Paper Mario

Plays

Paper Mario, a turn-based JRPG entry in the Mario franchise with a paper-based aesthetic and platforming elements, sees the titular character working his way through the Mushroom Kingdom's diverse locales and biomes, meeting its inhabitants, fighthing unruly enemies and recruiting an array of companions in order to once again save Princess Peach from the clutches of the evil Koopa King Bowser.

Emulator N64 Release Year 2000

Genres

Role-playing (RPG) Adventure

Developers

Nintendo Gradiente +2

Power On

Nintendo 64 • 60Hz

SELECT ROM VERSION

Choose your preferred language or region

NO ROM

This game doesn't have a ROM file available yet. Please check back later.

Loading emulator...

Game Controls

Default

Movement

D-Pad

D-Pad

↑ ↓ ← →
Analog Stick

Analog

W A S D

Actions

A Button

A

J
B Button

B

K
L Shoulder

L

Q
R Shoulder

R

E
Z Trigger

Z

SPACE

C-Buttons

C-Up

C↑

I
C-Right

C→

L
C-Down

C↓

K
C-Left

C←

J

System

Start

START

ENTER

About The Retro Game

Paper Mario blends traditional turn-based JRPG structure with light platforming and puzzle-solving, all wrapped in a whimsical paper-craft aesthetic. You control Mario as he explores the Mushroom Kingdom’s towns, dungeons, and themed regions, timing button presses to power up attacks and blocks in the innovative “action commands” combat system. A rotating cast of partner characters, each with unique field and battle abilities, encourages experimentation in both exploration and strategy.

Released for the Nintendo 64 in 2000, Paper Mario is often cited as a spiritual successor to Super Mario RPG and helped define Mario’s role-playing spin-offs for decades. Its approachable mechanics, accessible difficulty curve, and clever writing made it a standout for both RPG newcomers and genre veterans. For its time, the storybook visual style was a technical and artistic achievement, using 2D “paper” characters in a 3D world to create a striking, memorable look that aged far better than many fully 3D peers.

Paper Mario’s charm, humor, and vibrant characterization of the Mushroom Kingdom left a lasting cultural impact, spawning an entire sub-series that experimented further with paper-themed mechanics. Its distinctive sound design, witty dialogue, and highly replayable quest structure cemented it as one of the Nintendo 64’s most beloved titles, frequently appearing on “best RPG” and “best N64 game” lists and remaining a touchstone for fans of lighthearted, story-driven adventures.

Screenshots