Michael Crider
Of all the fans of Nintendo’s various ongoing franchises, Paper Mario lovers think they’re the most ill-treated. (They’re wrong, of course—where’s my Custom Robo, Nintendo?!) The quirky action-RPG series hasn’t seen a new entry since Paper Mario: Color Splash in 2016. But that streak will end on July 17th, when Paper Mario: The Origami King lands on the Switch.
Paper Mario has always been a bit more experimental than the mainline Mario games, mixing a bit of platforming with RPG combat and more intricate, involved stories. According to the trailer, this one’s veering into full-on horror territory. The plot enfolds a bit of body horror as familiar characters like Princess Peach and Bowser are transformed into origami-themed versions of themselves.
Of course it’s Nintendo, so the “horror” element is less Stephen King and more R.L. Stine. The graphics take full advantage of the Switch’s more powerful hardware, showing an intriguing mix of 2D and 3D characters and environments. The game will be available worldwide on launch day, presumably at the usual $60 price point.
Via YouTube
