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. Cesar2009
    Aug 27, 2023
    10
    Es un juegazo y mínimo tiene q tener más de 88 de media. Jsjsihfjwwjddsssgds
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  2. Awesomehz
    Aug 13, 2023
    10
    I love this game while parts of it may be flawed the story the characters and set pieces are magical this was the first paper Mario game I played and after playing the others while it may not stack up to the first 2 it ties if not exceeds super paper Mario one of my favourite games
  3. gusman
    Jul 26, 2023
    8
    After reading many reviews that gave it a bad score I didn't got it until 2023 when it was discounted. Surprisingly I liked it a lot, the game is really good. The combat may get some times a bit tedious if you don't want to think but is not so bad as others seem to think.
  4. nickhouse
    Jul 21, 2023
    9
    Paper Mario: The Origami King was a fantastic gaming experience. I milked this game for as long as I could because I didn't want it to end. The plot is truly one of the best I have experienced in all my time gaming. To be honest, it did not hook me right from the start. This is not because it was not compelling enough, but as a traditional Mario gamer it took me a while to resonate withPaper Mario: The Origami King was a fantastic gaming experience. I milked this game for as long as I could because I didn't want it to end. The plot is truly one of the best I have experienced in all my time gaming. To be honest, it did not hook me right from the start. This is not because it was not compelling enough, but as a traditional Mario gamer it took me a while to resonate with the new characters that played a massive role in the story. It did not take long for the plot to hook me though, and once it did I couldn't put the game down.

    I do not understand complaints about any game being too long. If you're bored of a game, just... stop playing? People who enjoy games want them to continue. It's not like this game was overly repetitive - in fact, I'd argue the opposite. The ability to explore new settings, meet new characters, and the variety of objectives kept Origame King fresh throughout the entire story. The toad collection was repetitive but it was not much of a requirement to advance through the story so it could be ignored. Paper Mario games have always included humor and charm (shoutout to Gourmet Guy), and Origami King is no exception to this. The humor is very clever - got a few good laughts out of me. Of course, as an E-rated game it is a bit cheesy, but not in a cringeworthy way. I personally do not take much pride in beating a game as quickly as possible, I prefer to take my time and enjoy the experience. For those considering Origami King, I'd suggest taking such an approach if you do decide to give it a shot.

    Like others, I did not love the puzzle solving battle system. Unlike most others, it was not nearly egregious enough to ever make me consider putting the game down. It added another complicated element to the heat of these RPG battles, and while I see the vision, the execution was lacking. These battles are of course a huge part of this game, so this was the only reason I did not give Origami King a perfect score. That being said, the music for these battles was an absolute masterpiece. Truly one of the best pieces of VGM to ever enter my ears. Contrary to everything I said to criticize the battle system, I would find myself seeking out enemies just to bop to that banger. That music absolutely slaps. Great OST throughout the game but the battle music takes the cake. Also, the boss battles were not affected by the flaws of the battle system in my opinion. I thought the boss battles were fantastic.

    Overall, Origami King was a great time and I would suggest it to anybody who enjoys RPGs, adventure, Mario games, etc. I'd put this on par with the original Paper Mario for N64. Both games shine in different ways, but the bridge between them is a fantastic story that makes you never want to end.    … Expand
  5. Lyord
    Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Paper Mario is fun, because unlike Mario Odyssey, the story is humorously designed with allusions. There are a few mini-games that are entertaining, but not a must. The game can be played through 100% with skill without having to grind. The battle system takes some getting used to, (I haven't mastered it yet), but the attempt to create something new. One of the best Games for the Nintendo Switch.
  6. philsom
    Jun 15, 2023
    8
    Played it after 3ds and it improved a lot of things from that one, but still some things just dont make sense for an RPG turn based game, like not leveling up, so usually you dont want to enter any fight.
    I actually like the new art style with everything papery so I think its a very beautiful game also with great graphics. It is very comic and engaging, did almost 100% and had a great time.
  7. Ikereviews1
    May 24, 2023
    9
    A great game. The team has really improved on the series. Great villian and story. And gameplay is very fun and the graphics are beautiful
  8. SLMU
    May 13, 2023
    10
    Amazing game, I highly recommend it, amazing graphics, gameplay, soundtrack.
  9. SpikeySpukey
    May 5, 2023
    8
    Paper Mario The Origami King is a game that had me really surprised. The start was too long and boring but that changed soon after. The game got better and better and even had a semi open world. The art style of the game was cool and the soundtrack amazing. In addition, the game had a very emotional and deep story with pretty good gameplay. Im not a big fan of the fighting system thatsPaper Mario The Origami King is a game that had me really surprised. The start was too long and boring but that changed soon after. The game got better and better and even had a semi open world. The art style of the game was cool and the soundtrack amazing. In addition, the game had a very emotional and deep story with pretty good gameplay. Im not a big fan of the fighting system thats right but i liked the boss battles tho. In short good game with even more potential.… Expand
  10. Kleher
    Mar 25, 2023
    10
    Das Spiel ist cool!DVD ist das Gedicht noch nicht so richtig gelungen haben die tieferschatten von
  11. Plunger91
    Mar 18, 2023
    10
    didnt play it but the music is good‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎
  12. tewatson715
    Feb 4, 2023
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was initially hesitant upon getting this game due to the reception of the last 2 Paper Mario games, but I’m glad I did. In my opinion, this is the best Nintendo-published Switch game of 2020. The visuals are gorgeous; the slightly tweaked art style created to fit the origami nature really pops and makes the world seem much more alive. The soundtrack is great (I especially love Autumn Mountain’s music), and the writing is simultaneously quite funny, serious and heartwarming all at once. There were many moments in the game that left an impression on me in a very good way, like the lead-up to the boss battle in Shogun Studios where Mario was acting out scenes of a play in real time and the calming ride down the river in Autumn Mountain. Additionally, the areas of the game are so much more fun to explore and get lost in than Sticker Star or Color Splash. The world is interconnected in TOK and that is much better suited to this kind of game than separate stages. Plus, the locations aren’t quite as basic or rudimentary as they were in Sticker Star or the NSMB games. However, the game certainly isn’t without its problems.

    I complimented the writing and some parts of the story, but others were quite uninteresting. Olly is uninteresting as a villain and so are his motives; he only wants to create an origami realm because he hates the toads. That’s it. And on the subject of characters, there aren’t many that left an impression on me besides Bobby the Bob-omb (who ends up dying later on). Olivia, the companion character, can be frequently cute and wholesome, but not enough for me to have that much of an attachment to her. In terms of Mario himself, he has a few new abilities in this game, but they’re somewhat limiting. The 1000-Fold Arms technique allows for Mario’s arms to stretch out and grab certain creases on the wall to progress, but it’s context-sensitive and can only be used with a corresponding Magic Circle on the floor. It’s not used in battles or with solving puzzles or anything. Mario can also throw confetti to patch up holes in the ground, but that’s literally the only use it has. It doesn’t play into the battles in any way like the stickers or paint did in the last 2 games. And in terms of the battles themselves... Oh boy. If anything, I can commend Intelligent Systems for trying something unique and new, but the battles in TOK are cumbersome, frustrating, and worst of all, meaningless. It’s set in a ring where you have to line up the enemies in certain patterns that enable you to kill all of them at once, so it’s essentially a puzzle you have to solve before actually being able to attack. To me, it just takes a longer time than necessary to get going, especially if there are multiple rounds to the same battle, and it only lasts longer if you don’t line the enemies up perfectly. Yet if the battles get anything right, it’s the fact that they don’t use stickers or cards, meaning you will absolutely always have a means of attacking the enemy, which is wonderful. But in the end, none of that matters because you get no EXP from battles. All you get is coins, which are everywhere in the game and SO numerous. At least in Color Splash you were able to upgrade your paint capacity via battles, but in TOK they’re absolutely worthless. And the boss battles? I absolutely hate them (but I also kind of love them). There are a lot of boss battles in TOK, from the Vellumentals you have to defeat to utilize their powers later on, to real-life objects like a bin of colored pencils that make no thematic sense in this game. In the boss battles you have to clear out a path to reach them and beat some sense into them, but there are a lot of tricks they pull to make it harder. More often than not, it’ll be reaching the bosses that provides the challenge more than the actual attacks the bosses have, and it’s infuriating most of the time. To me, the boss fights are the worst parts of the game by a mile. However, the 1000-Fold Arms technique is actually utilized in the boss fights, and if you have motion controls turned on (yes, motion controls are something you can optionally use for things like 1000-Fold Arms and some other areas) you can shake the controller to beat the bosses senseless, and I am not exaggerating when I say that it’s one of the most therapeutic experiences I have ever had in a video game. It is SO gratifying that it almost makes up for how frustrating the journey was getting there.

    I know I spent much more time talking about my critiques with this game than the parts I enjoyed, but I really did have a great time with it. I would absolutely recommend this game, but I recommend playing it as an adventure game instead of an RPG. Skip the battles and you’ll still have a really fulfilling experience. I clocked in around 30 hours when I was done with the game so there’s still quite a bit of substance without the battles. Overall, this is a great game.    … Expand
  13. Supah69
    Jan 20, 2023
    9
    Really nice game with a beautiful artstyle, an interesting story and characters and a fun rpg combat, definitely one of the best paper mario games
  14. FunkyPopMan
    Jan 14, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The soundtrack is phenomenal. I don't think I've ever heard such incredible music from a Mario game. It really feels like I'm Paper Mario, doing whatever Paper Mario does. Honestly, the battle system is better than people say. I like how this game handles puzzle combat. The best part about this game is it's basically color splash and sticker star but it adds a few things from the older games to get the best of both sides. The dang environments are Origami and they each have their own banger theme to them so it's just a win to hear a track and explore the beautiful Paper World. It really feels like this is peak Paper Design here. It even has a similar mechanic as color splash where you fill in a part of the environment! What makes this even better is the new gimmick made possible by motion controls. It's wacky, it's creative, and it's enjoyable! The best part is, you get to use it in battle too! Now aside from the flashy art and effects, there is instances where some attacks might be very ineffective to the boss's health but there is obviously a more effective way to deal with each of them. The plot is as simple as writing your own name on paper but that's just another mario trope. The action is great and even though there isn't any EXP, Mario still grows a little stronger just by collecting Max-up Hearts which I like doing. The battle system doesn't really have much strategy and half of the time it's the same puzzle you gotta solve but because of the exaggerated effects and the music, I don't think you won't be running from too many battle just because of how flashy this game is!… Expand
  15. Peruggino
    Jan 3, 2023
    10
    Nos ha gustado mucho a mi hijo Leo de 6 años y a mi. Hemos vivido muchas aventuras super chulas. Y nos íbamos pasando el mando para compartir. Hemos conocido muchos personajes que nos han emocionado. Me han encantado los doblegaciones de los papeles elementales. Recomendamos que todo el mundo lo juegue.
  16. Mlpwatercritic7
    Dec 4, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is awesome I love the confetti and coin system, I love the battle system and the characters such as Bommy, Olivia and professor toad. The graphics are great and the story is amazing. The final boss with king Ollie is also very creative and the vellumentals are a cool feature. Over all this game was very fun beating.… Expand
  17. ILuci
    Nov 14, 2022
    8
    Was a great game but others in the series have been better. The puzzles of the game were fun to solve and at some points challenging
  18. Derpcat
    Aug 25, 2022
    8
    Paper Mario: The Origami King is better then Color Splash. That is no achievement, or a standard. Compared to the rest of the series, it’s fine. As a stand-alone game, it is superb. Let’s go further in.

    The story is very good. Mario and Luigi go to a festival, which would be a recipe for disaster if it were sticker themed. Toad town is deserted, so the bros venture inside the castle.    Paper Mario: The Origami King is better then Color Splash. That is no achievement, or a standard. Compared to the rest of the series, it’s fine. As a stand-alone game, it is superb. Let’s go further in.

    The story is very good. Mario and Luigi go to a festival, which would be a recipe for disaster if it were sticker themed. Toad town is deserted, so the bros venture inside the castle. Mario and Luigi find an oddly angular Peach, who drops them into her dungeon. Mario, now alone, finds Olivia, the sister of King Olly who has turned many of the inhabitants into Origami. He wraps the castle up in some streamers and Mario and Olivia get away. This is the most emotionally compelling Mario game. Play it yourself to see what I mean.

    The gameplay is more action and puzzle based. When you do find an enemy, you battle it in a ring-like style. You’ll like the overworld more then the battles. The gameplay is good.

    They go all out with the paper theme. It’s no Luigi’s Mansion 3, but it looks very good. The locations look nice and are interesting, like Shogun Studios, which is a Japan-Styled theme park. The music is insanely good, a standout being the Shogun Studios theme.

    There is about 15 hours of story. I wouldn’t 100% it, as that may take very long.

    A criticism I have is that the characters don’t look interesting. A lot of people say they don’t like it, and I kind of know what they mean. If you’re interested, I’d recommend it. You’ll like it, trust me.    … Expand
  19. DoktarioMyst
    Oct 15, 2022
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. + dit is een zeldzame RPG/ adventure game die ik tof vindt. deze game gaat zelfs verder en geeft je 1 kans om een perfect gevecht te hebben als je de puzzel kan oplossen. anders loop je schade aan

    + uniek battle system. wapens kopen is optioneel

    + de game heeft minigames die je variatie geven

    + deze game maakt gebruik dat ze niet origineel zijn door origami versies te maken. het komt verder dan je denkt

    + de graphics zijn creatief en geweldig

    + je moet in theory niet vechten maar de confetti en munten die je van ze krijgt zijn niet te vergelijken met objecten te slagen

    - de toads zijn de klein om te zien meestal

    - je teammaten zijn nutteloos, zijn 100% automatisch en kunnen falen

    + de arm gimmick word niet teveel gebruikt en is een toffe editie

    +/- de game heeft achievements. sommige achievements weet je pas als je de game hebt uitgespeeld maar die achievements heb je waarschijnlijk al gefaald in je eerste playthrough. ik vind dat je een game op 100% moet kunnen spelen als je het uitgespeeld hebt (tenzij er nieuw game+ achievements zijn)

    + de bazen zijn een highlight

    + de muziek is een banger

    conclusie:
    deze game neemt de serie in een goeie directie. de game kon beter zijn maar vanwege het verhaal kan ik niet boos zijn op de originaliteit. deze game is tof en intresant, er zit meer in dan je denkt. ik zeg: probeer het    … Expand
  20. paztelu
    Sep 24, 2022
    9
    Really enjoyed the game, open world adventure each new level brings new interesting challenges and puzzles. The battle system is a bit boring but that does not take fun out of the other stuff. The boss battles have their own unique battle system which is really fun.

    I also really enjoyed the story, finding toads and collectibles and adds an extra layer to the game. Go play it and see    Really enjoyed the game, open world adventure each new level brings new interesting challenges and puzzles. The battle system is a bit boring but that does not take fun out of the other stuff. The boss battles have their own unique battle system which is really fun.

    I also really enjoyed the story, finding toads and collectibles and adds an extra layer to the game.

    Go play it and see it for yourself.    … Expand
  21. Babode
    Sep 19, 2022
    9
    Good but needs to add xp. absolutely huge improvement from colour splash though, infact i think its better than pm64. I havent played TTyd so i cant say if its better or worse.
  22. Unkn0wn_Dev
    Aug 7, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Uno de mis juegos favoritos de nintendo switch, su mundo es hermoso, el combate aunque tiene fallos es divertido e interesante, los combates de jefes son excelentes, y tiene momentos realmente emotivos. Le daría un 8/10, pero al ver tanta gente dandole criticas negativas a este juego he decidido darle un 10/10. No escuchen a los que dicen que el juego es malo, son solo fanboys que ni han probado el juego… Expand
  23. 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!
  24. HybridX56
    Jul 21, 2022
    10
    Great game as long as you don't see it as an RPG.
    Great music. looks great. Funny and charming.
  25. ion87
    Jul 7, 2022
    9
    Fun gameplay. Fantastic graphics and gameplay. Also fun new enemy in the origami king.
  26. ZeoN
    Jul 7, 2022
    9
    Apartados positivos:

    - El desarrollo de personajes es sobresaliente dando mucha riqueza a su universo - Su apartado artístico está cuidado al más mínimo detalle y se hace precioso a la vista - Su banda sonora es de las mejores de la franquicia - Su humor está bien ejecutado Apartado negativos: - En algunos puntos del juego sobran combates y se hace tedioso - Poca variedad de    Apartados positivos:

    - El desarrollo de personajes es sobresaliente dando mucha riqueza a su universo
    - Su apartado artístico está cuidado al más mínimo detalle y se hace precioso a la vista
    - Su banda sonora es de las mejores de la franquicia
    - Su humor está bien ejecutado

    Apartado negativos:

    - En algunos puntos del juego sobran combates y se hace tedioso
    - Poca variedad de armas

    Valoración:

    Apartado artístico Flecha hacia la derecha 100/100
    Apartado técnico Flecha hacia la derecha 98/100
    Jugabilidad Flecha hacia la derecha 89/100
    Historia Flecha hacia la derecha 95/100
    Banda sonora Flecha hacia la derecha 100/100

    9️⃣6️⃣/1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣

    El juego se coloca en los títulos de élite de Nintendo Switch para mí. No le pongo el 10 debido a que eché en falta un sistema de niveles en los combates, pero en lo demás, muy recomendado.    … Expand
  27. SMLNGN
    Jul 7, 2022
    8
    It so happened that the game, from which I expected nothing at all and with prejudice cool turned out to be a bright event of the year and, perhaps, became one of the most favorite games, which I will remember with warmth and a smile in years to come. After that I got hooked on Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, which repeated the fate of The Origami King - I abandoned it at the point where youIt so happened that the game, from which I expected nothing at all and with prejudice cool turned out to be a bright event of the year and, perhaps, became one of the most favorite games, which I will remember with warmth and a smile in years to come. After that I got hooked on Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, which repeated the fate of The Origami King - I abandoned it at the point where you have to defeat the enemy only with perfect kicks. In a month I'll come back to it and I want to believe I'll drool over it again.

    Paper Mario: The Origami King was a turning point for me, after which I started to trust Nintendo more. And if a game seems uninteresting at first glance, it's better to try it anyway and form your own opinion. In my case, it worked with Fire Emblem, and a month ago I would have laughed in the face at someone who said I would play turn-based tactics and drink tea with anime girls.    … Expand
  28. ScaliCali
    Jun 19, 2022
    8
    Everything about Paper Mario: The Origami king is good.
    All the characters have a lot of personality, the visuals are stunning, the world has a lot to explore and the story is really good with a lot of unexpected twists.
    Even though it is really good in all these aspects there's just one essential thing that I've disliked about this game : gameplay. Your first battles are good but after    Everything about Paper Mario: The Origami king is good.
    All the characters have a lot of personality, the visuals are stunning, the world has a lot to explore and the story is really good with a lot of unexpected twists.
    Even though it is really good in all these aspects there's just one essential thing that I've disliked about this game : gameplay.
    Your first battles are good but after a few time the gameplay starts to be boring it's the same board and techniques over and over again if it didn't have the timer it would be extremely boring. The boss battles are an exception though, they're actually really unique on their own and they need a little more strategy to be defeated.
    Basically, this new entry to the Paper Mario series has a lot of charm in it's characters, world, story and boss battles that are all unique and many times unexpectable, It's a shame the regular battles are boring.    … Expand
  29. The_Paper_Gamer
    Jun 17, 2022
    8
    Basic Review: This game is really enjoyable, the world is not connected instead of being levels on its own; which was a problem people had with the previous two games. But the game is only enjoyable when you look at the whole thing. The battle system is badly made when fighting bosses.

    Sometimes you may do a certain move too early & then have to do it later, but the game may not tell    Basic Review: This game is really enjoyable, the world is not connected instead of being levels on its own; which was a problem people had with the previous two games. But the game is only enjoyable when you look at the whole thing. The battle system is badly made when fighting bosses.

    Sometimes you may do a certain move too early & then have to do it later, but the game may not tell you that or give a hint. It can be confusing.

    This game also has partners, but they aren't helpful in battle. The best they can do is leave a basic attack & you can't even control them, you also lose your partners after a section of the game is completed.

    Also, this game is kinda short for the story mode, the game takes around 25 hours to beat without going for %100. These games take 4 years to come out in between titles so a longer experience for the next game would be nice.

    Overall this game is a step in the right direction for returning to the Paper Mario classic formula. But it has design flaws outside of it not being like the other games.    … Expand
  30. BaldursThones
    Apr 14, 2022
    8
    I give this game a high rating because I simply like paper Mario games. Not everyone does, but I have always enjoyed them. I still hope that one day the series returns to the creativity from the Thousand Year Door.
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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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
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