Embark on an unforgettable adventure in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, where Mario isn’t alone! A crucial element to mastering this beloved RPG is understanding and utilizing your partners. These companions aren’t just sidekicks; they are integral to both puzzle-solving in the overworld and strategic combat. This guide dives deep into the world of Paper Mario Ttyd Partners, providing you with everything you need to know to maximize their potential and conquer the challenges ahead.
Meet the Partners of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Throughout your journey in Rogueport and beyond, you’ll encounter a diverse cast of characters who will join Mario’s quest. Each partner brings unique abilities both inside and outside of battle, adding layers of strategy and exploration to the game. Let’s explore each of these invaluable allies:
Admiral Bobbery: The Explosive Expert
Admiral Bobbery, a bomb partner character in Paper Mario TTYD, ready to explode
Admiral Bobbery, recruited during Chapter 5, is your go-to partner for demolition. In the overworld, Mario can light Bobbery’s fuse, turning him into a walking bomb capable of destroying cracked walls and uncovering hidden pathways. This ability is essential for exploration and finding secrets scattered throughout the game world.
Admiral Bobbery’s Battle Moves:
- Bomb: A straightforward explosion attack targeting a single enemy. Reliable damage for single targets.
- Bomb Squad: Bobbery launches three smaller bombs, each exploding after a turn, damaging nearby enemies. Great for delayed area-of-effect damage.
- Hold Fast: Bobbery enters a counter stance, reflecting damage back at attackers. A tactical move for dealing with powerful single-hit enemies.
- Bob-ombast: A powerful explosion that damages all enemies on the battlefield. High FP cost, but effective for clearing waves of weaker foes.
Goombella: The Knowledgeable Goomba
Goombella is one of the first partners you’ll meet, and her Tattle ability is invaluable. Tattle provides information on enemies, revealing their HP, weaknesses, and strengths. This knowledge is crucial for strategic planning in battles, especially against new and challenging foes. Outside of battle, Goombella can reveal hidden objects, further aiding exploration.
Koops: The Shell-Shielding Koopa
Koops, the timid Koopa Troopa, offers both offensive and defensive capabilities. His shell toss attack can hit distant enemies, and he can also retract into his shell to shield Mario from incoming attacks. In the overworld, Koops’ shell can grab distant items, adding a puzzle-solving element to exploration.
Flurrie: The Windy Wonder
Flurrie, the glamorous wind spirit, utilizes wind-based attacks. Her Gale Force move can hit multiple enemies, and she can also use Body Slam for single-target damage. Outside of combat, Flurrie can blow away hidden objects and secrets concealed by gusts of wind, opening up new areas and pathways.
Yoshi (or “Yoshi Kid”): The Speedy Steed
Depending on the name you choose, Yoshi is a versatile partner known for speed and power. Yoshi can flutter jump to extend Mario’s jump distance in the overworld, reaching platforms and areas otherwise inaccessible. In battle, Yoshi boasts high-damage moves, including Stampede, which hits multiple enemies, and Mini-Egg, a quick, low-cost attack.
Vivian: The Shadow Siren
Vivian, the reformed Shadow Siren, is a powerful magic-based partner. Her Fiery Jinx move is a potent multi-target fire attack, and she can also use Shade Fist for single-target damage. Vivian’s Veil ability allows Mario to become temporarily invisible in battle, avoiding enemy attacks. Overworld ability often involves shadow manipulation for puzzles.
Ms. Mowz: The Treasure Hunter
Ms. Mowz, a mouse partner in Paper Mario TTYD, known for finding hidden items
Ms. Mowz is the optional partner, often considered the trickiest to acquire, but her abilities are uniquely rewarding. While her direct combat prowess might be less overtly powerful compared to some, Ms. Mowz excels at finding hidden items and secrets both in and out of battle. Her Kiss Thief move can steal items from enemies, and in the overworld, she can sniff out hidden panels and treasures that would otherwise remain undiscovered. While not a powerhouse in direct combat, her utility for item collection and uncovering secrets makes her a valuable asset, especially for completionists.
Upgrading Your Paper Mario TTYD Partners
To truly unleash the full potential of your Paper Mario TTYD partners, you need to upgrade them using Shine Sprites. These radiant collectibles are found in boxes throughout Rogueport and its surrounding areas. Each partner can be upgraded twice, with each upgrade costing three Shine Sprites.
The first upgrade unlocks a partner’s third attack, enhancing their combat repertoire. To unlock the second upgrade, you’ll need to progress past Chapter 5 and solve a puzzle initiated by Merlon. This involves revisiting Hooktail Castle and using Admiral Bobbery to blow up a cracked wall in the spike maze room. Completing this unlocks the ability for Merlon to perform the second upgrade, granting each partner their powerful fourth and final move. Strategically upgrading your partners is crucial for tackling tougher enemies and challenges later in the game.
Beyond Partners: Other Playable Characters
While partners are central to the gameplay, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door also features interludes where you play as other iconic Mario characters: Peach and Bowser.
Princess Peach: The Stealthy Infiltrator
Princess Peach in Paper Mario TTYD, engaging in stealth gameplay during intermission sequences
At the end of each chapter, you’ll step into the shoes of Princess Peach. These sections offer a break from Mario’s action-packed adventure, focusing on stealth and puzzle-solving. Peach often finds herself in disguise, sneaking around and gathering information, reminiscent of her gameplay in the original Paper Mario. These interludes provide a narrative counterpoint to Mario’s quest and offer a different style of gameplay.
Bowser: The Side-Scrolling King
Bowser in Paper Mario TTYD, featured in side-scrolling intermission levels
Bowser also gets his time in the spotlight after each chapter in unique side-scrolling segments. These levels are a humorous take on classic side-scrolling Mario gameplay, with Bowser as the protagonist. While combat isn’t Bowser’s primary focus in these sections, they offer entertaining platforming challenges and comedic relief. Notably, Bowser has infinite lives in these segments, playing into his often-antagonistic role in the Mario universe.
Choosing the Best Partners and Team Composition
There isn’t a single “best” partner in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door; the ideal choice often depends on the situation, enemy types, and your play style. However, some partners excel in specific areas:
- Damage Dealers: Yoshi and Vivian are renowned for their high damage output, making them excellent choices for quickly defeating enemies.
- Crowd Control: Vivian’s Fiery Jinx and Yoshi’s Stampede are great for dealing with groups of enemies. Bobbery’s Bob-ombast also provides powerful multi-target damage.
- Support & Utility: Goombella’s Tattle is invaluable for strategy, Koops can provide shielding, and Flurrie can absorb HP. Ms. Mowz offers unique utility for item finding and stealing.
Effective strategy in Paper Mario TTYD involves utilizing the Quick Change ability to swap partners mid-battle, adapting to enemy weaknesses and exploiting partner strengths. Experiment with different partner combinations to discover synergies and strategies that suit your approach to combat and exploration. Each Paper Mario TTYD partner brings something unique to the table, ensuring a rich and varied gameplay experience.
For more in-depth guides and tips for Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, be sure to explore our comprehensive guide.
