Paper Mario: The Origami King

 Switch
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1769 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,103 out of 1769
  2. Mixed: 269 out of 1769
  3. Negative: 397 out of 1769
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  1. KaS36
    Jul 19, 2020
    9
    Great soundtrack
    Amazing visuals
    Interesting environments

    My only gripe with it is the battle system and the fact that there's no incentive to battle, but the rest of the points more than make up for it. EDIT: 2 years later and the game grew even more on me. 9/10!
  2. Enkely
    Jul 18, 2020
    5
    A very cute game. But, the combat is so wrong. Actually you will be avoiding combat all the time because it's not funny at all. And the worst part it's that you will not gain anything besides some coins. No experience points nor anything. The game is a missed opportunity...
  3. LunchBox33
    Jul 18, 2020
    6
    PROS
    - Good adventure game
    - Beautiful game
    - Creative fight mechanic
    - Cool Boss Fights

    CONS
    - Not an RPG
    - The hole fighting mechanic is completely useless
    - "Partners" if you can call them that, are pretty much useless
    - The First part is horribly slow and painful

    CONCLUSION
    - It's a okay mario ADVENTURE game
    - It's not a Paper Mario Game since paper mario games are RPGs
  4. Radd11
    Jul 18, 2020
    9
    I really liked this game. 9/10 without post game. I like puzzles and I like the battle system, but I thought that the battle system needed a bit more depth. However, I still love it. I know people call this Color Splash 2, but personally I hated Color Splash. No offense to those who like it, but I personally didn't. I hated the backtracking, I didn't like the bosses, the battle system wasI really liked this game. 9/10 without post game. I like puzzles and I like the battle system, but I thought that the battle system needed a bit more depth. However, I still love it. I know people call this Color Splash 2, but personally I hated Color Splash. No offense to those who like it, but I personally didn't. I hated the backtracking, I didn't like the bosses, the battle system was okay. I think that the redeeming factor of that game was the world and the final boss. So I did not like that game, but I really liked Origami king. Why? I think the puzzles were 10 time better than they were in color splash and the world and characters were outstanding. This game has so much more vibrant with different scenarios all the time. Some puzzles might be a bit irritating, but they're very minimal. I thought this was a great game. This is probably an unpopular opinion, but right up there with TTYD. TTYD had an amazing battle system, and a semi-bland world. Origami King has a controversial battle system, but a 10/10 world. Great game and I definitely recommend it. This might one of my favorites if not my favorite paper Mario game… Expand
  5. 01052004
    Jul 18, 2020
    10
    Good Game, Its a Paper Mario Classic with a good adventure, that game its so beatyful
  6. Valleyofquacks
    Jul 18, 2020
    2
    No badges, no exp, no unique characters or playable sidekicks, lame "puzzle" battles. +1 point for beautiful artwork and +1 for a beautiful soundtrack. Please let someone else design the battle system and quests. Perhaps team up with square enix again?
  7. Gnificent
    Jul 28, 2020
    7
    While this game may not be the complete return to form that many fans of the early installments in the series may have hoped for, I still found game mostly enjoyable. The writing is pretty good, and managed to make me laugh more then I expected. The visuals are quite nice and the environments are well done, and fun to explore. The music in this game is fantastic, easily one of the bestWhile this game may not be the complete return to form that many fans of the early installments in the series may have hoped for, I still found game mostly enjoyable. The writing is pretty good, and managed to make me laugh more then I expected. The visuals are quite nice and the environments are well done, and fun to explore. The music in this game is fantastic, easily one of the best parts of the game.

    The only big "problem" that I experienced was that the battle system in this game, for the most part, can get very old quickly. The puzzles get a bit too repetitive after a rather short time with them, and often after you solve the puzzle, and move to the combat phase, it gets a bit boring. The combat itself is rather uninvolved at this point. Except for the boss battles, all round those were my favourite fights. While the game might not be the RPG that the first installments were, this game holds its own charm and value and all in all was an enjoyable experience.
    If you're looking for TTYD 2 , this isn't it, but it also isn't sticker star/color splash all over again either.    … Expand
  8. EZrev2006
    Jul 31, 2020
    8
    pros:
    visuals
    story and characters
    puzzles and exploration
    music
    interconnected world
    bosses
    cons:
    battle system
    character design and enemy design
    no exp
  9. SuperkenGaming
    Sep 28, 2020
    7
    Paper Mario: The Origami King
    Know when to fold
    The Origami king is a bit of a tactical rpg meets platformer that of coure takes place in the world of Mario.. and boy is this the perfect love hat relationship game. In this game the Origami king has taken Peaches castle, wrapped it up in streamers and you with the help of the kings sister set out to unravel each ribben and tke down the    Paper Mario: The Origami King
    Know when to fold
    The Origami king is a bit of a tactical rpg meets platformer that of coure takes place in the world of Mario.. and boy is this the perfect love hat relationship game.
    In this game the Origami king has taken Peaches castle, wrapped it up in streamers and you with the help of the kings sister set out to unravel each ribben and tke down the origami king..
    For the most part I absolutely loved existing in this world, its so full of color, charm, and mystery… you have a bag of confetti that you throw over rips and tears, which earns you coin, there are hundreds of toads for you to find that can help you in battle.. for a price of course.. and you set off on this 30 hour long adventure, just doing fetch quests and back tracking, solving mysteries, finding secrets, on that note paper Mario the origami king is an absolutely amazing experience… its world, its characters, its charm I loved it… however… the combat system here.. which unfortunately shares the spotlight just as much as the exploration.. I absolutely hate… literally the worst combat system ive ever experienced in a game period, let alone and rpg, here your goal is to slide and turn enemies, line them up and then jump on them or hit them with your hammer, and take turns until you defeat them, these battles are so easy, and such a slog to get through that they really have no business being here and existing… I do sortve like this system for this games boss battles, that by the way the game is full of… but I just really cant stand them and theyre ultimately what made me walk way after playing for a little over 20 hours, which is about the second to last boss battle.. I just couldn’t take the monotony anymore… these battles literally ruined the game from me…
    I maybe could’ve withstood if he origami king wasn’t such a long game.. it just never wants to end with constant convoluted area after convoluted area, running around different sections of the map,collecting items to get to the main bos battle, which is fine, but for that to be the formula for literally every ribbon, it gets exhausting…
    While paper Mario the origami king drastically suffers from pacing issues, as it never gives you a break with jus an occasional straight forward ribbon, the charm and the world will have you hooked and lost in this world, wanting to uncover all it has to hide.. that is again until you physically cant take it anymore…
    id love to see the completion stats of this game.. because I absolutely loved this game for the majority of my time with it, and even I couldn’t muster up the strength to finish
    I give Paper Mario: The Origami King
    a 7.5/10    … Expand
  10. weskergamer
    Aug 17, 2020
    8
    A really fun game, i enjoyed it a lot even though i prefer ttyd, but i can say is the best one since super paper mario
  11. NathanBWrites
    Sep 29, 2020
    7
    A charming game with humour out the door. Beautiful visuals make for one of the best games on the Switch visually. However, it can be a bit boring at times, and a drag to play through. Despite a lot of the negativity this game gets, I thoroughly enjoyed myself all the way through until the end despite a clear lack of incentive in an XP system for example.
  12. CatsNGames
    Sep 16, 2020
    6
    Great writing, you can really tell a lot of passion was put behind this project. Absolutely ruined by ring battles, they are jst annoying and ruin the flow of the game
  13. SnarkyReviews
    Oct 26, 2020
    7
    While the graphics are gorgeous and offers a fun take on the classic game. This cant save it from the awful game play that is the battles. This was the only thing i didn't love about this game, it could have been done differently but the route chosen was poorly executed.
  14. WoodyPWX
    Aug 5, 2020
    6
    Beautiful game that would be fun, but horrible battle system breaks that all.
  15. tdebug
    Sep 20, 2021
    5
    Many puzzles are way to complex and some are just ridiculous. Not clever in any way, but just cheap complexity.
  16. EverFortune
    Aug 19, 2020
    5
    I'd like to give this game a spiteful 0 score, but it does have some good qualities in its visuals and writing. The battle system seems like it could be fun, but it gets really repetitive without the rpg system of getting exp or level ups. It just makes more sense to run away from fights than go after them so you don't use up your items or coins. They probably knew this which is why someI'd like to give this game a spiteful 0 score, but it does have some good qualities in its visuals and writing. The battle system seems like it could be fun, but it gets really repetitive without the rpg system of getting exp or level ups. It just makes more sense to run away from fights than go after them so you don't use up your items or coins. They probably knew this which is why some of the boss fights abandon the battle system and function as an action type play style instead. Those surprise fights were much more fun than the usual ring combat, and are largely the reason i am giving a more fair thoughtful review

    I will say that I do like the way currency is handled in this game, it initially feels pointless because you get so much, but it turns out that you will be spending all of it if you're playing the game to its fullest. the game also has a function similar to the korok seeds in zelda breath of the wild, with the toads. it becomes a little minigame to find all the creative ways toads are hidden in the world. This started off as fun, but after maybe like 8 hours into the game, I didn't really like it anymore. It needed to provide a better benefit than it did to motivate you to find them

    All in all, i thought the game was good-ish but does not live up to the experience that is paper mario the thousand year door    … Expand
  17. harpwn
    Jun 22, 2021
    6
    The battle system is trash, it also lacks meaningful depth. Levels, abilities and gear would have been objectively better.
    Otherwise the game is good but I wish they had just gone further with things.
    There are lots of areas but by the time you are near done you really want to move on, going back for collectables doesnt appeal to me. The characters are kind of interesting at times but    The battle system is trash, it also lacks meaningful depth. Levels, abilities and gear would have been objectively better.
    Otherwise the game is good but I wish they had just gone further with things.
    There are lots of areas but by the time you are near done you really want to move on, going back for collectables doesnt appeal to me.
    The characters are kind of interesting at times but they dont stick around or contribute meaningfully at any point. You dont get to choose which one is with you either so it all just feels... meh

    The fetch quest nature of the story made it feel very tedious and drawn out, but then every so often something really off-piste happens and you are left wondering why that didn't happen more often. Prime example randomly you are just in a massive open ocean area and told to explore.
    Fighting the "Vellumentals" didn't appeal at all, especially as I only got to use their powers when it was given to me in special battles.

    Please...

    RPG battle system with levels and gear
    Collect and pick companions to fight with you
    More detail in the world, side quests and humorous interactions    … Expand
  18. IIIAHMIII
    Feb 16, 2021
    7
    Wonderfull story and beautifull designed worlds. The music also really lives up to the hype en i had a good couple of laughs. To bad the battle system is only fun during bosses and a drag to to against normal enemies. This was after the wii version the worst battle system i have encounterd. To bad cause this game had the potentional to stand next to the thousand year old door. And for theWonderfull story and beautifull designed worlds. The music also really lives up to the hype en i had a good couple of laughs. To bad the battle system is only fun during bosses and a drag to to against normal enemies. This was after the wii version the worst battle system i have encounterd. To bad cause this game had the potentional to stand next to the thousand year old door. And for the love of god LOSE THE TOADS.… Expand
  19. TheButchersNail
    Sep 29, 2020
    5
    The exploration is fun, and the environments ooze charm, but this feels like Baby's First RPG. The combat is tedious because of it's simplicity, and your companion character pops up to explain every single thing you encounter.
  20. AuthorityBottle
    Oct 5, 2020
    5
    i don't really like the battle system in fact i hate it because its annoying and i can't solve it. i actually prefer if they made it easier because of the puzzle hard for me and not everyone is good at puzzle and this kind of puzzle is your way fight against them is frustrating. Every fan thinks something new is better but something new can be bad too. I don't find the game fun and yeahi don't really like the battle system in fact i hate it because its annoying and i can't solve it. i actually prefer if they made it easier because of the puzzle hard for me and not everyone is good at puzzle and this kind of puzzle is your way fight against them is frustrating. Every fan thinks something new is better but something new can be bad too. I don't find the game fun and yeah some the jokes makes laugh but i feel paper jokes is going to get dull. The world are just pretty and thats it. It doesn't feel adventure to me. The story is not very good, its just sucks. i don't care about olive or bombs , there isn't really something to care about them, there just annoying to have. The dialogue sucks too. The music is the only thing that is better. The boss fight isn't really cool or awesome.… Expand
  21. cyklopPL
    Nov 22, 2020
    6
    Wasted potential.

    + beautiful graphics + characters + level design + jokes + origami + length of the game - lack of character level up/exp - battle system Review of this game is so sad. This would easily be a 9/10 or 10/10. The world is beautiful, characters are lively and entertaining. Levels are great and jokes in between funny. The length of the game is also very good, 5x    Wasted potential.

    + beautiful graphics
    + characters
    + level design
    + jokes
    + origami
    + length of the game

    - lack of character level up/exp
    - battle system

    Review of this game is so sad. This would easily be a 9/10 or 10/10. The world is beautiful, characters are lively and entertaining. Levels are great and jokes in between funny. The length of the game is also very good, 5x call of duty campaign. However there are two things that are wrong with this game:
    - lack of character level up (gaining experience). There are only like 4 types of the same weapons (weak, normal, strong, the best), and thats basically it. No character development at all apart from equipping weapon and accessories (with a few better versions available)
    - the battle system. Using the rings is fine for 20 minutes, but afterwards gets repetitive and boooooring. Align the characters in a straight line for the jump attack or in a 2x2 group for the hammer attack. And that is it. Repeat this in every battler (ok, apart from boss battle). This is so boring and frustrating. Does not matter if this is a combat in your 1st playtime hour or 25th, the battle will look the same. Extremely boring.

    That is very sad, as the battle system is very important in this game. As mentioned all the other parts are great. The world looks great, levels are well designed and characters funny. However, the repetitive and shallow combat ruins the game experience, as the combat is with us from the beginning till the end of this title.

    6/10    … Expand
  22. ManWhoGames
    Aug 13, 2020
    5
    The closest this game comes to being enjoyable is when it reminds me of the first two installments of the franchise. In every category except for nostalgia, this game is a sporadic smattering of half-assery. The combat is as fun as those small plastic maze puzzles they hand out at dentists' offices, the story is nonexistent, and the original characters are as forgettable as they areThe closest this game comes to being enjoyable is when it reminds me of the first two installments of the franchise. In every category except for nostalgia, this game is a sporadic smattering of half-assery. The combat is as fun as those small plastic maze puzzles they hand out at dentists' offices, the story is nonexistent, and the original characters are as forgettable as they are irritating; the days of the likes of Admiral Bobbery are apparently long behind us. The next time a game comes out where the boss battles amount to literally hitting a pair of scissors with a hammer, I'm going with my first instinct.… Expand
  23. mario1892
    Aug 4, 2020
    6
    I'm a huge fan of Paper Mario series, this one has an incredible soundtrack, amazing visuals, but lacks of the vibe the 1st and 2nd one had with the combat system =(
  24. agarza24
    Aug 15, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pros-
    Fun Characters
    Great dialog
    Beautifully crafted worlds Cons-
    Boring,Tedious battle system
    No upgrades or skill progression
    Frustrating boss fights
    No rpg elements    … Expand
  25. GoPackGo817
    Aug 15, 2020
    5
    This is the first game review I have ever written in my 20+ years of gaming. I grew up playing Paper Mario from the original to Thousand Year Door. This is a HUGE disappointment. The story of the game is good and they created a really neat world BUT the combat (if you can call it that) is horrible. The other Paper Mario games were more RPG's than anything else and thats a major reason IThis is the first game review I have ever written in my 20+ years of gaming. I grew up playing Paper Mario from the original to Thousand Year Door. This is a HUGE disappointment. The story of the game is good and they created a really neat world BUT the combat (if you can call it that) is horrible. The other Paper Mario games were more RPG's than anything else and thats a major reason I liked them. The combat in this game is not even combat, it's a puzzle. There's no XP, No skill tree, no ROG elements what do ever. Thanks Nintendo for taking a dump on this franchise with ghe combat system. It's really too bad too because I love the story and the humor is great throughout but I can't give this game anything above a 5 in good faith… Expand
  26. Rei_Reviews
    Aug 17, 2020
    6
    Too many coins with no reason to spend them.

    Pros: - Toads that have brilliantly written dialogue that is both witty and funny - Vast and diverse environments - Challenging and interesting boss mechanics Cons: - A battle system that is pointless, tedious and doesn't prepare you for the latter parts of the game. - Poor design decisions, especially in the latter half of the game    Too many coins with no reason to spend them.

    Pros:
    - Toads that have brilliantly written dialogue that is both witty and funny
    - Vast and diverse environments
    - Challenging and interesting boss mechanics

    Cons:
    - A battle system that is pointless, tedious and doesn't prepare you for the latter parts of the game.
    - Poor design decisions, especially in the latter half of the game that made it feel like a chore to play.
    - Bosses that have little relevance to the overall story - the bosses are understandable from a design perspective but the main bad character's motivations wouldn't lead you to believe he would use them as minions.    … Expand
  27. Vostok
    Sep 2, 2020
    5
    Very polished experience. The story is brilliant, funny, and unexpectedly dark and somber at times. I do see a valid critique against the combat system, there were times where it felt tedious and unnecessary. And because there is no real experience system the intended reward system feels confused. Overall as an experience it is memorable and delightful.
  28. Resetto
    Sep 19, 2020
    7
    I really wish that I could give this game a 10. It has so much that it’s doing right, but the RPG system with no EXP is terrible, and the regular battles take long.
  29. Mdgamer
    Nov 2, 2020
    5
    This game should have been an 8/10 experience but the stupid ring puzzles were such a slog that I can't say I had fun during any of the later boss fights. The game made me feel like I needed to be a mathematician just to beat the ice Velumental. It's too bad because the world itself and the characters and the humor and the music are delightful. They had to nintendo the game with a stupidThis game should have been an 8/10 experience but the stupid ring puzzles were such a slog that I can't say I had fun during any of the later boss fights. The game made me feel like I needed to be a mathematician just to beat the ice Velumental. It's too bad because the world itself and the characters and the humor and the music are delightful. They had to nintendo the game with a stupid gimmick. Like I said this game could have easily been an 8 but I stopped having gun so it gets a 5… Expand
  30. NCL209
    Dec 3, 2020
    5
    5/10. Too many Toads.

    Nah but seriously this game would've benefitted a lot if they just had a normal RPG battle system with levelling up and partners, and if they had unique characters just like the first two games.
  31. Blump
    Dec 5, 2020
    6
    The first and most obvious issue with this game is the combat. This game features a rotating ring puzzle system that allows the player to move enemies into groups before attacking. These ring puzzles seem interesting at first, but they lose their charm halfway through the game. Generally, it came down to solving the puzzle in two seconds or just spending 500 coins to automatically solveThe first and most obvious issue with this game is the combat. This game features a rotating ring puzzle system that allows the player to move enemies into groups before attacking. These ring puzzles seem interesting at first, but they lose their charm halfway through the game. Generally, it came down to solving the puzzle in two seconds or just spending 500 coins to automatically solve the puzzle. I don't mind having a puzzle element in battles but in most fights the puzzle WAS the battle. If you properly solve the puzzle enemies will generally go down with a single jump or hammer. Sometimes you need to select the iron boots for spiked enemies, but that's about as deep as it gets. Additionally, there are only two or three action commands in this game. Compared to previous entries this is extremely small and it adds to the feeling of repetition that comes with battles. Finally, there is the issue of incentive. Battles earn you coins which can be spent on collectibles, items, and puzzle hints. Coins are valuable enough that battles aren't completely worthless, but I often found that the only times I willingly engaged in battle was when I needed to grind coins for a ridiculously expensive trophy. For reasons mentioned previously, the battle system is shallow and repetitive. I never battled for the sake of battling. Though it wouldn't fix the core combat I think some sort of EXP system would've made battles feel more meaningful. Building up Mario and having him learn new abilities or something would make battling at least a bit more engaging. As it is, battling is one step above worthless and doesn't have the fun factor to keep it afloat. The only exception to this is the boss fights, which shake things up enough to be engaging and fun.

    My second issue is with the "Paper" theme. I believe the developers have taken this a bit too far. This may sound like a "purist" position, but I believe the paper should not be at the forefront of gameplay, dialogue, and world building. I think Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door handled the "Paper" aspect of Paper Mario the best. The different fold curses were cute acknowledgments of the flat character designs that didn't overstay their welcome. However, since Sticker Star, the entire world has been made from craft supplies and there is a lot of dialogue acknowledging that the characters and world are arts and crafts. It's difficult to explain why this bothers me but it just all feels so "fake." Now the first three Paper Mario games were presented in a storybook format, but the world and its characters always felt "real" enough that it was never distracting. This feeling of disconnect from the world is at its greatest when the Legion of Stationary is on screen. The members of the Legion of Stationary are all real-world objects such as scissors and colored pencils. These "characters" feel incredibly out of place and further my emotional disconnect with the world and its characters. Who are they? Where did they come from? I'm not sure, but I really wish they were replaced with someone or something that came from within the Paper Mario world rather than the real world. The first three Paper Mario games had their own original art direction that made the world feel like a place that stands on its own. Now the Paper Mario universe is loosely and needlessly tied to the real world and I have no idea why. No children are going to be drawn in by the arts and crafts aesthetic, they don't care. All this has done is make the whole Paper Mario world feel fake. As I previously stated the game is beautiful, but the paper theming seriously hampers any sort of stakes in the story and my general investment in the game.

    My final issue is the creative limitations that have been placed on this series. I'm sure someone can explain why using countless identical Toads and Bowser baddies is actually a genius business move, but I really don't care. The citizens of this world are, for the most part, nameless background characters who can be mistaken for one another. When the majority of the inhabitants of the world are cut from the same mold with little to no distinctive features it's difficult to care about any of them. I still remember side characters such as Koopa Koot from the original Paper Mario because he has a distinct look, personality, and name. Is anyone going to remember the rich Toad who lives in Toad Town in a year from now? I personally doubt it. "Rich Toad" is a stock Yellow Toad with no given name or especially memorable function. Characters like Bobby, whose name is actually Bob-omb, and Professor Toad come close to matching the quality of the older games' characters, but they all fail to meet the standards set by a side character in one way or another. Giving a few NPCs interesting outfits or different body proportions goes a long way in visual diversity.

    Okay game, but the flaws are deep. My younger brother got bored and stopped playing before the second boss.    … Expand
  32. Inorde
    Feb 3, 2021
    5
    Fantastic looking game. Quite fun and a ton of fun characters are on your path.

    Unfortunately the battle system is frustrating and very repetitive. It's based on a single type of puzzle. If you can't solve it within the time limit there is a penalty on your attacks and you are guaranteed to take a hit. It made me feel pretty stupid because in some cases I just don't see the solution,    Fantastic looking game. Quite fun and a ton of fun characters are on your path.

    Unfortunately the battle system is frustrating and very repetitive. It's based on a single type of puzzle. If you can't solve it within the time limit there is a penalty on your attacks and you are guaranteed to take a hit. It made me feel pretty stupid because in some cases I just don't see the solution, which is frustrating. Enemies return after you've left a part of the story and you'll be avoiding them just to prevent having to do another battle. Weapons break really fast and finding toads everywhere gets boring eventually.    … Expand
  33. BLG
    Apr 3, 2021
    6
    As a long-time fan of the Paper Mario series, the only thing I can say is that Nintendo sure is consistent when it comes to taking creative risks. Unfortunately for The Origami King, the risks fell flat (haha). Before we dive into what went wrong, let’s talk about the undeniable strengths of the game. The most obvious quality of The Origami King is the incredible visuals. At almost everyAs a long-time fan of the Paper Mario series, the only thing I can say is that Nintendo sure is consistent when it comes to taking creative risks. Unfortunately for The Origami King, the risks fell flat (haha). Before we dive into what went wrong, let’s talk about the undeniable strengths of the game. The most obvious quality of The Origami King is the incredible visuals. At almost every scene, you can't help but pause and appreciate what you are seeing. There are points where Mario and his team rest on benches providing you a glimpse of the incredible artwork in the surrounding area. Nintendo could not have created a more interesting and satisfying world to explore for the Paper Mario franchise. The images included in this review are just a taste of what you'll get to see and if stunning and unique art styles are a priority to you, I think this game will exceed your expectations.

    Another unexpected endowment of The Origami King is the story. Paper Mario has always been known for exploring characters from different backgrounds in the Mario Universe. It really is the only Nintendo series that gives you the perspectives of Goombas, Koopas, Bomb-ombs and a plethora of other Nintendo species. In this regard, The Origami King did not disappoint. The character development was strikingly deep and well thought out. Real sacrifices were made by each individual you befriend as they desperately try to help Mario save their world. There is even a super meta moment where the villain is forced to face his origin in a very interesting way. From my perspective, this is the furthest any Mario game has gone to give you a sense of dire need for a hero. It is not just a princess you are saving, but the entire Mario universe as we know it. Other aspects worth mentioning are a hilarious script and great diversity in challenges. There were lines in the game that made us laugh out loud and showed that it did not take itself too seriously.

    With everything I have described so far you are probably wondering why I started this review the way I did. And that is exactly what you should be thinking. So much of this game was propelling this title towards legendary status that it should be clear how much friction the risks they took ultimately caused. A key feature in the Paper Mario franchise is the combat. Any fan of the series knows Nintendo is no stranger to completely changing how fights progress. But the leap they took in this game left many fans wondering, how did we get here? The mechanics employed by Nintendo are called "carousel combat". The model is comprised of puzzle-like challenges where Mario must expend most of his time and energy lining enemies up rather than strategizing with weapons and abilities. It is as dull as it sounds and after a few hours it became exhaustively boring. Not only are the combat mechanics horribly chore-like, but Nintendo decided that leveling up your abilities through experience was no longer worth it. It is almost as if Nintendo knew how bad of a decision carousel combat was. There was so much incentive to circumvent combat with enemies that I found myself sprinting and dodging entirely through the game to avoid any contact that was not absolutely necessary. I could touch on the boss battles, but they were more of the same, just with extra steps.

    Another disappointment was the uselessness of your team. I fondly remember the older titles where each character that joined your squad brought unique and exciting combat features that created more depth to strategy. But the characters this time around stand awkwardly beside Mario while he pretends to be a kindergarten teacher and lines foes up single file. Even worse, they lazily perform moves that attack singular enemies for a fair amount of damage but without any thought given to their actions at all. You have no control over who they attack or what move they perform. This aspect was extremely disappointing to me and to my friends that I had encouraged to buy this game. Perhaps our expectations were too high, but that is only because we knew what Paper Mario: The Origami King could have been.

    Combat has evolved in every Paper Mario title but this time around Nintendo has many fans wondering if the future of the series will continue along this puzzling path. With a heavy heart and a lot of confusion, we at BLG give Paper Mario: The Origami King a 6 out of 10. This game was enjoyable and we only recommend it if you genuinely love the franchise for more than the combat, or you actually somehow enjoy hours of making enemies stand at attention before you perform one of two moves on them. Nintendo has always been perfectly clear that they will prioritize reinventing game play with every title, so hopefully that means we will never see carousel combat again.

    For our full podcast review, visit https://www.buschleaguegaming.com/podcast/paper-mario-the-origami-king-review.    … Expand
  34. Peimozei
    Apr 19, 2021
    6
    The game is visually appealing and the story is nice but the battles are so boring that i think i’ll never replay this game again.

    Please make an HD version of TTYD so i can play again a fun Paper Mario game !
  35. LazyLenni
    Jun 23, 2021
    6
    At this point I have lost hope for Nintendo to return to the format of the classic Paper Mario games. You can see the creative restrictions, they set for the production around every corner.
    Characters are literally not even allowed to look unique or have names anymore! Furthermore they removed badges and experience points from the battles, which makes the gameplay quite boring.
    I would    At this point I have lost hope for Nintendo to return to the format of the classic Paper Mario games. You can see the creative restrictions, they set for the production around every corner.
    Characters are literally not even allowed to look unique or have names anymore! Furthermore they removed badges and experience points from the battles, which makes the gameplay quite boring.

    I would wish for them to take the criticism to heart,

    Please bring back:
    -Original characters
    -A deep/emotional story (like in Super Paper Mario)
    -Experience points and badges
    -Turnbased fighting (like in TTYD)

    Thank you for reading, have a nice day!    … Expand
  36. Herbalmouse1305
    May 29, 2022
    6
    this game is the apotome of modern Paper Mario
    - looks amazing
    - sounds amazing
    - great puzzles and adventuring
    - PLEASE F***ING G-D DONT RUN INTO THAT GOOMBA, THIS BATTLE SYSTEM CAN DIE IN A HOLE
    - writing is really funny
  37. enthusiastvevo
    Jul 6, 2022
    6
    The best aspect of The Origami King is the writing with the dialogue and interractions, but outside of that, the game feels like almost nothing. This entry in the Paper Mario franchise was rumored to be channeling back to the series' RPG roots, when in reality it felt like Colour Splash felt more faithful to said roots. The game is a puzzle game with ring based combat sections sprinkled inThe best aspect of The Origami King is the writing with the dialogue and interractions, but outside of that, the game feels like almost nothing. This entry in the Paper Mario franchise was rumored to be channeling back to the series' RPG roots, when in reality it felt like Colour Splash felt more faithful to said roots. The game is a puzzle game with ring based combat sections sprinkled in there. To get it out of the way, the combat is frankly pointless, the only reward is coins, which are also almost pointless. Coins can be used to buy battle items or collectibles that feel insanely overpriced in some instances. Boss battles feel sort of repetetive besides the Sumo Bros fight in the latter half of the game. Even the final boss doesn't attempt anything new, simply rehashing ideas the player has already encountered and most likely got bored of, as I did. It didn't feel worth it upon completion, and I simply enjoyed Colour Splash more, still better than Sticker Star, however. I just hope we get a remastered trilogy of sorts on the switch.… Expand
  38. onpaper
    Oct 2, 2022
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's just another story about a poor little yellow girl that does all the hard work, and then sacrifices herself to save a rich white blond girl.… Expand
  39. Niffty24
    Jan 28, 2023
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is not like the other paper mario games in that it barely leans into its rpg elements and is just puzzle. And, unfortunately, the puzzles are frustrating, where you have to memorize what order they're supposed to be solved rather than enjoying putting the puzzle together. And, we're talking all battles, with the vellumentals being the worst and everything after just getting progressively worse. Add to that Oliver or Ollie, or whatever the main secondary character's name is, is so annoying that I legitimately felt like leaving her under the rock she gets smooshed under later in the game and this is a game you'll get about 3/5 of the way through (hence the 6/10 rating) and then will probably quit, trade in, and get a game you might actually enjoy. It is very pretty though, probably the only enjoyable aspect.… Expand
  40. wensday
    Mar 23, 2023
    5
    Disappointed in this one, though some gameplay elements were fun. The story gets awkward and messy at times and seems like it was pieced together by different teams which makes it hard to get invested in the characters like previous Paper Marios. I wish they'd made something more cohesive. The game feels like 100 ideas slapped together and then a story was formed around those ideas, whichDisappointed in this one, though some gameplay elements were fun. The story gets awkward and messy at times and seems like it was pieced together by different teams which makes it hard to get invested in the characters like previous Paper Marios. I wish they'd made something more cohesive. The game feels like 100 ideas slapped together and then a story was formed around those ideas, which is why parts of the game are jarring or feel like an utter slog. I found the new battle system oscillated between too easy or too artificially difficult, and not a lot in between. The summoning circles interested me at first because they reminded me of Tearaway, but they ended up feeling forced and clunky instead of organic. The collectibles are pointless and seemed like a way to artificially add content for the sake of adding content. Overall, this didn't feel like a PM game and didn't have the quality I expected, and even though I went in with an open mind, I still didn't care for it. You're not missing anything if you skip this one.… Expand
  41. LuisferSSB
    Aug 2, 2020
    8
    The visuals, soundtrack and writing are where Paper Mario: The Origami King really shines.
    The combat is fun, but it can get repetitive really fast and you'll eventually find yourself trying to skip as much fights as possible, only fights you're really looking forward too are the boss fights. They're really creative and they can be really challenging.
    The toad system on the fights it's    The visuals, soundtrack and writing are where Paper Mario: The Origami King really shines.
    The combat is fun, but it can get repetitive really fast and you'll eventually find yourself trying to skip as much fights as possible, only fights you're really looking forward too are the boss fights. They're really creative and they can be really challenging.

    The toad system on the fights it's like an easy mode in the game, if you want a real challenge, try to avoid using it. But I warn you that if you use them, even the boss fights will be a breeze.    … Expand
  42. Johns0405
    Jul 30, 2020
    6
    The paper mario humour and art is there, but the combat is lacking. I find myself trying to avoid enemies just to progress through the story faster. This is the type of game you would probably find more appealing watching a no-commentary play through of. Unless you really like simple and tedious puzzle mechanics, you won't get much out
    of the battle system. The story and paper mario    The paper mario humour and art is there, but the combat is lacking. I find myself trying to avoid enemies just to progress through the story faster. This is the type of game you would probably find more appealing watching a no-commentary play through of. Unless you really like simple and tedious puzzle mechanics, you won't get much out
    of the battle system. The story and paper mario humour is great though.    … Expand
  43. lebin28
    Aug 1, 2020
    8
    this game has a lot of funny dialogue and the graphics look beautiful. yes the combat is fine but the boss battles are REALLY fun.
  44. MazinroboX2
    Sep 11, 2020
    9
    Paper Mario: The Origami King is the (positive) surprise of the year for me. I am a big fan of the first 2 Paper Mario, being TTYD my favourite game of all time, and my disappointment with Sticker Star was huge. So I played this game expecting nothing, and in the end I really enjoyed it, I even got the 100% on it.

    It has many positives. World is well designed, with secrets everywhere,    Paper Mario: The Origami King is the (positive) surprise of the year for me. I am a big fan of the first 2 Paper Mario, being TTYD my favourite game of all time, and my disappointment with Sticker Star was huge. So I played this game expecting nothing, and in the end I really enjoyed it, I even got the 100% on it.

    It has many positives. World is well designed, with secrets everywhere, exploring is probably the most fun thing of this game, just finding hidden blocks, holes, and treasures feels rewarding, and time goes fast by doing that. As for the battle system... Well, here is the tricky part. For me it was fine at the beginning, then mid-game I didn't enjoy it that much, and then for the end of the game I actually enjoyed it again, as I learnt how to play the game much better, how to use my weapons properly and the Toads' help when needed, and this makes battle go fast. This makes you actually get more coins, which is important, as if you don't play battles properly, they are almost useless, as you don't get enough coins and experience points don't exist in this game. It's not the easiest battle system to get into, I get it, but it works well once you figure it out. And bosses are actually quite fun, especially when you fight them in the virtual machine of Toad Town; without help of accessories, you actually get punished for your mistakes.

    All in all, for me the game was a lot of fun, it's very original, and it keeps on surprising you with the situations that happen. You also have some good laughs, as always with this series. Sure, it may be hard to get into due to the battle system, you have to get used to it, and also, some parts of the game are a bit slow, but positives outweigh negatives for this one.

    As a final consideration, I would love for Paper Mario to go back to the original battle system, but, if they decide to be creative, and achieve the quality of this game, I won't complain.    … Expand
  45. Camospeed
    Jul 30, 2020
    8
    Qué cantidad de haters!!! Este juego es lo que es Nintendo, pura diversión!!! No podrá ser el mejor RPG de la historia, pero si es un gran exponente de la saga, con una evolución innovadora, propia de los juegos de Nintendo, me encantan los gráficos, la historia, el humor, ojalá fuera un poco más difícil o tuviera la opción de aumentar la dificultad, por lo demás, es otra joya del universoQué cantidad de haters!!! Este juego es lo que es Nintendo, pura diversión!!! No podrá ser el mejor RPG de la historia, pero si es un gran exponente de la saga, con una evolución innovadora, propia de los juegos de Nintendo, me encantan los gráficos, la historia, el humor, ojalá fuera un poco más difícil o tuviera la opción de aumentar la dificultad, por lo demás, es otra joya del universo Mario.… Expand
  46. Ehjay
    Jul 29, 2020
    8
    The game seems to be torn between wanting to please both fans of the original games, and the fans of the newer series. There are some extreme difficulty spikes at points in the game, and the game does have a few glitches (some more severe than others, look up the game breaking glitch so you don't ruin 20-30 hours of gameplay and lock yourself out of the ending).

    Its a fun game that    The game seems to be torn between wanting to please both fans of the original games, and the fans of the newer series. There are some extreme difficulty spikes at points in the game, and the game does have a few glitches (some more severe than others, look up the game breaking glitch so you don't ruin 20-30 hours of gameplay and lock yourself out of the ending).

    Its a fun game that doesn't quite know what it wants to be. Its 50% RPG and 50% Adventure Puzzle Platformer. If you enjoyed the original Paper Mario games for their RPG elements, this is not the game for you. If you are interested in a puzzle platformer within the Paper Mario Universe, this is a decent entry in the franchise. Certainly better than the last several entries.    … Expand
  47. Mitchell05
    Jul 30, 2020
    8
    Paper Mario: The Origami King is an excellent game in with both an entertaining storyline and excellent artwork. Unlike the last two Paper Mario instalments, this is a game enjoyable to the end even with a reworked combat system.

    In the entirety of the game, there were only two things that stuck out to me which I wasn’t a fan of/would change. First and Foremost was the reworked combat    Paper Mario: The Origami King is an excellent game in with both an entertaining storyline and excellent artwork. Unlike the last two Paper Mario instalments, this is a game enjoyable to the end even with a reworked combat system.

    In the entirety of the game, there were only two things that stuck out to me which I wasn’t a fan of/would change. First and Foremost was the reworked combat system turns the game more into a strategy game than rpg, and while that is Nintendo’s goal for the series I did enjoy the level based system more.    … Expand
  48. Bloodmouth
    Jul 23, 2020
    6
    I had to temper my emotional attachment to the first two games so that I wouldn't rate this game too harshly. In the interest of full disclosure, I absolutely love the first two Paper Mario games and detest what Nintendo and Intelligent Systems have done with the series since. If you are hoping this game will be a return to form for the series, read no further and walk away. Gone are theI had to temper my emotional attachment to the first two games so that I wouldn't rate this game too harshly. In the interest of full disclosure, I absolutely love the first two Paper Mario games and detest what Nintendo and Intelligent Systems have done with the series since. If you are hoping this game will be a return to form for the series, read no further and walk away. Gone are the days of brilliant character writing, deceptively deep combat, and beautiful storytelling. You will be disappointed. The game even seems to have amnesia about how the Paper Mario universe operates (see: Bombette's explosions). However. If, you can ignore that the game has "Paper Mario" in the title, it's a mediocre action/adventure puzzle game with a Mario paint job. Let's talk about the good in this game first. The art style is phenomenal. The world is vibrant and it certainly looks like a gorgeous, modern visual style for the series. I would love to see a Paper Mario or Thousand Year Door remake with this graphical engine. The music is great. There are some actually great songs in the game in certain cutscenes and boss battles that are some of the best in the series. The story is mediocre, but its highs are truly great and I found myself enjoying the plot despite its flaws. If you are a completionist, the game has a great tracking and hint system for the collection broken down by area. I actually found searching for Toads to be the most enjoyable part of the gameplay. Now why is this game itself mediocre? At its heart, it's a puzzle game. The game has some RPG elements, but nothing about it is really anything like an RPG. There are no level ups, no permanent weapon upgrades, or new abilities. Instead, upgrades come in the form of flat health/strength upgrades and consumable weapons. The battle system revolves (ha) around rearranging enemies on a circular grid to line them up for Mario's attacks. For the first few hours of the game, I was frustrated because of how easy these puzzles were. By the end, I was frustrated by the difficulty. Difficulty in a puzzle game is not bad at all, but artificially inflated difficulty is. The source of my frustration wasn't that the puzzles themselves had jumped in difficulty (which is a good thing), but that there is a strict timer enforcing the puzzle. You can pay coins to extend your timer or ask Toads to do the puzzle for you, but that's missing the point. By the end, the game is a puzzle game that doesn't want you to solve its puzzles. Instead, you need to buy accessories to extend your timer and pay large sums of coins just to add 60 seconds. Without that god forsaken timer, I would add a point to my score. Lastly are the controls. If you expect Mario to jump and move and spin etc... like he does in a main series entry or even just in any other paper mario game, you will be disappointed. The controls range from mildly functional to infuriating. Searching for hidden blocks will have you screaming, "but I jumped there!" even with all of the searching helpers equipped. I watched the trailer for this game and thought it might be like the first two golden titles. I had great and high hopes for this game. I wanted a deep badge system and level ups. I wanted a roster of interesting characters with unique and useful abilities, both inside and outside of battle. I wanted a deep story with interesting and emotional developments (see: TTYD). I wanted all of these things and would've been happy to get even a handful. I got none of these things. In summary, taken as it is with no association to the first two entries in the series, it's a mediocre action/adventure puzzle game with some nice highlights. However, if you're anything like me and hoped this would be a series rebirth to times of greatness past, it's a great disappointment. It made me want a true Paper Mario game more than ever, but that game is in another castle...… Expand
  49. Evo2404
    Jul 25, 2020
    7
    Good game with fantastic visuals fun and exiting characters interactions and has a most better plot than ss and cs however this is not a game in the same style as the original trilogy of games a lack of exp makes late game battles fell long and pointless it was a fun and interesting battle system witch at the start of the game was fun however by the end of the game I found myself avoidingGood game with fantastic visuals fun and exiting characters interactions and has a most better plot than ss and cs however this is not a game in the same style as the original trilogy of games a lack of exp makes late game battles fell long and pointless it was a fun and interesting battle system witch at the start of the game was fun however by the end of the game I found myself avoiding battles. The world is fun to explore even if I has quite massive pacing issues with long draw out segments and most puzzles just being swing your hammer to make the magic circles a… Expand
  50. awinter105
    Jul 26, 2020
    8
    Really love the game and its writing. The dialogue really cracks me up in some scenes. The level/world design is beautiful, but the combat/boss battles can range from extremely tricky on one battle, to easy peasy immediately afterwards as you progress.
  51. PielomUil
    Jul 29, 2020
    8
    First of all, this is my first time playing a Paper Mario game, and I gotta say, it's so much fun! The graphics look stunning, the text is funny, the music is amazing, the gameplay is fun and the battle system is very interesting and can be very hard throughout the game. I also think the boss battles are interesting, basically i think the whole ring thing is great. I loved collecting theFirst of all, this is my first time playing a Paper Mario game, and I gotta say, it's so much fun! The graphics look stunning, the text is funny, the music is amazing, the gameplay is fun and the battle system is very interesting and can be very hard throughout the game. I also think the boss battles are interesting, basically i think the whole ring thing is great. I loved collecting the toads and the collectible treasures. I havent had this much fun playing a game for a long time, thanks Nintendo!!… Expand
  52. Hisenzerg
    Jul 29, 2020
    8
    I liked that game so much. Must play nintendo exclusive. But not the best actually.
  53. Subject_Alpha
    Jul 29, 2020
    8
    The game is extremely charming. The visuals, humor, and overall STYLE of the game all land. The boss battles all have their own unique mechanics to them that keep you thinking.

    The biggest issue I have with the game is the standard "Ring combat" that happens with normal enemies. In the late game, I had so many coins that I just used the "Cheer" mechanic to avoid having to waste time    The game is extremely charming. The visuals, humor, and overall STYLE of the game all land. The boss battles all have their own unique mechanics to them that keep you thinking.

    The biggest issue I have with the game is the standard "Ring combat" that happens with normal enemies. In the late game, I had so many coins that I just used the "Cheer" mechanic to avoid having to waste time solving the multi-move puzzles in combat.

    It doesn't kill the game for me though, and there are several moments through the entire game that made me feel genuine emotion. I certainly recommend this game to fans of puzzle games and fans of comedic adventures, because that is what this is at its very core.

    People looking for another TTYD will find the game familiar enough in its looks and dialogue, but lacking in the deeper combat mechanics and multi-member party system.    … Expand
  54. Cassdain
    Jul 30, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Me está gustando mucho, no entiendo el odio que le tienen al juego por no ser igual a los dos primeros. La verdad es que yo he jugado el de nintendo 64 y ahora este y ambos me han gustado un montón. La comedia es muy buena y la verdad el juego no cae en ritmo casi nunca y eso hoy en día es difícil de encontrar. Soy amante de los rpgs y jrpgs y aunque este juego no se denomine rpg pues tiene muchos elementos del mismo. Me a gustado que casi nunca te aburres o se te hace repetitivo, siempre tiene algo nuevo que te hace seguir con la aventura, los acompañantes tienen todos bien carisma y Olivia es un gran personaje, muy bien escrito. Coleccionar las elementos no cansa y es muy divertido casi siempre. Los gráficos son hermosos, hasta ahora no puedo creer que una tablet pueda hacer esto, la verdad es uno de estos juegos donde te cuestionas sobre si el fotorealismo significa mejores gráficos pues este no es fotorealista pero es hermoso. La exploración es muy satisfactoria y los diálogos tienen una comedia que no cansa, muy buen guión. Sobre el combate con enemigos comunes, la verdad este es su punto más flojo pues aunque te dan monedas necesarias para mejorar los atributos de Mario, creo que están poco aprovechadas y una vez que tengas monedas de sobra solo vas a querer evitarlos. Sobre los jefes, las peleas son muy buenas y de verdad las disfruté mucho. Solo tengo la queja, debieron crear otros jefes finales que no sean solo materiales de oficina. Se que nintendo es una idiota que no deja crear nuevos personajes en la saga y espero que eso cambie la próxima vez. Por el lado bueno,estos materiales de escritorio tienen carisma y personalidades muy divertidas. Me encantó el perforador y si sabrosura xD. Finalmente, puedo decir que el juego si vale la pena. Me a gustado mucho a pesar de sus defectos y eso en estos tiempos como gamer de muchos años es muy raro. Eso sí, si vas a querer enterrarlo porque no se parece a los dos primeros, mejor dedica tu tiempo a otra cosa.… Expand
  55. geames
    Jul 25, 2020
    8
    (Please Note: I have only played the first 3 games as well as Origami King, haven't played Sticker Star or Color Splash). Even though Thousand-Year Door is my second favorite game ever (can't beat Wind Waker), I still enjoyed this game. However, part of that enjoyment came from my accepting the fact that this game would not be like TTYD. By accepting it for what it is, I found enjoyment in(Please Note: I have only played the first 3 games as well as Origami King, haven't played Sticker Star or Color Splash). Even though Thousand-Year Door is my second favorite game ever (can't beat Wind Waker), I still enjoyed this game. However, part of that enjoyment came from my accepting the fact that this game would not be like TTYD. By accepting it for what it is, I found enjoyment in the game. Definitely has its ups and downs though. The combat, in particular, was quite frustrating at times (Boss battles are fun though). I also felt that the story was lacking, and it felt a little too simplistic (are a couple of surprises though). What really kept me going was the humor and world itself. The world provides a lot of unique setpieces (not as unique as TTYD) that made the experience fun. If you're looking for a TTYD sequel, don't get this game. Try out Bug Fables, it's just like the original Paper Mario games and is super fun! But if you're willing to give this game a shot, and experience something new, then I highly recommend The Origami King. The world is fun to explore, there are lots of collectibles, characters have lots of personality, and it's funny!… Expand
  56. ponferap78
    Jul 21, 2020
    5
    Juego bonito para la vista pero nada mas! Aburrido, sin alma y genérico . Puede divertir a los niños de la casa
  57. sampsonj
    Jul 20, 2020
    5
    Sadly, this is not the Paper Mario we are looking for. Great visuals but again, characters are lacking, burning battle system that is way too easy. No badges, no real partners not a real RPG. I wish Nintendo would go back to the older style which both fans and professional reviewers agree is better.
  58. Jrystal
    Jul 21, 2020
    5
    Does some things right and does some things wrong. I like the visuals and I think the combat could be fun but without exp there's not much a point and the combat isn't quite fun enough to actively participate in without some kind of incentive. Honestly the game kind of shows a lack of much ambition or creativity. The bosses are the most generic 3D assets I've ever seen from Nintendo. I'dDoes some things right and does some things wrong. I like the visuals and I think the combat could be fun but without exp there's not much a point and the combat isn't quite fun enough to actively participate in without some kind of incentive. Honestly the game kind of shows a lack of much ambition or creativity. The bosses are the most generic 3D assets I've ever seen from Nintendo. I'd be surprised if they weren't bought from some asset store. All the ambition seemed to go into the combat itself but since there's not much of a reason to participate....

    Overall I think this is the best game in the "Sticker Star" trilogy but that ain't saying much. If you want a better Paper Mario experience go play the original trilogy or get Bug Fables instead. Personally I think it's time Nintendo put Paper Mario to rest maybe for good this time. We're now at the point where the number of good Paper Mario games are the same as the bad/mediocre ones and that's honestly pretty sad.    … Expand
  59. Quacks81
    Jul 20, 2020
    5
    It wasn't bad but people really need to stop buying this game because Nintendo will continue to release this tiresome rpg that only appeals to kids. Three times in a row they don't listen to fans. It's the same ole story and game play. The rpg elements in this game are lackluster and boring. If you hated Sticker Star and Color Splash then you will definitely hate this one.
  60. Tmadd4
    Jul 23, 2020
    8
    Nostalgia for TTYD aside, I think this game is incredibly pleasing. People should stop comparing the two because obviously thousand year door was one of the best games ever made. The storyline in origami king is charming and although the gameplay is different I am thoroughly enjoying playing it. Perfect game to relax and set your mind on cruise control (even if some of the puzzles / waveNostalgia for TTYD aside, I think this game is incredibly pleasing. People should stop comparing the two because obviously thousand year door was one of the best games ever made. The storyline in origami king is charming and although the gameplay is different I am thoroughly enjoying playing it. Perfect game to relax and set your mind on cruise control (even if some of the puzzles / wave battles are challenging, but not infuriatingly so). I recommend it!… Expand
  61. Stevable
    Jul 26, 2020
    8
    Very Good Game, good combat system, good adventure, good graphics and very ironic writing.
  62. TheHand
    Jul 27, 2020
    8
    The brilliant music alone makes this game worth the $60 price point, the boss battles are engaging and interesting, and the game is beautiful to look at. While I prefer the old paper Mario battle system, the battle system in this game is still really good. The beginning of the game is really easy but as the game goes on it gets progressively more difficult. They also finally brought backThe brilliant music alone makes this game worth the $60 price point, the boss battles are engaging and interesting, and the game is beautiful to look at. While I prefer the old paper Mario battle system, the battle system in this game is still really good. The beginning of the game is really easy but as the game goes on it gets progressively more difficult. They also finally brought back partners, which randomly attack in battle. If partners were fully expanded upon and had full controlable movesets in battle and uses outside of battle other than being able to talk, then this game would be perfect. Either way this game is more than worth buying and while not as good as the first 2 paper mario games, it is miles better than anything to come out from paper mario since.… Expand
  63. Blaise_
    Jul 23, 2020
    8
    You know, I first wanted to give this game a 6. However that was pretty early on, I don't like the path that the Paper Mario series took after TTYD. Removing the EXP system and just making it a puzzle type game, left a bad taste in my mouth. With that being said, I enjoyed this game the more I played it. It was random, I didn't mind the storyline, the game looked amazing. And probably theYou know, I first wanted to give this game a 6. However that was pretty early on, I don't like the path that the Paper Mario series took after TTYD. Removing the EXP system and just making it a puzzle type game, left a bad taste in my mouth. With that being said, I enjoyed this game the more I played it. It was random, I didn't mind the storyline, the game looked amazing. And probably the best feature of this game was the soundtrack. Every tune was awesome. The ring system was "meh" to me, but I grew accustomed to it over time. So after finishing it, it deserves an 8 from me. Hope we go back to the original concept of paper Mario in the future..… Expand
  64. Sibree
    Jul 24, 2020
    8
    Only issue I had was with the awful fighting mechanics, as I played the game theg became more tolerable but still annoying. Story is excellent with plenty of play time. Took me around 25 hours to beat my first play through while collecting items.
  65. mtkf
    Jul 26, 2020
    8
    Combat is the only thing I'm not a big fan of, but the boss battles are super fun and the art style and music is fantastic.
  66. ByzantineCondui
    Aug 6, 2020
    0
    Horribly paced, boring combat, and super generic lifeless NPCs and world. Sure, the papercraft aesthetic is well done and the world is visually beautiful, but the locations and world just lack any depth. There was a certain magic to the older Paper Mario games - TTYD is tied for my favorite game of all time. Sure, it had issues, but the formula was just so magical (imagine if they couldHorribly paced, boring combat, and super generic lifeless NPCs and world. Sure, the papercraft aesthetic is well done and the world is visually beautiful, but the locations and world just lack any depth. There was a certain magic to the older Paper Mario games - TTYD is tied for my favorite game of all time. Sure, it had issues, but the formula was just so magical (imagine if they could apply the modern day advances in game design and graphics to that style of formula). Battles are repetitive, the whole thing is just a giant collect-a-thon and the only way I can describe it is: “incredibly shallow”. It dumbs down everything great about the series and I’m really just deeply saddened by the cheapening of one of my favorite works of art ever made.… Expand
  67. Marble_Garden
    Aug 18, 2020
    4
    "It's a tone-deaf, group-think, husk of its former self"

    Bland. Superficial. Clueless. I Will NOT be fooled again. -Shallow undifferentiated characters -Decent music, but nothing memorable -Stationary Bosses (like tape, and pencils, seriously) -Stupidly easy puzzles. Locked door? Walk to corner, pick of key, open door. Done. -Boring pointless battles that nearly ruin the game,    "It's a tone-deaf, group-think, husk of its former self"

    Bland. Superficial. Clueless. I Will NOT be fooled again.

    -Shallow undifferentiated characters
    -Decent music, but nothing memorable
    -Stationary Bosses (like tape, and pencils, seriously)
    -Stupidly easy puzzles. Locked door? Walk to corner, pick of key, open door. Done.
    -Boring pointless battles that nearly ruin the game, you will avoid them.
    -Hidden items are always useless trophies (who cares?).
    -Same old paper gimmick no one asked for again.
    -Confetti gimmick is pointless, adds nothing.
    -Story was OK, but not enough to make up for all the other issues.

    Conclusion, this is a game for the 5-10 y/o crowd. It's a tone-deaf group-think husk of its former self, and Nintendo doesn't care what you think. My expectations are not unrealistic, I know Nintendo can do better, they simply refuse to listen. Perhaps if we all shout "DOOPLISS" loud enough the authentic Paper Mario be revealed.    … Expand
  68. Blackdog22
    Aug 22, 2020
    7
    So the first thing ill say is this game is absolutely beautiful. The humor is right up my alley, I found it extremely enjoyable. I liked the adventure and was very open to the combat system. One concept I see that gets people caught up is the lack of EXP, and thus no need to fight, and well, this is only partially true. Gold is your EXP essentially, its your reason to fight and progressionSo the first thing ill say is this game is absolutely beautiful. The humor is right up my alley, I found it extremely enjoyable. I liked the adventure and was very open to the combat system. One concept I see that gets people caught up is the lack of EXP, and thus no need to fight, and well, this is only partially true. Gold is your EXP essentially, its your reason to fight and progression is your reason to fight. You will find in some areas that you actually need to grind the gold to get treasures, which means there is a reason to fight.

    Having said that LETS GO OVER THE NEGATIVES as I see them.

    So theres a few issues with this game. While I am very open to the puzzle concept it does become rather annoying and also feels rather pointless. Not because of the exp, but because there simply is no losing in this game. Loading up on 15 Mushrooms within the first hour of playing the game I was left with 15 Mushrooms as the game ended. In other words, the features they have they render nullified by their own systems.

    Its a very confused and unsure development and it continues for pretty much every aspect of the game. Fail a challenge? Its okay, we will make it easier after as few as 1 failed attempt sometimes! Why have any semblence of challenge to begin with then? Who knows. Heres a fun find Toad concept! Go find them! Also, we will give you this item which finds them for you and thus removing the need to actually find them. Again, a system that works against itself. It does this for pretty much every system where they feel like tacked on concepts that very quickly feel like chores, not meaningful gameplay mechanics, simply because they undermine their own game at every corner.

    As I mentioned gold is the reason to go into combat, however there is many points in the game where you can essentially just get free gold. Its not a secret or anything, its just a standard part of the experience, which does undermine its own combat system. You get the trend here. Nothing in this game remains relevant and the devs didn't have enough of a backbone to make their systems meaningful, even if that initially seemed like the intention, they too quickly flip flop on it.

    My primary gripe with the characters would actually just be... one. Olivia... I have never come across a more annoying or less likable character. If she isn't saying something completely ridiculous, then shes literally backseating you for the ENTIRE GAME. She is essentially the tutorial....that never goes away. The game doesn't ease you in and then let you go, it CONSTANTLY HOLDS YOUR HAND. It CONSTANTLY backseats you. Forget to save? Oh Olivia will let you know every step of the way. Lose your way slightly and enjoying discovering literally anything? TOO BAD OLIVIA IS THERE TO SPOIL IT! Its.... so unnecessary, and quickly feels like these are becoming confused. They harken back to the characters of Super Mario World, a nostalgic practice, yet you would think this games meant exclusively for 7 year olds or under.

    Now I realize this is Nintendo, but god man. Some of their recent practices aren't just casual, they basically play the game for you. I desperately hope this practice stops and that Zelda isn't the only game someone with a functioning brain has to play on the system.

    So why a 7? Because the overall experience is honestly extremely enjoyable. I don't always finish games and I finished this one, but only because the story and concepts, and err "some" characters are enjoyable. Bobby ftw.    … Expand
  69. storageheater
    Aug 17, 2020
    7
    It feels like it's learned from mobile games about how to dripfeed gameplay mechanics to sell back to the player for real money. As if they created a slightly less satisfying game on purpose so you'd like it more when they offer you a way to get round it.

    The way this game implements difficulty is always at odds with what I'm expecting. There's times where the game will rush so quickly    It feels like it's learned from mobile games about how to dripfeed gameplay mechanics to sell back to the player for real money. As if they created a slightly less satisfying game on purpose so you'd like it more when they offer you a way to get round it.

    The way this game implements difficulty is always at odds with what I'm expecting. There's times where the game will rush so quickly to give me a hint that it actually curtails my exploration, interaction and fun. I'll still be at the "breaking everything for goodies" stage and it'll solve the puzzle for me. Then other times it's a difficulty spike out of nowhere.

    It seems like it's always giving you ways to mitigate the actual gameplay, which kind of influences how I feel about the gameplay, as if perhaps they weren't sure it was alright on its own. Combat seems like what happens when you play the game badly, so you get the ability to evade lots of it. Failing the puzzle makes turnbased combat your punishment, but you can pay to make combat deal with itself anyway, and you'll have hundreds of powerful healing items. You get items that find hidden items for you. The hint system is almost always a clear indicator of what to do, if it hasn't already forced you to go the direction it wants you to.

    Your weapons break...occasionally. Why? You get loads through finding boxes, it's really cheap to buy more, and I don't believe anyone has ever run out. Is the purpose of this to force the player to have 20 identical boots in their inventory? While you can only carry 3 boots and 3 hammers into battle, you can change them out at any time during battle. Why have the "only carry 3" thing if you're actually carrying all of them? I don't dislike the mechanic, I just think it's bloated nonsense that thankfully never matters.

    I always dragged my heels when it came to the boss battles, they were such a low point I'd often put the Switch to sleep as they started up, to deal with later.

    That said, it's a fun game and I really enjoyed it! But even though the good stuff is enough to make it worth playing, there's not much to say about it* and the only thing I'll ever remember is how much I hated the combat and how weirdly the systems in it work against each other.

    *it looks nice, it controls well, it is often funny, you collect lots of things.    … Expand
  70. AngelStarr
    Aug 6, 2020
    6
    Oh, the mediocrity hurts! I believe the target audience for this game should be marked as children ages 4 to 12.
    The story, the writing, the dialogues... They are all simply mediocre. Moreover, the lack of XP points makes most battles feel like a drag.
    Sure enough, the graphics are sweet, but something just feels... Boring as hell. I wish I'd spent that money on any other Mario title.    Oh, the mediocrity hurts! I believe the target audience for this game should be marked as children ages 4 to 12.
    The story, the writing, the dialogues... They are all simply mediocre. Moreover, the lack of XP points makes most battles feel like a drag.
    Sure enough, the graphics are sweet, but something just feels... Boring as hell.
    I wish I'd spent that money on any other Mario title. Because this game feels like a chore, like something that I have to finish only to justify the expense.    … Expand
  71. Robbingrogue
    Aug 14, 2020
    7
    Having just completed the game, and as a long-standing fan of the franchise, I can now share my thoughts about Paper Mario: The Origami King with you.

    PROS -The visuals and soundtrack are absolutely incredible. -It maintains (most of) the humor Paper Mario fans have known to love, and adds some more whimsical charm to form a very pleasant mixture. -Creative locations, puzzles, hidden    Having just completed the game, and as a long-standing fan of the franchise, I can now share my thoughts about Paper Mario: The Origami King with you.

    PROS
    -The visuals and soundtrack are absolutely incredible.
    -It maintains (most of) the humor Paper Mario fans have known to love, and adds some more whimsical charm to form a very pleasant mixture.
    -Creative locations, puzzles, hidden secrets, and boss fights.

    CONS
    -The battle system is boring after about ten battles, and the fact that there is no progression system makes random encounters tedious. At some point in the game I was actively avoiding fights and disliked any forced battle I came across. When the main gameplay element of your game is not fun, that's not a good thing.
    -Because the game is a bit more whimsical than Paper Mario 64 and The Thousand-Year Door, the game lacks some of the RPG- and story-depth of those entries.
    -Lack of side-quest content and replayability.

    CONCLUSION
    Paper Mario: The Origami King takes the Paper Mario franchise to a new direction, but not a successful one. Whilst it maintains and improves on many of the elements that make the Paper Mario franchise so appealing - good humor, creative puzzles, etc. - the stripping away of the battle system of the original Paper Mario and many of the RPG elements has not made the game more fun. If Nintendo and Intelligent Systems ever decide to make a game that embraces Paper Mario's traditional gameplay roots with the visuals and charm of The Origami King, they may just have a masterpiece on their hands - But this is not it.

    FINAL GRADE: 7+ out of 10.    … Expand
  72. ElSmasher
    Aug 2, 2020
    7
    Paper Mario Origami King wants to be inventive. Artistically, this opus is close to excellence due to humor and well-balanced characters. Despite this, some aspects (although varied) of exploration or combat are not well mastered ... But don't worry TOK remains a pleasant and surprising game for young and old alike.
  73. Deank1006
    Jul 24, 2020
    7
    Pretty good game. Very creative world. The story is okay. Music is great. My main complaint is after about half the game, the battle system is so annoying. Instead of fighting enemies you try to avoid them. The battle system needs more content to spice it up.
  74. Jnbell91
    Jul 24, 2020
    6
    A beautiful disappointment. I’ve been a Paper Mario Fan since the Nintendo 64 days, so I was very excited to play this game. I loved the days of action and stylish commands. I enjoy various genres of games but leaving behind the RPG mechanics was a disservice to this series. I wouldn’t consider this game an RPG at all, but a puzzle game. Every battle is a puzzle, a simple, repetitiveA beautiful disappointment. I’ve been a Paper Mario Fan since the Nintendo 64 days, so I was very excited to play this game. I loved the days of action and stylish commands. I enjoy various genres of games but leaving behind the RPG mechanics was a disservice to this series. I wouldn’t consider this game an RPG at all, but a puzzle game. Every battle is a puzzle, a simple, repetitive puzzle. The battles are pointless at best, and annoying at worst, and running away often fails. The real reason to play this game is if you love collectathons or for the story. It’s not the best story in the series, but it’s definitely better than Sticker Star or Color Splash. If you’re looking for a role playing adventure like Paper Mario 64 or Thousand Year Door this game is unlikely to be for you. If you want a simple puzzle adventure with a light but well written story than go for it.… Expand
  75. SublmnL
    Jul 24, 2020
    6
    I ignored the complaints and bought the game anyways, and boy am I disappointed. It's super repetitive fighting with no rewards and the fighting system, especially for boss fights is ridiculous!
  76. Dr_moose
    Jul 24, 2020
    6
    Thought this game wasnt going to be as bad as everyone was saying it had the humor and the feeling of fhe god paper Mario's but then got to the first boss and just hard quit the game why do you have 60 to 70 seconds to time out all hour moves to do the most damage in a boss fight it doesnt make sense
  77. Xeneise_gonza
    Aug 1, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. El reino champiñón de papel se ve alterado cuando una figura hecha de origami, llamado Olly, secuestra a la princesa Peach con el objetivo de reclamar el trono para él y su hermana (Olivia), sometiendo a todas las figuras planas que no sean de origami. Sin embargo, Olivia no está de acuerdo con el plan maléfico de su hermano y decide ayudar a Mario para restaurar la paz entre planos y origamis. Olly envuelve el castillo de Peach en 5 tiras de papel, diseminadas por todo el reino.
    Mario y Olivia emprenderán un largo viaje para detener a Olly, enfrentando grandes peligros pero también ayudados por entrañables compañeros de aventuras.
    El juego cuenta con un apartado de exploración donde Mario debe recabar información para cortar las cintas de papel, y otro de combate en donde se enfrenta a enemigos diversos.
    En el modo de combate, nos encontramos en una plataforma circular con enemigos posicionados en lugares específicos. Mario debe ordenarlos de dos maneras: La primera es en fila, de esta forma podrá usar el ataque de pisoteo con sus botas.
    La segunda es agrupar 4 enemigos en 2 filas de 2 para poder liquidarlos con el martillo.
    Situar a los enemigos en el lugar correcto requiere de mucha práctica y concentración por parte del jugador, ya que Mario solo dispone de movimientos y tiempo limitados para acomodar el tablero. Una ventaja con la que cuenta Mario es la de ralentizar el tiempo haciendo uso de monedas, así como también pedir ayuda a los Toads rescatados en el modo exploración.
    Conforme el jugador se vaya adentrando en el juego podrá encontrar amuletos muy útiles para tener más tiempo y salud en estas batallas.

    Pasamos ahora a las batallas de jefes; Mario y Olivia se enfrentarán a distintos jefes con forma de equipo de oficina (tijeras, cinta adhesiva, lápices, máquina agujereadora) que son letales si el jugador no planifica bien su estrategia de ataque. En estas batallas, el jefe está en el centro del tablero y Mario en el borde. El tablero cuenta con flechas y fichas de activación que el jugador debe acomodar para atacar al jefe, con atención al tiempo y cantidad de movimientos limitada.
    En cuanto a mi experiencia personal debo decir que los jefes me costaron un poco al principio, ya que no entendía bien la dinámica del tablero. Sin embargo, luego de practicar comencé a jugar mejor y a entender bien la dinámica del combate. Entiendo que mucha gente se haya sentido frustrada con este sistema de combate complejo, pero no deben bajar puntos al juego por intentar algo innovador e interesante.    … Expand
  78. Rasid05
    Aug 10, 2020
    7
    The Game is better than Color splash and sticker star. It’s really funny and it got some good plot twists. The battle system is not horrible it got a nice mechanic but the battles are unnecessary you only get coins and confetti. The story is not good and not bad but it could be better. The Collectibles are a good thing to and are hard to find. And the most annoying thing in this game areThe Game is better than Color splash and sticker star. It’s really funny and it got some good plot twists. The battle system is not horrible it got a nice mechanic but the battles are unnecessary you only get coins and confetti. The story is not good and not bad but it could be better. The Collectibles are a good thing to and are hard to find. And the most annoying thing in this game are the toads because almost every character is a Toad. But the best thing is, the game is really entertaining and is really fun.… Expand
  79. ptxmalca
    Aug 19, 2020
    5
    I can't believe that Nintendo continues doing this. This could have been such a great Paper Mario but no. Nintendo always neglects their audience and the fans of the franchise. Paper Mario at its core was an RPG. This element gave value to fighting and felt rewarding in a way. The origami king was a very good idea, I loved the theme but it has major drawbacks that literally made me want toI can't believe that Nintendo continues doing this. This could have been such a great Paper Mario but no. Nintendo always neglects their audience and the fans of the franchise. Paper Mario at its core was an RPG. This element gave value to fighting and felt rewarding in a way. The origami king was a very good idea, I loved the theme but it has major drawbacks that literally made me want to sell the game before finishing it. Luckily since I was skeptical I bought it physical so I could resell it if it wasn't great and well it is not great at all.

    Major negative points:
    - Lack of RPG elements
    - Fighting is useless and after a while is boring with such gimmicky features
    - Coins are not scarce at all and defeat the purpose of true reward
    - The above breaks everything since you can pay for any weapon so why not just buying the strongest one. This defeats the purpose of any other item/weapon.
    - Every time you complete a main level it rewards you with useless bags of confetti which is an unlimited material so why do you need bigger bags anyways?
    - Nintendo goes again with a useless diorama thing with collectibles that don't add anything
    - Did you like playing difficult games or at least challenging? Well Origami King is for dummies to the extent I even felt offended at how easy Nintendo makes it. And when it gets interesting in some puzzles guess what, if you did not do it in the first 2 tries then go to super easy mode...
    - Why do I care about mushrooms at all. Every corner there is additional HP so inventory management is again useless.

    Summary:
    If it weren't for the lack of elements and gimmicks this game would have been great. The story is good, jokes are okay, the theme is pretty nice. But it all falls and feels like a chore. I ended up just skipping every enemy I can because you kill enemies for coin but you need coin for items. And killing enemy is boring so why not saving yourself some time by not getting enemies and coin.

    Another thing I was extremely disappointed is the lack of personality. I mean common Nintendo, you have always dressed Toads and make them interesting. You have TOadette for instance but no. Nintendo wanted to go with this hidden agenda of not portraiting female or male traits which makes it super boring. The first games had incredible female and male secondary characters. Just a disappointment.    … Expand
  80. Tris10
    Feb 20, 2021
    6
    Nintendo again doing what they want and not the fans. It’s better than the last 2 entries but that’s not saying much at all.
  81. Crimson9
    Dec 25, 2022
    3
    Nintendo's quality continues to decline. Contrasting this game with a thousand year door really shows that. This game was mind numbingly boring, nonsensical and easy.
  82. Sagerronan
    Jul 20, 2020
    5
    The game looks great, but the gameplay is repetitive and grows old very quickly. I had fun for a few hours, but the puzzle gameplay soon got very tiresome. You can avoid battles if you want, but that's not really something that I find fun either. Avoiding the battles isn't fun, and the battles themselves aren't fun. Not really my kind of game at all. I regret purchasing this.
  83. Hollumdusk
    Jul 20, 2020
    5
    Great visuals and music, but repetitive and somehow convoluted gameplay, the world is fun to explore, but the battles kill the pacing with their tiresome systems lacking any reward and a the setting fall short in comparison with other Mario games, with an story that keep repeating elements from previous entries as what I can only call tiresome jokes and tropes, and overall, andGreat visuals and music, but repetitive and somehow convoluted gameplay, the world is fun to explore, but the battles kill the pacing with their tiresome systems lacking any reward and a the setting fall short in comparison with other Mario games, with an story that keep repeating elements from previous entries as what I can only call tiresome jokes and tropes, and overall, and disappointing use of the IP.

    For and adventure game set in the Mario Universe, Odyssey and Luigi's Mansion 3 are better options.    … Expand
  84. KIDDKASH
    Jul 20, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game would be great if they used the same progression mechanics as PM64. Battling enemies feel pointless and though the puzzle system is unique, it's not for me. Not to mention the long dialogs that cannot be skipped. The only saving grace is that game looks good… Expand
  85. supergoron
    Jul 23, 2020
    6
    Good presentation, the world is fun to explore, and the story isn't just another "Bowser kidnapped Peach". However just like the last two games, battles are mostly pointless since they waste resources and limited use battle weapons, customization is limited with no gear or badges, partners are useless as you can't command them or upgrade them, and the once cute paper-craft gimmick is overGood presentation, the world is fun to explore, and the story isn't just another "Bowser kidnapped Peach". However just like the last two games, battles are mostly pointless since they waste resources and limited use battle weapons, customization is limited with no gear or badges, partners are useless as you can't command them or upgrade them, and the once cute paper-craft gimmick is over played by Nintendo at this point. The new battle system is unique I'll give you that, but after awhile it just draws out battles to be longer then they need to be and it makes you wish for even the Sticker Star / Color Splash battles to return because they at least ended quickly.

    Overall it's a fine game, but the stubbornness of the developers to include a battle systems closer to the originals that was simpler to grasp and faster to use or any RPG mechanics that made you feel like battling was actually worth doing holds back what could have been a fantastic 9 or 10 out of 10 game.    … Expand
  86. CauzeMythical
    Jul 19, 2020
    5
    this game is average for me its boss fights are neat the allies suck and its so damn slow espically tyhe first part
  87. Risingstar360
    Jul 21, 2020
    6
    Paper Mario has changed shape becoming a beautifully crafted adventure with entertaining dialogue, open area exploration and lots of colour. This entry takes a completely new direction and is only let down by a tiring ring battle system which you will quickly choose to avoid. Those Mario RPG fans are better off checking out Bug Fables and simply enjoying PM for the fun ride.
  88. Marty-O
    Jul 20, 2020
    5
    A shell of the series former glory.

    This game is a big improvement over the other "new" paper mario games and yet it's still suffering from so many of their problems. There's not much here for longtime fans of the series but for any newcomers you'll find a perfectly serviceable adventure game.
  89. GreenMann
    Jul 20, 2020
    5
    I’ve never played a paper Mario game before but I thought I’d try it out and it was very mediocre. Graphics are very nice and dialogue can be kinda funny sometimes but overall I was just bored while playing it. Gameplay is super easy and left me unsatisfied. I think if you have a kid they would probably enjoy it but I gotta give it a 5/10
  90. MetroidUser
    Jul 20, 2020
    5
    This game has some really great offerrings, but fails in the aspect that matters most: gameplay. It offers some above average music, immense charm, and amazing stylzed visuals. The plot, while bland, is dealt with in interesting ways and has great writing. The world is a perfectly constructed paper diorama and the game has a good amount of content. While the game offers some exploration itThis game has some really great offerrings, but fails in the aspect that matters most: gameplay. It offers some above average music, immense charm, and amazing stylzed visuals. The plot, while bland, is dealt with in interesting ways and has great writing. The world is a perfectly constructed paper diorama and the game has a good amount of content. While the game offers some exploration it is pretty linear and no area is really big enough to be considered "open" but rather thick corridors. In the overworld, Mario can only jump and use his hammer which makes most puzzles one-dimensional and forgettable. The world has collectible Toads that come with a "puzzle" element, which are fun to collect but boil down to "use your hammer" and help a little with building your audience. The game also has a confetti mechanic which is completely frivilous, you watch a lengthy animation and fill holes for a meager amount of coins. This is especially annoying for completionist types because you can see them everywhere, but you know they are meaningless busywork. The conffetti so pointless it seems the only reason they added it was because Color Splash had it, which makes no sense given how much this game strives to be different. The combat is probably my biggest gripe with the game, you can slide one row or shift one column at a time. The combat is fun at first, but very quickly the battle puzzles become far too easy and enemies are decimated in a single turn. There is very little depth to the combat and because of how it is setup, requires the game to throw 10-15 enemies per battle at the player at once. This means you have to slowly watch Mario kill each individual enemy which becomes super repetitive and slows gameplay to a crawl. Worse, Mario gains nothing but coins from battle which are so common the reward for battle doesn't really exist. This sometimes puts the game in a place where to play it, you want to actively avoid playing it. I believe that is a sign of a bad video game even if it has many other great strengths. If they used a more well-thought out combat system(which doesn't even need to be the TTYD's, just anything good) and removed the stupid mechanic where you fill in holes for no reason this game could easily be a 9/10, but players should not feel like they want to avoid the game while playing it.… Expand
  91. DavidM1337
    Jul 19, 2020
    6
    Not as bad as Sticker Star, not as good as 1000 Year Door.

    - The systems are too simplified compared to the first 2 games of the seriess - Exploration is not as rewarding. - The new combat system is interesting but ultimately I don't wanna solve circle puzzles all the time. - Combat is barely rewarded. You used to get XP in the old games; now it's just money. - The game overexplains    Not as bad as Sticker Star, not as good as 1000 Year Door.

    - The systems are too simplified compared to the first 2 games of the seriess
    - Exploration is not as rewarding.
    - The new combat system is interesting but ultimately I don't wanna solve circle puzzles all the time.
    - Combat is barely rewarded. You used to get XP in the old games; now it's just money.
    - The game overexplains everything. Text is popping up all the time interrupting the gameplay experience. It treats me like a child.    … Expand
  92. ginessl
    Jul 19, 2020
    9
    Muy buen juego, muchísimo mejor que Color Splash.
    Si tuviese más mecánicas rpg como subida de nivel y stats sería un juego de fácilmente 9,5-10.
  93. mkl006
    Jul 21, 2020
    0
    I can deal with the removed RPG elements and maybe even some repetitive combat. Unfortunately, not only are combat and puzzle-solving exceedingly easy and boring, they are also disproportionately time-consuming and unrewarding.

    Sadly, this is a game best reserved for little children and their appreciation for the pretty colors.
  94. SirPunk
    Jul 23, 2020
    7
    The Origami King has its ups and downs. In a year that we have no idea what Nintendo has in store for us. It feels more like an appetizer then a main course. I did have fun with it regardless of some game design choices and at the end of the day that’s all that matters.
  95. Sinder583
    Jul 19, 2020
    5
    Not a fan of the combat at all, was hoping for a Traditional paper Mario RPG from
    The N64 era.... its just ok, not worth the price tag. More of a puzzle game then an RPG, fail the puzzle take damage. Reminds of Gems of war...
  96. Boamere
    Jul 20, 2020
    5
    This game is OK, don't go in expecting TTYD. This is not really an RPG.

    Combat gets quite repetetive, and there aren't a lot of individual characters. Be prepared for a lot of toads... The design of the areas is quite nice and the music is quite good. Read the interview of Kensuke Tanabe by Andy Robinson... It seems that they can't make original characters/bosses that fit the    This game is OK, don't go in expecting TTYD. This is not really an RPG.

    Combat gets quite repetetive, and there aren't a lot of individual characters. Be prepared for a lot of toads...

    The design of the areas is quite nice and the music is quite good.
    Read the interview of Kensuke Tanabe by Andy Robinson... It seems that they can't make original characters/bosses that fit the original mario design at all. That's why there's the stationary boss fights. A shame for sure.    … Expand
  97. EnigmaXtreme
    Jul 22, 2020
    7
    The Origami King opens up on Mario and Luigi arriving at the palace for an Origami Festival, only to find the place abandoned. It’s only after exploring do they find Peach has been turned to origami, Bowser has been folded up into a tiny piece of paper and all his minions have been turned into origami as well. After a quick trip to the dungeon, we uncover our companion for this game, theThe Origami King opens up on Mario and Luigi arriving at the palace for an Origami Festival, only to find the place abandoned. It’s only after exploring do they find Peach has been turned to origami, Bowser has been folded up into a tiny piece of paper and all his minions have been turned into origami as well. After a quick trip to the dungeon, we uncover our companion for this game, the little origami fairy Olivia. We find her through the use of the “10000 Fold Arms” much like Colour Splash borrowed from the new kid in Splatoon, Mario’s doing it again and this time with ARMS.

    Origami King plays a lot like Color Splash, with a giant papercraft world to explore that is now littered with origami versions of enemies, and I’m not gonna lie these new designs are actually pretty creative and a touch creepy if I do say so myself. There are flat versions of enemies too, but everyone’s decided to put their differences aside in the face of a common enemy. Bits of the world have also been just straight up chewed up, by what exactly? By Giant Paper Mache Goombas and its fascinating seeing the construct of these creatures, complete with wire holding them together, the same can be said for chunks of the world that are now an empty void with coathanger wire that you need to throw confetti on to repair. Confetti is found literally everywhere, much like Color Splash you acquire the world repairing element by wacking everything in sight

    As for combat, Color Splash’s card system did leave a lot to be desired. But at least it was straight forward. Origami, on the other hand, wants to turn every boss fight into its own puzzle. While the staple action commands are still present, move sets have been reduced to just Boots and Hammers, no Special Moves. Battles are played out on this ring with Mario in the middle with enemies splayed out in rows and columns and it is up to you, in a limited amount of moves with a ticking clock, to arrange your opponents to achieve maximum damage. With this system, the real challenge is lining up your enemies properly, making the actual combat feel redundant. It is even worse when it comes to Boss Battles, during those the boss is in the middle and you have to find your way to them via arrows that lead to the right combination to attack. Fortunately, you are able to gain support by throwing great gobs of cash everywhere.

    Origami King has an abundance of two things, money and Toads, there isn’t a moment you are not earning moolah and by the first hour, I had already hit over 10K. Toads, on the other hand, have all met the fate of Olly and have ended up folded, scrunched and stuffed in all sorts of places, there is even a Toad Tracker that utilises HD Rumble to help locate them from a faint reading to they are right beneath you.

    The varied sensitivity works really well in looking for them, and you are going to want to find them, as they have brought back one feature of Thousand Year Door….kind of. Your battles are watched on by an ever growing audience of Toads who will even help you out if you throw enough coins there way, these really help in Boss Battles as it allows an arrow on the screen to plan your moves properly. The amount of money you find is so staggering, and it is so easy to buy new weapons, it ALMOST makes up for the degradation of fancier boots and hammers……almost.

    As well as HD Rumble the game utilises motion controls for some of its more special moves. Using the extend-o arms require certain controls like hitting and pulling, while they can be turned off I honestly found it more reliable using them over the thumbstick.

    One of the most missed features from previous Paper titles is the lack of a party joining you on your journey, thankfully Origami King has brought that back…..kind of (kind of). You will have characters join you like a Bob-omb with amnesia or an archeologist Toad, but they don’t stick around for long and you don’t even control them in battle. There was a moment where we were blocked by boulders and the Bob-omb wondered what they should do.

    If it sounds like I’m continuously knocking on the game, it’s only because it is such a mixed bag. The world is absolutely stunning, especially the new enemy designs and the completionist in me loves finding all the Toads and holes to fill. But on the other hand, the game is plagued with niggling issues including the complexity of the ring battle system potentially driving new players away. It isn’t fair to compare Origami King to Thousand Year Door though, cause quite frankly it’s not trying to be. The Paper Mario series has pretty much left the RPG genre in favour of a 3D Platformer/Strategy style. Instead of dismissing Origami King for what it isn’t, it should be appreciated for what its trying to be, problems aside there was some great moments here.    … Expand
  98. Eddie007
    Jul 20, 2020
    6
    Mario could be better. It's an average game. Theres some creativity and the levels are ok.
  99. DanielHidalgo
    Jul 20, 2020
    5
    El sistema de combate es tedioso y aburre, por lo demas es un juego con una historia entretenida
  100. Jese17
    Jul 20, 2020
    5
    Paper Mario The Origami King is a beautiful looking game with charm, im enjoying the experience so far though a negative is the combat mechanics can be quite boring.
    The biggest problem for me though is the price, its way to expensive....and that has always been a problem with Nintendo. A suitable price i would be happy to pay would be $40 AU.
    I just purchased Ghost Of Tsushima for the    Paper Mario The Origami King is a beautiful looking game with charm, im enjoying the experience so far though a negative is the combat mechanics can be quite boring.
    The biggest problem for me though is the price, its way to expensive....and that has always been a problem with Nintendo. A suitable price i would be happy to pay would be $40 AU.
    I just purchased Ghost Of Tsushima for the SAME amount which is crazy! That game deserves every dollar, you really get bang for your buck...and after playing that, Paper Mario feels like a slap in the face.
    I love Nintendo but honestly sometimes i feel ripped off.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

66
#66 Best Switch Game of 2020
2
#2 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 116 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 87 out of 116
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 116
  3. Negative: 0 out of 116
  1. Ninty Fresh Magazine
    Dec 21, 2020
    70
    The Origami King is a game greater than the sum of its parts. It reaffirms Nintendo’s status as king of innovation, even if the folds don’t quite align. [Issue #2, p.66]
  2. Universo Nintendo
    Dec 16, 2020
    95
    Paper Mario: The Origami King arrives on Nintendo Switch with very high quality graphics, a pleasant soundtrack and a plot full of very good humor, typical of the Paper Mario series. Among countless places to visit, bosses to win, and puzzles to solve, the game can be considered one of the best in the franchise.
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  3. Hey Poor Player
    Oct 29, 2020
    70
    Paper Mario deserves better. The prestige of a Final Fantasy veteran appropriating his magic onto a handicraft world deserves better. The unforgettable wit and lovable cast expanding Mario lore deserves better. And we know that Intelligent Systems can do better than committing themselves to a misguided identity crisis.
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