With every generation of Nintendo console over the years, gamers should expect to see a new title in some of the company’s biggest franchises – including Super Smash Bros., Animal Crossing, and of relevance today, Paper Mario. Nintendo has recently confirmed that development is underway on Paper Mario: The Origami King, with plans to release it exclusively on the Nintendo Switch from 17 July 2020. As the name implies, the big twist to the game this time around is the inclusion of origami.
In Paper Mario: The Origami King, Princess Peach, Mario and Luigi receive an invitation to the colourful, paper-crafted Origami Kingdom for their origami festival. There’s one tiny wrinkle in the festivities, though: Princess Peach seemed to be acting a little strange lately.
It seems as if King Olly – who claims to be the ruler of the Origami Kingdom – has hatched a devious plot in unleashing his plan to fold the entire world. It looks pretty dangerous on paper, so someone who’s a cut above the rest is needed to save the day! Just when matters couldn’t get worse, King Olly has bound Princess Peach’s Castle in giant, coloured streamers and transported it to a distant mountain. He’s even transformed Bowser’s minions into Folded Soldiers and enlisted them in his treacherous cause.
With the new setting, Mario will have access to a range of new tools at his disposal when both navigating the world and in-battle. A new ability called 1000-Fold Arms allows players to interact with the landscape by stretching out and pulling, peeling and revealing new locations, helping you solve puzzles and uncover unexpected surprises. Along the way, players will enlist the help of allies old and new, such as King Olly’s very own good-natured sister, Olivia, along with a range of unlikely allies. Even Bowser himself hasn’t yet folded to the whims of King Olly’s origami will, and Mario will accept all the help he can find with open arms.
In terms of the battle system, Paper Mario: The Origami King introduces a new ring-based battle system which Nintendo claims “allows players to flex their puzzle-solving skills to line up scattered enemies and maximise damage”.
Developed by Nintendo, Paper Mario: The Origami King will be available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch from 17 July 2020.
