Operation Backlog Completion 2026

Let’s Talk About the Paper Mario Rumors

 Video games  3 Responses »  Tagged with: ,
Apr 062020
 

While I sit here pretending to avoid Final Fantasy VII Remake spoilers, it’s time we talked about the rumors regarding a new Paper Mario game.

Fans have been hoping for a new traditional Paper Mario game (or a remaster of the original and/or The Thousand-Year Door) for a while now, and this year rumors began to support the idea.

Early this year, leakers claimed to have sources that said a traditional Paper Mario game will be released this year, and the recent Mario rumors from VGC and Eurogamer also mentioned a new Paper Mario game being in development. VentureBeat also reported that the new Paper Mario will be “closer to the Nintendo 64 and Gamecube games.”

It’s been four years since the release of Paper Mario: Color Splash, and since the Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii, 3DS, and Wii U all got an entry in the series, a Switch Paper Mario game seems likely. But will it really be traditional?

Interviews about Color Splash supported the belief that Paper Mario had changed so drastically because of the Mario & Luigi series. With two Mario RPG spin-off series co-existing, Nintendo decided that Paper Mario would focus more on puzzle-solving to keep the series feeling distinct.

Unfortunately, things don’t look great for the Mario & Luigi series these days either. The developer for the series, AlphaDream, filed for bankruptcy last year.

If Mario & Luigi is effectively dead, that might clear the way for Paper Mario to return to its RPG roots again. On the other hand, if AlphaDream went bankrupt because the series did poorly, Nintendo might decide to double down on the decision to focus on other elements with Paper Mario.

I want to believe the Paper Mario rumors. I’d love to see Paper Mario return to the style of any of the original three; I’d take a Super Paper Mario 2 in a heartbeat if it had as much story content as the original. And yes, I’m still going to give Color Splash an honest chance, preferably before this theoretical new Paper Mario game is announced.

What do you think about the Paper Mario rumors? Is a new Paper Mario game on the horizon? And if so, will it play like the originals, or will it follow the new path Nintendo set the series on?

Bug Fables is an Indie RPG Inspired by Paper Mario

 Video games  3 Responses »  Tagged with: , , ,
Feb 072018
 

February 5 was the 17th anniversary of the original Paper Mario’s North American release.

I’ve been disappointed in the changes they’ve made to the Paper Mario series (although I will eventually give Color Splash a try), but as I was reading comments about Paper Mario’s anniversary, someone mentioned an indie game inspired by Paper Mario called Bug Fables.

I was skeptical at first. I’ve seen other Paper Mario spiritual successors that either just took the paper aesthetic or looked like a complete clone. However, Bug Fables looks like it’s successfully captured the Paper Mario aesthetic while still having an identity of its own.

Bug Fables, which is currently seeking funds through Indiegogo, follows three bug characters (Bee, Beetle, and Moth) on a quest to find a legendary treasure.

It is filled with gameplay mechanics reminiscent of Paper Mario, including turn-based combat with action commands (which are different for each of the three characters), a cooking system, skills each character can use on the field, and a “tattle” system where you can learn more about each location and NPC.

The story will take place across 6 chapters and several locations

If the trailer isn’t enough to convince you, don’t worry. There’s also a demo you can download. The demo covers the game’s prologue, as well as a section after the prologue that lets you check out how cooking, shops, side quests, etc. will work in the full game.

You can even participate in a play, with humorous results. One of the things I liked most about this demo was that the characters’ personalities had a chance to shine, especially since Paper Mario has veered away from that. If the same charm and humor are present throughout the game, Bug Fables should be quite entertaining.

I had a lot of fun with the demo, and I can’t wait to see what the full game will be like. It really captures that Paper Mario style while standing on its own beyond nostalgia.

If you’re interested in supporting an indie RPG inspired by Paper Mario, head over to the Bug Fables Indiegogo page to help them out.

Paper Mario: Color Splash Accidentally Leaked on eShop

 Video games  8 Responses »  Tagged with: ,
Sep 232016
 

color-splashI’m still not sold on Paper Mario: Color Splash.

The Rescue V videos have been entertaining, but they haven’t convinced me it’s the sort of Paper Mario game I want to play. I’m waiting for reviews before I make any decisions.

(I learned my lesson with Sticker Star.)

But for players more convinced than me that Color Splash will be enjoyable, the digital copy became available to pre-load from the eShop last night.

Normally, a pre-load lets you download the game so that when release day comes, you can play it immediately without having to wait for the download.

Here, however, someone messed up.

Even though Color Splash won’t be out until October 7, the pre-load accidentally made the entire game playable. Oops?

Nintendo fixed the problem by removing the ability to pre-load the game. Maybe it will return once they lock the game and make it function as a normal pre-load. As for me, I’m looking forward to hearing early impressions of Color Splash.

What do you think about this unusual mistake? For players who got their early digital copy, how is the game so far?

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