There are a lot of Paper Mario games out there, with varying degrees of quality. (We don’t talk about Sticker Star anymore.) With one of the strongest entries now on the Switch, we figured it’s a great time to talk about which Paper Mario game (or games) are best for people to play.
As someone who played Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door again fairly recently, I’m going to say that is the best Paper Mario game you should play. It’s an absolutely fantastic RPG with tons of personality, memorable characters, great challenges, and a lovely aesthetic. There’s no busywork. No bland character designs. Every part feels valuable. Plus, it’s very easily accessible right now. — Jenni
With the caveat I’ve ironically played almost every Paper Mario game except The Thousand-Year Door (will change that soon with the Switch version), I would say the original Paper Mario on the Nintendo 64 is a classic and great place to start. The Wii U and 3DS games all have their share of issues, so there is nothing like the simplicity, charm, and surprisingly solid graphics in the original that hold up much better than other N64 titles. Plus, it is available through the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. — Cody
