The partner system makes a return and is improved on - rather than tools with some dialog, the partners in this game feel more fleshed out as characters. FP, BP and SP all return, but this time the “Special” moves are focused around the main artifact for this entry: The Crystal Stars. The gameplay carries over from the original Paper Mario (N64), but now partners have their own HP. The gameplay carries over from the There is a reason as to why many people consider to be one of the best, if not the best, GameCube game. There is a reason as to why many people consider to be one of the best, if not the best, GameCube game. As such, a "Teleport to Rogueport" option would have been nice. Unfortunately, I reflexively hit the first save block that I saw, not realizing that it would make getting out of there very difficult (I was pretty much in the middle of the chapter, and had no healing items). At one point in the game, I became stuck in the Palace of Shadow with one HP. My one gripe about the game is a trivial matter. The areas of the game are accessible with very little backtracking, too, as new shortcuts are opened up to the player. The platforming features in the out-of-battle world were also satisfying, and the abilities Mario gains and those that his partners grant him have imaginative uses. The characters are charming, and I actually found myself looking forward to encountering new enemies, even the ones that were just recolored sprites (the Tattle bestiary system and the item library were also nice features, providing impetuses for scouring the nooks and crannies of the world for hidden goodies and ingredients for recipes).
The The story is silly, yet captivating, and the controller inputs utilized during the battle segments keep the turn-based battles engaging.
The story is silly, yet captivating, and the controller inputs utilized during the battle segments keep the turn-based battles engaging.