Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was a better Mario RPG than Paper Mario

Before I begin, I would like to propose we define the word 'better' as meaning 'of superior quality'. I will be arguing the original Paper Mario for the N64 is better than Super Mario RPG.To begin, let's look at presentation. No, I'm not talking about graphics - it is absurd to compare a SNES game to any N64 game, as the N64 is a vastly more powerful console capable of far superior graphics. Instead, I will be looking at the art design behind the graphics. Paper Mario has a vastly superior presentation. Why is this? The art direction. Take a look at this scene: This isn't a spectacular area in the game like Bowser's Castle or Dry Dry Desert, but it showcases the fantastic and unique art direction. Paper Mario is a fully 3D game, but the art design makes the game feel as if it is coming out of a storybook. The characters are 2D, and many puzzles play on the 'paper' aspect by having items pop in and out of the background. Simply put, it makes the game a unique and fun take on the RPG format. In contrast, Super Mario RPG is a fairly typical JRPG - sure, it's set in the Mushroom Kingdom, but it doesn't a unique, cohesive theme that distinguishes it from the vast amount of other SNES RPGS. That's not to say it's bad (it isn't), it just doesn't have the charm that Paper Mario has. Keep in mind that both games were released late in the lifespan of their respective consoles (Super Mario RPG was released in Japan in 1996,[1] the same year the N64 launched there,[2] and Paper Mario was released in 2000,[3] about a year before the GameCube launched[4]) when developers knew fully how to take advantage of the hardware The second facet of presentation is music, and Paper Mario has an amazing soundtrack. Take a listen to the whole soundtrack[5] - 'Story of the Stolen Spirits', the song that plays over the game's opening cutscene, is brilliant, especially given the N64's limitations in the music department. The Battle theme is great, as are the numerous boss themes. The Yoshi's Island area of the game has a brilliant musical remix of the title theme to the SNES Yoshi's Island. Heck, even the File Select music is catchy!Next, let's look at the story. Paper Mario takes the typical Mario story and throws it on it's head. This time, Bowser has stolen the Star Rod, granting him the power to make his every wish come true, and sealed the guardians of the Star Rod, the Star Spirits, into playing cards, which he has given to his most powerful minions. Bowser isn't just content to take Princess Peach - this time, he steals her entire castle by warping his castle underneath it, lifting both high into the sky. Then, when he's confronted by Mario, he makes short work of him in battling, kicking him out of the castle. When Mario crashes to the ground on the outskirts of a small village, he's on the brink of death and only the remaining power of the Star Spirits saves him. Mario is quickly joined by a Goomba inhabitant of the village and sets out to rescue the Star Spirits, hoping they have enough power to negate the Star Rod, and foil Bowser's plan once again. After Mario rescues a Star Spirit, you control Peach for a brief bit, covertly aiding Mario and learning more about Bowser's plans to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom.Finally, let's look at the gameplay. Paper Mario is an RPG with a heavy emphasis on platforming and puzzle-solving - the platforming challenges and puzzles are not as complex as, say, Super Mario 64, but they are fun to navigate and satisfying to solve. Mario's jump and hammer abilities are used to solve many puzzles, but a large number also utilize the special ability each partner has - for example, Kooper can use his shell to reach distant objects, Parakarry can guide Mario over short gaps, and Watt can illuminate dark areas. The added variety in the overworld results in the puzzles and obstacles being much more interesting than the ones in Super Mario RPG.Battles are well-rounded - there aren't any random encounters, and all enemies are visible on the map. Depending on who strikes the other first, either Mario or the enemy can damage the other before battle begins. Battling itself is heavily dependent on action commands - to reach the full effectiveness of any attack, you need to do anything from simply pressing a button at a certain time to completing a complex series of button presses. You can also reduce the damage from enemy attacks by pressing the 'A' button at the right moment. This greatly increases the interactivity of battles and makes it a blast to fight. A similar feature is in Super Mario RPG, but Paper Mario refines and perfects this formula. In addition to standard jump and hammer attacks, Mario earns a new ability from each Star Spirit he saves, and can also learn new moves by activating badges. Badges require badge points, which are one of three options Mario can choose to improve each time Mario earns 100 star points. It's a trade-off to choose badge points over health or flower points (the equivalent to magic points), but that's part of the fun and makes the player take the key role in shaping how Mario improves over his quest. Additionally, if Mario finds certain blocks he can upgrade his partner's abilities and attack strength as well. There are enough blocks for each character to learn two additional powers, and this encourages players to search the vast world to find them.As a whole, Paper Mario is similar to Super Mario RPG, but better because it expands upon the best parts of it's predecessor but creates it's own unique look, feel, and gameplay style. I look forward to my opponent's opening round.References:1. https://en.wikipedia.org...2. https://en.wikipedia.org...3. https://en.wikipedia.org...4. https://en.wikipedia.org...5.