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

My opponent has now apparently decided that 'originals' are always better than sequels. What evidence does he have? Not any. The claim is just silly - my opponent must never have watched Toy Story 2 or played Super Mario Galaxy 2 or Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. I think I've already established that just because something is 'original' doesn't mean it is better. Next, he argues a challenge doesn't necessarily make things better. Sure, but why does one play games other than to be challenged? A victory is far more satisfying when you have to overcome lower odds. That is part of what made movies like Star Wars (or Jurassic Park, as my opponent notes) so great. My opponent argues that, like in Super Mario RPG, partners in Paper Mario can suffer status ailments. This is false - partners are rarely attacked by enemies, and when they are attacked, they are only stunned for a few turns. Most attacks on partners can be blocked entirely with an Action Command. Next, my opponent argues you can only use a certain number of badges at a time, and some badges (like FX badges) are useless. To the first point, my opponent is absolutely correct - you can't just throw on every badge you have. This adds to the strategy of the system - if you want more points, are you willing to increase badge points instead of boost heart or flower points? As to the 'useless' badges, I have two things to note: you aren't required to buy any of them unless you want to 100% the game, and, in general, they use no badge points - so they don't do much, but they don't require points. If you don't want them, you aren't required to buy them.My opponent reiterates his complaint that Paper Mario partners don't get upgrades with level-ups and can only learn two new moves. First off, I want to note Paper Mario has eight partners as opposed to four in Super Mario RPG. Second, I want to note that even if you max-out all your partner's movesets in Super Mario RPG, you only have 21 total moves between your four partners.[1] In Paper Mario, if you max out all of your partner movesets (giving each partner four moves), you have 32 total moves. 32 is greater than 21. Further, contrary to my opponent's claim, your partners in Paper Mario do get increased attack power with each level-up.[2]My opponent also argues my point on mini-games. He argues Li'l Oink farm isn't a mini-game. True, it may not fall under a very strict definition of mini-game, but it is indeed one. Yes, you can get a dried shroom with the game, but you have to be fairly dumb to do that. Why? Because the pigs drop items in sequential order. If you have a dried shroom, you can pay another 10 coins and get a better item - some pigs drop rare, valuable items like Repel Gel (makes Mario invisible for three turns), Life Shrooms (which revive Mario), Shooting Stars (which damage all enemies on-screen), and Jammin' Jelly and Ultra Shrooms (which restore 50 FP/HP, respectively). The farm is a gambling game and sometimes you win, but sometimes you lose.[3]Finally my opponent argues Super Mario RPG is better becaues it follows the 'original' JPRG format as opposed to Paper Mario, which has a unique format. This completely contradict's my opponent's key argument that it is better to follow a unique formula than follow the same old one.References: 1. http://www.mariowiki.com...2. http://www.mariowiki.com...3. http://www.mariowiki.com...'l_Oink