La Porte Millénaire : le RPG Mario culte sur Switch

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: The Cult Mario RPG on Switch

1396 mots | Temps de lecture : 6 minute(s)

Long reserved for GameCube owners, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door) is considered by many players to be the pinnacle of the Paper Mario series. This turn-based RPG, where Mario is a paper character evolving in cardboard environments, blends a humorous adventure with a combat system staged like a true play.

Twenty years after its release, Nintendo resurrected it in high definition on the Nintendo Switch. The perfect opportunity to (re)discover Rogueport, the seven Crystal Stars, and the legendary Thousand-Year Door.

Summary

A GameCube Masterpiece Resurrected on Switch

Developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is the second installment in the series, following the first Paper Mario released on Nintendo 64 in the early 2000s. In Japan, it's known as Paper Mario RPG (ペーパーマリオRPG), a title that aptly summarizes its ambition: a true role-playing game wrapped in the paper aesthetic of the Mario universe.

The original version was released on GameCube in 2004 (July 22 in Japan, November 12 in Europe). Having become a cult classic but difficult to find, the game received an HD remake launched worldwide on May 23, 2024, exclusively on Nintendo Switch. This re-release faithfully preserves the original adventure while modernizing it, finally offering a new generation of players access to one of the most beloved Mario RPGs.

The Story: Rogueport and the Seven Crystal Stars

It all begins when Princess Peach sends Mario a mysterious treasure map before disappearing. The plumber then arrives in Rogueport, a disreputable port town built over a legendary treasure sealed behind the famous Thousand-Year Door.

To open this door, Mario must collect the seven Crystal Stars, scattered throughout the world. He's not the only one on their trail: the X-Nauts organization, led by the sinister Grodus and his right-hand man Marilyn, also covets the treasure to dominate the world. For what the Thousand-Year Door conceals is not gold, but the Shadow Queen, a demon also known as the Sorceress of Yore, once sealed away to end her reign of terror.

The adventure unfolds in a prologue followed by eight chapters, each exploring a region and a part of the plot, with many playable moments dedicated to Peach and Bowser in parallel.

Battles Staged Like a Play

The game's big idea is to turn each encounter into a spectacle. The turn-based battles take place on a stage, in front of an audience seated in the stands. The more successful and spectacular your actions, the more spectators flock and cheer, which recharges your power gauge faster for special attacks. Conversely, a disappointed audience can leave the room, or even throw objects at you.

The core of the system relies on Action Commands: by pressing a button at the right moment, you increase your damage in attack or reduce damage taken in defense. The remake also introduces the fluidity needed to chain stylish attacks and parries. You manage three resources: HP (heart points), FP (flower points) for special techniques, and BP (badge points).

Badges, precisely, allow you to customize Mario at will: new hammer or jump attacks, strength bonuses, special moves, or difficulty adjustments. Finally, Mario's paper nature offers transformations outside of combat (folding into a boat, a plane, slipping into a pipe…) to solve puzzles.

A Colorful Cast of Companions

Throughout his journey, Mario recruits seven companions, each with a useful ability in combat as well as exploration:

  • Goombella (Goombella): an archaeology student Goomba who informs Mario about his enemies.
  • Koops: a timid Koopa capable of throwing his shell to hit distant targets.
  • Flurrie: a female wind spirit who blows on the scenery and reveals hidden passages.
  • Yoshi Kid: a baby Yoshi that Mario hatches, capable of carrying the plumber and running at full speed.
  • Vivian: a Shadow from the Shadow Sirens, who joins Mario and can conceal him in darkness.
  • Admiral Bobbery: an old Bob-omb sailor with devastating explosions.
  • Ms. Mowz: a mouse treasure hunter, optional companion and badge thief.

This gallery of characters, carried by witty dialogues, contributes greatly to the charm and humor that have built the game's reputation.

What the Switch Remake Changes (and Why It's Unanimously Praised)

The 2024 remake isn't just a port of the game to Switch: it offers a true high-definition graphical overhaul. The cardboard environments, textures, and lighting effects gain in sharpness and depth, while respecting the original paper spirit. The soundtrack has been re-orchestrated for a richer rendition.

Nintendo has also focused on player comfort: faster Mario movements on the map, clues and markers to aid navigation, modernized menus and interface. These adjustments iron out several minor frustrations from the GameCube version without distorting the experience.

If The Thousand-Year Door is regularly cited as the best Paper Mario, it's because it combines humorous writing, an adventure structured in memorable chapters, and a combat system that is as deep as it is original. The remake was therefore highly anticipated, and it has been hailed as the best way to discover this Nintendo RPG classic.

The Thousand-Year Door in Brief

French Name Paper Mario : La Porte Millénaire
English Name Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Japanese Name ペーパーマリオRPG (Paper Mario RPG)
Genre Turn-based RPG
Developer Intelligent Systems (pub. Nintendo)
Original Release 2004 (GameCube; Europe: Nov 12, 2004)
HD Remake May 23, 2024 (Nintendo Switch)
Place in Series 2nd Paper Mario installment

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FAQ

  • Is Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door a remake or a new game?
    It's a high-definition remake of the game released on GameCube in 2004. It faithfully modernizes the original adventure and arrived on Nintendo Switch on May 23, 2024.
  • On which consoles can you play The Thousand-Year Door?
    The original version was released on Nintendo GameCube in 2004. The HD remake is exclusive to the Nintendo Switch.
  • Do I need to have played the first Paper Mario before this one?
    No. The story of The Thousand-Year Door is completely independent; you can play it without knowing the other episodes of the series.
  • How long does it take to finish the game?
    It takes about thirty hours to complete the main story, and more to explore all the side content and aim for 100%.
  • Why is The Thousand-Year Door considered the best Paper Mario?
    For its funny and endearing writing, its memorable chapters, and its turn-based battles staged like a play, with a real audience to win over.
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