How about the Paper Mario franchise? You know, the one where Mario’s made of paper? And does role-playing? And hasn’t had a truly great entry in 16 years? It’s almost unfair to roast this series, I’ve already done that myself, but the decline in quality over the years has been frustrating. Like, to an infuriating degree.
That’s why I’m intrigued about Paper Mario: The Origami King, which is slated to release in under a month. That’s right, we got an announcement trailer a month ago, and it’s debuting in July. Either Nintendo’s super-confident, or they want a Summer release. I’m not sure which is which, but couldn’t they have announced this earlier?
How does the game look? Good, I guess? It looks to be a return to form with modernized tweaks, striving for a turn-based mechanic with revisions to keep it from being a retread of the first two games (like updating the HP system). But the game also appears to be opting for a gimmick again. I’m concerned because excessive gimmicks ruined the franchise to begin with.
The battles have Mario line-up his enemies on a grid for maximum damage. And it’s timed. It looks cool, but seems complicated. Why time it? And why make the battles so context-specific? Having this is daunting and intimidating.
That doesn’t mean I’m not excited. The overworld and story mechanics naturally evolve the franchise’s 2D platforming and storytelling with a multi-pane, 3D approach. Considering that hybrids haven’t been tried since Super Paper Mario, a game I enjoyed, it’ll be interesting to see where it goes from here. Will it be a masterpiece like the first two entries, a middle-of-the-road venture like Super Paper Mario, or a failure like the last two entries? I’ll find out on July 17th.
Did you hear that Pokémon Snap’s getting a sequel? Yeah, that’s something I never thought would happen. It’s not like it’s been over 20 years since the original game came out on the N64, right? Right? RIGHT?!
I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. The Switch has been a console of many surprises, so a follow-up to a cult classic in Nintendo fandom was inevitable. I’m curious how the game will add to the original’s formula, though. The first game, while fun, left much to be desired with 63 Pokémon and 6 Pokémon Signs to photograph. Even by Gen 1 standards, especially on an N64 cartridge, that wasn’t a lot. My recent play-through was a little over 2 hours long, and that was only the main game!
But I digress. Disappointed as I am that we didn’t get a sequel earlier, this is great news. I actually have thoughts on how this game could work. Perhaps you touch the Switch to take photos? Maybe share the pictures online, a modernized upgrade of the Blockbuster kiosks? There’s also the possibility of multiplayer, as evidenced by the Switch’s ability to play locally and online! The possibilities are endless!
I’m definitely happy, but also sad that the release date is N/A. It’ll probably be sometime in 2021, but what gives? If Paper Mario: The Origami King has a release date crapped out with its debut trailer, then why doesn’t this game have a tentative release window? Is Nintendo concerned that it’s “not ready”? Because that doesn’t mean they can’t suggest a release, right?
I guess I can’t complain too much. I mean, the game’s still happening! Considering so many games never get sequels, that we’re getting this at all is special. 9 year-old me would be ecstatic to know that one of his favourite video games is getting a sequel in adulthood. That’s something to be cherished. Also, considering the current state of the world, another year won’t hurt.
I’ll end off with a minor announcement from Nintendo. Remember Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? That game that had 77 fighters at launch? Yeah, it keeps getting DLC updates every few months. Not that it needs it, it has enough content to last years, but the choices have been interesting. From Piranha Plant to Banjo & Kazooie, the extra characters have been as diverse as fun and exciting. That’s not say it’s always balanced, see Hero, but it’s been entertaining to speculate who’d be next.
The game’s most-recent DLC character was Min Min from ARMS. As someone who’s never played ARMS, yet has heard that it’s good, this intrigues me. I know the game’s a boxing/fighting game hybrid with characters that have long, retractable arms, but Min Min remains mysterious: was the character a requested favourite? Will the character be balanced? What’ll Min Min’s move-set be, and how can Kirby copy it?
It sounds weird to end on speculation, but that’s part of the fun of the Smash Bros. games. Simply put, a character announcement has often felt more like an event. Remember when Snake was announced for Super Smash Bros. Brawl in 2007? Or how Mega Man was confirmed for Sm4sh partway through its development? These announcements drove fans wild! And DLC leaves the options endless.
Adding Min Min to the roster means that the options have expanded again. Maybe Geno from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, a fan-favourite, will finally debut? Perhaps a character from the Custom Robo series, a personal dream of mine? Or Nintendo can yield to StarTropics fans and give us Mike Jones? You never know!
Either way, I’m happy for ARMS fans having Min Min. If only I could afford to buy these characters…
And that’s about it. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time!
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