Potentially the best GameCube game turns 20 this year. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door showcases a mastery of vibrant dialogue and colorful characters, making for one of the most memorable and complete packages in the entire RPG genre.
While Mario games aren't the most expected place to find compelling narratives and dialogue-heavy stories, TTYD sets the adventure's stage having Mario arrive in Rogueport: a dirty, poor, run-down neighborhood home to thieves and swindlers. An actual gallows is front and center in Rogueport plaza (there's no way this would ever be present in a Mario game today and it's truly insane that it did even 20 years ago.) One of the very first exposition dumps features rival gang members getting beat up by the Pianta Mafia in the background, and Goombella gets cat-called almost immediately after setting foot into Underground Rogueport. The game makes it crystal clear that we have a very unique setting this time, earning the player's attention and making the wordy script genuinely interesting.
The ensuing story is great, Mario and friends witnessing the titular and sealed-shut Thousand-Year Door near the beginning is a great decision adding mystery and intrigue to what sort of great treasure could be behind it. They learn their mission of finding all seven crystal stars to open the massive door (and find and rescue Princess Peach as usual) and the adventure proper begins.
Paper Mario TTYD's most defining aspect is the characters. TTYD has the best cast in a Mario game, even with Mario himself being silent (though still full of funny reactions.) This of course means the partners are doing most of the talking, a charming group introduced one chapter at a time. Everyone from the shy and timid Koops to the spunky hotshot baby Yoshi do their part to make the party feel alive, and Admiral Bobbery's tale of losing his wife while out at sea is several magnitudes more depressing than anything I expected to find in a Mario game. My personal favorite has to be Vivian, her growth from being an antagonist bullied by her sister, to unknowingly aiding Mario, to abandoning her sisters and helping Mario reclaim his identity might be my favorite part of the game. Here's to hoping Nintendo keeps her as transgender in the upcoming remake (the original English release removes reference to this.)
Many people (fools) take issue with at least one chapter in this game. Often this is chapter 2, navigating the Great Tree with 100 punies in tow like they're Pikmin isn't exactly the most riveting gameplay, as they often get scared away by enemies and it's easy for one or two to become stranded somewhere when the player needs all of them to progress. Flurrie isn't many player's favorite partner either, but if nothing else the melancholy and lonely visuals of the Boggly Woods are stunning. Other chapters like the Glitz Pit in Chapter 3 are far more beloved, perhaps the finest example of a tournament/gauntlet of battles in an arena trope.
The foremost complaint with TTYD however is the backtracking. This perceived flaw is about as synonymous with this game as "too much water" is with the Hoenn Pokémon games of the same era. Chapter 4 is often criticized for excessive backtracking between Twilight Town and the Creepy Steeple. I've already stated this is my favorite chapter in this game regardless, Doopliss is such a standout villain that all backtracking is forgiven, to me. His plan of stealing Mario's identity and then sealing away the letter P in his basement so that it cannot be used to spell out his name and break the curse is such an insane and unique plot point. Doopliss even convinces all of Mario's partners that he is indeed the real Mario, creating an entertaining boss fight sequence where Mario and Vivian can take on Doopliss and all of Mario's other partners (hoping I explained that okay.) Finding General White in Chapter 7 is the other worst backtracking offender, forcing the player to revisit all of the previous chapter locations in the game. This is annoying, but the hidden pipes below Rogueport make it far more manageable. Other annoyances like listening to Frankie say "I love you" 100 times in a row don't really land as funny but a few misses are to be expected here and there, TTYD isn't perfect its just close to it.
Peach's subplot of dealing with TEC-XX, a supercomputer falling in love with her and being unable to process the meaning of this emotion, is honestly really weird. Having to revisit this saga at the end of each chapter drags after a while, but there are still standout moments to be had. Bowser's side story also makes an appearance each chapter following Peach's. He's as funny as ever here but TTYD is already so filled to the brim with comedy that Bowser's comic relief schtick feels almost unnecessary here for once.
I somehow typed up an already-lengthy review of TTYD without even mentioning the gameplay once. Suffice to say its very good, the typical Mario RPG timed hits are all here, doing wonders for player agency in turn-based combat that so often becomes dull quickly in other games. Each partner's gameplay feels unique as well, their abilities in combat keeping them relevant even when their story arcs may be long over.
Ultimately TTYD is just so full, even irrelevant NPCs the player never has to talk to often hide genuinely funny dialogue. The story is excellent, the gameplay in battles is tight, responsive, and satisfying, and the script and dialogue are some of the best and funniest in video games. TTYD is my 2nd favorite game, and is a frontrunner choice for not only the greatest Mario RPG, but one of the best Mario games period.
4.5/5.0
While Mario games aren't the most expected place to find compelling narratives and dialogue-heavy stories, TTYD sets the adventure's stage having Mario arrive in Rogueport: a dirty, poor, run-down neighborhood home to thieves and swindlers. An actual gallows is front and center in Rogueport plaza (there's no way this would ever be present in a Mario game today and it's truly insane that it did even 20 years ago.) One of the very first exposition dumps features rival gang members getting beat up by the Pianta Mafia in the background, and Goombella gets cat-called almost immediately after setting foot into Underground Rogueport. The game makes it crystal clear that we have a very unique setting this time, earning the player's attention and making the wordy script genuinely interesting.
The ensuing story is great, Mario and friends witnessing the titular and sealed-shut Thousand-Year Door near the beginning is a great decision adding mystery and intrigue to what sort of great treasure could be behind it. They learn their mission of finding all seven crystal stars to open the massive door (and find and rescue Princess Peach as usual) and the adventure proper begins.
Paper Mario TTYD's most defining aspect is the characters. TTYD has the best cast in a Mario game, even with Mario himself being silent (though still full of funny reactions.) This of course means the partners are doing most of the talking, a charming group introduced one chapter at a time. Everyone from the shy and timid Koops to the spunky hotshot baby Yoshi do their part to make the party feel alive, and Admiral Bobbery's tale of losing his wife while out at sea is several magnitudes more depressing than anything I expected to find in a Mario game. My personal favorite has to be Vivian, her growth from being an antagonist bullied by her sister, to unknowingly aiding Mario, to abandoning her sisters and helping Mario reclaim his identity might be my favorite part of the game. Here's to hoping Nintendo keeps her as transgender in the upcoming remake (the original English release removes reference to this.)
Many people (fools) take issue with at least one chapter in this game. Often this is chapter 2, navigating the Great Tree with 100 punies in tow like they're Pikmin isn't exactly the most riveting gameplay, as they often get scared away by enemies and it's easy for one or two to become stranded somewhere when the player needs all of them to progress. Flurrie isn't many player's favorite partner either, but if nothing else the melancholy and lonely visuals of the Boggly Woods are stunning. Other chapters like the Glitz Pit in Chapter 3 are far more beloved, perhaps the finest example of a tournament/gauntlet of battles in an arena trope.
The foremost complaint with TTYD however is the backtracking. This perceived flaw is about as synonymous with this game as "too much water" is with the Hoenn Pokémon games of the same era. Chapter 4 is often criticized for excessive backtracking between Twilight Town and the Creepy Steeple. I've already stated this is my favorite chapter in this game regardless, Doopliss is such a standout villain that all backtracking is forgiven, to me. His plan of stealing Mario's identity and then sealing away the letter P in his basement so that it cannot be used to spell out his name and break the curse is such an insane and unique plot point. Doopliss even convinces all of Mario's partners that he is indeed the real Mario, creating an entertaining boss fight sequence where Mario and Vivian can take on Doopliss and all of Mario's other partners (hoping I explained that okay.) Finding General White in Chapter 7 is the other worst backtracking offender, forcing the player to revisit all of the previous chapter locations in the game. This is annoying, but the hidden pipes below Rogueport make it far more manageable. Other annoyances like listening to Frankie say "I love you" 100 times in a row don't really land as funny but a few misses are to be expected here and there, TTYD isn't perfect its just close to it.
Peach's subplot of dealing with TEC-XX, a supercomputer falling in love with her and being unable to process the meaning of this emotion, is honestly really weird. Having to revisit this saga at the end of each chapter drags after a while, but there are still standout moments to be had. Bowser's side story also makes an appearance each chapter following Peach's. He's as funny as ever here but TTYD is already so filled to the brim with comedy that Bowser's comic relief schtick feels almost unnecessary here for once.
I somehow typed up an already-lengthy review of TTYD without even mentioning the gameplay once. Suffice to say its very good, the typical Mario RPG timed hits are all here, doing wonders for player agency in turn-based combat that so often becomes dull quickly in other games. Each partner's gameplay feels unique as well, their abilities in combat keeping them relevant even when their story arcs may be long over.
Ultimately TTYD is just so full, even irrelevant NPCs the player never has to talk to often hide genuinely funny dialogue. The story is excellent, the gameplay in battles is tight, responsive, and satisfying, and the script and dialogue are some of the best and funniest in video games. TTYD is my 2nd favorite game, and is a frontrunner choice for not only the greatest Mario RPG, but one of the best Mario games period.
4.5/5.0