Games

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Intelligent Systems

2004•RPG•PEGI 7•About 25 hours

Taste attributes: actionadventurecomedyfantasyscience fictionanimalshistoricalmonster/alien/supernaturalvehiclesfastfresh & originalunsavouryimaginarylinearglossybig & variedall consuming questfighting evilfish out of water/culture clashhuman spirit/resilience/survivalinjustice/tragedy/vengeancerescue/escape/jeopardysocial commentary

See which match your taste

Boxlist takeA fantastical, expansive RPG: polished and breakneck. Best if you like the extraordinary over the everyday.

Pace: very fast · Originality: very fresh · Tone: dark · Weight: balanced · Realism: imaginary world · Story: balanced · Structure: balanced · Look: very glossy · Scale: big and varied · Emotional punch: balancedHow we score

IGDB rating

91 / 100

568 ratings

Your matchTake the taste test to see your match

Based on your film and TV taste: games are matched on the same ten characteristics, with your own match bands.

About This Game

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is a turn-based role-playing game and the second entry in the Paper Mario series, set in a world styled to look like paper. Players guide Mario through themed locations, solving puzzles and battling enemies in a timing-based combat system where well-timed button presses strengthen attacks and defense. Battles play out on a stage before an audience whose reactions can help or hinder the player, and Mario recruits a party of companions with unique skills while equipping badges that grant new abilities. Brief segments also let the player control Princess Peach and Bowser between chapters.

Summary: IGDB

Story

In the seaside town of Rogueport, Princess Peach acquires a mysterious treasure map said to point to a great fortune hidden behind the fabled Thousand-Year Door, sealed beneath ruins built atop a town that sank long ago. Peach sends the map to Mario, but she is soon kidnapped by an alien group called the X-Nauts who are after the same treasure. Mario travels to Rogueport and learns that the map reveals the locations of seven Crystal Stars needed to open the door. Gathering allies along the way, he sets out to collect the stars, rescue the princess, and uncover the secret of what lies behind...

Characteristics

Where this game sits on each taste spectrum

SlowPACEFast

FamiliarORIGINALITYOriginal

DarkTONEWholesome

LightWEIGHTINESSHeavy

FantasyREALISMRealistic

SimpleINTRICACYIntricate

Non-LinearLINEARITYLinear

UnderstatedSTYLEStylised

IntimateSCALEEpic

RestrainedEMOTIONIntense

Genres and themes

ActionAdventureComedyFantasyScience fictionAnimalsHistoricalMonster/alien/supernaturalVehiclesAll consuming questFighting evilFish out of water/culture clashHuman spirit/resilience/survivalInjustice/tragedy/vengeanceRescue/escape/jeopardySocial commentary

Keywords

GhostsDinosaursGravityDetectiveMagicMascotTurn-basedDeath

Where to play

Nintendo eShop

Details

Developer: Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: 22 July 2004
Series: Mario
Platforms: Nintendo GameCube
Modes: Single player
Perspective: Third person
Time to beat: 15h rushed, 25h normally, 40h complete
Age rating: PEGI 7
Taste scores: How we score
Source: IGDB

How game matches work

Games are scored on the same ten characteristics as films and matched with the same formula and your own match bands, from your film and TV taste. Game scores are estimates, made by fixed rules from IGDB genres, themes, keywords and descriptions.