Nintendo is back with another Paper Mario and it doesn’t disappoint.
Paper Mario looks better than ever and with a sense of humour that is right up my alley combined with fun gameplay, I’m having a blast. The world Nintendo has built is wonderful and the game is self-aware to the point where it mocks itself, Along your journey you will meet talking trees, A plethora of familiar faces and even a sentient cabin. Combined with the fascinating artwork which flawlessly marries between 2D and 3D elements, the varied gameplay and the mysterious storyline the game is almost perfect.
Paper Mario is nothing like a traditional Mario game, Because it is an Rpg and everything is made of paper. That’s right everything, even the 3D elements of the game are made of paper-mâché and wire. It is a main feature of the game, as you would expect from the title, and at some points, you even have to Throw confetti to repair pieces of it.
Unlike the usual games Princess Peach has not just been captured but is now an Origami version of herself, the tone is sinister and mysterious while also fun it’s impressive and yet not surprising for Paper Mario. Paper Mario has always had a different tone, the characters have far more personality than a traditional Mario game. Even the usual Mario enemies have their own traits and quirks when you stop to speak to them, They offer hints and fun insights into there characters and even just complain about your common enemy The Origami King and his folded soldiers.
Combat is fun and rewarding but don’t think that means its easy a slip up can cost you a good amount of HP even early on.
There are some combat scenes which work outside of the Ring puzzle turn-based combat, against large origami enemies, That involves dodging and whacking things with a hammer. The battles are more puzzle-based than previous titles, taking a turn-based puzzler stance that involves arranging your foes so you can hit as many of them as possible with your attacks. On top of all this, there is more than enough platforming and exploring to be done. Even with all this varied gameplay, they all flow naturally and they don’t feel out of place. Paper Mario is also accessible, at any point you can speak to your companion for hints, meaning even if you put the game down for a while you can come back in and know exactly what you’re meant to be doing.
When it comes to boss battles you end up on the outside of the combat ring and must arrange the ring so you can collect coins, boosts, even hints while hopefully ending up on an action tile with the correct angle to do some damage to the boss. They are a lot of fun and the bosses I have battle so far are unique and interesting.
I am really happy with everything paper Mario has offered so far and look forward to playing more of it.
