Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

 3DS
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 235 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 147 out of 235
  2. Mixed: 48 out of 235
  3. Negative: 40 out of 235
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  1. DashKoopa568
    Oct 27, 2016
    6
    While this game is rough round the edges, Paper Jam wasn't the best experience for me personally, the papercraft battles were quite tedious and it has quite a lot of relationships with sticker star,however its mediocre none the less.
  2. livelovelaugh22
    Mar 24, 2020
    5
    I saw some people love M&L PJ, and honestly, good for them. I wasn't one of those people, but let's jump in. The story is average, gameplay average, soundtrack was OK, and the characters and boss fights were boring. They used the same environments from previous games, and they stole more than they gave. The dialogue is sometimes humorous, but that is few and far between. They had so manyI saw some people love M&L PJ, and honestly, good for them. I wasn't one of those people, but let's jump in. The story is average, gameplay average, soundtrack was OK, and the characters and boss fights were boring. They used the same environments from previous games, and they stole more than they gave. The dialogue is sometimes humorous, but that is few and far between. They had so many things they could mash up with the M&L series + Paper Mario, but they failed to capitalize. Graphics were ok, but the game was the most average and boring stuff in a long time. Not bad, and not good.… Expand
  3. Adambalm
    Oct 8, 2016
    7
    Im very dissapointed in this game. Im not saying its bad heck its still a good game. But compared to the others this one is very lackluster.

    Cons:The enviroments in this game are all places we have already been to. Grassland, desert, snowland etc. In the previous games they were all locations that we have never seen before. The paper toad missons I dislike so much that whenever I can I    Im very dissapointed in this game. Im not saying its bad heck its still a good game. But compared to the others this one is very lackluster.

    Cons:The enviroments in this game are all places we have already been to. Grassland, desert, snowland etc. In the previous games they were all locations that we have never seen before. The paper toad missons I dislike so much that whenever I can I skip them. Also the bosses... All the bosses here are all ones that we have fought before in previous mario games. While yes there were recurring bosses in the previous games as well like bowser Most of the bosses were still original enemies.

    Pros: With the inclusion of paper mario I like the battles alot in this game. Also enemies in previous areas get more stronger as you do so they don't become overly easy. The music like the previous is absolutely beautiful. Paper bowser can also finally talk again. And the battling I belive is one of the best in the series.

    Overall I would still recommend this purchase full price nontheless the flaws.    … Expand
  4. Psychie
    Dec 27, 2019
    10
    I don't think Paper Jam is as good as the masterpiece that preceded it, but it's still a fantastic game. The gameplay is still fun, the music is still great (maybe even my favorite soundtrack in the series), and it gave Paper Mario the treatment that Sticker Star wishes it could give. Now, if only the story was a little better...
  5. RobotGuy405
    Jan 30, 2016
    10
    Mario and Luigi Paper Jam is an excellant RPG for all ages fun game play amazing humor great story an overall perfect game i felt like it wasn't too hard for the younger gamers and not to easy for the hardcore gamers i recommend you pick this game up you won't regret it.
  6. EpicLadySponge
    Jan 22, 2016
    8
    A lovely game for you to keep in your Nintendo 3DS collection. People have been dying to get it and they finally got what they deserved. Don't miss this, North America, at all!
  7. KaptonMan
    Feb 1, 2016
    8
    It's got minimum tutorials, as well as actual RPG combat. So it's actually pretty nice. Don't need anymore stickers to do stupid stuff. Only problem is the lack of new characters. Overall, it's fun. Can't wait to play more!
  8. LADDLY
    Jan 22, 2016
    9
    Mario & Luigi Paper Jam is an amazing suprise, I picked this game up on a whim, yes I've played the series before but it's been awhile. I passed on Dream Team due to the fact that my backlog had already became massive. Man oh man i sure am glad I picked Paper Jam up though. This is one of the most beautiful games on the 3ds, the amiibo support suits the game well and the story is fairlyMario & Luigi Paper Jam is an amazing suprise, I picked this game up on a whim, yes I've played the series before but it's been awhile. I passed on Dream Team due to the fact that my backlog had already became massive. Man oh man i sure am glad I picked Paper Jam up though. This is one of the most beautiful games on the 3ds, the amiibo support suits the game well and the story is fairly fun. Most importantly the fact that paper Mario is now in the series really sets this game apart. It truly is a unique experience that's full of nostalgia! I've noticed there are a few reviews out there already dissing this game but take it from me, make your own decision and if your a fan of the series you cannot, I repeat CANNOT miss this game! Enjoy!… Expand
  9. NMFreed
    Feb 7, 2016
    6
    When Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam was announced in early 2015 for the Nintendo 3DS, we were all left just a little bit confused.

    The title, which crosses over the two Mario role playing game series, Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi, is fun, sure, but it loses its focus in trying to streamline game play with new and innovative ideas. This is where Paper Jam folds. The premise is simple    When Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam was announced in early 2015 for the Nintendo 3DS, we were all left just a little bit confused.

    The title, which crosses over the two Mario role playing game series, Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi, is fun, sure, but it loses its focus in trying to streamline game play with new and innovative ideas. This is where Paper Jam folds.

    The premise is simple enough: Luigi, being the not-so-smart guy he is, accidentally opens a book portal to the Paper Mario dimension, releasing Bowser, his son and plenty of goombas, koopas and shy guys into the Mario & Luigi world. Of course, this also includes paper versions of Peach, Bowser and Mario. But not any of the awesome supporting characters that make the Paper Mario games so great. More on that later.

    We’re then introduced to the central conflict of the game, and it’s sort of lame. For two game series that have prided themselves on engaging villains, lengthy story lines and nostalgic callbacks to the original Mario role playing game, Paper Jam doesn’t seem to get it. Here, paper Bowser and regular Bowser team up, kidnap Peach and attempt to rule the world. Great. Also, Bowser Jr. and his counterpart seem to lead very sad lives.

    But, as with all Mario titles, we can’t always look so closely at the story. And in this entry, the game play is where things work just a little bit better.

    The general combat is a great improvement over 2013’s Dream Team. Though we’ve lost the ability to stack tons of Luigis on top of each other, we get some great mechanics in the form of power-ups, items and more. When Paper Mario is brought into the fold, things get even more exciting, albeit a bit complicated.

    Paper Mario has the ability to copy himself and attack with them. It’s a gimmick, sure, but it works, and it makes the grinding battles go by that much faster. Speaking of fast, the game sports a fast forward button, allowing players to speed up cutscenes and text bubbles, a welcome addition. You can also skip tutorials if you’ve played a game in the series before.

    The game’s newest feature comes in the form of giant papercraft mech battles, courtesy of the displaced paper Toads. These battles have you piloting a mech in real time and taking out other giant-sized papercrafts. It’s really fun, actually, but why is it here?

    In recent years, the RPG roots of the Paper Mario series have taken a backseat to innovative ideas like this one, but it was only a matter of time before the Mario & Luigi series caved as well. It would be nice to see things like this in a wholly original title, and have these RPG series focus on great story and awesome characters like literally anyone from Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. Hey, it is kind of cool to see Nabbit from New Super Mario Bros. U, though.

    Overall, Paper Jam is a solid foundation bogged down by its own innovation. The watercolor art is stunning, Mario and Luigi are still hilarious, but we need more than a few pancake jokes and Toad-catching minigames next time, Nintendo.

    - Nicholas Friedman, Denton Record-Chronicle    … Expand
  10. Isaac0390
    Jan 23, 2016
    10
    Its a KABOOM of FUN! Mario & Luigi Paper Jam is an amazing game with a fantastic gameplay, full of minigames, Duo a Trio Attacks, charming scenes. This is is made with LOVE, WONDERFUL!
  11. gloriousluigi
    Feb 2, 2016
    10
    this game is ABSOLUTELY amazing, and I just cannot believe the graphics, i LOVE the papercraft battles, and the story is absolutley stunning. The fact that luigi opens a magic book and paper characters come flying out, including paper mario, paper bowser and paper kamek, is just hilarious and fun.
  12. Mariofan
    Mar 21, 2016
    9
    This game is super awesome! DEFINITELY the best Mario & Luigi game. The storyline was great with the 2 dimensions. The graphics are good. The characters are great. I also really liked the dialogue. Mario & Luigi Paper Jam is such a great RPG game and I would definitely recommend it to everyone.
  13. GoldenEagle
    Jan 22, 2016
    9
    An extremely fun game! When I played this I couldn't put it down... People are disliking it for only using common mario characters, but for a crossover like this I don't see how they couldn't... There's also toad mini games... I thought some of them were pretty boring, but some were good too! and it's not like it takes up the entire game... Please note that this is a Mario&Luigi game withAn extremely fun game! When I played this I couldn't put it down... People are disliking it for only using common mario characters, but for a crossover like this I don't see how they couldn't... There's also toad mini games... I thought some of them were pretty boring, but some were good too! and it's not like it takes up the entire game... Please note that this is a Mario&Luigi game with paper elements rather than a paper mario game.… Expand
  14. NatT96
    Jan 24, 2016
    9
    It's a pretty darn interesting addition to the Mario RPG family. My gosh I must say this is an amazing improvement over the last 2 Mario RPG games released on the 3DS and of course it doesn't come near as the best out of the series. I have to agree with some review sites good points on its weak points, such as toad collection repetition and a pretty bland over world, but man I'd have toIt's a pretty darn interesting addition to the Mario RPG family. My gosh I must say this is an amazing improvement over the last 2 Mario RPG games released on the 3DS and of course it doesn't come near as the best out of the series. I have to agree with some review sites good points on its weak points, such as toad collection repetition and a pretty bland over world, but man I'd have to say that, that's really its only weaknesses! I could not find anything wrong in dialogue, matter a fact i actually was able to chuckle at some of the presented jokes in the game, the combat works really well and the story is decent enough to keep you interested because you get to see two Mario universes collide. Would I agree with IGN's negative rating recently? Hell no! Matter a fact the flaws that review sites have called out don't effect the game much at all, and most of the negatives get outweighed by the positives and make all its flaws well forgivable(skipable tutorials and entertaining combat paper elements). Strange enough Paper Mario: SS and M&L Dream Team got higher scores on sites like IGN and those games were near abysmal! So yes, pick this game up, its so damn fun!… Expand
  15. BaranIsCool
    Dec 26, 2016
    8
    Pretty good. It handles most tutorials better than Dream Team by making them optional/skippable. The only tutorials you can't skip is for the Battle Cards which is a new mechanic which makes it's first appearance here. The over-world design is a bit bland but the music makes it more bearable. The newest mechanic sprinting makes traversing this world easier since areas are much larger. ThePretty good. It handles most tutorials better than Dream Team by making them optional/skippable. The only tutorials you can't skip is for the Battle Cards which is a new mechanic which makes it's first appearance here. The over-world design is a bit bland but the music makes it more bearable. The newest mechanic sprinting makes traversing this world easier since areas are much larger. The combat is fantastic and is on par with Dream Team (which has my favourite combat in the series. The story may be weak but the dialogue and character interactions are fantastic and very entertaining. The toad mini-games are okay some are better than others but there are a few I didn't enjoy (the stealth mini-games for example). The giant paper craft battles are okay as well, they aren't as good as the giant Luigi battles from Dream Team. I'd say the giant paper craft battles are on par with the giant bowser fights found in Bowser's Inside Story. Overall I had a fun time It's currently tied with Bowser's Inside Story as my third favourite in the series. I don't think it's as good as Superstar Saga or Dream Team but it's definitely better than Partners in Time. If you are a Mario & Luigi fan you'll enjoy it. If you are a Paper Mario fan whose never played a Mario & Luigi game before this is the perfect entry point.… Expand
  16. xX_Paper_Jam_Xx
    Feb 22, 2016
    10
    This game is the best game EVAR!!! It has amazing graphics and outstanding music. I actually liked the Paper Toad hunts, the Papercraft battles were epic, and I didn't find any problem with the story. If you did, I wouldn't understand you giving this game 6's and 7's because of only ONE minor aspect. Overall, this game is so underrated! It deserves a 100% Metascore!
  17. DamienFletch
    Jan 29, 2016
    8
    It's a lot of fun. The battle system has never been better, it plays very smoothly and has some really awesome attacks. The story is what you'd expect. It isn't anything memorable and the forced Toad Quests get old fast but I really enjoyed my time with this game, it's a good blend of two different styles that executes what it set out to do decently.
  18. Mitchzap65
    May 5, 2016
    9
    This game is just as good as all of the others for the most part, but it does have a couple more problems, along with nice additions to the game that balances out. The story is as easy to follow and enjoyable as the previous titles. The premise here is that while Luigi was cleaning out one of the castle’s closets, a book was discovered. When the book opened, a paper version of the MushroomThis game is just as good as all of the others for the most part, but it does have a couple more problems, along with nice additions to the game that balances out. The story is as easy to follow and enjoyable as the previous titles. The premise here is that while Luigi was cleaning out one of the castle’s closets, a book was discovered. When the book opened, a paper version of the Mushroom Kingdom, the same world as the one in the Paper Mario games, shoots out of the book and combines with the three-dimensional world. So now there are two Marioes, two Peaches, and yes, two Bowsers. And so the adventure begins with Mario, Luigi, Starlow (a strong, female protagonist added in Bowser’s Inside Story), and Paper Mario off to fight two bowsers and save two princesses, while bringing the Paper World back to where it belongs.
    The gameplay is addicting as always, now utilizing not only the A and B buttons, but now the Y button for Paper Mario. With the addition of a new character, new mechanics have been added for all of the puzzles you will run into. And now commands like Jump and Hammer are now easier to access using the 3DS touch screen, why they did not use this in the previous three games I’m not sure. The combat is also very fun, and adds many things, like Paper Mario’s Trio Attacks, which use all three buttons for one powerful attack. Even the original Bros. Attacks have seen new additions like Toad Trail and Dill Shell. Plus, the Battle Cards make the game much easier.
    The music is great, the composer Yoko Shimomura is very talented in creating orchestrated pieces that gives sounds of adventure, suspense, action, and emotion. It is probably some of the best tracks I have ever heard. Yoko also composed the Kingdom Hearts games, and share that similar style, so if you know what the KH OST sounds like, you can guess what this game sounds like.
    The characters are more memorable here than the regular Mario games, which honestly is not saying much, but you do not want to skip anything in terms of cut scenes, because not only the characters have emotion, including Bowser, which is unheard of, but also with the fact that this game is rather funny! Yeah, a lot of the jokes here stick well, and even when they don’t, you can tell they were trying.
    This game is not perfect, let me make that clear. The Papercraft battles, a form of boss battle, though it is fun, can be repetitive, tedious, and slow. Plus, if you are not stocked up on items 24/7, you could be caught off guard by an unexpected boss battle, for they normally show up out of nowhere and take you by surprise. Especially if you played the previous game, Dream Team, which you could expect a boss battle, giving you time to buy the healing items you need. But here, you are unprepared and have to fend off a hard boss, and dying a lot.
    Besides that, this game is excellent, with the story, music, characters, gameplay, and a whole 40-50 hours for $40? Definitely worth buying, along with the past four games, you won’t regret it.    … Expand
  19. Djungelorm
    Jul 10, 2016
    9
    Paper Jam is a solid entry in the Mario and Luigi series. I found the battles in this game to be the best and most interesting battles in the series, especially the bosses. The introduction of both Paper Mario and the paper enemies adds a new dynamic to battles, whereby paper creatures, including Paper Mario, get stronger when they have more copies, but lose these copies when they takePaper Jam is a solid entry in the Mario and Luigi series. I found the battles in this game to be the best and most interesting battles in the series, especially the bosses. The introduction of both Paper Mario and the paper enemies adds a new dynamic to battles, whereby paper creatures, including Paper Mario, get stronger when they have more copies, but lose these copies when they take damage. Paper Mario can replenish these copies at the cost of a turn. This gives another strategic decision to players, and makes the game feel unique among the entries in the series. Having 3 party members also adds to the challenge when trying to avoid attacks, and enemies can use certain attacks only against Paper Mario. In future installments of the series, I hope to see the mechanic of having 3 party members remain as it makes battles more interesting. Continuing on a positive note, the soundtrack to this game is outstanding, living up to the high standards of the series.
    The new Papercraft bosses replace the Giant Bowser and Giant Luigi battles from previous M&L games, and I would say they are a slight improvement on those, though they are still far from the quality of the standard battles. You control a gigantic cardboard character, and move around trying to destroy giant cardboard enemies using attacks. Each fight gives you a different attack unique to that papercraft, keeping them fresh.
    As an RPG, story is also an important factor. In this game, it does feel like the story is not as good as in the previous games, being less developed and completely lacking in original characters. However, the humour the series is known for is still there, although less abundant, particularly between the two Bowsers.
    Unfortunately, there is one thing that really lets it down, this being the infamous toad hunt minigames that you are forced to do. Some of them are mildly entertaining, while others can be quite painful. On one occasion, I spent 15 minutes searching a snowy village searching for the last Paper Toad. Thankfully, I was spurred on by the prospect of another boss battle.
    While Paper Jam is not up to the high standards set by the DS iterations of this beloved series, it is a solid entry on par with Dream Team and I would recommend playing it.    … Expand
  20. WiiUHighlights
    Apr 8, 2016
    9
    This game is simply amazing. It has humorous and creative dialogue. The battle system is now more creative and unique with various new elements. The story is more creative than it appears, it's not just a save peach story. It looks great and the paper objects give it a unique charm. The missions are very fun to play and don't break the pace of the game; also the pacing is much better thanThis game is simply amazing. It has humorous and creative dialogue. The battle system is now more creative and unique with various new elements. The story is more creative than it appears, it's not just a save peach story. It looks great and the paper objects give it a unique charm. The missions are very fun to play and don't break the pace of the game; also the pacing is much better than previous entries in the series. The locations and story aren't perfect (they are a bit uncreative). However overall this is the best game is the mario and luigi series and I highly recommend you play it for yourself so you can experience the fabulous game for yourself.… Expand
  21. Bentonator389
    Jun 4, 2016
    9
    Good gameplay, excellent combat and battle, and an okay story. This is a fresh idea from Nintendo and Alphadream to make this crossover with Mario and Luigi and Paper Mario
  22. wariothelegend
    Jul 17, 2016
    8
    A cross over between two beloved Mario RPGs. While it doesn't bring any new characters or story line like most RPG titles in the series, it does bring an excellent battle system with epic music to enjoy listening to, and it's fun for anybody at any age. The two problems I had with the game is the excessive Paper Toad Hunts, and the game's too short. But I'd highly recommend it.
  23. Anxo
    Jul 18, 2017
    8
    Otro juego maravilloso de esta increible saga RPG. Está al nivel del resto de juegos de esta serie, y como siempre la historia no es lo mas importante de este juego, ni la jugabilidad. El apartado técnico excelente como siempre, y la curva de mejora 10/10
  24. CyberRobotnix
    Mar 5, 2018
    3
    If you like having mandatory mini games, a confusing story, broken mechanics and all the paper toads from color splash and sticker star, then it's a game for you!

    However, to the real M&L fans, this is just the most blatant insult and definitely such a poor game with very little level design, EVEN compared to dream team bros. Also, this is weird that this game gets much praise whilst    If you like having mandatory mini games, a confusing story, broken mechanics and all the paper toads from color splash and sticker star, then it's a game for you!

    However, to the real M&L fans, this is just the most blatant insult and definitely such a poor game with very little level design, EVEN compared to dream team bros.

    Also, this is weird that this game gets much praise whilst it's just sticker star, but with Mario and Luigi.

    Seriously, **** this game, go play another Mario game worth your money and your time.    … Expand
  25. EpicNintendoFan
    Aug 8, 2018
    9
    Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam is one of the best games in the series. The game is mostly fun, but I ended up getting stumped several times throughout the game. I recently started playing, and it's a great game! I think you would enjoy it too!
  26. runopan
    Feb 16, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. a great game, really funny, great for anybody and I really liked the toad searching game.If you are one of the "older" gamers, if you call it boring or "just another Mario game", think again!… Expand
  27. JRRR
    Feb 10, 2016
    8
    It's a great game, better than the previous installment, Dream Team, in my opinion. It has great gameplay, the paper characters blend great, it's another M&L game. However the world seems bland, the jokes, something the series is known for are not the strongest here, but overall it's a great game. Recommended.
  28. SuperMatt777
    Jan 24, 2016
    7
    Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam was just as I expected it to be; rich in gameplay, but paper flat in story and character. Covering the positives first, the battle system is great as it usually is. The addition of Paper Mario means you need to pay extra attention to enemy attacks and you need to stay alert at all times to ensure all three characters stay alive. Paper Mario’s unique jumping counterMario & Luigi: Paper Jam was just as I expected it to be; rich in gameplay, but paper flat in story and character. Covering the positives first, the battle system is great as it usually is. The addition of Paper Mario means you need to pay extra attention to enemy attacks and you need to stay alert at all times to ensure all three characters stay alive. Paper Mario’s unique jumping counter attack is very useful, but at the same time can cause some slip ups in timing when combined with the other two Bros. It's a level of challenge that I greatly respect. The special attacks are great as well, adding in a few new ones to the mix of a few returning, which strikes perfect balance. The enemies themselves are a bit of a mix, but the positive thing is that they’re attack patterns make for excellent and challenging battles. Some great examples are the paper enemies and their real world counterparts and how it’s interesting how the real world enemies use their paper forms for attacks. The boss battles are incredibly challenging and very fun to play through, with almost everyone being unique and challenging. Even the two giant Pokeys, who are hands down the most unimaginative bosses, have such a stellar battle. While the bosses themselves follow in the same path as the enemies where they’re all just characters we’ve seen in main games, they are for the most part interesting choices, especially ones like Petey Piranha, King Bob-omb, King Boo and the Koopalings, who I’m actually kinda glad to see return and get actual dialogue. The interactions between the real world and paper world characters is humorous, which ties in with the game retaining a charming sense of witty dialogue, which is always appreciated in a Mario & Luigi game.

    However the game isn't perfect. With Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario being two of the most creative series in the whole Mario universe (minus Paper Mario: Sticker Star), it was a complete bust to see none of that creativity return, instead giving us generic enemies and locations we’ve seen before. The lack of creativity in those areas really bogs it down and gives a stale feeling to the game, despite the stellar gameplay. The characters is a huge thing, as they’re all just a bunch of generic Toads and they all come off as annoying due to their constant panicking and nonstop fear of everything. I know that’s how Toads are, but they took it way overboard in this game. But don’t think I’m criticizing the Toad’s behavior for no reason; the fact they’re like this leads to some tedious and annoying Toad chases where you have to hunt down Paper Toads. It happens so frequently that it just feels like filler. The storyline is another huge flaw in this game, as it’s just another Bowser kidnaps Peach, Mario beats Bowser deal, just with an extra Bowser and Mario. And using Paper Mario: Sticker Star as the base inspiration for all the enemies was a terrible idea as well, as Sticker Star is easily the weakest game in the Paper Mario series. So really, it’s only the gameplay that lives up to the series standards. The chase scenes with Nabbit and Paper Toads just feel like filler to make up for the lack of story and to make the game feel longer, when really the storyline is short and unimaginative with a few “get these characters” shoved into it. So overall I’ll give the gameplay praise for what it is and I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the game, cause I did. It had charming and humorous moments that I greatly appreciate and a challenge factor that keeps the battles fun. But because the Mario team took two of the most stellar sub series there are and thinned it down to mainstream material makes the game look stale and unimpressive. So all in all, the game isn’t terrible and it’s still a solid entry to the series that no fan should miss, but long time fans may be disappointed by certain aspects of the crossover.    … Expand
  29. Ramon4567
    Feb 9, 2016
    7
    Veterans of this RPG series like me are likely to be aggravated by the amount of lack-luster recycled content, but for newcomers, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is loads and loads of fun. I didn't like Dream Team all that much, and I could say the same for Paper Jam. However, this game made LOTS of general improvements, both small and large, and I applaud the developers for finally having theVeterans of this RPG series like me are likely to be aggravated by the amount of lack-luster recycled content, but for newcomers, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is loads and loads of fun. I didn't like Dream Team all that much, and I could say the same for Paper Jam. However, this game made LOTS of general improvements, both small and large, and I applaud the developers for finally having the ability to dash in the game, as well as a fast-forward button for confrontations. I also love the new Battle Card system, which adds lots of strategy to the battles even if they do serve as a substitute to using items. As for the Papercraft Battles, I honestly found them a little boring (partly due to the music), and I would have rather had more Giant Battles, which were both difficult and very epic. The problems I had with this game were mostly already mentioned; Paper Jam simply plays it too safe with its content, failing to fully explore its massive concept. It isn't like Bowser's Inside Story or Superstar Saga in terms of mind-blowing ideas done completely well, but on the bright side, it plays like a charm. In conclusion, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is another hilarious and fun entry in the series, but if you came to expect more out of the mustachioed Italian plumbers, you might be disappointed and demand another game where you can play as Bowser.… Expand
  30. DBPirate1129
    Mar 22, 2016
    9
    I just really can't seem to stop flip-flopping on games now, can I? First AC: Rogue and now this! I previously gave this game an 8. Now a big switch, but I'd still like to make a few changes.

    I'll address the good parts of the game first, and then the bad. The changes you are most likely to notice once you jump into the game are the ability to sprint and the ability to skip through    I just really can't seem to stop flip-flopping on games now, can I? First AC: Rogue and now this! I previously gave this game an 8. Now a big switch, but I'd still like to make a few changes.

    I'll address the good parts of the game first, and then the bad. The changes you are most likely to notice once you jump into the game are the ability to sprint and the ability to skip through dialogue. Both of these are very welcome changes, though I personally didn't have any problem with this in Dream Team. You are also able to skip tutorials, but strangely for some reason people forget that you can skip nearly every single tutorial in that game. Selective memory, I suppose. I did like how the game treated you as though you had played Dream Team, but I'm not sure how players will feel about this if it's their first time playing the series.

    The many Bros. mechanics (that's the only term that suits them, I think) that you can use in the open world is another improvement over Dream Team. I'm nearly 13 hours and about halfway through the game and I can safely say that they are much easier to keep track of. Dream Team seemed to throw a lot of the "spinning" and "digging" moves at you rapidly (especially in the Mount Pajamaja section of the game) while Paper Jam takes the time for you to get to know each one.

    The combat is simply fantastic, especially with the addition of Paper Mario. True, the fact that there are three characters for you to control makes it a bit harder, but you can switch to "Easy Mode" whenever you want, which helps you time your attacks easier and also points out which player the enemy will attack. The new Trio Attacks are all very simple to use, unlike the Luiginary Attacks in Dream Team which I found myself rarely using. Other that fairly obvious improvement, I'd say the rest of the combat is on par with Dream Team. I did find the boss battles a tad more repetitive and annoying than DT, but I appreciate their uniqueness.

    On to the bad parts. The cast of characters is slightly lacking---there are no original characters that haven't appeared in another game appearing here, which is disappointing. I found the original characters in DT (Dreambert, Brickle, Britta, Eldream, Antasma, etc.) all engaging and interesting. However, I have to admit I did like how they integrated the Mario characters we all KNOW and love in this game, such as the Koopalings, Big Bob-omb, Petey Piranha, and Wiggler. Paper Jam does have something over Sticker Star in this respect. I'm sure that when Miyamoto told Intelligent Systems to use "original Mario characters," he didn't mean use only Mario.

    The Papercraft battles are not something I enjoyed. They are very straightforward with no twist. The best part of this mechanic was actually refilling your energy required to attack. The Papercraft battles mostly consist of headbutt, jump, headbutt, refill energy, repeat. The game is also constantly interrupted by annoying Toad Hunts that constantly get on my nerves. They have no importance being in the already meh story. The music, though I hate to admit it, is also disappointing. While I have about 22 tracks from Dream Team in my Mac's music library, I only have 4 from Paper jam. Perhaps I just need more time to warm up to the music but it seems a little dull. And speaking of dull, my final gripe with this game is that it's too generic. I didn't find it very funny either. The locations are uninspired and the game feels slightly NSMB to me. I wish I could elaborate, but that's the only way I can put it.

    Well, that's all of my thoughts on the game. Thanks for taking the time to read this group of text walls (if you actually did)>    … Expand
  31. livinghero
    Apr 1, 2016
    7
    This game is super awesome! DEFINITELY the best Mario & Luigi game. The storyline was great with the 2 dimensions. The graphics are good. The characters are great. I also really liked the dialogue. Mario & Luigi Paper Jam is such a great RPG game and I would definitely recommend it to everyone.
  32. PowerKamek
    Apr 8, 2016
    9
    I played this game for five and a half hours already, and I love it! The Paper Craft Battles are my favorite so far.
    So far, the parts I've been through are pretty fun. I like how Paper Mario joins Mario and Luigi, they make a great team.
  33. GamecubeLover
    Jul 20, 2016
    7
    Paper Mario is going downhill and putting paper mario and the real mario together is bland and terrible. The game has SO many glitches it makes sonic 06 look like the best game ever with no mistakes! Well there is a lot of glitches but there hard to do. The graphics and controls, and the levels I can accept but the game can get repetitive at so many points. In my opinion paper mario isPaper Mario is going downhill and putting paper mario and the real mario together is bland and terrible. The game has SO many glitches it makes sonic 06 look like the best game ever with no mistakes! Well there is a lot of glitches but there hard to do. The graphics and controls, and the levels I can accept but the game can get repetitive at so many points. In my opinion paper mario is going downhill heck even the main series of mario is running out of ideas!… Expand
  34. edreesespieces
    Aug 27, 2018
    3
    This game was just awful. I beat every other Mario & Luigi game and this one I just couldn't stomach through after awhile. The papercraft battles are REALLY boring and the camera and controls are awful. There isn't much humor in the games as I've grown accustomed to, and the dodge mechanics timings are poorly mis represented on a lot of attacks. I like the cool new abilities and theThis game was just awful. I beat every other Mario & Luigi game and this one I just couldn't stomach through after awhile. The papercraft battles are REALLY boring and the camera and controls are awful. There isn't much humor in the games as I've grown accustomed to, and the dodge mechanics timings are poorly mis represented on a lot of attacks. I like the cool new abilities and the soundtrack, but that's pretty much it. I got to Bowser's castle papercraft battle and decided that was enough.… Expand
  35. yams99
    Jun 20, 2016
    1
    It's either a dumbing down of Mario Luigi with the paper theme: gimmick version, or it's a straight insult to paper mario, Take your pick. Either way, it's another milestone in Nintendo's destruction of all pre-established mario spin-offs. Goodbye Mario sports, rpgs, parties, etc.
  36. Raymanmago1265
    Jan 26, 2016
    7
    It is a good game the only thing wrong is the story that I found disappointing and silly, tedious search of the toads paper, the characters of pixelated paper and little low framerate, also lack the exploitation of Nintendo, it appears that the 3DS this as adornment because it is very annoying to switch to 2D and 3D several times as could be, hopefully in the next mario & Luigi fix those problems.
  37. Chell_R
    Jul 21, 2020
    0
    Boring, tedious, unfulfilling - unsatisfying... *GARBAGE!!!*

    Play the games that came before it - because this... is. GARBAGE!!!
  38. Babode
    Sep 19, 2022
    6
    I dont hate this game, the battle system is repetetive but still results in great fun. Its just it can get really boring. especially the first part. i would buy Dream team or sticker star instead.
  39. Davrosdaleks1
    Sep 10, 2019
    8
    This is a generally fun game, but it isn't a standout in the series.

    To clarify this is really a M+L game and not a Paper Mario game. The gameplay like in the previous games is a fun combination of RPG battles and button timing. Paper Mario with his own unique abilities is a fun addition. However, I did find several of the special moves and avoidances for boss attacks to be a bit    This is a generally fun game, but it isn't a standout in the series.

    To clarify this is really a M+L game and not a Paper Mario game. The gameplay like in the previous games is a fun combination of RPG battles and button timing. Paper Mario with his own unique abilities is a fun addition. However, I did find several of the special moves and avoidances for boss attacks to be a bit trickier than needed. I'm happy to say they got rid of the long gameplay tutorials from Dream Team.

    This game drops the double-screen/sidescrolling stages from the last two games. I'm okay with that as Dream Team, while fun, just couldn't sustain the energy the concept had when it was first introduced in Bowser's Inside Story.

    Also instead of the giant fights from the last two games, we get cardboard fights in which the characters fight each with cardboard bots in a tank warfare style situation. It's an interesting idea, but it always feels too drawn out for it's own good. You have to recharge your weapons with a musical rhythm timing game, and it gets tedious real fast.

    The overall map isn't as big as some of the other games; a little too much backtracking for it's own good. You just don't get as many sidequests or additional characters, too. I am disappointed there are no real new character or bad guys to fight in this.

    The plot is decent but pretty basic. Watching Luigi's antics remain a highlight of the game.

    I liked playing the this, but it also reminded me how the previous games were stronger.    … Expand
  40. robertoiglesias
    Nov 10, 2019
    10
    Another solid entry this time also featuring Paper Mario. This gameplay is enjoyable and I love this game
  41. AlbertBoris
    Oct 20, 2018
    7
    Although this is where the Mario & Luigi games start to get worse, it's at least not Sticker Star. I had some fun with it, the papercraft battles are very fun and Paper Mario made the battle system quite good. However, the lack of a good story and generic gameplay makes this game a bit disapointing. It's still a good-to-great game though that I can recommend you
  42. greninjaX
    Jan 28, 2022
    0
    what happened here? did the inclusion of paper mario force the developers to adhere to the same weird limitations the modern paper mario games suffer from? there's no unique races or enemies. levels use generic themes and are bland and empty. it's a short game padded out with repetitive missions. this game killed mario and luigi
  43. SuperInkLink64
    Dec 2, 2018
    7
    Even the weakest entry of the Mario and Luigi series is still a decent game. The battle system is as fun as ever, with now a THIRD character to control and perform crazy attacks with. The humor is still great as always. And the music is still enjoyable, although less memorable than previous entries. Where this game starts to lose me is its missed opportunities. Every. Single. Character. IsEven the weakest entry of the Mario and Luigi series is still a decent game. The battle system is as fun as ever, with now a THIRD character to control and perform crazy attacks with. The humor is still great as always. And the music is still enjoyable, although less memorable than previous entries. Where this game starts to lose me is its missed opportunities. Every. Single. Character. Is something we've all seen before, which is a foreign topic to the Mario RPGs. All the paper characters seem to just be solely Sticker Star based, and we know how much that game is LOOOOOVED. And most NPCs just seem to be differently colored Toads. While this won't bother too many people, fans of the series will feel a little disappointed. I still have enjoyed my time with Paper Jam, but I will agree with it being one of the weakest Mario RPGs.… Expand
  44. Nessfan4000
    Oct 10, 2019
    10
    This game is AMAZING! a blast for anyone who likes the Mario and Luigi series and the Paper Mario
    series!
  45. RedXTL
    Oct 28, 2019
    7
    This is a fantastic game for the mario & luigi series. There is a lot to improve on which shows in the game. Overall A Good game, not awesome but still good.
  46. honchkrow_lover
    Nov 12, 2020
    3
    absolutely terrible , an embarrassment for the series the world is boring and not fun to traverse it is basically 7 cliché Mario locations with no depth grassy plains , desert , beach , castle , haunted woods and snowy mountain , other mario and luigi games worlds were interesting to explore and weird , like compare twinsy tropics to driftwood beach and plaque beach , twinsy tropics is aabsolutely terrible , an embarrassment for the series the world is boring and not fun to traverse it is basically 7 cliché Mario locations with no depth grassy plains , desert , beach , castle , haunted woods and snowy mountain , other mario and luigi games worlds were interesting to explore and weird , like compare twinsy tropics to driftwood beach and plaque beach , twinsy tropics is a boring beach place where you do toad quests and that's about it , driftwood had caves pirate shy guys and exportability , plaque beach had the giant sage tower and tooth theme , also the reliance on already existing characters and enemies makes it feel lazy and boring like they couldn't be bothered making any original characters like in the past 4 games , also the bosses story and battles are very boring the only boss I liked in the game was king bob-omb but that's because he has a gimmick and a mildly interesting fight , most bosses in this game had boring attack patterns and not too hard either , they just feel like big enemies and 3 special attacks in one turn whittles them down quickly , the games plot is nothing special basically the same as the last games , if your world is boring and don't have a good story to tell why should I care , sorry this was probably formatted terribly .… Expand
  47. BeeSting1
    Jan 1, 2021
    7
    An interesting change from its predecessors.

    Good - paper Mario's attack inputs and defend inputs is a fresh addition to the battle mechanics period instead of the same double jump timing that I'm super bored of after playing through all the Mario and Luigi games. - the papercraft minigame is quite a step away from the timing mechanics of the game, but it's still kind of fun. -    An interesting change from its predecessors.

    Good

    - paper Mario's attack inputs and defend inputs is a fresh addition to the battle mechanics period instead of the same double jump timing that I'm super bored of after playing through all the Mario and Luigi games.

    - the papercraft minigame is quite a step away from the timing mechanics of the game, but it's still kind of fun.

    - the new overworld abilities are fun to use.

    - sprinting around the larger world map is fun

    - having 3 buttons to control 3 characters makes this game more challenging.

    Bad

    - there was a block smashing minigame where I had to destroy blocks to save toads. On the big blocks I thought I had to time the triple hammer attack on the last hit, because it's the strongest hit which break s the big block. But in actuality I had to use Mario's hammer to stop the block. But how would I know that Mario's hammer would stop a block that is 10 times bigger than him? The logical method would be to time the last hit which is the most powerful. Because of this twisted logic the game used, I was stuck on this puzzle for a long ass time.

    - that part where you're supposed to guess which hammer bro has The medallion is stupid, because the hint they give is the location of the hammer bro near the m blocks in the back and right, but after having hit all the blocks, I don't remember which area has the m blocks and which area doesn't.

    - the toad mini games grow increasingly more annoying as I progressed in the game. The mini game surrounding them sometimes feel broken, like I feel I am approaching it correctly but the solution is actually completely backwards. They also become quite repetitive.

    - some of the attack animations of the enemies were hard to see when it came to the depth of the attack. This caused me to dodge with the wrong character because I wasn't sure who they were aiming for. This might be because I was playing on the 2DS.

    - Sometimes the papercraft mini games just feel extremely clunky. Maybe that's what it's meant to be, but it feels unfair at times.    … Expand
  48. Flounder
    Mar 30, 2022
    6
    Es ist ein sehr gutes und mittelmäßiges Spiel, das seine Zeit wert ist, aber nichts Großartiges.
  49. TSNintendogamer
    May 13, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is great. I haven't played dream team but this is the first mario and luigi game I owned. I've played others like bowser's inside story, partners in time, and the remakes but when I first played the game, I played the ones I mentioned before the remake. Yes some people may complain about there being no original characters but I think they did well with that unlike paper mario sticker star. Yes you have to rescue the paper toads which isn't so fun but it's not that hard so it's kind of fun. It's funny how the lokitu even mocks you about it saying "I bet you're just itching to rescue some paper toads." I feel like they made the best of using established characters because the game does have good writing in other places too. The story is solid because you may have to save peach from bowser once again but lots of things happen during that journey. As for the gameplay, it's really fun to solve puzzles with paper mario there, the paper craft battles are fun too and that's the action part of the game, and the game can get hard too if you play it on normal. Even harder than mario and luigi bowser's inside story. Lastly I remember feeling nostalgic for the game after listening to the ost recently even though I was 23 years old when I first played the game.… Expand
  50. BaldursThones
    Apr 14, 2022
    6
    It followed the basic formula of all the other Mario rpgs but with less creativity.
  51. FireBroFilms
    Aug 15, 2022
    4
    ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎
  52. DoktarioMyst
    Oct 13, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. + de tutorial is optioneel

    +/- Paper Mario veranderd de battle system niet heel veel (vergeleken met Bowser) maar hij veranderd wel hoe je door de overwereld gaat

    - de 2D levels zijn er niet meer

    + deze game zal wel de meeste minigames in de hele serie hebben (en ik vind de minigames de hoogtepunten van de serie)

    + ondanks deze game de "bland Mario" stijl heeft vind ik het niet erg want ze maken vol gebruik van alle karakters. en de meeste zijn nieuw in de serie

    + deze game zit vol met specifieke momenten

    + deze game is uitdagend

    - de toad hide & seek minigames zijn random en omdat sommige een tijdlimiet hebben vind ik dat vervelend

    - ik vind de giant fights een downgrade. ik moet wel punten geven omdat ze iets anders probeerte

    +/- de duoaanvallen krijg je nu door nabbit te vangen. het maakt verkennen minder spannend omdat je geen aanvalstukjes kunt zoeken. ze balanceren het door meer collectibles toe te voegen maar als je niet voor 100% gaat heb je geen reden om erachter te gaan

    conclusie:
    als je van de minigames houd is dit de defenitieve M&L game    … Expand
  53. JasonPrivy
    Feb 24, 2023
    0
    no words can express the amount of disappointment i felt in this game just no
  54. Pilest
    Jul 3, 2023
    7
    Gameplay wise I do believe this is the best in the series. Story wise it is mid. Also the giant battles suck. Goomba 6/10
  55. MarkusZ
    Aug 5, 2023
    10
    This game is a great mix of Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario. Nice story, beautiful worlds, great battles!

Awards & Rankings

21
#21 Best 3DS Game of 2016
8
#8 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2016
2
#2 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 76 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 76
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 76
  3. Negative: 1 out of 76
  1. Gaming Nexus
    Mar 28, 2016
    80
    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.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Mar 4, 2016
    85
    Despite recycling Paper Jam Bros. never looks like a half-hearted effort. [02/2016, p.69]
  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Mar 3, 2016
    84
    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]
See all critic reviews »