Chester Barber reviewed the Nintendo 64 version of the game for "Next Generation", rating it five stars out of five, and stated that "One of the best RPGs ever, and definitely the best RPG available for Nintendo 64. Even if you've only been buying games for newer systems, this is a must-buy." "GameSpot" named "Paper Mario" the best Nintendo 64 game of 2001. It was a runner-up for the publication's annual "Best Role-Playing Game" prize among console games, which went to "Final Fantasy X".