The Paper Mario franchise gave us some of the best games on the Nintendo 64 and Gamecube, a healthy mix of RPG elements and quick-time button presses, with all the charm of a Mario game. Now, 16 years after the original was released, a hidden message has been found in the game. As explained by Youtuber Stryder7x, the Japanese version of the game provides new dialogue if an area of the game is accessed before the player is meant to, in this case, by using a speed running skip.
Talking to any other character in this area results in a similar message, though with slight differences. Paper Mario is known for its clever and zany writing, and this is no exception. Even dialogue that was never meant to be read contains some personality. Other toads respond with messages such as “This message should not appear. I’ll be scared if it does…” and “You shouldn’t be able to get in here yet. If you did, it’s a bug, so please get in contact.
Stryder7x did just that, tweeting the image at Nintendo of America, but sadly they have not responded.
This is not the first hidden message to be found in a Nintendo game, though. In Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green, one particular sailor delivers a very strong message when the game is played on a pirated copy.
Neither is it the first (or thousandth) glitch in a Mario game! Super Mario 64 even boasts a coin that has never been collected.
What do you think of this hidden message? Should more developers leave surprises for those who go looking? Let us know in the comments below!
Image: Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
