Every Friday, join the discussion as we present a question to the community and provide a quick analysis and our very own answer! Respond with your own answer and share all your thoughts in the comments! Who knows, we might just feature your comment in our next post!

Welcome to our very first Question of the Week! Since this is the first post, I’ll go ahead and explain some of the details that will play out in this new weekly segment. I’ll ask a question and leave a my own personal response, then it’s off to comments where everyone can share their answers and opinions! Topics will stick with the Super Mario series, but questions will range from much broader concepts to very specific issues and problems. Feel free to ask any more questions on the new segment along with your answer to the question! And with that, this week’s question is…

What did you think of the Forest section in Paper Mario: Sticker Star?

I’ll start by saying that I enjoyed Sticker Star quite a bit, probably more than the average player. Complaints towards the lack of a story and the absence of unique characters were all valid, but I still managed to enjoy what the game had to offer despite its shortcomings. I had fun with the gameplay and I thought it was fresh take on the typical Paper Mario style, and I also enjoyed the visual effects, as well as the greater presence of actual paper.

The Forest section definitely stands out as a very different part of the overall game. Unlike the desert and snow areas, the Forest is by far the longest in the game, and it even has you backtracking through past levels. I never took issue with the length. Each level featured something different and my interest was always kept. The addition of places like Outlook Point and Stump Glade helped bring a change in scenery and atmosphere, helping the Forest from becoming tedious. My only complaint comes when some of the level progression becomes unfair. For instance, to get through Tree Branch Trail, you have to walk behind a seemingly normal bush to find the exit. There is next to no indication that the bush is not part of the background. When I have to rely on pure luck to progress, that’s when things become problems.

So what do you think about the Forest? Was it too much? Too boring? Too unfair? I’m going to try and reply to some of your comments, so be on the lookout for my response!