It has been over a year since the release ofPaper Mario: The Origami King. While the game was not without its faults and continued to move away from the traditional RPG roots that madePaper Marioso popular to begin with, overall many feel it was an enjoyable experience. Still, many more were excited to learn the originalPaper Mariois coming toNintendo Switch Online when it adds N64 and Sega Genesis libraries.
Intelligent Systems' classic title will not be part of the first wave of N64 titles on Switch; it is planned to release sometime down the line alongsidePokemon Snap,Banjo-Kazooie, and others. Regardless it will likely rekindleferver to portPaper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, its GameCube follow-up, or create a new game in that style. Even if Intelligent Systems doesn’t want to move back in that direction with Mario, it could still acquiesce to fans by taking on new Nintendo franchises in the wake of indie projects such asBug Fables.
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A Traditional Paper Mario is Unlikely to Return
Even ifPaper Mariobecomes one of the most-played games in the Switch Online service upon release, it’s not feasible to expect Intelligent Systems will drop everything and start a new project in that style. Series producerKensuke Tanabe said the team isn’t opposed to fan opinionsprior to the release ofThe Origami King, but it will still keep experimenting with different battle systems to keep things fresh. Tanabe has also said Nintendo implements strict rules for how muchPaper Mariogames can mess with traditionalSuper Mariocharacter designs as they did in the past.
Something likeBug Fablessuggests the originalPaper Marioformula works and would sell to a certain modern audience, however there is still something to be said for the idea of innovation. Ubisoft’s recently releasedFar Cry 6has been lauded for its world design, yet decried by some for retaining the same design crux as its open-world predecessors. Still, ifPaper Mariowill continue to reinvent itself, perhaps Intelligent Systems could keep the fan-favorite older design fresh by using different characters and settings entirely.
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Other Paper Nintendo Game Could Be a Fun Loophole
Paper Mariohas teased the idea of other craft-style Nintendo games, withThe Origami KingincludingMetroidandDonkey Kongreferences in the form of paper mache helmets. The series' spiritual predecessor, Square’sSuper Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, even has characters like Samus Aran making cameos. IfPaper Mariodoes drum up a lot of interest with Nintendo Switch Online, maybe another spin-off could be one way to appease old-school fans.
Probably the easiest contendor for a paper-themed RPG isThe Legend of Zelda, andfans have created their own “Paper Zelda” conceptsin the past. AsBreath of the Wild 2continues moving the franchise in the direction of open-world exploration and freedom, a paper spin-offZeldagame could be a good excuse to bring back its more linear dungeon-driven approach. With projects likeCadence of HyruleorAge of Calamityreleasing, Nintendo obviously isn’t afraid of letting other teams handle the Zelda IP.
Meanwhile, something likeMetroidwould be a perfect canvas for Intelligent Systems to let its imagination run wild, as Samus could go anywhere in the galaxy and encounter unique characters.Intelligent Systems was even considered to make aMetroidgamein the past. There’s undoubtedly hundreds more stories the bounty hunter could tell, and withMetroid Dreadas well asMetroid Prime 4hitting shelves, there must be interest in doing more with the character.
TheYoshisubseries by Good-Feelwas an off-shoot from the developer’s previous ventureKirby’s Epic Yarn. Something like “Paper Zelda” or “Paper Metroid” could fit a similar niche, givingPaper Mariofans more of what they love set in an entirely different context. Whether the idea is feasible remains to be seen, but there is certainly a lot of potential for more paper-based Nintendo RPGs to crop up.
MORE:Nintendo Switch Online Adding Paper Mario is Hopefully Just the Beginning
