Do you love a game or series, but you have played them to death and want something new? Maybe you have too much nostalgia for a childhood series and are afraid to branch out. I check both of these boxes with Paper Mario. I had the first game for my N64 as a kid and it was the first non-Pokemon RPG game I fell in love with. The light platforming, simple puzzle solving, companions with special abilities, quirky dialogue, fun graphics, and oh so much more.
I want to start a series called, “Games Like…” for game suggestions like another popular series. I am of course going to kick things off with Games like Paper Mario, hence the adorning introduction up there. With the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake coming to the Nintendo Switch on May 23rd, I don’t see a better time than to start with this. I am going to exclude Super Mario RPG and the Mario and Luigi RPG games as well as those should be a given.
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sappling – 2019 (~25 hours)
Available Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Bug Fables
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sappling is fantastic. You play as Vi, a courageous bee who is determined to become an explorer. Vi teams up with a few other bugs with unique abilities to go on an epic adventure in Bulgaria, a bug kingdom full of fun levels. The game captures so much from Paper Mario that I enjoy. The combat, graphics, dialogue, platforming, and more. This is similar to a Paper Mario clone, while still being very original. I highly suggest this game to anyone a fan of the series.
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling – Limited Run #105
Outbound Ghost – 2021 (~15 hours)
Available Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Outbound Ghost
I had very high hopes for this game. It has the Paper Mario feel but with ghosts. My high school misunderstood emo self said, “Sign me up!”. However, this game does have some shortcomings. You play a ghost waking up with amnesia. You must travel and try to gain some of your memory and figure out how you died and who you are. The game also includes a kind of Pokemon-esque monster collecting/battle system.
There was a falling out with the developer and the publisher of this game, so it is a sort of incomplete stage. The game is completeable, but some things do feel rushed. I was still compelled by the story enough to see it through. I would suggest this one on sale to try out.
The Outbound Ghost – Nintendo Switch
Born of Bread – 2023 (~15 hours)
Available Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series x
Born of Bread
I love Born of Bread. It was one of my favorite games of last year. The game is charming as heck! The graphics are absolutely fantastic and the dialogue is very fun and lighthearted. You are Loaf, a sort of flour golem created by a baker. Some local researchers accidentally resurrected some evil while messing around in some ancient ruins. You get yourself in the middle of this and must stop evil!
You don’t just play as Loaf, but also his companions with unique abilities. The game has a huge amount of sidequests and exploration. I highly suggest this one for anyone looking for a game that does not take itself too seriously and they want a relaxed game that brings you back to childhood. It played fantastic on the Steam Deck too!
South Park: The Stick of Truth – 2014 (~12 hours)
Available Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Stick of Truth
Okay, hear me out here. Isn’t the animation of South Park kind of similar to Paper Mario? Yes, the content is way more vulgar, but there are some connections to these two. This game has you playing as the new kid in town who finds himself in a giant LARPing situation going on in town.
All is going well, but someone has stolen Cartman’s Stick of Truth and you need to help get it back. If you are a fan of the show, you have to play this game. The combat is turn-based with action prompts, much like those found in Paper Mario. You get party members who are characters from the show that you have grown to love over the years. This one is not for the faint-hearted though, it is very South Park and does not hold back.
South Park: The Stick of Truth
Underhero – 2018 (~12 hours)
Available Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Underhero
I do not want to get too detailed, for fear of spoiling any of this game. It starts off with a twist that had me shocked and both laughing. This game features Paper Mario-esque combat, but it also has a huge emphasis on 2D platforming. Think Paper Mario meets Metroidvania. The dialogue is fun and comical and the game is very addicting.
Bonus: Escape from Ever After TBA (TBD)
Available Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X
Escape from Ever After
I consider this game to be a bonus because it has not been released yet. This game started as a Kickstarter by Sleepy Castle Studio under the name Flynt Buckler Wakes the Sleepy Castle. You are playing as Flynt Buckler, who is your typical storybook hero. He is going to go to a castle and fight a dragon but finds it is all taken over by corporate offices.
As you are traveling across multiple storybook worlds throughout the game, you are accompanied by various partners. The trailer for this game looks just like the classic Paper Mario games I loved as a kid. The studio even states the game as, “wanting to expand on classic Paper Mario with deeper interactions between enemies and abilities”. This game looks great and I cannot wait to try it when it releases.
If I am missing any games that you consider bringing that Paper Mario flare, please let me know in the comments or stop by our Discord.
Still need more game suggestions? Why not check out our GotX program at the Retro Handhelds Discord. If you want to learn how to participate, there is an article here on how to do so!