After the victory over Roy and Wendy and the successful Flee from the Rogueport Underground, Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario finally reach the surface again. Instead of being near Bowser’s Castle, the three are located on a remote group of islands in the middle of the Twinsy Tropics. Palm trees grow everywhere, narrow bridges connect small islands with each other and between the rocks dangerous Enemies drive their mischief. Without a boat, there is no way back to the mainland. Fortunately, some of the Toads have also escaped from prison and may be able to help find a means of transport.
First, head northwest across the small bridge and use the Heart-Block to fully replenish the HP and BP of all three characters. After the fight against the Koopalings, a cure may well be necessary. In this first island area you will also find five? blocks that you should collect on your way. From west to east they contain 50 coins, ten coins, another 50 coins, three super mushrooms and another ten coins. Some stand on raised protrusions, which you can achieve with the team jump. Also, talk to the liberated Toads who are in the area. They explain to you that further west there is a small Toad village where someone can possibly build a boat.
Before we follow the Arrow Sign there, we first explore the eastern part of the island. With the recently learned Trio Grab you can enter here several previously unreachable platforms and small islands. The short detours bring us not only additional coins and healing objects, but also two pieces of equipment, which we take directly for our most complete run.
Explore the Eastern Islands
Leave the first area through the eastern exit. On the next island, you will encounter a toad, which draws your attention to several striking poles on the other side of the water. With the Trio Grab you can hold on to these poles and pull the entire group over larger gaps. Stand at the appropriate mark on the edge, select the trio action and point Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario to the red wire. As soon as you press the faded button, the three stretch over the water together and pull to the opposite side. Follow the way south over the small bridge.
On the other hand, the path is shared. First, head northeast and follow the grassy path to another bridge. Behind this, a clearly recognizable region of colored cardboard plates begins. Follow the narrow, curved path to its very end. Here are three? blocks containing ten coins, 100 coins and 50 coins. Since this side path does not offer any other secrets at the moment, you can then return to the first bridge.
Go west on the upper road and open the one there? Block with 50 coins. Then you jump on the beach below and walk east. Another crystal block contains ten coins. Shortly afterwards you will reach a striking rock formation with a narrow passage in the middle. Mario and Luigi don’t fit through, so you send Paper Mario through the column alone. On the other side is a crystal block with a brooch that you can create in the equipment menu. Take them with you and then return to the two brothers.
Follow the beach further east. Is there an additional one on the way? Block with 50 coins. Behind it leads a bridge to a small annular island. Inside the ring are numerous coins on the floor, which you can collect without much difficulty. Are you waiting on the opposite side? Block with two super-syrup glasses. Especially after the fights in the Rogueport Underground, these items are useful because they fill your BP stock much more than ordinary syrup glasses. Once you have completely searched the island, you return across the bridge and then head west to the first area.
The Road to Toad Village
Leave the first island area to the west. In the following area, a narrow beach path leads you along several palm trees and large rocks. On a small platform in the southwest is a? Block with ten coins. Open it and then follow the way north. Here you will find another rock formation with a narrow gap. Send Paper Mario through and open the hidden Block on the other side. Inside is a Counterattack belt that is especially suitable for characters with whom you often perform successful counterattacks. Compare its characteristics with your previous equipment before moving on.
A little further north is a clever Toad on the water. Talk to him. Like his relatives on the Sunbeam Plains and in the Doop Doop Dunes, he also wants to challenge Mario and Luigi to a small knowledge quiz. At the moment, however, he is not ready. The task will not be available until a later visit to the Twinsy Tropics. Therefore, remember his position for our later round and follow the way north until you finally reach the Toad village.
A boat for the return journey
Numerous residents have gathered in the Toad village, who also managed to escape from Bowser’s prison. First go north and defeat the Koopas patrolling there. Then you walk west to the small port. On the jetty stands a rather depressed Toad, who is worried about how to get all the inhabitants back to the mainland. Talk to him. The Toad explains that he could basically build a boat, but does not have enough helpers. Especially the paper toads are suitable for working on such a construction, because they can process the required cardboard parts particularly well. However, many of them are still scattered across the Twinsy Tropics and have yet to be rescued.
The boat builder therefore refers you to the Lakitu Info Center east of the village. New rescue missions will be available there. Before we take care of it, it is worth a tour of the village. Is it in the West? Block with 50 coins. There are also several stores open where you can improve your equipment and buy new items. Especially for Paper Mario, there are now much better pieces of equipment than at the beginning of the game. If your coin stock is sufficient, you should check his clothes or his boots and upgrade them if necessary.
Combat cards and new equipment
In the eastern part of the village you will find next to the usual item and equipment store for the first time a fighting card shop. After the paper Goomba has given you your first card set in the Rogueport Underground, you can buy additional cards here and customize your deck to suit your preferred fighting style. Some cards improve your power or defense, others restore HP and BP or cause direct damage to opponents. Since you get star points for successful actions in combat, it is worth combining cards with comparatively low costs with some particularly strong effects.
Also talk to the Toad who offers the special? cards. These cards will be especially interesting later if you use compatible amiibo and want to collect additional character cards. For the current course, however, you do not have to buy a complete card set. More importantly, you have enough healing objects and Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario are equipped as well as possible. Particularly strong jump and hammer equipment saves you several rounds of attack in the coming battles.
The actual boat trip only starts when we have saved enough paper toads. For our complete route, we therefore first take the accessible side task in the western village house and then go to the Lakitu Info Center.
Side task: Rescue 22 captured Toads
Enter the westernmost house of the village and talk to the Toad inside. He tells of other residents still stuck in the Twinsy Tropics rogueport underground. Although many prisoners were released after the victory over Roy and Wendy, some have got lost in the underground corridors and can no longer find their way outside. The Toad therefore asks you to bring the remaining inhabitants safely to the exit. Take on his task. Then a special rescue mission begins, in which you have to drive a total of 22 toads through a longer section of the cave.
For the entire task, you initially have three minutes. The Toads always move away from your group, which is why you have to drive them in the desired direction. Don’t just run through the middle of the herd, try to keep all the residents in front of you. Especially at turn-offs, you should make sure that no individual toads move in the wrong direction. Your path leads first to the east and then through several interconnected cave sections. Some Toads are stuck behind large violet ores. Destroy these obstacles with the Trio Hammer and drive the liberated inhabitants back to the group.
On the way you reach several water courses, whose bridges are first folded. Stand at the appropriate mark and use the Trio Grab to pull out the transition. Especially in the northeastern area you should pay close attention to the map. There are two toads behind ore chunks, which you can easily overlook if you just keep following the rest of the group. Therefore, open this byway and bring the two residents back to the others.
In some sections there are special blocks of time. If you hit it, you get ten, 20 or 30 extra seconds depending on the Crystal block. Use it as directly as possible when you pass it. The time gained is especially helpful when the Toads split up and you have to round them up again. The last part of the path leads over another bridge to the west. Drive the entire group over and then into the marked safety zone. Once all 22 residents have arrived, the rescue mission is successfully completed.
This task is not absolutely necessary for the immediate construction of the boat, but is one of the available side missions and should therefore not be missed during a complete run. After the successful rescue, you return to the Toad village.
Lakitu Info Centre
Leave the village to the east and follow the path towards the Lakitu Info Centre. Direct access passes through several separate islands. Once you recognize the first red wire on the opposite side, you use the Trio Grab to overcome the gap. Behind it you can choose between an upper and a lower path. For our full run, we first take the lower route, on which several easily overlooked items lie.
Go east and open the first one? Block with three super mushrooms. A little further southeast is a rock formation with a narrow opening. Send Paper Mario through and open the hidden Block on the other side. There is a super candy in there. Follow the lower beach road to its southern end. There is another crystal block with ten coins.
After that, return to the first bright green platform and jump on the higher path. Right at the beginning is a? Block with ten coins. Then follow the upper path south. In another rock formation awaits a crystal block, which only Paper Mario can reach. Send it through the narrow gap and take the hidden Super Nut with you. Then you cross the eastern bridge and open a crystal block with 50 coins on the other side. Jump to the beach below and collect another 50 coins from the next Crystal block.
Now go north again. On the way, you will find another 50-coin crystal block. Directly in front of the Lakitu Info Center is finally one? Block with ten coins. Thus, the currently accessible objects are collected on the direct way to the information center. The Enemies in this area consist mainly of Koopas and Cheep-Cheeps, which regularly jump out of the water. Particularly dangerous are the spiky sea urchins that appear in some fights together with the Cheep-Cheeps. Try to defeat them as quickly as possible or focus on the remaining Enemies before they carry out their dangerous attack.
Then enter the Lakitu Info Center and talk to the right Lakitu. Two new rescue missions are ready for the construction of the boat. Start with the Tropical Paper Toad-DK Island Swing, where we have to collect a total of 20 paper toads.
Tropical Paper Toad-DK Island Swing: The First Seven Paper Toads
Immediately after the mission start, you will be south of the Lakitu Info Center. The first two paper toads are already running around here. The first paper toad runs continuously around a large stone. Activate the sprint socks and track it until you are close enough for a sprint jump. Try to cut off his path instead of constantly chasing him in a circle. As soon as you touch him, he is saved. The second paper toad is held captive by a Koopa who also patrols this area. Run to the Enemies and defeat him in battle. After the victory, the captive resident is automatically freed.
Then head east to the first paper toads, which were enclosed in large transparent bubbles. They hover at different heights above the ground and move up and down regularly. First, observe the first bladder. As soon as she floats close enough on the ground, you jump in and free the third paper toad. The fourth resident drives with his bubble a little further north or towards the water. Stand on the edge and use the Trio Grab as soon as the bubble is within reach. This will bring the Toad back to you.
The fifth and sixth paper toads also float in bubbles over the eastern stretch of beach. Both drop shortly at regular intervals. Wait for such a moment and jump under the bubble so that it bursts. If you jump too early, the bubble may rise again. Therefore, stay as close to your lowest point as possible and press the jump button only when the Toad is within reach.
For the seventh paper toad you have to stand on the middle platform in the east. From there you can see another bubble that describes a larger circle above the water. Normal jumps are not enough here. Point the Trio Grab at the passing bubble and wait until it gets close enough to the platform. With a timely trio action you pull the paper toad from the water area back to you. This saves the first seven inhabitants.
Two paper toads on the suspension bridge
Now go southwest to the long suspension bridge that stretches across the water. Over her are two more paper toads in bubbles. The bubbles are constantly moving up and down, so you have to pick the right moment. Place yourself as closely as possible under the first bubble and observe its movement. As soon as it approaches the ground, you jump up vertically and free the eighth paper toad. Repeat on the second bubble and you get the ninth paper toad.
Before you leave the bridge, you should examine the rock formation on its western or left side. Between the stones is a narrow gap, through which only Paper Mario fits. Send it through and talk to the hidden resident on the other side. You have also found the tenth paper toad. Then return to the main group and walk across the bridge back to the western side of the area.
The Paper Toads Eleven to Seventeen
West of the bridge is another large rock around which a frightened paper toad runs. As with the first resident, you have to follow him with the sprint socks and make a sprint jump at the right moment. Once you catch him, Papier-Toad number eleven is saved. On a raised lead to the left, another Koopa patrols with a captured paper toad. Jump to the platform, attack the Enemies and defeat them. After that, the ad rises to twelve rescued paper toads.
The next five paper toads are on the left near a house. All five float in bubbles over the way. If you try to reach them directly by jumping, the bubbles rise surprisingly quickly and move away from your range. Therefore, run towards them first, so that they escape upwards. Then you immediately turn to the left and stand in front of the big jumping plate. Activate the sprint socks, get enough start-up and run against it at full speed.
The spring plate hurls Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario in a high arc over the bubbles. In this way, all five burst one after the other and the captured paper toads are simultaneously freed. If you miss a bubble on the first attempt, you can repeat the jump at any time. With a little clean start and the right trajectory, you get the Paper Toads 13 to 17 in one fell swoop.
The Last Three Paper Toads
For the eighteenth paper toad you go to the lower beach section south of the big bridge. Here is another collection of large stones with a narrow passage. Send Paper Mario through the opening and talk to the resident who is hiding behind it. Then you return to the group and follow the beach west.
On the far left is a small island that Mario and Luigi cannot reach by an ordinary jump. On it floats another paper toad in a bubble. Stand at the appropriate mark on the shore and use the Trio Grab. Once the bubble is within reach, you reach for it and pull the nineteenth paper toad back to you.
Only one resident is missing. Run back to the lower stretch of beach and look for a large round cardboard slab lying flat on the floor. At first glance it seems like an ordinary part of the environment, but in fact a paper toad has hidden under it. Stand in front of it and use the Trio Hammer. The joint stroke turns the plate over and the last paper toad comes out.
This saves all 20 paper toads of the Tropical Paper-Toad-DK Island Swing. The mission ends automatically and you return to the Lakitu Info Center. If the task listing is not yet complete, you should especially check the two crevices on the beach and the bubble over the western island. These three locations are easily overlooked because they are not immediately on the normal path.
Fly Guy Sniffing Noses: Saving 15 Paper Toads
Talk to the right Lakitu again and start the next mandatory mission: fly-guy sniffer noses. This time, there are a total of 15 paper toads on several interconnected islands. The small residents are guarded by Fly Guys who regularly patrol certain paths. Unlike the previous task, you should not fight the guards this time, but pass them unnoticed. Once a Fly Guy spots you, the current pursuit is interrupted and you get a failed attempt. After a total of three discoveries, the mission fails and must be restarted.
The most important rule is therefore: always observe the direction of sight of the Fly Guys first before you move. Most guards run on fixed routes or regularly turn in a different direction. As soon as they turn away from you, you can walk past them with the sprint socks. Stay as far as possible outside their immediate field of view. If a Fly Guy stops short and looks around, you should also wait instead of running right next to him.
The first six paper toads
At the beginning, a Fly Guy stands in front of you, who looks alternately to the left and right. The first paper toad is located north of the Guardian. Wait until he turns away from your path, and then walk quickly past him. Touch the paper toad and then move east. Here, another Fly Guy patrols a small island clockwise. The second paper toad is behind its route. Follow the guard with some distance until you can reach the resident. Once you touch it, you should retreat to a safe edge of the way.
Then follow the southern path to the west. Here are two Fly Guys, one of whom patrols from left to right and the other from top to bottom. Watch their movements briefly and use the moment when their ranges of view do not overlap. Behind it you reach another section with two Fly Guys, both flying clockwise around their platforms. Here is the third paper Toad. If possible, run behind the two guards and touch him as soon as the route is clear.
A little further a Fly Guy waits, who regularly moves from north to south. The fourth paper toad is behind his patrol route. First, let the guard fly north and use his absence to pass by. The fifth paper toad is shortly afterwards on a comparatively open section and can be collected without much difficulty. For the sixth resident you have to cross a bridge to the north. There, two Fly Guys move alternately up and down. Wait until both are in a higher position, and then sprint to the sixth paper toad. Then return on the same path across the bridge.
Four Paper Toads on the West Coast
After returning across the bridge, you continue west. In this area hide a total of four more paper toads. The seventh stands on a small hill, around which two Fly Guys circle counterclockwise. Wait until both guards are on the opposite side, and then run up the hill. Get the toad and withdraw immediately.
Paper toads eight and nine are further south on the Beach. They are relatively open, but several Fly Guys can observe the shoreline. Use the small protrusions and rocks as cover. It is especially helpful to collect the two residents only when the guards are moving away from the beach. This allows you to reach both toads with a short sprint and not have to run twice through the same dangerous section.
The tenth paper toad stands on a small peninsula in the middle of the area. A Fly Guy does not move there on a longer route, but regularly turns in the four cardinal directions. Therefore, first wait outside his field of view and observe the rotation. As soon as he looks away from you, you sprint over the free route to Papier-Toad and return immediately. Since the guard can change his direction quickly, you should walk as straight as possible and do not make unnecessary corrections.
The Last Five Paper Toads
Then go south and then east. Two other Fly Guys patrol here clockwise. Paper toads eleven and twelve are each within and immediately behind their routes. Wait until the guards move away from you, then run after them. Once you touch the first toad, you should not immediately run to the second, but watch the movements again. This will avoid getting in the middle of the two patrols.
Further east you reach an annular island, whose path runs around a large central opening. Paper toads 13 and 14 are located on the southern side of the ring. A Fly Guy flies here constantly clockwise. Once he has flown past you, you can follow him with enough distance and collect the two paper toads one after the other. Use the sprint socks for this, but don’t run so close behind the guard that you touch him on a short stop.
The fifteenth and last paper toad stands in the northern part of this annular island. Six Fly Guys guard the area and regularly look in different directions. This section is one of the most difficult points in the entire mission. First, stay on the southern edge and observe the movement sequence. As soon as a gap between the viewing areas opens, you sprint straight to the paper toad. Touch it and then immediately return to a free area. Don’t try to stop between the guardians for long periods of time, as they will quickly change their gaze and otherwise easily spot you.
Once the fifteenth Paper Toad is rescued, the mission is completed and you automatically return to the Lakitu Info Center. If you were spotted once or twice during the search, this is not a problem, as long as you avoid the third attempt. The already collected paper toads are preserved in a single failed attempt, so you do not have to start over again every time.
The last blocks before departure
After the successful rescue of the 15 paper toads, you will receive the message that there are now enough helpers available for the construction of the boat. Together with the previously rescued residents, the level of 100 paper toads required for the story has been reached. The boat builder can now complete his work. Before we return west to the village, however, we make a short detour east, because there are two more? blocks, which can now be reached without difficulty.
Leave the Lakitu Info Centre and follow the eastern exit to the next island area. Near the entrance is there? Block with 50 coins. Open it and then go to the edge of the platform. On the opposite side you can see another red wire. Use the Trio Grab to pull the group across the water gap. On the small island behind it is a second? Block with ten coins. Take them with you and then return to the Info Centre on the same route.
More distant island areas and some high-altitude platforms are not yet accessible on this first visit. For this we will later need the Trio Drill and the Trio Glider in particular. It is therefore of no use at the moment to search the entire coastline for further hidden crossings. As the story progresses, we return to the Twinsy Tropics with the appropriate skills and then complete the remaining collection points.
The boat is finished
Leave the eastern island area and return to Toad village via the already known bridges to the west. Since most of the paths are now open, you can cross the route without much difficulty. If you want to replenish your supplies again, you should visit the shops beforehand. Just some of the new pieces of equipment for Paper Mario can facilitate the following fights.
At the western port, the Papier-Toads have now done a lot of work. A large paper boat has been created from numerous cardboard parts, which offers enough space for Mario, Luigi, Paper Mario and the rescued inhabitants. Talk to the boatbuilder at the pier. After a short conversation, the three heroes get on board together with the Toads. The boat departs and brings everyone safely across the sea back to the mainland.
This ends the first big visit of the Twinsy Tropics. In addition to the two mandatory rescue missions, we also completed the accessible side task with the 22 captured toads, collected the new equipment from the narrow crevices and explored all currently usefully accessible island routes. The Trio Grab in particular proved to be an important ability, because most of the additional platforms and islands would have remained unattainable without it.
Return to Sunbeam Plains
After the crossing, Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario return to the Sunbeam Plains. Some areas have changed significantly since our last visit. New cardboard obstacles block earlier paths and several Enemies float between the known platforms. The next destination is therefore Peach’s Castle, where we would like to find out if there is any new information about the whereabouts of the two princesses.
Follow the investor out of the way west. At the first major water gap, you use the Trio Grab again to reach the wire on the opposite side. Can you go straight behind one? Open block with a double 1-UP mushroom. Be sure to take it with you. A little further north stands another Crystal block with 50 coins. Follow the route northwest to the well-known crossing.
Here are several Monty Moles, who emerge from the ground and attack Mario and Luigi. Defeat them with your stronger jump or hammer attacks and collect the reachable coins on the way. On the next elevated platform you will find two more? blocks. One contains 50 coins, the other a new pair of boots. Compare these directly with your previous equipment before going further west.
In the next larger area, you should first examine the southwestern bypass. There are two colored blocks that you can open with the right brothers. They contain a super candy and ten coins. Then return to the main trail and follow it west until you reach the nearest Lakitu Info Center.
In this information center, a special green warp pipe is now available. It leads to an additional battle arena in which you can recontest already completed boss and papercraft battles and improve your performance in trio attacks. For the full point, these challenges become even more important later on. At the moment, however, you should limit yourself to unlocking the access or remembering its position.
Go south from the info center and open the one there? Block with 50 coins. Then you cross the western bridge and find on the other side another Crystal block with a brooch. Take them and follow the path further west. In the next area there is still one directly at the entrance? Block with 50 coins. Afterwards, cross the watercourse with the Trio Grab. A toad alerts you that some paths are blocked by new cardboard obstacles. Therefore, follow the southern path and finally enter the castle court of Peach’s Castle.
Walk through the gate and enter Peach’s Castle. Here is the next important information: The two princesses were not captured directly in Bowser’s Castle, but were taken by Bowser Jr. and Papier-Bowser Jr. to the remote villa on Mount Brrr. To get there, Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario must first cross the dangerous Gloomy Woods. But before we can enter the forest, another encounter with an old acquaintance awaits on the Sunbeam Plains.
Continue with Peach’s Castle and Sunbeam Plains Return and Paper Petey Piranha. The complete chapter overview can be found in our complete solution for Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros..Peach’s Castle and Sunbeam Plains — Return and Paper Petey Piranha