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.