Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Earns its Status as a Timeless Classic – review

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As a longtime gamer and Paper Mario fan since its debut on the Gamecube back in 2004, I can confidently say that Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door on Nintendo Switch is a must-play for both veterans and newcomers to this beloved RPG series.

1. “Experience once again the delightful role-playing game (RPG) that captured Gamecube enthusiasts in 2004, now enhanced with fantastic improvements to gameplay quality. With stunning graphics on Nintendo Switch and the return of its acclaimed battle system, fans won’t want to miss diving into The Thousand-Year Door.”

If you’re a longtime fan of Paper Mario who played the Gamecube version or if you’re new to this game, get ready to be amazed by its enhanced visuals! For years, fans have asked for a straightforward port, but Nintendo outdid themselves with improved lighting and exquisite texture upgrades that beautifully complement the paper-thin characters.

The enhanced graphics in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door add greater depth and allure to some of the game’s most iconic settings. Ranging from the lush, green expanse of Petalberg to the ominous corridors of Hooktail Castle, each locale in Mario’s paper journey leaves a lasting impression. Granted, the bright illumination might make shabby places like Rogueport appear overly cheerful, but this is undeniably an impressive graphical farewell for the Switch.

20 years ago, this unique game title enchanted Nintendo enthusiasts. Now, we find our beloved character Mario on a mission to discover the laughter-inducing Crystal Stars scattered across the game’s realm, with the ultimate goal of opening the Thousand-Year Door. However, it’s not just Mario searching for these trinkets; the unstable Sir Grodus and his X-Naut gang are after them, with malevolent intentions that could endanger the world, even kidnapping Princess Peach in the process. Meanwhile, Bowser is also on the scene, furious that someone else nabbed Peach before him – a move straight out of the classic Bowser playbook.

As a dedicated fan of The Thousand-Year Door, I can’t help but be thrilled by the game’s witty and sharp writing that leaves such an indelible impression on me. Fortunately, this hilarious and engaging storyline remains intact. Fret not, fellow fans, for we’ll continue to enjoy the antics of our beloved characters: Mario getting courted by a flirtatious mouse, Princess Peach’s computer developing romantic feelings for her, and Luigi recounting his epic yet unseen adventure. The background characters add to the comedic experience with their amusing quirks, such as their obsession with collecting all things Peach or giving Mario valuable advice during battles.

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It’s intriguing to note that certain fans argue this version of The Thousand-Year Door is closer to the Japanese source material. Some alterations are subtle, such as Hooktail’s vulnerability switching from cricket sounds to frog croaks in earlier releases. Other adjustments provide additional depth to characters, like revealing Vivian’s transgender identity. These modifications won’t significantly impact gameplay, but they could offer a more nuanced experience for veterans of the Gamecube version.

When it comes to engaging in combat, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door resurrects the distinctive system that marries turn-based instructions with essential button presses, reminiscent of the Super Mario RPG remake released last year. This game offers unique attacks featuring lengthy button sequences, keeping players alert and engaged. While some may appear challenging at first due to the game’s lowered frame rate of 30fps, these complexities become manageable with practice.

I’ve always found the companions in Mario’s The Thousand-Year Door to be simply fantastic! Koops, the Koopa, is still that character who’s all about trying to live up to his father’s legacy, but with a dash of cowardice. On the other hand, Madame Flurrie’s flamboyant acting persona never fails to entertain me.

1. In addition to the Thousand-Year Door, there are Badges within the game. These unique items grant Mario new combo moves, advantages against opponents, or minor enhancements like making each attack sound like a frog. The system might seem whimsical, but it complements the papercraft world perfectly. Some badges possess dramatic effects, such as wiping out all low-level enemies when revisiting early stages of the game.

1. Finding flaws in The Thousand-Year Door is quite challenging. Its visuals are stunning, the combat is enjoyable, and its writing remains as sharp as ever. Some may say this remake doesn’t bring enough fresh content for longtime fans to justify another playthrough, but who would grumble about refining something that was already perfect?

Review
Review
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is a timeless RPG that older and newer fans should definitely check out. To this day, it’s still one of the best Mario RPGs available and is easily the best in Nintendo’s Paper Mario series. If fans want more quality Paper Mario games for the next Nintendo system, definitely pick this up.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Nintendo Switch
9 out of 10

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2024-07-30 14:04