Highlights

  • Nintendo is considering introducing more original character designs in future Paper Mario games, according to a recent survey.
  • The survey, rolled out in select regions, is gauging fans' opinions on Paper Mario's characters, with specific mention to characters with "unique appearances or personalities".
  • The recently-released remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door already stands as one of 2024's most highly-touted releases, with high review scores and praise for its new enhancements.

A new survey from Nintendo related to Paper Mario suggests that the company is considering bringing in more original characters and designs for future entries. The RPG spinoff of the iconic franchise has served as a staple of Super Mario games since the first game launched on Nintendo 64. Paper Mario has seen multiple new entries on most major Nintendo consoles, most recently debuting the highly-anticipated remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door on Switch. Now, Nintendo is reportedly looking to build on the spinoff's unique identity.

The recent Paper Mario relaunch saw one of the series' most critically acclaimed games come back into the spotlight. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door initially served as the franchise's big new game on the GameCube, often seen as the pinnacle of the Mario RPG spinoffs. The recent remake included a plethora of new enhancements to The Thousand-Year Door, with upgraded graphics, new quality-of-life features, and even some special bosses. The remake has also reportedly sparked Nintendo's interest in exploring more unique character ideas and concepts with future Paper Mario games.

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Nintendo Considering More Original Characters for Paper Mario

As reported by NintendoLife, Nintendo has rolled out a survey about the Paper Mario franchise in select regions, seeking fan opinions about the spinoff's characters. The survey reportedly asked players for their opinion on the types of characters featured in Paper Mario, specifically mentioning those with "unique appearances or personalities." The Paper Mario games have typically featured a mix of recognizable characters from Mario's main-line games and new original characters. The report comes after past claims that the Paper Mario team was restricted from creating original designs for newer games.

The Paper Mario series has typically been known for its wide variety of original characters based within the Mario universe, often iterating on past designs. Characters like Vivian and Madame Flurrie made their debut in the Paper Mario series as entirely new cast members for the Mario spinoff franchise. Other party members, like The Thousand-Year Door's Goombella and Koops, feature new twists on the appearances of classic Mario enemies like Goombas and Koopas. Recent entries have stuck closer to the Mario franchise's standard designs, due to the previously-mentioned restrictions.

The return of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door has already been a hit with both critics and fans following its debut. Just days after its launch, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door stood as one of 2024's most highly-rated new games, up there with major names like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Tekken 8. The new Paper Mario's presentation has also been the subject of heavy praise, both for its new graphical elements and updates to individual characters like Vivian. Paper Mario looks set up for success following the critically-acclaimed release of The Thousand-Year Door.