Attaining 100% in SNES and N64 Mario Games

Question

In Mario games on the GameCube (eg Mario Sunshine or Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door), it is possible to complete the game, beat the final boss, and attain 100% completion and save such that the load-game-screen shows 100% or 120 stars, etc. However for the same games on the SNES and N64 (ie, Super Mario World, Mario 64, and Paper Mario), I cannot figure out a way to attain 100% completion because after the final boss is beaten, the games hang on the final screen after the credits instead of returning to the title-screen/menu where the player can save post-final-boss.

Is this correct or is there a way to save a 100% game?

Asked by Synetech

Answer

Obtaining Completion Credit

For SMW and SM64, there is no way to save the game after beating the final boss, nor is it necessary. The game automatically credits the save file for the progress gained by beating the final boss.

I am unsure about Paper Mario, but I would imagine that it followed a similar mechanic of crediting you automatically.

Completion Qualification

Super Mario World

The indicator that you have beaten every level (both in their normal ways and via finding their secret exits) is indicated on the load screen with a star beside the number of levels you have beaten. You receive this star upon finding 96 different level exits/bosses:

Super Mario 64

100% completion is denoted by collecting 120 stars. This is actually shown on the load screen when you complete the game:

Paper Mario

I've never played the game. I'm having issues finding a definitive source of what qualifies as 'completion'.

Answered by Shaun

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Paper Mario best sidekick

Question

I recently began playing Paper Mario on Nintendo 64, and I have gone through pretty much the entire game. Who would the most powerful sidekick be to use in the final levels? Right now I'm about to face Huff n Puff (?). Also, any easy ways to beat him?

Answer

The sidekick that you get for a particular stage tends to be the best for defeating the boss of that stage (and many times the stage itself) at least if you're playing the game normally and the sidekicks are equally upgraded.

More specifically:

Stage 0: Goombario is the only sidekick, so what do you want?

Stage 1: Bombette works perfectly for normal enemies in this dungeon as well as the bullet bill launchers. Kooper's multi-target attack is great for the multi-part boss, and dizzy shell prevents them from going into super-attack mode if I remember correctly.

Stage 2: Parakarry is perfect for this boss with his powerful ranged attack, and ranged attack in general.

Stage 3: Bow protects Mario from the Tubba Blubba's Heart's charge-round attack with her invisibility.

Stage 4: This boss has several parts. I don't remember the first couple parts, but I think Goombario, Kooper, Bombette, or Bow may make quick work of them due to superior attack. Watt is best for the final (main) part of the boss due to the fact that he(?) ignores defense with his attacks and the boss has 2 defense.

Stage 5: If you upgrade Sushie to ultimate form, she is unstoppable for this boss since she can stun all three of the boss enemies at once. Even if you don't upgrade, she is still the only partner who can stun even one of the pieces other than Mario (and he requires equipment to do so).

Stage 6: Lakilester's Spiny Surge is great for taking out the Tuff Puffs. It's a cheap move, it does very little damage to Huff N. Puff himself (thus generating fewer retaliatory Tuff Puffs) and saves you quite a bit of damage. Cloud Nine is also great for protecting Mario in this battle.

After that, I think that the partner that really shines against the bosses is Watt. Both of the final bosses have defense, which Watt ignores. Watt can also increase Mario's attack which helps to mitigate the additional defense since the battles last relatively long.

Fighting normal enemies is generally pretty trivial, but if they have no defense, Goombario (Charge + Multibonk = 10+) and Bow (Fan Smack = 10) can cause a lot of damage to individual enemies. Bombette's Ultra bomb is nice for taking out hanging enemies as is Parakarry's Air Raid (easier, but less damage), and Sushie's tidal wave is also good for this. Lakilester and Bow can also get rid of trash if you don't feel like fighting. The only partner I don't feel ages well at all is Kooper. He does really shine in Stage 1, but you probably won't use him much after that. His Ultra move can instantly kill Dry Bones, though, which is nice.

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