Mixed bag with many promising qualities. The world is full of small details and is just gorgeous to look at. The "battle system" is absolutely garbage even when you look at it from a puzzle-game perspective. Music is great. In the end it feels like a game filled with soul but also lacking it in a way.
This game makes me wish that Nintendo would ditch all the RPG mechanics and just make an action-adventure game. It's closer to the old games, but still a step below Super Paper Mario and a far cry from the first two. Steps in the right direction are good, but improvement does not mean great
just as good as super paper mario, but with modern nintendo polish. i honestly don't know which i like more
This game was good and I'm tired of pretending it's not.
This review contains spoilers
Bobby
mto repetitivo e chato
I honestly preferred Colour Splash, it's better than Sticker Star but that goes without saying
Funny but they still haven't made the combat worth really engaging in as opposed to a punishment, bosses are obnoxiously long, and it generally goes on too long and is a little bit too-tuned toward early-childhood humor that's not as funny for an adult.
Super good if you look at it in its own way away from the previous peak paper mario rpg-ish games. The visuals and humor are amazing, and the story is really good.
Ahoy back in this lovely paper world once more with big arms
Dull, bland and extremely unfunny. That's all I think about this game. It's a step up from the previous Paper Mario games in the sense that getting spat on is better than getting pissed on. If you want to play an actual RPG or anything remotely interesting, look away from this game as it will disappoint you in both fields. Music is pretty good though, I'll give it that.
Played when it came out, really enjoyable and fun game with stellar art design. That said I was wholly avoiding encounters 2/3rds into the game cuz there was really no material or entertainment benefit to keep doing battles at a point
This game has alot of flaws, but it's just so damn charming.
Even within their own baffling rules the devs managed to pull through a really great game.
A pleasant surprise for sure.
Even within their own baffling rules the devs managed to pull through a really great game.
A pleasant surprise for sure.
It was decent, it didn't feel as charming to me!
solid story, combat feels too slow + mechanics feel janky.
Lo jugué pensando que lo odiaría, lo terminé dándome cuenta de que aunque ya no es tan creativo en diseño de personajes, lo es en su gameplay y eso es fantástico.
good game but i cannot. Fucking see that fuckass origami king man anymore without thinking about the british guy who yelled at kids and family guy. my brain is mush
This review contains spoilers
Road to Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door— Part 5
Hot take: I loved Paper Mario: The Origami King. Scorching hot take: I loved Paper Mario: The Origami King more than the original Paper Mario.
First, there’s things I don’t like. The biggest thing is that Intelligent Systems is still hell bent on NOT using EXP for progression. Granted, this game still has better incentive for combat than Sticker Star (I know, such a high bar to clear), but the lack of EXP means that progression simply isn’t as satisfying as the original’s classic RPG system. Also, there’s still too many generic Toad NPCs.
Alright, time to gush.
Paper Mario: The Origami King is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. It takes the paper aesthetic to new heights; everything is made paper, cardboard, confetti, etc., and all of it is rendered near-perfectly. Sure, it ain’t exactly pushing the Switch to its limits, but the strong art direction and striking style make The Origami King pure eye candy. I know a lot of fans hate the increased paper aesthetic, but I think it’s the logical conclusion for this series, and the problem is simply how Sticker Star failed to do anything good with it.
The Origami King, on the other hand, uses paper to weave a compelling narrative. Origami is (literally) the name of the game here, so the plot draws from Japanese folklore. The two central characters that aren’t named Mario are Olivia and Olly, a pair of siblings designed by an Origami Craftsman and brought to life by his sheer skill and love for the art form. The Craftsman scribbles a message on Olly, wishing for him to be a good and kind king for his Origami Kingdom. However, in Japanese tradition, writing on origami is frowned upon, so upon seeing this, Olly turns against his master and decides to wipe out both him and all of his Toad brethren out of spite. He brings the Craftsman’s tools to life to help him achieve this goal and sets out to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom.
The story is basically one giant tragedy. Had Olly actually known what was scribbled onto him, he probably wouldn’t have resorted to genocide and torn his family apart in the process. Yes, he goes WAY TOO FUCKING FAR and his motive is ultimately selfish and petty, but it’s hard not to feel bad for him when I finally realizes what the scribble says and breaks down because all of the atrocities he committed were for nothing.
On a meta level, I like how Olly is basically a “be careful what you wish for” message to Paper Mario fans, who have been expressing their disdain for Toads for over a decade now. It’s like the writers said, “Oh? You hate Toads now? Okay, so does this guy. Look at all horrific things he does. Do you really want to silence the Toads forever?” The answer is likely “no”. Sure, there’s an overabundance of Toads, but this game made me realize that I don’t want them to be completely erased from the series, because as generic as they are, the Toads are just as crucial to the Mario franchise as the Koopas or the Goombas.
I feel the heart of this game mainly lies in the arcs of Olivia and Bobby. Bobby is just the cutest, most laidback, most lovable little guy, and it’s interesting to learn more about his past and what happened to his fuse. Then just as you finally learn his whole story, he thanks Mario for his help and promptly BLOWS HIMSELF UP. He does not come back. Bobby fucking dies. It almost made me cry, which is super impressive since I already knew it was coming. The way Mario and Olivia react is absolutely devastating, especially due to how cheerful they usually are. Speaking of Olivia, watching her grow from a naïve little girl to… well, still a little girl, but one who knows much more about the world yet refuses to accept her brother’s hate-fueled outlook is pretty inspiring. Naturally, the fact she also sacrifices herself in the end to undo her Olly’s crimes is similarly heartbreaking, yet admirable. It’s a very bittersweet note to end the game on as Mario and Luigi (yes, the green guy gets time to shine in this game) head home, contemplating their adventure.
There’s also the franchise’s main antagonists: Bowser, Bowser Jr., and Kamek, all of whom return yet none of whom are actually evil this time around. It’s nice to see Bowser back to his goofy, anti-heroic self from previous RPGs, and he even gets a great heart-to-heart moment with Olivia before the finale. This is also (as far as I can remember) the first time we get to see Kamek and Jr. as good guys, and they’re both hilarious and adorable. Watching Jr. behave like… well, a bratty little kid while Kamek complains about how constantly ignored he feels is a funny dynamic, and the two get plenty of moments that show how much they care both for each other and for Bowser. Hell, Bowser himself goes full papa wolf and burns a bunch of Folded Soldiers alive after Kamek and Jr. get overtaken, which is an awesome moment. All of this is especially good for Kamek, who I felt was a little too smug and borderline sadistic in Sticker Star, while this game brings him back to the exasperated nanny he’s usually portrayed as in the Yoshi’s Island games.
The villains are solid as well. I already discussed Olly, but he brings with him the Legion of Stationery, his top enforcers who are all sentient office supplies… so basically evil versions of the Things from the last two games. I don’t like how generic their designs are, but I do like that they all have unique personalities and boss battles, on top of how cathartic it is to beat the shit out of the Things, which were far and away the worst part of Sticker Star. My favorite is definitely Scissors ✂️, who is played surprisingly seriously, has a pretty tough boss battle, and whose personality is easily the most distinct and threatening. The fact that he literally slices Bowser Jr. to pieces and turns the Koopa Troop into cut-out abominations is so fucked up that it’s actually kind of badass. He can even one-shot Mario since, y’know, he’s a pair of scissors in a world made of paper, which is a great way to integrate his character into gameplay.
Alright, enough about the amazing story. The combat is… good? Sort of? I really enjoyed it, but the lack of EXP is still disappointing. However, you still get coins from battles, which can be used to buy accessories, which are essentially this game’s version of Badges. Accessories are a great way to reintroduce some RPG mechanics after Sticker Star fucking gutted them for no reason, so there’s at least a proper incentive to engage in battles. Plus, the ring system is legitimately fun and gets SUPER puzzling by the end.
The music is nothing but bangers. Like, I don’t even know what else to say other than the OST is awesome. My favorite track is “The Duel-Bladed Duelist”, which is Scissors’ theme.
Finally, the level/world design is fantastic. Each area is huge and open enough to let you move around and choose battles without being overwhelming and confusing. Autumn Mountain, Shogun Studios, Shroom City, and the Shangri-Spa are absolute highlights, with level design that wouldn’t feel too out-of-place in a Zelda game. Every level is filled with hidden goodies, puzzles to solve, and Toads to rescue which rewards exploration.
Paper Mario: The Origami King may not be perfect as an RPG, but it’s a DAMN good action-adventure game in its own right. There was rarely a moment where I wasn’t having fun. While I would like to see a better combat system and more unique NPCs in the futures, The Origami King shows that the Paper Mario series still has plenty of creative life left.
Hot take: I loved Paper Mario: The Origami King. Scorching hot take: I loved Paper Mario: The Origami King more than the original Paper Mario.
First, there’s things I don’t like. The biggest thing is that Intelligent Systems is still hell bent on NOT using EXP for progression. Granted, this game still has better incentive for combat than Sticker Star (I know, such a high bar to clear), but the lack of EXP means that progression simply isn’t as satisfying as the original’s classic RPG system. Also, there’s still too many generic Toad NPCs.
Alright, time to gush.
Paper Mario: The Origami King is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. It takes the paper aesthetic to new heights; everything is made paper, cardboard, confetti, etc., and all of it is rendered near-perfectly. Sure, it ain’t exactly pushing the Switch to its limits, but the strong art direction and striking style make The Origami King pure eye candy. I know a lot of fans hate the increased paper aesthetic, but I think it’s the logical conclusion for this series, and the problem is simply how Sticker Star failed to do anything good with it.
The Origami King, on the other hand, uses paper to weave a compelling narrative. Origami is (literally) the name of the game here, so the plot draws from Japanese folklore. The two central characters that aren’t named Mario are Olivia and Olly, a pair of siblings designed by an Origami Craftsman and brought to life by his sheer skill and love for the art form. The Craftsman scribbles a message on Olly, wishing for him to be a good and kind king for his Origami Kingdom. However, in Japanese tradition, writing on origami is frowned upon, so upon seeing this, Olly turns against his master and decides to wipe out both him and all of his Toad brethren out of spite. He brings the Craftsman’s tools to life to help him achieve this goal and sets out to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom.
The story is basically one giant tragedy. Had Olly actually known what was scribbled onto him, he probably wouldn’t have resorted to genocide and torn his family apart in the process. Yes, he goes WAY TOO FUCKING FAR and his motive is ultimately selfish and petty, but it’s hard not to feel bad for him when I finally realizes what the scribble says and breaks down because all of the atrocities he committed were for nothing.
On a meta level, I like how Olly is basically a “be careful what you wish for” message to Paper Mario fans, who have been expressing their disdain for Toads for over a decade now. It’s like the writers said, “Oh? You hate Toads now? Okay, so does this guy. Look at all horrific things he does. Do you really want to silence the Toads forever?” The answer is likely “no”. Sure, there’s an overabundance of Toads, but this game made me realize that I don’t want them to be completely erased from the series, because as generic as they are, the Toads are just as crucial to the Mario franchise as the Koopas or the Goombas.
I feel the heart of this game mainly lies in the arcs of Olivia and Bobby. Bobby is just the cutest, most laidback, most lovable little guy, and it’s interesting to learn more about his past and what happened to his fuse. Then just as you finally learn his whole story, he thanks Mario for his help and promptly BLOWS HIMSELF UP. He does not come back. Bobby fucking dies. It almost made me cry, which is super impressive since I already knew it was coming. The way Mario and Olivia react is absolutely devastating, especially due to how cheerful they usually are. Speaking of Olivia, watching her grow from a naïve little girl to… well, still a little girl, but one who knows much more about the world yet refuses to accept her brother’s hate-fueled outlook is pretty inspiring. Naturally, the fact she also sacrifices herself in the end to undo her Olly’s crimes is similarly heartbreaking, yet admirable. It’s a very bittersweet note to end the game on as Mario and Luigi (yes, the green guy gets time to shine in this game) head home, contemplating their adventure.
There’s also the franchise’s main antagonists: Bowser, Bowser Jr., and Kamek, all of whom return yet none of whom are actually evil this time around. It’s nice to see Bowser back to his goofy, anti-heroic self from previous RPGs, and he even gets a great heart-to-heart moment with Olivia before the finale. This is also (as far as I can remember) the first time we get to see Kamek and Jr. as good guys, and they’re both hilarious and adorable. Watching Jr. behave like… well, a bratty little kid while Kamek complains about how constantly ignored he feels is a funny dynamic, and the two get plenty of moments that show how much they care both for each other and for Bowser. Hell, Bowser himself goes full papa wolf and burns a bunch of Folded Soldiers alive after Kamek and Jr. get overtaken, which is an awesome moment. All of this is especially good for Kamek, who I felt was a little too smug and borderline sadistic in Sticker Star, while this game brings him back to the exasperated nanny he’s usually portrayed as in the Yoshi’s Island games.
The villains are solid as well. I already discussed Olly, but he brings with him the Legion of Stationery, his top enforcers who are all sentient office supplies… so basically evil versions of the Things from the last two games. I don’t like how generic their designs are, but I do like that they all have unique personalities and boss battles, on top of how cathartic it is to beat the shit out of the Things, which were far and away the worst part of Sticker Star. My favorite is definitely Scissors ✂️, who is played surprisingly seriously, has a pretty tough boss battle, and whose personality is easily the most distinct and threatening. The fact that he literally slices Bowser Jr. to pieces and turns the Koopa Troop into cut-out abominations is so fucked up that it’s actually kind of badass. He can even one-shot Mario since, y’know, he’s a pair of scissors in a world made of paper, which is a great way to integrate his character into gameplay.
Alright, enough about the amazing story. The combat is… good? Sort of? I really enjoyed it, but the lack of EXP is still disappointing. However, you still get coins from battles, which can be used to buy accessories, which are essentially this game’s version of Badges. Accessories are a great way to reintroduce some RPG mechanics after Sticker Star fucking gutted them for no reason, so there’s at least a proper incentive to engage in battles. Plus, the ring system is legitimately fun and gets SUPER puzzling by the end.
The music is nothing but bangers. Like, I don’t even know what else to say other than the OST is awesome. My favorite track is “The Duel-Bladed Duelist”, which is Scissors’ theme.
Finally, the level/world design is fantastic. Each area is huge and open enough to let you move around and choose battles without being overwhelming and confusing. Autumn Mountain, Shogun Studios, Shroom City, and the Shangri-Spa are absolute highlights, with level design that wouldn’t feel too out-of-place in a Zelda game. Every level is filled with hidden goodies, puzzles to solve, and Toads to rescue which rewards exploration.
Paper Mario: The Origami King may not be perfect as an RPG, but it’s a DAMN good action-adventure game in its own right. There was rarely a moment where I wasn’t having fun. While I would like to see a better combat system and more unique NPCs in the futures, The Origami King shows that the Paper Mario series still has plenty of creative life left.
puzzles are too repetitive
26 hours to beat
you have to actively try to not engage with it to get more out of it
Losniffy could never.
not bad, not great.
I really like this game, the writing is the best in the Mario series, I laughed a lot while playing, and generally felt engrossed by everything that was happening onscreen. I found the gameplay pretty fun for the most part as well, the overworld bits are my favorite, letting you explore gorgeous areas in a very natural fashion. The issues only start to arise when we look at the combat, it feels like Nintendo thought they had the next evolution in RPG gameplay and tried to shove it in your face as much as possible. Now, I actually liked these fights for the majority of the game, but around 75% of the way through I grew a bit weary, with the limited attack options and the near identical tactics of the enemies I stopped finding them engaging. I find the boss fights to be great variations upon the combat formula though, and they kept me invested in the gameplay style. I think the experience here is the important aspect for me, it may not be an incredible game, but I absolutely adore it as an experience, maybe just avoid the combat as much as you can. Also, that OST is magnificent.
Nintendo finally made a good one of this style of Paper Mario game, even though nobody asked them to. Great visuals and music, a neat battle system, fun dialogue and setpieces, they actually did a great job here. In my imagination there exists a version of this game where Nintendo was a little more lax with their brand guidelines and more NPCs got to have names and unique designs and that game would be a 5/5. Between this game and the upcoming TTYD remaster, I have high hopes for the next original Paper Mario game.
I will be playing this a lot
it's a step in a better direction, but that's all it feels like, a step
Paper Mario really should’ve foreseen the rise of origami fascism to be honest.
what if paper mario but bad
delightful