Well yes, it’s fair to say we like the new remake better. But what did other outlets make of it? Well, as is the norm with a major Switch release, we’ve gathered a handful of opinions from around the interwebs to hopefully provide some of the general consensus.
So without further ado, let’s dive right into it…
first, VGC gave the game a full rating of 5/5 starsciting “consistently engaging RPG mechanics” and quality-of-life improvements, but noting that some levels feel a bit dated:
“Thousand-Year Door is an adventure that remains as memorable and engrossing as any of Mario’s many spin-offs to date. It’s a consistently inventive and fun adventure that performs brilliantly on Nintendo Switch and feels truly unique in the mascot’s library. We I’m grateful for the opportunity to experience it again.”
Gamespot the game was awarded a nice score of 9/10praising the visuals and the new fast travel system, while criticizing the lack of accessibility options, which he says could make some of the fast-paced events difficult for some:
“The Switch version of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is the definitive way to play the best turn-based RPG starring Mario. More of an enhanced HD remaster than a full remake, The Thousand-Year Door is a small, but significant quality-of-life features that soften the bloat of the original GameCube version, perfectly complement the thoroughly fun and dynamic combat system – Year Door has all the ingredients of an amazing turn-based RPG Well, it’s always had them, but now they’re blended a little better.”
IGN said ‘contain my beer’ with his 9/10 review and noted how faithful the remake is to the original while praising the various updates:
“Paper Mario has finally returned to its RPG roots with the incredibly faithful and visually dazzling remake of The Thousand-Year Door. Everything fans have been begging Nintendo to bring back is here, including a wonderfully diverse turn-based combat system with satisfying real-time elements and unique, cute the party members essential to the story and gameplay of Rogueport and its surrounding areas are bursting with personality thanks to writing that’s just as sharp and funny today as it was in 2004. It also features plenty of modern improvements that simplify (but don’t eliminate) the original throwback issues , making this the best way to experience Mario’s quest to collect Crystal Stars. There’s a reason why The Thousand-Year Door is considered one of Nintendo’s best games of the last 20 years, and this brilliant remake ensures that it will maintain that reputation for at least another thousand.”
Destructoid offered a result of 8.5/10 and praised the game’s originality and how it differs from later titles, but also mentioned that the updated visuals have a ‘great’ feel that some might find a bit strange:
“The weirdest thing is actually the graphics upgrades. A lot of the little details have been redone, which is nice. But for some reason, part of the overhaul is to make everything a little reflective. Like, it’s still paper, but it’s glossy or laminated for some reason, it looks very good for my brain to see these gentle reflections on every surface Paper Mario aesthetically it’s a collection of handmade dioramas. I don’t know anyone who works with glossy paper.”
Finally, TheGamer’s 8/10 review called Thousand-Year Door ‘the definitive way to play the classic’:
“Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door will likely be the last Mario game to be released (exclusively) on Switch. While Wonder will be praised, porting this cult classic means a new generation of players can experience it. New fans will have fun, laugh along with Mario & co., even if their experience will be slightly spoiled by the rewind and pacing Old fans will enjoy the quality of life and some new additions to his world of origami for the first time, this is the ultimate way to experience the Millennium door.”
So, all in all, it was pretty positive across the board and the game currently has a respectable 89 on Metacritic. It sounds like a must-play whether you’re a fan of the original or not, and it might be one of the last major Mario titles for the Switch before the upcoming new hardware.
