Paper Mario: Color Splash

PAPER MARIO: COLOR SPLASH

And now, for the one I can't be as generous with. Out of all the games I have covered so far, this one was one of the most unpleasant to work through. The best parts of the game I didn't encounter until the last hour of the game or so, after hours and hours of wandering around barren lifeless worlds, spending way too much time whacking random white spots with a hammer, and interacting with nothing but Toads, Toads, Toads, Toads, Toads, Toads, Toads, Toads, Toads. Did I mention Toads. They used to be one of my favorite Mario characters until this game came along.

The story follows Mario after he arrives in a place called Port Prisma, discovering that all the color has been sucked out of the world and the people in it. Toward the end of the story, you learn that this was caused by Bowser accidentally mixing the colors of the Color Fountain together and creating an evil parasitic black paint that took over his mind, and that the paint has been using all the color collected to fill up Banzai Bills with the paint and literally bomb the world with the stuff. (See, all the cool stuff is backloaded into the end. Come on, game!).

Mario plays pretty similarly to how he did in sticker star before, except that he now uses cards instead of stickers, but they serve the same function mostly. He can also paint with his hammer, making splashes to fill in the color-drained spots throughout the game, which makes up about seventy percent of the gameplay. Real world items return, including a fan, plunger, lemon, fire extinguisher, cat-o-luck, piggy bank, bone, bottle opener, ice pick, birdcage, balloons, teapot, turnip, instant camera, basin, cork, washing machine, charcoal grill, salt and pepper shakers, megaphone, hair dryer, magnifying glass, recorder, hammer, and disco ball. Huey is a living paint can who serves the same role as Kersti before him. He can also squeeze the color out of things and suck up black paint.

Princess Peach performs her standard damsel-in-distress role, while pretty much every single other supporting role is taken up by a Toad. Except for that one Toad, and that other Toad, and those Toads, and the weird Toads with keys on their heads, oh, and there's also those other Toads. So many Toads. Yoshi and Birdo both appear in a couple of spots though, with Birdo putting on a random performance again. Luigi appears at the very end of the game, racing onto the scene in a kart to take you up the rainbow road to get to Bowser's Castle. (Once again, everything good is backloaded into this game).

Bowser is once again the main villain of the game, though this time, he himself is not malicious. He simply wanted to play in some paint, and the black paint poisoned his mind. In his boss battle, he will summon black lava bubbles, stomp, fire black paint bombs, grow gigantic, spin in his shell, and spit a bomb of black paint. Kamek and the Koopalings also appear in this game. Kamek is pretty basic Kamek on his broom and casting spells at you. As for the Koopalings, Morton fights you with his giant hammer, Iggy rides around in a chariot and casts spells, Ludwig commands a battleship and a submarine, Wendy will throw out a golden ring, Larry hijacks and rides a train, Lemmy will ride around on a ball and summon enemies, and Roy uses a paint cannon armed with black paint.

Outside of the Koopalings, we only have two boss characters to discuss: first is Petea Piranha, a tea-based version of Petey Piranha, who fights pretty much exactly the same as Petey from the previous game, down to the exact same moves. Draggadon from Toad's Treasure Tracker appears again too, flying and swimming around in lava.

Shy Guys are like Toads in this game. Nearly every single enemy is another Shy Guy. That said, unlike the Toads, this game actually made them a little creepier. They are directly responsible for the draining of color from the world, and carry around straws that they'll use to drain you too. They also carry around paint buckets, stack up, wear spike hats, carry shields, ride unicycles, bounce on trampolines, and have their standard Snifit variant. Other enemies in the game include Goombas, Koopas, Swoopers, Buzzy Beetles, Cheep Cheeps, Spinies, Dry Bones, Scaredy Rats, Spikes, Hammer Bros, Bloopers, Boos, Pokeys, Ninjis, Fuzzies, Rocky Wrenches, Piranha Plants, and Dino Rhinos.

This game has a lot of different worlds, some of which are actual full stages, others of which are just little stopping places and such. Sadly none of them are really tied down to specific worlds, outside of having a general color theme between different areas. All of their names are colors too. They include Port Prisma, Ruddy Road, Cherry Lake, Crimson Tower, Indigo Underground, Bloo Bay Beach, Sunglow Ridge, Daffodil Peak, Roshambo Temple, Chateau Chanterelle, Mondo Woods, Marmalade Valley, Kiwano Temple, Golden Coliseum, Dark Bloo Inn, Plum Park, Sacred Forest, Mustard Cafe, Violet Passage, Red Pepper Volcano, Cobalt Base, Fort Cobalt, Vortex Island, Lighthouse Island, Fortune Island, Toad Trainworks, Tangerino Grill, Sunset Express, Red Pepper Crater, Green Energy Plant, Mossrock Theater, Emerald Circus, and Black Bowser's Castle.

Much like the stickers in the previous game, battle cards make up the majority of your items this time around, plus the real world items mentioned before.

Here's what we've got so far:

Characters:
Mario: jumping, fireballs, punch, hammer, koopa shells
Paper Mario: jump, hammer, companions, Star Spirits, badges, items like Fire Flowers and Sleepy Sheep, turn sideways, paper airplane, paper boat, roll up, Crystal Star powers, flip between 2D and 3D, items, pull off stickers, Paperize, real world items, paint splash, battle cards
Luigi: various adventures, Mr. L, run, jump, super jump, kart
Mr. L: jump, pilot Brobot
Princess Peach: therapy, group hug, sleepy time, mute, come back, psych bomb, slap, parasol, fan, frying pan, Sneaky Parasol, Twink, turn invisible, parasol float, parasol shield
Bowser: Terrorize, Crusher, Bowser Crush, Poison Gas, throw Chain Chomp, drill glove, throw Mario, stomp, breathe fire, claw, Klown Kar, Star Rod, lightning, shockwave, bite, grow giant, sticker crown, whirlwind, black paint, black paint bomb, black lava bubbles, Banzai bills filled with black paint
Mallow: Thunderbolt, HP Rain, Psychopath, Shocker, Snowy, Star Rain, cymbals, froggie stick
Geno: Geno Beam, Geno Boost, Geno Whirl, Geno Flash, Geno Blast, pellets, shooting stars, rocket fists
Pixls: Tippi, Thoreau, Boomer, Slim, Thudley, Carrie, Fleep, Cudge, Dottie, Barry, Dashell, Tiptron
Kammy Koopa: fly on broom, summon block, throw lightning
Kersti: paperize, Sticker Star, scissors, an electric fan, a cat-o-luck porcelain doll, a faucet, a trumpet, a soda can, a lightbulb, a jackhammer, a baseball bat, a magnifying glass, a vacuum cleaner, a high-heeled shoe, a boom box, a billiard ball, a fish hook, scotch tape, a square can, a violin, a bowling ball, a balloon, a newspaper, a searchlight, a trophy, a drum, a pillow, a battery for a watch, a thumbtack, a bed, a box of matches, a bellows, a squirt gun, a car battery, a paper fan, hair shears, a goat, a curling stone, a hair dryer, a refrigerator, an over, a stapler, a flashlight, tailor shears, a powder puff, a mini vacuum, an air conditioner, teapot, a turkey, a basin, and a guitar
Huey: paint, squeeze out paint, suck up black paint, gimmick rep, fan, plunger, lemon, fire extinguisher, cat-o-luck, piggy bank, bone, bottle opener, ice pick, birdcage, balloons, teapot, turnip, instant camera, basin, cork, washing machine, charcoal grill, salt and pepper shakers, megaphone, hair dryer, magnifying glass, recorder, hammer, and disco ball
Yoshi: race, Ground Pound, Gulp, Mini-Egg, Stampede
Toad: stack up, form ladder, SO MANY TOADS!!
Toadsworth
Toadette
Pianta
Bowser Jr.: Klown Kar, bombs, shield, cannonballs, Paperize
Kamek: broom, cast spells, smack with wand, duplicates, enlarging spell, split Wiggler, flipflops
Star Spirits: Refresh, Lullaby, Star Storm, Chill Out, Smooch, Time Out, Up and Away, Focus, Star Beam, Peach Beam, Star Rod, lightning, shockwave
Koopalings: Morton's hammer, Iggy's chariot, Ludwig's battleship, Wendy's ring, Larry's train, Lemmy's circus, and Roy's paint cannon.
Merlon (and family): cast spell, lightning, tell future, divine secrets, trade, raise into the air, level up, light prognosticus
Smithy: sledgehammer, meteor shower, drain, smelter, Tank Head, Magic Head, Treasure Head, Mask Head, build machines
Count Bleck: chaos heart, dark prognosticus, light cage, distortion shield, black hole, throw black hole, warp
Sir Grodus: cast lightning, blue fire, stomp time, X-Yux, shield
Lord Crump: butt bash, X-Naut horde, stack, ball, hang from ceiling, Magnus von Grapple, battleship
Nastasia: hypnotize
Dimentio: teleport, magic things, multiples, trap in box, explosion, D Dimension, seedlings, Super Dimentio
Axem Rangers: axes, bombs, petal blast, heal, freeze, electrify, mute, body slam, The Blade, breaker beam
Smithy Gang: Mack (fire), Bowyer (arrows, electricity), Yaridovich (spear, spells), Punchinello? (bombs)
O'Chunks: ground pound, butt bash, jump, spin and throw, spin, charge, throw blocks, chunk up, fart
Mimi: mimic, spider form, missile, drop from above, tidal wave, circle, line, razor blades
Jr. Troopa: tackle, hide in shell, wings, head spike, spell, transform
Croco: steal, run away, bite, bombs, weird mushrooms
Booster: toy train, toy minions, card tricks, throwing knives, bouncing on a ball, killer Bundt cake
Birdo: shoot eggs
X-Naut: tackle, drink potion, throw potion
Johnny: trident, boost HP, drain, minions with spears, starfish, crabs, treasure chest, springs to get out of water, King Calamari
Valentina and Dodo: fly, peck, cancel moves, Petal Blast, Diamond Saw, Blizzard, Water Blast, Aurora Flash, Light Beam, Solidify
Francis: tongue, invisible, flash with camera, Meowbots, Swoon.exe
Culex: Shredder, Dark Star, Flame Stone, Meteor Blast, fire crystal, water crystal, earth crystal, wind crystal
Koopa (Kooper/Parakarry/Koops): Shell Toss, Power Shell, Dizzy Shell, Fire Shell, Sky Dive, Shell Shot, Air Lift, Air Raid, Shell Shield, Shell Slam
Goomba (Goombario/Goombella): Headbonk, Tattle, Charge, Multibonk, Rally Wink, stack up, roll, fold into cone
Spiny
Lakitu (Lakilester): Spiny Flip, Spiny Surge, Cloud Nine, Hurricane
Hammer Bro
Shy Guy: Groove Guy, Sky Guy, Medi Guy, Spy Guy, Gourmet Guy, Pyro Guy, Spear Guy, General Guy, bucket of paint, Snifit, suck up paint, trampoline, trapeze, ride on ball
Cheep Cheep (Sushie): Belly Flop, Squirt, Water Block, Tidal Wave
Boo (Lady Bow): Smack, Outta Sight, Spook, Fan Smack
Piranha Plant
Bob-Omb (Bombette/Bobbery): Body Slam, Bomb, Power Bomb, Mega Bomb, Bomb Squad, Hold Fast, Bob-Ombast
Chain Chomp
Dry Bones
Blooper
Lil Sparky (Watt): Electro Dash, Power Shock, Turbo Charge, Mega Shock
Pokey: fall over, roll up, throw body parts
Monty Mole
Bandit
Tiny Mouser (Ms. Mowz): Love Slap, Kiss Thief, Tease, Smooch
Buzzy Beetle
Spike: clubs, butt bash, eat ghosts, heart, butt bash, punch, back flip, power up
Koopatrol
Duplighost (Doopliss): shape shift, turn into pigs
Wiggler: segments, fly, charge
Ninji: shurikens
Flurrie: Body Slam, Gale Force, Lip Lock, Dodgy Fog
Vivian/Shadow Sirens: Shade Fist, Veil, Fiery Jinx, Infatuate, slap, punch, boost, electricity, icy wind
Shadow Queen: shadow hands, steal energy, spread darkness, possess Peach, disintegrating blast
Rawk Hawk: sliding kick, double flip, superman slam, prop drop, drop shroom, drop stomp, cheat
Petey Piranha: fly, butt bash, spin, bite, Petea Piranha

Bosses:
Belome
Exor
Smithy
Mega Smilax
Czar Dragon
Etc.
Goomboss
Koopa Bros.
Tutankoopa
Tubba Blubba
General Guy
Lava Piranha
Huff N. Puff
Crystal King
Hooktail
Cortez
Macho Grubba
Bonetail
Gloomtail
Shadow Queen
Fracktail
King Croacus
Bonechill
Gooper Blooper
Mizzter Blizzard
Draggadon

Stages:
Mushroom Kingdom
Tadpole Pond
Forest Maze
Yo'ster Island
Mole Mountains
Booster Tower
Sea Side
Star Hill
Sunken Ship
Land's End
Nimbus Land
Barrel Volcano
Bowser's Keep
Smithy's Factory
Peach's Castle
Toad Town
Star Sanctuary
Bowser's Castle
Goomba Village
Koopa Village
Mt. Rugged
Dry Dry Desert
Forever Forest
Boo's Mansion
Gusty Gulch
Shy Guy's Toy Box
Lavalava Island
Flower Fields
Cloudy Climb
Shiver Mountain
Crystal Palace
Rogueport
Petal Meadows
Hooktail Castle
Boggly Woods
Glitz Pit
Twilight Town
Church Steeple
Keelhaul Key
Excess Express
Poshley Sanctum
Fahr Outpost
The Moon
X-Naut Base
Thousand-Year Door
Shadow Palace
Flipside
Flopside
Lineland
Yold Desert
Merlee's Mansion
Bitlands
Fort Francis
Outer Space
Whoa Zone
Downtown of Crag
Floro Caverns
Sammer's Kingdom
Underwhere
Overthere
Castle Bleck
Sticker Fest
Decalburg
Warm Fuzzy Plains
Dry Bake Desert
Bafflewood
Snow Rise
Shy Guy Jungle
Bowser Jr.'s Flotilla
Bowser's Sky Castle
Port Prisma, Ruddy Road, Cherry Lake, Crimson Tower, Indigo Underground, Bloo Bay Beach, Sunglow Ridge, Daffodil Peak, Roshambo Temple, Chateau Chanterelle, Mondo Woods, Marmalade Valley, Kiwano Temple, Golden Coliseum, Dark Bloo Inn, Plum Park, Sacred Forest, Mustard Cafe, Violet Passage, Red Pepper Volcano, Cobalt Base, Fort Cobalt, Vortex Island, Lighthouse Island, Fortune Island, Toad Trainworks, Tangerino Grill, Sunset Express, Red Pepper Crater, Green Energy Plant, Mossrock Theater, Emerald Circus, and Black Bowser's Castle.

Items:
Badges
Mushrooms
Lots of Food
Fire Flower
Sleepy Sheep
Thunderbolt
Snowman Doll
Stop Watch
Fire Burst
Ghost Shroom
Ice Storm
POW Block
Shell Shock
Thunder Rage
Volt Shroom
STICKERS!!!!
Battle Cards
Too many to list

Thanks for reading! Sorry if I was a little too much on the negative side this time. I really don't like this game. Now, let's let those floodgates burst open wide and start doing our character sheets. Mario will be our first revision!