Proof that the remaining 10% is worth being turned into paper for.
These are recommendations made by tropers for the Paper Mario series, all of which have to be signed. After a few samples, you will be able to judge whether you might be interested in the 'fic, based on who recommended it. No-name recommendations will be zapped. Nobody would back up the rec. Discussion of the recommendation is welcome on the discussion page. As such discussion is important, do remember to add the discussion page to the watchlist, if need be.
Do warn when a fanfic may head into Not Safe for Work or non-canon territory. Some people just don't like it, and as we all know, Shipping is Serious Business.
General Fics
Stories that could be canon in the original series. Protect the Child
by Adagal- Recommended by Tropemaster849
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A collection of short stories of Mario and his other partners in TTYD being parental and protective of the Yoshi Kid.
- Comments: Pure fluffy goodness. All of the TTYD partners taking a parental/older sibling like role to the Yoshi Kid (here named Gulp) is adorable. Personal favorites of mine are Gulp's bonds with Vivian and Koops, but just about everyone has their moments. Perfect if you want something fluffy with the characters or just want to see them bonding.
Super Paper Mario 2: The Tribe of Darkness by Reading is FU Ndamental (originally posted there, available in PDF format here and here
- Recommended by NarrativeLock
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Dimentio is back, and he's managed to find Lord Blumiere and Timpani and recruit the former as his minion. The heroes must now find the eight Pure Hearts again, but things quickly get complicated as Dimentio's motives come into question. Now the heroes don't know what to believe, and all they can do is keep going...
- Comments: Oh jeez, where to begin. The most notable feature of the story is its format - it's written as book, but structured as a game, and it's done so well that you can actually imagine playing through it, and the original gameplay is fully intact! Additionally, it answers just about every question you may have had about the original game (except how everything is made of paper, and how exactly the 2½D works). It's also just about the most gripping story you'll ever read, so much so that your entire life up until when you finish it will consist of next to nothing else (it may be the only thing that will ever manage to make me stay up past 1am on a school night). Really, it should be canon.
Paper Mario: The Temple of the Sun by that one little guy
- Recommended by Sayacha
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Mario goes on vacation in a far off country, where an evil villain's attack causes the world to be literally split in half. Now, it's up to our hero and his new partners to restore balance and save the worlds of Day, Night, and everything in between.
- Comments: Written back when seemingly everyone was writing their own Paper Mario adventure fic, this one manages to stand out by being completed and also just very well-written in general. It continues the tradition of the first two games by having Mario needing to save the world by finding a set number of MacGuffins while being accompanied by a group of friends/partners that he recruits throughout the story, each of whom are well-characterized and likable. It's also worth noting that even the "NPC" characters are quite endearing, especially the Bumpty Boarders. It does a good job of capturing the charm, humor, traditions, and storytelling that made the first two games so popular, enough so that you almost regret it's not an actual entry in the series. Even the gameplay gimmicks are written so that they work in context of a written story instead of a game, and some of the author's notes explain how they imagine certain things would work if it actually were a real game. Be warned that Mario does speak in this fic, and even receives a good amount Character Development of his own (along with virtually everyone else). An engaging read, and wholeheartedly recommended.
Better Off Alone by The Great Chicken Miasma
- Recommended by Skeppio
- Status: Complete
- Pairings: Vivian/Koops
- Synopsis: (Summary from the author) "Vivian can only wonder if she'll ever fit in anywhere. Often abused and put down by the world, she quietly laments in the darkness of her own fate... This is a moving tale about how everyone deserves love, friendship... and a second chance."
- Comments: A gripping tale that follows the events of Paper Mario 2 - The Thousand Year Door. It gives greater depth to the characters and their relationships to each other, as well as establishing an immense backstory for the Shadow Sirens and the Palace of Shadow. New elements and characters are introduced, but thanks to good writing, none of it kicks canon to the sideline. A finely woven plot leaves no loose threads and truly shows off the author's skill as a writer. Possibly the first fanfic to introduce Vivian/Koops (dubbed ShadowShellShipping) as a viable pairing. 10/10 from Skeppio. Now has its own page.
Criminal by Shadowclanwarrior
- Recommended by JesterQueen159
- Status: Complete
- Pairings: Dimentio/Mimi
- Synopsis: (Summary from the author) "When Mimi first joined forces with Count Bleck, all she wanted was money and power. But then she meets the mysterious Master of Dimensions, Dimentio, and is immediately attracted to him. But, she soon discovers that getting close to him isn't as simple as she thinks. For Dimentio has a few secrets. Secrets that could put her, and the rest of Castle Bleck, in danger."
- Comments: This story and it's sequel [1] and prequel [2] are just incredible. Any Dimentio fan should read these stories. The characterization is great and the humor is also pretty good. The story thought simple objectively, get it's power through the emotional reactions it garners from the reader. Especially the prequel.This is my hands-down favorite series of fics in the whole fandom. 10/10 recommendation. Also check out some of the other Mario fics the author has written. They are really good too.
- YMMV, but the story heavily favours Dimentio, so if you are not a huge fan of Dimentio, it may not be for you. The game canon is also slightly altered to accomodate the Dimentio/Mimi pairing. However, the series is well written, especially the prequel, "My Fair Lady".
