The Mario franchise is one with dozens of various spin-offs that reinvent the characters and explore different genres. The spin-off series that may be the most niche of them is arguably Paper Mario. The role-playing game (or sometimes adventure) series has been around since the days of the N64, and has been a fan favorite along with Mario and Luigi. Over the years, the producers have experimented with the formula to mixed degrees of success.
However, what can’t be understated is how great the writing and characters in these games are. Even in the more lackluster titles, the writing stands as a strong heart of the franchise. But there are dozens of party members, so ranking them all would be an ordeal. And so, in terms of unique Paper Mario party members, where do they all stack up?
14 Sushie
The Cheep-Cheep Sushie is not a very fleshed-out character. She expresses motherly concern for the baby, Yoshi and Mario, on Lavalava Island, but isn’t the most memorable of the cast. Her abilities make up for it, particularly her Ultra Rank ability Tidal Wave, which can deal absurd amounts of damage
While Sushie is an effective party member for combat, she isn’t exactly the most likable. She isn’t unlikable, as no party member in the series can be considered that, but she’s easily forgotten. There isn’t even much to her character to discuss. She’s kind of just a fish.
13 Kooper/Koops
A criticism of older Paper Mario party members is that they’re very same-y. That’s not true… mostly. It’s fair to say that Kooper and Koops, the Koopa that travel with Mario, are pretty similar characters. While they’re personalities are polar opposites (at first), they eventually fill similar roles in the game and in the narrative.
Koops is more dynamic and interesting than Kooper, that much is certain. Both still aren’t great, since Koops can also get annoying at times with his cowardly gimmick. They’re both on the same level, relatively.
12 Watt
Watt is an adorable Lil’ Spark that’s incredibly effective in battles. She can break through defense, boost Mario’s attack power, and inflict status ailments. Watt is a young child-like character in lore, treating Mario with respect and being naive about things. At the same time, she also isn’t obnoxious about it, and is more endearing than anything.
Watt is a great balance of effectiveness in combat and likability. She would be more likable if she weren’t underwritten, like most of the rest of the Paper Mario 64 cast.
11 Mini-Yoshi
The mini-Yoshi that hatches in Glitzville and battles with Mario in the Glitz Pit fills a similar role to Watt, but is much more aggressive and spunky. The kid sees Mario as a mentor and parental figure, although he still calls Mario “Gonzales.” He’s a very charming little character.
The Yoshi Kid is likable in personality and design; it’s hard to make a Yoshi that isn’t likable. The series just has so many other fun characters that Yoshi Kid gets left behind.
10 Parakarry
The honorable postman Parakarry, famous across the land for being a slow mail carrier that loses letters. Parakarry is a Paratroopa that serves to give Mario the ability of flight across small gaps, along with unlocking sidequests to deliver letters. Even while saving the princess, a postman’s job is never done.
Parakarry joins Mario as a form of gratitude and to find his other lost letters. He’s a very calm and endearing character, particularly because he’s bad at his job. There’s just something relatable about that.
9 Goombario/Goombella
Similarly to the Koops and Kooper situations, the two Goombas aren’t very different either. Goombella is more on the sassy side and Goombario, but that’s one of the few differences. They’re both knowledgeable about enemies, allies, and the world with their Tattle abilities, which gives them more dialogue than the average party member.
Goombario and Goombella may be somewhat generic (Goombario is just a Goomba with hat, after all), but they’re still very well-written characters. It’s great to read their dialogue on enemies, as it’s always fun to read.
8 Admiral Bobbery
Admiral Bobbery is wildly different from the Bob-omb from Paper Mario 64 in design and character. Bobbery is a grumpy old man, a retired sailor too grieved to set out to sea. His backstory is fleshed out and tragic, giving some surprising depth to an otherwise underwhelming character.
Backstory aside, Bobbery has a lot of fun dialogue and a personality that is uncommon among Mario characters. He might not be the most fleshed out in terms of his dialogue, but he still stands out as a likable guy.
7 Lackilester
This lakitu with cool shades and an attempt at a cool name with Spike (or Jonathan in Japanese) starts as a villain. In a relatively easy battle, he’s brought to the side of good after a scolding from his girlfriend. He helps to battle his old boss, Huff’N’Puff.
Lackilester is a weak-hearted character wearing a facade of someone cool. In this way, he strikes a different kind of nerve than other characters in the series, and endears himself that way.
6 Ms. Mowz
The flirtatious thief Ms. Mowz is one of the few optional party members in the entire Paper Mario series (without sequence breaking). She plays the role of a traditional thief, stealing items and finding secrets. She also can heal Mario, which is an interesting twist.
Ms. Mowz is a very fun character, completely off-beat from the rest of the cast. She also plays as a great foil for other members of Mario’s party, like Goombella. She’s absolutely worth it to recruit.
5 Bombette
Bombette is a strong-willed and hot-headed Bob-omb, ready to explode at any moment (literally). Sure, she’s just a pink Bob-omb, but that simple design is really cute and works well for the game. She serves a similar role to Bobbery in terms of party composition.
Bombette is a great character. She’s funny and angry, and hot-headed characters usually end up having great dialogue. She isn’t the best character in the original Paper Mario, but she comes close.
4 Madame Flurrie
Madame Flurrie is a wholly unique character to The Thousand-Year Door. Her design can charitably be called “interesting”, but her character is a ton of fun. She starts off as a mysterious famous actress, living on her lonesome, but has a ton of personality.
Being a former performer, Flurrie has a ton of personality. She’s sassy, smart, and flirtatious, giving her varied bits of dialogue. She may have an odd design, but she’s great to have in the party.
3 Olivia
It’s hard to justify discussing party members outside of the first two Paper Mario games. Luigi, Peach, and Bowser are hardly interesting to discuss (especially compared to Super Paper Mario’s villains), and recent titles have Mario more on his lonesome. Paper Mario: The Origami King finally returned some of that party member magic in the form of Olivia.
Olivia stays with Mario the whole game, and is just so wholesome and sweet. She sings songs, does dances, and has a tragic backstory with her brother. She has incredibly funny lines of dialogue. She experiences grief and triumph. She’s just one of the best written characters in the whole series.
2 Lady Bow
Lady Bow is stuck-up and snooty princess who strong-arms Mario into solving her Tubba Blubba problem. In a game full of characters that have mostly wooden personalities, Lady Bow is absolutely a breath of fresh air. She’s snarky and funny, but still kind enough that it balances out.
Lady Bow also has a really cute design with her fan and the flower she has. Her laugh animation after victorious combat is loaded with so much flavor, that it’s hard to rank her anywhere but near the top.
1 Vivian
Vivian, one of the Shadow Sirens who joins Mario, is potentially one of the best characters in the Mario series as a whole. On the surface, she has a great design, being a meek shade with a goofy hat and bright pink hair. She’s instantly recognizable among any cast.
However, Vivian stands above everyone else because of her story and her relationship with other cast members. The way she overcomes the abuse of her sisters is heartwarming and empowering, and it’s hard not to root for Vivian. Above all, she’s a trans icon in gaming. She was great to have along in TTYD and it’s a shame they haven’t brought her back since.
NEXT: The 5 Best Things About Paper Mario: The Origami King (& The 5 Worst)
