Finally, finally after so many years of wanting to play it and coming very close to purchasing a 300 dollar gamecube copy out of desperation I finally get to experience the game people have been swooning over since I can remember. I finally get to have so many questions answered. Is it one of the best games ever? Does it lord over the trilogy as the highest peak, is it better than my beloved Super Paper Mario?
As a new thing I wanted to try, I kept a little journal of my thoughts per chapter and had the idea to review each part episodically with a closing statement on my final thoughts on the game. This was a terrible idea as I write way too much, and feel too bad erasing huge chunks of my work. So without further ado: one of the longest reviews I've ever had to write and edit for everyone's darling Thousand Year Door.
☆Chapter 1☆
---------------------------
This first chapter is a really good depiction of what to expect from ttyd and starts off very strongly with multiple genre-breaking gags to subvert the very conventional story setup with Hooktail. The toad kid talking about various Nintendo games, the game show thwomp that replaces the position of a miniboss. A chest that gives you a powerup but still dresses it as a curse which is deifnitley the best running joke in the game. Hooktail herself being defeated in a few turns because your hammer is making frog sounds. Its undiluted Paper Mario essence at its finest. Petalburg is a really soft and charming place but Koops is probably the least utilized companion, I immediately switched back to Goombella after the chapter was over because I love her and comparatively Koops seems to get kind of sidelined both gameplay-wise and in terms of an active story role. In contrast to her precdessor Goombario, Goombella to me seems like the primary party member along with Vivian; shes sassy and smart and supportive and kind of steals the show in my eyes. After chapter 1 ends we get our first actual star power that isnt ol' reliable shit fuck Sweet Treat and then its on to:
☆Chapter 2☆
---------------------------
BOGGLY WOODS!! I've seen this area plently of times before in screenshots, but the way it looks completely floored me in the remake. The black and white trees contrasting beautifully with the oil spill colored vines on the floor, its all shiny and pretty like black lacquer. The music playing in the background sings ethereal and calm. A stand out area for me of the whole game, plus it has PUNIES!! Oh, I love them so much. Leading 101 of them through the Great Tree had me smiling so wide. They get trapped in little bubbles! They learn the power of union! Every interaction I had with the sage puni and the puni siblings reinforced them as my favorite non-recruitable characters.
Flurrie is the companion that joins in this chapter and I like her a lot. She has a very large and caring presence which fits in line with her past stage life. She also likes squishy, silly punies so we have a lot in common. Unfortunately I never did use her much outside of mandatory puzzles, but its okay because Koops got used way less.
☆Chapter 3☆
---------------------------
Glitzville! The Glitz Pit! I have a feeling this is a lot of people's favorite chapter and for obvious reasons. The unconventional story structure is very cool with there being no random fights at all, instead duking it out in a wrestling arena for a shot at championship. After each fight you get a break and here it hit me just how much dialogue there was in the game because all conversations in the area change completely after almost every match. Theres a lot of events in-between fights to give the player a break and I appreciated that because I get tired of fighting pretty fast. Unravelling the conspiracy of the Glitz Pit and sneaking around was so much fun. I love old fashioned wrestling so this chapter was very charming for me. After saving his egg from becoming a hot dog or something Yoshi Kid is born, Mario is his dad and Glitzville his country. I was really happy being introduced to this guy, I think its because the process of meeting him and his connection with Mario is very different than the rest of the party who get together by chance. I feel really attached to this guy and I feel bad riding him because he is so small, but I must because Mario is so fucking slow. Jolene is also really cool- the little tidbits of information about Prince Mush throughout the game made their reunion really sweet. This area is very, very good and stands out a lot for being so different than what one would expect.
☆Chapter 4☆
---------------------------
Twilight Town, like Boggly Woods, is also incredibly gorgeous and uses its color and textures well. The design on the big moon and the palette of the woods is so pretty, mesmerizing. Everyones turning into pigs. That's Mario's least favorite animal so he goes off into the forest to help stop it. I only knew this as the Vivian chapter and I was really excited to meet her, so the chapter end fakeout got me. I thought my game crashed and I was actually gonna reboot it before I hit A on accident- which is when shadow Mario gets up and the actual premise of this segment is revealed. Im so happy I didnt know about this part because nearly every other major occurance in ttyd has been spoiled for me throughout the years, it was nice being shocked for once. The way they constantly change and subvert their own formula is so incredibly clever to me, nothing else really holds a candle to the constant creativity these chapters show. Anyway- we meet Vivian who is looking for a bomb in the bushes. I wish we could have shown her more kindness than some basic decency, but she tags along to help Mario anyways. Doopliss wants his name back so you have to treck back (again) to Creepy Steeple. I hate Creepy Steeple. Getting there is hard, leaving is hard, I know theres a pipe but I didnt find it till later. Creepy Steeple is nothing but dark and annoying and I got stuck in a room for 20 minutes because there was like, no way for the player to see the hole in the wall going into the parrot room. I guess the implication was that light is supposed to be shining out from under the gap but how was I going to know- Mario was 10 yards away and stuck behind some bars. Obtain letter P, return to Doopliss and say hes Doopliss. Go back, again, to your favorite place Creepy Steeple and walk alll the way up back to his room AGAIN. Though I dont like this dungeon, this guy is my favorite antagonist- and how could he not be with such a fashionable hat. The Doopliss fight with all your companions working against you and Vivian's story beats are really cool, and then she officially joins the party! I had her by my side for most of the game- shes very powerful fully upgraded and has a lot of relation to the main events so it felt right to have her out.
☆Chapter 5☆
----------------------------
Chapter 5.... was..... uh........ Keelhaul Key... aw fuck I have to open the game and check.
Chapter 5 is the premiere of the unforgettable and culturally significant Keelhaul Key, which I remember clearly. I dont know how to properly describe this, but I noticed that ttyd has a very fluid way of managing its world. Everything seems to intersect and even random npc characters will remark on the latest happenings in Mario's adventure. Flavio looked very unique so I knew he would be a part in the story at some point, but I noticed here that the bob-omb at the counter had a progressing train of dialouge which converged with the mature toad lady character in Glitzville. Everything in this game is so alive and so smart, anyways... meeting with Bobbery had me getting misty eyed. Ttyd has no problem moving between really silly moments and touching story beats, which is something a lot of games that replicate Paper Mario struggle with. Keelhaul Key itself is a fun misadventure I suppose... I hated the backtracking though, god there is so much backtracking in this game, its insane. I fought so many fuzzies.... Pirate's Bay was not much better at all. I didnt really like this area, slow and dense. Cortez and the X-Naut showoff were the best things to come out of the chapter.
☆Chapter 6☆
---------------------------
The Excess Express...much like Glitzville in chapter 3, this segment subverts the typical story structure except it removes virtually all battles. Instead, Mario and co. take on detective work aboard an ongoing train and then platform a little in Poshley Heights with no final boss to defeat. I love this chapter. The atmosphere is immaculate. Getting to know all the passengers over the course of 3 days and solving their troubles turned it into a different sort of game for a bit. It was a very smart decision to not have any random encounters for the majority of the chapter because the mood of the Excess Express is very impressionable. Walking through the train at dusk and seeing the remaining sun shining through the windows, with that song playing in the background... its one of those Nintendo moments that I'm sure imprinted itself heavily on the people who played this as kids. The detective side of the chapter is very fun, and I enjoy how much it encourages you to interact with the people on the train as it builds your relationship to them in a unique way that isnt purely focused on rescuing them. Arriving at Poshley Heights, the area isnt that huge or noteworthy because the focus is on the train- but the Sanctum that holds the crystal star was near mythical. I just assumed we would have to fight Beldam and her sister and her not-sister Doopliss, but after their departure instead it leads you on into a mirror image of the Sanctum. Entering, its all light blues and soft light with the saddest most evocative piece of compositional music playing in the background. It was a very unexpected moment, I think I audibly said 'woah'. I dont know if it was intentional how strangely moving the Inner Sanctum was, but climbing up the sides of the building with the pretty lights and taking in that song was so peaceful and nice. Such a fitting end for a mostly nonconfrontational chapter.
☆Chapter 7☆
---------------------------
By this point, after completing every bulliten quest avaliable to me I had already figured out that backtracking was ttyd's best friend forever but I didnt think they would seriously make me go back and forth between Fahr Outpost and every other area I've been to so much. It would be comical if they hadnt made me to go Hooktail Castle 3 separate times, so I was feeling very bitter at this point when I had to walk around for no reason. Fahr Outpost itself is a military base which instills dread and isnt a lot to be remarked on, which is kind of a shame because Paper Mario's snow areas are very pretty. Getting shot to the moon also would have surprised me but I spoiled myself the day before looking on a wiki page for how to make ruin powder. The moon... is very slow. The encounters on the moon arent that fun but you're not expected to be there for long. The X-Naut building... also is not very fun. The keycard shenanigans were tedious and I resigned myself to looking at a guide to figure out where they were. Just a lot of little time wasters here... and a lot platforming. More on that and TEC later but I absolutely hate this game's jump when its used for platforming, its short and heavy and shitty and clearly wasnt made for precise-ish movements.
Fighting that robot was okay. Walking through the halls with the all the lights shut off after TEC's final message was what I'll remember most from the moon, though.
☆Chapter 8☆
----------------------------
The Palace of Shadows is another area in the remake that I had to stop and take in because it really does look absolutely beautiful and grand. The trek through the palace is very long and kind of arduous with the many puzzles and no item shops. The star tower near the end of the chapter made use of riddles and was very fun to figure out, though once again Koops was left unused in a location that utilized nearly every other companion (sorry, man). The small miniboss fight with Beldam and her new family left me a little dissapointed because Vivian didnt really have a lot to say, and I was hoping punching her sister in the hat would have given her some closure. Moving on to the next room, the fight with Grodus is really exciting but you get a sense of how powerless and kind of incompetent Peach is here. In Paper Mario n64 she's trapped on a floating castle, so theres not much she can do. Here though, shes just sleeping and weak and isnt shown even trying to break the force field bubble shes in. Im assuming Grodus gave her a concussion or something but when she gets possessed by the Shadow Queen she's not even bound, just collapsed on the floor though after the fight Goombella says shes not even hurt so why're you nappin lady?? Im getting a bit ahead of myself though, because as Grodus threatens to end Peach as a means to get Mario to stop hitting him over the head with a hammer, BOWSER appears and crushes that guy with his mighty and toned koopa body. This fight was a fun reprieve from the harshness of the rest of the palace though its unlikely you would die even if you took a few hits fighting Grodus.
Going into the basement to fight the final boss, I noticed a huge issue. There was not a pipe leading back to Rougeport in sight. I didnt have any healing items at all, but I really didnt want to make the 40 minute dash to town and back so I opted to rely on Sweet Feast instead and went into battle. The Shadow Queen is a very threatening figure compared to what Mario games had seen up until that point. The cutscene where her hands are creeping up the sides of the various buildings above ground probably would of made me cry when I was younger. Her spirit design channels a sense of fear and otherworldliness that I really enjoy. She also mentions slaves? Which means that, at the very least, the concept of slavery exists in the Super Mario world officially. Phase one of her boss fight wasnt too rough for me, I got a soft stomp on her so I managed to widdle her down pretty fast. I was mostly worried, when she invoked her spirit form, that I was going to have to do some stupid shit like from that point on she could only be damaged by Supernova, but mercifully that was not the case. As Mario is left struggling and the crystal stars fly off, the upcoming cutscene had me absolutely bawling. Im always very touched when stories end with every friend you've ever met coming together to believe in you and rally you on. Its so sad and heartwarming every time.... even Peach gathers her last bit of strength to give to Mario though she didnt seem to have any passed out on the floor moments prior. I was feeling absolutely pumped- the danger of complete global annihilation felt so real and I was completely into it, no way I was going to let anything happen to these people!! I was in tears, Punio believes in me!! I CANT let him down!
I died!
She had like 30 health left and I fucking died. It became impossible to recover the amount of health I was losing with only Sweet Treat/Feast and I had no items at all. A lot of people say that this is baby's first rpg- and I know theres probably a badge combination that makes things easier, but what the hell. The Shadow Queen is one of the hardest bosses I think I've ever fought. And I was really, really pissed because that emotional buildup was something else and it just completely evaporates upon dying. It doesnt feel half as special or urgent when you've already seen it before... also "try again"? I thought it'd just restart that phase but it put me back to entering the room which is pointless.
I buckled down to spend the next hour of my life trying to remember how to leave the building for items but then, and only after I had reloaded the game, did a pipe appear that lead to Rougeport. Why it isnt just there from the get go is beyond me, but I just got more pissed cause if I had access to that earlier that really sweet emotional moment wouldnt of been trounced for me.
Despite having healing items this fight was still incredibly hard and I barely beat it with both companion and Mario at 10 hp. The final moments of ttyd are bittersweet as we have to say goodbye to Rougeport and Mario fails to deliver TEC's final message to Peach because they both seemingly forgot. Though I didnt want this one to end so soon, the credits roll. The book closes, and that was The Thousand Year Door! Before I close with my general thoughts, I have something written for the Peach & Bowser intermissions:
☆Extra☆
-------------------
Peach and TEC initially felt to me like a demo reel for Blumiere and Tippi, but as time went on I felt really endeared toward the computer. TEC never tries to win Peach over or actively seduce her, which would be uncomfortable since shes stuck in a room with them. TEC is curious about their newfound feelings and this leads them to a sort of solace as they resolve to get her off the space station. I really like the solemn acceptance TEC goes through, never wanting Peach to stay or enter a relationship with it, settling into peace with the feelings it has found. Peach, on the other hand, despite having a role and doing things somehow feels like she doesnt have a scrap of autonomy in anything that goes down. Her email information doesnt really help at all except for the final message she sends. Out of a very creative game, these segments are probably the most typical things we see.
The Bowser intermissions also kind of only exist to jusitify his appearance in the ending, he really didnt have to be here but it was pretty funny and I'd rather be watching him get up to shenanigans than spend 30 minutes failing to make a potion with Peach
And thats it! All my thoughts on The Thousand Year Door. So the question remains: is this one of the best games ever? Does it really beat my favorite entry in the series, Super Paper Mario?
For starters, I can really understand why so many people are so fond of this game. It is incredibly special in both its gameplay aspects and its continually evolving creativity, it is a game that was created out of pure love for everything Paper Mario is and you can clearly tell by how often they remember and cherish their previous installment and continue to evolve from it.
Theres a few things I really dont like about this game, though. For one, I was constantly lost. Someone of my age really shouldnt have problems getting around in a Mario game but if Goombella didnt tell me exactly what was up I never knew what to do or where to go. Instruction and direction felt incredibly vauge at times, depth perception and lighting were definitely contributing factors to the aimlessness I felt. Speaking of depth perception, this game likes to pretend that its a platformer quite a bit when its clearly not made for that at all. The jumping feels bad and it loses all momentum when you let go of the c-stick. The mechanical room and the x-naut fortress are two areas that just suck so much because of this when it really didnt need to be included. Also, I said this before but ttyd loves making you go back to really inconvenient places again and again, almost every bulletin quest is like this and after the 20th visit back to Hooktail, it gets very tiring.
With all that though, I still really enjoyed my first experience playing ttyd in this new and improved form. I wanted to keep seeing more, even if it was doing something tedious and repetitive. It made me laugh and smile and cry... but not as much as spm so I still love that one the most. Its a very special game with a very special place in a lot of people's hearts, and I'm very glad it got the remake it deserved.
And now... I rest, wistfully stroking my copy of spm, feeling in my chest the sad truth that it will never be gifted the same attention.
As a new thing I wanted to try, I kept a little journal of my thoughts per chapter and had the idea to review each part episodically with a closing statement on my final thoughts on the game. This was a terrible idea as I write way too much, and feel too bad erasing huge chunks of my work. So without further ado: one of the longest reviews I've ever had to write and edit for everyone's darling Thousand Year Door.
☆Chapter 1☆
---------------------------
This first chapter is a really good depiction of what to expect from ttyd and starts off very strongly with multiple genre-breaking gags to subvert the very conventional story setup with Hooktail. The toad kid talking about various Nintendo games, the game show thwomp that replaces the position of a miniboss. A chest that gives you a powerup but still dresses it as a curse which is deifnitley the best running joke in the game. Hooktail herself being defeated in a few turns because your hammer is making frog sounds. Its undiluted Paper Mario essence at its finest. Petalburg is a really soft and charming place but Koops is probably the least utilized companion, I immediately switched back to Goombella after the chapter was over because I love her and comparatively Koops seems to get kind of sidelined both gameplay-wise and in terms of an active story role. In contrast to her precdessor Goombario, Goombella to me seems like the primary party member along with Vivian; shes sassy and smart and supportive and kind of steals the show in my eyes. After chapter 1 ends we get our first actual star power that isnt ol' reliable shit fuck Sweet Treat and then its on to:
☆Chapter 2☆
---------------------------
BOGGLY WOODS!! I've seen this area plently of times before in screenshots, but the way it looks completely floored me in the remake. The black and white trees contrasting beautifully with the oil spill colored vines on the floor, its all shiny and pretty like black lacquer. The music playing in the background sings ethereal and calm. A stand out area for me of the whole game, plus it has PUNIES!! Oh, I love them so much. Leading 101 of them through the Great Tree had me smiling so wide. They get trapped in little bubbles! They learn the power of union! Every interaction I had with the sage puni and the puni siblings reinforced them as my favorite non-recruitable characters.
Flurrie is the companion that joins in this chapter and I like her a lot. She has a very large and caring presence which fits in line with her past stage life. She also likes squishy, silly punies so we have a lot in common. Unfortunately I never did use her much outside of mandatory puzzles, but its okay because Koops got used way less.
☆Chapter 3☆
---------------------------
Glitzville! The Glitz Pit! I have a feeling this is a lot of people's favorite chapter and for obvious reasons. The unconventional story structure is very cool with there being no random fights at all, instead duking it out in a wrestling arena for a shot at championship. After each fight you get a break and here it hit me just how much dialogue there was in the game because all conversations in the area change completely after almost every match. Theres a lot of events in-between fights to give the player a break and I appreciated that because I get tired of fighting pretty fast. Unravelling the conspiracy of the Glitz Pit and sneaking around was so much fun. I love old fashioned wrestling so this chapter was very charming for me. After saving his egg from becoming a hot dog or something Yoshi Kid is born, Mario is his dad and Glitzville his country. I was really happy being introduced to this guy, I think its because the process of meeting him and his connection with Mario is very different than the rest of the party who get together by chance. I feel really attached to this guy and I feel bad riding him because he is so small, but I must because Mario is so fucking slow. Jolene is also really cool- the little tidbits of information about Prince Mush throughout the game made their reunion really sweet. This area is very, very good and stands out a lot for being so different than what one would expect.
☆Chapter 4☆
---------------------------
Twilight Town, like Boggly Woods, is also incredibly gorgeous and uses its color and textures well. The design on the big moon and the palette of the woods is so pretty, mesmerizing. Everyones turning into pigs. That's Mario's least favorite animal so he goes off into the forest to help stop it. I only knew this as the Vivian chapter and I was really excited to meet her, so the chapter end fakeout got me. I thought my game crashed and I was actually gonna reboot it before I hit A on accident- which is when shadow Mario gets up and the actual premise of this segment is revealed. Im so happy I didnt know about this part because nearly every other major occurance in ttyd has been spoiled for me throughout the years, it was nice being shocked for once. The way they constantly change and subvert their own formula is so incredibly clever to me, nothing else really holds a candle to the constant creativity these chapters show. Anyway- we meet Vivian who is looking for a bomb in the bushes. I wish we could have shown her more kindness than some basic decency, but she tags along to help Mario anyways. Doopliss wants his name back so you have to treck back (again) to Creepy Steeple. I hate Creepy Steeple. Getting there is hard, leaving is hard, I know theres a pipe but I didnt find it till later. Creepy Steeple is nothing but dark and annoying and I got stuck in a room for 20 minutes because there was like, no way for the player to see the hole in the wall going into the parrot room. I guess the implication was that light is supposed to be shining out from under the gap but how was I going to know- Mario was 10 yards away and stuck behind some bars. Obtain letter P, return to Doopliss and say hes Doopliss. Go back, again, to your favorite place Creepy Steeple and walk alll the way up back to his room AGAIN. Though I dont like this dungeon, this guy is my favorite antagonist- and how could he not be with such a fashionable hat. The Doopliss fight with all your companions working against you and Vivian's story beats are really cool, and then she officially joins the party! I had her by my side for most of the game- shes very powerful fully upgraded and has a lot of relation to the main events so it felt right to have her out.
☆Chapter 5☆
----------------------------
Chapter 5.... was..... uh........ Keelhaul Key... aw fuck I have to open the game and check.
Chapter 5 is the premiere of the unforgettable and culturally significant Keelhaul Key, which I remember clearly. I dont know how to properly describe this, but I noticed that ttyd has a very fluid way of managing its world. Everything seems to intersect and even random npc characters will remark on the latest happenings in Mario's adventure. Flavio looked very unique so I knew he would be a part in the story at some point, but I noticed here that the bob-omb at the counter had a progressing train of dialouge which converged with the mature toad lady character in Glitzville. Everything in this game is so alive and so smart, anyways... meeting with Bobbery had me getting misty eyed. Ttyd has no problem moving between really silly moments and touching story beats, which is something a lot of games that replicate Paper Mario struggle with. Keelhaul Key itself is a fun misadventure I suppose... I hated the backtracking though, god there is so much backtracking in this game, its insane. I fought so many fuzzies.... Pirate's Bay was not much better at all. I didnt really like this area, slow and dense. Cortez and the X-Naut showoff were the best things to come out of the chapter.
☆Chapter 6☆
---------------------------
The Excess Express...much like Glitzville in chapter 3, this segment subverts the typical story structure except it removes virtually all battles. Instead, Mario and co. take on detective work aboard an ongoing train and then platform a little in Poshley Heights with no final boss to defeat. I love this chapter. The atmosphere is immaculate. Getting to know all the passengers over the course of 3 days and solving their troubles turned it into a different sort of game for a bit. It was a very smart decision to not have any random encounters for the majority of the chapter because the mood of the Excess Express is very impressionable. Walking through the train at dusk and seeing the remaining sun shining through the windows, with that song playing in the background... its one of those Nintendo moments that I'm sure imprinted itself heavily on the people who played this as kids. The detective side of the chapter is very fun, and I enjoy how much it encourages you to interact with the people on the train as it builds your relationship to them in a unique way that isnt purely focused on rescuing them. Arriving at Poshley Heights, the area isnt that huge or noteworthy because the focus is on the train- but the Sanctum that holds the crystal star was near mythical. I just assumed we would have to fight Beldam and her sister and her not-sister Doopliss, but after their departure instead it leads you on into a mirror image of the Sanctum. Entering, its all light blues and soft light with the saddest most evocative piece of compositional music playing in the background. It was a very unexpected moment, I think I audibly said 'woah'. I dont know if it was intentional how strangely moving the Inner Sanctum was, but climbing up the sides of the building with the pretty lights and taking in that song was so peaceful and nice. Such a fitting end for a mostly nonconfrontational chapter.
☆Chapter 7☆
---------------------------
By this point, after completing every bulliten quest avaliable to me I had already figured out that backtracking was ttyd's best friend forever but I didnt think they would seriously make me go back and forth between Fahr Outpost and every other area I've been to so much. It would be comical if they hadnt made me to go Hooktail Castle 3 separate times, so I was feeling very bitter at this point when I had to walk around for no reason. Fahr Outpost itself is a military base which instills dread and isnt a lot to be remarked on, which is kind of a shame because Paper Mario's snow areas are very pretty. Getting shot to the moon also would have surprised me but I spoiled myself the day before looking on a wiki page for how to make ruin powder. The moon... is very slow. The encounters on the moon arent that fun but you're not expected to be there for long. The X-Naut building... also is not very fun. The keycard shenanigans were tedious and I resigned myself to looking at a guide to figure out where they were. Just a lot of little time wasters here... and a lot platforming. More on that and TEC later but I absolutely hate this game's jump when its used for platforming, its short and heavy and shitty and clearly wasnt made for precise-ish movements.
Fighting that robot was okay. Walking through the halls with the all the lights shut off after TEC's final message was what I'll remember most from the moon, though.
☆Chapter 8☆
----------------------------
The Palace of Shadows is another area in the remake that I had to stop and take in because it really does look absolutely beautiful and grand. The trek through the palace is very long and kind of arduous with the many puzzles and no item shops. The star tower near the end of the chapter made use of riddles and was very fun to figure out, though once again Koops was left unused in a location that utilized nearly every other companion (sorry, man). The small miniboss fight with Beldam and her new family left me a little dissapointed because Vivian didnt really have a lot to say, and I was hoping punching her sister in the hat would have given her some closure. Moving on to the next room, the fight with Grodus is really exciting but you get a sense of how powerless and kind of incompetent Peach is here. In Paper Mario n64 she's trapped on a floating castle, so theres not much she can do. Here though, shes just sleeping and weak and isnt shown even trying to break the force field bubble shes in. Im assuming Grodus gave her a concussion or something but when she gets possessed by the Shadow Queen she's not even bound, just collapsed on the floor though after the fight Goombella says shes not even hurt so why're you nappin lady?? Im getting a bit ahead of myself though, because as Grodus threatens to end Peach as a means to get Mario to stop hitting him over the head with a hammer, BOWSER appears and crushes that guy with his mighty and toned koopa body. This fight was a fun reprieve from the harshness of the rest of the palace though its unlikely you would die even if you took a few hits fighting Grodus.
Going into the basement to fight the final boss, I noticed a huge issue. There was not a pipe leading back to Rougeport in sight. I didnt have any healing items at all, but I really didnt want to make the 40 minute dash to town and back so I opted to rely on Sweet Feast instead and went into battle. The Shadow Queen is a very threatening figure compared to what Mario games had seen up until that point. The cutscene where her hands are creeping up the sides of the various buildings above ground probably would of made me cry when I was younger. Her spirit design channels a sense of fear and otherworldliness that I really enjoy. She also mentions slaves? Which means that, at the very least, the concept of slavery exists in the Super Mario world officially. Phase one of her boss fight wasnt too rough for me, I got a soft stomp on her so I managed to widdle her down pretty fast. I was mostly worried, when she invoked her spirit form, that I was going to have to do some stupid shit like from that point on she could only be damaged by Supernova, but mercifully that was not the case. As Mario is left struggling and the crystal stars fly off, the upcoming cutscene had me absolutely bawling. Im always very touched when stories end with every friend you've ever met coming together to believe in you and rally you on. Its so sad and heartwarming every time.... even Peach gathers her last bit of strength to give to Mario though she didnt seem to have any passed out on the floor moments prior. I was feeling absolutely pumped- the danger of complete global annihilation felt so real and I was completely into it, no way I was going to let anything happen to these people!! I was in tears, Punio believes in me!! I CANT let him down!
I died!
She had like 30 health left and I fucking died. It became impossible to recover the amount of health I was losing with only Sweet Treat/Feast and I had no items at all. A lot of people say that this is baby's first rpg- and I know theres probably a badge combination that makes things easier, but what the hell. The Shadow Queen is one of the hardest bosses I think I've ever fought. And I was really, really pissed because that emotional buildup was something else and it just completely evaporates upon dying. It doesnt feel half as special or urgent when you've already seen it before... also "try again"? I thought it'd just restart that phase but it put me back to entering the room which is pointless.
I buckled down to spend the next hour of my life trying to remember how to leave the building for items but then, and only after I had reloaded the game, did a pipe appear that lead to Rougeport. Why it isnt just there from the get go is beyond me, but I just got more pissed cause if I had access to that earlier that really sweet emotional moment wouldnt of been trounced for me.
Despite having healing items this fight was still incredibly hard and I barely beat it with both companion and Mario at 10 hp. The final moments of ttyd are bittersweet as we have to say goodbye to Rougeport and Mario fails to deliver TEC's final message to Peach because they both seemingly forgot. Though I didnt want this one to end so soon, the credits roll. The book closes, and that was The Thousand Year Door! Before I close with my general thoughts, I have something written for the Peach & Bowser intermissions:
☆Extra☆
-------------------
Peach and TEC initially felt to me like a demo reel for Blumiere and Tippi, but as time went on I felt really endeared toward the computer. TEC never tries to win Peach over or actively seduce her, which would be uncomfortable since shes stuck in a room with them. TEC is curious about their newfound feelings and this leads them to a sort of solace as they resolve to get her off the space station. I really like the solemn acceptance TEC goes through, never wanting Peach to stay or enter a relationship with it, settling into peace with the feelings it has found. Peach, on the other hand, despite having a role and doing things somehow feels like she doesnt have a scrap of autonomy in anything that goes down. Her email information doesnt really help at all except for the final message she sends. Out of a very creative game, these segments are probably the most typical things we see.
The Bowser intermissions also kind of only exist to jusitify his appearance in the ending, he really didnt have to be here but it was pretty funny and I'd rather be watching him get up to shenanigans than spend 30 minutes failing to make a potion with Peach
And thats it! All my thoughts on The Thousand Year Door. So the question remains: is this one of the best games ever? Does it really beat my favorite entry in the series, Super Paper Mario?
For starters, I can really understand why so many people are so fond of this game. It is incredibly special in both its gameplay aspects and its continually evolving creativity, it is a game that was created out of pure love for everything Paper Mario is and you can clearly tell by how often they remember and cherish their previous installment and continue to evolve from it.
Theres a few things I really dont like about this game, though. For one, I was constantly lost. Someone of my age really shouldnt have problems getting around in a Mario game but if Goombella didnt tell me exactly what was up I never knew what to do or where to go. Instruction and direction felt incredibly vauge at times, depth perception and lighting were definitely contributing factors to the aimlessness I felt. Speaking of depth perception, this game likes to pretend that its a platformer quite a bit when its clearly not made for that at all. The jumping feels bad and it loses all momentum when you let go of the c-stick. The mechanical room and the x-naut fortress are two areas that just suck so much because of this when it really didnt need to be included. Also, I said this before but ttyd loves making you go back to really inconvenient places again and again, almost every bulletin quest is like this and after the 20th visit back to Hooktail, it gets very tiring.
With all that though, I still really enjoyed my first experience playing ttyd in this new and improved form. I wanted to keep seeing more, even if it was doing something tedious and repetitive. It made me laugh and smile and cry... but not as much as spm so I still love that one the most. Its a very special game with a very special place in a lot of people's hearts, and I'm very glad it got the remake it deserved.
And now... I rest, wistfully stroking my copy of spm, feeling in my chest the sad truth that it will never be gifted the same attention.
Ain't no fucking way this is what those Gamecube people have been hyping up
It's really good, like good good.
As a huge fan of the original Paper Mario 64, it is an immense disappointment that I can't seem to enjoy the sequel. Of course, some of the changes are unmitigated successes - combat is more engaging, more strategic, and more fun. The writing is often charming and funny, although there's a lot more generic speech in The Thousand Year Door. The new settings are beautiful and inventive. However, locales and elocution are not what make a game great.
Exploring the levels is exhausting. Mario's movement speed is slow, and goodies are often completely hidden in order to prompt the player to comprehensively canvas every inch of floor space. Most of the levels are either hallways or mazes, with pipes used to disorienting effect. In the remake this problem balloons from inelegant to ponderous, with a low framerate, menu input stutters, and fixed-speed dialogue. On top of this, every new ability is accompanied by an excruciating tutorial.
Partners are largely one-dimensional archetypes, lacking even the rudimentary characterization that 64 offered. The Peach interludes are now regressive filler that really drives home how flavorless and dull the bad guys are. Is there any trope more played-out than a computer asking "what is love?" Chapter 3, where I am terminating this playthrough, is a great example of this game's dichotomy. You are introduced to a charming, glamorous WWE arena and tasked with fighting a sequence of boring generic enemies in a row. It's not unlike the whiplash I felt when I stumbled across the mysterious Pit of 100 Trials beneath the city streets, only to discover that it's just a repetitious, tedious combat challenge.
I really wanted to like this game, and I had hoped that the remake would elevate my experience. Instead, it's a mix of upgrades and downgrades (why is the new music so aggressive?) that took a game I felt ambivalent about and solidified my dislike.
Exploring the levels is exhausting. Mario's movement speed is slow, and goodies are often completely hidden in order to prompt the player to comprehensively canvas every inch of floor space. Most of the levels are either hallways or mazes, with pipes used to disorienting effect. In the remake this problem balloons from inelegant to ponderous, with a low framerate, menu input stutters, and fixed-speed dialogue. On top of this, every new ability is accompanied by an excruciating tutorial.
Partners are largely one-dimensional archetypes, lacking even the rudimentary characterization that 64 offered. The Peach interludes are now regressive filler that really drives home how flavorless and dull the bad guys are. Is there any trope more played-out than a computer asking "what is love?" Chapter 3, where I am terminating this playthrough, is a great example of this game's dichotomy. You are introduced to a charming, glamorous WWE arena and tasked with fighting a sequence of boring generic enemies in a row. It's not unlike the whiplash I felt when I stumbled across the mysterious Pit of 100 Trials beneath the city streets, only to discover that it's just a repetitious, tedious combat challenge.
I really wanted to like this game, and I had hoped that the remake would elevate my experience. Instead, it's a mix of upgrades and downgrades (why is the new music so aggressive?) that took a game I felt ambivalent about and solidified my dislike.
If Backlogged offered more favorite games options on your profile, this would definitely go up there.
Wonderful game. Full of charm and laughter and heart and style. I never got around to playing the original, but this is easily one of my favorite games I’ve played on Switch. Someday I’ll go back and play the original to see how the two compare.
Anyways, despite being a bit tutorial heavy in the beginning, I had a surprising amount of fun with this game’s combat. The stats are kept very low for RPG standards, but it works. I found the badge system super fun and most of the time I leveled up my BP so I could do more. The combat for the most part wasn’t challenging at all, but I was having too much fun with the game that I didn’t mind.
I loved most of the characters and all of the worlds. Some of the best Nintendo games feel like the developers had a ton of fun making it and I really got that here. The train mystery level sticks out as something creative and totally fun to design. Oh and the humor had some innuendo I wasn’t expecting for a Nintendo title. But I’m not complaining.
Great game!
Anyways, despite being a bit tutorial heavy in the beginning, I had a surprising amount of fun with this game’s combat. The stats are kept very low for RPG standards, but it works. I found the badge system super fun and most of the time I leveled up my BP so I could do more. The combat for the most part wasn’t challenging at all, but I was having too much fun with the game that I didn’t mind.
I loved most of the characters and all of the worlds. Some of the best Nintendo games feel like the developers had a ton of fun making it and I really got that here. The train mystery level sticks out as something creative and totally fun to design. Oh and the humor had some innuendo I wasn’t expecting for a Nintendo title. But I’m not complaining.
Great game!
I really enjoyed my time revisiting this game! This playthrough made me realize that this game truly is the best Mario RPG to ever come out, even if I do have a few small issues with the game.
I think the biggest standout of the entire game is the cast of character. All of the partners are great honestly. Goombella and Vivian are the easiest standouts to me. Even extending beyond the playable cast, this game has the most memorable characters in the series.
Gameplay is also at its best here. While its not the most complex RPG battle system, it absolutely doesn't have to be. It knows what it wants to be, and does the absolute best job it can at being that. Combat in this game was always a joy.
I do only wish I enjoyed Chapter 5 and 6 more. Those two are probably the weakest chapters in the game for me, especially 6. But the game does pick back up in Chapter 7 (which is SO much better in the remake).
To close off, please support this game. If we want more games like this from Paper Mario, we desperately need to convey that we want specifically what this game does. As someone that doesn't hate Color Splash and Origami King, I would be so much happier with a new game like this.
I think the biggest standout of the entire game is the cast of character. All of the partners are great honestly. Goombella and Vivian are the easiest standouts to me. Even extending beyond the playable cast, this game has the most memorable characters in the series.
Gameplay is also at its best here. While its not the most complex RPG battle system, it absolutely doesn't have to be. It knows what it wants to be, and does the absolute best job it can at being that. Combat in this game was always a joy.
I do only wish I enjoyed Chapter 5 and 6 more. Those two are probably the weakest chapters in the game for me, especially 6. But the game does pick back up in Chapter 7 (which is SO much better in the remake).
To close off, please support this game. If we want more games like this from Paper Mario, we desperately need to convey that we want specifically what this game does. As someone that doesn't hate Color Splash and Origami King, I would be so much happier with a new game like this.
Açık ara en sevdiğim Mario oyunu. Yeniden yapımı da "30fps" muhabbetlerine rağmen bu sene en sevdiğim oyunlardan biri olmasının sebebi oldu. Oynanış basit ama eğlenceli, mizahı harika, görselliği Gamecube versiyonunda bile hala gideri varken bu versiyonda daha da iyi olmuş, müzikler çok iyi, yeni eklenen QoL özellikleri çok rahatlatmış... RPG ya da Mario seven herkese çok rahat öneririm. Daha "bitirme tarihi"ni işaretlemedim, çünkü hikaye bitmiş olmasına rağmen şu an tekrar oynuyorum dsjgdfhl
Oyungezer'de detaylıca incelememi okuyabilirsiniz isterseniz.
Oyungezer'de detaylıca incelememi okuyabilirsiniz isterseniz.
Yes, the backtracking is a bit padded and annoying - even with the updates - and yes, the characters brazenly point it out. Yes, Bowser's butt monkey phase stuck in our mouths a bit too long after this. Yes, it's a shame the updated graphics didn't get a nice 60 FPS treatment to go along with them. Yes, I had this in the back of my head as "that game that accidentally turned me into an internet gremlin 20 years ago"; I expected that I'd bought this remake as a little nostalgia romp to reminisce, enjoy the vibes of a game that runs entirely on vibes, and shelve it again.
But nah, this fuckin script is so good, man. Paper Mario 64 out-Marios this with pristine charm, and Super Mario RPG is more... RPG...-y. But this game never strains to outdo either, and it ends up better at both. All the standard JRPG dialogue to tell you where to go has just enough little tongue-in-cheek asides, lampshade mounts, brick jokes, and fourth wall breaks peppered in to keep your eyes on each and every dialogue line, Tattle, and signpost. It lets Mario run free as a pastiche of himself; that deviation could've come across as grimy as the town it starts in - if it ever tilted into a level of smarmy, self-fellating self-reference*. But it doesn't. It keeps convincing you to believe in it anyway, and that bastion of monumental Mario consistency stands right behind the actual gameplay. The love for setting the mood and adventure keeps the heart, even as it occasionally stops to literally rip something to shreds.
After I played Paper Mario and TTYD as a kid, I tried to play a ton of other RPGs. I didn't like most of em - but I thought it was because they lost that interactive bit in the battle system. I get why now! You know what's a better gameplay loop that I'll fall for, every time, far more than numbers going up? Make me think I might laugh every time I hit a button.
I thought I remembered know what's around every corner. I don't. When I don't, I cackle. When I do, I still cackle. It loves itself for what it is. I love it.
(Also, y'know, gimme some of those numbers going up. As a treat.)
---
* Sometimes I wonder if Miyamoto saw the series going here and jerked too hard backwards. Y'know, restrictions breed creativity! Here's a neat idea for a restriction: restrict Miyamoto to a dungeon and let the team create their own fucking game
But nah, this fuckin script is so good, man. Paper Mario 64 out-Marios this with pristine charm, and Super Mario RPG is more... RPG...-y. But this game never strains to outdo either, and it ends up better at both. All the standard JRPG dialogue to tell you where to go has just enough little tongue-in-cheek asides, lampshade mounts, brick jokes, and fourth wall breaks peppered in to keep your eyes on each and every dialogue line, Tattle, and signpost. It lets Mario run free as a pastiche of himself; that deviation could've come across as grimy as the town it starts in - if it ever tilted into a level of smarmy, self-fellating self-reference*. But it doesn't. It keeps convincing you to believe in it anyway, and that bastion of monumental Mario consistency stands right behind the actual gameplay. The love for setting the mood and adventure keeps the heart, even as it occasionally stops to literally rip something to shreds.
After I played Paper Mario and TTYD as a kid, I tried to play a ton of other RPGs. I didn't like most of em - but I thought it was because they lost that interactive bit in the battle system. I get why now! You know what's a better gameplay loop that I'll fall for, every time, far more than numbers going up? Make me think I might laugh every time I hit a button.
I thought I remembered know what's around every corner. I don't. When I don't, I cackle. When I do, I still cackle. It loves itself for what it is. I love it.
(Also, y'know, gimme some of those numbers going up. As a treat.)
---
* Sometimes I wonder if Miyamoto saw the series going here and jerked too hard backwards. Y'know, restrictions breed creativity! Here's a neat idea for a restriction: restrict Miyamoto to a dungeon and let the team create their own fucking game
This review contains spoilers
Being one of my favorite games, I’m not really gonna review this as if I am viewing this game for the first time. But the extra additions in this game are great. Vivian’s dialogue more fitting of her original storyline, two new bosses, the amazingly revived soundtrack that sounds even better than the original for the most part, and QOL changes make this the perfect introduction to classic paper mario. I went for a full 100% completion, which even with the backtracking being toned down, I don’t recommend. The reward isn’t worth it. But definitely check out the two new bosses if you’re able. I’m so happy this game has been remade for a new generation to discover how “stylish” this game is!
chapters that fall woefully short of their potential; metric tons of dull, repetitive busywork; empty, boring areas made up of rectangular corridors and do-nothing dungeons
carried in its entirety by wonderful characters, engaging combat, and boatloads of charm.
surpasses the original game in some ways, falls WAY short in others. at the end of the day it's a lot of fun, but it could've been even better if they'd hired a single level designer or cut down on the time-wasters
carried in its entirety by wonderful characters, engaging combat, and boatloads of charm.
surpasses the original game in some ways, falls WAY short in others. at the end of the day it's a lot of fun, but it could've been even better if they'd hired a single level designer or cut down on the time-wasters
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door was first released when I was a stupid kid playing video games. As such, I appreciated it at the time, but I did not have the level of admiration that most of its fans do. I had a similar experience with Persona 3, though I played that for the first time much later in my life than PM: TTYD.
And much like me playing Persona 3 Reload made me understand just why people loved Persona 3 in the first place, playing through the PM: TTYD remake brought that same level of understanding.
But while Persona 3 Reload was polished and cleaned to what could be argued as a sterile sheen, the PM: TTYD remake took nearly everything that people loved about the original TTYD and made it better. And that's why, between the two, PM: TTYD is the better remake.
The art direction is the perfect balance between the original iteration of PM: TTYD and the hardcore papercraft aesthetic of Paper Mario: The Origami King. The twenty years of video game graphic advancement since the original was released have allowed the developers to create the game "as you remember it". The battle stage is especially successful here. Any time I entered a battle without a player / enemy first strike, I was completely delighted as the set pieces unfolded themselves and then the characters would run in. That alone is one of the best "surprise and delight" moments I have experienced in any video game.
The new soundtrack is also successful, though it leans more toward the jazzy tunes of recent Paper Mario entries than the original. I absolutely love it. And for those who don't, they give you a badge that plays the original GameCube soundtrack instead. Perfect.
The cast of characters remains the most diverse in any video game bearing Mario's name. It is a reminder of how criminal it was when the series pivoted to no-name characters in later entries.
My only complaint - a minor one - is that there just wasn't enough new playable content. No new Pianta Parlor games, only two (admittedly amazing) new bosses... There could have been more. But so much more effort was put into the game's art direction and presentation that it makes up for it.
I desperately hope that Nintendo and Intelligent can push the formula further. I don't want a "PM: TTYD 2" - but what I do want is a game in the series with the same core philosophy of creating a diverse, lore-heavy, but most importantly believable Mario world. Where every character has something to say, where characters of different species interact in hilarious ways... I want the next game in the series to expand the Mario lore in ways we haven't seen before.
I don't put this in my top ten, but certainly in my "S Tier". My playthrough lasted approximately 40 hours - completing the main story, one full run through the Pit of 100 Trials, and defeating two of the game's three superbosses.
And much like me playing Persona 3 Reload made me understand just why people loved Persona 3 in the first place, playing through the PM: TTYD remake brought that same level of understanding.
But while Persona 3 Reload was polished and cleaned to what could be argued as a sterile sheen, the PM: TTYD remake took nearly everything that people loved about the original TTYD and made it better. And that's why, between the two, PM: TTYD is the better remake.
The art direction is the perfect balance between the original iteration of PM: TTYD and the hardcore papercraft aesthetic of Paper Mario: The Origami King. The twenty years of video game graphic advancement since the original was released have allowed the developers to create the game "as you remember it". The battle stage is especially successful here. Any time I entered a battle without a player / enemy first strike, I was completely delighted as the set pieces unfolded themselves and then the characters would run in. That alone is one of the best "surprise and delight" moments I have experienced in any video game.
The new soundtrack is also successful, though it leans more toward the jazzy tunes of recent Paper Mario entries than the original. I absolutely love it. And for those who don't, they give you a badge that plays the original GameCube soundtrack instead. Perfect.
The cast of characters remains the most diverse in any video game bearing Mario's name. It is a reminder of how criminal it was when the series pivoted to no-name characters in later entries.
My only complaint - a minor one - is that there just wasn't enough new playable content. No new Pianta Parlor games, only two (admittedly amazing) new bosses... There could have been more. But so much more effort was put into the game's art direction and presentation that it makes up for it.
I desperately hope that Nintendo and Intelligent can push the formula further. I don't want a "PM: TTYD 2" - but what I do want is a game in the series with the same core philosophy of creating a diverse, lore-heavy, but most importantly believable Mario world. Where every character has something to say, where characters of different species interact in hilarious ways... I want the next game in the series to expand the Mario lore in ways we haven't seen before.
I don't put this in my top ten, but certainly in my "S Tier". My playthrough lasted approximately 40 hours - completing the main story, one full run through the Pit of 100 Trials, and defeating two of the game's three superbosses.
Yeah! This game's really charming and cool, like most Paper Mario games. We don't need another game like this, though. The combat is good because of it's simplicity and there wouldn't be anywhere else for it to go in a new game. I have a much greater appreciation for the other games in the Paper Mario series now specifically because of how they endeavor to be different from their previous iterations. Plus, I feel like the draw here is and always has been the witty writing and intriguing plotlines which is present in just about every Paper Mario game.
This game is very very good and we should be happy that Intelligent Systems got to (and still gets to from all indications) make different games with original ideas because of it.
Something something Bug Fables. 9/10.
This game is very very good and we should be happy that Intelligent Systems got to (and still gets to from all indications) make different games with original ideas because of it.
Something something Bug Fables. 9/10.
The Thousand Year Door is a game I’ve wanted to play since I was a kid. I liked both Color Splash and Origami King, and Super Paper Mario is still an all time favorite of mine, so I wondered if the game hailed as the best one could triumph it for years until now.
There are lots of things this game does better than everything after it, mainly the creativity. Every world is unique in style and structure, they all stand out and are memorable visually and in the writing, even if some worlds are better than others. The combat also feels great. The level up, badge, partner, and action command systems flow seamlessly together to make an easy to learn but hard to master loop that I’ve seen many RPGs try and fail to do (Yiik).
I do think there are some pitfalls though that Super Paper Mario also has, that being level design. The dungeons are mostly alright, but they’re littered with some repetitive structure and backtracking. I didn’t mind it until about world 5 or 6, where it just felt a little tiring.
That being said while I personally still like Super a little more than this, I get why this game is so loved. Here’s to hoping that one day a new Paper Mario game capture the spark this game holds.
There are lots of things this game does better than everything after it, mainly the creativity. Every world is unique in style and structure, they all stand out and are memorable visually and in the writing, even if some worlds are better than others. The combat also feels great. The level up, badge, partner, and action command systems flow seamlessly together to make an easy to learn but hard to master loop that I’ve seen many RPGs try and fail to do (Yiik).
I do think there are some pitfalls though that Super Paper Mario also has, that being level design. The dungeons are mostly alright, but they’re littered with some repetitive structure and backtracking. I didn’t mind it until about world 5 or 6, where it just felt a little tiring.
That being said while I personally still like Super a little more than this, I get why this game is so loved. Here’s to hoping that one day a new Paper Mario game capture the spark this game holds.
This game is truly fantastic
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door já é incrível e esse remake melhora e torna mais acessível essa grandiosa e divertida aventura. Por mais que a fórmula não foi muito alterada, os desenvolvedores conseguiram deixar o backtracking, um problema no original, bem menos rigoroso e cansativo. Além disso, ganhou novos visuais lindos junto com músicas e efeitos sonoros impecáveis tornando a jornada muito mais épica do que antes. É o simples, porém muito bem feito. Também, parabenizo por deixarem uma personagem trans ser oficializada. Fico bastante feliz com o fato que agora mais pessoas possam jogar um dos melhores jogos do Super Mario que a Nintendo já produziu.
This is a great remake. New music and not solely redone music but additional tunes too. New bosses and a nee coat of paint. Everything is here that you would want from a remake. I found that combat was a bit harder somehow when even when playing the original last year wasn’t. It felt less responsive. But still got through it. The QOL changes they added are welcome and even relieves the backtracking a bit. But idk, i am still fond of the gamecube vibes present in the original, the sound design and music really were better to me in the original. The cacophonous remade music while fun, doesn’t keep the vibes I like from the original. Just a preference though. This is a great way to play TTYD.
Well they significantly reduced the backtracking in Chapters 4 and 5 so this is easily the definitive version of the game.
The Thousand Year Door has always been one of my all-time favourite games, ever since I was a kid. Still to this day I would say it's my favourite JRPG and that's likely not going to change any time soon. I already played through the original Gamecube version once every year or two, so I couldn't tell you how happy I was when this remake was announced. As much as I did enjoy Origami King, finally seeing Nintendo bring Paper Mario back to its original form was a delight in and of itself.
I don't want to ramble here too long because I think the game already gets the praise that it deserves. And judging by the ratings here on Backloggd, it seems most of the fans are incredibly satisfied with this new release. While the game remains essentially the same, there are some new additions that make this the version to play from here on out. Firstly, there's the aforementioned backtracking; which was always a big point of contention with the original. Unlike the first Paper Mario on N64 which had more wide-open level design and exploration, TTYD instead opts for a "hallway-like" structure. I'll be the first to admit you spend a good deal of this game walking back and forth, from left to right and vice versa in most areas. And Chapters 4 and 5 were especially egregious with this. But the simple placement of a pipe in the Creepy Steeple and a spring in the jungles of Keelhaul Key made a world of difference. A few quality-of-life improvements, such as the partner wheel and Goombella's hints, also help to prop up this remake as the superior release. Oh, and there's unique battle music in every chapter now. That's definitely new and really caught me off guard, as someone who has been accustomed to hearing the same battle theme for the last twenty years. And I would be remiss not to mention the updated visuals, which are simply stunning. Framerate be damned, this game looks and runs how I always imagined it would in high definition.
Normally when I play TTYD I just rush through it, skip most of the dialogue and beat the game in a little under twenty hours. This time I really wanted to savour the experience and take my time; I didn't rush the story, I did all of the troubles, and collected not all, but most of the shine sprites and star pieces. When all was said and done my playthrough was just shy of 32 hours, which feels like the perfect length for a JPRG of this kind. I know some people aren't happy that dialogue is unskippable now, and I'll admit I was mildly annoyed at that too; but the text still scrolls at the speed at which I read and I'd argue it allows for stronger characterization. Now the dialogue is paced appropriately and the Banjo-Kazooie-esque voice clips add a new level of charm to the game that didn't exist prior. Will the slower text boxes be a little annoying upon replaying it? Probably. But that's a minor blemish on an otherwise stellar experience.
I can't wait for everyone to finally try this masterpiece; now that it's on a console that people actually own. One of the definitive Mario experiences is back and better than ever.
The Thousand Year Door has always been one of my all-time favourite games, ever since I was a kid. Still to this day I would say it's my favourite JRPG and that's likely not going to change any time soon. I already played through the original Gamecube version once every year or two, so I couldn't tell you how happy I was when this remake was announced. As much as I did enjoy Origami King, finally seeing Nintendo bring Paper Mario back to its original form was a delight in and of itself.
I don't want to ramble here too long because I think the game already gets the praise that it deserves. And judging by the ratings here on Backloggd, it seems most of the fans are incredibly satisfied with this new release. While the game remains essentially the same, there are some new additions that make this the version to play from here on out. Firstly, there's the aforementioned backtracking; which was always a big point of contention with the original. Unlike the first Paper Mario on N64 which had more wide-open level design and exploration, TTYD instead opts for a "hallway-like" structure. I'll be the first to admit you spend a good deal of this game walking back and forth, from left to right and vice versa in most areas. And Chapters 4 and 5 were especially egregious with this. But the simple placement of a pipe in the Creepy Steeple and a spring in the jungles of Keelhaul Key made a world of difference. A few quality-of-life improvements, such as the partner wheel and Goombella's hints, also help to prop up this remake as the superior release. Oh, and there's unique battle music in every chapter now. That's definitely new and really caught me off guard, as someone who has been accustomed to hearing the same battle theme for the last twenty years. And I would be remiss not to mention the updated visuals, which are simply stunning. Framerate be damned, this game looks and runs how I always imagined it would in high definition.
Normally when I play TTYD I just rush through it, skip most of the dialogue and beat the game in a little under twenty hours. This time I really wanted to savour the experience and take my time; I didn't rush the story, I did all of the troubles, and collected not all, but most of the shine sprites and star pieces. When all was said and done my playthrough was just shy of 32 hours, which feels like the perfect length for a JPRG of this kind. I know some people aren't happy that dialogue is unskippable now, and I'll admit I was mildly annoyed at that too; but the text still scrolls at the speed at which I read and I'd argue it allows for stronger characterization. Now the dialogue is paced appropriately and the Banjo-Kazooie-esque voice clips add a new level of charm to the game that didn't exist prior. Will the slower text boxes be a little annoying upon replaying it? Probably. But that's a minor blemish on an otherwise stellar experience.
I can't wait for everyone to finally try this masterpiece; now that it's on a console that people actually own. One of the definitive Mario experiences is back and better than ever.
Big surprise, The Thousand-Year Door is delightful. The battle system is surprisingly engaging due to its timed hits (even more so this time with the addition of "stylish" moves), the dynamic and malleable badge system, and the wacky diversity of its enemies and bosses. The half-diorama/half-theatre aesthetic of its world is wonderful (not to mention graphically this is a HUMUNGOUS glow-up from the Gamecube original, like damn). The various stories, characters and locales of each chapter are witty, memorable and captivating. It's easy to see why this game is so beloved and to end up loving it yourself.
All that said, I don't think that The Thousand-Year Door is some incredible jump in quality from the first game. If anything, I think the first Paper Mario impressed me way more. Where this game really leans into its dark setting and wacky presentation, the original had more whimsy that resonated with me on a deeper level. Don't get me wrong, despite my lack of personal exposure to the rest of the series, I've totally drank the Kool-Aid and am happy that this is a game that Nintendo acknowledges and rereleased; hopefully the future is bright for OG Paper Mario fans. I just don't think it's this mind-blowingly amazing experience. I just think it's genuinely great, alongside its predecessor, and this is a duology of RPGs that are easily worth your time.
All that said, I don't think that The Thousand-Year Door is some incredible jump in quality from the first game. If anything, I think the first Paper Mario impressed me way more. Where this game really leans into its dark setting and wacky presentation, the original had more whimsy that resonated with me on a deeper level. Don't get me wrong, despite my lack of personal exposure to the rest of the series, I've totally drank the Kool-Aid and am happy that this is a game that Nintendo acknowledges and rereleased; hopefully the future is bright for OG Paper Mario fans. I just don't think it's this mind-blowingly amazing experience. I just think it's genuinely great, alongside its predecessor, and this is a duology of RPGs that are easily worth your time.
I asked for this for years and to be able to play it, whether docked on TV or sitting in bed, was the most perfect experience I could have asked for. Despite the frame rate not being as high as the original release, this was the ultimate package for Nintendo's best work. It takes everything I love about video games and consolidates it all into one beautiful remake. The new OST was tremendous. It made battles more engaging depending on the environment and gave each chapter additional charm and wonder that I didn't know the game could provide. Despite having the option to use the original classic soundtrack, the new tracks added a new flare to the experience I did not want to lose out on. Backtracking was never a major issue to me but to be able to jump in and out of key areas with ease was monumental. That on its own is a significant enough QoL change to push this over the original but there was so much to love. All of the new animations were in-character and added so much life to what otherwise were emotionless character segments. To release this at the end of the life cycle has secured the console as my favorite system. I could not be happier with what Intelligent Systems accomplished.
While I did mostly enjoy my time with paper mario ttyd, I'm sadly not a new convert to the cult that is this games fandom. Theres a lot to like with ttyd, it looks absolutely fantastic and makes great use of its paper aesthetic, you are always in new locations with new characters and mini arcs to go through, and you progressively unlock new abilities and party members which allow for more creative exploration. The writing is also hilarious at times, moments like the crows in twilight town will stand out for me.
However, I do think sometimes the game suffers from letting a gag or gameplay flow drag on too much or happen too often. Pressing A 100 times, having to time a potion for 30 seconds, waiting 2 and a half minutes for an npc to be "ready", waking a guy up 10 times, having just one of these is a quirky funny moment, having all of them is just plain annoying. Then you have chapters like the WWE one where there is honestly too many battles overall and it drags and kills some of the underlying mystery thats taking place. Or the train ride in chapter 6, its just too much up and down the train waffling and yappin to different people. In a smaller dose both of those would be fine but they suffer because I like the mix of combat and exploration in this game, heavily focusing on one or the other loses my interest.
Maybe a hot take but I also got kinda fed up with the peach and bowser interludes, some more than others just feel like a bad joke or padding. Might seem like a lot of negatives but overall I did enjoy the game and I'm glad I got to experience it, everyone knows whats good about the game. I do love though how the yoshi always refers to you as Gonzales, hes a real homie, love that dude.
However, I do think sometimes the game suffers from letting a gag or gameplay flow drag on too much or happen too often. Pressing A 100 times, having to time a potion for 30 seconds, waiting 2 and a half minutes for an npc to be "ready", waking a guy up 10 times, having just one of these is a quirky funny moment, having all of them is just plain annoying. Then you have chapters like the WWE one where there is honestly too many battles overall and it drags and kills some of the underlying mystery thats taking place. Or the train ride in chapter 6, its just too much up and down the train waffling and yappin to different people. In a smaller dose both of those would be fine but they suffer because I like the mix of combat and exploration in this game, heavily focusing on one or the other loses my interest.
Maybe a hot take but I also got kinda fed up with the peach and bowser interludes, some more than others just feel like a bad joke or padding. Might seem like a lot of negatives but overall I did enjoy the game and I'm glad I got to experience it, everyone knows whats good about the game. I do love though how the yoshi always refers to you as Gonzales, hes a real homie, love that dude.
Who knew that the reason I couldn't get into paper mario was because I was playing the bad ones (my first game was sticker star)
I’ve always been annoyed at the constant glazing the GameCube library gets on the internet. It’s always, “the GameCube has the best Paper Mario, and the best MarioKart, and the best Smash Bros, and the best Mario Party, and the best F-Zero, and the best Pikmin, and the best Mario Tennis, and the best Metroid, and the best Mario Golf, and the best Kirby game, and the best Mario Baseball, and the best” It’s like alright I get it you grew up in the early 2000’s.
But…
if I’m being honest…
as I finally play through all these GameCube games…
they’re actually pretty good.
But…
if I’m being honest…
as I finally play through all these GameCube games…
they’re actually pretty good.
Peak gaming.
I love everything about the game. Especially that every chapter feels like a journey on itself.
I love everything about the game. Especially that every chapter feels like a journey on itself.
Haven't played the original all the way through since I was 13 years old, but it's about as good as I remember. I have always had rose-tinted glasses for it, though, and didn't even remember the backtracking bits, so basically they did a good job making something that strictly adheres to what I fondly remembered and strips away the bits that might sour those memories. It's a good remake.
I have enjoyed this game from start to finish. The combat is at its best, the character designs are lovable and there are some challenging fights at the end of the game. My only complain is the backtracking that drags the game for more than it is needed. The worst offender being Chapter 6 when you need to talk to NPCs found in different wagons with no fights between. Also not taking several side quests at once drags the game too much.
That the new content here is legitimately good gives me hope that IntSys still does have that juice, and that they really could make another top-notch Paper Mario if they would just be allowed to cook again.
The quality of life improvements and shiny new visuals are so good that it's easy to ignore the frustrating 30fps. Normally I'm not bothered by these sorts of things, but it legitimately had an effect on the timing of my attacks towards the beginning of the game and was something I had to become accustomed to. Fortunately it didn't take long and by the end I hardly noticed or cared anymore. All in all, this remaster is simply a more convenient way to enjoy one of my favorite games of all time. A timeless relic of an era I consider Nintendo at their most creative and ambitious.
this game was always something special, even at the time of its original release, but now being ported onto modern consoles the love is still constantly present. the cast is charming, every character has unique dialogue for every interaction. the music is wonderful, all the tracks are memorable at worst and beyond incredible at best. the gameplay is super engaging, running from battle was never a means of escape it was part of the strategy for me to make every encounter the best it could be. last but not least the world and story are just as magical as they were 20 years ago. every issue with the original has been fixed. such as tedious backtracking, repetitive music, and even dated humor has been updated or completely fixed in this remake. truly a game without flaw, nintendo does it again
It was a joy returning to this game again on Nintendo switch. Backtracking is still a bit noticeable but I'm glad the warp pipes were there to make it less tedious. I hope this game sells well so we can get Paper Mario returning to its RPG routes and Mario & Luigi returning soon