This article displays the characters from the Paper Mario series of video games, which consists of Paper Mario (video game), Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Super Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Origami King. Paper Mario featured "distinctive retro-style 2-D-looking paper-cutout characters",^[1] which GameAxis Unwired praised as "colorful".^[2]

These are the four playable characters from the Paper Mario series: Mario, Princess Peach, Bowser, and Luigi.^[3] Matt Casamassina of IGN notes the main characters are "all fun to play for different reasons" and that the ease of moving between playable characters "is a plus since there are some well-designed puzzles that require you to use two or more of the heroes to continue forward."^[4]

In his adventures, Mario is assisted by various partners.

• Goombario, the Goomba, takes his father's advice and accompanies Mario to save the Star Spirits. He is a big fan of Mario and even wears a blue hat similar to Mario's (his name is even a combination of Goomba and Mario). Goombario can use his tattle to find out where Mario is and tell him about the people they meet.

• Kooper, the Koopa Troopa, joins Mario's party to follow in the footsteps of his childhood hero, the archaeologist Kolorado. He can retreat into his shell and Mario can shoot him out short distances, allowing him to flip switches, grab items and attack enemies.

• Bombette, the Bob-omb, is an unwilling minion of the Koopa Bros.; when her temper got the better of her, she literally exploded on them, resulting in her being sent to the dungeon. She joins Mario to rebel against her captors. She can explode, allowing Mario to destroy cracked walls, destroy boulders, flip switches and attack enemies. She's one of the characters featured by Nintendo in their 2015 Women's History Month celebration.^[5]

• Parakarry is a Paratroopa mailman. Parakarry joins Mario's party after they help him recover the letters he's lost in Dry Dry Desert as well as other parts of the Mushroom Kingdom. He can carry Mario for a short amount of time, flying over gaps Mario cannot jump over.

• Lady Bow is a member of Boo royalty; she holds the Star Spirit Skolar as part of a bargain until Mario takes down the Boo-eating Tubba Blubba and save her subjects. She can makes Mario invisible from enemy attacks and not get attacked by an enemy.

• Watt is a baby electric spark. She was imprisoned in a lantern by the Big Lantern Ghost of Shy Guy's Toybox, and joins Mario after he frees her. Mario can hold her like a lantern to light up dark areas and allowing him to find invisible blocks and items.

• Sushie is a Cheep-Cheep and the babysitter of five Yoshi children on Lavalava Island. Her name is a pun on sushi. She joins Mario to find the missing Yoshis. After Mario reaches a dock, he can hop on Sushie and swim on the surface of water and dive.

• Lakilester, the Lakitu, introduces himself as "Michael", before settling on his nickname "Spike", then attacks. After he is defeated, his girlfriend asks Mario not to finish him. Lakilester then joins his party. Mario can hop on his cloud and hover over certain surfaces, such as spikes and lava, without getting hurt.

• Goombella is a student of archaeology.^[6] She was one of Prof. Frankly's students and she is the first to join Mario to find the Crystal Stars after he saves her from Lord Crump.

• Koops is a timid Koopa. He lives in Petal Meadows, which is being besieged by the dragon Hooktail. He joins Mario to save his town, avenge his father, and prove himself to his girlfriend, Koopie Koo.

• Madame Flurrie is a wind spirit and a former actress. She can attack enemies with powerful gusts.^[7]

• Yoshi is a baby Yoshi that the player can name in the game. Mario rescues his egg from a hotdog vendor in the Glitz Pit, and he follows Mario after he hatches. His colors vary depending on how long it takes for the egg to hatch.

• Vivian is the youngest of the Shadow Siren sisters. Vivian is constantly put down by her oldest sister, Beldam, and blamed for anything that goes wrong. Mario helps her recover her sisters' missing Superbobomb, although Vivian is unaware of who he is. When she discovers his true identity, she is at first hurt, but then joins him. Vivian is a male in the original Japanese version of the game.

• Admiral Bobbery is a Bob-Bomb sailor.^[6] Bobbery retired from the seas after his wife, Scarlette, died, blaming himself for her death. When Mario shows him an old letter written on Scarlette's deathbed, he once again sets out towards Keelhaul Key.

• Ms. Mowz is the only optional partner and has the ability to steal items.^[8] A Squeek mouse, she helps run the Lovely Howz of Badges; in actuality, she is a world-famous badge thief. When Mario completes her quest by finding the secret badge in Hooktail Castle, she joins the team.

In Super Paper Mario, Mario is assisted by digital fairy-like beings known as Pixls. These include Tippi,^[9] a main character, as well as others, including Thoreau, Boomer, Slim, Thudley, Carrie, Fleep, Cudge, Dottie, Barry, Dashell, Piccolo, and Tiptron.

• Twink is young Star Kid. At the beginning of Paper Mario, he is a newly risen Star Kid and is summoned by Peach when she wishes for help against Bowser.

• Goombario's Family: Goombario has a family that lives in Goomba village.

• Tayce T. is a female toad that lives in Toad Town.

• Professor Kolorado: Kolorado is a Koopa archaeologist from Koopa Village.

• Koopa Koot: An elder Koopa Troopa that lives in Koopa Village.

• Moustafa is a mouse who lives in Dry Dry Outpost.

• Bootler: A Boo butler and loyal servant of Lady Bow.

• Yoshi Kids: The Yoshi kids are the children of the Yoshi's of Lavalava Island.

• Raphael the Raven is the guardian of Lavalava Island and the Yoshis sometimes visit him for advice.

• Wise Wisterwood: The Wise Wisterwood is a talking tree that lives in Flower Fields.

• Lakilulu: Lakilester's girlfriend that he tries to impress. When Mario defeats Lakilester, Lakilulu begs for Mario to forgive him. After Lakilester joins Mario's group, Lakilulu promises to wait for his return.

The Star Spirits are a group of deity-like beings that reside in Star Haven in the heavens and watch over the Mushroom Kingdom, granting the wishes of the good people using the Star Rod. They also possess the power to neutralize the Star Rod's power should it fall into the wrong hands. In Paper Mario, Bowser stole the Star Rod and captured the Star Spirits,^[10] turning them into cards and placing his most powerful followers to guard them. These characters also appear in Mario Party 5.

• Toadsworth is Princess Peach's attendant.
• Professor Frankly is a Goomba professor and Goombella's archaeology teacher at the University of Goom.
• The Punis: The Punis are a species of small gray creatures that live in the Great Boggely Tree.

• Bestovius: A wizard living in Lineland, Bestovius gives Mario the power to flip into 3D to bypass various obstacles and partake of secrets that could not be seen in 2D. Also, he helps later on, with a side-quest to obtain Piccolo.

• Francis:A lizard that lives in the Bitlands. He kidnaps Tippi in chapter 3-1.

• Squirps

• Flint Cragley

• King Sammer

• Queen Jaydes

Queen of the Underwhere and Luvbi's mother.

• Luvbi

A Nimbi of the Overthere. She actually turned out to be the eighth Pure Heart disguised as a Nimbi, and sacrificed herself to help Mario save the universe.

• Nolrem

In the first three of the Paper Mario games, Mario and his friends are assisted by a character named Merlon, as well as his similarly named family.

• Jr. Troopa is a young Koopa Troopa.
• Kent C. Koopa is an enormous Koopa Troopa that used to live in Koopa Village.

Kammy Koopa is an old female Magikoopa, and head advisor to Bowser.

• Guardians of the Star Spirits: After Bowser and Kammy Koopa raided Star Haven, stole the Star Rod and captured the Star Spirits, Bowser placed several of his highest ranking and strongest minions in charge of guarding the Star Spirits all across the Mushroom Kingdom.
  • The Koopa Brothers: The Koopa Brothers are four Ninja Koopa brothers. They come in the colors of red, yellow, black and green.
  • Tutankoopa: Tutankoopa is a Koopa Pharaoh that Mario encountered in Dry Dry Ruins.
  • The "Invincible" Tubba Blubba: Tubba Blubba is a reluctant ally of Bowser.
  • General Guy: The General Guy is the general of the Shy Guy army.
  • Lava Piranha: The Lava Piranha is a giant species of Piranha plant that is able to survive in lava.
  • Master Huff N. Puff: Huff N. Puff is a giant cloud monster that commands Puffs and squads of Lakitus, including Lakilester before he decides to join Mario instead.
  • The Crystal King: The Crystal King is a monster made of crystal ice that took over the Crystal Palace in the Shiver Region.

• The X-Nauts: The X-Nauts are a group of Extraterrestrial beings that seek to conquer the world in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. They are lead by Sir Grodus and their headquarters is stationed on the moon.

• • Sir Grodus: The leader of the X-Nauts, the invading aliens who seek to conquer the world; he uses a potent mixture of magic and technology to achieve his dark desires.

• • Lord Crump: One of the higher-ranking X-Nauts (he is also known as X-Naut Black).

• • TEC: A highly-advanced computer created by the X-Nauts.

• The Shadow Queen was an ancient demon who was sealed for a thousand years.^[11]

• The Shadow Sirens: The Shadow Sirens are a trio of shadowy sisters that have allied themselves with the X-Nauts.

• • Beldam: The oldest of the three sisters, she resembles a stereotypical witch with a long nose and pointed hat. Her element is ice.
  • Marilyn: Beldam's younger sister, she is actually the strongest of the three, her element is electricity.

• The Dragon Siblings: During her reign, the Shadow Queen had three dragons as pets that spread terror throughout the world, they were Hooktail, Gloomtail and Bonetail.

Rawk Hawk a boss character, who is based on Hulk Hogan, that can be fought at the Glitz Pit.^[12]

Count Bleck: The presumed main antagonist of Super Paper Mario. He, by marrying Bowser and Peach to bring it into existence, tried to use the Chaos Heart to destroy the dimensions.^[9]

• Nastasia: Count Bleck's loyal assistant.

• Mimi: One of Count Bleck's minions that has the ability to shapeshift.

• O'Chunks: A former general who lost his world and army after being stabbed in the back by his adviser.

• Dimentio: The true villain of Super Paper Mario, Dimentio dresses like a jester but is actually a magic user.^[11]

• King Olly a creature given sentience by a Toad. He aimed to conquer all Toads due to a misunderstanding.^[11]

• "Super Paper Mario: Characters and History Interview," GameTrailers.com (Apr 16, 2007).

• Paper Mario
• Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
• Super Paper Mario