Over the massive staircase of paper toads, Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario finally reach Neo Bowser Castle. High above Mount Brrr hovers the converted castle, whose massive engines work continuously. The walls are secured with cannons and spike traps, while numerous machines guarded by Koopalings run inside. Somewhere in the castle are the two Bowsers with the mysterious book that we absolutely have to get back. After the princesses have already been freed, we are now facing the crucial part of the adventure. But before we can get to the two kings, we must first explore the vast lower floors and turn off the security systems there.
Immediately after your arrival you can talk to the paper toad at the end of the sky stairs. He offers to return to Mount Brrr if you want to visit the shops again or collect missing items. There is also a green warp pipe nearby, through which you can use already unlocked travel connections. Since the upcoming Enemies are much stronger than the previous enemies, it is worth taking a last look at your equipment before entering the Castle. Especially strong boots, hammers and accessories with additional power can make the following fights much easier. Also, make sure you have enough miracle mushrooms, miracle nuts and syrup glasses. Then walk through the northern entrance to the Castle.
The Great Hall with the Four Bases
As soon as you have left the entrance area, Iggy Koopa appears on an elevated platform. He discovers Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario and immediately runs away to warn the remaining Koopalings. The three heroes continue their way north and reach a huge hall, the center of which forms a formidable Bowser figure. Below it is a round platform with several switches, which apparently serves as an elevator. However, the plant is still out of operation. In four places are small sockets with blue buttons, which must first be activated. Only when all four color switches are switched on, can the central platform be moved to the upper floor.
In the area around the elevator you will encounter for the first time several traffic lights, which have become much stronger than their earlier variants. The hefty Enemies often try to meet Mario, Luigi or Paper Mario by quick rushes. Therefore, observe exactly when a hammer is attacking and use the hammer only immediately before contact. Especially with several enemies appearing at the same time, you should try to quickly end the fight with a strong pair or trio attack. Mario’s Toad Trail and Paper Mario’s Trio Meteor are now great ways to significantly weaken larger opponent groups. Once the first enemies are defeated, you can calmly examine the Great Hall.
In the middle you can already recognize one of the four required base switches. Stand in front of it and hit it with the hammer. The associated light starts to shine and Starlow explains that apparently three more color switches are missing. They are located in the adjacent rooms and on the higher platforms of the Castle. The order is not decisive for the mechanism, but for our complete passage we first take the right space, then the western area and then the upper path around the central hall. In this way, we can simultaneously collect the treasure blocks there.
The right space and the moving platforms
Leave the central hall through the eastern exit. Just behind the entrance you reach a larger room where numerous blue platforms float over a deep abyss. The platforms move regularly in different directions and can only be crossed safely with a combination of sprint and joint jumps. First go south and open the accessible? blocks. In this area, you’ll find several large coin rewards that add up to a considerable stockpile. On the southern lower path it is also worthwhile to search the small protrusions completely, as some of the blocks are located a little away from the direct platform route.
For the actual way to the next Color Switch, you first go east. There begins a series of movable blue platforms that constantly drive across the abyss. Wait until the first platform approaches your position and jump on it with the entire trio. As it continues, move as far as possible to the opposite edge. Once the next platform is within reach, jump over. It is especially important that you do not only jump off when the two platforms are already apart. Observe their direction of movement and use the moment they approach each other.
Some of the platforms have blue acceleration surfaces that automatically move Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario in a certain direction. If you run on such a surface, you should stay straight and prepare the next jump early. Especially on the narrow transitions, an abrupt change of direction can cause the entire group to fall into the depths. If you fail a jump, you can repeat the course from the last fixed lead. The moving platforms regularly return to their starting position, so you don’t have to memorize a complicated order.
First, work your way to the fixed medium platform. There is one of the required base switches. Stand in front of it and activate it with a hammer strike. This lights up another light on the central Bowser figure. Then you can explore the southern part of the movable platform route. There are two additional? blocks with 100 coins each. Open them and then return to the northern edge via the moving platforms.
Before you leave the room, you should also examine the two upper sideways. In the upper western section is a? Block with two wonder mushrooms, while in the eastern area you will find a crystal block with 100 coins. Collect both finds and then go back to the central entrance hall. There you can use the luminous bases to check how many Color Switches have already been activated.
The Western Space: Yellow and Blue Folding Platforms
Our next destination is the large room to the west of the entrance hall. A completely different platform mechanism awaits us there. Yellow and blue folding platforms run over several wide abysses, which can be turned over by certain key inputs. Directly at the entrance there is a sign that explains how it works. The yellow platforms are controlled by buttons A, B and Y, while the blue platforms react to X. When you press the respective button or key combination, the associated surfaces turn around and thus open up new paths.
First, head southwest to the first yellow platform. Place Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario at their edge and watch the blue surface on the opposite side. Now press A, B, and Y simultaneously to make a common jump and flip the yellow platforms. This changes the arrangement of the path. Once you have landed on the next safe surface, press X so that the blue platforms fold. Then jump on the exposed yellow surface and repeat the change between the two platform colors.
The key is that you do not press the buttons indiscriminately. First of all, observe which platform is currently walkable and which one becomes visible after the next keystroke. Do not jump until the next surface is in the right position. Especially with the longer gaps, you should make sure that all three characters jump together. If you use only a single jump button, one of the brothers can stay behind and the group may fall into the abyss. In this way, work your way over the folding platforms until the next fixed lead.
At the end of the route you reach another base switch. Hit the hammer to activate the next light. Right next to it is a red one! Block. Do it too. This opens a previously closed door in the northern part of the room. Before you continue there, we should however still search the western side routes, as there are several particularly valuable treasure blocks here.
The Six Treasure Blocks in the West
Go west from the just activated Color Switch and follow the narrow path to the two small secondary areas. There are a total of six? blocks, which we should definitely take with us for our complete run. Five of them contain 100 coins each, so that you get another 500 coins through this detour alone. In the sixth Crystal block there are two miracle syrup glasses that can restore your BP supply particularly strongly. Especially before the coming boss fights, these objects are among the most useful finds of the first fortress floor.
After opening all the blocks, return to the previous path and climb the small steps north. There is a paper cliff waiting, whose copies are against Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. Defeat the group with a strong trio attack and then follow the upper path to a second red exclamation point block. Strike against it so that the last barrier between the lower and upper parts of the room is also opened.
Now you can get back to the central hall via the northeast exit. Through this upper access you reach for the first time the higher platforms behind the large Bowser figure. Follow the path first to the north and open the one there? Block with 100 coins. Then you go east and reach another base switch, which you activate with the hammer. So only one color switch is missing before we can use the large elevator.
Nabbit is back.
Before you activate the last pedestal, you should move a little further northeast. On an elevated platform is suddenly an old acquaintance: Nabbit. The nimble thief has apparently also gained access to Bowser’s new castle and is watching Mario and Luigi from a safe distance. As soon as you address him, he recognizes the three heroes and immediately tries to search the distance. This time, however, he no longer owns ordinary objects, but a particularly valuable Bros. Attack that Luigi is still missing.
If you have all the Bros available so far. If you have collected attacks, it is Luigi’s last technique. For a full point, you should therefore definitely complete the pursuit now. Nabbit first flees back to the western space we just came through. Follow him and start the optional mission, which consists of several pursuit and combat stages.
Side Mission: Mopsies‘ Last Flee
The last major Nabbit mission spans three contiguous areas of the Castle. As in the previous pursuits, you have to catch up with the thief with the sprint socks and then touch it by a sprint jump or long jump. This time, however, Nabbit does not just stop once you have caught him. Instead, after each successful catch, a fight begins in which you have to attack him again. Then he grabs the flee again and moves to the next section.
Start the pursuit with a sprint to the west and follow Nabbit over the well-known folding platforms. If possible, stick to the direct path and use the key combinations for the yellow and blue areas as soon as it crosses a larger gap. In a successful sprint jump, you catch up with him and the first fight begins. Nabbit hurls various coins and items at the three heroes during this encounter. Observe exactly which objects are actually flying towards a character and use the matching jump or hammer button for the counterattack.
After a few hits, Nabbit breaks off the fight and flees again. Instead of running alone, this time he leaves behind several stronger Enemies to stop Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. Defeat the opponent group as quickly as possible and then continue the pursuit. Strong area attacks are particularly helpful here, as you can eliminate several enemies at the same time. You must catch up with Nabbit four times in total before the mission is finally completed.
In the further course, Nabbit himself comes together with some of the Koopalings. Surprisingly, he even supports Mario and Luigi during one of these fights with the Red Tank 3D. But don’t be fooled: Once the Enemies are defeated, he flees again and tries to escape his pursuers. Run after him again and catch him at the last section with a targeted sprint jump.
After the fourth successful catch, Nabbit finally gives up and leaves Luigi the last stolen Bros. Attack: the Mega Thwonk. Luigi now owns all five regular bros. Attacks. The mission can be played again later via a Lakitu Info Center, but for our complete run, the successful conclusion is sufficient.
How the Mega Thwonk works
The Mega Thwonk requires twelve BP and is one of Luigi’s strongest attacks. At the beginning, Luigi grows to a tremendous size and runs with huge steps towards the Enemies. Press B each time his foot sits on the floor. As a result, Luigi is gaining more and more speed and is approaching his goal. The rhythm gets a little faster with each step, which is why you should pay close attention to the movement of the big foot.
As soon as Luigi is immediately in front of the opponents, the second part of the attack begins. Mario is now on Luigi’s big hammer and is hurled by him on the enemies. Press A to trigger the first hammer strike. Then you have to press the same button whenever Mario comes into contact with the Enemies again. With at least four successful hits, you score an excellent rating and score particularly high damage. Especially against individual strong Enemies, the Mega Thwonk is an excellent choice.
After the mission you will return to the central fortress hall. Since now we have all the important Bros. If you have unlocked attacks, you should try the Mega Thwonk in one of the next ordinary fights. Especially the movement sequence of the huge Luigi requires some practice before you can reliably use the attack in a decisive boss fight.
The last base and the elevator control
For the last Color Switch you go again to the eastern room with the movable blue platforms. This time you follow the northern path to the east and open it there? Block with two miracle mushrooms, if you have not yet collected it. Then you go to the platform route and jump over the moving surfaces to the fixed central island. Here is the last base switch not yet activated. Stand in front of it and hit it with the hammer.
Once all four sockets have been activated, the large Bowser figure in the entrance area changes. The previously dark lights now shine completely and two large arrow buttons are unlocked in the rear part of the central platform. One points upwards, the other downwards. They serve to control the large elevator that connects both floors of the castle. Before you return, you can explore the southern part of the platform room and open the two blocks there with 100 coins each.
Then return to the central hall and go to the large round platform under the Bowser figure. Run on their back until you reach the two arrow buttons. Stand in front of the button with the arrow pointing upwards and strike against it with the hammer. The entire platform begins to shake and slowly moves up. Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario reach the second floor of Bowser’s new castle.
Toadette’s cardboard colossus is destroyed
On the upper floor there is initially a large hall with several wide paths. Go north and use the available storage before approaching the big gate. Shortly thereafter, an intermediate sequence begins. Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario hear several familiar voices and finally discover Bowser and Papier-Bowser, who are already waiting for the group together with the two Kameks. The two kings apparently expected that Mario and his friends would sooner or later find their way to the upper castle.
Toadette also suddenly appears and brings reinforcements. Together with the rescued paper toads, she has gathered the previous carton colossuses again. Papercraft Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Yoshi are to help the three heroes prevail against Bowser’s new defenses. At first, it looks like Toadette actually created a crucial advantage. But Bowser and Papier-Bowser have already prepared an even larger construction.
The two kings present their massive Papercraft Bowser. He is not only significantly larger than the previous cardboard opponents, but also has a powerful fire breath. Even before Toadette can use her colossi properly, the huge Bowser throws several fires at the constructions. The cartonboard colossuses Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Yoshi are sequentially captured by the flames and finally completely destroyed. Toadette is horrified, because this seems to have lost all her previous work.
After the Enemies retreat, Starlow tries to cheer Toadette up again. Finally, the small constructor comes up with a new idea. If ordinary cardboard constructions have no chance against Bowsers Fire, we need a particularly resistant colossus. For this, Toadette wants to use a special material stored in the castle: fire ore. A total of three fire ores are needed to produce a new Papercraft that can withstand Bowser’s flames.
Toadette then leads the group back to the lower floor with the large elevator. There she shows Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario the first boulder. The two remaining fire ores are located in the side rooms of the castle and are guarded by Koopalings. We must therefore return to the western and eastern regions before Toadette can begin to build her last construction.
The First Fire Ore
After returning to the entrance hall, Toadette will take you to a small pedestal south of the large elevator. There is already a large, orange glowing ore on it. Stand in front of it and examine it. Mario picks up the first fire ore and hands it over to Toadette, who enthusiastically explains that this material would be great for a particularly heat-resistant papercraft. Exactly two ore pieces are missing.
The other locations are located in the two known side rooms of the first floor. Although we have already crossed them during the search for the base switches, the fire ores are now tied to special challenges. Koopalings have taken the precious chunks and want to prevent Mario and Luigi from bringing them back. We start in the western area, where Morton Koopa has already prepared a new surprise.
The Second Fire Ore: Morton’s Hammer Test
Leave the central hall through the western exit and follow the path to the southeast. On a small platform lies the desired second fire ore. As soon as you approach the Brocken, Morton Koopa appears and grabs the valuable material. Morton wants to prove to Mario and Luigi that his strength is sufficient even against their now very strong hammers. Therefore, a special challenge begins, in which you have to fight back several cannon balls shot down by him.
Unlike an ordinary boss fight, Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario are on a fixed platform during this mission, while Morton floats back and forth between several positions at some distance. He throws or shoots cannon balls from three different directions at the group. Your task is to put yourself in the right position and return the bullets to him with a well-timed hammer strike.
Fight back the small cannonballs
To begin with, Morton uses only smaller cannon balls. First, observe from which of the three possible paths the next floor comes, and move Mario and Luigi into the corresponding position. As soon as the ball is close enough, a small exclamation mark appears over Mario. At this moment, press the hammer button so that Mario strikes the Cannonball back. In a successful counterattack, she flies directly towards Morton and causes damage.
The difficulty is initially less in timing than in the right positioning. Morton can send his balls over the left, middle or right track. If you stay on one side for too long, you may not reach the next ball in time. Therefore, if possible, move in the appropriate direction when you realize where Morton is preparing the next shot. As soon as the ball appears at your height, you should already be ready for a hammer strike.
Defend the big bullets with the Trio Hammer
After several successful hits, Morton changes his strategy. Now, in addition, larger cannon balls appear, which Mario cannot fight back with his ordinary hammer. Once you recognize such a ball, you have to select the Trio Hammer and strike with all three characters together. Through the strong joint hit, even the heavy bullet is thrown back to Morton.
Especially important is the change between the two hammer types. Small bullets are still repulsed with the normal hammer, while for the large bullets you need the Trio Hammer. Therefore, observe not only the trajectory, but also the size of the next sphere. Morton also starts to shorten the distances between shots, so you have to react faster and faster.
In the normal variant, you may miss a total of five cannon balls before the mission fails. A single mistake does not mean that you have to restart the entire task. Especially with the large balls you should still react as reliably as possible. If you hit next to it several times in succession, first observe Morton’s movement sequence a little more closely and orient yourself at the faded exclamation point.
Finally, Morton sends a particularly big last Cannonball to Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. Align the group as closely as possible on the floor and use the Trio Hammer again. On a successful hit, the huge ball flies back and catches Morton with full force. The Koopaling loses the balance and has to admit its defeat.
After the successful challenge, you can pick up the second fire ore. The mission then remains available in a more difficult variant. There, the cannon balls move much faster and you can only make three mistakes. In addition, the exclamation point help no longer appears during the hammer strike. However, for normal progress in action, this more difficult variant is not necessary.
The Third Fire Ore in Eastern Space
After Morton’s defeat, return to the central hall and then pass through the eastern exit. Follow the familiar path first to the south and then to the southwest corner of the room. There lies the third and final fire ore on a small platform. As soon as Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario have discovered the chunk, Iggy and Wendy Koopa appear, who immediately take the ore. Shortly afterwards, Bowser also intervenes himself. He has apparently realized that Toadette wants to build a new Papercraft, and wants to prevent that at all costs.
This begins the next special challenge. This time, however, you do not have to fight back cannon balls with the hammer. Instead, Starlow and the surrounding area regularly provide you with bombs that you have to hurl with the Trio Grab on the Enemies. At the same time, Iggy, Wendy and Bowser themselves throw numerous explosive devices at Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. So you have to both avoid their attacks and recognize favorable opportunities for your own throws.
Iggy’s vertical bomb rows
The first is Iggy Koopa. He first flies from one side of the screen and drops three bombs on the ground in a vertical row. The bombs land shortly after each other and then explode. Therefore, move your group laterally out of the trajectory and wait until the row has flown by. Pay particular attention to the medium bomb, as it often lands directly in the area where Mario and Luigi are at the beginning of the task.
While Iggy attacks, you can get your own bomb from Starlow. Stand in the appropriate place and use the Trio Grab to record them. Wait until Iggy appears again over the field after his attack. As soon as he stops for a short time or prepares his next series of bombs, you point the trio grave at him and throw the bomb back. If you meet him, his Koopa Clown Car will be shaken vigorously.
For the victory over Iggy you need three successful bomb hits. So you don’t have to take every opportunity right away. If he is already flying out of the picture, you should wait until he returns instead of throwing a bomb into the void. Make sure you keep enough freedom of movement for the next series of bombs. After the third hit, Iggy retreats and Wendy takes on the challenge.
Wendy’s horizontal bomb series
Wendy Koopa changes the attack patterns significantly. Unlike Iggy, she mostly stays on screen during her phase, moving from left to right with her Koopa Clown Car. She drops three bombs in a horizontal row covering a large part of the playing field. Shortly after, Iggy supports them again and drops additional vertical rows of bombs from the side. This creates dangerous combinations in which several areas of the platform are blocked at the same time.
Therefore, try not to stand permanently on one of the two outer edges. If you are cornered, you may not be able to dodge Wendy’s horizontal row of bombs or Iggy’s vertical attack in time. Move back and forth between the middle and the two sides as controlled as possible. First observe the newly approaching bombs and find the free area before the projectiles reach the ground.
The best opportunity for your own attack comes just before Wendy drops her next series of bombs. Take the bomb with the trio grave and watch Wendy’s trajectory. As soon as she is in a favorable position, you set the toss on her Koopa Clown Car. After a successful hit, she is briefly dazed. Then the next round of attack begins.
Wendy also has to be hit three times in total before she gives up. During this phase, do not try to throw every available bomb immediately. Especially when Wendy is flying along the edge of the playing field, a rash throw can easily go empty. Wait for a more favorable position and concentrate in the meantime on avoiding the incoming bombs.
Bowser and the Giant Bob-ombs
After Wendy is defeated, Bowser appears personally. He is not very enthusiastic that his two Koopalings could not defend the fire ore, and now intervenes in the challenge himself. Bowser, however, not only drops ordinary bombs on the group. Instead, he lifts up a huge Bob-omb and hurls it with full force towards Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. Their explosion has a particularly large impact area. At the same time, Iggy and Wendy continue to drop smaller bombs on the pitch, so you have to watch several attacks at the same time.
As soon as Bowser prepares the big bomb, you should first gain as much distance as possible. Observe where it will land and then move to the free side of the pitch. Immediately after his throw, Bowser remains almost motionless for a few seconds. Exactly this short break is your opportunity for the counterattack. Pick up a ready bomb with the trio grave, point it at Bowser and hurl it back.
Since Bowser stands a little longer after the throw than Iggy and Wendy, he is comparatively easy to hit. It is more difficult to avoid the smaller bombs beforehand and to reach a suitable position for your own throw. Therefore, keep moving as much as possible as long as the Koopalings drop their shells. Only when the most dangerous series of bombs has flown by, do you focus on Bowser.
After three successful bomb hits, Bowser finally gives up. The entire opponent group retreats and Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario can take the last fire ore. This successfully completes the challenge. In the later difficult variant, Iggy and Wendy each drop five bombs instead of three, while you have to hit Bowser five times. For our current route, the normal conclusion is sufficient.
Papercraft Fire Mario is built
With all three fire ores in the inventory, you return to the central hall on the first floor. Go north to the big elevator and talk to Toadette, who is already waiting for the group. She takes the three ore pieces and explains that there is enough material for her last Papercraft. As Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario continue their journey to the upper castle, she and the rescued Paper Toads plan to create a new construction that can withstand Bowser’s fire breath.
Then stand back on the central elevator platform and use the upward-facing arrow button. The elevator brings the group back to the second floor. There you follow the way to the north and enter this time the big gate where you were previously stopped by Bowser and Papier-Bowser. Behind the door is a new room with a heart-crystal block. Use it to completely heal all three characters and save your progress. Then you go further north.
As soon as the group enters the next long corridor, Bowser and Papier-Bowser notice their new arrival. To finally eliminate Mario and Luigi, they have a huge Bullet Bill shoot through the gang. The projectile rushes inexorably towards the three heroes, but at the last moment Toadette appears with her new construction. The massive Papercraft Fire Mario faces the projectile and prevents the group from being hit.
The new Papercraft has a completely different design than the previous models. Its red and white cardboard parts have been reinforced with the fire ore and can withstand even the flames of Papercraft Bowser. Fire Mario also has a new weapon: a large fire cannon that allows him to hurl burning bullets at distant Enemies. This ability will be crucial to the upcoming Colossian battle.
The abilities of Papercraft Fire Mario
Before the actual dispute begins, Toadette explains the control of Papercraft Fire Mario. You already know the basic actions from the previous colossi. You can move across the battlefield, ram Enemies with a sprint attack and hurl Fire Mario at stunned enemies. New, however, is the fire cannon that you use with X. Fire Mario shoots a fireball in the direction he is looking. Enemies hit are set on fire and stop dazed for a short time.
The fireballs initially cause only comparatively little damage. Their real strength is that you can hit Enemies from a greater distance and interrupt their attacks. Once an enemy is stunned by a fireball, you run towards him with a sprint attack. If the hit succeeds, it loses its balance and falls to the ground. Then you can hurl Fire Mario with a throw attack on the fallen Enemies and cause considerable additional damage. This combination of fireball, sprint and throw forms the basis for the entire subsequent fight.
The energy indicator also continues to play an important role. Sprint attacks and throws consume energy that you can restore to the appropriate dance floors. Press the faded buttons as closely as possible in the rhythm of the music to completely fill up the display. In the various battle arenas are also?-blocks with medicinal mushrooms. If Fire Mario has already had several hits, you should definitely use this opportunity to heal before moving on to the next section.
The first arena: stone blocks and airships
The path to Papercraft Bowser leads through a total of four major combat areas, in which several previous Colossian Enemies reappear. Unlike in their original encounters, however, this time they are not controlled by the respective bosses. Rather, they serve as the last line of defense before Bowser himself. In the first arena, a Papercraft Whomp appears, who tries to crush Fire Mario with his heavy body.
First, observe his movement. As soon as the Whomp stands up and wants to fall towards Fire Mario, you avoid with a sprint to the side. After the failed attack, the Enemies remains on the ground for a moment. Take this opportunity and hurl Fire Mario with a throw attack on him. It is particularly effective to hit the Whomp with a fireball beforehand, as it allows you to interrupt his movement and bring him into a favorable position faster. After a few successful throws, the first Enemies is defeated.
Next appears a large carton airship that shoots several bullet willis at the arena. The projectiles can fly both straight and diagonally towards Fire Mario. First try to keep as much distance as possible from the airship and observe its direction of attack. As soon as it does not move for a moment, you point the fire cannon at it and shoot a fireball. A successful hit interrupts his next attack preparation and sets the construction on fire for a short time.
Then run with a sprint towards the stunned airship and ram it. Once it falls to the ground, you can reset with a throw attack. Repeat this combination until the airship is destroyed. It is particularly helpful that Fire-Marios can also hit fireballs from a greater distance. Therefore, you do not have to stand directly in front of the gun opening to carry out a successful attack.
At the conclusion of the first arena, the well-known Papercraft Megacrinkle Goomba appears. His particularly wide body makes him a little harder to attack at first. However, he still has the same weakness as in the previous encounter on the Sunbeam Plains: If he is hit during his preparation for attack or rammed from behind, he loses his balance and falls over. With Fire Mario you can significantly simplify this process. Shoot three fireballs in a row at the Enemies to stun him, and then ram him with a sprint attack. As soon as he falls, you make a throw attack on him.
After defeating the Papercraft Goomba, the first arena is completed. Recharge your energy on one of the dance floors and use a healing block if necessary. Then you place Fire Mario on the green transport platform that takes you to the next combat area.
The second arena: Papercraft Bowser Jr.
In the second arena, Papercraft Bowser Jr. awaits you, against whom we have already fought on Mount Brrr. This time, however, the combat surface has a large electric trench in the middle, which significantly restricts the movements of Fire Mario. Especially dangerous are the green tanks and bombs that Bowser Jr. regularly hurls over the arena. If you stay on one side for too long, several bullets can move towards your position at the same time.
First observe his attack preparation and keep a distance as far as possible. Once Bowser Jr. hurls a green tank at you, you point the fire cannon at the bullet. A successful Fireball can destroy the approaching tank before it reaches Fire Mario. The same goes for the small bombs Bowser Jr. drops during his later attack combinations. Therefore, use the fire cannon not only against the boss himself, but also to defend his shells.
For the actual damage, you first shoot two fireballs at Bowser Jr. until he is stunned for a moment. Then you run towards him with a sprint and ram the construction. As soon as he lies on the floor, you throw Fire Mario at him with a throw attack. Repeat this procedure as three times as possible to finally destroy the Papercraft. Be careful not to accidentally run into the electric trench when tracking the Enemies.
After the victory you have to overcome a short flame stretch. Multiple fire nozzles on the walls emit large flames at regular intervals. First, wait until the flames go out, and then run with a sprint over the free section. Do not try to go slowly through the fire jets. Once you reach the end of the route, you can recharge your energy and get to the third arena via the next transport platform.
The Third Arena: King Boo
In the third arena, Papercraft King Boo appears, this time accompanied by several smaller Boos. Unlike the fight with Papercraft Yoshi, we no longer have to fetch the ghosts from the air with a tongue. Fire Mario finally has his new fire cannon, with which even floating Enemies can be hit from a greater distance.
First observe the movement of the small boos and keep a distance as far as possible. As soon as one of the ghosts floats in your direction, you point the fire cannon at him and shoot a fireball. The hit sets the Enemies on fire and prevents his next movement for a short time. Then you can ram it with a sprint attack or weaken it directly with another fireball. Since the small boos have comparatively little life energy, you do not necessarily have to defeat them all individually.
Our real target is King Boo. Therefore, focus the strongest attacks on the big boss as possible. Once he is in a favorable position, you shoot several fireballs at him until he is stunned. Run to him and use a sprint attack. If he falls to the ground as a result, a throw attack immediately follows. With this combination, you can reduce a large part of his life energy within a short time.
King Boo can curl up into a large ball during the fight and race towards Fire Mario at high speed. Avoid this movement with a timely sprint to the side. Once the boss has rolled past you, he needs a moment to resume his normal position. Right then you can meet him again with fireballs. It is especially effective to maintain a fixed direction for your shots and wait for the boss to float through this trajectory.
After several successful hits, King Boo is defeated. Recharge your energy and use the healing block if necessary. Then you enter the next transport platform, which takes you to the fourth and last intermediate arena.
The Fourth Arena: Papercraft Kamek
In the fourth arena, Papercraft Kamek is waiting. The wizard apparently still remembers his defeat in the Doop Doop Dunes and has therefore prepared several protective mechanisms. Around his body float numerous magical protective rings that ward off ordinary sprint and throw attacks. Before you can attack Kamek yourself, you must first destroy his barrier.
Point the fire cannon at the floating protective rings and shoot several fireballs at it. On each successful hit, one of the rings is weakened or completely destroyed. Pay attention to your paint. Once the protective rings light up violet, they begin to expand and can damage Fire Mario when touched. Run back as far as possible at this moment and wait until the rings reach their normal size again. Only then should you use the fire cannon again.
Once all the protective rings have been destroyed, Kamek himself is vulnerable. However, he now begins to teleport regularly over short distances. Observe exactly where he reappears after the disappearance and point your fire cannon to his new position. With several fast fireballs, you can stun him before he performs the next teleportation jump.
Then take the opportunity for a sprint attack and throw Fire Mario at the fallen Enemies. Repeat the process until Kamek has lost all his life energy. Its barrier can become active again in the meantime, so you may have to destroy some protective rings again. Especially during this phase, try not to completely use up your energy indicator. After the last successful throwing attack, Papercraft Kamek is defeated and the way to the actual final opponent of the Colossian battles is cleared.
Preparations for Papercraft Bowser
After Kamek’s defeat, a short path leads you to the last big arena. Before you enter it, you should definitely recharge your energy completely. Use the dance floor and press the displayed buttons as closely as possible in the rhythm of the music. If Fire Mario has suffered damage during the previous four arenas, you should also use the existing healing block. Especially the following fight can be particularly long if you miss the right time for the fireballs.
The final arena is significantly larger than the previous combat areas and offers enough space for longer sprint attacks. Nevertheless, you should not lose sight of the edges. Bowser’s later spinal attacks in particular can push Fire Mario to the edge. As soon as you are ready, you enter the last combat area. Papercraft Bowser is already waiting in its midst, which is jointly controlled by Bowser and Papier-Bowser.
Boss Fight: Papercraft Bowser
The last Papercraft of the game is much more dangerous than all previous constructions. Papercraft Bowser not only possesses a high life energy, but also a massive barbed tank that protects its entire back. Ordinary sprint attacks against the back of the boss are therefore ineffective and can hurt Fire Mario himself. The same applies to fireballs that hit the tank. They just bounce off of it and cause no damage. In order to defeat Bowser, you must first observe his attacks and use the short moments in which he shows his unprotected front.
Start the fight if possible with a little distance to the boss. Do not immediately head for him, but wait to see which attack he is preparing. Especially his circular fire attack offers a good opportunity to hurt him afterwards. Once you know the right process, you can regularly cause major damage with three consecutive fireballs and a subsequent sprint attack.
Bowser’s Circling Fire Breath
In his most frequent attack, Papercraft Bowser steps into the middle of the arena and begins to spit out a massive stream of fire. He then slowly turns around his own axis, so that the flames wander over the battlefield like a big pointer. When Fire Mario is hit by the beam, he suffers considerable damage. Therefore, do not try to stop directly in front of Bowser and shoot fireballs at him at the same time. The flames have priority.
First, keep as much distance as possible and watch in which direction Bowser turns. Then run around it with sufficient distance in the same direction of rotation. This keeps you outside the fire jet and allows you to follow the movement in a controlled manner. It is especially important that you do not suddenly change direction and thus run into the midst of the flames. If Bowser accelerates his turn, you can use a short sprint to gain enough distance again.
After some time, Bowser ends his fire breath. The tremendous heat adds to his own construction and the boss begins to visibly overheat. He stops breathing heavily for a few seconds and is much more vulnerable at this moment than before. You have to take advantage of this opportunity. Align Fire Mario as far as possible on Bowser’s front and shoot three fireballs immediately behind him.
If all three hits succeed, Papercraft Bowser is stunned and can no longer move for a short time. Now run towards him from the front with a sprint attack. If you hit his unprotected side, the boss loses his balance and falls to the ground. Then you can hurl Fire Mario with a strong throw attack on him. This will cause you much more damage than with the fireballs alone. The complete combination of three fireballs, sprint and throw is therefore the most important strategy for the entire boss fight.
The dangerous barbed tank
Between his fire attacks, Bowser regularly tries to hit Fire Mario with his barbed tank. He turns around and runs backwards to your position. Sometimes it moves comparatively slowly, in other situations it accelerates suddenly. Keep as much distance as possible and do not try to force a hit with the fire cannon during this attack. As long as Bowser turns his back on you, the fireballs do not cause any significant damage.
Instead, turn aside with a short sprint and watch when Bowser turns back. Once he shows his front, you can try to hit him with fireballs again. If you get too close to him, however, it is better to gain distance first. Especially on the small movement areas on the edge of the arena, a hit by the barbed tank can cause Fire Mario to briefly lose his balance and immediately afterwards be attacked again.
Therefore, try to keep the boss in the middle of the arena if possible. There you have enough space to sideways avoid and reach him again from the front after a failed attack. It is particularly helpful to change your own position during your backward movement in such a way that you get a free shot immediately after turning over.
The second phase: Bowser swirls through the arena
Once Papercraft Bowser has lost a greater part of his life energy, he changes his strategy. The boss begins to spin at high speed on his own axis, and then swirls over the entire battlefield. He uses his large barbed tank like a dangerous rotating weapon. Direct contact can significantly damage Fire Mario and cannot be prevented by an ordinary sprint attack. Therefore, do not try to ram the swirling Bowser frontally.
The new attack begins with Bowser first swirling along the outer edge of the arena. If possible, place Fire Mario in the middle area and watch his movement. As long as the boss only circles on the edge, you should remain as calm as possible and not perform unnecessary movements. After some time, Bowser changes his direction and heads for Fire Mario. As soon as you realize that he has set his course, you sidestep with a short sprint.
If you dodge in time, Papercraft Bowser rushes past you and needs a short moment to control his position again. Use this break to gain enough distance and prepare for the next opportunity for a fireball attack. As long as the boss is still rotating, you should not try throwing attacks. The risk of being hit even by the barbed tank is significantly greater in this phase than the possible damage.
After a few whirlwind attacks, Bowser also jumps high into the air and tries to hit Fire Mario with a huge drop. Observe exactly where it will land and move out of the target area in time. When Bowser hits the ground, a powerful shock occurs. Therefore, keep enough distance until the boss straightens up again. Then another phase begins, in which he either uses his fire breath or storms with his tank towards Fire Mario.
The latest hits against Papercraft Bowser
The basic strategy remains unchanged even in the second phase of struggle. If possible, wait for Bowser’s circulating fire breath and keep enough distance. Once the boss is overheated by his own flames, point the fire cannon at his front and shoot three fast fireballs. This is followed by a sprint attack from the front, which knocks it over. Then use the throw attack immediately to cause as much damage as possible.
When Bowser has little life energy left, he becomes increasingly aggressive and switches faster between his attacks. Especially the combination of backward movement and vertebral attack can now be unpleasant. Therefore, if possible, stay in the middle of the arena and make sure to always have enough energy for a short avoidance sprint. You don’t have to punish each of his attacks immediately. Wait for a safe opportunity and then run the full Fireball Sprint throw combination.
If Fire-Mario’s life energy has already dropped far, you should use an existing healing block as soon as the boss is a little further away. You should also recharge your energy on a dance floor. Especially before a new fire breathing phase, it is helpful to have enough energy available for the following sprint and throw attack. After several successful combinations, Papercraft Bowser finally loses his last life points and collapses.
The Last Papercraft Is Defeated
After defeating Papercraft Bowser, Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The massive construction falls apart and is abandoned by the two Bowsers, who can hardly believe that their strongest cardboard weapon has been defeated. Kamek and Paper Kamek must also admit their defeat. Toadette appears together with the Papier-Toads and is happy that Papercraft Fire Mario has actually survived the fight. Thus, her last construction has proven that she can withstand even Bowser’s powerful fire attacks.
For the successful completion of the entire colossal route, you will receive 1,800 coins as well as several valuable items. These include a Lightning Hammer DX, a Wunder-Nut, a Wunder-Candy and a 1-UP DX. You should check the equipment directly at the next opportunity point before we continue the actual route through the castle.
Although Papercraft Bowser was destroyed, the danger is far from over. Bowser and Papier-Bowser are still inside their castle and still own the mysterious book. Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario must therefore first open the way to the central tower in order to finally reach the two kings. Meanwhile, the remaining troops are already starting to prepare additional defenses.
The road to the destroyed bridge
After the Colossus Battle, you will reach a new section of Bowser’s new Castle. Right in front of you are several large platforms, between which there are wide abysses. Part of the original bridge has already been damaged by the fighting and now hangs in several individual pieces over the depth. To reach the northern tower, we need to reconnect these bridge parts. We will need all the field skills we have learned in the meantime: the Trio Hammer for moving large platforms, the Trio Grab for drawing bridge parts, the Trio Drill for the sandy wall sections and the Trio Glider for the particularly wide gaps.
Before we start rebuilding, you should use the nearby Heart-Block and save your progress. Also check your stores of miracle mushrooms, miracle nuts and miracle syrup glasses. Although the last Papercraft is now defeated, several dangerous Enemies are still waiting in the upper rooms. Especially the following fights against Kamek and Paper Kamek as well as the remaining Koopalings will require your strongest pair and trio attacks.
This ends the first large section in Bowser’s new castle. We activated all four base switches, put the central elevator into operation, Luigi’s last bros. Attack recovered by Nabbit and collected all three fire ores for Toadette. With Papercraft Fire Mario, the former Colossian Enemies and finally the formidable Papercraft Bowser were defeated. Now between us and the two Bowsers lies only the way through the upper defenses.
Continue with Bowser’s new Castle – The Destroyed Bridge and the Last Road to the Great Tower. There we reassemble the bridge parts, use bombs and production platforms to open the last passages and finally prevent Bowser’s large Cannon from being used again. After that, the decisive battle for the mysterious book awaits.