Uploaded September 2020 | Updated September 2026, 6 minutes ago

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For details on how characters' stats compare, check here: ultimateframedata.com/stats.php
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Welcome to another episode of Challenger Approaching! In this series, we discuss characters who could find their way into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate or future entries, then go into ludicrous detail on what they would be like if they joined the fight for real!

This time, we're going against the grain again with another revisit to a character featured in a previous episode! Paper Mario is relevant again thanks to his most recent outing, and with a diverse array of abilities available from all the different things he's done in his games over the years, he boasts some impressive moveset potential! But the split between old and new fans of his series has made him a contentious figure within Nintendo, to say the least.

But could a Smash invite, whether for Ultimate or a future entry, be a chance to bring the two sides of his fractured fanbase together? And just how would this paperized version of Mario stand out next to the regular one? Let's take a closer look, because despite his 2D nature, this character's potential is far from paper-thin.
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Graphic design by Voyager: twitter.com/Fire_Voyager
Post-production assistance by Yoshiller: twitter.com/RealYoshiller

Additional Sources:
Mr. Tanabe on TOK Character Restrictions: nintendolife.com/news/2020/07/paper_mario_producer_says_team_is_no_longer_able_to_graphically_represent_individual_characteristics_in_toad_npcs
Alphadream Bankruptcy: kotaku.com/mario-luigi-rpg-developer-alphadream-has-gone-bankrup-1838692022
TTYD All Stylish Moves (Nintendo Unity): youtube.com/watch?v=AoImTShEtZE
PM64 Toad Town (Noire Blue): youtube.com/watch?v=srieUlKORPU
Color Splash Port Prisma (Mario Party Legacy): youtube.com/watch?v=-5mrNZbpsMA
PM64 Spin Jump (AisforAndis): youtube.com/watch?v=U__DOEFdLpU
TTYD Superguard (Jankmo): youtube.com/watch?v=Rip7G-OwrVU
PM64 Shell Toss in Battle (Noire Blue): youtube.com/watch?v=s-INHt33px4
TTYD Paper Plane (Longplays HD): youtube.com/watch?v=wMFgBrmGkzk
SPM World 3-1 (NintenU): youtube.com/watch?v=YAb3b3jWdtA
PM64 Combat (Noire Blue): youtube.com/watch?v=4keGffF7qjo
PM64 Overworld (Noire Blue): youtube.com/watch?v=z0qPkib29BE
SPM Flipside (NintenU): youtube.com/watch?v=Y2IhGPwXmxc
Color Splash Spike Helmet Card (AWiiBo): youtube.com/watch?v=yX7VlKTYCbY
Sonic Heroes Team Sonic Gameplay (Jerzku’sGames): youtube.com/watch?v=wgJp68qYyvY