Stickers invaded Paper Mario's world last year. A few months later, how do we all feel?
Anticipation for Paper Mario: Sticker Star reached a fever pitch as we neared its November 2012 release. Since Nintendo did their best to hide specifics about the game, a lot of our staff discussed and speculated about what exactly it would be. It's level-based? What's with the sticker stuff? How do these real-life objects work? Well, the game came out and we found out all about it, and Sticker Star became pretty divisive. Scott Thompson said in his 7.0 review: "I want to love Sticker Star. The game looks great, the localization is top-notch, and, when things are moving along, it all feels so right. The sticker economy is well realized and forces you to manage your sticker collection well. But the game's obsession with "things" brings it to a screeching halt all too often."
To sort out our feelings on Mario's latest papyrus escapade, we went to the Review Revisit, where several staffers weighed in with their scores for the game. Check out what some of us had to say below, and let us know your thoughts on Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
You can also check out our Gunman Clive Review Revisit, and chime in if you want us to talk about any other recent release in this manner.
Review from Justin Berube, Staff Writer
Sticker Star manages to retain the charm found in the previous Paper Mario titles. The humor, good music, interesting graphics, and fun characters are all here. The problem is the game is flawed. The reward for winning battles is almost nonexistent, and I sometimes found myself stuck when trying to figure out what specific special stickers to use in order to proceed. Despite these problems, Sticker Star still manages to be a fun game. It's just a shame the title couldn't be as great as the two more traditional RPG entries in the series.
Review from Neal Ronaghan, Site Director
While my expectations were probably a little too high, Paper Mario: Sticker Star was a crushing disappointment for me. It's tough, because the graphics, presentation, and audio are so superlative. Even the sticker-based battle system is great, too! But the game progression so woefully needs a freaking strategy guide by you at all times to avoid crippling frustration and tedium. What was at first joyous quickly became a struggle to get through because I simply wasn't enjoying myself. Sticker Star gets a lot right, but unfortunately, it isn't really that great of an experience in totality.
Review from Andrew Brown, Australia Correspondent
Despite a confused direction behind the battle system reworkings and some poorly announced boss battle necessities, Paper Mario Sticker Star is a good game. The inclusion of stickers fits perfectly into the established world of paper craft prevalent in the series, and with some proper management and preparation, it works well in battle. The art style is as cheerful and inventive as ever, and we're graced with not only the best soundtrack in the Paper Mario series, but some of the best music on the handheld. Certainly not the best in the series, but you could do far worse.
Review from Daan Koopman, Europe Correspondent
Paper Mario: Sticker Star is a beautiful looking game that exceeds many Nintendo 3DS games. The adventure is, however, less interesting to play, as some of the more engaging elements have been removed. It is not as hilarious as the previous installments and the gameplay took some turns for the worst. The sticker-based battle system well put-together, but it lacks an end-of-battle reward. It is also not always clear how to solve certain puzzles, which causes some frustrating moments throughout the ride. If you can forgive the missteps made, Sticker Star is certainly not a bad title, but it could have been so much more.
Review from Tyler Ohlew, Features Editor
When the "What Game's Potential Was Hampered By One Feature?" thread pops up on your forum of choice, make sure to link Scott's review. Paper Mario: Sticker Star is defined by its poorly implemented "Things" stickers, a mechanic that is comparable to the one rotten lobster that spoils the whole catch. Problem is, Nintendo didn't give up and steer the ship home, it went ahead and served us poisonous lobster. How crappy is that?
While the idea of puzzles and bosses solved by using the right combination of Things is interesting, it wasn't delivered properly. Heading into an area blind often leads to backtracking to the main town and obtaining the needed Thing to progress. An FAQ is a necessity to avoid giving up altogether. Does this ruin what could have been a terrific game? Absolutely. It flies in the face of what we expect from Nintendo, and mars an otherwise fantastic title and franchise (yes, Super Paper Mario is a better game).
