Paper Mario: Color Splash is the sequel to Paper Mario: Sticker Star for the Nintendo 3DS, and while it definitely shows, it is widely considered to be far superior than its lackluster predecessor.
Current issues with Multi-core Recompiler (often used by Auto,) will result in performance issues. Please use Single-core Recompiler until this has been resolved in a future update.
To change your Recompiler option, right-click the game in Cemu and open the GameProfile option. Ensure you set this to Single-core Recompiler, not Single-core Interpreter. Please remember you set this option as the game may have this issue resolved in the future, meaning Multi-core could become both better performing and more stable.
The frame rate no longer stutters with Multi-core recompiler (post 1.22.11) but graphical stutter is an issue in some versions after this, so Single-core recompiler is still advised (the stutter is fixed by the "Improved Performance" graphic pack).
Using the Megaphone Thing in battle crashes the game
Using the Megaphone Thing in battle crashes the game, so try to avoid using it.
Green fog on character renderings
Should only affect OpenGL users; there is also a workaround fix via the graphic pack "Green Tinted Characters".
Black Paint Corridor is not visible on Bowser Castle
In the last level, there is a black paint flooding on a corridor that is not shown on neither OpenGL nor Vulkan. While this make it hard to judge where you can go on the corridor, the game can be progressed normally.
Walking slowly
In the level "Sunset Express", you need to walk slowly to hit a Shunned Guy. Keyboards do not detect levels of pressure, so a controller with an analog stick is needed to complete the level.
Alternatively you can use the program Joy2key or something else in order to map a key to a specific analogue threshold, then map it in Cemu; pretty finicky at best.
Black artifacts when using the Paint Hammer
Using the Paint Hammer may make black artifacts briefly appear when using the OpenGL renderer. This usually only happens on the first usage of the Paint Hammer since game launch or level entry. Does not affect the Vulkan renderer.
Menu flickering and z-fighting
Menu options will sometimes flicker horizontally. Additionally, z-fighting can be seen on the top left corner between the page icons and the bar linking them together. These issues are most visible during page switching transitions. They can be seen in the Prisma Museum menu as well as the Wringer shop menu.
Sprites not rendering during Cutout sequences
When using Cutout, after the cut area is removed, sprites won't render. The sequence can still be completed, but you won't be able to see the flag or where you are during them.
There is a workaround fix via the graphic pack "Invisible Characters in Cutout Mode". However there are overlapping issues and it does not look as intended.
Older Issues that have been Resolved
Sound bugs
Very rarely the background music will become a scratching noise throughout the entire game. Reboot the game to resolve this.
As of Cemu 1.26.0, this issue is fixed.
Gray Blur
On the level "Kiwano Temple", there is a section where you need to escape rising lava. The screen blurs at this point, making it nearly impossible to complete.
As of Cemu 1.25.0, this bug has been fixed
Paint Hammer Usage Freeze
As of 1.22.4, when trying to use your paint hammer in any place, the game will freeze, however, the music will continue playing. This also applies to what Mario will try and paint on the title screen. The game can still be navigated, but without a save file you will get stuck at having to paint toad after the first enemy battle.
As of Cemu 1.22.5, this freeze has been fixed
Crash after intro video
Crash at the end of the intro video. To avoid this, go into {GameFolder}\content\movie and delete or rename the video there.
As of Cemu 1.15.4, this issue is fixed.
Visual glitches
Characters do not draw properly when facing stage right. Colorless spots cannot be displayed properly.
As of Cemu 1.12.2, this issue is fixed.
Configuration
Current issues with Multi-core Recompiler (often used with Auto,) will result in performance issues. Please use Single-core Recompiler until this has been resolved in a future update. (Mostly fixed from 1.22.12 onward)
Use the Vulkan renderer to avoid black artifacts when using the Paint Hammer and green tinted characters.
Use the "Invisible Characters in Cutout Mode" graphic pack to fix the eponymous issue.
Game is playable, albeit with mild to heavy visual glitches, until the first fight with the three Shy Guys, which is impossible to get through because the battle system uses the Wii U Gamepad's touchscreen, and Cemu does not yet have a Gamepad display.
Plays with small to medium visual glitches. Press tab to view the gamepad screen, and click on the screen to use the touch screen. You can also enable off TV mode and press CTRL+Tab to permanently switch to the gamepad so that you don't have to keep switching.
The game is somewhat playable, although there are some visual glitches, such as Paper Mario and the toads appear to be silhouettes, Princess Peach appears to be yellow and surrounded by a black border, and Huey appears to be invisible in paper form. The hammer Paper Mario uses and the shy guys are also silhouettes. Every time the game loads an object, it freezes until it successfully loads it. The biggest downside is that when encountering a battle, the battle appears black, which would be harder to attack.
The game runs with some loading times. The textures in map are blue but when you go left no render and in the game loads good but no render left. Toads dont render good when are up. The intro video dont render, only audio and a green screen. Please fix bugs :)
Intro video doesn't work. Long loading times. Smashing colourless spots doesn't look good graphics wise and more graphical glitches, not rendered textures on npcs. I've also had a few freezes when in a somewhat larger area and smashing paint all over the place.
Recompiler is now loading the game after the introduction video and the game is playable. Background music is scrambled and some 2D drawing issues with the character)
Screechy background music and blank characters when facing right. I found that the background music can be disabled if you can make the content\sound\stream\BGM*.aac files zero length. Zero length BGM files - REMEMBER TO BACKUP THE ORIGINAL FILES.
Playable- with the glitches noted about character appearance and various other graphics glitches Audio is not an issue. Will crash without the removal of the intro video.
Rarely it has graphical glitches and background music stuttering. Never crashed (not even after the Yellow Big Paint Star). Used: 30 fps lock, removed the intro video, shaderCache and the accurateShaderMul was set to min.
A lot of issues were fixed by using the 30 FPS lock (s.a. battle cards not falling to the ground, Draggadon moving too fast etc.), although it crashed at the battle with Lemmy at the circus. Disabling the 30 fps lock fixed that problem. The game rarely froze and crashed, has rarely graphical glitches (usually in the battle and cutout cutscenes) and audio stuttering.
Crashes when using the megaphone Thing, which is needed to progress through the game. Also, the BGM scratching noise issue sometimes reoccurs after a battle.
I don't have the problem with using the megaphone thing. Random crashs happens rarely (level "Sunset Express", in a battle). Crashes while Mario fighting Larry in the train at the end of this level (after the first wave of sbires). BGM scratching noise issue very rarely occurs after a battle. Crash when Lemmy summoning a piranha plant at the circus.
Crashes when using the megaphone Thing, which is needed to progress through the game. Also, the BGM scratching noise issue sometimes reoccurs after a battle. Some graphical glitches during the main menu. And sometimes there are graphical glitches during the Thing squeezing scenes.
Infinite loading when trying to enter the second scene in the level "Marmalade Valley". Problem has appear from cemu 1.14. Last good version to pass that point is 1.13.2c. Using 30 FPS lock is needed to pass the next room (the eathquake scene), otherwise Mario will be stuck on the ground. Crashes while Mario fighting Larry in the train.
Random crash while fighting Larry in the train (happening most of the times). Infinite loading when trying to enter the second scene in the level "Marmalade Valley", even after the level has been accomplished (you can pass this scene with cemu 1.13.2 with 30 FPS lock). Crash when Lemmy is summoning a piranha plant at the circus (happening 100% of the times). Note : it is possible to beat Lemmy with a workaround : you will have to down him to 50% on the first wave, so he will never summons a piranha plant. On the first turn use a maxi double jump, kill the first hammer bro, and hit the second, but let him alive. On the second turn, use 4x maxi double jump. The first maxi jump will kill the 2nd hammer bro, the 7 remaining maxi jumps are enough to lower Lemmy to 50% hp. The second phase does not crash.
Used two different versions and 30fps lock to play through the game. I've used the 1.13.2d and 1.15.2d. To avoid crashing while being in the Indigo Underground using the 1.13.2d CEMU version. To avoid crashing while fighting against Larry on the Sunset Express use the 1.15.2d OR NEWER version WITHOUT the 30fps lock! To avoid crashing while fighting against Lemmy I used the 1.13.2d version also WITHOUT the 30fps lock! BGM scratching noise issue sometimes reappears... To reduce the probability of the sound issue's reappearing use the 30fps lock. Furthermore I've noticed the reappearing of the sound issue can be simply reproduced by putting in a false card after cutting out a piece of landscape... Maybe this knowledge can be help to completely fix the issue(s)... After all I have to say that the game is fully playable if you know what you have to do to avoid crashes... So maybe the emulation state should be changed from 'Runs' to 'Playable´'
Loading second scene in level "Mamelade Valley" has been fixed. However, the game is still crashing when Lemmy is summoning a Piranha plant (see my workaround above).
Finally runs without hiccups and DOESN'T CRASH ANYMORE! The train is beatable without workarounds. I am using OpenGL, with all other default settings. This game does take a huge chunk of CPU performance.
The bug happening while fighting Lemmy has been fixed. I have not tested the whole game with that version but if there's no regressions, this game now runs perfectly.
Using the megaphone Thing in battle crashes the game, otherwise I have had no issues before that other than Cutout causing a crash on Vulkan, then I switched to OpenGL. I used Vulkan up until Cherry Lake, then switched to OpenGL.
The Cutout fix "Invisible Characters" is still necessary, "green tint" fix is not necessary if using Vulkan. On this version the last remaining sound bug that appeared randomly after battles is now fixed. Game is fully playable and enjoyable
The Cutout fix graphics pack is still required, there is still audio scratching, for me it occurred on my second time booting up the game, about 2 hours in, and after a cutout sequence. The megaphone thing still crashes the game. The game is very playable, but there are still major issues. Tested with OpenGL
Very rare scratching audio and Single-core Recompiler is still required for performance, don't have time to verify the rest of the claims on the wiki. Needs further testing.
Played through entire game using Vulkan and on exclusive tablet mode (to make battles easier than having to switch between screens, "Settings" --> "Enable Off-TV Play" + "Basic + Buttons". PS5 controller was used with DS4Windows with controller pad as virtual mouse to function for cutout sequences). Was able to finish game but did notice a couple of previously identified glitches, most notably was the wave of black water in the final area being not visible (see "Black Paint Corridor is not visible on Bowser Castle") and "Menu flickering and z-fighting" when visiting "The Wringer". The odd crash occurred (maybe twice) during 35 hours of play. Other than that, everything seemed fine.
Played the entire game through Vulkan with two monitors and played with the PS4 controller and the mouse (for the gamepad). noticeable issues were that the fluid are rendered above the game and causing graphical issues on overlays (HUD, Textboxes, Introducing a character, etc.) Sometimes the game renders sprites that aren't suppose to be there. (example: Mario's walking animation being hitting the hammer sprite).
Cemu built from Git master (commit 9812a47) using gcc 14.1.1, with PKGBUILD from AUR. Dependencies included as submodules are NOT used during build and instead the binaries from the official Arch repositories and archlinuxcn/AUR are used, sole exception being imgui. Playable. Can clear whole game with keyboard in conjunction of a pair of Joy-Con (dkms-hid-nintendo, joycond, SDLController) for the Sunset Express sequence. Use Vulkan renderer with async shader compilation, and Single-core recompiler. Besides 'Black Paint Corridor is not visible on Bowser Castle' and 'Sprites not rendering during Cutout sequences', many other non-fundamental issues seem to be resolved. Notably, using the Megaphone Thing during battle does not lead to crash in this environment.
Playable