Prepare to face-off against roll of tape and other menacing Office Space props when Paper Mario: The Origami King comes out next month.
We don’t know much about the latest Paper Mario game after Nintendo revealed out of the blue last month, but thanks to a new trailer we know a little bit more, including how combat works and that the beloved companion feature is finally returning to the series.
In the original Paper Mario 64 and Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door you could team up with characters like Goombario and Bombette who would not only help you get past obstacles in the world but also aid you in battle. It looks like that mechanic is coming back in Origami, with Mario getting help from characters like the wizard Koopa Kamek and a Bob-omb named Bobby.
The trailer also provided a quick breakdown of combat. It takes place on a grid made up of rings with enemies scattered around and Mario at the center. At the start Mario will have a limited amount of time and ring moves to try and re-arrange the grid in order to get enemies laid in order for attacks to do maximum damage. Each ring can be spun and each row can be shifted, making each planning phase into a little spatial puzzle of its own as you organize the battlefield to try and maximize the effectiveness of the weapons and abilities you’re using.
It looks like boss battles, meanwhile, will work a bit differently. A box of color pencils, a giant rubber-band ball, and other office supplies will be at the center while Mario navigates the grid like a board game to try and reach their weak spot. The combat in recent Paper Mario games like Paper Mario: Color Splash and Paper Mario: Sticker Star, hasn’t exactly felt deep or in-line with the more traditional RPG origins of the series. It remains to be seen if this new ring-grid system and the return of companions will feel like a return to form or not.
Paper Mario: The Origami King comes to Switch next month on July 17.