Paper Mario: The Origami King - Solving Riddles In Shroom City | Scorching Sandpaper Desert Walkthrough

Tragedy strikes Mario’s band of adventurers in Paper Mario: The Origami King. Before you can continue into the vast expanse of the Scorching Sandpaper Desert, you’ll need to cheer Olivia up. But the real puzzles await in the desert — you won’t get any specific instructions, just clues that (partially) explain what you need to do next. If you’re lost and confused, we’ve got all the info you need to progress.

There are multiple areas in the Scorching Sandpaper Desert — seven different sub-locations total. You’ll only have access to five at the start, but you’ll have a fancy Boot Car to speed around the dimly lit dunes. You’ll have to deal with strange altars and rituals to find a unique character that can read the ancient language marked on all the weird ruins. By the end of this section, you’ll unveil the Fire Vellumental Cave.

Paper Mario: The Origami King – Table Of Contents:

Green Streamer Region: Pt. 21: Visit All 5 Hot Springs | Shangri-Spa | Pt. 22: Cutting The Green Streamer | Bowser’s Castle

Peach’s Castle: Pt. 23: Defeat Ollie | Final Dungeon

Scorching Sandpaper Desert Walkthrough

Where To Find Olivia: Olivia ran away. You need to go get her — in the tunnel, go left to enter the Monty Mole village, then use the right door to reach a ramp leading to the top floor. Go behind the rocks on the left up top to reach the room where Olivia is crying.

Collectible Treasure: Important Box – In the Breezy Tunnel, go left into the Monty Mole village. On the far left, enter the room and knock down the log from the right ledge. Smash the back-wall rock, then jump in to find a hidden passage to this chest.

After talking to Olivia, exit out into the tunnel — the place is completely deserted now! Go back to the tunnel entrance, and you’ll find the pile of rocks from outside. Press [A] to check, and talk to Bobby’s ghost! He gives you a clue. You need to put a smile on Olivia’s face.

How To Cheer Up Olivia: Go back upstairs to Olivia and put on one of the masks — you know, the big masks! Wear the Goomba mask and you’ll cheer Olivia up.

Now we can enter the main tunnel and reach the exit doors. Smash all the rocks near the doors to generate a 1,000-Fold Arms magic circle, then use it with Olivia’s help.

Hidden Toad: Through the 1,000-Fold Arms door, find this toad under a boot-shaped car!

In the next room, pull the Hidden Toad free under the boot-shaped car and talk to him. Agree to his terms to gain a fancy Boot Car! You’ll gain the [Boot Whistle] which can summon your Boot Car at any time in the desert.

Hop into your vehicle and hold down [ZR] to gain some speed! When you’re moving fast enough, your vehicle will defeat any Folded Soldiers in your path. Outside, you’ll reach the Scorching Sandpaper Desert! But the sun is completely blotted out.

For now, there’s not a lot you can do. Ignore the white glowing spots and the strange altar.

Don’t miss Warp Pipe 3 near the altar!

For now, follow the yellow streamer to the strange tower. Inside, you’ll find a mysterious message you can’t read, and a missing eye slot you can’t fill. So much mystery! Go back down and follow the yellow streamer some more.

Before leaving, you can also find a Sensor Lab Branch Office on the left Scorching Desert wall, in the foreground.

In the smaller section of the Scorching Sandpaper Desert, called Scorching Sandpaper Minor, you’ll find the yellow streamer entering under the sand of a weird altar. There’s nothing you can do here, so drive right from the altar to discover a new place — Snifit City!

Hidden Toad: Disguised as a cactus on the path to Shroom City.

Quest: Find Clues In Shroom City

Welcome to Snif City — actually its called Shroom City, but the place has been taken over! Park your car, and go left to find an accessory shop selling improved Heart and Guard accessories. Your main goal is at the massive hotel in the back.

Hidden Toad: To the left of the stairs to the Royal Hotel, look on the rock wall for a hole. Hit it a few times to make this hidden toad pop out.
Hidden Toad: In the Shroom City music store, jump onto the record on the right and hit the origami toad on the right shelf.

Collectible Treasure: Bag of Confetti – In the music store, jump to the back-left corner and smash the debris to create a hole in the wall. Jump in to find this chest.

Hidden Toad: Behind the mirror pond, there are two planters. One of them has a yellow origami flower — hit the flower.
Hidden Toad: In the Royal Hotel, go to the right room and smash the crates in the foreground. The toad is stuck in the crate to the right.

Hidden Toad: In the pool area, jump into the left area (using the crate near the DJ booth) and smash the cracked crates. Use the 1,000-Fold Arms circle to close the valve, then talk to the Snifit riding the origami surfboard. Smack it with your hammer to reveal a toad!
- This toad will reward you with a MAX HP UP Heart +10.

Hidden Toad: In the lobby, hit the luggage cart with your hammer so it moves right and off this hidden toad.

Collectible Treasure: Ring Trainer – In the Royal Hotel, enter the left door from the lobby and go into the first hotel room.

Hidden Toad: Go right from the lobby front desk and use your hammer on the empty plant vase down the hall.

To find someone that can read ancient writing, go to the front desk of the Royal Hotel to gain Professor Toad’s room key. Go upstairs from the lobby and try the big room — it won’t work, so you’ll need to go to the first room through the right door instead. Inside the Professor’s room, read his journal to find your next location.

How To Find Professor Toad: He’s gone! But there’s a clue in his journal. Go talk to the Snifit at the Front Desk of the lobby to gain the [Sun Incense]. With the incense, return to the Scorching Sandpaper Desert, the area we first started in, and go to the strange Sun Altar. Place the [Sun Incense] on the pot and Mario will get swept up in a massive sandstorm!

How To Beat Paper Macho Pokey: Use your Boot Car to avoid attacks and wait for it to slam itself on the ground. Then boost with [ZR] into the bottom section! Destroy all the sections to win. Make sure to only hit the very bottom of each segment! For the final hit, get off your car and hit the weak spot with your hammer.

For defeating the Pokey, you’ll rescue Professor Toad. After a quick discussion, Professor Toad will join you and translate any ancient text.

NOTE: Press [Down] and Professor Toad will dig up shining spots.

Quest: Discover Fire Vellumental Cave

With Professor Toad on your team, return to the second floor of the Royal Hotel in Shroom City. Read all the murals and you’ll get a clue to find the Fire Vellumental — and the clue points toward the locked hotel room on the second floor of the Royal Hotel.

How To Get Into The Royal Hotel Suite: A green guy with a mustache is staying in the hotel room we need. To find Luigi, exit the Royal Hotel and travel left from the entrance. Talk to the stall vendor with the giant lamp — and play his game for 100 coins.

If you lose it’s Game Over! I won by selected ‘Snickering Snif” every turn. After paying out 1,000 coins to play again, I chose ‘Snickering Snif‘ again and managed to win. The Snifit will retreat and generate a 1,000-Fold Arms magic circle. Use it to free Luigi from the lamp. Luigi is carrying the [Suite Key]! Use it to access the Hotel Suite in the Royal Hotel.

Collectible Treasure: Desert Tower – Located in the Royal Hotel Suite on the second floor.

Once you get inside the Royal Hotel Suite, reach the mural and Olivia will learn the dance! Now travel back to the Scorching Sandpaper Desert and perform the ritual where there are six statues — near where you placed the incense. Hit the statues so all six are facing inward and a special altar will appear.