Summary
To close out the September 2023 Nintendo Direct, Nintendo surprisedMarioRPG fans with the reveal of a Switch port forPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Despite the game’s status among fans, many feared it would never see a new release thanks to both the vastly different direction modernPaper Mariohas gone in and the infrequency with which Nintendo remasters GameCube titles. Fortunately, those fears were unfounded, andThe Thousand-Year Dooris on its way toward a 2024 release with a shiny new coat of paint.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Doorwas released back in 2004 where it quickly drew a following with its impressive presentation, witty dialogue, unique tone for aMariogame, and fan-game-inspiring battle and equipment systems. WhileTTYD’s sequelSuper Paper Mariostill has plenty of fans, it marked the series' shift away from the classic RPG combat that definedSuper Mario RPGand the first twoPaper Mariotitles, and many have been waiting for its return. SeeingMario’s RPG classics return is great, and the Nintendo Switch has become a hot spot forPaper Marioin particular.
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The Switch’s Paper Mario Collection Has Dethroned The Wii
WhenThe Thousand-Year Doorreleases, the Nintendo Switch will host not only itself andSuper Mario RPGbut also the original N64Paper Marioin Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. In addition, it’s also the home of the latestPaper Mariogame,The Origami King, which is considered to be the best entry sinceSuper Paper Mario. Even without their common ancestorSuper Mario RPGcounted among their number, this has been the largest gathering ofPaper Mariotitles seen since the Wii.
Thanks to backwards compatibility and the acclaimed Virtual Console, the Wii was able to play physical copies ofTTYDin addition to emulating the originalPaper Mario. It is also the first and, so far, only console to featureSuper Paper Mario, an action-RPG that still employs the great presentation and clever writing associated withPaper Mario. TheVirtual Console library is no longer availablefor purchase, but Nintendo Switch Online is slowly building back its impressive collection of retro games. The Wii is still technically tied with the Switch for the highest concentration ofPaper Mariogames, but the Switch has proven to be its true successor in this respect.
Paper Mario’s Future Is Looking Bright
AfterTTYDarrives, the Nintendo Switch will become a must-have forPaper Mariofans. The approach of its rumored successor in 2024 means theSwitch’s collection ofMarioRPG gameslikely won’t grow any further, but it still leaves an opportunity for more. Chances are good that the Switch’s successor will have backwards compatibility, evidenced by a rumor where some third parties allegedly called for its exclusion. Nintendo Switch Online will probably also carry forward in that case, meaningPaper Mariofans can carry their collection into the next console generation.
Demand for otherPaper Mariore-releases is not as strong as it was forThe Thousand-Year Door, but there’s still room for aSuper Paper Marioremake in the future. A newPaper Mariogame will probably also drop for the Switch’s successor, making it the new must-have machine forPaper Mario. It will be interesting to see if the next entry continues down the puzzle-oriented pathOrigami Kingwas following, or if it instead opts to use the first twoPaper Mario’s traditional RPG approach andcast of nonstandardMariocharacter designs. Regardless, things are looking up forPaper Mariofans on the Switch andThe Thousand-Year Door’s return can only mean good things for the series.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Doorwill release in 2024 exclusively for Nintendo Switch.
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