Paper Mario: The Origami King Preview: A Challenging and Crafty Comeback

Paper Mario: The Origami King is the latest entry to bring the beloved Mushroom Kingdom hero to life, and ComicBook.com was fortunate enough to get our hands on the title early. The game, which releases on July 17th, piqued interest in Nintendo Switch lovers everywhere when it was suddenly announced earlier this year. And after having played through the game, I can tell you The Origami King blows past expectations.

The game hones in on its crafty charm as Mario goes about his adventure in all his papery glory. The game finds Mario and Luigi going on a road trip to visit Princess Peach for the annual Origami Festival. But when the brothers arrive, Mario has his single-ply world folded into something heinous when he discovers the art of origami... and discovers how punishing it can be.

The game is clever with how it blends its paper designs with others inspired by origami. On the surface, you might think the idea is kitschy, but The Origami King weaves an emotional tale between the two arts that is unlike anything Paper Mario has done before.

Within its first level, fans are introduced to some classic imagery found in the original Paper Mario game, but the world gamers explore has been expanded tenfold. There are plenty of neat crooks and crannies to explore that will challenge any perfectionist, and the best part about exploring is the characters you meet along the way.

After all, The Origami King is not ashamed to show its love for corny humor and dad jokes. There are some truly hilarious jabs in the game that had me wheezing with laughter, and the hits do not stop coming. Poor Mario never knew what he was signing up for when he agreed to save the Mushroom Kingdom this time around, and we are the better for it.

The game's introductory level also gives fans a chance to check out the new battle system in The Origami King. Equipped with shoes and a hammer, Mario has to take out his origami foes using a puzzle-board strategy that is more typical for The Legend of Zelda than any other Nintendo franchise. It might take gamers a try or two to understand the mechanic, but it adds a bit of challenge for fans who are tired of stomping on Goombas.

With such a large world to explore, The Origami King promises to be something unique in Nintendo's library, and it is a gem for any Super Mario fan. It is approachable to old-school fans looking to revisit an overhauled favorite. Newcomers will be able to slip into Mario's shoes easily thanks to The Origami King's colorful story and its cast of characters. This is not a video game you will want to sleep on this summer, so keep an eye out for the Paper Mario entry as it launches later in July.

What questions do you have about this latest addition in the Paper Mario franchise? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!