Mario and his friends are arguably just as iconic as Disney’s mascot Mickey Mouse, so it was never an “if” theSuper Mariofranchise would hit the silver screen, but a matter of “when.” Whilethe 1993Super Mario Bros.moviewas panned by fans and critics alike for taking too many creative liberties away from the source material, 2023’sThe Super Mario Bros. Movieclearly revels in it.
With Nintendo’s supervision, Illumination is creating a Mario movie that puts almost every facet of the widerSuper Mariofranchise on a silver platter; from its connections withDonkey Kongto the many, manyMariospin-off games. One title that the movie shines a prominent spotlight on isPaper Mario, the classic Nintendo 64 RPG that has proved to be so popular that it launched its own subseries. The inclusion ofPaper Mariois most certainly deserved, as it was one of the first games to really develop the world around the Mushroom Kingdom.
RELATED:Super Mario Odyssey Mod Adds Sunshine’s FLUDD Device to the Game
Paper Mario Infuences in the Super Mario Bros. Movie
From the very beginning, the inclusion ofPaper Marioin Illumination’s adaptation was clear. In the teaser trailer that served as the first-look atThe Super Mario Bros. Movie,Bowser descends upon a wintery kingdomruled by penguins, flying in a floating lava castle. The face in the center of its ring, and the spiky balls and chains it uses as anchors, show very apparent similarities to Bowser’s flying castle inPaper Mario.
Ehile it hasn’t been seen in any of the trailers thus far, a poster of Princess Peach’s throne room that was used to promote the latest Nintendo Direct trailer premiere was also clearly inspired byPaper Mario’s in-game locations. Fans who have played the N64 game will easily remember the familiar checkerboard floor tiles and large red-carpeted steps that led up to where Mario wouldmeet Princess Peachbefore Bowser’s attack (though this is also reminiscent ofSuper Mario 64’s hub).
Paper Mario’s Importance to the Mario World
UsingPaper Mariodesign elements as reference material is a great choice because it took cues from otherMariotitles without relying solely on them. It focused on making new locations that fit seamlessly with the world at large - per the series' brand at the time, and it worked well as the first clear-cutlook at an interconnected Mushroom Kingdomthat would serve as the groundwork for decades of future titles.
Paper Mariowas not the first RPG to expand on theMarioworld and lore, asSuper Mario RPGdid so prior, but the SNES title didn’t fit the image of what the series looked like afterSuper Mario 64retooled it.Paper Mariointroduced the concept of Princess Peach’s castle being found in Toad Town, and the game also has plenty of NPCs with their own stories to make the Mushroom Kingdom come alive.
How alivePaper Mariofeels is naturally in-part because of its upbeat and silly, yet detailed plot that’s well-written from start to finish. With all the characters feeling so cartoony and fun, in a world that comes alive on players' screens, it’s no wonder why the classicNintendo 64 RPGwas one of the reasons why some people signed up for the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack tier to play it.
Everything that thePaper Marioseries has to offer is why it has more than earned a spot inThe Super Mario Bros. Moviealongside games likeMario Kart. Even if it can be argued thatPaper Mariois its own series separate from the mainline titles, the legacy of the famous plumber stretches all over the video game industry.
The Super Mario Bros. Moviereleases in theaters on Aug 07, 2025.
