Building on the phenomenal success of Paper Mario: The Origami King (2020), which claimed the title of the second highest-selling title in the franchise, just behind Super Paper Mario, Nintendo Switch fans are gearing up for a fresh Paper Mario adventure. The game receiving the remake treatment is none other than Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, a title that, despite its original sales falling shy of two million copies, has garnered a devoted fan base since its GameCube debut in 2004. Often hailed as the series’ high point due to its rich storytelling and captivating turn-based RPG mechanics, many have lost hope for the franchise to return to its former glory. Therefore, the announcement of a remake for The Thousand-Year Door has sparked considerable excitement within the gaming community. As we approach the launch, the big question remains: does this nearly two-decade-old game still resonate today, and does it offer enough new content to warrant its remake?
Set in the coastal town of Rogueport, which sits above an ancient city buried by a cataclysm long ago, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door begins when Mario receives a mysterious treasure map along with a letter from Princess Peach asking for help. Upon arriving in Rogueport, Mario finds that Peach is missing. This is where he meets Goombella, a college student who joins him on his treasure hunt, hoping to locate both the treasure her professor, Professor Frankly, has been studying and the whereabouts of the princess. Professor Frankly then recounts the legend of the “Thousand-Year Door,” a sealed entrance beneath Rogueport said to guard the treasure Mario seeks, which can only be unlocked by collecting seven “Crystal Stars.”
This summarizes the prologue, but gamers will have eight action-packed chapters to navigate, taking around 25 hours to complete, with plenty of optional content still left to explore. The central quest revolves around collecting the Crystal Stars, unlocking the Thousand-Year Door, and locating Princess Peach. The story is layered with numerous twists and engaging subplots best experienced by playing, so I’ll keep further plot references vague. After defeating the final boss in each chapter and securing a Crystal Star, players will switch perspectives to explore brief yet important sequences as Peach and Bowser, enhancing the overarching narrative.
Interestingly, Princess Peach is not held captive by Bowser, as many might presume. Instead, it is a group known as the X-Nauts who have taken her hostage, seeking the Crystal Stars for their own dubious reasons. During her captivity, Peach encounters TEC, a supercomputer that begins to develop feelings she was not programmed for and can’t fully comprehend. Meanwhile, Bowser learns of the situation and is eager to acquire the Crystal Stars for himself, realizing that not only is Mario on the trail of the treasure but also that Peach is missing from his grasp.
The narrative of The Thousand-Year Door is primarily conveyed through text dialogues and interactions with intriguing NPCs. Each chapter introduces a new setting and a fresh array of characters with their own side stories, some even joining Mario’s crew. Typically, I tend to skip dialogue in RPGs to focus on objectives, but the witty and sometimes poignant interactions in this game compelled me to engage with every character I encountered. It’s surprising how a Mario game can evoke such genuine emotions, deftly addressing themes like love, sacrifice, and acceptance—albeit in a lighthearted manner—making it easy to get hooked on the storyline.
One character of note is Vivian, whose original backstory was less fully realized in the English version. Thankfully, the remake confirms Vivian as a transgender woman, with her narrative now reflecting this aspect explicitly. While the game may not delve deeply into the topic, it artfully touches on more serious matters often untouched in the Mario universe, enhancing the depth of the experience.
In addition to exploration and character interaction, TTYD offers a rich array of gameplay elements beyond its primary storyline. Rogueport serves as the central hub, allowing players to venture into new locations, tackle side quests, and shop for items with coins they’ve accrued. Each new area features puzzles, collectible Shine Sprites to boost party members’ ranks, and Star Pieces to obtain badges that grant Mario special abilities. Some sections may remain inaccessible until certain mechanics or characters are unlocked, adding a layer of strategic exploration.
Players can also engage with various foes scattered across the environments, earning Star Points (a form of experience points) with each victorious encounter. After gathering 100 Star Points, Mario levels up, granting permanent increases to max HP (Heart Points), FP (Flower Points), or BP (Badge Points). HP measures health and damage tolerance, FP supports special attacks, and BP limits the number of badges Mario can equip. HP and FP can be replenished through items, leveling up, resting at an INN, or by using recovery blocks, which may cost coins.
The battle system in The Thousand-Year Door is intricate enough for seasoned players yet remains accessible for newcomers. A preemptive strike through a hammer attack allows Mario to initiate battles and take the first turn. Players choose actions for Mario and his allies, with turns alternating until one side runs out of HP. Party members can be swapped during battles, though only one can be active at a time. Precision in button presses affects both offense and defense, enabling gamers to mitigate damage and increase Star Power for special moves as they progress. Different enemies have specific vulnerabilities, requiring strategic thinking in attack choices based on the foes’ characteristics.
The remake also introduces exciting new features exclusive to the Switch version, such as an entirely remixed soundtrack, fresh battle themes for each locale, an art gallery, a sound gallery, and a streamlined menu interface. Notably, a newly added warp system facilitates quick travel across chapter locations through warp pipes after the respective chapters conclude. This enhancement significantly reduces the tedious backtracking found in the original, a welcome improvement for any player.
Feedback from the community has noted that Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door runs at 30fps versus the GameCube’s original 60fps. Nintendo has prioritized high-quality graphics, lighting, and textures over framerate, which occasionally dips below 30fps during intense scenes filled with many assets. While the stunning art and visuals certainly impress, a performance mode similar to that in Fire Emblem Warriors could have been beneficial, though the lower framerate did not detract from my enjoyment of the unique visual style and deliberate pacing.
Overall, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for Nintendo Switch significantly enhances the GameCube classic, providing a stunning graphical update alongside numerous quality-of-life improvements and additional content. If players can accept some areas of backtracking and a framerate cap of 30fps, they will find this the definitive Paper Mario RPG experience. Unlike many Mario games that prioritize gameplay fun over narrative depth, this title effectively delivers both components and continues to stand tall even after 20 years. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience the magic of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door when it releases on May 23, 2024.
9/10
A copy of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for review purposes was provided by Nintendo UK.