Paper Mario: The Origami King

The Paper Mario series has had a bit of an identity crisis over the years. Where once they were known as turn-based RPGs with a focus on well-timed input commands, we’ve since gotten a platformer and an action-adventure game that bear the Paper Mario moniker and signature visual style. The Origami King tries to find a happy middle ground between everything Paper Mario has ever been, and the result is a delightful sequel, albeit a potentially aggravating one that doesn’t commit to the tried-and-true turn-based formula of the series’ most beloved entries. As Chris Kohler wrote in Kotaku’s review, “I’m not sure why Nintendo feels that Paper Mario can’t be a role-playing game: What exactly was the issue with the original games, which were widely praised and sold very well? But the major issue for me was not that Nintendo removed the series’ RPG mechanics, but that what it replaced them with was not as good. Origami King might not be the successor to Thousand-Year Door for which fans have been clamoring, but this time the formula works, allowing the series’ great writing and worlds to shine through.”