We already know a good deal about the story and gameplay details about Paper Mario: The Origami King from a recently-released trailer. However, there are still more details about the game that are capable of drawing some attention. In a recent interview with Game Informer, the development team spoke about the game’s structure and progression. Instead of the game being divided into chapters that take place in their own dedicated areas, players can travel from region to region in a seamless open-world design.
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“One major feature that makes the world where this adventure takes place special is that there are huge maps to explore at every turn,” says Intelligent Systems director Masahiko Magaya. “Because the game is laid out this way, we were careful during the design phase to make sure there is always something in the player’s field of vision to catch their attention.” One feature that’s certain to grab the player’s attention are the five streamers preventing access to Peach’s castle, trailing through the sky and giving players a hint as to where to go.
With such a large world, Mario is going to need some assistance getting around. Fortunately, Mario has access to a variety of vehicles to get around, including a boot-shaped car that might be a nod to the Kuribo’s Shoe power-up from Super Mario Bros. 3, a boat, and an airship which Mario will have to defend from paper planes. There’s good reason to stop and explore the world, though. By rescuing folded-up Toads, Mario can unlock new shops in Toad Town or get more Toads to join into the game’s battle system, watching from the sidelines and sometimes aiding Mario (especially if he’s willing to pay them.)
There are also some new details on the various companions Mario can get on his travels. Olivia, the titular villain’s sister, will always be by Mario’s side, but the other characters will join and leave as a function of the story, so players won’t be able to choose who to bring along. Kensuke Tanabe, a producer at Nintendo, went in-depth as to why they did this:
Paper Mario: The Origami King will release on the Nintendo Switch on July 17th.
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Source: Game Informer
