Paper Mario: Sticker Star

[RedShell]

I'm at 18 hours play time and have just completed World 5. On to the final world!

 

It's strange how there are sooo many different "thing" items, but it doesn't seem like even half of them will need to be used in order to complete the game. Unless I suddenly need to use 'em all on W-6 or something.

Oh well, it's cool just collecting them I guess. And it's always funny seeing these realistic real world items against the paper/cardboard environments.

 

Anyway, Paper Mario Sticker Star has been a very odd game for me. At times it can be absolutely superb, and at others a complete mess. One minute you're having a blast, the next, pulling your hair out in frustration.

Some of the "puzzles" are just a little bit too puzzling/random for their own good.

Even so, the game has its charm for sure, there are a few fantastic stages, some great comedy moments and parts of the soundtrack are simply sublime...

 

I could honestly listen to this on loop... forever:

 

Overwhelmingly magical.

*goes into a trance*

Edited December 31, 2012 by RedShell

[Tales]

You should use the thing stickers in battles. They are quite powerful and can take a big chunk of a boss' hp.

 

They are very fun to use in battles too. Some of them has given me a good laugh. Good tip, some of them are time sensitive when getting the "excellent" bonus, but for most of them it seems it is enough to mash the A button.

[Captain Falcon]

Reminds me of Mario 3D Land in terms of the platforming, and that's a very good thing.

 

Indeed - whilst the platforming isn't remotely as challenging, not that 3DLand is challenging either outside the bonus level, that same winning combination of a super responsive jump, bright chunky scenery and happy go lucky music, really makes just exploring feel great.

 

The bit where the scenery tips over like dominoes to retro Mario tunes had me grinning for ages. Fantastic!

 

Yeah, that was probably my favourite bit I've come across so far. Reminded me very much of the stuff littered throughout DKCR.

[Dog-amoto]

Really annoyed with...

 

The fact that you need to have certain stickers before you face a boss or go into a level with absolutely no clue that you will need them beforehand. The boss fight with Big Boo was ridiculous. I waited for ages before running away to see if the lights would go back off as I didn't have a fan to get rid, but no they didn't. At least give me the option to jump on the lights, turning them off. Sure, I'd burn myself and lose a few hitpoints, but at least the fight would be winnable regardless of my sticker collection.

 

Far too often, I make progress in a level and then have to exit it because I haven't got the right sticker and then when I come back, all the enemies have returned and the game gives me no incentive to fight them due to no level up system. (why can't I use another radiator to melt ice on the same level I used another? Why does it have to be a Fire Flower?) This problem could have been avoided if you didn't have limited space for your stickers. What is the point of this? I would convert all my things to stickers if I had the room.

 

 

I still like this game, but did they not playtest it first?

[Tales]

You got a couple of infinitive jump stickers in that level. I think I basically one-hit KO'd the boss.

[Captain Falcon]

Really annoyed with...

 

The fact that you need to have certain stickers before you face a boss or go into a level with absolutely no clue that you will need them beforehand. The boss fight with Big Boo was ridiculous. I waited for ages before running away to see if the lights would go back off as I didn't have a fan to get rid, but no they didn't. At least give me the option to jump on the lights, turning them off. Sure, I'd burn myself and lose a few hitpoints, but at least the fight would be winnable regardless of my sticker collection.

 

Far too often, I make progress in a level and then have to exit it because I haven't got the right sticker and then when I come back, all the enemies have returned and the game gives me no incentive to fight them due to no level up system. (why can't I use another radiator to melt ice on the same level I used another? Why does it have to be a Fire Flower?) This problem could have been avoided if you didn't have limited space for your stickers. What is the point of this? I would convert all my things to stickers if I had the room.

 

 

I still like this game, but did they not playtest it first?

 

Not finished all of 4-3 yet but I'm near the end but I wanted to pick up on your point about 4-1 in the spoiler tags.

 

 

So you need to melt the snow - simple enough idea sure. But on the snow cone you have to use the fire flower (so not even a thing object - something more annoying after I trecked back to get some fire based thing stickers) and on the snow bank, you have to use the radiator. Now surely, the radiator needs to be plugged in to something as it won't heat on it's own.

 

Another time you have to use an electrical device to progress, there is a plug socket next trying to hint t use that particular thing - that isn't here though. So I ended up wasting my matches and cigarette lighter (surprised that got past Nintendo's censors), and another fire flower, because apparently three items that can create fire to melt stuff without anything else are no good whereas a radiator which requires a supply of something (gas or electric) can do it even when there is nothing about to power it.

 

 

 

 

And for those not wanting to look at the spoilers - video games suck when they are inconsistent with their own laws/ideas/logic.

[Dog-amoto]

Not finished all of 4-3 yet but I'm near the end but I wanted to pick up on your point about 4-1 in the spoiler tags.

 

 

So you need to melt the snow - simple enough idea sure. But on the snow cone you have to use the fire flower (so not even a thing object - something more annoying after I trecked back to get some fire based thing stickers) and on the snow bank, you have to use the radiator. Now surely, the radiator needs to be plugged in to something as it won't heat on it's own.

 

Another time you have to use an electrical device to progress, there is a plug socket next trying to hint t use that particular thing - that isn't here though. So I ended up wasting my matches and cigarette lighter (surprised that got past Nintendo's censors), and another fire flower, because apparently three items that can create fire to melt stuff without anything else are no good whereas a radiator which requires a supply of something (gas or electric) can do it even when there is nothing about to power it.

 

 

 

 

And for those not wanting to look at the spoilers - video games suck when they are inconsistent with their own laws/ideas/logic.

 

Indeed. And what was even more annoying is that the snow cone had a large sticker space for what to put there so it looked like you had to place a thing and not a battle sticker.

 

Like I said, I still love this game and I applaud them for trying something different. But it wasn't implemented very well.

[Captain Falcon]

Indeed. And what was even more annoying is that the snow cone had a large sticker space for what to put there so it looked like you had to place a thing and not a battle sticker.

 

Like I said, I still love this game and I applaud them for trying something different. But it wasn't implemented very well.

 

That's another annoying point - the sticker outline is not always an indication of how big the sticker you need to use is. Sometimes it's much bigger than it needs to be thus making your selection of "thing" stickers less clear than it already is when so many should be capable of doing the same job.

 

Take for example, the harbour...

 

 

You need to get wheel for the boat before you can cast off and it happens to be in a dark basement. You have matches and a lighter but you can't use them to light your way, no - you have to replace the lightbulb.

 

And then when you get to the boat, it is tied to the dock by rope and since I didn't have a scissor sticker with me, I thought I would try just burning it but no, you cant do that.

 

 

 

Programming all possible eventualities is tough and hard work, but a lot of this stuff harkens back to early 90s adventure games like Monkey Island where there is only one answer to every puzzle designed purely to lengthen the game by making it as obscure as possible. It's a shame too when you see in the latest Zelda how they are trying to give you more ways to solve puzzles as long as the logic works - i.e. if something needs to be hit, it doesn't tend to matter what it's hit with unless there is an obvious reason why only a particular thing should work.

 

On 4-1, I tired several things that should all work equally well and the least practical of the lot was the solution.

[Dog-amoto]

That's another annoying point - the sticker outline is not always an indication of how big the sticker you need to use is. Sometimes it's much bigger than it needs to be thus making your selection of "thing" stickers less clear than it already is when so many should be capable of doing the same job.

 

Take for example, the harbour...

 

 

You need to get wheel for the boat before you can cast off and it happens to be in a dark basement. You have matches and a lighter but you can't use them to light your way, no - you have to replace the lightbulb.

 

And then when you get to the boat, it is tied to the dock by rope and since I didn't have a scissor sticker with me, I thought I would try just burning it but no, you cant do that.

 

 

 

Programming all possible eventualities is tough and hard work, but a lot of this stuff harkens back to early 90s adventure games like Monkey Island where there is only one answer to every puzzle designed purely to lengthen the game by making it as obscure as possible. It's a shame too when you see in the latest Zelda how they are trying to give you more ways to solve puzzles as long as the logic works - i.e. if something needs to be hit, it doesn't tend to matter what it's hit with unless there is an obvious reason why only a particular thing should work.

 

On 4-1, I tired several things that should all work equally well and the least practical of the lot was the solution.

 

And you end up wasting those stickers you try as well. And there's no way to soft reset the game to reload, you have to close the software.

 

You're right about it being like a point and click game. I haven't been this incensed since I had to put fertiliser and starch on a snake so that I could use it as a makeshift staff that I could use to steal a wizard's real staff so that I could use that to extend a butterfly net to catch a parrot that needed to be brought down with a firecracker.

[Captain Falcon]

And you end up wasting those stickers you try as well. And there's no way to soft reset the game to reload, you have to close the software.

 

You're right about it being like a point and click game. I haven't been this incensed since I had to put fertiliser and starch on a snake so that I could use it as a makeshift staff that I could use to steal a wizard's real staff so that I could use that to extend a butterfly net to catch a parrot that needed to be brought down with a firecracker.

 

Absolutely - I already had a bit of a rant about the wasted sticker/no rest thing in another post. If a thing sticker can not be used in the field, then it just shouldn't accept it and it remains in your collection. Not only would that lead to less frustration, it might also persuade the user to actively use them for combat a bit more. As it is, I daren't use them for anything for fear of more backtracking and fighting.

[Magnus]

I'm glad I decided to read Captain Falcon's post, as I got stuck on that puzzle last night and could have sworn the first thing I tried was a fire flower. I guess I must have used another battle sticker by mistake. And then I exited the level and got a radiator sticker and tried that but it didn't work, so now I guess I have to go back and get another radiator sticker so I can solve the other puzzle, even though the slot for the sticker makes it look like it requires something larger.

[Dog-amoto]

Absolutely - I already had a bit of a rant about the wasted sticker/no rest thing in another post. If a thing sticker can not be used in the field, then it just shouldn't accept it and it remains in your collection. Not only would that lead to less frustration, it might also persuade the user to actively use them for combat a bit more. As it is, I daren't use them for anything for fear of more backtracking and fighting.

 

And it's easy to miss the thing that you need as well, what with secret doors and the way the game is graphically. If they'd have included a way of knowing if you'd 100%'d a level, and added unlimited pages so you could easily convert all your things.

 

And @Magnus, you get one bonus point for the inevitable Name That Game 2013 Edition for guessing the game I'm on about above

[Captain Falcon]

@Magnus - at least someone is benefitting from my suffering then :p

 

And it's easy to miss the thing that you need as well, what with secret doors and the way the game is graphically. If they'd have included a way of knowing if you'd 100%'d a level, and added unlimited pages so you could easily convert all your things.

 

That's what took me so long to get out to sea. The thing I needed is placed in a section of level that they intentially try to avoid you looking at by using something else to lure you away from the indication that there might be more to the level than meets the eye. I also think it's location completely defies the in game text hinting at where it should be too.

 

I think the design of the game is fundamentally flawed and whilst there are very rare touches of Nintendo brilliance, there is so much more they could have done it make it a better game.

[Ike]

I dunno the stuff at the harbour made sense to me.

 

Pretty sure the thing sticker box was next to a light bulb plug or something but it was obvious to me that I needed a bulb. Besides the event afterwards wouldn't have worked if you just used a match really. I didn't actually have the match and lighter at that point anyway but I had the other items so it was pretty clear what to do as far as I was concerned.

 

 

Not saying they shouldn't have implemented multiple solutions mind you, totally agree with the 4-1 complaints. Heard world 5 has a a puzzle that can be solved with different stickers.

[Dog-amoto]

See, I haven't even found the

 

Match and Lighter. I tried using a searchlight in the dark room which should have worked too.

 

[Magnus]

I think the exploration and puzzles are fine until you need a thing sticker. Then not only do you need to exit the level and go all the way back, you also need to either go back to a previous level and get the thing you need again or pay a bunch of coins to buy it, then you need to make room in your limited inventory for a huge thing sticker - and then it might not even be the right thing sticker in the first place!

 

Having to use a radiator to melt snow when you've got a bunch of other things that also generate heat (and even have to use one of them to melt some snow in a different part of the level!) really does remind me of old adventure games, except in those, Guybrush would just shrug and say that what you're trying to do doesn't work. You wouldn't be expected to go all the way back to the voodoo hut, pay the Voodoo Lady 200 doubloons to get an item, go back through the jungle and then lose the item forever if it's not what you need.

 

 

And @Magnus, you get one bonus point for the inevitable Name That Game 2013 Edition for guessing the game I'm on about above

It's Discworld, but I had to google part of your rant to find it. I've actually played the game, but I think I've blocked the more frustrating puzzles from my memory. :p

[Captain Falcon]

I dunno the stuff at the harbour made sense to me.

 

Pretty sure the thing sticker box was next to a light bulb plug or something but it was obvious to me that I needed a bulb. Besides the event afterwards wouldn't have worked if you just used a match really. I didn't actually have the match and lighter at that point anyway but I had the other items so it was pretty clear what to do as far as I was concerned.

 

 

Not saying they shouldn't have implemented multiple solutions mind you, totally agree with the 4-1 complaints. Heard world 5 has a a puzzle that can be solved with different stickers.

 

The problem there was that the box for the thing was much bigger than the thing sticker itself and so it kinda threw me a little though you are correct about its positioning. Maybe I'm being a little harsh with the second point there but it's just symptomatic of the game design in general.

 

Instead of us sharing stories about how we did it our own way (and thus encouraging replays), we share ones about how we all faced the same set of hinderances that taint the overall experience.

[Ike]

I felt the box was too small at one point. Would have been better is the box was an outline of the Thing.

 

Really it ties back in with the hint system being terrible. And by terrible I mean non-existent.

[Dog-amoto]

I felt the box was too small at one point. Would have been better is the box was an outline of the Thing.

 

Really it ties back in with the hint system being terrible. And by terrible I mean non-existent.

 

Still...could be worse...

 

 

 

[Dcubed]

The radiator is the first thing I thought of using...

 

Same goes for the Fire Flower to get that level's other Comet Sticker!

[Magnus]

Good for you.

[Hero-of-Time]

Put some more time into this yesterday ( reached 3-4 ) and slowly but surely it's starting to win me over. It's still not in the same league as the other games, as I previously stated, but it's coming into it's own now.

 

I unlocked the museum and with me being a collectible nut it suits me perfectly. Every time I get a new sticker I refuse to use it and place it in my museum collection.

 

These guys have to be one of the best enemies yet.

 

 

I adore them and have trouble attacking them, especially when they start strumming away.

Edited January 3, 2013 by Hero-of-Time

[Magnus]

I felt like such a rebel beating the final boss on my first try without using any thing stickers. Thing stickers were the bane of my existence.

 

I'm not sure how to feel about this game. On the one hand, parts of it were a lot of fun. On the other hand, parts of it were fundamentally broken or just plain annoying.

 

I really wish this game had had more of a story, though. Near the end of the game, when Kersti said, "who do we know that can fly?" I tried to think back on the characters I'd met during the game, and the only ones I could think of were generic Toads and Wiggler. Such a great character gallery! Bowser's always been one of the best characters in the Paper Mario series and he gets zero lines in this game, while Luigi is reduced to pointless cameo appearances. And Peach is back to being nothing more than a MacGuffin again.

[Dog-amoto]

I felt like such a rebel beating the final boss on my first try without using any thing stickers. Thing stickers were the bane of my existence.

 

I'm not sure how to feel about this game. On the one hand, parts of it were a lot of fun. On the other hand, parts of it were fundamentally broken or just plain annoying.

 

I really wish this game had had more of a story, though. Near the end of the game, when Kersti said, "who do we know that can fly?" I tried to think back on the characters I'd met during the game, and the only ones I could think of were generic Toads and Wiggler. Such a great character gallery! Bowser's always been one of the best characters in the Paper Mario series and he gets zero lines in this game, while Luigi is reduced to pointless cameo appearances. And Peach is back to being nothing more than a MacGuffin again.

 

It's not just the characters though. They've played it pretty safe with the settings (with the exception maybe of world 3) It's just the usual forest, sand and ice type levels

 

I keep thinking about how diverse Thousand Year Door was. From the Great Boggly Tree to the sublime (and probably my favourite level of all time in any game) Excess Express train.

[Magnus]

True, The Thousand-Year Door had some great levels that actually felt like they were part of the Mario universe, unlike the levels in Super Paper Mario. We need more train levels in video games!

 

I liked how The Thousand-Year Door introduced some new areas. Paper Mario 64 was filled with the classic Mario places, but that was kind of the point: seeing a classic Mario game through an RPG lens. They had the good sense not to just do that again ten years ago, but not now for some reason. Going through the standard grasslands/desert/swamp/snowy mountains/jungle/volcano feels pretty uninspired, but if they'd at least filled those places with interesting characters, it would have been more bearable.