Paper Mario, paper worlds to discover on the Cube!

E and those who know me know that I do not use this word lightly. I had already talked some time ago about the return on Switch of the adventure among the folds of paper and origami of the Mario brothers, but there are still so many things to say and so many peculiarities that have remained in my paper notes, just to stay on theme, and that I would like to share here with you.

Cenni historical notes and where to find them, here: the game was released in 2004, just before Christmas, as per Nintendo tradition when it comes to series that are particularly prolific and important to it. The Thousand-Year Door is in fact the second installment in the paper worlds saga and follows the line of the role-playing spin-offs of the quintessential plumber brothers. It was one of the greatest critical and commercial successes for the GameCube, a pairing that is not so obvious considering that just a couple of years earlier, Nintendo had to make up for the commercial flop (but not with the public, and I am one of them) of Eternal Darkness, an insane title that, I promise you, will eventually land on these shores.

La feature that immediately catches the user’s eye, then, concerns its graphic style: we find ourselves inside a paper micro-universe, where characters, places, various settings and, of course, the two protagonist brothers have all been shaped into a new form; if you love origami and paper dioramas that often adorn Eastern temples during the festivities in the Land of the Rising Sun, then you know what we’re talking about. The sense of wonder felt in the first minutes of play lasts for almost the entire duration of the main adventure, in which we will face the saga’s historic enemies, such as the sentient Goomba mushrooms and not only that, all with a turn-based combat system.

A true revolution, as I mentioned just a moment ago, anticipated by some RPG prequels that are still worthwhile today and definitely worth revisiting.

La plot revolves around the disappearance of the usual Peach, the love interest par excellence of the mustached Italian who, needless to say, immediately rushes off to look for her to save her from any enemies in the shadows and, while we’re at it, to get hold of the Crystal Stars which, according to legend (not just any legend, but “the” legend), are the keys to unlocking a passage, the thousand-year portal, and finally finding a hidden treasure, exactly what Peach, in her Eva Kant version, was trying to find at all costs. On their path, the Crossed will appear for the first time, a brand-new organization of villains in the multilayered world of the Mario Bros, and I won’t add anything else because I’d say I’ve spoiled quite enough and that is never a good thing.

La trama, let’s be honest, is not Paper Mario’s strongest aspect, but that’s not the point: as only the Kyoto house knows how to do, it’s in the obsessive care for gameplay and its exceptional ideas that The Thousand-Year Door hit the accelerator twenty years ago, skidding into the hearts of fans (I didn’t mention Mario Kart by chance!): turn-based battles are never boring, moreover the timing system implemented effectively allows for a great deal of variability and a broad range of skill and move customization. And if we add the fact that Mario can transform into a little paper airplane when needed… 

The levels are impressive (the castle in particular, not to mention the boss fight with the dragon) and the game is absolutely hilarious at times: often you’ll find yourself smiling at the little skits that Mario and his adventure companions will put on for the player audience, all seasoned with original, carefully crafted, and very colorful level design: did I already tell you that the settings are all made of paper, right?

To conclude, Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door will give you the chance to rediscover the masterpiece that brought glory to the Nintendo GameCube.

And if you don’t believe me… well, I wrote it, so the proof is in the pudding.