Nintendo has built a number of formidable video game mascots over the years, but Mario has definitely been their stand out hero. Mario occupies all sorts of franchises and takes on different forms, but thePaper Mariotitles mark a cute and creative turn for the video game character.
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Paper Mariogames have been around since theNintendo64 and has been able to incorporate new mechanics over the years.Paper Mario: The Origami Kingmarks the firstSwitchentry in the series and it’s a positive step forwards. Accordingly, here are 5 things we loved aboutPaper Mario: The Origami Kingand 5 things we don’t.
10Loved: Cutscenes And Art Design
ThePaper Mariofranchise has attempted to inject creativity into each new release with a radical new transformative concept that affects Mario and his world.The Origami Kingincorporates a stunning use of origami and paper folding that conjures the same kind of magic that’s seen in games likeYoshi’s Wooly WorldorKirby’s Epic Yarn.
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Every cutscene in the game is a delight for this reason and the transformation of classic Mario villains into Paper Macho Soldiers are all really entertaining and a good use of the new design.
9Don’t Love: The Easy Difficulty
ThePaper Mariogames have been on a slippery slope when it comes to a decrease in the difficulty level. Admittedly, these games feel like they’re supposed to appeal to a younger demographic, but there should still be a higher difficulty that doesn’t make the game such an effortless breeze.
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Paper Mario: The Origami Kingnever tries to overwhelm the player and the puzzles that are encountered are all pushovers. What’s even worse is the game even allows players to buy solutions to the puzzles if they’re stumped, so those that are lazy or impatient can just plod ahead.
8Loved: Boss Battles
All of thePaper Mariotitles have featured some of the more unusualboss battlesin the largerMariofranchise, butThe Origami Kingis the most exaggerated example of this where many of the bosses in the game are blatant jokes.
On one level, the giant Paper Macho versions of Shy Guys or Koopas are entertaining, as are the origami Vellumental dragons, but by far the best battles are with the bosses like Colored Pencils, Tape, and Rubber Bands. They’re extremely creative and offer something that can’t be found in otherMariogames.
7Don’t Love: Forgettable Supporting Characters
ThePaper Mariotitles have varied in concept, but the earliest games in the series made a big deal out of thepartnersthat helped Mario in battle. This has led to some surprisingly entertaining characters and it actually gives depth to certain random enemies.
While it’s exciting thatThe Origami Kingreturns to this concept, most of Mario’s support fails to make an impression and just feel derivative of the previous games. Mario’s paired with the same kind of enemies that he has in the past. Olivia is the only addition that feels unique.
6Loved: Olivia The Origami Princess
One of the running traditions in thePaper Mariogames is thatMariois paired up with some new and strange helper that guides them through the game’s new concepts. Olivia, the Origami Princess is this game’s take on that idea and she’s a real triumph. These characters run the risk of feeling extraneous or outright annoying, but Olivia is a pleasure and actually funny. It’s actually appreciated when she steps in with interjections and she’s a big part of why the game is fun.
5Don’t Love: The Simplistic Combat
A lot of the enjoyment in thePaper Mariotitles comes down to the battle mechanics.The Origami Kingtries something new, but it turns combat into more of a foregone conclusion than a challenge. The game utilizes a“ring system”where enemies need to be lined up and then Mario’s typical jumping and hammer attacks do the job. It’s very basic, but Olivia can also dispense hints during combat as the game always holds the player’s hand. The random battles in the wild are even unnecessary due to how they don’t give out nearly as many coins as basic tasks.
4Loved: The Amount Of Secrets Hidden In The Game
Paper Mario: The Origami Kingisn’t that long of a title, but fortunately it hides tons of extra content into the experience so players have at least a little more material to keep them occupied.
The main story can be streamlined, but those that experiment and explore in the level’s environments will be rewarded. There are not only hidden items to come across but also lots of fun Easter eggs, like hiddenToadsand otherMariocharacters. On top of that, there are also extra challenges present to earn collectible trophies.
3Don’t Love: The Stores Feel Unnecessary
Paper Mario: The Origami Kingstill includes stores and characters who will sell Mario supplies, whether they’re support items or stronger equipment. The big issue inThe Origami Kingis that the game rewards players with so many items and help that the stores really feel like an afterthought or that they’re only there if some huge mistakes have been made.
It’s really not necessary to stock up or prepare with stronger reinforcements like in past games. The basic things acquired should be more than enough.
2Loved: Its Sense Of Humor
There are plenty of reasons to lovePaper Mariogames and many audiences harp on how the franchise has become increasingly child-friendly, but it’s that direction that allowsThe Origami Kingto become as silly as it is. This is a video game that’slegitimately funnyand will make players laugh.
The circumstances and dialogue are fantastic, but characters and bosses will engage in crazy song and dance numbers, which are extremely enjoyable. Olivia helps bring out a lot of the world’s crazier impulses and amplify this broad sense of humor.
1Don’t Love: How It Continues To Stray Away From Core RPG Elements
It can be easy to forget that the N64’s originalPaper Mariowas actually developed as a sequel to theSuper Nintendo’sSuper Mario RPG.The firstPaper Marioscales back on the SNES title’s hardcoreRPGelements, but it still retains them.
However, they’ve been increasingly lost in each newPaper Mariogame through the incorporation of concepts like stickers. Unfortunately,The Origami Kingcontinues further down that path. Even ideas like special attacks, leveling up, and other basic RPG tenets are barely incorporated and it comes down more to acquiring items more than anything else.
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