“Mario” RPGs don’t come out as often as they used to, and it’s a shame because they’ve usually been solid titles for Nintendo. As the years have gone by, fans have kept saying that “Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door” is the best Mario RPG, and after playing the remaster I understand why.
The “Paper Mario” games have always stood out thanks to their art style and charming sense of humor. All characters are represented as flat pieces of paper moving along a flat world but will change based on the player’s perspective. “Thousand Year Door” incorporates this into gameplay and puzzles.
Mario can turn into a paper plane, a boat or just become flat to squeeze through tight spaces. It’s a basic formula where you unlock new powers to access new areas, but it’s a system that works well.
The game’s writing and charming atmosphere go a long way in making the game memorable. The Mario RPGs always have more humor than other Mario games, and their scripts are surprisingly funny. “Thousand Year Door” is no different, although some lines are just weird. It gives the game personality and hooks the player in.
Combat is turn-based and uses the same kind of system as “Super Mario RPG” where timing your button presses grants bonus damage. It’s simple and easy but unfortunately slow. Battling new enemies is fun because each has a specific weakness that requires the right type of attack. The downside is that fighting the same enemies in a given area over and over again becomes boring once the right strategy has been figured out.
The biggest issue with combat is that it feels limited. Mario can only have one extra party member at a time. This makes the player’s options much more limited than most RPGs. The player can equip badges to give Mario some extra moves, but your party members don’t get access to techniques all that often. It’s a big reason why combat becomes boring when hanging out in the same area for too long; there just isn’t much to do.
Thankfully the game has a lot of variety with its platforming, puzzles and special abilities. The game is always finding ways to mix the gameplay up outside of combat, which is needed. Most RPGs put all their eggs in one basket, focusing on either combat or storytelling. This game is refreshing because it finds ways to mix things up, so you’re not always fighting or watching cutscenes.
I can see why this became one of Nintendo’s most beloved games, and this new edition is a great way for newcomers to experience it. “Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door” earns four stars out of five.
