Review of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: Absolutely amazing
Our Verdict
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is a lovingly crafted remake that brings all the fun of the original while including some helpful quality-of-life updates that do away with tedious traveling. There’s a reason this game is a fan favorite, and this enhanced version lives up to all the expectations.
Although I'm thrilled that Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is finally arriving on the Nintendo Switch, I must admit that reviewing the game seems like a big task. Not only do a great deal of Mario fans love this game more than any other in the series, but remakes are challenging enough to evaluate on their own. Nevertheless, I took the job, and for heaven's sake, I'm going to do it well. Alright, let's get started.
However, first a little background In 2004, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door made its GameCube debut. Nintendo and Intelligent Systems collaborated to create both the original and this remake of the game. It quickly became a fan favourite because to its unique combination of RPG elements, humorous language that really pushes the boundaries for a Mario game, and an amazing explorable game area that incorporates elements from the Super Mario series with fresh content.
The story of Paper Mario: The Thousand Thieves follows the traditional Mario pattern, sending our moustachioed hero on a mission to rescue Princess Peach, but with a little twist. Not her captor is Bowser. Rather, she finds herself at the stronghold of Sir Grodus and his associates subsequent to discovering a mystical map in Rogueport, the game's central global city. Luckily, she sends Mario this map, and he looks into it right away.
Mario meets Goombella upon landing in Rogueport, and she directs him to Professor Frankly. The Thousand-Year Door, the inspiration for the game's name, is then shown to you by the kind professor. When you locate it, what happens? Since this is a Mario game, it's time to start looking for stars. Mario needs seven Crystal Stars to unlock the door and get the prize inside. Regretfully, Sir Grodus and his X-Nauts soon figure out this scheme, and the race sets out to find the fabled artefacts.
The timing of the story in this game is my favourite aspect of it. You're kept interested the whole time by the way fresh people, foes, and weaponry are introduced. Since then, the Paper Mario series hasn't been able to fully replicate it. Though it seems like the adventure has just started, time rushes by and before you know it, the last chapter is upon you.
The colourful ensemble of Paper Mario: TTYD is a big part of the game's fun. You would probably recognise a handful of them even if you haven't played the game before. To name a few, there's Madame Flurrie, the wind spirit diva; Goombella, a Goomba scholar and your first companion; and Koops, a downtrodden Koopa trying to find his father. Although the way the partner system works doesn't really allow the gang to grow as a unit, the game encourages you to switch partners often, so by the time the credits roll, you will have partnered with someone you feel comfortable with.
Each partner has different fighting skills, and you may help them reach their full potential by levelling them up with Mario by gradually gathering Shine Sprites. I'm a huge fan of Koops; there's just something about that poor little Koopa that I can't help but identify with, yet you may make enemies with the people you most easily bond with. You are mostly free to choose, however there are a few portions that ask for certain partners.
Additionally amazing is Paper Mario: TTYD's environment design. I had forgotten how much it borrowed Piantas and Shine Sprites' and Super Mario Sunshine's design elements. Considering that Nintendo has virtually wanted us to forget about the game except from a few Mario Kart circuits and its inclusion in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection, it's good to see them again.
This game looks amazing in full HD. Cleaner sprites, more vibrant and visibly deep fight levels, and visually stunning glow-ups at every place make for an enjoyable exploring experience. I'm happy Intelligent Systems refrained from attempting to create Paper Mario TTYD's graphics from scratch. It looked fantastic back then, and after 20 years of technical development, it looks even better.
The puzzles are a crucial component of Paper Mario: Triple Trouble, a game I had forgotten how much I loved. They abound in this game. Particularly if you haven't remembered the answers in the twenty years since the initial release, it somewhat stimulates the brain more than traditional platforming. As one would imagine, Intelligent Systems is the creator of this clever game concept, and even after all these years, titles like Born of Bread and Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling still bear the marks of its impact.
Not to be overlooked are the Bowser intermissions, which provide a little break if you ever grow tired of completing puzzles. There's nothing like taking on the role of the main antagonist in a Super Mario platformer ripoff and destroying barriers and defenceless Goombas to go forward. Even in the latter stages of the game, these levels never truly provide much of a challenge, but they are a delightful addition that enhances the whole experience.
This is an RPG, and RPGs depend on fighting mechanics that make your head quiver. An interesting environment, endearing riddles, and fantastic characters are all well and good, but this is still an RPG. Paper Mario: Triple Troubled strikes the mark in terms of fighting. Compared to a turn-based fighting system, the action command mechanism keeps you more engaged, and failing to press a button prompt may be the difference between defeating a foe and taking it all down.
For those who are unaware, Paper Mario: Triple Troubled Times performs the metamove of essentially staging every combat. Mario steps onto the stage in front of the audience to battle an opponent. To get star power, which you may then use to perform special moves, you can either directly appeal to the audience or wow them with your actions. You acquire a new special move every time you locate a Crystal Star, and as your quest progresses, employing these enhanced attacks or boosts becomes crucial. In the end, it's a robust combat system that never really grows old.
Badges function similarly to materia in Final Fantasy XII, adding even more to the fighting system. By granting Mario a variety of badges, you may provide him access to special abilities and manoeuvres that alter the course of the game. As the game progresses, you'll need to use your badges more strategically since some of them have the power to tip a boss battle in our plumbing friend's favour.
From your first significant confrontations with a huge Blooper in the Rogueport Sewers and Hooktail shortly after to the late-game adversaries who really put you to the test, boss fights are particularly compelling. Not to mention the mid-game Glitz Pit maze, which is my personal favourite part of the game, requires you to fight through 19 encounters with victory conditions that depend on you trying out different strategies. You need to be prepared for whatever is ahead by the time you exit the Glitz Pit.
Don't worry, I'll get to the new stuff if you're reading this review and thinking, "That's all great, but what's new?" at this point. It's time to put this reading down if you're the kind that enjoys watching these remakes without knowing what kind of fresh material to anticipate. Alright, you served as a warning, so let's go.
Regarding enhancements to the quality of life, this remake strikes the ideal equilibrium between bringing in some fresh and practical concepts and preserving the memories of the original. The new tips system is great to begin with, particularly if, like me, you were still having trouble tying your shoelaces when you last played. Goombella provides you with a clue on your next course of action with only a click of the ZL button. You may just press the button, receive your clue, and go on your way without her even having to be your companion at that moment.
In the Rogueport Sewers, a new fast-travel mechanism makes backtracking easy as well. This is a great method to quickly return areas like Petal Meadows, Boggly Woods, and other places while you're solving problems, the game's equivalent of side quests. Thanks to the partner ring, which only requires a press of the left shoulder button to activate, you may now easily swap partners. Fans of the original game will definitely like this simplification. We'll leave it to you to find the remaining additional material during your own game, but it's thrilling stuff.
You have the option to quickly switch between the restored soundtrack and the original soundtrack, much as in the case of the Super Mario RPG remake from the previous year. All you have to do is get the Nostalgic Tunes badge from Rogueport to access those delightful throwback tunes. Another minor adjustment to Pianta Parlour is the replacement of the slot machines with a tile-matching game. Children, gambling isn't cool.
It's important to note that the game functions flawlessly on the Switch. That should come as no surprise considering that Intelligent Systems has a tonne of Switch expertise and that this is a remake of a game that was released twenty years ago on hardware that is now more than seven years old. In short, don't anticipate any problems with performance.
I have to admit, I haven't played many remakes that felt as new as this one before round-up. I'm not sure whether it's the ironic speech, my dissatisfaction with the most recent Paper Mario adventures, or a mix of all of those factors, but this game doesn't seem like a 2004 original. This is an excellent illustration of how timeless genuinely excellent game design is.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is an enjoyable game overall. Essentially, it's a more playable version of the original game, with useful enhancements that scrap the boredom and transform this trip into a polished new experience. I can't suggest this Paper Mario game enough, regardless of whether you've played Paper Mario games before or not. Grow up with Koops, Goombella, and the gang.
On May 23, 2024, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door will be available on Switch. See our reviews of Moonglow Bay Switch, Princess Peach: Showtime! review, and South Park Snow Day Switch for additional insights into the newest Nintendo Switch games.