Highlights
- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is being remastered for the Switch, with updated graphics and sprites, giving fans the classic RPG experience they've been waiting for.
- The game brings back the feature of party members accompanying Mario on his adventure, improving upon previous iterations and adding depth to the gameplay.
- Players will encounter various partner characters throughout the game, each with unique abilities and skills that contribute to the overall strategy and exploration.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door fans got a wonderful surprise in the September 2023 Nintendo Direct as a remaster of the classic GameCube RPG is coming to the Switch next year. It comes with a complete overhaul of the game's art and sprite assets, which puts it further in line with what fans have come to expect with other titles in the series, such as Paper Mario: The Origami King. Apart from the graphical adjustments, it's the same familiar Paper Mario action that fans have been wanting on the Switch for the last few years.
This means that while the most recent Paper Mario games have more or less seen the plumber tackle numerous threats on his lonesome, The Thousand-Year Door will see party members share the spotlight alongside him throughout the adventure. While this isn't the first time Mario's had many helpful pals along for an RPG adventure, the inclusion of partner characters has been improved since his last group of friends in Paper Mario on the N64.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door's Goombella
Goombella is the first partner players encounter during the game's prologue. This cute archeologist-to-be Goomba serves the same purpose as the original Paper Mario's Goombario did, acting as the helper throughout Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. This means that she starts out with the moves Headbonk and Tattle, with the latter giving players humorously personal informational blurbs on the enemy's HP, Attack, and Defense stats. Goombella's Tattle ability is also useful in the game's overworld as well, giving fans hints or lore if asked.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door's Koops
Koops is the second partner Mario gains on his adventure in Chapter One, once again serving the same purpose as another Super Mario RPG partner that came before him like Goombella. Just like Kooper before him, he can throw his shell at Mario's command to reach far-away items and hit enemies in battle. His entire moveset revolves around his shell, so he can't attack flying enemies, only grounded ones. However, Koops has a unique move in which he can create a shell to protect Mario from damage for a limited time once upgraded later in the game.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door's Madame Flurrie
In Chapter Two, players need to find a secret entrance to the Great Tree in order to help save the small race of Punies that inhabit it. This is where Madame Flurrie assists Mario after he finds her favorite necklace in a small fetch quest. Using her strong lungs as a former actress, she can blow away hidden parts of the Paper Mario set pieces to expose secret doors and switches. This, like the other partners, applies to her moveset, where she can either body slam enemies, or blow them away with carefully timed wind gusts.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door's Mini-Yoshi
Naturally a fan-favorite, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door allows players to hatch their own little Yoshi partner in Chapter Three. The little tyke not only gets to be named whatever the player wishes but also has a chance to be one of seven color schemes depending on how long the little guy remains in his egg as fans make their way through the game. The pallets rotate every 6 minutes of playtime or so, but these may change in Paper Mario: TTYD's remaster.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door's Vivian
In Chapter Four, Vivian joins the party as a friend to Mario when all hope seems lost. Once taking an antagonist role against him, Vivian changes sides when she sees how nice the plumber hero is compared to her two sisters, Beldam and Marilyn. In the Japanese version of the game, she shares the honor of being one of the Mario franchise's openly transgender characters with Birdo.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door's Admiral Bobbery
Admiral Bobbery is the last main party member players get to prepare for Chapter Five, though it may take some doing. The Admiral is a retired salty sea dog who abandoned his adventures when his wife, Scarlet, passed away while he was at sea. Once Mario helps the Admiral in a small quest that might bring tears to fans' eyes, they can use the old Bob-omb to break through cracked walls just like another partner in the original Paper Mario game.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door's Ms. Mowz
For the first time in the Paper Mario RPG series, The Thousand-Year Door introduces an optional party member that fans can either add to Mario's group or skip depending on what they feel like doing. Appearing in many chapters to steal Badges before Mario has the chance to get them himself, Ms. Mowz can steal items from enemies in battle, and sniff out hidden items in the overworld. If players wish to recruit her, they can do so by completing the Elusive Badge quest in Rogueport's Trouble Center after completing Chapter Four.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door will be released for the Nintendo Switch sometime in 2024.
