Summary
Did you know there’s a Luigi’s Mansion reference inPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door? Or that you can meet up with characters from the first Paper Mario? And those are just a few of the many secrets, Easter Eggs, and cameos hidden in the remake for Nintendo Switch.
Part of what makes The Thousand-Year Doorthe best Paper Mario gameis all the hidden details sprinkled throughout the adventure. Much love was poured into the game’s many secrets, creating excellent rewards for those paying close attention and exploring every nook and cranny. Here is how to find the very best Easter Eggs, including the new secret bosses.
8The Fire Emblem Toad
References To Nintendo Games And Consoles
The Fire Emblem Toad is a beloved NPC from the original version, and thankfully, he’s back in the remake. You can visit him in Petalburg throughout the adventure, and he’ll tell you about whatever video game he’s been playing recently.
The first time you meet him, he says he’s playing Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance. If you return later, he mentions that he’s moved on to Paper Mario for N64. Visit him again, and his new favorite game is Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Talk about meta.
7Paper Mario 64 Cameos
Appearances By Parakarry, Bow, And More
Several characters from the first Paper Mario return in The Thousand-Year Door, though some are easy to miss. Parakarry delivers the plumber’s mail at the beginning of the game. If you listen closely, you’re able to hear the title theme from Paper Mario 64 when he arrives. Shortly after, you can spot a group photo of the N64 partners on a shelf in Mario’s house.
The other cameos are trickier to find. If you return to Poshley Heights after beating the game, you’ll see Bow and Bootler in front of the Sanctum. Also, Jr. Troopa appears in a photo sent by Zip Toad after you beat Chapter Six.
6Alternative Costumes
Dress As Luigi, Wario, And More
Need a costume change? Mario can dress up like other Nintendo characters with the help ofsome secret badges. If you talk to Charlieton in Rogueport after Chapter One, he’ll sell you the W Emblem for a whopping 432 coins. If you can afford it, it’ll change Mario’s clothes into Wario’s.
To dress like Luigi, you must grab the L Emblem from Poshley Sanctum’s secret room in Chapter Six. Equipping both Emblem badges will transform your clothes into Waluigi’s.
You can even play as Gold Mario by unlocking the Gold Metal, which appears in Rogueport Plaza after collecting every recipe and badge and completing the tattle log.
5Mario’s Ringtones
These Tunes Sound Familiar
Mario receives dozens of emails throughout the game, and you may recognize his ringtones from iconic Nintendo games. The jingle that plays differs depending on who messages you:
A similar Easter Egg can be found in Peach’s segment between Chapters Five and Six. The jingle that plays when booting up Grodus' computer is the start-up theme from the Famicom Disk System.
4Luigi’s Mansion And Super Mario Sunshine References
The Birds' Secret Dialogue
The birds from Twilight Town must really like GameCube games because they reference two of them. There are two crows to the left of the town’s warp pipe, and if you eavesdrop on them long enough, they’ll start talking about a real estate listing page called Luigi’s Mansion.
The other GameCube reference comes from Doopliss' parrot. If you talk to him after collecting every item in the room, he’ll start screeching, “Shine get!” This is a reference to the victory screen you see after beating a stage in Super Mario Sunshine.
3Play As 8-Bit Mario
A Blast From The Past
Transforming into an 8-bit sprite is a running joke in Mario RPGs, and The Thousand-Year Door is no exception. In Chapter Seven, if you drop into the X-Nauts' changing room from the vent, you’ll emerge as a tiny NES sprite, and the overworld theme from Super Mario Bros. will play.
In addition, all of your partners will transform into 8-bit versions, too. You can even swap between them to get a look at their sprites. The same Easter Egg can be found in Super Mario RPG and the first Paper Mario.
2Peach’s Songs
Music From Super Mario 64 And Other Nintendo Games
You can find many musical Easter Eggs while playing as Peach. There’s a bathroom to the left of her holding cell, and if you take a shower, she’ll sing one of three songs: the overworld or underwater theme from Super Mario Bros. or the castle theme from Super Mario 64.
A more obscure musical reference happens between Chapters Two and Three. When Tec asks Peach to dance, he plays a variation of the classical song Waltz in C Sharp Minor by Chopin. Who knew he had such a classy taste in music?
1New Secret Bosses
Tackle Some Tough Post-Game Fights
Some of thebiggest changes in the remakeare the new secret bosses: Prince Mush and Whacka. They’re some of the toughest fights in the game and tricky to find, too.
To fight Prince Mush, you must complete the Help Wanted side quest from the Trouble Center, which becomes available after Chapter Three. Shortly after, you’ll receive an email from the former champion challenging you to a match in the Glitz Pit.
To fight Whacka, you must hit him eight times in Keelhaul Key. Next, beat the game and complete the Pit of 100 Trials. Not long after, you’ll get an email about a mysterious creature seen at the bottom of the Pit. Conquer all 100 trials again, and Whacka will appear on the final floor.
