Paper Mario and the Thousand Year Door is one of the best RPGs that you'll find on the Gamecube.
The Bad: Backtracking in some areas; battles get a bit repetitive
Paper Mario for the N64 was strange...but it was a hit, nevertheless. Getting great reviews from critics and regular players alike, not a lot of people really expected a sequel. When Paper Mario and the Thousand Year Door was released, people were surprised, but ready to continue Mario's two-dimensional journey.
The game starts off with Mario getting a letter from Peach. This letter contains an ancient map that, evidently, leads to a great treasure. Mario soon discovers that Peach has gone missing, so he heads to Rogueport, the town where she was last seen. It's here where he meets his first partner, Goombella. Together, along with many other characters Mario meets on his journey, they try to decipher the map and find the great treasure that it's hiding.
The main story is great, but it's not the main story that pulls you in. Rather, dozens of smaller stories lodged within the main one keep your attention, and it's these that you'll constantly think about through your journey. These different stories come from the many characters you meet and the different environments that you traverse. It's the fact that each one is so simple and engaging that holds your attention. Something as simple as a cowardly Koopa who tries to rescue his father from a giant dragon is simply a blast thanks to a great cast of lovable characters and whimsical humor.
Now to the gameplay. Since this game is a turn based RPG, you can expect a lot of strategy. First off, battles aren't random. Enemies are present on the battlefield, and if you can outmaneuver them, you can get away from them and avoid a battle altogether. Also, if you want to engage an enemy in battle, you can drop your hammer on them or jump on them to get the first hit in battle.
Anyway, battles are turn based, as previously mentioned. Mario and one sidekick will be on the left side of the screen while your enemy, or enemies, is/are on the other side. A menu will pop up, when it's your turn. This menu shows the items, combat moves, and special abilities that you can use. Once you pick an option from the menu, Mario or his partner (whoever you gave the command to) will carry out that command. There's a twist though. In most turn based games, you basically pick a move, and then watch your character do it. In Paper Mario, you have to help do the move. Let's say that you use your hammer in combat. Well, you'll be prompted to pull back the control stick and let go at just the right moment to deal the most damage. Almost every attack has you participating in some sort of mini-game, and they're all about timing. Once you do an attack enough, you'll eventually get the timing down, but new moves, attacks and abilities pop up constantly, so you'll have to be quick in getting the hang of each ability.
Defense is also interactive. Instead of looking at the screen hoping for a miss or block, you can help Mario block or counter. By pressing "A" at the precise moment of a hit from the enemy, Mario will block, which reduces damage. By pressing "B" with the proper timing, Mario will counter, which reduces Mario's damage to zero and hurts the enemy. Using the counter command is a lot harder, however. You have to be extremely precise, a lot more precise than just using the block command.
The graphics in Paper Mario 2 look amazing, with 2D and 3D effects working in perfect harmony. Fluid animation, clever movement of characters, and cool special effects really make Paper Mario shine in terms of graphics. Something as simple as a character bouncing from their toes to their feet while standing is just fun to watch as you go throughout your adventure.
There's no voice acting in Paper Mario 2, and I wouldn't have it any other way. The dialogue is cleverly written, and voice acting would've probably ruined the game. There are a lot of cool sound effects though. You'll here cool sounds from the special effects, and some of the character's will whimper, or make some other small noise that will bring a smile to your face.
The music is at the top of its class. Tons of great Mario tunes and some new ones that will make you tap your feet or hum along as you play. Mario never misses the chance to make a good musical impression, and Paper Mario 2 is no exception.
You can play this game for weeks and still not finish it. There are tons of side quests to keep you busy, and the main story takes a really long time to complete. You can't just rent this game and expect to experience everything. This game has to be bought to be fully appreciated for what it is.
If you like Mario, (And I know you do!) don't miss your chance to pick up Paper Mario and the Thousand Year Door. Not only is it one of the better RPGs to come out in a while, but the stories, characters and delightful turn based combat additions from the previous entry make this one of the best games on the Gamecube.