Have you played? - Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door

If I were asked to pick a favourite game, I'd certainly be very hard pressed to do so. If, however, you were to ask me to list, in no particular order, my top five games, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door would undoubtedly be in there. It's an odd one too – it's not your conventional platforming Mario game, but a turn-based RPG, more like Pokémon or Final Fantasy. And yet despite this, the charm and joy of classic Mario games shines throughout it.

If you've never played a Paper Mario game (there are three; the first two are RPGs and the third more of a platformer – TTYD is the second instalment in the series), then I should start by saying that everything in the game is made out of paper. The character models are two-dimensional, building frontages fold away when you enter them, and Mario can at various points fold himself into a paper plane or boat. Despite this seeming limitation there are some really rather beautiful landscapes in the game, ranging from a purple, black and white forest to the sewers below a town to a base on the Moon. Another key feature of the game is the battle system, in that it's almost a parody of the rigidity of turn-based systems seen in other more “serious” RPGs. Upon touching or being attacked by an enemy, the current scenery will be replaced by a theatre, complete with audience. Upon this stage, you (as Mario) and your party members fight against the enemy, be they Goombas or dragons or anything in between. The system is more dynamic than in other games however, as combinations or buttons pressed during attacks can enhance or detract from your performance. Also of note is the audience – if they don't like what they see, they'll leave, or possibly throw buckets at you, dealing damage. Sometimes they can even be incorporated into attacks.

A nice thing about this game is its length. If you go into it expecting the bite-sized level-based action found in other Mario games, you'll come out disappointed. There's well over twenty hours of story here, with some of it being surprisingly deep. Examples of storytelling (told in “chapters” which open like a book) include uncovering corruption in a wrestling tournament, solving mysteries on a trans-continental train journey or being the victim of identity theft by a malevolent ghost. In classic RPG fashion, however, you do have to collect seven magical crystals in order to unlock the final level. On the topic of plot though, some of it is really rather hilarious. After the completion of the first chapter, for example, Bowser (who is not the main villain this time) gets wind of what's going on. You then take control of him as he ploughs through World 1-1 from Super Mario Bros, being invincible and able to destroy everything with his breath. Despite its brevity, it is a genuinely enjoyable and funny part of the game.

Sadly, because it was on the GameCube in a time when many shops simply weren't stocking GameCube games, for many it is a game which went unplayed. If you have a Wii I would strongly recommend checking it out; copies go for around £15-20 on eBay. If you like Mario, or RPGs, or just a little whimsy in your games, you can't go wrong with Thousand Year Door.

Add Comment

You must log in to submit a comment.