Paper Mario: Color Splash

This page details pre-release information and/or media for Paper Mario: Color Splash.

To do: Explore the games concept art, which can be seen in the art exhibit of the Prisma Museum. These images are already uploaded to this site. Document further interview and gameplay information: GameXplain interview with Risa Tabata Katie Wilson E3 offscreen gameplay with Risa Tabata Document pre-release relevant information from official websites: English website, Japanese website

Unlike prior games in the Paper Mario series, Paper Mario: Color Splash was only promoted relatively close to its release date, having a promotion timeline spanning 7 months. There aren't many notable gameplay differences within that time span, but there are details uniquely made for promotional material that isn't present in the final release.

2016#

March#

Watch on YouTubePaper Mario: Color Splash was first revealed to the public during the March 2016 Nintendo Direct, showing gameplay of Mario using his Paint Hammer at Port Prisma and Ruddy Road to restore color to the ground, objects, and Toads. It also briefly showcased elements of the Battle Card system, and certain cutscenes from the beginning of the adventure. The end of this trailer reveals that Things return in this game for powerful attacks in battles. At this point, the planned release window was only stated to be 2016.

• The Bowser Tape Mario pulls to extend a staircase features the text "KOOPA" rather than "Bowser", implying the footage uses the Japanese version of the game. Yet the U.I. displays "HP" which implies this is the English version, so one of these elements was not yet updated by this point.
• At certain points the gameplay shows Mario has a capacity of 150 paint before collecting the first Mini Paint Star. This is not possible in the final release due to the limited number of battles in Port Prisma that give Hammer Scraps for Upgrading the paint capacity.
• NPCs such as Princess Peach, Toads, the Guide Toad (who holds a green flag), and Huey are shown, albeit with minimal dialog.
• The only enemies to revealed so far are various colors of Shy Guys, Slurp Guys, and green Koopas, though none are seen attacking Mario.
• At this point there is no indication of how paint is collected, though the paint meter is present in the top left.

June#

Watch on YouTubeOn June 15th 2016, Nintendo premiered new footage of the game at E3, with narration describing the events of the intro cinematic, Mario's arrival to Port Prisma, his full introduction to Huey, and Toad being drained of color. Nintendo Treehouse staff then explored Bloo Bay Beach, the end of Crimson Tower, Mondo Woods, and more locations to showcase gameplay features. Notable details include:

• More mechanics are shown off including paint blobs, the Cutout, Hammer Scraps, and a crumpled status effect.
• Timestamp 4:05 the full journey to the Mini Paint Star in Bloo Bay Beach is shown, including Oceanfest and Mario and Huey lounging at Blissful Beach.
• Timestamp 26:27 the red Big Paint Star is seen guarded in Crimson Tower by Morton, whose full boss fight is shown off.
• Big Paint Stars are shown restoring color to various areas:
  • Timestamp 33:22 The red Big Paint Star is rescued and restores color to a large gate (Sunglow Ridge).
  • Timestamp 36:37 the orange Big Paint Star revives the fossil of a Draggadon in a dig site (Marmalade Valley).
  • Timestamp 37:18 the blue Big Paint Star restores color to the ocean surrounding a pirate ship (Violet Passage).
• More Thing Card situations are showcased, including:
  • Timestamp 31:54 a Fire Hydrant, used against Morton's fiery hammer.
  • Timestamp 35:45 a Cat-o-Luck, squishing enemies in a mountain area (Daffodil Peak).
  • Timestamp 36:20 a Battery, shooting out lightning at enemies in Crimson Tower.
  • Timestamp 37:37 a Fan causing a wave at Bloo Bay Beach, and a Blue Toad surfing on debris.
• Timestamp 34:21 The world map is shown at full size, with a Roshambo Temple and other levels and icons visible.
• Timestamp 37:03 In a volcano area (Redpepper Volcano), Mario is guiding the Draggadon through the lava via a burger attacked to a fishing pole.
• Timestamp 37:29 Mario fires cannonballs from the pirate ship to hit giant targets at sea.
• Timestamp 38:35 Mario uses his paint hammer to reveal objects in a minigame (Paint Hunter!).
• Timestamp 38:50 Ruddy Road gets rolled up by Shy Guys, and Mario has to avoid debris.

Watch on YouTubeNintendo later posted an abridged trailer to their Nintendo of America YouTube channel. The trailer continues to intersperse gameplay footage with specially made text narration, with the main battle theme playing in the background. At the end of the trailer, the release date is revealed to be October 7th 2016.

August#

From August 16th to October 4th on YouTube and their websites, Nintendo began releasing weekly advertisements following Rescue V, a task force of Toads who attempt to help the citizens of Prism Island. This 7 episode promotion parodies primarily Japanese superhero shows, with the intro and Japanese title card referencing Denshi Sentai Denziman, the English title card referencing Power Rangers, and the music referencing Battle Fever J:

A pdf comic of Rescue V was also created featuring printed versions of the first two episodes.¹ The videos and comic feature dialog from the Rescue Squad leaders and the chief, alongside scenes of their involvement throughout the game. There are details unique to the Rescue V media:

• Certain scenes are not present in the final release, likely created for this this promotional media specifically.
• Footage where gameplay is shown often has the in-game text removed to make room for the Rescue V's dialog, implying these scenes were recorded with a dev tool that can remove textboxes.
• Some Koopalings are shown off for the first time: Episode 3 features Ludwig, Episode 4 has Iggy, and Episode 5 shows Lemmy.
• The last episode of Rescue V shows Mario and Huey visiting the team at the Yellow District of Port Prisma. Notably, Huey is in his 3D form, which is only the case at the very beginning of the game and during the final battle during Paper Mario: Color Splash.
• The comic features an obscured close-up of Black Bowser on the front cover.

September#

Watch on YouTubeWatch on YouTubeA narrated trailer, similar to the Nintendo Treehouse presentation at E3, released September 13th 2016 to the Nintendo of America YouTube channel. This showed more of the opening cinematic and a scene where Slurp Guys are draining Port Prisma of Color. Notably this is the first in-game footage of Black Paint and Black Bowser. Gameplay from new areas such as Crimson Tower, Plum Park, and an area based on Super Mario Bros. 3 are also showcased, alongside a closer look at the battle system.

Various commercials around this time were promoting the game on TVs worldwide. Some featured special animated scenes in Ruddy Road, and others included papercraft stop-motion scenes.

EB Games Expo demo#

On September 30th 2016, a playable demo of the game was featured at the EB Games Expo in Sydney, Australia. Footage shows an altered section of Ruddy Road catered to the demo specifically, where players rescue members of the Green Rescue Squad to fix a bridge, and fight a Sledge Bro to reach a red Mini Paint Star where Slurp Guys suck up paint from the ground in the final game. There are also other general gameplay and aesthetic differences:

Watch on YouTubeWatch on YouTube

• Mario begins with 100 HP, a capacity of 300 paint, and the Battle Spinner already available. These stats are 50 HP and a capacity of 100 paint in the final game.
• Huey battle tutorial is optional.
• Enemies do not drop Hammer Scraps after battles.
• Some colorless spots now reward Thing Cards when filled in.
• The colorless spot on the house has been reduced in size, and there are no Toads running out of the door.
• Bowser Tape has been added to bind a rescue squaddie to the front of a wardrobe.
• The yellow checkerboard bridges have been removed, replaced by a hidden warp pipe and a broken bridge crossed with the help of the Green Rescue Squad.
• The four posts reveal a warp pipe leading to the right side, instead of the large rainbow paint blob in the final release.
• The Save Block, archway and loading zones on the far right of the room have been removed, with the wall extended to cover the edge on the side with a warp pipe.
• The rescue squaddie reached by a pipe rewards Mario with a Card Max Up.
• A purple Toad vendor appears after returning from the pipe to sell Jump x3 and Hammer x3 cards to Mario for 30 coins each.
• The Sledge Bro's interjection as Mario approaches the goal uses large white text bolded with a black outline, an effect unused inside text boxes in the final release.
• This Sledge Bro's attacks are significantly weaker than in the final game, despite being having the mini-boss music.
• The demo ends with a "Thanks for playing!" message displayed on a black screen after collecting the Mini Paint Star.

Occasionally in Vester&Friends' footage, the camera moves enough to reveal some gameplay in Blissful Beach, albeit only with a sliver visible on the left screen. There is an overview of the stage (similarly to the Paint Hunter! minigame which features both of these areas) prior to letting Mario roam around. It is unknown how this location was reached in the demo:

• Timestamp 8:24 that screen is inside the Ruddy Road house.
• Timestamp 8:27 it has the overview of Blissful Beach.
• Timestamp 8:59 that demo screen shows regular gameplay based on the coin UI appearing.

The Ruddy Road demo has been recorded with enough detail to catalog the dialog seen while playing it:

Huey#

Rescue Green#

Rescue squaddies#

Battle Card vendor#

This vendor only appears after battling the Slurp Guy past the pipe.

Sledge Bro#

Other#

October#

On October 6th 2016, one day before the game's English and European release, a Nintendo-focused German website called ntower collaborated with Nintendo to hold a promotional contest. Contestants were provided printable and higher-quality versions of various world map assets, then tasked with crafting and sharing images of their art displays by 1:59pm (CEST) October 14, 2016. Three winners would then be selected to each receive a copy of the game along with a set of stickers.

To Be Dated#

Promotional Image Koopa Oddity#

Official artwork made to promote the game depicts a Green Koopa Troopa with pointy, claw-like fingers. Despite this, the sprite this art seems to be based on gives them rounder, more human-like fingers, which is how they're usually drawn in the Paper Mario games.

Reference#

References#