Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

Mario & Luigi series refresh its formula without changing it. Alpha Dream achieves their objective adding paper to the gameplay. The result? Another important chapter for the saga.

This game is in no way a revolution of what’s come before, but that doesn’t matter one bit - the mechanics are still as solid as they always were, the humour still makes my face ache from smiling, and not once did it ever outstay its welcome.

This game is a must-have for fans of the Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario games. But even if you've never touched a Mario game before, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros is strongly recommended.

Mario & Luigi Paper Jam Bros. is a great RPG that always offers new things to do and new mechanics to learn but the level design is too linear and the story is too simple.

Paper Jam doesn’t disappoint while not dramatically changing the formula previously established, but it ranks high in the Mario RPG pantheon thanks to its improvements in pace, willingness to trust its players to figure out the mechanics, and its goofy multi-Mario-verse premise.

This is the high quality we’ve got used to from Alpha Dream. And even though some of the well known elements are getting slightly stale, Paper Jam mixes it up with some fresh parts and adds a quirky humor you wouldn’t come to expect.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is a very accessible, captivating, and fun game that mixes up a few genres very nicely to provide a robust and enjoyable experience.

Despite recycling Paper Jam Bros. never looks like a half-hearted effort. [02/2016, p.69]

All in all, Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam is still a fun RPG that fans of the previous game will enjoy.

It’s a middle of the road RPG in a sense, because it skimps out on some of the deeper mechanics that the genre is known for while double dipping on others. In a sense it’s the best type of RPG for a mobile device such as the 3DS then – offering bite sized worlds to have fun in for a short time and a combat system that links up with this design perfectly. But it’s deep and long enough to be considered a wholesome adventure, and one that never loses its way in terms of writing, challenge or intrigue along the way.

It’s a better game than Dream bros and Paper Mario Sticker Stars, that intelligently mixes its two sub-genres to give life to something unique and fun. Another great game in the Nintendo 3DS library.

It's just one of the best Mario-themed RPGs out there. The exploration is pure fun, and the combat system works just fine.

Adding Paper Mario to this fun mix is very balanced. In some cases he is a good choice, but he also makes the attack options bigger for your enemies. Timing is essential and if you do not have it, this game will be an even tougher cookie than it already is. Paper Jam Bros. feels like confetti: colorful with lots of variety and content. To make this party even better, the cutesy dialogues are very funny.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros is an action-packed, varied and in places, amusing RPG with familiar Mario-faces. The story is pretty much nonsense, though. [Feb 2016]

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam has personality. There's a little bit of extraneous filler here, in the form of papercraft battles and optional amiibo cards, but people who chose to focus on the delightful story, fantastic battle system, and assortment of mini-games will be more than happy to join Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario on their adventure.

In the case of Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, it seems the real consequence of joining the franchises is that it makes for a game based on brevity and ingenuity — both of which seem to depend on the collaborative aspect of keeping the best and dispatching the rest.

Even though the visuals are a bit softer and there are a few elements you may have run into before, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam continues the winning streak for the team at Alphadream. It's done remarkable work mixing the Paper Mario universe into the mix, and the hilarious script, backed by a strong combat system, will keep RPG fans of all ages pleased. This is one adventure that certainly doesn't wear thin.

Mario & Luigi Paper Jam is not perfect but definitively is a solid and accessible RPG with all the humor and charming that only Alpha Dream can do with the Super Mario franchise. A solid combat system and a few improvements to the classic formula make this crossover as an enjoyable trip.

Mario & Luigi Paper Jam Bros. successfully merges two franchises into one entertaining turn-based JRPG!

We had a great time with Paper Jam Bros., a game that delivers a good RPG experience without all the complexity of other games. Some of the new additions didn't work as well as expected, but it didn't disappoint us.

The latest entry in the Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario series is a good one. The new trio works smoothly, and the game is as funny as it has always been. But the Paper Toad missions are a bit tedious and the Papercraft battles lack something.

Mario and Luigi Paper Jam successfully mixes the two long-running Mario RPG series, but outside of a few new Paper-based gameplay surprises it’s the same solid, self-aware role playing experience you’d expect from the Mario and Luigi series.

AlphaDream hits the mark again in terms of combat and dialogue, even if some new additions fall flat.

Don’t even bother registering your Amiibo. That way you won’t be tempted to use them. And you’ll be able to play the game the way it was meant to be played for people who have to muddle through without any Amiibo. Do that, and Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam has potential to prove as satisfying as just about every other game in this great series.

By shoving the story aside and doubling down on its great battle system, Paper Jam smartly emphasizes what the series does best. Some of the padding can be a little annoying, but the way paper-thin characters add new angles to enemy encounters makes this crossover more than just a simple gimmick.

It’s not the deepest RPG out there, but sometimes it’s nice having a lighter experience. One that calls back to a simpler time, where intuition is far more important that meditated planning. Aside from some button mashing and less-than-stellar mini-games, Paper Jam is worth a try for some good ol’ fashioned fun.

With superb writing and fun combat, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is another solid addition to the series’ lineup.

This amusing crossover of Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario adds another solid title to the Mario RPG lineup. Though the recurring minigames and the length of some battles can get a little tedious, combat is generally immersive and fun, and a good sense of humor breathes life into the well worn Bowser-captures-the-princess plot.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is a wonderful mashup of two already great series. The visuals aren't all that impressive, even for the 3DS, but the gameplay is classic Mario RPG stuff. Fans of either series will like how these two come together in the story department, with a truly enjoyable script that will have players laughing throughout.

Its platforming sections won’t be troubling Super Mario 3D Land, but if you’re looking for RPG Mario at his modern best, you won’t go far wrong with this.

One of the better JRPGs on a system that’s full of them.

An excellent mix of Mario worlds is united by simple, but rock-solid RPG elements. Regarding the gameplay, there is nothing in Paper Jam Bros. to criticize; concerning the story however, the game offers too little – a little pity in an adventure that can take tens of hours. Even so, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros. is a perfect tip for a Christmas gift.

Another gleefully entertaining RPG adventure for gaming's favourite brotherly pair. [Christmas 2015, p.74]

It may not be the RPG we had sought at the beginning, but it’s one that marries together most (though not all) of what makes this Mario spin-off so immediately engrossing.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is a really rock solid game, with a few visible creases that need to be noted before purchase. It captures the bright colorful fun of the Mario universe perfectly, pairing it with incredibly well-localized dialogue and a very strong combat system.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros. brings forth a very interesting and fun crossover between two of Nintendo's most cherished series featuring some of its most appreciated characters. The two worlds come together in a very successful way, even if it's clear that the mechanics of the Mario & Luigi series are more predominant than those of the Paper Mario series. The amount of tutorials could be lower to make the experience more fluid and its plot is too predictable but this remains a fun and enticing title.

One of the craziest crossovers ever seen in a videogame. Constantly changing the rhythm and showing new gameplay methods and with a hilarious plot. One of the best in their series.

The usual, beautiful Mario & Luigi. The innovations introduced by this chapter are enough to infuse a bit of variety to the adventure. For the rest, it is the usual great mix of action, platform and RPG.

While Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is in many ways a retread of what's come before, it's exactly what anyone could ask for from the series while also being open enough to win over those who play it for the first time.

In the end it's Paper Jam's simplicity that makes it a great starting point and an easy recommendation, but also holds it back from taking full advantage of more dimensions than ever before.

If you’ve never played a Mario & Luigi game, this is the perfect on-boarding point. It’s got a hilarious script, near-flawless battling, and bucketfuls of charm.

Mario’s latest RPG is well designed, brings back the stuff we liked about the previous games and adds a couple of cool new concepts while it’s at it. That being said, Nintendo could’ve done more with the crossover between the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi worlds.

A good game that retreads a lot of old ground and uses its last few hours to squander the good will it's earned up until then.

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam is a silly little romp through the Mushroom Kingdom with classic JRPG fun and a few less-than-stellar tricks up its sleeve.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is a delightful game with all the love and charm you’d expect from Nintendo poster boys…only now with a dash of poster boy made from poster board. Fun, laughs, and a generally good time are all to be had if you pick this up for your 3DS.

The gameplay is surprisingly funny and creative and it all looks great. But, its predecessors were better, especially when it comes to story and the repetitiveness of the gameplay.

Mario & Luigi Paper Jam Bros is a nice game that should delight any Nintendo fan. The combat is well balanced but some activities are very boring and you feel that devs had to fill in the gaps.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros. was enjoyable, but it suffers from some severe pacing problems.

Somewhere in Paper Jam are trappings of a great game.

Without a doubt, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros. is just as solid an RPG adventure as its predecessors, avoiding the pit that Partners in Time fell into with its multi-character approach.

For those who enjoy what it offers, Paper Jam delivers a fine representation without varying the formula much.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is an odd game, a semi-successful title that achieves a lot of success in its different elements but fails to come together as a cohesive title.

Though it’s not the best game in either series, Paper Jam delivers enough well-executed turn-based combat to please fans of both Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi. It’s unfortunate that the writing and humor aren’t quite up to snuff, but fast-forward through the dialogue and you’ll soon find yourself staring at another gang of bad guys just asking for a fire flower to the face. That’s a jam worth playing.

With Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, Nintendo and AlphaDream have presented yet another solid RPG set in the iconic Mushroom Kingdom. There's lots of familiar gameplay to be found, which fans should enjoy, as well as some humorous juxtaposition that results from two worlds colliding. However, the game doesn't do enough to make itself feel unique, and its new mechanics are hit and miss.

While not bringing anything particularly new to the series, Paper Jam Bros. still manages to be a thoroughly enjoyable game in the Mario & Luigi franchise. It's a simple, fun and colorful RPG – sometimes brought down by tedious fetch quests and bland paper battles, but with a big, soft heart on the outside.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is just as wacky and enjoyable as any other past iteration of the series, but it fails to change things up in a meaningful way for longtime fans.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam can get a bit grindy at times and drag on at certain times, especially the first time where it looks like the game's end is at hand. But there's more than enough masterfully comedic writing to carry the day, between the sight gags, fourth-wall-breaking references, and Luigi's pratfalls.

Satirical and self-referential, backed with some boundlessly creative combat systems and the endlessly bright Mario aesthetic, Paper Jam might not be a huge step forward from its predecessor on the Nintendo 3DS, but it is every bit as much fun.

It’s certainly not a bad game by any means, it just doesn’t do enough with the Mario and Luigi RPG or Paper Mario brands to really stand out.

This attempt to fuse two very different Mario worlds is more than the sum of its mismatched parts. [Jan 2016, p.122]

There’s a disappointing lack of invention in the paper thin story and characters, but the combat and witty dialogue is as good as the series has ever been.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros. sadly falls flat on its face at the final hurdle, but is a light-hearted and hugely enjoyable romp up until that point. There are great nods to both Mario & Luigi RPG and Paper Mario franchises, and the three protagonists make a great team in this 3DS RPG. Questionable decisions around the use of Amiibo and the mini-game side-quests can’t be ignored, but the charm of Paper Jam Bros. can’t be understated.

As expected, fitting Paper Mario into the universe of Mario & Luigi falls flat from a narrative point of view, although Paper Jam Bros. brilliantly unfolds the multifaceted powers of Mario's slimmest incarnation.

The battle system is inventive and addicting, the graphics are lovely, and much of the dialogue is good for some genuine laughs, but at the end of the day Paper Jam doesn’t do enough to capitalize on its otherwise novel premise of merging the Mario & Luigi world with Paper Mario’s.

Just don’t expect anything you haven’t seen before.

I have never been so completely charmed – and yet so utterly frustrated – by the same game, at the same time. [Issue #19 – January/February 2016, p.67]

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam excels at RPG combat, but is bogged down by tedious minigames and a disappointing story.

Painfully generic, Paper Jam is dull and boring in many respects, but at least has some decent mechanics going for it.

Those desperate for a dose of Mario could do far worse, but it's hard to look inside this machine without seeing what's gotten tangled up inside.

As with many Nintendo games of the last few years, its gameplay elements are immaculately designed but risk nothing.

As Mario & Luigi: Dream Team and Paper Mario: Sticker Star proved, Nintendo has a knack for showcasing new and inventive ideas in both series. Paper Jam effectively relies (and often coasts) on its novel crossover appeal.

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam is a crumpled up discarded note, recycled into a paper-thin product. At its core, it’s good. The dynamic combat system has never felt better, but the rest of the package is padded with poor mini games and excessive backtracking. As a die-hard fan of both series, this was a let down.

A safe and conversation mash-up that fails to meet the high standards of the best Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario games.

Mario & Luigi’s great combat can’t make up for a dull story, flat humor, and tedious Toad Hunts.