After defeating Larry and Ludwig, Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario finally reach Bowser’s Castle. The massive castle rises behind a wide lava moat, while numerous conveyor belts transport the purple ore from the Twinsy Tropics Rogueport Underground to the production facilities. Somewhere inside the castle, Princess Peach and Paper Peach are still held captive. In addition, Bowser Jr. and Papier-Bowser Jr. are still in possession of the mysterious book, from which all paper dwellers have escaped. Before we can save the two princesses, we must find a way through the extensive outdoor facilities and then penetrate into the interior of the castle.
First, use the Heart-Block right at the entrance to fully replenish your three characters‘ HP and BP. After the fights in the Rogueport Underground, you should also check your equipment. Especially strong hammers and boots will be important in the coming sections, as Bowser’s Castle is guarded by Boomerang brothers, paper dry bones and other dangerous opponents. Via the nearby green warp pipe, you can then reach a lower-lying platform, from which the actual path through the outdoor facilities begins.
The path across the lava platforms
After the drive through the Warp Pipe you follow the narrow path first to the west and then to the south. After just a few steps, you will encounter a Boomerang Bro who throws his weapon several times in a row. Unlike ordinary Hammer brothers, these Enemies can recapture their boomerangs after the first throw or hurl them in your direction again. Therefore, observe the entire trajectory before you let your character land again. With a timely jump you can get over the weapon, while an oncoming boomerang can often be fought back with the hammer. Defeat the Enemies and follow the path further south.
Shortly afterwards you will reach a wide lava moat, over which several small elevator platforms rise and descend. Wait until the first platform reaches its lowest position, and then jump on it with the entire trio. As soon as it goes up again, you jump on the opposite lead. Follow the path around the next corner until you finally stand in front of a particularly wide lava abyss. Right in front of you is a small platform that is hurled up by a lava flow. Enter her and wait until she reaches her highest point.
Mario and Luigi try to jump from there to the other side, but find that the distance is much too great. At the last moment, Paper Mario turns into a big paper plane and carries his two companions across the abyss. As a result, Starlow recognizes that this ability can also be used outside of the previous escape sequences. Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario learn their last joint field action: the Trio Glider.
Rule the Trio Glider
With the Trio Glider, Paper Mario transforms into a big paper plane that Mario and Luigi hold onto. You can glide over particularly wide abysses and even reach higher platforms. The ability is used at specially marked bounce points, which you recognize on a violet platform with a direction arrow. Stand in front of the arrow, select the trio action and start the glide flight. Then you control the flight direction with the sliding pad.
During the flight, the group slowly loses altitude. Therefore, press Y as soon as Paper Mario sinks too low. Through this input, the slider receives an additional lift and rises again somewhat upwards. In total, you can create three new lifts during a flight before you have to land on a platform. It is therefore worthwhile not to execute the inputs immediately one after the other. Wait until Paper Mario has dropped a good bit, and only then press Y again. This way you travel a much longer distance with the same glide flight.
Use the new ability right on the first big abyss and land on the platform opposite. Follow the road south until you reach another violet jump point. Start the Trio Glider again and orient yourself on the coin trail that hovers above the lava moat. It shows you the intended flight direction and helps to identify the right time for the additional lifts. Collect as many coins as possible on the way and then land on the next fixed island.
The first blocks behind the lava moat
On the reached platform are several? blocks. Open them and collect the 100 coins, two ultra fungi and 50 coins. Another Crystal block just south contains an additional 50 coins. Then walk around the corner and follow the narrow path until the next jump point. Here you can practice again how the three lift spurts can be distributed sensibly. Start the Trio Glider, stick to the visible coin trail and head towards the next island. As soon as you notice that Paper Mario sinks too low, you press Y. If possible, lift the last lift for the last section of the flight so that you land safely on the opposite platform.
On the next island is another one? Block with 100 coins. Open it and then cross the wooden bridge south. With this you reach the next section of the outdoor facilities. Some coins float a little off the direct flight route. If you master the Trio Glider well, you can also collect them. Make sure not to miss the next platform. A plunge into the lava usually only returns you to the last safe starting point, but it takes unnecessary time.
Boomerang brothers and paper dry bones
In the following area, several Boomerang brothers await you, who patrol the small rock platforms. Defeat them as directly as possible, so that you can then explore the narrow paths undisturbed. In the northwest and northeast areas are two more? blocks with coins. Open them and then follow the southeastern path into the next large section of lava. There you will meet Paper Boomerang brothers for the first time. Their weapons move slightly differently than the ordinary boomerangs and can change direction several times during an attack. Therefore, observe the entire trajectory here too and avoid rash jumps.
On the further platforms also paper dry bones appear. These Enemies can multiply if you give them too much time in battle. Your copies increase the number of attacks you have to fight off during a round. Therefore, focus as much as possible on the original specimen and try to turn it off early with a strong pair or trio attack. Especially attacks that hit several targets at the same time are helpful here. Mario and Luigi can use their now unlocked techniques such as bomb derby, dropchopper and cannonball Chuck, while Paper Mario can also cause significant damage with the Trio Whirligig.
After that, head to the nearest violet bounce point and use the Trio Glider to cross the great lava abyss to the east. On the opposite side, a narrow path leads north. Follow it to an intersection where you can get both to the right and further north. Before we follow the actual route, we take a detour to the higher platforms.
The Hidden Vortex Hammer
Stand at the northern edge of the intersection and watch the elevator platform, which is regularly pushed up by a lava flow. As soon as she reaches her lower position, you start the Trio Glider and land as closely as possible on her. Wait until the platform moves up again, and then jump to the high lead. Is there an individual? Block containing a spin hammer for Mario or Luigi. Take the equipment with you and compare it directly with your previous hammers.
Then return to the lower intersection and jump to the next platform in the east. It is also moved up and down by a lava flow. Wait again for their lowest position and use the Trio Glider to land on it. As soon as it reaches its highest point, you start another flight north from there. Follow the coin track and collect as many coins as possible along the way. In the end, you reach a small platform with? blocks, which contain two ultra fungi and 50 coins. A little further east is an additional Crystal block with 50 coins.
The secret platform with six blocks
Before returning to the main track, you should definitely examine the southern branch at this elevated level. There is a purple jump platform with an arrow pointing south. Launch the Trio Glider and fly to the next small platform. From there you continue on the way over other jumping points. The individual protrusions are partly so far apart that you have to distribute your three lifts skillfully. If possible, fly straight in the direction of the coin tracks and avoid unnecessary lateral movements so that you keep enough height for the next landing.
After several successful gliding flights, you will reach a remote island in the eastern part of the lava field. There are six treasure blocks, which are among the most important optional finds of this section. Open it completely. You will receive several major coin rewards, a 1-UP DX and a special piece of equipment for Mario or Luigi that supports their speed or the use of corresponding status enhancements. Especially the 1-UP DX is valuable because it can bring back an incapacitated character with significantly more vital energy than an ordinary 1-UP mushroom.
The secret platform also contains a larger number of coins, which you can reach with the Trio Glider. Collect the reachable rows directly on the way and then leave the island via the known jumping points. Since this secondary area is clearly off the actual route, you should not miss it. We want to fully explore the original castle before its later renovation prevents further visits.
A shortcut to the fortress entrance
After your return to the main road you follow the eastern exit and reach via another intersection back to the middle outdoor area. First take the northern side road there to get one? Open block with two ultra-syrup glasses. Then return to the intersection and go south through the middle passage. Here, several paper dry bones patrol, which you should surprise with a first strike if possible. Open the Crystal block with 50 coins on the middle platform and then follow the path east. There is another Crystal block with 100 coins waiting.
In the following area you will finally reach a striking red or pink! Block. Strike against it from below. Then a large bridge leaves, which connects the lava section just crossed directly with the starting point in front of Bowser’s Castle. This opens a permanent abbreviation. Use them and return to the first heart crystal block to completely replenish your HP and BP. Especially if you used several special attacks during the battles against the Boomerang brothers and Paper-Dry Bones, you should take the opportunity.
Then follow the northwestern path back to the middle outdoor facilities. There is a green warp pipe, through which you reach the lower level immediately before the entrance of the castle. Do you open it first? Block north of the Warp Pipe with 100 coins. Then you descend and approach the large central square. Kamek and Paper Kamek are already waiting there, who have prepared another unpleasant surprise.
Papercraft King Boo
As soon as Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario enter the square in front of the Castle, Kamek and Paper Kamek appear together with Morton and Lemmy. The two Koopalings present a new Papercraft that looks much more dangerous than the previous Enemies. It is the huge Papercraft King Boo that floats above the ground and is carried by several small boos. The construction can move seemingly effortlessly over the lava and has a particularly large radius of action. While the Enemies are already celebrating their victory, Toadette arrives at the last moment.
The rescued paper toads have once again completed a papercraft. This time it is the Papercraft Yoshi who has completely new abilities with his long tongue and his powerful tamping attack. Unlike Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach, this is not just about overthrowing Enemies with sprint attacks. With Yoshi, you have to grab distant objects, drag yourself over large lava pits and get floating Enemies out of the air. Toadette explains the most important movements before the next big colossal fight begins.
Papercraft Yoshi skills
Papercraft Yoshi has two particularly important special promotions. With his tongue, he can grab distant objects, while his tamping attack creates a powerful shock wave. During a sprint, you use the tongue with the faded button, usually B. As a result, Yoshi can pull floating Enemies towards himself or hold on far-flung rods. The latter is particularly important for the large lava abysses, because the arena consists of numerous platforms separated from each other.
For the tamping attack, you let Yoshi jump up or throw him up. Once it is above the desired target, press A so that it lands on the ground with full force. The resulting shock wave stuns smaller Enemies nearby. In addition, large floor switches can be activated in this way, from which new handle bars can be moved out. With these rods, you can pull Yoshi over the next lava abysses and thus continue to move towards the actual boss.
The energy of your colossus is charged as usual via the marked dance floors. Press the faded buttons as closely as possible in the rhythm of the music, so that Yoshi again gets enough power for sprints and special attacks. In the course of the fight, several? blocks with healing objects are also available. Use it in time if you have already lost more of your life energy. Especially with the floating boos, it makes sense to have enough energy for several attacks in succession.
The First Dry Bones Colosse
At the beginning of the Colossian battle, you must first defeat several smaller Enemies. On the first platform, cardboard colossuses of Dry Bones appear, trying to push Yoshi down from the narrow paths. Run towards one of the Enemies first and use the tamping attack as soon as you get close enough to it. The shock wave stuns the Dry Bones and stops for a short time. Use this opportunity immediately for another tamping attack. As a result, the Enemies suffers considerable damage and can often be defeated after only a few hits.
Do not try to ram the Dry Bones exclusively with ordinary sprint attacks. The Enemies are comparatively stable and can push Yoshi back himself. It is safer to stun them first with a tamping attack and then cause the actual damage. Once the first three Dry Bones have been defeated, you can turn to the large ground switch on the platform.
Place Yoshi as closely as possible on the Color Switch and carry out a tamping attack. Through the hit, a red wire travels from the ground on the opposite side of the lava abyss. Align Yoshi and use his tongue during a sprint. She gets stuck on the wire and pulls the entire Papercraft over the lava. In this way you reach the next island, where more Enemies are already waiting.
The Buu-Huu Floating Colosse
On the next platform, several box colossuses of Boo appear. Unlike the Dry Bones, they hover above the ground and therefore cannot be reached simply with an ordinary tamping attack. First, observe how one of the boos moves. Once he is right in front of Yoshi, you align the colossus on the Enemies and use the tongue. This allows you to pull the platform away from the boo under his body or bring him down from his floating position.
As a result, the Enemies falls to the ground and remains briefly dazed. Take advantage of this moment and follow up with a tamping attack. It is especially important that you attack the boo as quickly as possible before it starts to float again. If you don’t meet him in time, you’ll need to bring him down again with your tongue. Therefore, try to position Yoshi before the tongue attack so that you can then land on the Enemies without a major change of direction.
On the other platforms you will also encounter several carton Goombas. They are significantly weaker than the boos and can be quickly eliminated with ordinary sprints or tamping attacks. Shortly afterwards, a large star appears, which Yoshi can collect with his tongue. Once you touch it, your Papercraft will receive invulnerability and unlimited energy for a short time. Use this phase to immediately destroy as many of the following Goombas as possible by just running. You do not have to charge energy during this time and can eliminate the Enemies particularly quickly.
Then follow the path via further handle bars and floor switches. Pay attention to the indicated route of the individual platforms. Some rods appear only after you have activated a color switch with Yoshi through a tamping attack. Once the next wire is deployed, use your tongue and pull yourself across the lava abyss to the opposite side. Repeat the process until you reach the large arena at the end of the route. Here is finally Papercraft King Boo waiting.
Boss Fight: Papercraft King Boo
King Boo floats over a large platform and is carried by several small boos. In contrast to the previous opponents, it is not permanently accessible by ordinary sprint and tamping attacks. You must first make sure that he loses his floating position. Therefore, move Yoshi so that the boss hovers as directly in front of you as possible. As soon as King Boo prepares his next attack, you point your tongue at him and try to catch the platform or the carrying boos under his body.
If you succeed in the action, the great King Boo crashes down and lands on the arena. There he remains dazed for a short time. Run towards him immediately and use the strongest possible tamping attack. This causes significant damage to Yoshi. Then the boss straightens up again and floats again over the ground. Wait for the next opportunity to destabilize his floating construction with his tongue.
King Boos attacks
The boss has several attack patterns, which you recognize especially in his body movement. In an attack, King Boo rolls up and moves towards Yoshi at high speed. Keep enough distance and avoid sideways if possible so that you are not pushed by the arena. If King Boo remains close to the edge after the missed attack, you can try to push him towards the lava with a targeted attack. As a result, he falls down and is then thrown back onto the platform, where he remains dazed for a moment. Use this opportunity for another tamping attack.
In a second attack, King Boo rises high into the air and tries to drop directly on Yoshi. Pay attention to his shadow or the position of the boss above the battlefield. As soon as he arrives for the crash, you dodge to the side. After a missed landing, a small shock wave arises, from which you should also keep distance. The boss then needs a moment to stand up again. Even then you can attack him with your tongue or a quick tamping attack.
Sometimes King Boo also turns very quickly on his own axis. Do not use this movement for an ill-considered frontal attack. Rather, wait until you can reach his back, and then use Yoshi’s tongue. With a bit of luck, you’ll catch the boss at the very moment his carrying boos are no longer fully protected. This allows you to bring him to the ground again and land the next strong hit.
The second phase with further boos
Once King Boo has lost about half of his life energy, Morton and Lemmy call additional carton-buu-huus for reinforcement. Two smaller ghosts appear on the arena and attack Yoshi simultaneously with the actual boss. This makes it much harder to focus on King Boo without being hit by the smaller opponents. Therefore, first try to get the additional boos out of the way.
Point Yoshi at one of the floating spirits and use his tongue again to bring him down. Then you attack with a tamping attack. Repeat this on the second boo. However, be careful not to lose sight of King Boo completely during this time. He can continue to intervene with his rolling and tamping attacks. Therefore, try to attack the smaller Enemies if possible when the boss is on the other side of the arena or has finished his previous attack.
Once the smaller Boos have been defeated, you’ll focus entirely on King Boo again. If possible, hold the boss in front of Yoshi, use the tongue to pull down and immediately follow up with a tamping attack. If your energy is scarce in between, you can recharge it on one of the dance floors. For this, take a short distance, rather than standing immediately in front of the boss with almost empty energy. After several successful tamping attacks, Papercraft King Boo is finally defeated.
Toadette is kidnapped
After the win, Morton and Lemmy can hardly believe that their huge construction lost to Toadette’s Papercraft. While the two Koopalings are retiring, Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario are already delighted about their success. Toadette is also relieved that her latest construction has survived the fight. But the joy does not last long. Kamek and Paper Kamek appear again and attack the group surprisingly. Her real goal this time is not Mario, but Toadette herself.
The two wizards have realized that Toadette with her cardboard colossuses repeatedly thwarts their plans. To prevent further defeats, they therefore decide to capture the constructor. A Fly Guy packs Toadette and flies with her deep inside the Castle. Before Mario and Luigi can intervene, the kidnapper disappears between the high walls. So it is clear that we must first take care of Toadette’s rescue before we reach the two princesses.
Leave the square to the north and enter the large main room of the castle. Directly at the entrance is a Heart-Block where you can fully restore your HP and BP. Use it and save your progress. The coming paths lead over long lava abysses and through several rooms with large wind machines. The Trio Glider will be our most important ability.
The burning Bowser symbol
In the center of the main room, you can see a huge Bowser symbol on the floor, surrounded by several flames. Behind it is a large elevator, through which Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario could reach the upper floors. As long as the flames burn, however, the passage is blocked. An ordinary jump is not enough to overcome the fireplaces. Instead, you need to find two special Bowser blocks located in the adjacent rooms. Each of these blocks turns off a part of the flames.
Before we go in search, we first explore the main room. From the entrance, the path leads west and east to several small stretches of sand. In the southeast corner there are three drilling sites that you can examine with the Trio Drill. Here are a Tempo Bean, a Mustache Bean and a Heart Bean. In the northwestern sand area there are also three X-markings. They include a Kraft Bean, a Defense Bean, and a Brothers Bean. Collect all six now before entering the adjacent rooms.
On the two lateral sand surfaces are also several? blocks. In the southern area you will find additional coins, while the northern corners contain three ultra-syrup glasses and three ultra-mushrooms. Especially these healing objects we will be able to use shortly. Take everything with you and then return to the central Bowser icon. For our next step, we first take the right passage.
The right path through the wind machines
Enter the eastern space and open it first? Block immediately behind the entrance. It contains 50 coins. Then follow the narrow path north until you recognize several large wind machines. They regularly blow heavy blasts of air over the platform and can push Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario to the edge. On the first row, it is sufficient to quickly pass the fans with the sprint socks. Stand as far as possible to the northern side of the platform, activate the sprint and then run east. If you do not change direction, you should be able to cross the first section without difficulty.
Behind it is another paper dry bones. Defeat him and go to the next row of wind machines. This time, an ordinary sprint is no longer enough, because the fans are much further apart and blow much stronger. Therefore, use the Trio Glider to overcome the track. Start at the violet bounce point and let the wind carry you towards the next platform. If Paper Mario sinks too low, press Y to get extra lift. Try to fly straight towards the opposite island so that you are not pushed laterally into the lava.
On the other side is another waiting? Block with 100 coins. Open it and then follow the path around the next corner. Behind it begins a larger lava abyss, which you have to cross to the west. Start the Trio Glider and land first on the first small platform. Here are two? blocks with 100 coins and two ultra-syrup glasses. Take both rewards and then continue the glide to the western side of the room.
At the end of the path you will find a striking red one! Block. Jump against it so that the previously closed door of the room opens. This creates a connection back to the main room. Next to it is the first Bowser crystal block. Strike against it from below. A short cutscene shows how the first flame goes out on the large Bowser symbol in the main room. So we’ve done half of the puzzle.
The Left Room and Toadette’s Rescue
Return to the main room through the open door and then pass through the western exit. As soon as you enter the room, you see Toadette, who is still carried by a Fly Guy through the air. The kidnapper moves toward an open window in the northwest. If he manages to reach the window, he finally disappears with Toadette. Thus begins the temporary rescue mission Toadette in Need. You must catch up with and defeat the Fly Guy before he reaches the end of his flight route.
The entire rescue route runs through several separate platforms connected by wind turbines and the Trio Glider. Unlike in the eastern area, you also have to operate several color switches here to change the wind direction. Therefore, as far as possible, memorize the position of the individual platforms and try not to run unnecessary detours.
The first wind machine line
First, head to the first violet bounce point and use the Trio Glider to reach the opposite platform in the north. The active wind machines automatically blow you a bit to the right and help you reach the landing site. On the platform is a special wind machine color switch. Activate it to temporarily turn off the western fans. This allows you to glide over to the next platform without a strong headwind.
Start the Trio Glider again and fly west. There you reach another Color Switch, with which you can reactivate the wind machines. Right next to it is a red one! Block that changes its orientation. Hit the Block twice in total until the lower wind machine faces west. Only then can you use the next gliding track wisely. Then stand on the purple jump surface with the arrow to the south and start the next gliding flight.
The realigned airflow will take you to a larger platform in the southwest. Run there to the western end and look for several small blue platforms floating above the lava field. Again use the Trio Glider and work your way from platform to platform. The individual distances are sometimes quite large, which is why you have to use your three lifts skillfully. Avoid major changes of direction during the flight and stick to the given coin track if possible.
The last platforms until the Fly Guy
After overcoming the blue platforms, you reach the northern part of the room. There is another wind turbine color switch. Press it and then take a gliding flight southwest. Follow the platform around the corner and fly northwest from there. On the last permanent island you can recognize the Fly Guy who continues to carry Toadette with him. Run immediately towards him in the sprint and touch him so that a fight begins.
The Fly Guy is not a particularly resistant Enemies. Use a strong pair or trio attack to defeat him as quickly as possible. After the victory, he lets go of Toadette and disappears. Thus, the rescue mission is successfully completed. If the Fly Guy first reaches the open window, you must start the mission again. The switch sequence remains the same, so that you already know which platforms and wind directions are needed on the next attempt.
The second Bowser crystal block
After their rescue, Toadette thanks Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. She also reports that the two princesses are probably on the upper floors of the castle. During the conversation, the plot briefly changes to Bowser Jr. and Papier-Bowser Jr., who continue to serve as guardians of the two princesses. Once one of them leaves, Princess Peach and Papier-Princess Peach try to escape from their captivity. However, the two Bowser descendants notice the escape attempt a little later and immediately take up the pursuit.
After this cutscene, you get back control of Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. Right next to Toadette’s rescue site is the second Bowser-Crystal block. Strike against it from below. On the large Bowser symbol in the main room, the second flame now goes out. The central passage is thus completely exposed. Before we go back there, however, we still examine the other platforms of the Western area, because here are several valuable pieces of equipment.
The Hidden Blocks in Western Space
First, go to the nearby green warp pipe and use it. On the other side is a red one. Block that opens a previously closed connection. Activate it and then jump back to the lower path. This allows you to explore the western area without the rescue mission and target the previously difficult-to-reach platforms.
Start with the northern edge of the room. There are two sandy platforms that can only be reached with the Trio Glider. On them stand several?-blocks with a total of 100 coins, a brother clothes, an Ultra-Candy and another 100 coins. The brothers‘ clothing is especially interesting when you Mario and Luigi often share with Bros. Attacks can be attacked. Compare their characteristics with your previous equipment and take the item directly with you.
Then go to the large southwestern area of the room. There are several paper dry bones patrolling. Defeat them as quickly as possible so that they do not create additional copies during your search. There are three drilling sites on the large sandy surface, which include a Kraft Bean, a Brother Bean and a Heart Bean. Dig all three with the trio drill. There are also two more? blocks with 100 and 50 coins nearby. Open them before you leave the room.
This activates both Bowser blocks and explores the main side routes of the two wings. Now return through the eastern exit to the large main room. If your HP or BP has already dropped, you should use the Heart-Block at the southern entrance again. Then we can finally reach the central elevator.
With the elevator to the upper castle
In the main room, the large Bowser symbol is now completely extinguished. Run north over the now safe area and defeat the last paper dry bones or boomerang brothers who patrol here. Behind it is a large elevator that runs between the lower production facilities and the upper castle. Stand with all three characters on the platform and wait until it goes upstairs.
Once at the top, you reach a narrow path above the roof of the castle. Follow him north and enter the next large room. There you will witness a surprising scene: Princess Peach and Papier-Princess Peach have actually freed themselves from their captivity and try to leave the castle unnoticed. When they discover Mario and Luigi, they immediately run towards the group. But the joy of the reunion does not last long. Bowser Jr. and Papier-Bowser Jr. appear again, grabbing the two princesses and bringing them back into their power.
The two Bowser offspring then begin to mock Mario and Luigi. During the conversation, they accidentally reveal that they still own the mysterious book. So far, they had apparently not understood how important the item is for the three heroes. When they notice Mario’s reaction, however, they immediately decide to run away again. You leave the room via the southern exit and disappear with the elevator towards the lower castle.
The balconies with the last treasure blocks
Before you run after the two Bowser shoots, you should examine the two lateral exits of the upper room. The direct route to the north is currently closed, which is why you have to return to the lower elevator anyway. Via the western exit you reach a small balcony with several? blocks. Open them and collect the 50 coins hidden inside and other large coin stores.
After that, head back to the main hall and use the eastern exit. There is another balcony with several blocks. Particularly important are the two double 1-UP mushrooms, with which you can revive two incapable characters at the same time in combat. Be sure to take them with you, because the upcoming fight against the two Bowser Juniors contains several particularly strong attacks. The remaining blocks contain additional coins.
After both balconies have been completely searched, you return to the large hall and save your progress. Then you leave the room to the south, take the elevator back down and start pursuing the two Bowser offspring.
Capture Bowser Jr. and Papier-Bowser Jr.
As soon as you reach the main room again, a special stealth mission begins. Bowser Jr. and Papier-Bowser Jr. have been hiding in the lower areas of the castle, while numerous mechakoopas and fly guys guard the trails. Unlike the previous opponents, you should not attack these guards directly if possible. Instead, you have to watch their patrols and pass them unnoticed. Discover Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario, the group is pushed back and the pursuit track must be started again.
Both Bowser shoots are located at different points in the large main room. Start with the ordinary Bowser Jr. who has been hiding in the northwestern area. For him, there is a comparatively short path over several jumping plates and acceleration fields.
Bowser Jr. in the Northwest
First, go to the northwest corner of the main room. There is a large oblique jumping plate, which you can activate with the sprint socks. Take enough boot and run directly against it. The entire group is hurled onto an elevated platform. Follow the path north and use the nearest acceleration field to reach the opposite platform. Then you jump to the next diving plate, which catapults Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario directly into the vicinity of Bowser Jr.
The junior only notices the group at the last moment and tries to run away. Activate the sprint and catch it before it reaches the next pass. The first of the two Bowser offspring is caught. Papier-Bowser Jr. is still hiding on the opposite side of the castle and has many more guards gathered around him.
Paper-Bowser Jr. in the eastern area
For the second junior, you first return to the lower level of the main room and follow the path east. There, three mechakoopas patrol anticlockwise around a larger platform. First, wait until the Enemies move away from your position. Then walk as directly as possible behind them without touching them. Once you have reached the opposite side, you jump onto the two small elevator platforms that rise and descend above the lava moat. Wait for each platform to reach its lowest position, then jump to the next.
On the other hand, the path leads you further east. Here, several Fly Guys guard a narrow passage. Observe their direction and wait until they turn away from you. Then run as straight as possible through the free area. It is especially important that you do not remain in the middle of the two opponents. Once you have passed the passage, you follow the way south.
There are several large Bowser statues that move regularly on their bases. Two other Mechakoopas patrol between them. Use the moving statues as a cover and watch as the Enemies look in the other direction. As soon as a sufficiently large gap opens, you run to the next statue and hide behind it again. Repeat until you reach the western edge of the area.
At the end of the way, another elevator platform is waiting. Jump on it and go upstairs. Once you have reached the highest position, you drop onto the underlying lead. There, Papier-Bowser Jr. hides, who did not expect that Mario and Luigi could reach him from above. Touch him and the stealth mission ends successfully.
After both juniors are captured, the group finally demands the mysterious book back. The two offspring reluctantly issue a book that at first glance actually looks like the original they are looking for. However, Starlow realizes after a short investigation that it is only a fake. The juniors seize the moment of confusion and flee again with the real book to the upper floors of the castle. We must therefore follow them once again.
Back to the upper fortress hall
After the clandestine mission you are back in the main room of the castle. First, use the Heart-Block in the southern area and fully restore the HP and BP of all three characters. Especially the next Enemies have several long attack combinations, which is why a sufficient stock of syrup glasses and strong healing objects is particularly important. Also check if Paper Mario has fully built his copies and if Mario and Luigi are wearing their strongest hammers and boots.
Then head north to the large elevator and drive back to the upper floor. Follow the short roof path to the large hall where you met the princesses before. This time, Bowser Jr. and Papier-Bowser Jr. are already in the middle of the room, waiting for the three brothers. Another fleet is out of the question for the two. Instead, they get into their clown carriages and start a joint boss fight.
Bossfight: Bowser Jr. and Papier-Bowser Jr.
Bowser Jr. owns 979 HP, while Paper Bowser Jr. is slightly more resistant at 1,068 HP. Both Enemies float in their clown carriages above the ground and are thus protected against many ordinary attacks. Hammer attacks in particular, which only aim at Enemies on the ground, cannot reliably hit them. Therefore, use strong jump, pair and trio attacks that also reach flying Enemies. Especially the Dropchopper, the Trio Kite and other attacks from above are suitable for this fight.
Unlike many previous bosses, you should distribute the damage as evenly as possible on both Enemies. Bowser Jr. and Papier-Bowser Jr. help each other once one of them is severely weakened. If the life energy of a junior drops too far, his partner throws him a mushroom that restores part of his CP. If one is completely defeated, the other can even use a 1-UP mushroom and revive his partner. You should therefore prevent one of the two from becoming incapacitated early on, while the other still has almost all his life energy.
Start the battle with your most reliable special attacks and switch between the two targets regularly. Especially attacks that hit both juniors at the same time are helpful because you can reduce their life energy in parallel. If necessary, use a combat card that increases your power and then combine it with a strong pair or trio attack. At the same time, keep an eye on your BP so that you have enough opportunities for a quick win in the final phase.
Counter the clown carriages correctly
In one of their most frequent attacks, Bowser Jr. and Papier-Bowser Jr. first point to certain characters. They then fly far into the background and start racing towards Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario with their clown carriages. Watch exactly which junior has previously targeted which character. While standing in the background, they change positions several times. However, the goals originally marked remain crucial.
As soon as one of the two juniors approaches his chosen character, you have the hammer ready. Only strike when the Koopa Clown Car is immediately in front of Mario, Luigi or Paper Mario. If a successful hit, the junior is stunned and falls to the floor in front of your group. Now you can cause additional damage with several quick hammer strokes. Especially with Papier-Bowser Jr., this counterattack is particularly worthwhile because it has a little more vital energy than its three-dimensional partner.
After the first successful counterattack, pay attention to whether the second junior is already preparing his next rush. Sometimes the two change their order and attack immediately one after the other. Therefore, do not hectic press the same hammer button, but first observe which character is now targeted. Countering both rushes in a row can cause significant damage during a single opposing round.
Fight back the huge Cannonball
A particularly unusual attack begins with Bowser Jr. flying into the background and bringing out a massive Cannonball with his emblem. Then he throws them at the three heroes. Starlow then explains a special defense technique in which Mario and Luigi Paper use Mario as a trampoline. Instead of repulsing the giant bullet with a normal hammer, you must advance it through several precise jumps towards the opponent.
Mario and Luigi are left and right of Paper Mario during this sequence. The Cannonball first hits the elastic paper hero and is thrown back up. Then move the group to the correct position so that it is under the falling ball. Once the ball reaches Paper Mario again, you press Y to let it jump up again. Repeat the process at the right rhythm if possible. With each successful hit, the entire group moves forward and approaches Bowser Jr.
In later repetitions of the attack, Papier-Bowser Jr. additionally lays down on the floor as a flat trap. Therefore, pay attention not only to the falling Cannonball, but also to the position of the paper junior. As soon as he lies in front of your group, you dodge sideways and then move under the ball again. If you touch Paper Bowler Jr. during the sequence, the group will be stopped and the attack can cause significant damage.
If you do enough successful trampoline jumps, you will eventually reach Bowser Jr. in the background. The big Cannonball is thrown back at him directly and causes considerable damage. This counterattack is one of the most effective possibilities of the entire boss fight. Therefore, try to complete the sequence as completely as possible instead of avoiding the ball merely by a simple evasion attempt.
The Flight Competition of Paper Heroes
In another attack, the two juniors challenge Mario and Luigi to a flight competition. Paper-Bowser Jr. turns into a paper plane, while Paper Mario also takes on its glider shape. Both then fly side by side and try to cover as much distance as possible. Who lands first on the ground, loses the competition and is hit by several heavy iron balls.
During the flight, Paper Mario descends slowly. As soon as it approaches the ground, you press Y to get an extra lift. It is important that you do not press the button too early. Wait as far as possible until shortly before the ground contact and then trigger the lift thrust. As a result, Paper Mario covers a longer distance before he begins to sink again. Repeat this procedure as long as the flight continues.
If you succeed in flying further as Papier-Bowser Jr., the competition will be decided in your favor. Several heavy iron balls then fall on the two Bowser shoots and cause considerable damage. If you lose, the balls meet Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. Since this attack can cause a lot of damage, it is worth practicing the right time for the Y inputs particularly accurately. The movement mechanics basically correspond to the Trio Glider, but you have to trigger the additional lift here especially close to the ground.
The attack of the two juniors
In another attack combination, Bowser Jr. and Papier-Bowser Jr. call in several Shy Guys who drop large wooden barrels on Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. The barrels slip over the three characters so you can no longer see their faces. The two juniors then begin a chase and alternately shoot fireballs at the fleeing group. To avoid in time, you need to know which of the three hidden characters is under which barrel.
Right at the beginning of the sequence, you can press A, B and Y one after the other to find out the position of Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. Each character jumps up briefly at his or her corresponding key, allowing you to recognize his or her position. Paper Mario is also helped by his visible feet that look out under the barrel. Remember as early as possible which barrel belongs to which character before the two juniors fire their fireballs.
During the chase, watch which barrel the next Fireball is heading for. Press the right jump button at the right moment to avoid the projectile. Make sure that the fireballs do not always aim at the characters in the same order. Sometimes Bowser Jr. and Papier-Bowser Jr. attack immediately after each other and change goals. Therefore, jump if possible only when you can recognize the trajectory of the next fireball.
Survive the entire pursuit without hits, Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario throw their barrels at the end and throw them back at the two juniors. This causes additional damage to the Enemies. If, on the other hand, individual characters are hit, they fall to the ground and can no longer participate in the final counterattack. Since the fireballs can also cause the fire status, you should take successful evasive movements particularly seriously here.
Both Bowser Juniors simultaneously weaken
In the further course, the two Bowser offspring become angry and increase the pace of their attacks. Especially the combination of clown carriage rushes, cannonball and barrel attack can now be unpleasant. Therefore, keep an eye on your HP and use ultra-nuts if necessary to heal several characters at the same time. If possible, Paper Mario should fight with its full copy stack, as its additional copies offer valuable protection in the multi-part attacks.
For your own attacks, you should continue to weaken both juniors approximately equally. Papier-Bowser Jr. has a little more vital energy and is sensitive to fire. That’s why Mario’s bomb derby is particularly suitable for causing him additional damage. Luigi’s Fire Flower can also be effective if you throw the fireballs fast enough behind each other. Against the ordinary Bowser Jr., strong jump and trio attacks are suitable. Avoid special attacks that hit only Enemies on the ground as long as both Juniors are still in their clown carriages.
If both Enemies have little life energy left, you should try to completely reduce their HP within two consecutive attacks. If you defeat a junior while his partner still owns numerous HP, he can use a 1-UP mushroom and revive the other with about a quarter of his life energy. Even ordinary mushrooms that restore about 80 HP can prolong the fight. Therefore, focus completely on one of the two only when the other is already weakened to the point where he can be defeated immediately afterwards.
Take advantage of an opportunity after a successful counterattack to knock out the first junior. Then you immediately follow up with a strong pair or trio attack against the second. It is especially helpful if you have already activated a combat card to increase your power. This allows you to finish the remaining Enemies if possible before it is his turn again. After enough successful hits, Bowser Jr. and Papier-Bowser Jr. are finally defeated.
The Reward for Victory
After the fight, you get a total of 2,760 Experience Point and 770 coins. In addition, the two Bowser offspring leave valuable equipment: an iron ball hammer DX for Mario and Luigi, respectively, and special gloves for Paper Mario. Compare the items directly with your previous equipment before entering the next section.
The two juniors are exhausted on the ground and can no longer defend themselves against Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. The three heroes finally manage to free Princess Peach and Paper Peach. The mysterious book is also still nearby, but before the group can take it, Bowser and Papier-Bowser suddenly appear in the upper hall. The two are angry when they discover their defeated sons.
Bowser’s Castle rises into the air
Bowser and Papier-Bowser decide not to let the defeat of their sons rest on themselves. Since Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario have now overcome all obstacles, even the large castle no longer seems safe enough. The two Bowsers therefore activate a huge machine below the castle. Huge thrusters begin to work and slowly lift the entire castle out of the lava ditch. Within a few moments, the previous castle transforms into a floating castle that rises high above the Doop Doop Dunes into the sky.
Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario immediately realize that they must leave the castle before the engines reach their full power. Together with Princess Peach and Papier-Princess Peach, they flee the upper hall and try to reach a safe exit. They must leave the mysterious book behind for the time being. Although the two princesses are finally saved, we still cannot bring the paper dwellers back to their own world.
As Bowser’s Castle climbs higher, the Flee becomes increasingly dangerous. At the last moment, Paper Mario once again transforms into a big paper plane and carries his companions out of the castle. The group glides across the desert and eventually lands on the familiar Sunbeam Plains. Everyone can first get to safety there. Princess Peach and Papier-Princess Peach immediately make their way to Peach’s Castle, while Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario follow.
Back to Peach’s Castle
After landing, you will be back on the Sunbeam Plains. Princess Peach and Paper Peach have already run ahead. Follow their way west and then through the castle court to Peach’s Castle. On the way, you can use a Heart-Block and create the newly received equipment from the fight against the two juniors. Since we now have all five trio field actions, numerous previously unattainable paths can be opened in the known regions.
Once in Peach’s Castle, a longer intermediate sequence begins. The two princesses are safe again, but Bowser and Papier-Bowser still own the mysterious book and have created a new threat with their floating castle. Together with Toadette and the other Toads, Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario must find a way to reach the Castle again. This requires additional paper toads that are still scattered across the Mushroom Kingdom.
In addition, Paper Mario receives a new Trio Attack: Trio villains. Thus, the three heroes can also cause considerable damage in the coming battles. However, before we prepare the final attack on Neo Bowser Castle, there are several paper Toad rescue missions and some important side tasks on the agenda.
With the Trio Glider, we now also have the last field capability required for full exploration of the previous areas. This allows us to visit all previously unreachable high cardboard platforms and collect the missing blocks, equipment and hidden beans. In particular, the Sunbeam Plains, the Doop Doop Dunes and Mount Brrr contain several sites that we have deliberately omitted so far.
Our adventure continues with the return to Peach’s Castle. There we gather more paper toads, complete the new rescue missions and prepare the ascent to Bowser’s floating castle. The trail then takes us back through Gloomy Woods and up to Mount Brrr, where the next big leg of the adventure begins.