PM's Opinion Piece #1

[Pizza Master]

The real reason Paper Jam sucks isn't because of the Luigi hate or the flanderization of Starlow but because the game completely forgets all prior character growth from the previous games. For example, at the end of Dream Team, Luigi has become so confident that Giant Bowser and Antasma don't scare him. Yet in PJ, all that growth is gone and Luigi goes back to cowering behind Mario and Starlow like in Bowser's Inside Story. This can't simply be explained away as "ok because of a 'sequel reset'" because Brothership subtly continues his character arc by having him throw out crazy ideas with full confidence and being able to go along with ideas he doesn't like. Like you can choose to have him be kidnapped and although he still has some fear inside him and doesn't want to do it, he ultimately goes with the plan because he has become fully confident in himself and his brother as established by Dream Team. And no, I'm not looking too deeply into things because Bowser Jr.'s arc from the Jr.s Journey mode that like 2 people completed where he has to become a better leader and friend continues in Brothership. That's my big reason for why Paper Jam is ultimately garbage.

 

[LeftyGreenMario]

These games typically don't have the structure or even the slightest bit of developer consciousness to allow any real character development especially having these carry over to the next game. For instance, Superstar Saga had a moment where Luigi had to pretend to be Mario to try to rescue Mario, and he's back to being a gibbering klutz in Partners in Time who cowers behind Baby Luigi.

I don't think Paper Jam should be singled out for its lack of character development nor should an apparent lack of tank these games. Mario has never been trying to be in-depth with story-telling and continuity, and every new game is a big reset anyway. Why do Mario and Luigi get reverted to their older clothes and lower levels with lower stats? Why do their experience points reset???