Beginners Guide!

Like many other RPGs, you walk around and talk to people, buy and sell items, and affect certain objects on the screen. Unlike most RPGs though, Mario retains his ability to jump around the world, allowing you to jump on counters, beds, and even people. This feature greatly enhances the number of ways in which you must interact with the world around you. Like other RPGs, there are many hidden items and tricks in the game. Some must be found by pressing the A button at the right locations, and other must be found by jumping at the right places.

Similarly, battles take place much like typical RPGs do, but with some twists. Your party can only have three characters in battle at a time. Though you may get more people added to your party, only three can engage in combat. Switching members of your party can be done at anytime other than in the middle of fights. Mario must always be the first member of your party. You will never be allowed to switch him out.

Combat proceeds in a turn taking fashion. Your options are as follows during a battle:

A: Attack - Once you press this button, you must select the enemy who you will be attacking with another press of the A button. Once you start your attack, you must watch your players animation carefully, and correctly time a third press of the button for extra damage. In addition to using the A button for added offensive power, you may use to A button for added defensive power. By timing the press of the A button at the right time the enemies attack won't do as much damage. Press the A button just before you character would ordinarily reel back from the hit.

B: Dodge or Run away - When you press the B button, you have a choice in Dodging the attack or Running away. If you choose to Dodge, your character will remain in a defensive position until his/her next turn. During that time, any attack to that character will cause only a fraction of the normal amount of damage that attack would cause. If you choose to Run Away, your character has a certain chance to get out of a fight. If one character runs away from a fight, all of your characters do.But you can't run during boss battles.

Y: Special - Pressing the Y button activates that particular character's Special menu. The character may select any highlighted spell with the Y button, and cast it at the enemies (or at your party, depending on the spell). Different spells require different amounts of flower points(FP), and different additional button presses to augment the affect of the spell.A window will appear to tell you what to do.It is important to note that your characters SHARE the flower points throughout the game.

X: Item - When you press the X button, your item selection menu will pop up. You select an item with the X button, and if the item requires you to select a friend or foe to use it on, you select that person with the X button as well. The item will then be used. On occasion, you might be granted with a freebie. After you defeat an enemy, there is a chance that a flower will pop out and give you a bonus. The bonus depends on what words appear when you catch the flower. The possibilities are:

HP Max - fills your HP completely

Attack up - Doubles your attack power

Defense up - Doubles your defense

Once again - Gives you another turn.

Lucky - Gives you a chance to double your earned Experience Points or Coins.