More Paper Mario: Sticker Star Details Revealed, Stickerization, No Experience Points, And More

Paper Mario: Sticker Star received lots of love at the 3DS Showcase, including lots of new details. As we already knew, stickers will be very prominent in this title, but perhaps moreso than we knew before. Unlike previous Paper Mario titles, Sticker Star will not feature an RPG-style, experience point based level up system. Instead, sticker collection will serve as Mario’s means of increasing things like HP and Attack.

Additionally, at any point, the player can enter “Stickerization”, in which the screen is frozen in place and tilted, revealing places on the map where stickers can be placed. In the gameplay shown, Mario used Fire Flower and Ice Flower stickers to replace a poor Toad’s destroyed garden. By putting stickers in the right places, all kinds of secrets can be unlocked. In this case, Mario received 6 stickers in return for the 3 he used, as well as gaining an HP +5 sticker.

During battle, a “slot machine” system, similar to the one in Paper Mario 2 was revealed. By spending coins, players can try their hand at the slot machine for a chance to increase their coins, or even win new stickers to help them in the battle.

We also saw the inclusion of realistic-looking non-paper items in the game. By collecting a real fan, Mario was able to convert it into a fan sticker, which was then used to complete a sidequest. Finding both real world items and stickers will create a new, but familiar Paper Mario experience coming to your Nintendo 3DS Holiday Season 2012.