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| | Title:
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
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System:
Gamecube
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Genre:
RPG
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Publisher:
Nintendo
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Developer:
Intelligent Systems
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Release:
10/11/2004
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Online:
No
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ESRB:
Everyone (E)
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After three long years, Nintendo finally published the sequel to the highly enamored Super Mario RPG. Intelligent Studios (R&D1) was Nintendo’s first in house, or, internal developer and they took on the challenge to put together another Mario themed RPG that Nintendo and it’s fans could be proud of. Really, who better to work on this gem than some of the original creators behind the original Mario Bros?
Although not much has changed since the previous N64 installment, the cutesy flat sprites, the classic storyline, and the turn-based combat; complete with status upgrades, still create an immersive and creative realm to envelope even the most hard-core gamer. Now, don’t shrug it off as another “turn a profit off of an old idea”game, it still drips with fun, captivating, and alluring Mario style.
Recent RPG’s tend to go through expansive cut-scenes, churning storylines, darker themes; which draw more to the adult crowd. Refreshingly, Paper Mario, with it’s colorful and polished environments, bubble dialog, and an all-star Mario cast, can captivate children and adults alike. Simply put, this game really is for everyone.
Whether or not you’ve played the first Mario RPG, you’ll be surprised by how intuitive and down-right fun the gameplay is. Mixing exploration, dialog, heavy combat, and action scenes, the controls fit cozily with the overall feel of this Mario universe.
Stop me if this sounds familiar... Princess Peach is waiting for Mario in “Port Town”, ready to go on a treasure hunt with the famed plumber, unexpectadedly, she turns up missing when you arrive. You now have to rescue Princess Peach. Been there, done that? Well, yes... Hey, he’s a plumber AND a hero! Well it seems he does a lot more of the latter than the first doesn’t it? That’s good though, I know I would rather go on adventures than see the inside of Mario’s toilet...
“You are not alone”. In true RPG fashion, Mario won’t take on the hordes of baddies with just he and his trusty hammer. Many recognizable characters will reside in the world which the action takes place and some will want to join the famous hero in his attempt to unlock the mysteries behind the Thousand Year Door and simultaneously rescue Princess Peach. Each character who joins the party will have specific skills and attacks that coincide with there character type. Now, Mario isn’t exactly helpless, after all, being paper-thin has it’s perks. Along with attack and combo upgrades, Mario and Crew will acquire special skills that can be used outside of battle. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think paper? An airplane right? One of his many skills turns Mario into a paper airplane which can glide through the air to get accross many different obstacles. Next, what would you do if you could take off your shell, say, your Koopa shell? You would use it to knock into baddies or hit distant objects right? Right. Without spoiling all the suprise, we’ll just say you’ll recruit one cool Koopa.
Battles in Paper Mario are fun, that’s right, fun. Intelligent Systems took the original game's system and expanded on it with a number of great things. You still select attacks and items from an icon-based ring menu, choose your opponent, and then perform a simple mini-game-like challenge, but the developer added an all-new element to the mix: the audience.
Battles are no longer against hordes of enemies in the middle of nowhere. Now, all of the baddies you run into while traveling, transport you to a stage complete with props and a sometimes diverse audience. Not only do you have to defeat the baddies, you’ll now have to please the audience too! Disappoint them and they will either leave, throw things at you, or they will help the baddies. Impress them, and they will cheer you on, invite their freinds, and ultimately help you with your struggle by providing you with star points which can enable you to perform devestating attacks or life-saving specials. The more fans you have, the quicker you can build up your star power.
I think we can all agree that there is a fine line between the over-done familiar, and the intruiging new. While there is plenty of familiar, there is enough of “the new”. The outcome is an almost perfect mix. You will recognize characters from Super Mario Sunshine, hear sound effects and music that goes all the way back to the original NES classic, don surprises and new outfits, and try to figure out which ones of the new characters are good and which ones are bad. While the graphics and overall look of the game may seem to be for the younger audience, the NPC’s provide such funny dialogue that you may find yourself talking to everyone of them you run accross. There is no missing the adult-themed humor that is placed within the game, you’ll laugh out loud, I promise.
True, Paper Mario dishes out a unique and quality presentation, but is there room for improvement? Yes. Two gripes. One, the whole story is text-based. With the great advances in gaming technology, some voice overs and character expression would have hit the spot. Heck, Mario himself doesn’t even talk in the game and it’s text-based! Why they went that route, I’m none too sure. Two, the game doesn’t look much more refined than the N64 predecessor. Sure, the sprite textures are slightly more detailed and seems to run smoother, but overall, it’s lacking with current RPG’s and their highly polished graphics.
With those two comments out of the way, the overall gameplay is great fun. The gameplay is charming and cutesy, the story is pretty solid, and add plenty of cameos, sidekicks, and memorable music, you get a solid 30 hour turn-based RPG for a wide range of audiences. Paper Mario and The Thousand Year Door is far and away the best Mario RPG to date, a definite must play on all accounts.
| The Core Score |
Overall
8.9 |
| Fun |
|
9 |
| Gameplay |
|
8.5 |
| Graphics |
|
7 |
| Audio |
|
8 |
| Replay |
|
8 |
|
| | | |
