Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

94%
Game Brain Score Based on 151 reviews
  • graphics
  • story
  • gameplay
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Game Cover

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is a single-player Role Playing Game with updated graphics on Nintendo Switch. Embark on an intriguing quest with Mario and his friends to discover the legendary treasure hidden behind the ancient Thousand-Year Door. With pretty visuals and humorous dialogue, help Mario overcome obstacles and enemies to save the day. The game's tagline asks, "Will Mario complete his papery quest, or will he crumple under the pressure?" Find out in this exciting RPG.

  • Nintendo Switch
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 151 reviews
graphics16 positive mentions
music4 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique art style that combines 2D paper-like characters in a vibrant 3D world, enhancing its whimsical charm.
  • Engaging turn-based combat with action commands adds depth and excitement, making battles feel more dynamic and less repetitive.
  • The writing is humorous and clever, with a well-developed cast of characters that contribute to an immersive and enjoyable story.
  • The game can involve significant backtracking, which may feel tedious and repetitive to some players.
  • Newcomers to the RPG genre might find the blend of mechanics and paper-based abilities overwhelming.
  • The game runs at 30FPS compared to the original's 60FPS, which some players find disappointing.
  • graphics57 mentions

    The graphics of "Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door" are widely praised for their charming and distinctive paper-like art style, which combines 2D characters in a 3D world, creating a whimsical visual experience. The vibrant colors, creative character designs, and smooth animations enhance the overall aesthetic, making it stand out among RPGs. The game's graphical upgrades on the Switch have been noted for their clarity and modern appeal, contributing to a visually engaging experience.

    • “The colorful and vibrant graphics are complemented by creative character designs and dynamic animations that enhance the overall experience.”
    • “The art style is beautiful; it looks amazing on the OLED Switch screen.”
    • “The graphics, however, are the best graphics in a Mario game I've ever seen!”
    • “The game's performance is solid, with smooth graphics and consistent framerate throughout.”
    • “However, they let Madame Flurrie force herself on Mario, which a choice would have been nice (and consistent) as he is clearly in shock after saying, 'no!' The graphics, inventory limit (10 was terrible in original), and quality of life (better partner/fast travel systems) do help.”
    • “This means you have to wait for allllll those little star graphics to spiral up towards your star meter at the top of the screen, before the battle begins.”
  • story44 mentions

    The story of **The Thousand-Year Door** is praised for its engaging narrative, humor, and creativity, centering on Mario's quest to rescue Princess Peach from the evil X-Nauts. Reviewers highlight the immersive world-building, well-developed characters, and a blend of passive and active storytelling that enhances the overall experience. While some find the story memorable and touching, others note that certain elements, like Luigi's absence, could have been improved.

    • “The story is incredibly creative.”
    • “This game is one of the best ever made; it is a masterpiece in storytelling through both passive and active worldbuilding.”
    • “The writing and humor are absolutely top tier, and the originality of the story and characters will have you thinking, 'Wow, I can't believe this is in a Mario game' and will make you yearn for a time when Nintendo was willing to take more risks with its most famous IP.”
    • “The only problem I have is that we get no Luigi content for his story.”
    • “The only part of the story I can actually remember is the train part because I got stuck at that part.”
    • “Forgettable story as well.”
  • gameplay36 mentions

    The gameplay of **Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door** is celebrated for its innovative blend of traditional RPG elements and unique mechanics, particularly its engaging turn-based combat system. While the charming art style and humorous writing enhance the experience, some players may find the complexity of its mechanics overwhelming, especially newcomers to the genre. Overall, the game maintains a balance of fun and challenge, making it accessible yet rewarding for both new and veteran RPG fans.

    • “The gameplay in **Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door** combines traditional RPG elements with innovative mechanics: - **Turn-based combat:** the game features turn-based combat where players control Mario and his partners in battles against a variety of enemies.”
    • “Unlike the newer Paper Mario games that changed up the gameplay starting with Sticker Star, this game has all the classic RPG elements like turn-based battles, XP, leveling up, partners, customizable badges, and magic attacks.”
    • “Its unique paper-themed mechanics and humorous writing make it a memorable and enjoyable experience for fans of the genre.”
    • “- **Complexity for newcomers:** The blend of mechanics and paper-based abilities might be overwhelming for players new to the genre.”
    • “The gameplay can get a little tiresome at times, especially during battles with tedious enemies, but the inclusion of the warp room makes the necessary backtracking much easier to deal with.”
    • “The core story, gameplay, and levels remain the same.”
  • music26 mentions

    The music in the game has received high praise for its catchy and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the various environments and scenarios. Players appreciate the remastered soundtrack, which offers a fresh experience while still allowing access to the original music through in-game badges. Overall, the dynamic and engaging music contributes significantly to the game's immersive storytelling and gameplay.

    • “The soundtrack is also noteworthy, featuring catchy and atmospheric music that complements the different environments and scenarios throughout the game.”
    • “The story is interesting, there are so many secrets and mysteries to explore, the scenery and music are atmospheric and dynamic through-and-through, and the battle system is rewarding.”
    • “The remastered soundtrack is a treat.”
    • “Music is all remixed.”
    • “The music is a bit different as well, but I really like the new music.”
    • “You can get a badge in-game that changes all music to the original from the GameCube.”
  • humor23 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely celebrated for its witty dialogue, engaging characters, and clever writing, which adds a light-hearted charm to the adventure. Players appreciate the unique blend of humor with innovative gameplay mechanics and a delightful art style, making it a standout experience in the genre. Overall, the game's humor is described as top-tier, filled with memorable jokes and references that enhance the overall enjoyment.

    • “The dialogue is witty and humorous, adding a light-hearted touch to the game's adventure.”
    • “The writing is the funniest I’ve ever seen in a video game, and luckily they didn’t remove too many of the funny jokes!”
    • “The writing and humor are absolutely top tier, and the originality of the story and characters will have you thinking 'wow, I can't believe this is in a Mario game' and will make you yearn for a time when Nintendo was willing to take more risks with its most famous IP.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a touching story and endearing characters, which resonate deeply with players. However, some users express heartbreak over the inclusion of references to gender identity, suggesting a disconnect between the narrative's emotional depth and its handling of sensitive topics.

    • “Very touching story with endearing characters.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with a dynamic and catchy soundtrack that enhances the various environments and scenarios. Players appreciate the intriguing story filled with secrets and mysteries, which, combined with the atmospheric scenery and music, creates an immersive experience.

    • “The soundtrack is also noteworthy, featuring catchy and atmospheric music that complements the different environments and scenarios throughout the game.”
    • “The story is interesting, there are so many secrets and mysteries to explore, the scenery and music are atmospheric and dynamic throughout, and the battle system is rewarding.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    **Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door** features intuitive and responsive controls, enhanced by the GameCube controller, ensuring a comfortable gameplay experience. The game's optimization is commendable, with smooth graphics and a consistent framerate throughout.

    • “The game's performance is solid, with smooth graphics and consistent framerate throughout.”
    • “The controls in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door are intuitive and responsive, with the GameCube controller providing a comfortable and precise experience.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly during battles with repetitive enemies. However, the addition of a warp room feature alleviates some of the frustration by simplifying backtracking.

    • “The gameplay can get a little tiresome at times, especially during battles with tedious enemies, but the inclusion of the warp room makes the necessary backtracking much easier to deal with.”
    • “Tedious.”
    • “Tedious is a perfect one-word summary for this game.”
  • character development2 mentions

    The reviews highlight that the character development is significantly enhanced by creative designs and dynamic animations, contributing to a vibrant and engaging overall experience.

  • stability1 mentions

    Users report significant stability issues, with some experiencing persistent problems that even official troubleshooting support from Nintendo could not resolve.

    • “I even called Nintendo, and their troubleshooting team couldn't fix it.”
    • “The game crashes constantly, making it unplayable.”
    • “I experienced frequent lag and disconnects during gameplay.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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