With gorgeous updated paper visuals, good tweaks to systems and the same hilarious writing, TTYD will likely only gain more fans now that it’s on the Switch. Just mind the spooky/magic elements.

Paper Mario TTYD has gone at itself a little bit of a cult following. And after playing this Remastered version. It’s not hard to see why. Not only does this game look visually amazing, With updates to the world making it seem more like paper and somehow more alive than it ever was in the past but also keeping the amazingly funny humour that made so many people love it in the first place. That being said, updates to the battle system don’t change the basic format too much, meaning if turn-based games are not your thing, there’s still probably going to be a little too much backtracking For you. And if, like me, you’re not the biggest fan of a little too much focus on magic, sorcery and the scarier elements the bright coat of paint may not be enough to sway you. For everyone else though, this Is the best version of arguably the best Paper Mario game.

Paper Pretty

The first thing that catches your eye with the new version of TTYD is how simply gorgeous the world looks. Likely leaning much on the engine from Paper Mario, the Origami King, the remaster looks absolutely fabulous. the paper world comes alive thanks to a thousand tiny details where everything looks to be made of real paper. And you can’t help but be excited when you press a switch… and suddenly, like a physical flip book, the land unfurls and bends and you travel into the background through a papery pipe or bridge. The design, look and feel really show how good cartoon-based animation can often outdo lifelike graphics. And some new musical arrangements, art and sound galleries get the balance of ‘nostalgia and new’ pretty much perfect.

The balance of ‘nostalgia and new’ is pretty much perfect.

However, TTYD really stands out because of its clever, witty writing. It’s not often that the game will have you laughing out loud. But here, the oddball characters, wacky situations and frequently insane dialogue will have fans of Mario lore giggling the whole way through. Whether it’s the character’s longing for the taste of bacon in a town where everyone’s been turned into pigs or the intense build-up to a final boss only to find out that he’s a giant rock that runs a quiz show, TTYD’s humour really still holds up all these years later.

Paper Press

The battle system is still turned-based, However, it is still a really good start for anyone not used to this genre as the mechanics are simple and easy to pick up. There are a few tweaks to the formula, including an audience participation metre that helps you with your power wrapped during a battle, and also some quality of life improvements like an easy way to switch between your partners. However, the basic System remains the same. And while there have been some tweaks to fast travel (numbered pipes and new access points), some new post-game bosses and a few other changes, you’ll likely only notice a lot of these if you played the original recently, and TTYD still requires quite a lot of grinding and a significant amount of backtracking. Thankfully if you’re enjoying the story though, this is not a big problem.

TTYD really stands out because of its clever, witty writing.

In one section early on, for example,  you’re tasked with becoming a high-ranking Battle Champion. This whole section is almost exclusively a long line of battles interspersed by short bursts of narrative. It would be easy to get bored – but thanks to interesting story bits and some funny segues – I had a great time. For those who love the genre. The use of Badges, The Pit of 100 trials (basically a boss rush mode) and the Trouble Centre, where you can access a whole bunch of side quests, will keep you entertained with this game for a very long time giving you lots of variety.

Paper Passé

With all that being said, Mario’s partners are generally great, with loads of personality and unique abilities. Having recently played the Super Mario RPG remake, I much preferred how the team triple attack worked in that game versus how the special does in this one. Special attacks here are independent of the partners, and earned by simply attacking with correct timing and getting the audience to cheer for you. While this sounds fine in principle, in practice I really missed having two or three members combine for a special attack and found that the variety of the special attacks in this game lacking. I also found the variety of the special attacks quite inconsistent – the first one is a lot of fun to use and quite useful, but other special attacks were quite boring and I didn’t find myself using them very often at all.

Despite several QOL tweaks and updates, there’s still a lot of backtracking and a special attack system that I didn’t love.

And while another gripe I had a lot to dowith personal taste. If like me. You’re not a fan of magic, fortune tellers (an optional extra that provides bonuses) and spooky elements… Here is a fair warning that quite a lot of this game takes place around those themes. From a creepy town with a scary steeple to a haunted ship and a few weird zombie-like characters, if you’re not into any of these you may struggle to make it through. However, on the flip side, these are used for comedic effect and are generally very light-hearted so will likely not be an issue for most players.

Paper (almost) Perfect

It’s clear to see why this game has had such a big following for so many years and Nintendo has been very wise with updating enough of the ‘old-school’ mechanics (the ones that most players didn’t like) while keeping all the features that everyone loved – making this remaster simply the best way to play this game. Of course, the basic system is much the same and will not be for everyone and some themes may not be to everyone’s taste. However, as we reach the end of the Switch’s lifespan, it makes a lot of sense to bring this great classic title to a new generation of players.

REVIEW CODE PROVIDED BY: NINTENDO

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