Série Paper Mario : le guide de N64 à Switch

Paper Mario Series: The N64 to Switch Guide

1460 words | Reading time : 7 minute(s)

SeriesPaper MarioIntelligent Systems

Six main entries, one single idea: turning the Mushroom Kingdom into paper cut-outs. Born on the Nintendo 64 in 2000 at Intelligent Systems as the spiritual successor to Super Mario RPG, the Paper Mario series went through a classic RPG era, then the sticker and origami era. This guide walks through the six games and the 2024 remake of The Thousand-Year Door, and tells you where to start.

Born on the Nintendo 64, the Paper Mario series turns the mustachioed plumber and all of the Mushroom Kingdom into animated paper cut-outs. Behind that instantly recognisable art style lies one of the most endearing branches of the Mario saga: a blend of adventure, humour and, in its early days, turn-based role-playing developed by the Intelligent Systems studio.

The most literal crossover remains Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, released on 3DS in 2015, which brings the two series together around a playable trio.

Every entry of the first era rested on its partners: eight on Nintendo 64, seven on GameCube, each with one power in battle and another out in the field.

In more than twenty years, the series has changed face a great deal, swinging between classic RPG and more experimental ideas built around stickers or origami. With the remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door released in 2024 on Switch, the most beloved entry is back in the spotlight. Here is a complete overview to understand each era and know where to begin.

Contents

The origins: from Super Mario RPG to paper

Paper Mario descends directly from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, the saga's first role-playing game, released on the Super Nintendo in 1996. The very first Paper Mario even carried the working title Super Mario RPG 2 during its development. Entrusted to the Intelligent Systems studio (the team behind Fire Emblem), the game arrived on Nintendo 64 in 2000 in Japan.

The first ally recruited in the very first entry, Goombario brings a brand-new ability: commenting on everything, thanks to the Tattle function that made his name.

The guiding idea: portray Mario and his friends as flat paper figures moving through sets with real depth. That aesthetic choice, at once economical and charming, would become the trademark of the whole series. Shigeru Miyamoto himself oversaw the production of this first game, designed to stay welcoming to newcomers.

The classic RPG era (2000-2007)

The first three entries form the historical heart of the series and, for many fans, its golden age. They rest on a turn-based battle system spiced up with timed inputs (the famous “action commands”) and on partners who travel with Mario, back him up in battle and unlock puzzles.

  • Paper Mario (Nintendo 64, 2000): the founding entry, with its experience points and partners such as Goombario or Kooper.
  • Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GameCube, 2004): often called the peak of the series. Mario lands in Rogueport to find Peach again and sets off in search of the seven Crystal Stars; battles unfold on a theatre stage where the audience shapes how the fight goes.
  • Super Paper Mario (Wii, 2007): a swerve towards platforming, with the ability to flip between 2D and 3D while keeping a rich storyline.
The four Koopa Bros. lined up in battle stance in Paper Mario on Nintendo 64
The turn-based battles of the first Paper Mario, the blueprint for the entire RPG era.

The sticker and origami era (2012-2020)

From the 2010s onwards, the series moves away from traditional RPG mechanics in favour of an approach built around exploration and puzzles.

  • Paper Mario: Sticker Star (Nintendo 3DS, 2012): the stickers replace conventional attacks and also serve to solve puzzles. A major first for the series: no experience points at all.
  • Paper Mario: Color Splash (Wii U, 2016): the stickers give way to battle cards that can be painted in to deal more damage.
  • Paper Mario: The Origami King (Nintendo Switch, 2020): introduces a ring-based battle system unlike any before it, where the player rotates rings to line up enemies around Mario. The game returns to an interconnected world rather than walled-off levels.
The Ninji festival in Paper Mario: The Origami King, a party set made of folded paper
The Origami King pushes the paper conceit all the way into its festival scenery.

The 2024 remake of The Thousand-Year Door

A real event for fans, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door returned in a reworked version on Nintendo Switch on May 23, 2024, twenty years after the GameCube original. It is the very first remake in the series.

On the menu: completely rebuilt graphics, a rearranged soundtrack with new tracks, plus quality-of-life additions such as redesigned fast-travel Warp Pipes and a Partner Ring that lets you swap teammates in an instant. The remake also added many languages missing from the original. An immediate success, it sold around 1.76 million copies as early as June 2024, almost matching the original version's lifetime sales in a single month.

Which Paper Mario should you start with?

The choice depends on what you are after. To discover the series in the best possible conditions, the remake of The Thousand-Year Door on Switch is the ideal way in today: available on a modern console, with a memorable story and a role-playing system that is complete yet approachable.

Fans of old-school RPGs will enjoy going all the way back to the first Paper Mario. Those who prefer adventure and puzzles to stat management will turn to The Origami King, the most recent entry and the easiest to get into on Switch. Finally, Super Paper Mario remains a curiosity for anyone who enjoys a mix of platforming and storytelling.

The series has served up memorable antagonists, right through to King Olly from The Origami King.

Quick facts

First appearance Paper Mario (Nintendo 64, 2000)
Developer Intelligent Systems (Nintendo)
Origin Spiritual successor to Super Mario RPG (1996)
Number of games 6 main entries + 1 remake
Cult entry Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2004)
Switch remake The Thousand-Year Door, May 23, 2024
Signature trait A paper world of animated cut-outs

🍄 Want to keep the adventure going? Check out our Mario toys in the shop.

FAQ

  • How many games are there in the Paper Mario series?
    The series has six main entries, from Paper Mario (2000) to Paper Mario: The Origami King (2020), plus the remake of The Thousand-Year Door released on Switch in 2024.
  • Which Paper Mario is the best one to start with?
    The remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door on Switch (2024) is the best way in: available on a modern console, with a celebrated story and an accessible role-playing system.
  • Who develops the Paper Mario series?
    The series is developed by the Intelligent Systems studio, a Nintendo subsidiary also known for the Fire Emblem saga.
  • What is the link between Paper Mario and Super Mario RPG?
    Paper Mario is regarded as the spiritual successor to Super Mario RPG (1996). The first entry was even called Super Mario RPG 2 during its development.
  • When did the remake of The Thousand-Year Door come out?
    The remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door came out on Nintendo Switch on May 23, 2024, twenty years after the GameCube original.
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