Back to the Doop Doop Dunes
After Bowser Jr. and Papier-Bowser Jr. fled from Mount Brrr with the two princesses, the next path leads us back to the Doop Doop Dunes. The three brothers now not only possess the Bowser brand, but also master the Trio Drill, an ability with which numerous previously unattainable secrets can be discovered. Our real goal is the big locked door into the Twinsy Tropics Rogueport Underground, whose Bowser icon matches exactly the brand found. For this, however, we first have to cross the desert south. The destroyed bridge to the original castle no longer plays a role for this path.
This time you reach the Doop Doop Dunes from the north and land on an elevated platform that was not accessible on the first visit. Nearby is a Lakitu Info Center. If you want, you can play already completed paper toad missions in their more difficult variants or try out the additional challenges of the combat arena. Since we have just received new attacks and equipment, these tasks may well be worthwhile. However, a visit is not necessary for the further course. What is more important is that we still have the two Bros before leaving. Secure attacks that Nabbit kept during our first desert visit.
Nabbit surprise with Trio Drill
First, leave the elevated platform to the south and jump to the lower desert floor. Don’t worry if you have to climb again later: With the Trio Drill you can now climb the sandy rock walls and reach the upper area again without any major detours. On the lower path you will soon discover Nabbit, who is between the sand hills. Unlike the first encounter, this time you don’t have to follow him on numerous platforms. Speak to him first. As soon as he recognizes you, he tries to escape and digs himself in the sand. Apparently, he believes he is safe under the Earth from Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario.
This is where our new ability comes in. Choose the trio drill and dig into the sand in the same place. Under the Earth you can now also discover Nabbit. Approach him and speak to him again or touch him with the drill. As soon as he notices the three brothers, he startles and grabs the flee again. This time, however, he loses another stolen Bros. Attack. Luigi gets the dropchopper that we can use directly for the upcoming fights.
This is how the Dropchopper works
The Dropchopper is a Bros. Attack for Luigi and needs seven BP. First, a small propeller apparatus flies over the battlefield, while Mario and Luigi run towards it from a distance. Control the dropchopper with the sliding pad so that it is above the two brothers. Once the device is close enough, press the displayed buttons A and B so that Mario and Luigi hold on to it. Then the entire construction hovers over the opponents and you can further influence their position.
A target circle appears on the ground, indicating the range of the upcoming attack. Move the dropchopper so that as many Enemies as possible are within the circle and then trigger the fall attack. Mario and Luigi fall on the floor with the apparatus and create a great shock wave. Particularly effective is a direct hit on an Enemies. But since the surrounding enemies also suffer damage, the Dropchopper is excellent against larger opponent groups. Precisely for this reason we should take him with us now: At the end of our desert journey, a fight awaits, in which we have to take on numerous opponents at the same time.
If you have the other Bros. If you would like to compare attacks again, you will find their locations in our overview of all Bros. Attacks.
The first drilling sites in the desert
Before you leave the elevated region, you should search the area with the trio drill. Since our last trip over the Doop Doop Dunes, numerous small X-marks are accessible on the floor that hide valuable beans or coins. In the area below the Lakitu Info Centre there are several groups of such sites. Start on the western side near the entrance and examine the two X marks between the rock face and the cardboard grounds. Here you will find a heart-bean and a BP-bean. The Heart-Bean permanently increases the maximum life energy, while the BP-Bean improves the number of Special Attack Points available.
Then go to the southern part of the area. There, four further drilling points are located relatively close together. Among them are a defensive bean, a tempo bean, a mustache bean, and a coin find. Drill through all the markings one by one and take the items with you. Especially the tempo bean is interesting for Luigi or Paper Mario, if one of the two in the fight regularly comes to the train only after the opponents. The higher speed value may allow you to eliminate dangerous enemies before they launch their own attacks.
Another group of four drilling sites can be found near the southeast exit. It is located a little north of the transition to the next area. Among the markings are a Heart Bean, a Kraft Bean and two coin finds. Examine this place completely before you move on. For example, the Kraft Bean is suitable for Mario, if you have him predominantly with strong Bros. Attacks can be attacked. However, you can also distribute the Beans on Luigi and Paper Mario to improve their values more evenly.
You should not use the found beans indiscriminately. First, check the status values of your three characters in the menu. Mario often already has a high power, while Luigi can benefit from additional speed. Although Paper Mario has a good way to intercept hits through his copies, additional HP and defense can make him more resilient, especially when copies are lost. A fixed distribution is not necessary for this. The key is that the improvements compensate for the weaknesses of your current group.
The Southern Way and New Enemies
Then leave the area through the southern exit and follow the familiar path from our first desert journey. Here, too, you can reach some previously inaccessible positions with the Trio Drill. Especially the large cardboard surfaces are suitable for a new examination. Some allow themselves to be subverted, while others release additional coins after a trio hammer strike. If you discover a striking paper surface with a printed question mark, you should try the trio drill directly on it. On such surfaces there may be hidden objects that are not indicated by ordinary? blocks.
During the way to the south, you will now encounter stronger Enemies than on the first visit. In addition to the already known stachis, spikes and their paper forms occur. They can create large spine balls and hurl them towards your characters. Therefore, watch their attack movement closely. As soon as an Enemies prepares a Spike Ball, you should not jump hastily. Wait for the projectile to approach, and use the hammer as needed to strike it back. Especially paper Mario’s copies are helpful here, because they can intercept several unfortunate hits.
Follow the path first south and then slightly east. Shortly before the transition to the next large desert area, a Toad is waiting on the roadside. Talk to him and listen to his hints. Then continue on your way south until you reach the open area east of the Toad village. We were here during our first visit, but the landscape has changed in the meantime. Several new cardboard constructions connect the previously separated platforms and make additional paths accessible.
New secrets east of the Toad village
First, walk along the southern chain link and then head east. In the middle of the large area are several round X-marks, which we can excavate with the Trio Drill. The group of eight drilling sites in the southern part of the area is particularly worthwhile. The western markings include a coin reward and a BP Bean, among others, while further to the right are a Kraft Bean, a Defense Bean, a Tempo Bean, a Mustache Bean, and a Heart Bean. Examine the marks in order so that you do not overlook a single spot.
On one of the raised cardboard surfaces is also a striking area, which you can cross with the Trio Drill. Drill underneath and see if the top contains any other hidden items. However, some of the higher platforms are not yet fully accessible on our second visit. Especially the isolated projections in the upper part of the area later require the Trio Glider. Therefore, do not try to reach every single raised surface with ordinary jumps. We will remember these last locations for our later round of collecting.
On the way, defeat the ordinary and paper spikes as well as the isolated pokeys. The Enemies are good for trying out Luigi’s new dropchopper. Especially with several enemies appearing at the same time, you can cause considerable damage with a cleanly placed fall attack. If necessary, also use Mario’s bomb derby or Paper Mario’s Trio Whirligig. Since we now have several strong area attacks, many ordinary enemy groups can be defeated much faster than during our first stay in the desert.
The Paper Goomba is Back
Continue in the eastern part of the area towards the Heart block. Just before you reach it, you are stopped by a well-known voice. The paper Goomba, whom we helped during our imprisonment in the Twinsy Tropics Rogueport Underground, suddenly faces Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. He recognizes the three immediately and reminds them that he gave them the first combat card set. Meanwhile, he has learned that the group is on its way to Bowser’s Castle and offers his support.
The paper Goomba claims to be well versed in the Rogueport Underground and surrounding areas. He therefore wants to accompany Mario and Luigi and help them find the right way to the locked gate. Although Starlow is a little suspicious at first, the group eventually agrees. The Paper Goomba is now temporarily following us and will play a role in some of the coming events. For the fight itself, however, he is not available as an additional playable character.
After the conversation, you should definitely use the Heart-Block. Complete the HP and BP of all characters before entering the eastern exit. In the next section, there is a mandatory fight against a large opponent group. Since this fight contains several attack patterns and the Enemies act partly simultaneously, full life energy and sufficient BP are particularly helpful. Before we face the group, however, we get the last Bros currently available. Attack from Toad Village.
Back to Toad Village: Mopsies New Challenge
Run west from the Heart-Block and enter the famous Toad village of the Doop Doop Dunes. Residents have calmed down since our last visit and the shops now offer stronger equipment. Right next to the Lakitu Info Center, a Toad stands with a striking speech bubble over his head. Speak to him. He reports that Nabbit has reappeared in the desert and robbed several residents. Since Mario and Luigi have already caught up with the thief several times, the Toad asks her for help.
Take on the challenge. Then an additional Nabbit pursuit mission begins, in which the nimble thief multiplies this time. For our complete run, you should definitely do this task now, because as a reward Mario receives another Bros. Attack. Unlike the previous Nabbit encounters, this mission is not mandatory to continue the story. But it is one of the few occasions when you can unlock a new technique through a voluntary side task.
Mopsies multiplication
You have four minutes for the entire challenge. During this time, you have to capture Nabbit three times in total. As in the first chase in the Doop Doop Dunes, the thief runs on a set course and regularly throws large spine balls behind him. If you touch one of these balls, you lose your speed and Nabbit gains a greater advantage again. Therefore, try to walk as straight as possible and only change direction if an obstacle actually blocks your path.
In the first round you encounter only a single Nabbit. Activate the sprint socks and track it. Once you get close enough, you’ll do a sprint jump to catch it. Be careful not to jump immediately behind a spike ball. When Nabbit drops a ball, you switch to the free side in time and then run back to its course. After the first successful catch, the thief escapes again and continues his fleet.
The second round will be a bit more difficult. Nabbit now creates a copy of himself, so that two almost identical figures run before you. Only one of them is the real thief. Observe the two figures during their movement. The wrong copy flickers or becomes briefly transparent, while the real Nabbit retains its normal shape. Therefore, focus on the character who does not flicker, and only pursue it. As soon as you get close enough, you jump to them again. If you catch the wrong copy, you lose time without getting a valid catch.
In the third round, Nabbit tries to completely confuse you. This time, a total of nine figures appear on the field. Most of them are incorrect copies that regularly dissolve or flicker briefly. Watch the group for a moment and find the only character whose appearance remains unchanged. Then follow exactly this Nabbit in the sprint. Since the copies partly change direction and overtake, you should not pay attention exclusively to its original position. Also watch it during movement and adjust your direction accordingly.
Once you catch the real Nabbit for the third time, the mission ends successfully. If you needed less than four minutes, you will receive the Bros as a reward. Attack Cannonball Chuck for Mario. Nabbit can then escape again, but for this chapter we have now recovered all available attacks.
How Cannonball Chuck Works
In Cannonball Chuck, Mario swings a huge cannonball on a chain while Luigi sits on it. Press A first to set the ball in motion. Then you have to take the right moment to hurl Luigi with as much momentum as possible towards the Enemies. As soon as the flight phase begins, you control the Cannonball with the sliding pad to the left or right. You can also influence the altitude to hit different sized Enemies.
Try to direct the ball as directly as possible to an Enemies. In the case of a direct hit, you direct particularly high damage. On the other hand, if you land on the ground between several opponents, the Cannonball creates a large shock wave, which also injures the surrounding enemies. This makes the attack excellent against groups. Especially for the upcoming fight against the football chucks, it is therefore one of the best techniques available. Together with Luigis Dropchopper, we now have two strong new ways to hit multiple Enemies within a single round of attack.
The Quiz in the Toad Village
If you haven’t completed the quiz of the wise Toad on our first visit, you should catch up now as well. The Toad in question stays in one of the houses in the village and asks Mario and Luigi five randomly selected questions. For a successful participation, you must answer at least three answers correctly. The questions deal, among other things, with Mopsies stolen Bros. Attacks, the previous opponents and some items from the stores.
Among other things, the Toad may want to know which Bros. Attack Nabbit has been stolen. One of the correct answers is Drill Shell. If asked about the price of an ordinary mushroom, the answer is ten coins. For another question, you have to calculate how many coins remain after an issue of eight coins from the original 13 – in this case five. In addition, one can ask about the sand mouths that Mario and Luigi can devour with their large mouth. The correct answer is accordingly that they swallow their victims.
After three correct answers, you get three defense beans. They permanently increase the defense of your characters and should therefore be collected absolutely. Of course, if you already received the reward during our first visit, you do not have to complete the quiz again for the normal course of the game. However, the more difficult variant remains interesting for the later complete mission collection.
Preparations for the Football Chucks
Before you leave the village, you should check your equipment and supplies again. The equipment store now has stronger boots, hammers and clothes available. Mario and Luigi in particular benefit from additional power because we have several Bros. Attacks will be used in succession. Paper Mario, on the other hand, should have enough HP and defense so that he does not become combat incapable after a few hits in the coming group attacks. Also, check its copy crystal block and make sure you can quickly recover its copies in battle.
For the upcoming debate, super-syrup glasses and super-nuts in particular are helpful. The syrup jars restore enough BP for more Dropchopper and Cannonball Chuck attacks, while you can use one groove to heal several battered characters at once. If you have a combat card that increases your power or causes direct damage to multiple enemies, you should also include it in your active set.
Then use the Heart-Block in the village to completely heal all three characters. Leave the Toad village through the eastern exit and follow the already known path back to the large desert area. Since we have the additional Bros. Attacks and the most accessible drilling sites have already been collected, we can now head directly to the southeast transition.
The new cardboard bridges in the southeast
Continue from the eastern desert area to the southeast. During the first visit, a large part of the landscape was surrounded by water and the individual islands could not be connected. Meanwhile, Kamek’s changes have led to numerous new cardboard platforms. They form several bridges over which Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario can now reach the opposite part of the area. Follow the path first to the north and jump on the raised cardboard projections.
On the first upper platform are two? blocks that you should open directly. They contain three ultra fungi and 100 coins. Ultra mushrooms are especially valuable because they restore significantly more vital energy than the previously collected medicinal mushrooms. Take both finds with you and then go over the bridge to the middle part of the area. Here the path divides in two directions: one bridge leads east to a green warp pipe, the other to the southeast to the actual exit into the Twinsy Tropics.
Start with the eastern bypass. Cross the bridge there and go to the green warp pipe. It is part of the fast travel system, with which you can later connect different regions of the Mushroom Kingdom. For now, we do not need to use them, but we should know their position. Right next to it are two? blocks with two super nuts and 50 coins. Open both and then return to the middle intersection.
Before you enter the southeastern bridge, you should check the HP and BP of your group one last time. The following Enemies attack in a large formation and can injure several characters simultaneously within a round. If you have enough special attack points and Mario and Luigi with the new Bros. If you are equipped with attacks, you can end the fight much faster.
Boss Fight: Football Chucks
Now cross the bridge to the southeast. As soon as Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario have reached the opposite platform, a large cloud of dust rises behind them. First of all, it is hard to see what is hidden in it. Shortly afterwards, however, numerous football chucks appear, those muscular Enemies who overwhelmed Mario and Luigi on the destroyed bridge before their capture. The chucks wear large football helmets and prefer to attack in closed formations. This time, however, our three heroes are prepared and must face the opponents in battle.
In total, you will first face a formation of twelve football chucks. Each individual Enemies has comparatively little life energy, but together they can cause considerable damage. In addition, the remaining chucks regularly close their ranks once you defeat some of them. As a result, their formation changes during combat and the attack targets change. It is therefore not worth attacking only a single Enemies with ordinary jumps. Instead, use as strong attacks as possible that hit several chucks at the same time.
Destroy the Enemies‘ Helmets
At the beginning, all football chucks have a protective helmet. As a result, they survive ordinary attacks comparatively well. Once you hit an Enemies with a powerful hammer, pair or trio attack, their helmet can be damaged or destroyed. Then focus on those chucks whose helmets have already disappeared. They are much easier to completely defeat. At the same time, you should try to meet as many Enemies as possible at once, so that their rows do not close again too quickly.
The two Bros are particularly effective. Attacks we received during this second desert visit. With Luigis Dropchopper you can attack the large formation from above and hurt several Enemies at the same time. Mario’s Cannonball Chuck also causes significant area damage if you steer the ball between several chucks. Paper Mario’s Trio Whirligig is also a good choice, as long as you reliably hit the different rings during the attack.
If you have a combat card that increases the power of your group, you should use it as early as possible. As a result, the following pair and trio attacks cause additional damage. Cards that injure multiple Enemies at once are also useful because they weaken the enemy formation without consuming their own attack move.
Defend the common assaults
The football chucks have several attacks in which they change their formation and simultaneously rush towards Mario, Luigi or Paper Mario. In a particularly frequent attack, the Enemies are distributed left and right next to your group. Then two chucks jump briefly on the spot before they run towards a character together. Therefore, observe exactly which opponent pair jumps up immediately before the attack. This couple will soon rush towards the character who is in the same horizontal line.
Press the appropriate jump button with the affected character as soon as the two chucks approach. If you manage the right timing, Mario, Luigi or Paper Mario jump over the attackers. The two Enemies then run into each other and hurt each other. This counterattack is particularly worthwhile because it causes damage without having to spend BP. If several attack pairs are active in succession, you must, however, immediately pay attention to the next movement after each jump.
With Paper Mario, you can use the special hovering ability to fit the right moment a little more generously. After the jump, hold Y briefly so that it sinks back to the ground more slowly. However, be careful not to stay in the air for too long if another attack immediately follows. Mario and Luigi, on the other hand, should jump as close as possible over the chucks in order to quickly be ready for the next evasive movement.
The Football Formation
In another attack, the football chucks line up in a large square formation. Several of them hold footballs in their hands, while others seem to remain unarmed. Before the Enemies throw, they change positions several times within the formation. Your task is to observe exactly which rows or Enemies wear a football. As soon as the formation comes to a standstill, the balls are successively thrown at Mario, Luigi or Paper Mario.
Hold the hammer ready and strike back the footballs at the right moment. In a successful counterattack, the ball is thrown against the enemy formation and injures several chucks. Especially if you catch the most throws in a row, this attack can be quite unpleasant for the Enemies themselves. However, always observe exactly which character the next ball is heading for. Due to the fast position changes, the target can change several times during the same attack series.
The safest method is to observe the Enemies first during their position changes and then follow the movements of the footballs themselves. Do not try to press the hammer buttons already while the chucks are still changing places. Wait until the ball actually flies towards the corresponding character. So you can avoid that a premature hammer strike causes several hits in a row.
The second phase of struggle
Once you have defeated enough football chucks, the situation changes. The remaining Enemies get angry, turn red and join together to form an even larger formation. Now you have a total of 16 football chucks. The attacks get faster and the Enemies also use several combinations that can threaten all three characters at the same time.
Especially dangerous is the new paper flyer sequence. Paper Mario turns into a big paper plane, while Mario and Luigi try to avoid the footballs. The Chucks first line up on one side of the arena and roll several balls across the floor. Watch which of the two brothers is attacked. Jump up at the right moment and let him hold on to the paper plane so that it is carried over the incoming balls.
In another variant, only individual chucks hold a football over their heads. The balls are then thrown in a certain formation in the direction of the paper flyer. Move Paper Mario with the sliding pad into the free spaces and avoid the floors laterally. As soon as all five Enemies prepare footballs, you have to pay special attention to the rolling balls. In this case, you jump over the floors with Mario or Luigi as soon as they approach, and use the paper flyer form only where several balls appear immediately after one another.
Especially during this phase, you should avoid continuing to fight with low life energy. If multiple attacks follow each other immediately, a single failed jump can already cause a character to become incapacitated. If necessary, use a Super Nut to heal Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario together. If you run out of BP, you can use a super-syrup glass to ensure that the two brothers again score enough points for their strongest bros. They have attacks.
Definitely defeat the football chucks
Even in the second combat phase, surface attacks remain the best choice. Try to weaken the enemy formation as evenly as possible, instead of attacking only a single chuck. Luigi’s Dropchopper and Mario’s Cannonball Chuck are particularly suitable for this. If you reliably hit several rings with Trio Whirligig, you can even damage a large part of the formation during a single attack. Once a few chucks have lost their helmets, you should try to completely eliminate these Enemies on the next area attack.
The fewer chucks left, the easier the fight will be. Their joint rushes and football formations lose their effect once the group has become significantly smaller. Nevertheless, stay attentive, because even the last Enemies can still attack surprisingly strong. Use the well-known hammer and jump counters and set a strong Bros if necessary. Attack to finally end the fight.
After the win, you get 1,600 Experience Point and 550 coins. In addition, it is possible to capture another hammer as an item of equipment. The football chucks are finally defeated and can no longer stop Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. It is particularly gratifying that we have already received two new attacks with the Dropchopper and the Cannonball Chuck before this fight, which will also accompany us in the following areas.
The last blocks before the Twinsy Tropics
After the boss fight, you should completely search the southeastern platform before you leave the desert area. On the right is a special Paper Mario-Crystal block, which you can open exclusively with the paper hero. Send it to the Block and collect the 100 coins it contains. Then you go to the beach in the southwest of the platform. Is there another one? Block with 50 coins. This is a bit off the direct path to the bridge and is therefore easily overlooked if you continue running immediately after the boss fight.
Also under some large cardboard plates are additional coin reserves. Use the Trio Hammer to turn the plates over and then collect the exposed items. A particularly valuable cardboard plate is located on the small southern island and contains 100 coins. If you have already worked through all accessible blocks and byways during the previous desert trip, the elevated collection points for which you later need the Trio Glider remain open.
Then check your progress in the collection menu. The Doop Doop Dunes have numerous “blocks”, hidden cardboard surfaces and a total of 61 drilling sites. Some of them are located in the grotto or on higher platforms, which we will examine again on a later visit. For the current course of the game, however, we have all the important new Bros. Attacks and the beans reachable on our route.
Towards the south
Leave the platform now over the southern bridge and re-enter the Twinsy Tropics. The paper Goomba continues to accompany the group and claims to know the way to the Rogueport Underground well. Shortly after the change of territory you will recognize several new cardboard islands that were not yet available during our first visit. Thanks to the trio drill, we can now also pass under low paper obstacles and examine numerous previously unreachable drilling sites.
The actual path leads from here to the south and then via the new cardboard bridges towards the entrance to the Rogueport Underground. On the way, pay attention to the numerous X markings in the ground. Especially on the larger sand surfaces, several beans can be collected, which permanently reinforce Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. Also some elevated? blocks can now be reached for the first time through the new bridges. We take them directly during the upcoming exploration, so that we do not have to cross the island region again later only because of individual objects.
We keep the Bowser brand in inventory first. It cannot already be used on the surface of the Twinsy Tropics, but is only needed on the large locked door within the Rogueport Underground. However, there is still an unpleasant surprise, because the Papier-Goomba apparently pursues its own goals.
The Twinsy Tropics – Return to the Rogueport Underground. There we open new paths with the Trio Drill, bring the Bowser brand back after an incident and finally reach the previously blocked section towards Bowser’s Castle.