Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Reviews
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is everything it needs to be. The original game was such a delightful entry that it has overshadowed every Paper Mario game since, and the remake captures all of that charm without losing an iota of what made the original great. It's easily the definitive version of the game, and it's a fantastic experience for newcomers and nostalgic fans alike. It's a strong contender for the best Mario RPG of all time, and if you're looking for a fun adventure, it's one of the best experiences on the Switch.
Sometimes I get excited and say "this is not only the best Paper Mario game, but the best Mario game" for The Thousand-Year Door. I don't think I'm wrong.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
That is probably a big part of the reason that Thousand-Year Door doesn’t feel like a “retro” game to play, despite being 20 years old and this “remake” being barely touched from the original. It’s rare for a game to be quite this timeless, and thank goodness it hasn’t been lost to the GameCube platform and now people can discover or rediscover it on modern hardware.
Everything that Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door entails is everything that is desired in this series - turn-based timed button battles, completely original characters in familiar and new species, witty dialogue, and an emphasis on story and greater lore. This is a unique adventure full of fun and clever gameplay ideas, offering a medium-length RPG that will satisfy Mario fans eager to see more than stomping on koopas and - in the case of the more recent Paper Mario titles - repetitive battle systems and generic characters. If all goes well, fingers crossed that the success of this game can pave the way for a brand-new entry in the same vein as this one - ideally without a paper joke in sight.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for Nintendo Switch improves upon the GameCube classic in almost every way; not just with its impressive graphical overhaul, but with plenty of quality-of-life changes and additional content too. As long as you can handle some occasional backtracking and a reduced frame-rate of 30fps, this is undoubtedly the ultimate Paper Mario RPG experience. Mario games usually put the narrative to the wayside to focus on having fun and engaging gameplay, but The Thousand-Year Door manages to do both and succeeds at it in such a way that still hasn’t been topped 20 years later.
It is not a full-blown remake with overhauled graphics or new episodes. But deep within lies truly one of the best parts of the series to be enjoyed even 20 years later with excellent gameplay, sharp-wit writing and funny dialogues for long evenings or short bursts.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Behind its vibrant and cheerful appearance hides a great battle system and a memorable cast of characters and events in a world brimming with content. Just be aware that some patience is required to enjoy the ride fully.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is a classic RPG with a perfect blend of turn-based combat and adventuring complete with a rewarding unlockable abilities system that encourages you to explore every nook and cranny. Plus, its updated graphics, hilarious humour, and welcome gameplay improvements make it more accessible than ever. 🚪
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door is undoubtedly the definitive way to appreciate a true gem from the Nintendo GameCube. With several subtle changes that are very welcome, it's one of the most loyal remakes to the original I've ever seen, and at the same time a remake that fixes the many problems that affected the original.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
As an experienced reviewer of Mario & Co., it's no surprise that I commend Nintendo for creating such original, fun, and accessible games. Paper Mario is one of the best series, and having finally played The Thousand-Year Door, I understand why it's considered the best. After several ported versions with additions from the Wii U, Nintendo has finally brought new life to classic games, hitting the mark with this one.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Paper Mario and the Thousand-Year Portal is just what we needed: a fine remake that brings back one of the best games of Mario's RPG drift, perhaps the best. As we've been saying for some time, honour to Nintendo for these valuable preservation operations: the title in question is rejuvenated thanks to the brand new visual compartment, and hasn't aged a day in the brilliant mechanics and widespread humour that runs throughout the production. 2024 confirms itself as the year of memories for Nintendo fans.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Nintendo’s new 'Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door' remake is unique in that it has a nearly unlimited capacity to make you smile, but it’ll similarly bum you the hell out. Nintendo has tastefully and respectfully resurrected a beloved Mario RPG, with gorgeous HD visuals, a revamped toe-tapping soundtrack, the same humor and wit that captivated fans 20 years ago, and deceptively simple turn-based combat.
Despite some of its shortcomings in pacing and lack of new content, Thousand-Year Door does a lot of things right and showcases how good this 20-year old game still is. From its classic turn-based system, complex yet lighthearted themes, and beautifully recreated worlds that make the most out of its papery aesthetic, there is plenty to love about this remake.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for Switch is an epic adventure in which you collect the Crystal Stars to stop an ancient threat. The game combines classic Mario elements with deep RPG mechanics and a compelling story full of humor. The turn-based battle system set on a theater stage is simple to understand but offers a lot of depth. The refreshed visual style and improved graphics bring the papery world to life beautifully. Despite some pacing issues and backtracking, the game remains a masterpiece of the RPG genre.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
"Even old maps are made of fine paper."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is a fantastic game that has received a well-deserved remaster. The game stays true to the original but includes quality-of-life updates that enhance the experience for both new and returning players. The only downside is that The Thousand-Year Door still features a lot of backtracking and unnecessarily long dialogues, but these issues are hardly noticeable due to the game's wonderful atmosphere and humor.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
20 years after its release, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year remains a brilliant surprise: it's surprising how much its adventures differ from each other and from Mario's standards, it's surprising how impressive the combat is after so long, and it's surprising how the adventure is pure fun at every step. Well, not all of them; unfortunately, there are still a good dose of backtracking that hinders the campaign. But the truth is that in this remake, which brings a complete and beautiful audiovisual remodeling and countless adjustments to the experience, a measured cut of these time-wasters is the biggest shortcoming we can point out.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
A nearly perfect remake of a game that was already considered perfect by many.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Nintendo continues to provide the opportunity for many players to experience its retro masterpieces in its library, and to make them more playable than ever before, and choosing The Thousand-Year Door among the entries of Paper Mario series was appropriate; Being one of the coolest spin-offs of the series, with its interesting story, creative and innovative art direction, it has made itself an unmissable experience for Super Mario fans.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Switch is now home to the definitive version of The Thousand-Year Door, and anyone interested in RPGs or Mario games who might've missed it over the years should definitely check it out to see why so many Paper Mario fans long for a return to this style of game.