Paper Mario: Stamp Stars is the seventh game in the Paper Mario series and the third game in the Paper World games. The game is for Nintendo Switch and features Gamecube controller support. The game's story takes place after the events of Color Splash, where Mario must get help from new pals to return the Super Stamps and the Master Stamp to the Stamp Shrine after Bowser steals them.
Gameplay[]
The gameplay of Stamp Stars is similar to Color Splash, where you can use the Control Stick to move and A button to Jump. Players also can utilize the B button to swing a hammer, breaking fragile objects such as crates, barrels or cracked rocks. Pressing the X button will allow the player to utilize Unfold, which is a mechanic similar to Cutout or Paperize from the previous games. Differences between Unfold and the rest are that with Unfold, players can push objects deeper into the page to turn flat walls into extra rooms, or pull objects further away from it to bring it closer to the player. You can also use Patterns on areas, push Scraps into place using your Stamp or find Hidden Luigis and Luigi Sightings in-game. The Y-Button allows the player to interact with characters, signs or other things in the terrain, as well as talk to Rubbert.
Battles in-game use Patterns, which are equivalent to Stickers or Battle Cards. There are four types of Patterns: Attack, Healing, Special and Thing. Attack Patterns include Stomp, Hammer, and certain Enemies. Healing Patterns include Mushrooms, 1-Ups and Foods. Special Patterns include Enemies, Items, Allies and Varieties. Thing Patterns are made by finding things and flattening them in the Flat Stack shop in Inkwellington. Certain Patterns have different variants, like Worn-Out, Shiny, Big, Big Worn-Out, Big Shiny, Glittery and Chromatic, which deals different amouts of damage depending on the Pattern Type and Variant. All Patterns use Ink, which is similar to Paint in Color Splash. Ink can be refilled at Inkwells in the world or by buying an Ink Jar from Quillson's Quirks. Additionally, each character can use a second technique in battle, such as Mario's Hero Boost or Rubbert's Foil Coat.
Story[]
Prologue[]
The story begins in the town of Inkwellington, known for it's Stamp Shrine, a building where the Master Stamp and it's Super Stamps are kept. It has been said that whoever collects all nine Stamps will be able to have any wishes granted. For over a century, the Stamp Mages have guarded these nine treasures from evil, and the current guardian is the youngest, known as Rubbert.
One night, the evil King Bowser breaks into the Shrine with Bowser Jr, Kamek and the Koopalings. Rubbert tries to stop them, but Bowser knocks him to the side. Bowser approaches the Master Stamp just as Mario arrives and attempts to stop him. However, Bowser grabs the Stamp, and turns into FlashFoil Bowser. He then unleashes a massive paper tornado which blows Mario and Rubbert away, while also sending the Koopalings away with the Super Stamps...
Inkwellington-Hub[]
Mario awakens the next day to find himself in Calligraphy Plaza, which has been destroyed by Bowser. Mario cleans up the plaza and opens two paths: one leading to the Stamp Shrine and the other leading to Inkblot Avenue. Mario must then visit the Stamp Shrine's exterior area to find Rubbert, who reveals himself to Mario as the chosen guardian of the Super Stamps and Master Stamp. He then joins Mario as the two save the rest of Inkwellington, unlocking every area of the town: Calligraphy Plaza, the Stamp Shrine, Inkblot Avenue, Label Market, Printer's Square, Blotch Bay Harbor and the Craft Cafe. Once they finish, Rubbert tells Mario to go back to the Stamp Shrine, as the locked stone door at the entrance has finally opened.
Inside the Shrine, Mario and Rubbert manage to open several other rooms: Rubbert's Room, the Guest Room, the Library, the Battle Dojo and the Stamp Shrine Inner Sanctum. In here, Rubbert reveals that when Bowser summoned the tornado, he sucked up the Evil Ink that was trapped beneath each Super Stamp, as well as the Master Stamp. The Evil Ink can corrupt anything, including the environments and enemies in the world. Mario and Rubbert now must not only recover the Stamps, but also stop all of the Ink.
As they make their way out of the Shrine, they are ambushed by three different Goombas, one normal, one Paragoomba, and an Inky Goomba, which is a Goomba covered in Evil Ink. A battle ensues, where Rubbert explains how to fight, and gives Mario a set of 25 Patterns, which fills up half of his Pattern Compendium, a book that stores his Patterns. Rubbert also explains that Inky enemies cannot be directly attacked with contact, like a jump, otherwise, Mario will take damage instead.
After the battle, Mario and Rubbert then exit Inkwellington, opening paths to the Cardwood Plains area.
Cardwood Plains-World 1[]
Mario's group opens a path to Papercraft Path, where they free some Toads stuck to the walls with Bowser Tape. The Toads reward them with a Thing: the Soda Bottle. One purple Toad reveals that he is the owner of the Flat Stack shop in Inkwellington's Calligraphy Plaza. Mario and Rubbert then find a Mini Stamp, which allows them to access the next few regions: Cardwood Forest, where they face Bowser Jr.; and Foldoff River.
At Foldoff River, Mario and Rubbert find that the Bridge, as well as the river, have been flattened into one. Rubbert then teaches Mario about Unfold, which can be used to push or pull objects by freezing time and flattening the world like paper. They use it to restore the River and Bridge, crossing it and finding a Mini Stamp.
After Foldoff River, the two can access Windmill Gardens, Cardboard Plateau, and Lilypad Lake. These areas do not have much in terms of story, but there is a Gate Scrap within Windmill Gardens that belongs at the entrance to Cardboard Plateau.
Eventually, the duo reaches Goomba Tower, where the two are thrown into the dungeon. After finding a Claw Hammer stamp in a crate, Mario smashes down a wall, revealing a hidden path to an open cell that the two use to escape. After finding their way out of the dungeon, the group then explores the tower, alerting the guards, and traveling to the top. There they confront the Leader of the Goombas, who becomes Megafoil Goomba. They defeat him, expelling the Emerald Super Stamp and scaring away the Goombas from the tower. Mario then befriends Goombert, a friendly and kind Goomba, who can use Magnify to increase an allie's power for 3 turns. The new trio then grabs the Super Stamp, which flies them to the Stamp Shrine Inner Sanctum, collecting all the evil ink in Cardwood Plains, which opens the door to Stampsand Desert.
When the group returns to the Inner Sanctum, the Stamp seals the Ink in a hidden pool under the Stamp's pedestal. This gives Mario and Co. an extra Pattern slot, two new pages in the Pattern Compendium and 25 more health points, increasing all the Party's HP totals to 50.
Stampsand Desert-World 2[]
Mario, Rubbert and Goombert learn from the Emerald Super Stamp that their next location is in the Stampsand Desert, which is accessed from the Stamp Shrine's Eastern Garden. The garden can be accessed by using Unfold on the back wall in the Battle Dojo. Once they find the Stampsand Gate, Kamek ambushes them, initiating a fight. Once they beat him, he flees the scene, but not before stealing the Gate before it opens.The group must then find the Gate Scrap in the flowerbeds on Inkblot Avenue, then they can access the Desert. Their first stops are Stampsand Valley, Cardstock Oasis and Rumblestone Ruins. Stampsand Valley is where the group faces Bowser Jr. again. This time, he manages to convert a large portion of the sand in the area into quicksand, leaving the area impassible. The group backtracks and heads to Cardstock Oasis, where they learn from one of Rubbert's relatives that there is a portion of stone bridge inside of Rumblestone Ruins. The group enters the ruined palace and faces Boom Boom, who was sent there to stop them. During the battle, Boom Boom suddenly gets drenched by red Evil Ink, causing him to become covered in flames, as well as becoming super-angry. Nonetheless, they beat him and take the stone bridge Scrap back to Stampsand Valley, where they use it to cross the quicksand, thus granting access to Stampsand Outpost. There, Mario's party finds a young Koopa named Kooperry. He wishes to be braver, just like his world-traveling cousin Koopete, and he joins the group, granting them his Shell Spin and Shield Shell abilities in battle. The team exits the Outpost, leading them to Cutline Gardens. Within the Gardens, Mario uses Unfold on some plant life to open a path deeper into the cacti, which grants them access to the temples in the garden. In each temple is a stone tablet Scrap, however, they are guarded by the three Goombas from Inkwellington, as well as Iggy Koopa and Wendy O. Koopa, whom you fight together as a mini-boss. The three open the path to the next area, while the fourth is used in said area: Paperweight Arena. There, the team must face Pharoah Whomptep, who holds the Topaz Super Stamp. After he is defeated, the Stamp takes them back to the shrine, sealing the Evil Ink as well. The team then gains an extra Pattern slot, two new pages in the Pattern Compendium and 25 more health points, raising each member's total to 75.
Shimmershine Seas - World 3[]
The third area is Shimmershine Seas, which can be accessed by talking to the Boat Toad at Blotch Bay Harbor. He will send you off to the first stop: Port Folda, a sea town inhabited by Toads, Goombas, Koopas, and Shy Guys. Within Port Folda, the team will meet Nabbit, who has been running a kinda shady Pattern shop in a back alley. He tells them (dubiously) that the wares he sells are procured legitimately. However, instead of coins, he asks for certain Patterns for trade, a "barter" system as he calls it. After talking to him, he will give you the Flattened Bridge Scrap, which you must stamp into the world AND pull upwards to cross it. After reaching the East Side of Port Folda, Mario meets Princess Daisy, who was visiting Inkwellington with Princess Peach. However, Peach was kidnapped by FlashFoil Bowser, much to Mario's horror. Mario and Crew then travel across the Seas once more, opening up four new areas: Tearaway Island, Skullface Island, Blooper Island & Shredsteel Rig, a massive oil rig that has been taken over by Bowser's forces. After climbing to the top of the Rig, the group faces Morton Koopa & Larry Koopa. They were brought there to monitor the search for the Sapphire Super Stamp, but after seeing Mario, the two engage in a battle with the heroes. However, the duo then drench themselves with blue & orange Evil Ink, which mixes the powers of Earth & Water together. Eventually, the two Koopalings are defeated, and are sent blasting out of the Rig's secret Bill Blaster off into the distance. The ones who blasted them were the Toads that manned the rig and whom were also enslaved by the Koopaling duo. The Toads thank Mario & Co. by allowing the group to see their research on the Sapphire Super Stamp. However, before the group can reach the Research Center on the Rig, they are assaulted by Sparkle Power Gooper Blooper, a normal Blooper transformed into a giant monster by the Super Stamp. After vanquishing the beast, the team finally gets ahold of the third Super Stamp, thus meaning they are one-third of the ways done. When the group returns to the Inner Sanctum, the Stamp seals the Ink in a hidden pool under the Stamp's pedestal. This gives Mario and Co. an extra Pattern slot, two new pages in the Pattern Compendium and 25 more health points, increasing all the Party's HP totals to 100.
Papertear Peaks - World 4[]
TBA