VGM of the Day #25: Paper Mario New Partner Theme

 
Paper Mario is amazing, isn't it? No doubt about it. If you do doubt it, you're stupid. Paper Mario is one the best RPGs of all time, ranking up there with Final Fantasy and the Tales series. It's just an amazing series with outstanding humor. Though it doesn't have as much character development as many other RPGs, it is still a charming little game for the N64 that will last for a long time with it's simple graphics that look great on the N64. No need for a remake for it for a long time, if ever. Then there's the sequels, The Thousand Year Door and Super Paper Mario. The Thousand Year Door is an amazing sequel and it evenly matched or even surpasses the original! With it's humor at an all time high, and the chapters becoming very creative, what could beat this? Nothing, that's what. Because Super Paper Mario is balls. The end.

Continuing on, the series has always had an unique combat system including endless badges and strategies you can choose, and partner abilities. Man, the partners in the series always leave an impact on me. They do all the talking for their duo (of them and Mario) so you get to know their personality a bit through their speech patterns. Take Parakarry, for instance. He's a boring old mailman who is boring and old and does nothing but be boring and old. Not really, Parakarry is probably my favorite partner from the first game. The speech pattern thing doesn't really occur until the second game where everybody has their own nickname for Mario (ie. Yoshi's being Gonzales).

But enough backstory already, we're here to talk about the theme! Oh man, the music in Paper Mario is AMAZING. But we're gonna talk about just a small jingle today. Whenever you get a new partner in the original Paper Mario it always plays a catchy little tune that the longer you listen to it the harder it is to get out of your head.

Though only an 18 second jingle, it has a lot of joyfulness that just makes you want to pick flowers with puppies running behind you. As I said above it's a very catchy tune. With beautiful instruments playing the joyous melody and a beautiful usage of the accordion keeping the beat in the background, it really makes you happy about getting a new partner. You're just like, 'Yo I got a new partner, even if I hate him I'm still gonna be friends with him because this song makes me happy," or something. It's a really good track, even though it loops every 18 seconds.

Wait, wtf I'm not Dean, why am I doing this.

VGM of the Day #16: Fight Against Mario...No, Doopliss!

EVO weekend was thrilling. The fierce competitors had all the strength of a raging fire, but they were a spineless, pale, pathetic lot. It was up to them to find their centers, for they were sure to win if they did. In the aftermath of such a great fighting game event, time is racing toward us to get down to business.

But get down to business I will not, bringing you a sort-of-silly boss battle theme from Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. This plays in Chapter 4 of the game, in which Doopliss the doppelganger steals Mario's identity, literally- like, took his body and name and everything, leaving Mario behind in nothing but a purple silhouette of himself- and Mario must fight his entire party and Doopliss to regain his former self. A pretty serious concept, but when paired with a clown like Doopliss it just comes off as comical.

There are traces of that silliness throughout the song (especially at the :40 mark), yet also has some elements that do well to remind you that it's a boss fight and an intense one at that. Both the joviality of the piece and the contrast in styles coming together suit a trickster like Doopliss, and it makes for one of the more memorable battles in the game. Well, that and you can finally jump on Goombella's face. Nobody likes a tattle tale.

Almost certainly the longest chapter in the game, the battle (actually 2 battles, but who's counting) with Doopliss is a great moment in the game with a great theme to add to the excitement. And speaking of excitement, with the hype of EVO weekend drifting off into the sunset, it's time to get back on track around here. Again. I'm really good at this.

The Verdict: A s_lendid _iece, one of my _ersonal faves in _aper Mario.

Don't forget that I now take requests at vgmoftheday@yahoo.com! Just send either an MP3 or a Youtube link to the song you'd like me to talk about, and I might do just that in an upcoming post!