Summary
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Doorgives other turn-based battle systems a run for their money. The challenges level up seamlessly as your party does, with increasingly clever enemies with more defense and varied attack styles. The fourth wall is also right there; every battle takes place on a literal stage where a happy audience can power you up even more. You can meet these challenges because the game also provides an additional special feature: Badges.
Badges can be found all over the map and provide all kinds of boosts and benefits. They can also be used to make the game more difficult if that’s something you look for. If you want to truly level up your fighting game, there are certain badges that you will want to find as soon as possible.
Updated on July 28, 2025, by Kyle Chamaillard:With the recent arrival of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door on the Nintendo Switch, we’ve decided to revisit this list to include even more essential badges you might want to add to your collection.
Required BP
4
This badge protects Mario from almost all status ailments, excluding poison and dizziness. It can be vital to prevent you from losing turns in battle, and it even has a secondary version labeled with a “P” that you’re able to put on your partner so they stay in the action, too.
Where To Get It
However, both the main badge and the partner badge can only be found while exploring the X-Naut Fortress in Chapter Seven, which is very close to the end of the game. It won’t be helpful for any enemies you encounter beforehand.
2
Damage Dodge is one of the first badges you’ll discover in the game as you head toward Thousand-Year Door’s second chapter. While equipped, it will reduce the damage Mario takes by one when he successfully blocks an attack. This badge is incredibly handy in most situations, but especially against hard-hitting bosses like Rawk Hawk.
As you head toward Boggly Woods, you’ll notice the badge sitting on a platform in the corner of the room where Punio reveals a secret door that leads you to Chapter Two. When you first walk into the door, head left instead of right to discover a hidden path that will lead you toward the Damage Dodge badge.
1
Ice Power is a very nice defensive badge. It allows Mario to safely jump on enemies that are on fire. If the badge isn’t equipped and Mario jumps on a fiery foe, he takes damage instead, so it’s definitely helpful.
You won’t encounter fire enemies until you arrive at Keelhaul Key in Chapter Five, which happens to be where you find the badge, so at least the game provides a solution. Fire enemies appear in many of the later chapters, too.
Special Moves are unique abilities Mario gains over time and can have incredible effects in battle. But they need to be fueled by star power first, and the only way to get star power is by getting the in-game audience on your side. Super Appeal is a great way to get more star power whenever Mario uses the Appeal action to the crowd.
The badge can be purchased from the badge shop in Rogueport, and there’s a version for your partner, too.
3
Spike Shield makes Mario immune to spike-based defenses so that he can jump on them without taking damage. Spiked enemies increase in number quickly in this game, so having this badge can really make the game move smoothly.
You can find Spike Shield in the Rogueport Sewers, though you will need to complete at least Chapter Three before you can access it. The alternative is to just use your partners’ abilities to deal with spiked enemies, but that can take more time.
Pit of 100 Trials
Zap Tap punishes any enemy in battle who tries to touch Mario by shocking them with electricity for one point of damage. This includes regular attacks, leeching attacks, and thievery by Bandits. It also makes Mario immune to electric damage when jumping on electrified enemies.
Where To Find It
To find the badge, you will need to go to the Pit of Trials in the Rogueport Sewers and reach the thirtieth floor. It’s a bit of a slog, but prepare well before going in, and you will reap the benefits.
7
Switch out partners without using a turn when this badge is equipped. It can be an absolute game-changer. Anyone who’s played the game already knows the stress of switching out your partner only to realize that they are stuck in front, taking the big hits from the enemy and dying immediately because that ended your turn.
Quick Change can be picked up from a character named Dazzle in the Rogueport Sewers if you trade in eight star pieces. Star pieces are found all over the world, so be on the lookout to get this badge.
2 (Each)
There is a series of badges that regenerate HP or FP (flower points) each turn in battle. When healing items are scarce and save boxes even more so, they can make all the difference. This is especially true for the Happy Flower badge because FP is the currency used to activate your party’s special attacks and abilities.
The entire collection is Happy Heart, Happy Flower, and Happy Heart P for your partner. All of them can be found at Dazzle’s shop or even stolen from enemies in battle. You can also find a free Happy Heart badge in Petal Meadows after you recruit Koops to your team.
When you want Mario to attack with a hammer against multiple enemies, Quake Hammer is the badge you look for. Not only does it hit all enemies on the ground, but it also hits any enemies on the ceiling, which does happen and can be very annoying to manage if you don’t have any moves with that kind of reach.
The badge is easily found in several places: the Boggly Woods, in the hands of enemies like the Cleft, or at Pianta Parlor. The easiest way to earn the Badge is to pick it up from the Badge Box outside Madame Flurrie’s house.
Never waste a turn again on Goombella’s Tattle ability when Peekaboo is equipped. This badge allows you to see an enemy’s HP without having to switch Goombella in, using Tattle, and then waiting another turn to switch her out to another partner with more appropriate skills. Peekaboo can even show the HP of some shield abilities enemies have.
Go to Dazzle in the Rogueport Sewers to buy the badge for seven star pieces.
