PM Post-Chapter 3 Part 1: Invaders from Playtime

Short Peach intermission today.

These two have no way of judging Mario's progress if Bowser doesn't come to... well, he's not gloating if he's mentioning he's taking a loss, is he? It'd also help if Twink actually came downstairs.

Twink suggests they try the sneaky trick.

Not just mad- scared. There's more than one giant old reptile who's boasting about being invincible.

So, where does Mario need to go next?

Sneak through the passage again, and...

Oh hey, Bowser got the news.

...

Wait a second.

Not just defeated, humiliated. Although I wish it didn't have to come to that.

Bowser doesn't say it aloud, but I'm fairly sure this temper tantrum is because he's well aware that Mario can always undo Bowser's invincibility and trounce him if he can do it for Blubba.

Bowser commiserates, and at this point, Peach has just left the secret passage and is in the same room as Bowser and Kammy. Kammy does not notice her yet. She needs new glasses.

...Can't have a good rivalry without a little antagonism, I guess.

"We tried overpowering him and that didn't work. We tried a bigger turtle and that didn't work. What else do we have?"

A trap! Yes, that ought to do the trick!

Hey, we found out Tubba's weak point and humiliated him, fair play on the turn around.

Now all we need to do is find out what does Mario hate? I think Mario's like Perry the Platypus in that he has a business card that describes him as "fearless". I don't believe Mario has ever been depicted as having a weakness or a phobia. If the writers ever want to write a skit about it, they just give it to Luigi.

While Bowser ponders the depths of Mario's shortcomings, he looks up and notices that he's got company.

It takes another few seconds for it to click that Peach should not be in any room other than her quarters. If you ever find yourself asking how these two never figure out how Peach is getting out, this scene should answer most of your questions and raise several more about how these two ever got powerful enough to threaten this kingdom multiple times. (The answer is "the Toads are worse.")

The guards are honestly doing a pretty good job. Maybe consider posting guards on the inside of the room?

Bowser, having a rare stroke of brilliance, decides he can kill two Birdies with one Crusher.

If there's one person who knows Mario's weaknesses, it's... Luigi. Seriously, these two haven't made it past first base, Peach is probably as sure about Mario's weaknesses as you are. You've spent fifteen years fighting the guy, surely you picked up something?

Much like Crusher, Bowser's ability to know thy enemy is doomed to failure. If you suspect Bowser is stupid enough to blithely accept that Mario is afraid of mushrooms, you'd be right.

I chose to confess Mario is afraid of Goombas. Clubbas, the "correct" answer in this selection, aren't scary enough to count.

This is your only chance to fight Fuzzies again. Once you pick any other option, or kill the Fuzzies, they're gone for good. Hammer Bro is a new enemy we can fight early here. Alternative, what will I ever do with an item that does 5 free damage to every enemy on the field? If you answered "agonise over what item I could possibly drop to make room in my inventory", you know me far better than I care to know myself.

Watch Mario be unable to handle his caffeine. The first option refers, of course, to the cactus- although maybe Mario might actually be unnerved if you get the time-travelling nightmare child. Koopatrol, similarly, is a brand new enemy to fight- and if you play your cards right, you can get some big rewards too.

This is still true if you answered the items: they would move around if you try to avoid them and prevent you from getting past them.

Kammy's job will be sourcing all of these resources and throwing them in Mario's path.

At least Kammy admits she's a yes-Koopa.

Not planning on lugging her yourself? Bowser does get a few carries, but apparently he's staying hands-off this time.

You say that every time.

Peach is hauled back to her room, no real gameplay done, and Twink flies out of the room as if no one is noticing him.

Back to Mario.

A great hero, at least. You hire Mario for the job, it gets done.

Skolar bestows his power upon us, and what a power it is.

Star Storm, for 2 Star Power, will attack all enemies on screen for 7 damage. This does kinda weaken Thunder Rages and Shooting Stars more than I perhaps consider, but they still have their uses. Star Storm is probably the highest-utility power in the bunch and you can bet we'll be seeing plenty of it.

Skolar can tell this somehow. He has been out of his prison the longest.

They do follow up on this, although the plot point is so weird I wouldn't have been surprised if they didn't.

The risk Bowser is going to stop patting himself on the back and fly down in his Clown Car is no higher than it was when we started the journey.

...You are living with that to the day you ascend to a higher... wait, never mind, you are the higher plane.

"Hey Herbert."
"Hey Stanley. You too?"
"Yeah. Can you get your fin out of my face?"
"Nope. Not enough room."

Of course it wasn't a filling meal. The fear was the point, not the sustenance.

Glad to hear it. Although this didn't come up earlier...

Bow: Rolls eyes. The only person taking care of Bow on this expedition is Bow. Bow is carrying the whole team.

Talking to this Boo in particular will trigger a scene where another Boo shows up to scare you.

Doesn't look that different to me, but I'm sure people who actually try know a master at work.

These ghouls live the motto of Hallowe'en Town.

...You may want to fix that at some point. Or perhaps you've got no chance with her and you don't want to shatter the illusion. Either way, grow up.

Tubba Blubba ran away, and we have no idea where he went. Genuinely- his mansion is deserted.

Well, some people here were on team "the ghosts were gone for good". I imagine very few people considered otherwise, or this wouldn't be a very generalised thought. Or at the very least, everyone knew the eaten ghosts were alive, they just didn't think they'd ever be getting out.

This fear does not seem to be grounded in anything. Not only am I not sure who the people they are failing to scare live, but it's not like Tubba Blubba has been terrorising this place for a long time. It's a short time for humans, why can't the immortals remember a time before Tubba Blubba?

I'd say they all go and live in the Creepy Steeple, but there's a positive surplus of ghosts there.

The great story of being gobbled and sitting in a stomach with dozens of other Boos. Even as a horror story, that might need work.

Ba dum tish.

I went all the way up to Tubba Blubba's Castle and had a poke around. I couldn't find any Clubbas, but apparently there is one in some room somewhere who's still asleep and missed the memo his friends were leaving.

Oh yeah, by the way, if you didn't pick Clubbas in the Bowser intermission we just did, there aren't any more to fight left in the game.

As I make my way back to Toad Town, here's my current Badge setup. There's a boss on the way home, and while Heart Finder is useless, I didn't have any 3 BP Badges to replace it with. In hindsight, there's one Badge I should have picked out...

...Now who could be terrified of that this far in?

...Points for persistence. As previously mentioned, this boss spawns as soon as you get the Super Boots. I'd definitely leave it for around now- we picked up something in Tubba Blubba's Castle that helps. I didn't bring it.

...With that said, I do have Bow out.

I just wanted the Bow version of this line.

Bombette: This little boy is filthy! What happened to him? Is he a lost child or something?

"Who is this sassy lost child?" is the theme of everyone else's.

Why can't it be both?

It's time for our third round with Jr. Troopa. And yes, this time, he's actually not the punchline.

You see, this is a better plan than hiding in his eggshell and hoping for the best.

It's Jr. Troopa. I can't get enough of this guy! Waa ha ha ha! Did the little guy get lost in the big, bad forest? Max HP: 40, Attack Power: 5, Defense Power: 1. Apparently he's grown wings, so he can fly now. You'll have to jump to reach him. He's a bit stronger, so it may be worth it to use any items you have to attack him.

Yeah, I brought Goombario for the Tattle. Jr. Troopa (Lv. 52) has over double the HP and Atk compared to Round 2, and being on wings has fixed his weakness from that battle. Pretty much every attack we had available at the time that could land any damage on Junior 2 was ground-based except Power Jump. Junior has learned our tricks and is prepared to counter them.

And just like last time, we've got new tricks that don't care.

...Now I look at the numbers, I don't think D-Down Pound is actually making up the numbers on Power Jump. He only has 1 Def, D-Down Pound is better on enemies with a bit more bulk to 'em.

Parakarry's here for Shell Shot. Goombario's only doing 2 damage on a bonk, you've gotta go for the mailman.

Jr. Troopa is also stinging on offense, and I need the extra shoring up of the Shroom Fry. We're approaching the point where it is outclassed healing anyway.

...And I don't even have the FP for Shell Shot. Oh well.

...I think this is a successful Sky Dive. He has Defence.

Zap Tap finishes the job.

...You know, that leaves Jr. Troopa next to us, rather than his usual spot. This just a cosmetic thing.

Although it does mean he is in shot for this.

He runs off after the battle, as opposed to his usual habit of remaining on the ground, injured, until a bit of plot progress.

You will be sent back to start if and only if you use an exit with no assigned room. The only one in the map with the Boo's Mansion exit is the one directly opposite. If you take a right and go to the FP Plus room, all exits other than the one you start in help.

At least he found his way to safety. Until the next time he picks a fight with us.

Back to Toad Town, sanctuary and... hey, that's not the Toad Town theme.

Fice T. would be happy to explain, but the game does properly portray his fear of ghosts and will have him shrink away in terror if you show him Lady Bow. Bow's resting sass face writes a thousand punchlines.

Shy Guys have invaded Toad Town! All my stuff is there!

Oh yeah, we had mail for Fice T.

Bootler wants to torment Fice T. some more. This has been going on for some time, if Bootler was terrorising him on the way to give a message for us.

I know ghosts live to scare and all that, but I think you might be going too far here, Mr Bootler.

Fice T. has steeled himself to stand tall against this threat, and gives us his shiny thing.

Shy Guys are enemies we'll fight later, but we'll see a lot of them in town, so might as well mention their history now. Shy Guys are the footsoldiers of Wart's army in Doki Doki Panic, and they are semi-recurring enemies in Mario's games after the fact. I don't think you'll ever find them in main platformers, but they are ubiquitous in the sports games and RPGs, as well as being the footsoldiers in the Yoshi's Island games. We have never seen them without their masks (although Luigi has), and where they are characterised, they are often depicted as being mischievous pranksters.

Oh, and by the way, the Shy Guys have done far worse than merely prank the people of Toad Town: they have actively disrupted the services provided. Many of the things we took for granted about visiting Toad Town have been taken away from us by the Shy Guys, and our progress through Chapter 4 will depend on us restoring our bustling hub town to normal. I love this as a concept for a chapter.

By the way, don't worry- the really essential stuff, like the Toad House and the store, can be recovered quickly.

And, of course, sufficiently angry Toads.

Practically everything you can think of up there has been disrupted somewhat.

They're also messing with K64, too.

You guys are pathetic.

This Toad hints at how you're supposed to progress: Find the Shy Guy's base.

These kids are just as annoyed at K64's dirsruption as any adult.

And just as aware of their helplessness. Although unlike the adult Toads, they expect this will change as they get older.

Of course, we also have mail for this kid.

...Well, he probably enjoys it more than Fice T. would. Although I hope it stays that way afterwards.

...Bootler, you are the worst.

The kids are hardly much better. This is going to end in tears, and I'm not 100% sure whose.

Mini T. volunteers a child from another village to lend a hand to Dane T. Don't worry, the Yoshi Kids would be fully on board with this idea. Less fortunately, their guardians may be even more strict.

We won't be doing this next chapter, but something to have.

It's playing on the train tracks. This ends less well for it than it does for the train.

...That is, assuming these guys are willing to run a Shy Guy off the rails quite literally.

"We tried nothing and we're all out of ideas." The motto of the Toads.

Once again, Bombette clears the path for K64. You're supposed to Hammer the Shy Guys, but Bombette is funnier.

WHOOO-WHOOOOOOO! Why is the train whistle so inherently fun to listen to?

At least we know for sure wishes aren't inherently denied. If "the trains run on time" cannot be granted without the power of the Stars, this Kingdom has bigger problems than even Bowser-without-Star-Rod.

He raises the question, but I have no answer. If the Shy Guys didn't invade, we'd be pretty hopeless to stop them, since we don't really have a way into their base otherwise.

Meanwhile, in the north, our second service disruption happens as soon as we enter the room.

Rowf will not be available until we progress through Chapter 4 somewhat.

...All of your products are sold at prices that are multiples of 25. I understand math isn't the most popular subject, but at that point, I feel like you had better career paths.

Can I interest you in an abacus?

Don't worry, this doesn't actually ruin the flowers at all. But it does prevent us turning in our new one

...Perhaps we shouldn't bomb this one.

Minh T.'s knight in shining armour.

Gottem!

I don't think this is necessary in any way. Since we can't finish Minh T. until after Chapter 4 is over anyway, it's not like she's providing any service other than taking our Miracle Seeds off our hands early. It's not like the Shy Guys stick around.

That sounds like something within your capacities. And hey, there'll be plenty of chances to chat along the way! Go for it, kiddo!

Anyway, have some more flowers.

Federal crimes.

At least he pretends his inability to do so is based on something other than sheer incompetence.

He's not stopping me from doing anything, I just find it funny that they're so insistent I check out the post office despite that being a very mechanically uninteresting building.

Oh no. Not the Shroom Grocery. Whatever will I do without Fright Jars.

A squad of scurrilous Shy Guys has beset Toad Town, leaving our fair citizens in a daze. The thefts are too numerous to name here, but suffice it to say residents are urged to guard their possessions. It's still unclear where the Shy Guys are hiding out. We'll post news as it breaks.

I can think of no news that belongs on this noticeboard more. Although how the Shy guys haven't sprayed over it yet is beyond me.

How many Koopa Troopas have been beaten up by Mario? It's shameful...
-An anonymous Koopa

All members of the Koopa Troop.

...I hope.

This'd sound less corny if the Shy Guys made appearances before now. Although I'm not sure how one would do that without compromising on how to handle barring access to Chapter 4 until the game is ready to send you there.

Another stolen item- there goes the Mailbag.

Don't worry, this isn't Parakarry's job. We will have to retrieve the mailbag, but the postmaster has other (better) mailmen to sort this out. However, we won't be able to read our Partner Mail until we retrieve the mailbag. I knew we should have taken it out of the post office...

The Toad House is available, but first we've got to get this guy out of it.

"Relaxing".

That doesn't seem to have caused any issues. Bombette is great.

Merlon will leave his house with something to say after getting the Super Boots.

Most players are going to encounter this behaviour in Chapter 4, and if it is, Merlon will comment on the Shy Guy invasion. It's not your concern until the Shy Guys spot your shiny thing.

Merlon has a quest for us. This isn't something you have to pursue- it's just more directions, and if you know what the directions are, you can do them without.

RPGs have a weird fondness for giving basic directions and having characters express complete confusion about what those directions mean. And I thought you were supposed to be the hint man.

The meaning is hilarious.

Only two Shy Guys over here? They don't seem interested in leaving town, but there are three interesting places past here...

Well, they haven't run back...

What peaceful pranks are they doing? I've never really seen the Shy Guys as cute. I dunno, maybe the whole mask thing is just that creepy.

Again, we get a reference to the idea that Shy Guys were ever anything other than their mischievous selves.

This game doesn't have any enemy Cheep-Cheeps, huh.

The most fiendish of all tricks- messing with the hint man. For a degree of hint.

Russ T. will not be giving us interesting secret hints. I'm afraid to tell you, if you think not possessing a dictionary will deprive you of "IQ points", your IQ may not be as high as you think it is.

This shop is now being controlled by the Shy Guys.

And we're not allowed to purchase from him! The horror! Well, I'm sure he's selling at a markup to the other customers and probably flouts laws about running a business here in Toad Town. If such laws were ever enforced.

Might as well start now.

Translation: The shop is returning to business as usual, no rewards or discounted prices of any kind.

Probably because you're not providing her anything of value to steal or mess with. Well, tangible value.

OK, that might be an appropriate reaction.

...That is... less so. ...Russ? Anything you want to tell us?

The Toad family has a unique solution to the issue: Nobody gets in or out.

His kids seem appreciative.

Meanwhile, at home:

I always think he is, but Luigi is not a runner. He is also far less of a precision runner- Luigi's most famous trait is his slippery shoes, and he skids around when he runs.

If you can catch the Shy Guy, he runs back home, using the pipe.

You already are, little bro.

What did you tell him, Mario!?

Anyway, checking up on the board. That is a lot more Star Pieces now that we have Chuck Quizmo Questions at hand, and we're almost halfway through the Badges.

Two letters for Mario, and the Shy Guys haven't got in here yet!

Hey, wanderer! I have heard many stories about your deeds. People speak very well of you. It comforts me to know that Bowser's creatures no longer loot the ancient ruins. Unfortunately, some relics are missing. This is a shame. I've heard that a Koopa was wandering around the ruins... That sounds very suspicious. You should be careful if you meet any suspicious types. Anyway, I must go! I look forward to hearing great tales of your adventures. Please drop by the village whenever you like. Anytime. It'd be our honor.
Moustafa

...Shifty eyes we're not welcome in Dry Dry Outpost.

How are you, dear boy? I've just finished my exhausting research of the ruins found by my unwavering efforts. Sadly, I did not find any treasures as valuable as I had hoped. I will press on, though, old chap! There are treasures hidden all over the world! I hear them calling my famous name, asking me to dig them up!

You found nothing, you British ponce. No, seriously, you left without having found the ruins we left out.

Anyway, there were music notes coming from down here last time, and we just got a "go down" button...

We have a basement!

...Mario, you are a horrible big brother.

Once again, my brother went on an exciting journey. Once again, he went alone. It's so unfair! I remember the carefree days when we played Golf and Tennis and had Parties. I remodeled the house and made a secret basement my brother has no idea! It's the perfect place to write in you, my secret diary.

So are the sports games supposed to be prequels? Tennis and Party were N64 games, although they had Golf games a little earlier than that.

I heard that a ghost appeared in Toad Town today. It was big, really big. And it had red eyes, a giant, gaping mouth and a mustache. .......... Because you're my secret diary, I'll tell you the truth: Yaaaah! I hate ghosts!! What will I do if it appears at night! Come back, Mario! I'm scared! Yikes! I can feel something behind me. Ahhh! I'm sure it's there, but I can't look back! No! No! Get away! I think I'll be safe if I don't freeze with fear. I'll just shut my eyes and take five steps back, and then I'll jump and dash into bed. Here I go!

Luigi, I'm sorry, you are going to hate next year. Luigi's Mansion kinda made Luigi the go-to guy for ghost-busting adventures in games where they had the freedom to make a choice on the subject. Despite this, Luigi has never lost his fear of ghosts- it's much less prominent today, but he's still ready for a good EEEEEEEYAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!

Anyway, we're done in the north, let's sneak west.

And yet losing his Dictionary is his problem. Maybe he still needs the help translating?

Russ T. probably isn't very secret about his frustrations. Kolorado just does not exist in a reality in which this concerns him.

Ooh! Twink! They found a way to make you meet him this time,

It was... not as hard as advertised.

I love the animation Mario gets here. He does this a few times, but this is the perfect timing.

So we need to go to a place that probably has all the Shy Guys who have stolen essential equipment anyway? Score!

Odds are it's in this direction, but what's in this direction?

Keep your chin up! If you have one.

The NPCs in this room are most actively considering where to look to find Shy Guy's Toy Box.

It's a house on this map... It shouldn't be too hard.

The kids are incorporating Shy Guys into their play.

They're also imagining losing.

At least they're having fun. And beats them losing against the real thing.

Harry's Shop has a different sort of disruption.

Harry's lost the key to the backroom!

This is actually a disruption to normal services. You cannot purchase, sell, check or claim any items with Harry. Shroom Grocery has the latter three services, if you don't feel like going to Koopa Village.

You are the greatest. Really. The best Toad jokes are when they make ridiculous excuses for their incompetence. SMRPG's iconic one is "because I left my bazooka at home".

Would you like me to stick that bulbous head in the dirt?

Not even trying to keep it a secret on that one. To be fair, the solution is very subtle and I could totally buy kids not figuring it out unless they know for certain that house has the solution.

That's certainly a plan.

Of all the reasons not to accept this plan, that's the one you go with? Well, it is certainly a good reason.

Best non-sequitir of all time. It is a valid approach, and the point of this line is that this is the plan you have to make to solve the puzzle of entering the Toy Box.

Do you not have a best friend who is a Boo that can turn the things she touches invisible?

And yes, these Toads have noticed their noisy neighbours.

And no one tried to sell it? I guess they just haven't had fun trying to figure out what was up with that noise.

I keep talking to this one second, although her dialogue is clearly written to be read first.

...Close enough.

Translation: "You went too far, go back to the last map.

I'm sure that won't be important. Fishmael isn't important, but two unique designs is a little much.

...Not from here, but if I go around...

Oh gods, I'm short-sighted now. Mario is probably looking right at it from this position in the real world.

...Moving?

Yep. That's definitely a marine animal. I suppose we'll be going for a swim next Chapter.

I suppose they can't see the white side on the bottom. I wouldn't think we could if we saw the same thing in a real port. Depends on what the water looks like.

And of course, this guy's been everywhere.

As most people do. Although for us, we wander around semi-randomly until we go to Boo's Mansion intentionally.

I think this is supposed to be Goompa and Koopa Koot. They have a lot of fun with these three, although I only really feel excited to see more about Goompa. Bootler's cool, I guess, but we're leaning into the vagueness around the life cycle of a Boo here, and thinking about that kinda takes the wind out of his sails.

...I think, with both of these lines together, we're supposed to think Bootler was enamoured with Bow's grandma. Let's go with that and pretend there are no other readings.

Apparently, Bow's grandparents have "moved on" at some point while this Toad was alive. Although you and Bow ought to have some words at fan-tip...

(They do not.)

In this particular instance, that's worked out in your favour, although I'm not sure I'm entirely appreciative of that at other times. Depends what Shy Guys have been getting up to.

That's not to say the Shy Guy invasion hasn't been bothering them, though- because it's bothering everyone else to change their patterns, those ripple effect down to them. They're not essential, so people will scratch it off the schedule to shore up their defences against the Shy Guys, but customers are essential to these guys.

Have you considered another idle animation? Maybe break out the guitar again for a spell.

Next time: The things that aren't Toad Town being in danger.