Last year,Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door’s remake on the Switch brought a beloved title from the Gamecube era to the current generation.Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Doorhas had a strong reputation since its release as one of the bestPaper Mariogames, if not the best. However, since so much time had passed, a lot of newer fans hadn’t had the chance to experience it for themselves. The Switch port made the game widely available once more for players, and what’s more, it definitively proved thatThe Thousand-Year Doordeserves its sterling reputation.
Thewell-recievedPaper Mario: TTYDremakeon the Switch fulfilled what many had been hoping for. As the second game in thePaper Marioseries, it largely stuck to the original formula, unlike the later games that featured a lot of experimental ideas. It retells the story of Mario’s quest to Rogueport, spurred on by an invitation to go treasure hunting with Princess Peach. This would unfurl into a huge adventure spanning several new lands, and showdowns with villains more insidious than his archrival Bowser. The game’s success provides hope for a revival of thePaper Marioseries sometime in the future.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door’s Remake Only Strengthens its Place Among Nintendo’s Finest
The Thousand-Year Door on Switch Retains the Original’s Excellent Gameplay
While there are someupdated graphics inTTYD’s Switch port, the gameplay still has the same strong core. An evolution of the first game’s mechanics,The Thousand-Year Doortasks players with mixing jumps, hammer blows, items, and special attacks to face off with Mario’s foes in turn-based battles. Mario’s never alone though, as he has seven upgradeable partners who can join him throughout the story, each with their own strengths. The game also features its distinctive equipment system that lets players create their own builds for Mario as they collect more badges.Paper Mario:The Thousand-Year Door’s mechanics have not aged a day.
Paper Mario: TTYD’s Story Goes to Some Pretty Serious Places
One thing that will become evident whileplayingPaper Mario:The Thousand-Year Dooris how its playful paper art styles hides some surprisingly dark moments. Unlike the often hilarious Bowser, the main villains have little to no comedic qualities, and moments like Vivian being bullied by her sisters are quite painful. Not to mention, the Shadow Queen and her actions are terrifying in their own right, especially her antics during the final battle that the player personally witnesses. Thankfully, the bulk of the game is still full of plenty of the series' traditional charm and humor, making these moments effective when they happen.
The TTYD Remake Adds Two Incredibly Challenging Boss Battles
The Switch port went the extra mile by introducing a couple ofnew bosses toThe Thousand-Year Door. First is Prince Mush, the former champion of the Glitz Pit who players met in the original, but never got to fight. The second is Whacka, who players can only find after clearing the Pit of 100 Trials twice. Prince Mush is a powerhouse that forces players to find a way around his near-impenetrable defense, while Whacka has the highest potential damage output in the game. With the help of these bosses,The Thousand-Year Doorgives returning players a brand-new challenge to prove their mastery of the game.
Paper Mario:The Thousand-Year Door’s mechanics have not aged a day.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door’s remake did exactly what it set out to do.Paper Mario: TTYD’s Switch release expanded its playerbase, and also gave returning players something new to experience.The Thousand-Year Door’s strengths were translated perfectly to its rerelease. The gameplay is as strong as it was 20 years ago, proving that the game really is timeless. Coming to the Switch just made sure that more people would be aware of that.Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Doorlooks better than ever after its Switch port.
