Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - Switch

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Release Date: 5-23-2024
Moby Score (1-10): 8.7
Genre(s): Side view, Role-playing (RPG), Fantasy, Turn-based, Behind view, Japanese-style RPG (JRPG), Direct control
Media Type(s): Physical

Join Mario on an epic paper-adventure to collect the Crystal Stars before the X-Nauts do!

The nefarious X-Nauts are after the treasure behind the Thousand-Year Door! With a map from Princess Peach, and the help of a few locals, Mario journeys through a colorful world made of paper to find them first. To prevail in this quest, you'll have to level up Mario and his friends, master timing-based attacks and badges to impress the audience on the stage of combat, and make use of all the abilities that come with being cursed—er, conveniently made of paper—like folding into a plane to cross big gaps or turning sideways to slip through narrow openings. Leaf through a storybook world with charming characters in every fold Surprises abound in this deep and engaging tale, where everyone's got something to say and it's often not what you'd expect. Mario will meet all kinds of interesting folks on his journey, like the upbeat and studious Goombella and the shy but determined Koops. Some of these characters will need your help with their own quests, or even join your party. Others, like Peach and Bowser, have stories of their own that you'll play between Mario's chapters! A classic turns the page, bringing fresh visuals and updated features Twenty years after the original game on the Nintendo GameCube© system, this version for the Nintendo Switch© system has revamped graphics, an updated soundtrack, and gameplay additions like updated quick-travel pipes and a Partner Ring to swap characters in a jiffy. There are some additional improvements too—visit the Battle Master if you need help with combat, access a hint system if you're stuck, equip the Nostalgic Tunes badge to play using the original soundtrack, and more!

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is a single-player role-playing game. The story follows Mario as he travels to the town of Rogueport, where Princess Peach has mysteriously vanished after discovering a magical map. This map leads to the Thousand-Year Door, a sealed gateway tied to the Crystal Stars, powerful artifacts said to open it. Mario's quest is to find all seven Crystal Stars, confront the forces seeking to use them for their own gain, and ultimately uncover what lies beyond the door.

The game features turn-based battles that combine traditional RPG mechanics with timing-based action commands. Mario and one partner character enter combat, where they can attack, use special moves, or employ items. Players can press buttons with precise timing to enhance attacks or reduce incoming damage. Star Power abilities provide powerful skills once the player has collected Crystal Stars, adding another layer of strategy to combat encounters. The audience system introduces spectators who react to the flow of combat, cheering when Mario performs well and occasionally tossing items that can aid or hinder him. Stylish moves, performed by pressing buttons at key moments, boost audience engagement and restore Star Power more quickly.

Progression is tied to exploration of distinct chapters, each with its own themed location, story events, and bosses. As Mario defeats enemies, he gains experience points that increase his level. Upon leveling up, players can choose to increase Mario's health, Flower Points for special moves, or Badge Points, which determine how many ability-granting badges he can equip. Badges provide varied effects, from altering attacks to granting new techniques.

Outside combat, the game emphasizes puzzle-solving and environmental interaction. Mario can transform into paper forms, such as folding into a plane to glide or turning sideways to slip through cracks. These abilities expand as the story progresses and are essential for advancing through dungeons and hidden paths.

This version retains the full content of the original release while incorporating updated visuals, remastered music, and quality-of-life improvements. The structure of the chapters, combat, and progression systems remain faithful to the core design, presenting the same blend of RPG battles, exploration, and puzzle-solving.

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