Overview
Paper Mario: The Origami King is a role-playing adventure game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo, released in 2020. I played it on Nintendo Switch.
It feels really good to see the Paper Mario franchise come back on Switch.
Story and world
King Olly, an origami king, turns Peach and some of Bowser's minions into origami, then wraps Peach's castle in five giant streamers. Mario sets out to destroy them with the help of Olivia, Olly's sister, and companions he meets along the way.
The story is a real plus: it is no longer the classic "we have to save Peach from Bowser's clutches".
Gameplay
Battles are based on a ring system: before attacking, you rotate and slide the rings of the arena to line up the enemies, within a time limit. Against bosses, the principle is reversed, and it is Mario who moves across the rings to reach the enemy in the centre.
It is a great entry, but I have to admit I found it extremely repetitive. I got hugely tired of the combat system after just a few fights.
Graphics and music
The world is made entirely of paper and cardboard, with origami enemies, which gives the game a very distinctive visual identity.
Verdict
A great entry, and a welcome return of the franchise on Switch, carried by a story that breaks away from the classic rescue of Peach. But the game is extremely repetitive, and the combat system wore me out very quickly. The game is cool, but nothing more.