Review: PAPER MARIO: THE ORIGAMI KING Is Fun and Full of Color
Nintendo Switch fans have been quick to play some Paper Mario: The Origami King including me. Nintendo was kind enough to send me a copy to review, and I’ve enjoyed my time as a 2D plumber in a 3D world. The game is available now on Nintendo Switch.
In the game, Olly is a being made of paper folded in the style of origami, and he has been turning the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom into his origami slaves, including Princess Peach. Well, Mario isn’t going to stand for this and is freeing the citizens from the folded prisons they find themselves in. As you go about, you’re joined by Olly’s sister Olivia, who is a good origami being, and she helps you use origami in the name of good.
So, how do you defeat your opponents? Well, it depends a little. Most minions will have you battle them where you have to use rings to line them up and then use weapons to actually attack. Eventually, you do get strong enough to kill some of the weaker minions without the need for the time-consuming battle. There are also some papier-mâché monsters for you to battle in a real-time environment. You have to hit them in their weak spot (typically their back), and they’ll deteriorate with every hit. The third type of battle are the boss battles. These kind of reverse the minion battles. You’re back to using the rings to fight, but now the boss is in the center and you use the rings to approach them and perform actions. While there are a few different ways to battle enemies, I would argue at least 75% of battles are probably the small minion battles that after a while just feel like tedious time wasters. Yes, you get coins and confetti, but there’s no experience to gain or anything substantial which really leaves you wanting.
I have enjoyed the character designs personally. I really like the origami look of so many of the enemies. The Earth Vellumental is an absolute favorite. However, I also like the use of some normal supplies, like the boss Color Pencil is clever and fun. The game looks great and the characters really help. One problem I’ve had is that in some of the darker areas like the caves it can get hard to see what is going on. Almost like they’re a little too dark.
Another point in the game’s favor is when you hit the “-” key there are a number of tools to help you. They can walk you through the controls again, give you tips, and more. It’s fantastic, especially if you have to take a break from playing.
The final point I want to bring up is that the humor in the game is fantastic. The story is ok, nothing great in my opinion, but it’s not bad either. However, some of the writing is hilarious and makes me smile and laugh.
The Origami King is a fun game. The combat can feel a little tedious at times, but the bright colors and fun character designs help bring the game to life. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a new single-player game on the Nintendo Switch.
