orange spring platform to reach the top of the sand flow. Go down it to find a couple of Fly Guys. I finished with just under seven minutes to spare.

Afterwards, the bros will return to the Oasis, where there's a Lakitu Info Hut. Starlow asks the Paper Toads if they can build the bros something to make them jump really high. Lakitu says they need eight more Paper Toads to finish the project. Walk to the north to find a pipe. This will allow you to warp around the Mushroom Kingdom. Right now, you can go to Sunbeam Plains. To the left is a pensive Blue Toad that has a quiz.
1. During battles in Doop Doop Dunes, which of the following does Sandmaargh do? Attacks by gobbling you up.
2. What's the max number of times you can kick the shell in the 3D Red Shell Bros. Attack? Seven
3. Which of these is a surprised Starlow? The right silhouette
4. How many fingers does Bowser have on each hand? Three. Thumb doesn't count!
5. Which of the following is Princess Peach not wearing? A necklace
The bros win 3 Defense Beans for winning.

Go into the Lakitu Info Hut to save some Paper Toads. The first challenge is The Stone Prison. You must smash the stone blocks without squishing the Paper Toad encased in crystal. All the Paper Toads need to do is reach the ground. Stones will hang in the air if they're hooked over something. You'll save three Paper Toads this way. Safe by a Sandslide is next. Save all of the Paper Toads on the sand flow. Avoid the bombs and smash brick blocks with your hammer or Trio Hammer. Everything flows towards you, including coins. It's trickier than it looks. The five here are the last you need to get the thing to make you jump high. Soon after, you get a paper trampoline delivery. You also get Trio Kite, a new Trio Attack. Return through the pipe to the grotto.

Go east and go near the Heart Block. Mario will place the paper trampoline. Step on it and the bros will be launched above the clouds. Starlow is impressed. You'll land back in the grotto, near the Pokeys. Hit the Pokey segments with your hammer to knock them down to size. It's time to battle them. Paper Tower Power Pokey will roll itself into a wheel. Repeatedly hit it away with the hammer. Big Pokey will lie on its side and roll around repeatedly. Jump to dodge. The Fire Flower does critical damage to both. Paper Tower Power Pokey will hit Big Pokey's segments into the bros. Use the hammer to counter. The Pokeys will chase the bros. Use the Airplane Dodge. If both attack at the same time, use Airplane Dodge on the bro attacked by Big Pokey and have the other bro just jump. Starlow says the Pokeys will regenerate segments if one has more than the other, so the bros should attack them equally. If Big Pokey has 4 or fewer segments, it won't hit Paper Mario when it rolls around. Attacks like Trio Raquet and Fire Flower work best. Once they lose all other segments, you can jump on them. They'll be dazed for a few turns. If you defeat only one, the other one will get angry. Keep yourself healed and keep attacking to win.

After you defeat the Pokeys, heal and jump on the paper trampoline again. Press (A) near the bridge to grab it. On the back wall, send Paper Mario into the gap a few times for some items. Go east and you'll find Bowser's Castle isn't far away. Approach the east exit and a Papercraft Kamek will appear. The two Kameks argue over the aesthetics. Paper Toads inform the bros that they made a new papercraft.

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam -- Part 4: Nabbing the Prize

Now that the papercraft battle is over, head east to Doop Doop Dunes. Starlow spies Bowser's Castle in the distance. Inside, a Hammer Bro asks a Paper Hammer Bro how a paper hammer does damage. The Paper Hammer Bro offers to try it out on him. The other minions are meeting their paper counterparts. The Magikoopa and Paper Magikoopa assemble the minions into a truly massive army. They give their battle cries while Bowser Jr. complains of boredom. Paper Bowser Jr. shares his sentiments. He says they'll get a reward for watching the princesses, but it's boring. Bowser Jr. asks where his paper counterpart is from. He says he and his dad flew out of the same book. Bowser Jr. wonders if Paper Bowser Jr. would have to go home if they found the book. He thinks that is likely. Bowser Jr. wants to keep hanging out to stave off the boredom. Paper Bowser Jr. has a solution: destroy the book. Bowser Jr. thinks their dads would like the idea as well, but neither know where the book is.

In the cage nearby, Peach wonders if there's a way out. Paper Peach slips through the bars with ease. Bowser Jr. wants to find the book once they're done watching the princesses. Meanwhile, the Bowsers appear in front of their armies, saying they're unstoppable. Paper Bowser wants to be in front. Bowser's plotting domination of the Mushroom Kingdom.

Back in Doop Doop Dunes, Luigi spies Nabbit. Dash to chase after him. While dashing, the bros can jump simultaneously with (X). Nabbit dodges twice, but drops the Drill Shell Bros. Attack. Starlow suggests chasing Nabbit for more Bros. Attacks. Chase after him into the next area and the Magikoopas will drop cardboard platforms to block your path. They doubt the bros will reach Bowser's Castle. There are Spinies in the desert. Use hammer, Bros, and Trio attacks to defeat them. Mario made it to level 6 and ranked up to Shell Rank. There are bonuses you earn with each increase in rank, but some may only be equipped by one bro, such as an increase in stat. Go to the northwest side of the area to find a gap. Send Paper Mario in a few times for some helpful items. Reach the higher ledges in the area using the cardboard platforms and you'll reach a red switch. Hit it to make a platform rise up so you can reach a higher platform.

Walk around and you'll find another switch. When you try to hit it, Nabbit will come out of hiding and steal all of the bros' hammers. Chase him down by dashing, but he'll toss spike balls you'll have to avoid. Slide into him to get back a hammer. Do this twice more to get all three hammers back. You'll also get a new Bros. Attack: Rocket Blast. Nabbit runs off to the south. Hit the switch so you can follow him. Bowser's Castle is due east of here. Near the slight hill with the many coins, you'll find Nabbit. Chase him up the sand flow and something drops from the sky. It's a Pokey and a Paper Pokey that looks like Tower Power Pokey. They knock the cardboard loose from the sand flow and send the bros flying.

Starlow says they have to go back to where they came from, but hit the giant stone block can't be broken by Mario's hammer. Luigi and Paper Mario join in to no avail. Paper Mario gets an idea. The bros must use the Trio Hammer by pressing (A), (B), (Y), in order. Stand next to the block and execute Trio Hammer to break it. Starlow thinks the move can be used to flip things over. Break the blocks in the area and walk across the bridge to the right. The Pokeys will knock into the bridge, sending the bros plummeting. They land in Doop Doop Dunes Grotto. The Pokeys are standing nearby and won't let the bros pass without a fight. The bros will need a way to jump really high.

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam -- Part 3: On the Shoulders of Dancing Toads

I backtracked a little to the orange spring platform near Peach's Castle. The item block on the island has some Cozy Wear. Go north of where you battled Petey Piranha. You'll find some Paper Toads to the right, who are thankful to see the bros. They're startled when a Paper Magikoopa appears. He orders some Goombas to bring in a giant papercraft Goomba. He says the cardboard in this world is of very high quality. The Goombas drop the papercraft, blocking the path to the desert. They say it's too heavy. The Paper Magikoopa says the cardboard is of higher quality than the minions in this world. He approaches the bros and the Paper Toads flee to the north. He says they won't be going that way anytime soon, so they shouldn't bother trying. He leaves and Toadette appears, saying the papercraft is something she's been dreaming about. She knows she can build something to destroy the papercraft Goomba. She's going to need more Paper Toads and a bunch just fled.

Go north and the Paper Toads realize they reached a dead end. They're freaking out and want to go home. The bros have to herd the Paper Toads through a gap in the ground to a fenced in area, without letting them reach the exit. If one escapes, you fail. You can retry without penalty. Short dashes into them are effective to push them back, but some may escape when you turn corners. Running in circles in front of them and not through them will push them in the direction you want. When some are close to the gap, repeatedly press the displayed button to push them through. When all 20 are rounded up, Toadette appears and thanks the bros. She needs a few more, however. Lakitu appears, having overheard her. A couple more Lakitu appear to transport the Paper Toads. He says to visit the Lakitu Information Hut, the last hut on the right in this area, to get more info on the Paper Toad situation. Everyone else leaves.

In the fenced area where the Paper Toads were rounded up, there are a couple of item blocks, one with a nut. In the left hut, there's a Toad who thinks he's a know-it-all. He wants to match wits with the bros. They must answer 3 of 5 questions correctly. Win and you get three Heart Beans.
1. Who is this? Nabbit
2. How did Paper Mario first appear in this world? Fluttered down from the sky
3. Who did you battle first? Paper Goomba
4. Which one is Toad? (Pick the correct silhouette)
5. What happens when an enemy runs into you from behind? I fall down
The Toad says there are 4 other Toads like him with quizzes.

Go into the Lakitu Info Center. Lakitu says the Paper Toads made it safely to the castle. Starlow wants more info on Paper Toad locations and makes the mistake of mentioning compensation. Lakitu says it'll cost 5000 coins. Starlow says they can't afford that, so Lakitu offers them a special deal of 10 coins. Talk to the attendant and they'll warp you to the location of the Paper Toads.

The first quest is Paper Toad Hide-and-Seek. The Paper Toads are hiding all over the village. One is hiding on the item store's sign. Two are hiding behind a rock near the Lakitu info center and run off when you find them. Slide into them to catch them. One is on the item shop floor. There's one on the plant in the gear shop, and behind the shelf. Talk to the owner a few times to get him to notice the Paper Toad. One's in the know-it-all's house. Slide to catch him. One's hiding on the fence. The last two are in the fenced in area.

The second quest is Paper Toad Pursuit. The Paper Toads form three stacks for safety. They'll run off, so dash and slide. Catch one stack and the other two will split up. Push them together to form stacks to slow them down. Follow the trail of flowers to make them stack up. After the mission, Lakitu says the Paper Toads are hard at work on the papercraft. Go south to meet Toadette. Approach the papercraft Goomba and you'll find Toadette hasn't arrived yet. More Goombas appear and pick up the papercraft with ease. The bros run off a short distance, but someone has what they need. Toads carry a papercraft Mario. The bros jump on the hat. It's time to battle. The goal is to reduce the HP of other papercrafts to zero. Papercraft Mario's HP meter will go down if it takes damage. Move with the Circle Pad. Press [R] to turn 180 degrees, if you have to change directions in a hurry. Press [L] to make the camera face the same direction as Papercraft Mario.

At the start of the battle, listen to the rhythm and press (Y) in time to charge up the Toads. Use (B) to dash into the smaller papercrafts. Press (A) to have the Toads toss Papercraft Mario onto other papercrafts. If the papercrafts are clustered, you can combo the hits. Dash into brick blocks for coins. The item blocks have papercraft Mushrooms to restore papercraft health. Recharge the Toads if necessary. Defeat all of the papercrafts and Papercraft Megacrinkle Goomba appears. There's a smaller papercraft with it. Dash into them to knock them off their pedestals, then throw Papercraft Mario onto them. After a decent amount of damage, the Paper Goomba controlling Megacrinkle Goomba will get angry and will dodge your dashes more easily. Dodge its dash attack and wait for it to get dizzy to launch an attack. You'll get an Iron-Ball Hammer, DEF Mush Jams, and some items for winning. The Paper Goomba says he'll get the bros next time and leaves for the desert.

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam -- Part 2: It's that Time Again!

Now that Paper Mario has joined the bros, they can reach new places. Near the tri-color block is a narrow crack. Press (Y) near it and Paper Mario will turn sideways to slip through the crack. Jump up the nearby hill and you'll find a Goomba carrying off a Paper Toad. Apparently, the Paper Toads are about to do some real work for a change. The bros approach and the Goomba leaves. Battle the level 3 Paper Paratroopas.

Take the southwest exit and you'll find some Biddybuds that will stack. There are coins, a Refreshing Herb, and a 1-up Mushroom in the item blocks. Return and take the northwest exit. There are more Paper Toads being carried off by Goombas. Battle them and defeat the Goombas in battle to free them. (Regardless of what enemies appear during the battle, defeating the Goombas will release the Paper Toads.) There are eight that need rescuing here. Walk to the left and Paper Mario will show off that he can flip sideways to pass throw narrow spaces. Talk to the Paper Toad to get him to come along.

Go west. At the top of the hill is a Paper Toad bouncing on Music Note Blocks. Time your jump to hit a block to knock him off. He went crazy because there aren't many 3D blocks where he's from. There's another Goomba with a Paper Toad on the hill. Walk to the south and you'll find a blue Paper Toad who's super fast. Walk near the water to find a fence made of Paper Toads. Talk to them and explain the speedy Paper Toad to get the Dash Socks. To use them, start moving and press and hold (X) to jump. Release (X) when you land to begin dashing. Run through the flowers for coins. To slide to catch someone, dash, then press (A), (B), or (Y) when the exclamation point appears. You'll use it to get the other two Paper Toads, and the speedy blue Paper Toad. Lakitu appears, saying he took the Paper Toads to Peach's Castle.

Head as far east as you can go. You can get the first strike on enemies by dashing. When you reach where you first met Paper Mario, someone has a delivery for the bros. It's a Toad with an item and letter. A Paper Toad wants to thank the bros for saving his friends. The item is something the bros can use in battle. The more Paper Toads the bros save, the more battle items the Paper Toads will make. Someone says they have orders to hunt down and destroy the bros. It's a small army of Goombas. In battle, Paper Mario has the Trio Attack command now. This allows Paper Mario to use Trio Attacks, which also consume BP.  The item is a giant cardboard hammer all three bros swing at enemies to turn them into paper. The first one is Trio Racquet, where the bros play racquet ball, using enemies as targets. All three bros must be able to move to use a Trio Attack.

While you're in the area, dash to the orange spring platform to be launched across the water. Go east and you'll find that parts of the environment are made of paper. Paper Mario says this is what his world looks like. Luigi doesn't think that they came from the book, pointing to some cardboard with Bowser's face on it. Dash into the spring to launch through the cardboard. Go east and a Toad says they need the bros' help. Bowser is invading Peach's Castle. Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later... Of course, there are two of them.

Meanwhile, in Peach's Castle, Peach hopes the bros are all right. Paper Peach thinks they should have run into Paper Mario at this point. Bowser laughs. Peach guesses it's that point in the story. Paper Bowser flies in on his clown copter. He wants both princesses, but how he's going to transport Peach is anyone's guess. Bowser flies in on his clown copter. The Toads panic, as per protocol and run off. Bowser asks Paper Bowser if he's trying to steal his thunder. They're still not getting along all that well. In the background, there are suddenly two paper princesses. One asks Mario to save her. Paper Bowser notes she sounds different. Bowser says it's kidnapping time. They both say nothing gets in the way of that and breath fire on the paper princesses. They chase the princesses into the throne room. The Bowsers surround them. The princesses try to leave the throne room, but Peach trips and falls. She calls for Mario

Starlow says they should return to the castle immediately. She thinks there may be time but Bowser disagrees. Both of them have their respective princess in their respective clown copter. Bowser introduces Paper Bowser to them. They found common ground in taking Mario down. They also found teaming up make kidnapping the princesses easier. They then squabble about kidnapping technique. Paper Bowser says their headed for his castle and that the bros will try to follow them, as per usual. Bowser gives them something to keep them busy.

It's Petey Piranha. He can pick up a bro and chomp on them, keeping them from battle for a while. Trio Attacks work on bosses. He'll jump to unleash a shockwave on the bros. Time your jumps to dodge. The Fire Flower attack does critical damage, so use it often. After a few attacks, Petey Piranha will get mad and chase the bros. Paper Mario will turn into an airplane. Move the airplane over the bro being attacked and have them jump to hold on. Hold the button until they land on the ground. Press (Y) as Paper Mario lands on Petey Piranha. If one of his attempts to grab a bro fails, he'll fall backwards. He'll take more damage this way.

Once defeated, a ? Card appears. A Toad can't believe one was found here. They can be used with Amiibo to create character cards. If you don't have Amiibo, you can sell the cards.

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam -- Part 1: Slippery Toads

Now that the Paper Toads in the castle have been found, it's time to go outside and try to find more of them. After you exit the throne room, go to the room to the west. A Toad yells for someone to stop. It's Nabbit. He runs off, dropping a few items on the way. The Toads say he stole a bunch of Bros. Attacks. Without them, they predict doom. Luigi says they'll take the two that were left behind. They are 3D Red Shell and Fire Flower. The Toads ask the bros to get the Bros. Attacks back from Nabbit. The blocks in the room contain coins. The back door leads to the workshop where the Paper Toads are resting. Check out the door and you'll hear them say if there were more of them, they could build something.

Back in the lobby, there's a Toad carrying a sack. He's got a Mushroom delivery route, but he's short one regular Mushroom. Mario offers one up. In return, he gives the bros a 1-up Mushroom. East of the lobby are some shops. The gear's not that great at this point. Towards the southern part of the lobby is Toadette with a Mario doll. She tosses it up in the air. She says it's very versatile. She says she'll make a life-size papercraft doll for the bros later. Someone tells the bros to wait. Some Paper Toads appear and give the bros the Copy Block. They made it out of the stuff in the workshop. They'll going to make more things while the bros go on their adventure. Toadette decides to help them out. One of the Toads by the exit says the arrow will guide the bros if they don't know where to go next.

Outside, cross the moat and you'll see a Lakitu and a rainbow-colored block that restores all HP and BP. The Lakitu was charged by the princess to take notes on the bros, look out for them, and offer assistance. He also reminds the bros to save often. Exit to the east to Sunbeam Plains. Someone notices Mario. Two Paper Goombas appear and notice Mario looks different. Mario, Luigi, and Starlow take an interest in the Paper Goomba and end up crumpling him. He restores himself, but still has a large crease. They're ready to battle.

It's time for the first battle and the battle music is a remix of that from Superstar Saga. Starlow directs the bros' attention to the Battle Guide. These Paper Goombas are level 2. If you execute an attack properly, you may crumple paper enemies. The battle should be pretty simple. Once the battle is over, the Paper Goombas threaten to come back with reinforcements. Starlow reminds them that if Bowser and Paper Bowser team up, things won't be so easy.

Meanwhile, in Bowser's Castle, a magikoopa tells Bowser the plan is going along. Bowser wants things done faster. He wants to get rid of Mario, so he has his minions hunt them down. The magikoopa would like it if Bowser used some manners. A voice behind the magikoopa asks where he is. The magikoopa thinks Bowser has taken up ventriloquism. He looks behind him and sees Paper Bowser. Paper Bowser walks up to Bowser and they both ask who the other is. Bowser wants Paper Bowser out, calling him a flimsy knockoff. Paper Bowser calls Bowser the knockoff. Bowser threatens physical violence, instead of using his flame breath, which would likely be more effective. They get in each other's faces and start fighting. A Goomba appears and they stop fighting, but Paper Bowser is crumpled. He apologizes for interrupting and they get back to fighting. The Goomba explains that Paper Toads and paper minions are raining all over the Mushroom Kingdom. The magikoopa says he's heard of a book that contains a parallel world. He thought it was merely a legend, but now knows it's real. A familiar voice calls someone a copycat. Bowser Jr. has met his paper counterpart. Bowser Jr. checks him out, saying it's like looking in a funhouse mirror. He says it's been boring lately. Paper Bowser Jr. introduces himself and Bowser Jr. wants to get the party started. The whole situation is making the magikoopa's head hurt. Bowser uses his fire breath and the fighting continues. The magikoopa calls for help and gets dragged into the fight.

Back outside, Starlow's getting a shivery feeling. She suggests they rescue the Paper Toads. On the nearby ledge is a tri-colored block. It has only coins this time. The path to the north is blocked by a gate. Hit the red and green blocks to the right on the hill to make it drop. There's an island to the southeast, but no way to reach it and a spring platform nearby is out of commission. Go north and you'll find more Goombas, who say this Mario looks like the real one. Sounds like Paper Mario may be nearby. The other Goomba called the flatter Mario real, even though it's weird he floated down from the sky. Either way, it's battle time! Starlow mentions a little circle may appear around the bros' feet when enemies attack. If the circles are dashes, either bro could be attacked. You can turn the Assist feature on and off to let you know which bro will be attacked. These Goombas are level 2. An Expert Challenge appears. This one is "Just Getting Started". The points you get from clearing challenges can be exchanged for gear in the gear shop. Battle all the enemies and the bros should level up. It looks like you must gain five levels to rank up. This time around, you can't select a stat to give bonus points to. Go north.

To the left is a Paper Toad, who says his friends were abducted by weird-looking versions of Bowser's minions. His surroundings are more vivid than normal, so he thinks he's dreaming. Starlow greets him and he freaks out, then runs away incredibly quickly. Starlow suggests they catch him. He runs off when they approach and they lose sight of him. They decide to move forward and they may find him again. Go up the hills and you'll find the east exit. There's a purple block that challenges the bros to volley the block back and forth for coins. There's a heal block near the exit. Go east.

A green Paper Toad asks if anyone can hear him. Starlow wants to talk to him, but he's freaked out by a Goomba. He slips through a narrow gap in some rocks and runs off. The Goomba gives up, Luigi tries to squeeze through, but gets stuck. Exit to the east and you'll find numerous Paper Goombas, including the one the bros creased earlier. It took him a while to iron out the creases in his face. He and his friends activate Super Goomba Super Wheel. One notices they said "super" twice. The battle starts and they form a wheel. They chase the bros. Press (A) and (B) repeatedly to run out of the way. They escape, but the wheel comes back and runs them over, defeated them. The Paper Goombas bet the bros didn't think they could do something that cool. Starlow tells them to get back up. The Paper Goombas says their weakest teammate is a million times stronger than the bros. They think they should report back to Paper Bowser. As they're about to leave, Paper Mario floats in and grabs them. They can't see where they're going, so they run around to shake him off. Starlow freaks out. The Paper Goombas threaten to flatten Paper Mario flatter than he already is. They try to stomp him, but he punches them away. They're surprised it's actually Paper Mario. They prepare the ultra special stomper-roller thingy, muttering under their breath that they should have agreed upon a name ahead of time. They form the wheel again and target Paper Mario. Starlow halts the attack and explains that the bros need his help. Paper Mario demonstrates that by holding (Y), he can jump very high. Use it to dodge or counter the wheel. Starlow hands over the Copy Block. Hit the block with (Y) to make multiple copies of him, six to be exact. The Paper Goombas are upset because stacking was their idea. Paper Mario can make copies anytime he pleases, but it will cost a turn. On the bright side, the copies will take damage for Paper Mario, but aren't as strong as him. If he takes damage, he'll lose at least one copy. Not sure how Starlow knew all this, but it sounds like an awesome ability. When Paper Mario uses a Jump attack, each copy will do an attack, so press (Y) for each one. When using the hammer, all copies must have their hammer raised high for an Excellent attack.

After the battle ends, the Paper Goomba says it's just his luck that there are two Marios. They haven't seen the last of him, however. He runs off and Luigi gives Paper Mario a hug that crumples him a little. He flattens himself out and looks at Luigi, but Starlow corrects him. This is not Paper Luigi, who still hasn't made an appearance. Starlow draws Paper Mario's attention to Mario and they copy each other's moves. Starlow thinks to call him Paper Mario. She explains that there are two Bowsers in this world. Paper Mario agrees to help in his silent way. The team is now a trio. Paper Mario jumps with (Y). Now that he's joined the team, we can track down that Paper Toad that slipped between the rocks.

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam -- Save the Princesses. Save the Kingdoms. With Paper Power.

Our story starts in the Mushroom Kingdom, at Peach's Castle. A Toad enters a dark room filled with books and other things in storage. He says he feels a draft. A tall, shaking shadow appears in the doorway. Toad thinks the draft is coming from this room. The shadow belongs to Luigi, who enters the room. He's afraid of something, possibly the room. Toad agrees that the room is a little creepy. Toad opens the curtains to let in some light. Toad notices a hole in the wall above the bookcase, but his legs are too short for him to reach it. Luigi volunteers to check it out.

Hop up the box and drawers and a Scaredy Rat exits the hole. Toad asks if Luigi's scared of a little mouse, then tells him to finish checking out the hole in the wall. On the bookcase, Luigi cowers in fear. Luigi challenges whatever else may be in the wall. Toad asks him to check if that's where the draft is coming from. Luigi sticks his head partway into the wall and says, "Wow". Toad calls for help. The Scaredy Rat is chasing him around. Toad climbs up onto the bookcase and almost knocks Luigi over, while the Scaredy Rat follows him. Toad tells Luigi the Scaredy Rat is right behind him and Luigi jumps to the ceiling. When he lands, he kicks up enough dust to make him sneeze, sending him flying into the bookcase behind him. This knocks a book with a mushroom on the cover off the shelf. It hits Luigi on the head and opens up. It starts glowing.

Tons of paper characters fly out of the book. They blow the roof off of one of the castle turrets and fly all over the Mushroom Kingdom. Toads in the nearby village notice the paper characters floating down into their town. In a field, a Goomba notices there are more recruits than he bargained for, as Paper Goombas have mixed in with the regular ones. A Paper Toad asks where he is and a Toad notices he's flat. Another Paper Toad is concerned that the Toads are round. Some Paper Paratroopas show off for some Koopas, who are impressed and let them join up as Bowser's minions. Back in Peach's Castle, the onslaught of paper has stopped. One character gently floats to the ground. It's Paper Peach.

In Peach's throne room, Mario and Starlow are gathered. Some Toads can't believe something. Toad and Luigi enter the throne room, followed by Paper Peach. Peach, Mario, and Starlow freak out. Starlow asks Luigi what's going on, then says he doesn't, of course. Peach and Paper Peach look at each other, wondering if the other is her. Mario freaks out some more. Starlow's seeing double and Paper Peach may faint. Luigi jumps in and tries to explain. Toad tells Mario to see what the princesses have to say about the situation. There are two item blocks with a coin each. Talk to a princess and Peach says she can't believe there's another dimension and her. Paper Peach is equally shocked. Opening the book sent her and the others flying out of their world into this one. She thinks the way back home is through that book. Starlow promises they'll take good care of her. Paper Peach doesn't know who Starlow is. She's a representative of the star spirits and guide of Mario and Luigi. Starlow suggests some sightseeing while they try to figure out how to send them home. Peach agrees and is pleased to meet Paper Peach. Mario talks to Paper Peach and is love-struck. Peach wonders why he never speaks so formally to her. She thinks he's feeling shy. Luigi starts talking to Paper Peach and is equally love-struck.

A Toad runs in and starts talking to Paper Peach. He then wonders who she is. He reports about the new flat Toads that suddenly appeared. They're very scared. Peach instructs him to gather the Paper Toads so they can be welcomed properly. He'll try, if they can stop freaking out long enough to listen. Mario volunteers to talk them down. Luigi joins Mario. A Toad gives them a guide. This allows them to access the Menu. Both bros can now move around. One Toad wonders if they'll have to change the name to Peaches' Castle. He loves the stained glass window and would hate to change it.

Exit the throne room and you'll find a Toad telling the Paper Toads they don't need to hide. They're having a difficult time finding them. Both princesses appreciate the help. There are 8 Toads to find here. One is on top of an item block in a set of three. He doesn't want to be eaten and thinks the bros look like Mario. He can't believe Mario is the Mario from this world. Mario says they'll help them all get home. He folds up and goes into Mario's pocket. Up the stairs and to the left is a Paper Toad hiding behind Paper Peach. Tell her the Paper Toads may be closer than she thinks and it will come out of hiding. She thinks he found an interesting hiding spot. He thinks Mario and Luigi want to hurt him. Paper Peach calms him down and he says he was only pretending to hide and keeping an eye on her. Go downstairs and near the banister on the right is a sleeping Paper Toad. He thinks he's dreaming because the bros are rounder and Luigi looks capable. There's a shaking three-color block nearby. Hit it and will bounce from Mario to Luigi and back again when you hit it. The last three hits will reveal three Paper Toads. They want to run, but notice Mario and feel safe. Nearby under a mushroom pillar is another. He says there's nothing to see here, but Mario insists and he surrenders. He's excited to be rescued by celebrities. The last one is cleverly disguising himself as the reflection of a Toad to the left of the staircase. Interact with the Paper Toad to chase it out of hiding. He's freaking out and can't find his friends.

With the last Paper Toad found, everyone gathers in the throne room. The Paper Toads are ecstatic to find Paper Peach and crying because they're in this world and many other Toads are missing. On a field somewhere, seven Paper Toads land, wondering where they are. Someone sinister notices the skinny Toads. Some Goomba appear and want to round up the Paper Toads. The Goombas surround them, but a few escape. Back in the throne room, the Paper Toads wonder if their friends have been creased or crumpled or torn into millions of pieces. Paper Peach remembers something: Bowser and some of his minions came out of the book as well. She doesn't want to think about what could happen if the two Bowsers joined forces. She says the fate of the world rests on the bros' shoulders and asks them to find her lost paper subjects. Peach thinks this may be their greatest challenge yet: them vs. two Bowsers and their combined minion forces. Paper Peach says things may look brighter once they find Mario. Starlow mentions that Mario is right here, but Peach understands what Paper Peach means.

And that begins the fifth adventure into the Mario and Luigi series. I'm looking forward to playing it, as I've wondered if there would ever be a crossover of the Paper Mario and Mario and Luigi games. Surprisingly, there's no mention of Paper Luigi. Perhaps he didn't make it out of the book. Either way, we'll keep an eye out for him. I'm now off hiatus. I have not completed the last level of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker yet and it looks like I won't be able to anytime soon (it's quite challenging). In the meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this game with me.