Paper Mario takes place in Star Haven, where the Seven Star Spirits grant wishes to those with pure hearts through their Star Wand. However, Bowser's attack on Star Haven leads to the theft of the Star Wand and imprisonment of the Star Spirits. With this power, Bowser defeats Mario, takes Princess Peach and her guests captive, and holds them hostage. The only way to stop Bowser is to rescue all seven imprisoned Star Spirits.
Paper Mario is a follow-up to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars , an RPG set in the Mario universe. Players control Mario as he gains experience and grows levels by defeating enemies and bosses. He can also recruit teammates for turn-based battles, collect badges, star pieces, and items to aid him on his quest. The Star Spirits will assist Mario in his mission.
The game features 2D characters within a fully 3D world, giving the impression that each character is made of "paper".