These are the fights that will make or break you... or, perhaps, crumple you up and throw you away. Some of these bosses are tough, but this guide will get you past them. Below you'll find every boss listed in order of earliest possible appearance, along with their HP, attack power, defense, and a comprehensive strategy on how to defeat them.

Bowser

Location: Peach's Castle

HP: NA
Attack: 1
Defense: 0

Your first battle in Paper Mario is very important, because if you can defeat Bowser the rest of the game will be very different, and seen by very few. Ok ok, so you can't actually beat Bowser. For the first few turns, Mario and Bowser will exchange one-point blows; your only choice is to Jump on him, this battle is so rigged. Then Bowser will whip out his Star Wand, make himself invincible to your attacks, and start causing major damage. Finally, he'll knock you out with his fire breath and blast Mario out of the window with his thunderbolt attack. Don't worry, Mario will survive... and this is the only battle in the game you're not supposed to win.

Jr. Troopa

Location: Jr. Troopa's Playground

HP: 5
Attack: 1
Defense: 0

This battle is nearly as rigged as your last one, but this time you can actually win. Simply attack Jr. Troopa until he's knocked out. It doesn't matter whether you Jump or Hammer, as both will cause 1 HP. When Jr. Troopa gets weak he'll pull out all the stops and cause an amazing 2 HP. Hit him once more to finish him off.

Red Goomba and Blue Goomba

Location: Goomba Road

Red Goomba
HP: 7
Attack: 1
Defense: 0

Blue Goomba
HP: 6
Attack: 1
Defense: 0

Don't let your first unguided boss battle spook you, these miscolored Goombas are no problem. Attack Blue Goomba first, since he has slightly less HP than his red companion. If you're wearing the Power Jump Badge, you'll be able to knock him out real fast. Go after Red Goomba next, and just keep pounding away. If you get weak you can use a Mushroom, but you shouldn't need one if you went into battle at full health and keep attacking.

Goomba King with Red Goomba and Blue Goomba

Location: Goomba Road

Goomba King
HP: 10
Attack: 1
Defense: 0

Red Goomba
HP: 2
Attack: 1
Defense: 0

Blue Goomba
HP: 2
Attack: 1
Defense: 0

Red and Blue Goomba are still weak from their last encounter with you, so finish them off (for real this time) so that they don't hang around and cause damage. You can start off the battle by having Mario Hammer the Goomnut Tree to the left of Goomba King, which will drop Goomnuts on all your opponents and knock out those two pests in the back. Goomba King will be able to cause 1 HP more than usual by hitting a tree nearby Mario, but both of these tree-hitting techniques only work once. After you defeat Red and Blue Goomba, go after Goomba King with everything you've got. If you're wearing the Power Jump Badge, use it. Goomba King should be dead in no time.

Magikoopa

Location: Shooting Star Summit

HP: 8
Attack: 3
Defense: 0

This guy is a pushover, especially if you have the action command down, and especially if you're wearing the Power Jump Badge. Just attack him with your best moves, as this is more an exercise with the action command than anything else. If you end up needing to use an item, you need more practice.

Chan

Location: Toad Town
Optional: If you defeat Chan, you will earn the First-Degree Card and be allowed to fight Lee. You may challenge Chan as late into the game as you wish, but the first time you can try is after returning from Shooting Star Summit.

HP: 15
Attack: 2
Defense: 2

Despite the fact that his HP is probably as high as yours, Chan is a pushover. Use a Jump-like attack to flip him over and cancel out his defense. He will stand up at the end of the round, but he'll have missed his chance to attack. Just keep knocking him over and having your partner attack until he is defeated. You should be able to handle this battle as soon as you return from Shooting Star Summit. Goombario is the best party member to use, even if you have others, since his Headbonk can flip Chan and set up a stronger attack from Mario.

Lee

Location: Toad Town
Optional: If you defeat Lee, you will earn the Second-Degree Card and be allowed to fight The Master. You may challenge Lee as late into the game as you wish.

HP: 20
Attack: 5?
Defense: 0?

Lee will change his form to gain the appearance, and the Abilities, of your partner. When he does this, his attack and defense stats change to match those of the character he copied. For example, if he copies a non-leveled up Goombario, he'll have an attack power of 1 and a defense power of 0. Sometimes he'll change back to his true form and have the stats listed above. This battle is more difficult than the last, but you should be able to handle it right after Shooting Star Summit if you are wearing the Power Jump Badge or are willing to use a healing item. If you're not feeling so brave, you can wait until you've earned Kooper, as you'll be able to flip Lee over like a Koopa Troopa (or Chan) when he copies your turtle friend.

The Master

Location: Toad Town
Optional: If you defeat The Master, you will earn the Third-Degree Card and be allowed to fight The Master a second time. You may challenge The Master as late into the game as you wish.

HP: 50
Attack: 6
Defense: 0

The Master won't pull any tricks, but he is very strong. You will need to cause him 50 damage before his 6 HP attacks get the better of you. I seriously doubt that you'll be able to beat him right after Shooting Star Summit. Although it is tough, you may be able to take him after defeating the Koopa Bros. Use Bombette, and have a Super Mushroom or two on hand. Have Bombette use Bomb, and have Mario use a combination of Refresh and Focus to keep the party's HP and FP up. Remember to use some healing items when Refresh isn't ready or won't cut it. Keep it up and The Master should fall. You can probably defeat The Master without items after beating Tutankoopa.

Despite my skepticism, Lemmy's Evil Counterpart has offered the following strategy for defeating The Master for the first time immediately following your trip to Shooting Star Summit:

Required items:
Super Shroom from Goomba Road (Key Item)
Shooting Star from the Goomba Town veranda
Exactly 8 Mushrooms
Power Jump Badge (Key Badge)
Close Call Badge (Optional)
No extra BP, at least 20 HP and 10FP

Start off by using the Shooting Star, and then a Headbonk. If you only have 20 HP you'll need precise guarding. Use a Power Jump and Headbonk. He should be down to 36 HP. Use a Super Shroom and Headbonk. At this point, heal immediately after being harmed. After all Shrooms are used, he should have 18 HP. Power Jump and Headbonk until you win.

The Master (2)

Location: Toad Town
Optional: If you defeat The Master, you will earn the Fourth-Degree Card and be allowed to fight The Master a third time. You may challenge The Master as late into the game as you wish.

HP: 75
Attack: 8
Defense: 0

Tough fight, even late in the game. In addition to his 8 HP attack, The Master also has a two part attack that causes lots of damage. Both of his attacks are difficult to block, making things even harder for Mario and the party. Believe it or not, it is possible to beat The Master as early as right after defeating the Koopa Bros., if you have the right items. Use Bombette, and have three Volt Shrooms (alternatively, wear the Zap Tap Badge), three Super Mushrooms, and all the Maple Syrups you can have by then (two). It would also help to be wearing the HP and FP Plus Badges. Have Bombette use Bomb, and Mario open up by using a Volt Shroom. This will cause The Master to take 1 HP every time he attacks, and it will completely prevent the second part of his two part attack. For the rest of the battle, Mario should use Refresh/Focus, stopping only to use items when Refresh won't save him, or to use another Volt Shroom when the previous one wares off. It will be a long battle that may take a few tries, but it can be done.

If you don't want to use items, you may be able to beat The Master after defeating General Guy. Same strategy applies, only you won't need to use Volt Shrooms.

The Master (3)

Location: Toad Town
Optional: If you defeat The Master, you will earn the Diploma and be able to prove to the world that you are the strongest fighter around. You may challenge The Master as late into the game as you wish.

HP: 99
Attack: 10
Defense: 1

This is it, the final fight against The Master. Do you have what it takes to defeat him? If you can, you may be ready to take on Bowser himself. Can you believe that it is possible to defeat The Master as early as right after Tutankoopa? It is possible, if you come into battle prepared just so. You should be wearing the Zap Tap Badge, carrying three or more Dried Fruit, at least one Whacka's Bump, and a Maple Syrup/Nutty Cake or two. Use either Bombette or Parakarry, whichever one you've leveled up. Other useful Badges include HP Plus, FP Plus, Damage Dodge, and Flower Saver, but none of these are as important as the Zap Tap Badge.

In battle, have Mario Hammer and Parakarry Shell Shot/Bombette Bomb. Mario should use Refresh as soon as he is lacking 5 HP and 5 FP, but don't waste turns using Focus. If you ever have less than 10 HP, you'll need to use Refresh or a healing item. Use the Dried Fruit first, saving Whacka's Bump for when you're low on both HP and FP. The Zap Tap Badge will cause The Master to hurt himself every time he attacks, and will completely fry the second and third parts of his three-part attack. Keep yourself alive with the items while continuing to attack, and The Master will eventually fall. Congratulations, you truly deserve the Diploma if you can beat The Master this early.

When can you beat The Master without using all these items? You may not be able to do it until you're about to set off for Bowser's Castle. Can The Master be defeated before Tutankoopa? Maybe... a strong maybe. If you try to battle him too early, you won't have Dried Fruit and Whacka's Bump, only Super Mushroom. If you load yourself up with Super Mushrooms and Nutty Cakes, you may have a chance as early as right after the Koopa Bros., but remember that you'll have a weaker Hammer and less HP, as well as less helpful items and one less unit of Star Energy.

Fuzzies

Location: Koopa Village

HP: 3 (each)
Attack: 1
Defense: 0

The Fuzzies before you are just like the ones you have already seen, except that you're against four at once. Use Kooper's Power Shell to nearly kill the whole lot of them. Other than that, the only thing to remember is that you can block their attack by pressing A right as the attacking Fuzzy is about to pull away after their second kiss. Even if you don't block their attacks, you shouldn't have a problem in this battle unless you went into it with low HP, as the battle shouldn't take more than three rounds.

Koopa Troopa and two Bob-ombs

Location: Koopa Bros. Fortress

Koopa Troopa

HP: 4
Attack: 1
Defense: 1

Bob-ombs

HP: 3 (each)
Attack: 1
Defense: 0

I'm ashamed to even call this a mini-boss battle. The battle with the Koopa Troopa holding the second Key was harder than this, by one Bob-omb, but hey, the mini-boss music is playing. I really don't have anything to say, as you should quit the game immediately if you can't beat these guys, especially if you used the Heart Box in the prison cell.

Bill Blasters with Bullet Bills

Location: Koopa Bros. Fortress

Bill Blasters (all three)

HP: 4
Attack: 0
Defense: 1

Bullet Bills (all that appear)

HP: 2
Attack: 2
Defense: 0

The Bill Blasters will never attack you directly, instead shooting out a Bullet Bill every other turn. Each Bullet Bill will self-destruct the following round unless already defeated, so you must defeat the Bullet Bills quickly. Try to kill at least one Bill Blaster as quickly as possible, because you cannot defeat three Bullet Bills in one round without using an item or FP. Bombette is the best in this battle because she can destroy a Bill Blaster with her Bomb Ability if you press A fast enough to reach the end of the bar.

After you defeat one Bill Blaster you can take your time, destroying the Bullet Bills when they appear and attacking the Bill Blasters when they rest. If the Bullet Bills are still dropping Star Points and you're up for a long battle, you can earn an instant level up right here. Simply defeat the Bullet Bills again and again, but don't attack the two remaining Bill Blasters. Eventually you'll rack up 100 Star Points, the most you can get in one battle, and then you can take out the Bill Blasters and officially earn your level up.

Bowser??? alongside Koopa Bros.

Location: Koopa Bros. Fortress

Bowser???

HP: 10
Attack: 1
Defense: 1

The Koopa Bros. think they're so clever, disguising themselves as Bowser. This is obviously the technique they showed off for Bowser earlier. You should have no trouble destroying this guy, especially if you press A just before his hand hits Mario's head, and even more so if you have Bombette in and use her Bomb technique. However, you may wish to use Kooper instead because he is more helpful in the second part of this battle. Don't use Goombario as he won't be able to cause any damage. Make short work of this guy so you can take on the Koopa Bros.

Ninjakoopa Green, Yellow, Black, Red

HP: 5 (each)
Attack: 1x
Defense: 1

The Koopa Bros. (aka Ninjakoopas) are little more than regular Koopa Troopas. They each have 1 HP more than usual, and they can stack up for a special attack that does 1 HP for each Ninjakoopa in the stack. To knock over the stack, either have Mario Hammer the stack and then have your partner attack it, or knock the stack down in one move by using Bombette's Bomb. I prefer the two-attack method so that I can then use Kooper's Power Shell to cause 2 HP to each of the flipped Koopa Bros., since the stack will tumble over and the Koopa Bros. will land on their backs.

Like a regular Koopa Troopa, the Koopa Bros. will each remain on their back for one full round, then stand up, so that they miss attacking twice. On their next attack, all of the remaining Koopa Bros. will stack up once more and attack together, but by then you should have killed a Koopa Bros. and be down to three. Repeat knocking over the stack (note that the Koopa Bros. cannot be damaged while they are stacked up), and continue your attack. When one Koopa Bros. is left, his attack will look as if he is stacked up, but you can still damage him just like a regular Koopa Troopa. You shouldn't have too much trouble here.

Jr. Troopa

Location: Pleasant Path

HP: 15
Attack: 2
Defense: 1

Well, he did promise you'd see him again. He's still a wimp though, but at least this battle is a tiny bit harder than the first. I suppose you could lose. Still, this fight should go quick if you use Bombette and keep Bombing, and it should go even quicker if Mario is also wearing the Power Jump Badge. Just don't use Goombario, because Jr. Troopa's defense power will block his Headbonk. Knock this loser out of your way.

Blooper

Location: Toad Town Tunnels
Optional: Defeating Blooper allows you to collect the Shrink Stomp Badge.

HP: 30
Attack: 3
Defense: 0

This battle can be tricky because Blooper is flying (somehow), limiting the attacks available to you. If Parakarry is in your party, he can make quick work of Blooper by using Shell Shot. Otherwise, you'll need to use Goombario because Kooper and Bombette will be of no use at all. Mario should be wearing the Power Jump Badge so that he can use powerful Jump attacks. Keep Power Jumping and Headbonking/Shell Shooting (depending on who your partner is) and Blooper will become fried calimari (luckily, Tayce T. can't make this dish).

Buzzar

Location: Mt. Rugged
Optional: Tell Buzzar you're Luigi and she'll leave you alone. However, she will stop you every time you try to cross her bridge. Worth good Star Points.

HP: 40
Attack: 3
Defense: 0

This can be a pretty tough fight. In fact, I think this feathered freak is harder than Tutankoopa. If your partner isn't Parakarry, you're using the wrong partner, plain and simple, as Shell Shot is the strongest attack you can use at this point. Keep using it until you run out of FP, and then continue using it if you can. As for Mario, he should spend time using Refresh and Focus in order to keep the party's FP up. If he does attack, just use a simple Jump. Watch out for Buzzar's grab move. You need to press A really fast to escape, as if you were trying to run from battle, and if you don't make it you'll lose 4 HP. Buzzar is also the first enemy who can hurt your partner, so watch out for that; you can block damage to your partner the same way as you block damage to Mario, though it's difficult to block damage to both characters at the same time because the timing can be complicated. Just keep the Shell Shots coming and the buzzard will fall soon enough.

Oops! I made a mistake! It turns out that Buzzar is not the first boss who can hurt your partner. That distinction goes to Goomba King, who can hurt your partner by attacking the tree one turn. Buzzar's a bit more dangerous, though. Thanks to Gold Yoshi for bringing this to my attention!

Electro Blooper

Location: Toad Town Tunnels
Optional: Although the prize for winning is three very useful warp pipes and access to two Super Blocks, a Star Piece, and some other items, you don't have to battle this guy. You just really, really, really should.

HP: 50
Attack: 4
Defense: 0

Think this battle is listed out of order? Believe me, it's not. This guide lists bosses in order of their earliest possible appearance, and you can fight Electro Blooper between finding the Super Hammer and defeating Tutankoopa if you walk back to Toad Town. I don't know why you would, but hey, to each their own.

Just like the last Blooper, this battle can be tricky unless you use Parakarry. As long as you do, you should have no problem. Just keep using Shell Shot, and keep your FP up because it's very important to be able to attack with Shell Shot when Electro Blooper electrocutes himself. If you don't, you'll take damage when you attack him, and his attack power will increase to 6. Basically, keep Electro Blooper grounded and he'll end up shocking himself to death.

Stone Chomps

Location: Dry Dry Ruins (three times)

HP: 4 (each)
Attack: 3
Defense: 1

While the Stone Chomps are stronger than the average baddy, they're not much of a mini-boss, although battling all three sets may begin to take its toll on your stats if you don't heal in between. Use Bombette to destroy the first Stone Chomp. Two Hammerings should be more than enough to take out the second. Then you win! Now you just have to do it another two times. Incidentally, the first set of Stone Chomps is the only boss battle (mini or otherwise) in which you can earn a First Strike. If you get the First Strike by Hammering, you could win the battle without taking any damage.

Tutankoopa with Chomp

Location: Dry Dry Ruins

Tutankoopa

HP: 30
Attack: 3
Defense: 0

Chomp (all that appear)

HP: 4
Attack: 3
Defense: 3

Aw man, this guy is a wimp! His physical attack is throwing a shell at you. It's fairly difficult to block, but he can only do this three times before he runs out of amo. He has a magic attack that causes rocks to fall on you and your partner, causing 2 HP to each. This is a dangerous attack, but it can be blocked (to immunity if you're wearing the Damage Dodge Badge), and sometimes the rocks will fall on Tutankoopa instead. Tutankoopa's third move sees him call a Chomp into the room, but he can only do this when there's not already a Chomp present.

Now, how to beat him. Although Tutankoopa's not exactly flying, he's not on the ground either, so you should use Parakarry and his Shell Shot. Just keep using Shell Shot, and have Mario use Refresh to keep the party's FP up. When a Chomp appears, have Parakarry Shell Shot it and have Mario finish it with a Hammering... or, at least it will be finished if Parakarry received a level up, and if you used the action commands properly. Tutankoopa's attacks are not especially powerful, and his HP is even lower than Buzzar's, so as long as you keep Chomp out of the picture you shouldn't have a problem dethroning this deranged pharoah wannabe.

Hey, did you notice that the little Chomp on Tutankoopa's headpiece moves on its own? Freaky.

Jr. Troopa

Location: Forever Forest

HP: 40
Attack: 5
Defense: 1

Although you do not need to fight Jr. Troopa until after defeating Tubba Blubba, you'll see him earlier if you try to head back through Forever Forest after Bow joins you. This guy is so stupid, he doesn't even know his own name, as he refers to himself as Jr. Koopa. Well, either he's stupid or he stuttered. Either way, just have Mario Jump and use Parakarry for Shell Shot. There's nothing special about this battle, just use the strongest moves available to you, and heal if you need to. Jr. Troopa is a wimp after all.

Tubba's Heart

Location: Gusty Gulch

HP: 50
Attack: 6
Defense: 0

I hate the fact that Tubba's Heart looks a lot like the romance heart, which is nothing like how a real heart looks. Ah well. Tubba's Heart might almost be hard, except that he wastes a lot of turns powering up and then using a powerful attack. This would be dangerous except that Bow can block its effects by using Outta Sight. Bow is clearly the party member to use in this battle, as Goombario says while Tattling; Tubba's Heart even has a special, heartfelt message for her. As long as you have Bow use Outta Sight you shouldn't need to have Mario do anything special, as Tubba's Heart ought to be done for speedy quick. In fact, he won't even hang around to take the full 50 HP, as he usually runs away a little before that. Sad, isn't it?

Tubba Blubba

Location: Gusty Gulch

HP: 10
Attack: 4
Defense: 0

I haven't seen a boss fight this pathetic since the prison guards in Koopa Bros. Fortress. Not-Invincible Tubba Blubba is a complete wimp who may be able to cause a whole 6 HP if you don't kill him in one round. It is possible to do so if Mario is wearing the Power Plus Badge. Just to make things fun, I like to wear the Zap Tap Badge and have Tubba kill himself, heh heh. If you find yourself weak after Tubba's Heart runs away, use a healing item between battles... or just use the Power Plus.

Anti Guy

Location: Shy Guy's Toy Box
Optional: Defeating Anti Guy will enable you to pick up a Power Plus Badge. You can also get past him by giving him a Lemon Candy, but you don't get Star Points for that.

HP: 50
Attack: 10
Defense: 0

Now this guy is serious, but the battle is worth it because you'll definitely want to wear the Power Plus Badge he's guarding. You can beat him two ways, the easy way or the hard way. The easy way is to come into battle with an inventory full of Super Shrooms or better. Keep using them and your partner (Bow) should be able to defeat Anti Guy before you run out. The hard way is to use the Sleep Stomp Badge to (hopefully) put Anti Guy asleep, as many times as is needed. Bow can help out by using Outta Sight to buy Mario more time in case Anti Guy doesn't fall asleep right away. Sometimes he'll refuse to sleep, but this method ought to work most of the time. I would strongly advise hitting the Save Box at the beginning of the area, though.

Big Lanturn Ghost

Location: Shy Guy's Toy Box

HP: 40
Attack: 5
Defense: 0

Ah, c'mon! You can't have an adjective in your name! Hmph. This is an interesting battle because Big Lanturn Ghost will try to hide in the dark where you can't attack him. To make things bright, you'll need to hit the lamp he's holding at least twice. Mario can do it with his Jump, but it's hard to see when you need to press A again for the second jump. Bow can hit it (up to five times) much more easily, and she's still the strongest party member without using FP. When the lights are on, just attack Big Lanturn Ghost with whatever you've got. In addition to his regular attack, when it's bright he can also use a light attack that hurts both party members. Watch out for this. Use Bow to light the lamp when Big Lanturn Ghost blows it out, and the fight should be over soon enough.

General Guy and his Army

Location: Shy Guy's Toy Box

This battle is fought in four parts, detailed below.

Shy Squad

HP: 15
Attack: 1
Defense: 0

The Shy Squad is actually a group of fifteen weak Shy Guys who gang up on Mario. This would be a tough fight if they were regular Shy Guys, but they each only have 1 HP and an attack rating of 1. Each HP of damage done to the Squad will knock out one of the Shy Guys. On their turn, each Shy Guy in the group will try to cause you 1 HP. You can try to block each of the nearly simultaneous attacks, but the easiest thing to do is just wear the Defense Plus Badge, since it will cancel out their attack altogether.

Stilt Guy

HP: 7 (each)
Attack: 4
Defense: 0

Essentially, Stilt Guys are regular Shy Guys who can cause more damage than usual because of the pointy sticks stuck to their feet. Although their attack is powerful, you can kill each one in one round if Mario is wearing both Power Plus Badges. Bombette's Bomb can turn them into regular Shy Guys, but there's no reason to use that if you're wearing the right Badges.

Shy Stack

HP: 10 (each)
Attack: 4
Defense: 0

These guys are a bit more tricky, but not much. Mario could knock off the Shy Guys in the stack individually by using the Spin Smash Badge, decreasing the rest of the Stack's attack power by 1, but again there is not much reason to do that because Mario should be able to kill a Stack in one round with help from your partner.

General Guy

HP: 30
Attack: 4
Defense: 2

Oh, woo woo, the big brave general is fighting you in a toy tank. Better run for the hills (with Fice T). In the previous three parts of this battle, it didn't make much difference who you used as your active party member, but against General Guy Watt is clearly the best choice as Electro Dash breaks through the tank's defense. Most of the time General Guy will throw bombs, but he can also use a more powerful lightning attack that hurts your party member as well. To disable this, attack the lightbulb behind General Guy. Mario and Watt ought to be able to destroy it in one round. As for General Guy, there's not much to do but keep attacking him and healing as needed. You may have some trouble if you can't block his bombs, but they don't move towards you very quickly. This isn't that hard a fight.

Fuzzipede

Location: Toad Town

HP: 20
Attack: 3
Defense: 0

You must use Watt in this battle so that you can see Fuzzipede, otherwise you can't attack him but he can attack you. If Fuzzipede had more HP this would actually be a tough battle because he spends most of his time on the ceiling where Mario's regular attacks can't reach him. Still, with only 20 HP, Watt should be able to kill him in a few turns. If you want Mario to help out, equip him with the Hammer Throw or Quake Hammer Badges, or just use Star Storm. As long as you keep Watt in you shouldn't have a problem.

Jr. Troopa

Location: Toad Town

HP: 20
Attack: 6
Defense: 1

Although you may not end up battling Jr. Troopa until after besting Lava Piranha, you can do so any time after Sushie joins you if you head back to Toad Town. After foolishly swimming the ocean twice instead of flying, Jr. Troopa starts the battle with 20 HP instead of 40, but hey, that Toad who said he'd eat a Fuzzy if anyone could swim to Lavalava Island now has to do so. It's actually pretty clever of Jr. Troopa to fly and put a spike on his head, as this cancels out both of Mario's attacks, but he doesn't have the HP to back his defensive position. Watt is a good choice to use, or maybe Parakarry for Shell Shot (Jr. Troopa is a fairly small target for a boss, though). If you want Mario to help out, have him wear the Spike Shield Badge or use Star Storm. Just stay alive long enough for your partner to finish the job and Jr. Troopa will be sent off to reconsider his strategy.

Super Blooper and Blooper Babies

Location: Toad Town Tunnels

Super Blooper

HP: 70
Attack: 5
Defense: 0

Blooper Babies (all that appear)

HP: 6
Attack: 2
Defense: 0

Although you must start the battle with Sushie as your partner, I suggest you change to Bow because she can help you avoid Super Blooper's charged up attack, which will take off 10 HP if it hits. In addition to that and his regular attack, Super Blooper can also call in two Blooper Babies to help him out. They're annoying, so I usually have Mario use Star Storm to take them out and cause decent damage to the parent. Super Blooper has a lot of HP but he's not all that strong. If you happen to be wearing the two Power Plus Badges and the All or Nothing Badge, you can make this battle even easier.

Putrid Piranhas

Location: Jade Jungle

HP: 12 (each)
Attack: 3
Defense: 0

If you have trouble in this battle, you need to do a lot of training before going to Mt. Lavalava as Putrid Piranha is a common enemy there. If Mario is wearing the two Power Plus Badges and the All or Nothing Badge, and if your partner is Bow, you should be able to kill each Piranha in one round. Even if you don't have those Badges, it shouldn't take more than two rounds a piece. Watch out for their poison breath, it won't do Mario any good. Other than their ability to poison, they don't have any tricks or interesting weaknesses. Just get after them.

Putrid Piranhas and W. Magikoopa

Location: Jade Jungle

Putrid Piranhas (all three)

HP: 12
Attack: 3
Defense: 0

W. Magikoopa

HP: 11
Attack: 3
Defense: 0

This battle is only a little harder than your last fight against the Putrid Piranhas. W. Magikoopa and his healing ability may make things interesting, so take him out first. Once you do that, just do whatever got you through the last battle with the Piranhas. Again, nothing special, just stay alive.

Lava Piranha with Lava Buds and Petite Piranhas

Location: Mt. Lavalava

Lava Piranha

HP: 40
Attack: 5
Defense: 0

Lava Buds (both)

HP: 8 (buds)
Attack: 4
Defense: 0

Petite Piranhas (all that appear)

HP: 1
Attack: 6
Defense: 0

Tricky battle, unless you go about it right. It would be a smart idea to have the Ice Power and Fire Shield Badges on, as is having Sushie fight alongside you. Have Sushie use Belly Flop against Lava Piranha and have Mario use two Star Storms, then Jumps (against Lava Piranha, who will be the only enemy left fighting). When Lava Piranha runs out of HP, your enemies will be seemingly defeated, but will instead rise back out of the lava for round two with their HP refilled.

Now's the time for Sushie to shine. Have her use Tidal Wave to put out Lava Piranha and the Buds. Since the fire seems to be fueling their second round of attack, they won't be able to move for a few turns, allowing you to recover your power and use physical attacks. Continue having Sushie use water attacks and Mario use Jumps when Lava Piranha is not on fire and you'll soon be saving that Star Spirit. If you use this method, your biggest concern is keeping your FP up, as Tidal Wave is an expensive move.

If you don't have Tidal Wave or are up for a challenge, the battle will pretty much come down to what Badges you're wearing. The first half of the battle will be pretty easy, but round two will be tough because Lava Piranha and the Buds' attacks will be stronger than before. In addition, the Buds will be able to create Petite Piranhas, which can cause up to 6 damage each the following turn if they're still alive. Since the Buds seem to create Petites at the same time, that's a lot of hurtage the following round. You'll want to wear the Ice Power, Fire Shield, FP Plus, Deep Focus, and Power Plus Badges. Use Parakarry's Shell Shot against Lava Piranha; ignore the Buds because they won't die until Lava Piranha does. When the Buds release some Petites, use Air Raid or Star Storm. Mario should spend most of his time using Focus when he's not using Star Storm or Refresh. Have a strong item on hand just in case, or you might find yourself getting burned.

Kent C. Koopa

Location: Pleasant Path
Optional: This battle is not required, but if you don't defeat Kent C. you'll have to suffer to see Kolorado in Toad Town for the rest of the game.

HP: 70
Attack: 10
Defense: 6

Kent C. is one tough customer! If it weren't for his one weakness, I might even consider him harder than Bowser. Fortunately, his weakness is a doozy. You see, Kent loves to sleep... and sleep... and sleep. Go into battle armed with the Sleep Stomp Badge, and use it until he falls asleep. If you don't have it, you'll need to use Lullaby, but it's not as effective. Once Kent C. is snoozing you can hit him with whatever you've got. Just make sure you can put him back to sleep when he wakes up again.

If you don't want to put Kent to sleep, good luck! You'd better use Watt (in either case) since she's the only party member who can cause damage as a result of Electro Dash ignoring defense. Wear the D-Down Jump or D-Down Pound Badges so that Mario can cut through Kent's defense too. It doesn't matter which he uses, because even if Kent is flipped over he'll get up and attack when it's his turn. You'll also need to be wearing the two Power Plus and the All or Nothing Badges (always a good idea anyway), and be stocked up with powerful healing items. If you can defeat Kent without putting him to sleep, you probably won't need to use this guide anymore as the rest of the game should seem pretty easy.

Lakitus and Spinies

Location: Flower Fields

Lakitu (both)

HP: 12
Attack: 3
Defense: 0

Spiny (all that appear)

HP: 5
Attack: 4
Defense: 0

You already know Spiny, and if you're wearing the Defense Plus and Damage Dodge Badges you won't need to take any damage from them (or the Lakitus either, for that matter). None of the attacks in this battle are hard to block. Use Watt as he's the best against Spiny. Go after the Lakitus first so they don't create an army of Spinies. You've seen much harder than this so you shouldn't have much trouble.

Spike?

Location: Flower Fields

HP: 50
Attack: 4
Defense: 0

This loser, who has difficulty remembering his own name despite yelling at everyone else who forgets, is also a wimp. His attack is only a little bit more difficult to block than the other Lakitus you met. His HP is a lot higher, but you can stomp him into the ground. Use whichever party member can cause the most damage (probably Bow or Goombario) and show him no mercy. Then you get to do what it is you do to enemies you've defeated. Kill him!

Lakitus and Y. Magikoopa with Spinies

Location: Flower Fields

Lakitu (both)

HP: 12
Attack: 3
Defense: 0

Y. Magikoopa

HP: 11
Attack: 3
Defense: 0

Spiny (all that appear)

HP: 5
Attack: 4
Defense: 0

This battle should be no big deal as you've definitely met the Lakitus and Spinies by now, and probably met Y. Magikoopa. Take out the Magikoopa first before he can make things difficult by electrifying your enemies. If he does pull his trick, just don't attack the electrified enemy; the electricity will wear off in a few rounds. Other than that, do whatever worked against the two Lakitus you fought earlier. Piece of cake.

Huff N. Puff with Tuff Puffs

Location: Flower Fields

Huff N. Puff

HP: 60
Attack: 5
Defense: 0

Tuff Puff (all that appear)

HP: 1
Attack: 2
Defense: 0

This can be one of the hardest boss fights if you don't plan your strategy just right. When you attack Huff N. Puff, the damage you cause him will be translated into an equal number of Tuff Puffs. Tuff Puffs attack you, and Huff N. Puff can recover his HP by absorbing the Tuff Puffs. To knock off Huff N. Puff's HP permanantly you'll need to cause more than 10 damage before he absorbs Tuff Puffs, or attack the Tuff Puffs directly.

Lakilester is the best partner to use because he can attack all the Tuff Puffs with Spiny Surge, and his regular attack is more powerful than Parakarry's, who could also attack all the Tuff Puffs. However, you may want to wear the Quick Change Badge because Huff N. Puff's charged-up attack does massive damage and Lakilester's Cloud Nine (which you won't even have unless you gave him the benefit of a Super Block) may not block it; best to go with Bow and Outta Sight, the sure thing.

As long as you use Lakilester to take out the Tuff Puffs and protect yourself from Huff N. Puff's charged-up attack, you shouldn't have much trouble. If you don't take out the Tuff Puffs it could get to be a very long battle, but I suppose it's possible if you're carrying lots of healing items with you. If you want to make this battle really easy, go down to Toad Town Tunnels after getting Lakilester and pick up a pair of Ultra Boots, and wear the Power Plus and All or Nothing Badges.

Jr. Troopa

Location: Shiver Snowfield

HP: 50
Attack: 8
Defense: 1

Oh wow, this time Jr. Troopa has... a stick. Well, to be honest, it's a fairly powerful attack, but nothing you can't handle. Simply use your strongest party member and attacks and you should be able to weather the magic storm. As per usual, Jr. Troopa doesn't do anything unusual, so you just have to stay alive until you're able to freeze his plans... and his body.

Monstar

Location: Shiver Snowfield

HP: 20
Attack: 1
Defense: 0

This fight is a joke. Monstar's attack looks cool but it only causes 1 HP. If you take more than two rounds to knock him out, you're in serious need of improvement. Just bash away! I understand the Star Kids want to protect their village, but they really shouldn't have bothered. They're pathetic weaklings, just like nearly everyone else in this game.

Duplighosts (all that appear)

Location: Shiver Snowfield, Crystal Palace (up to three times), Bowser's Castle

HP: 15
Attack: 4?
Defense: 0?

The number of Duplighosts you'll face depends on where you meet them, but the strategy is no different. You can win the battle based on what party member you use because the Duplighosts will copy him or her. If you want to really shame the Duplighosts, use Bow and wear the Defense Plus Badge; you'll be immune when they transform. Whatever you do, don't use Watt as you'll have trouble attacking her but not vice versa. Other than that, Duplighosts are like any other enemy, just with slightly higher HP. Take 'em out!

White Clubba(s) and ? Magikoopa

Location: Crystal Palace (three times)

White Clubba (between one and three)

HP: 12
Attack: 5
Defense: 0

? Magikoopa

HP: 11
Attack: 3
Defense: 0

You will fight three mini-boss battles in the same room of Crystal Palace. The first battle pits you against one White Clubba and a colored Magikoopa, the other two battles add a White Clubba each. The strategy is the same for all three battles. Use Bow or Goombario as your partner, whichever is stronger, and go after the Magikoopa first before he can do something nasty. As for the White Clubbas, just block their attacks and knock them out. Mario can take one by himself if he's wearing the two Power Plus Badges and the All or Nothing Badge.

Crystal King with Crystal Bits

Location: Crystal Palace

Crystal King

HP: 70
Attack: 6
Defense: 2

Crystal Bit (all that appear)

HP: 1
Attack: 0
Defense: 0

This can be a tough fight, or you can make it very easy, your choice. First, about Crystal King. His immediate attack is to blow ice at you; this attack is dangerous as it can freeze you if you don't block. Crystal King can also create some Crystal Bits (he starts the battle with three), then spit them at you to cause 4 HP for each Bit in play. When Crystal King gets weak he can create two copies of himself and use an attack that does 8 HP. He won't revert back to normal until you hit the true Crystal King; the other images are transparent. Finally, Crystal King can extend his life by healing 20 HP whenever he wants.

Now that you know what you're up against, I'll tell you what to do about it. If you wish to go about it the hard way, you'll definitely want to use Watt because she can break through Crystal King's defense. Mario should be wearing lots of offensive Badges, such as Power Plus, All or Nothing, and D-Down Jump, maybe even P-Up, D-Down. Quick Change wouldn't be a bad idea either so you can jump between Watt, Kooper for his Fire Shell (especially when Crystal King copies himself), and Parakarry, Lakilester, or Bombette to take out all the Crystal Bits. Block Crystal King's ice attack as if your life depended on it, as it very well might. Remember that you have the Star Power Smooch, and hopefully some powerful healing items as well. It's going to be a long battle.

Now for the easy way. It seems that Crystal King can be easily confused, not surprising since his palace is awfully confusing on its own. Equip Mario with the Dizzy Stomp Badge and keep Crystal King off-balance. If you're using this technique you should use Kooper as your partner and have him use Dizzy Shell in case Dizzy Stomp doesn't work. With a little luck and some strong attacks, it is possible to keep Crystal King dizzy from start to finish. I should know, since I played the game several times through without ever knowing what Crystal King's attacks are.

(Thanks to Ckday for correcting Crystal Bit's HP.)

Koopatrols and Magikoopa

Location: Bowser's Castle

Koopatrol (all three)

HP: 8
Attack: 4
Defense: 3

Magikoopa

HP: 11
Attack: 6
Defense: 0

You already know Koopatrol. Magikoopa is a strong rehash of all the colored Magikoopas you met in Crystal Palace or earlier. He can use any of their spells, plus a new one which creates a copy of himself. When Magikoopa splits, you'll need to guess which of the two Magikoopa images is real and attack it. The fake Magikoopa will disappear when you hit the real one. Knock out the Magikoopa first so he can't cause you any trouble, then go after Koopatrol like you have before. I suggest you start the battle with Watt because she won't care about Koopatrol's defense, but be ready to switch to Bow in case the Koopatrols charge up their attack. This fight is probably easier than some of the regular battles awaiting you in the castle.

Anti Guys

Location: Bowser's Castle
Optional: You can skip this battle by solving the second Guard Door's puzzle.

HP: 50 (all three)
Attack: 10
Defense: 0

Ouch. This is one tough battle. There's no way you can take the Anti Guys head on because they can cause up to 36 HP each round and it will take you several turns to knock out even one of the three. Use Watt for Mega Shock; if it works the Anti Guys will be out of commission for a few turns. Otherwise, have Mario use Lullaby. Most of the time one of these two moves will work, though Mega Shock will buy you more time than Lullaby. Mario can also use Smooch, Refresh, and maybe an occassional Star Storm. Since you'll be using a lot of Star Energy, you may want to wear some of your Deep Focus Badges. Basically, use Watt to paralyze the Anti Guys for as much of the battle as possible, then have Watt attack, and have Mario use Star Power to keep himself alive. Try not to use too many items or you won't have any left for Bowser. If you do use items, you may want to head back to the shop at the start of the second floor to pick up some more. Repel Gel works great when Mega Shock fails if you have one you don't mind wasting. Good luck!

Jr. Troopa

Location: Bowser's Castle

HP: 60
Attack: 8
Defense: 2

At last, the final showdown against Jr. Troopa. He'll rotate through all of his previous abilities, so I suggest you wear the Spike Shield Badge so you can attack him easily when he puts a spike on his head. D-Down Jump may also be a good choice because of Jr. Troopa's high defense, as is using Watt for the same reason. If you're prepared for the battle you shouldn't have much trouble despite Jr. Troopa's high stats. Defeat him and walk away the undisputed champion!

Bowser

Location: Peach's Castle

HP: 50
Attack: 8
Defense: 1

At last, your rematch with Bowser! This time you have a chance, just make sure you use Star Beam when he makes himself invincible with the Star Rod. Bowser has a wide variety of attacks, including a poison move, a move that could take away one of Mario's commands, and a move that attacks both Mario and his party member, but his strongest attack does 8 HP. If Mario is wearing Power Plus, All or Nothing, and D-Down Jump, and is assisted by Watt, you should have no problem knocking out the king... or so you think.

Bowser assisted by Kammy Koopa (final boss)

Location: Peach's Castle

Bowser

HP: 99
Attack: 10
Defense: 2

Kammy Koopa

HP: 10
Attack: 4
Defense: 1

The final fight! Bowser uses the same kind of attacks now as he did a few minutes ago, only now they're a bit stronger. His strongest offensive move causes 10 HP, but his most dangerous move is recovering 30 HP, since it will take you a few turns to work that off him. Once again you should use Power Plus, All or Nothing, D-Down Jump, and Watt. When Bowser makes himself invincible you'll need to use Star Beam, only to find out that this time, Bowser is truly invincible. Try to cause as much damage as you can in the first two or three turns as after them you'll be healed but Bowser won't be.

When Star Beam fails the battle will switch over to Peach and Twink vs Kammy Koopa. This part of the battle is rigged; you have no choice. You'll end up learning that wishes make stars more powerful, and Twink will fly off to help the Star Spirits while Peach makes a great big wish. The result is that Star Beam will become Peach Beam. Use it on Bowser and his invincibility will be shattered yet again. From here on to the end, the battle will continue uninterrupted. Basically just do what you did against Bowser last time, keeping in mind that you'll need to stay alive for about twice as long. Having Life Shrooms and Jelly Ultra would be nice, but then again I have gotten through the battle without using any items at all. One way or another, you can get Bowser down to 0 HP. Defeat him to take back the Star Rod and beat the game!
 

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