Paper Mario: The Origami King Reviews
Paper Mario: The Origami King is not a game that is meant to satisfy fans who are thirsty for a traditional RPG. That said, it is a solid adventure game with a mix of platforming elements and a charming story.
Paper Mario: The Origami King is a vibrant, detailed, and exciting adventure filled with bustling hubs and lots of hidden treasure. Sadly, whilst the battle system looks good on paper, it isn’t the enjoyable or in-depth RPG system long term fans were hoping for. The writing is consistently laugh-out-loud funny though, and that’s the most important thing in any Paper Mario game.
Paper Mario: The Origami King was enjoyable, but the verdict’s out as to whether or not it’s a classic on par with the best of the Mario RPG games.
Paper Mario: The Origami King is a delightful and rich adventure throughout, with tons of variety and an amazing sense of humour. It is easy to recommend playing it for its memorable mishaps and a story that, while simple, has clearly been given the attention that was sorely missed in the past two games. The Origami King is, though, blemished by the basic and superfluous battle system that clearly didn’t go the extra mile to attain depth and a sense of purpose.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Paper Mario: The Origami King is a great title that proves bouncing back from a low point in the series isn’t an impossible task. While not the perfect Paper Mario title, it certainly enshrines itself as one of the best.
My final thoughts on the game come down on how fun it is to play rather than watch and if you are a completionist of sorts, you will get your money’s worth.
Some reviews I have seen state that the formula of Paper Mario is getting a little old, but as a lapsed Mario fan (Odyssey was the first Mario game I saw through to the end since Sunshine) I really enjoyed it. I had never seen this side of the wee red plumber before and so it was not only fresh but beautifully designed, really funny and with that signature Nintendo polish. I highly recommend checking the Origami King out.
A highly innovative, amazingly well-written, perfectly scored game with engaging characters, fun areas, and a very satisfying battle system.
Paper Mario: The Origami King might not be the RPG that I was hoping for, but the new systems and clever features made me forget all about that. The attention to developing a compelling plot within this fantasy world makes it a must-play experience for all Mario fans. Battles do inevitably become redundant, but that doesn’t overshadow this beautiful origami world begging to be explored.
With "Paper Mario: The Origami King" Nintendo delivers an entertaining platformer that takes up the concept of its predecessor and enriches it with fresh ideas. It's really fun to search for hidden treasures in the folded paper world and complete the lovingly integrated mini-games. Unfortunately, the combat system in particular lacks the necessary standard, so even beginners can easily send the enemy hordes into the afterlife. Here, Nintendo should undoubtedly have tightened the level of difficulty a little more, in order to offer pros the right challenge as well. Also the puzzle inserts are sometimes provided with too many aids, so that the puzzle games lose the actual trick. From a technical point of view we can't complain about "Paper Mario: The Origami King", because the game is brimming with creative ideas. All in all, "Paper Mario: The Origami King" does not set new standards in the universe of Mario titles - but players can look forward to a colorful and shallow 2D adventure in the usual plumbing style.
Review in German | Read full review
Paper Mario: The Origami King is the perfect example of how paper heroes can dominate in a 3D world.
Review in Greek | Read full review
"Paper Mario: The Origami King" is an incredibly addictive adventure packed to the limit with ideas, which will take you about 30 hours to complete and which will surprise you on every step with something new.
Review in Polish | Read full review
I don’t know that The Origami King is the best of the Paper Mario titles, as each one differs so much from its predecessors that it’s hard to even compare them to one another. Nintendo seems to have a hell of a time deciding what they want this spin-off series to be, but please don’t let their lacking confidence steer you away from a truly great franchise. As I said, Sticker Star and Color Splash are good games in their own right, and were they not titled Paper Mario would have received much higher marks and far less criticisms. If you’ve fallen away, come back. Give our single-leaf savior another chance. Paper Mario: The Origami King may not be your favorite game about papyrus plumbers, but if its charm doesn’t win back the hearts of a few spurned fans, then I’ll rip this review to shreds, toss it in the air, and use it to fill the one last hole in your heart.
Paper Mario: The Origami Kingdom is definitely not an everyday RPG. You can argue whether the new combat system is innovative or disruptive. I didn't like the fact that in the end there is no reward for winning battles. The coins earned can be spent in the store for various accessories, but these are soon bought up. That's why the normal fights are disturbing and you try to avoid them later in the game. The absolute highlight remains the setting, because the gorgeous colors and the character sprites are shining like hell. Also the search for the toads is motivating and lets you enjoy the whole game world. Finally, it remains to say that Paper Mario: The Origami Kingdom unfortunately can't hold a candle to its predecessors. The story around Mario and Origami ruler Olly is well done, but the stressful fighting system makes the game fun to play.
Review in German | Read full review
As usual, Nintendo's quirky writing is full of laugh-out-loud moments, but your quest is full of tiresome backtracking
Paper Mario: The Origami King should not be overlooked, and is one of the most fun Switch games I have played. Fun ways to play, a fun story, and collectibles to collect all make this a game a classic.
I would say that Paper Mario: The Origami King is a nice return to form that the last couple of Paper Mario games seemed to have lost. The game shows a lot of charm between it’s lush and beautiful landscapes as well as the fun child-like humour. I personally feel like it still doesn’t quite hit the same strides that games like Bowser Inside Story hit, but this is a great start.
It’s smart, creative, and rarely less than lovely to look at, but its combination of odd combat mechanics and sporadically subversive wit are bound to reinforce the franchise’s status as distinctively niche within the Marioverse.
Paper Mario: The Origami King is the best Paper Mario game I've played in over a decade, and yet I'm still feeling let down. While it's incredibly endearing and genuinely funny, it's also painfully boring and the thought of playing it again puts me straight to sleep. There will undoubtedly be massive fans of Paper Mario: The Origami King, but I can't say I'm one of them. A lovely action adventure game, but essential for no one.