Good news: the original Paper Mario, which debuted on the Nintendo 64 in 2001, is coming to Nintendo Switch on December 10. Less-than-good news: Like other N64 ports, you’ll need to subscribe to the new Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership.
For full context, a regular NSO membership is $19.99 a year, and grants online multiplayer access for Switch games, as well as some select NES and SNES classic game ports. The more recent expansion pack subscription costs over twice as much, $49.99 a year, adding Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games, as well as the recent Animal Crossing: Happy Home Paradise expansion. Family plans allow multiple members of a family group to share the account for a slightly increased price.
We admit that Paper Mario is a great addition to the N64 retro lineup, which also includes Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Paper Mario was a unique RPG spin-off with turn-based combat, and a spiritual sequel to the SNES classic, Super Mario RPG. The Mushroom Kingdom is depicted with two-dimensional paper cut-outs amidst 3D backgrounds, and a classic story of Mario saving Peach from Bowser.
The game was so successful that it spawned multiple sequels across every Nintendo platform of the last 20 years, including most recently, 2020’s The Origami King on Switch.
