Paper Mario: The Origami King and Paper Mario: Color Splash are two games in the Paper Mario series published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch and Wii U consoles respectively. Both games feature the classic Paper Mario gameplay with some new innovations. In this article, we will compare the two games across various factors like story, gameplay, music, and visuals to see if Origami King is better than its predecessor Color Splash.
Story
The story in Origami King follows Mario and his companions as they try to free Princess Peach and stop King Olly from turning the world into origami. It has a brand new original story not tied to previous Paper Mario games. On the other hand, Color Splash has a straightforward story about restoring color to Prism Island. The Origami King’s story is more complex and emotional with well-developed characters like Olivia. There are impactful moments and twists compared to a functional but shallow story in Color Splash.
Gameplay
Origami King introduces a ring-based battle system for combat. Players need to line up enemies efficiently to attack them. In comparison, Color Splash uses a card-based battle system. Both systems have their strategic merits, butOrigami King’s system is faster paced and more interactive. Overworld exploration also differs – Origami King has large open areas while Color Splash progresses linearly across levels. Origami King adds puzzles and hidden Toads to rescue, making exploration more rewarding. Overall, Origami King takes more creative risks with its gameplay.
Characters
A key difference is the partners who accompany Mario. Origami King introduces Olivia, an endearing and well-developed origami character. Color Splash however doesn’t have any consistent partner for Mario. Side characters are also more memorable in Origami King like the humorous Bob-omb named Bobby. The characters add more charm and personality to Origami King’s adventure.
Music
Both games have stellar music that remix classic Mario tunes with unique instrumentation. Origami King however has more variety, from the accordion infused Overworld theme to the rock-inspired boss battle music. The soundtrack enhances each location’s personality whether it’s the Japanese inspired Shogun Studios or the autumnal colors of Autumn Mountain. Color Splash has great music too, but Origami King’s soundtrack is more versatile.
Visuals
Being on newer hardware allows Origami King to have more detailed and vivid visuals. The Paper Macho enemies and paper transformations have excellent paper texturing. Color Splash still looks good, but some textures are a bit plain. However, Color Splash makes up for it with stylized visual effects during combat. Both games have incredible attention to small animations making them feel like living paper. Overall the visuals showcase the Paper Mario art style at its best.
Bosses
Boss battles were a bit formulaic in Color Splash – simply hitting a weak point multiple times. Origami King’s boss battles are imaginative multistage spectacles, from a dance off with coloured paper musicians to a kaiju fight against an origami dinosaur. The boss designs are clever with their paper transformations. And the battles incorporate puzzle solving between attacks to remain engaging. Origami King’s bosses are much more memorable and fun compared to Color Splash.
Conclusion
Here is a comparison of key aspects between the two games:
| Category | Origami King | Color Splash |
|---|---|---|
| Story | More complex story and characters | Simple basic story |
| Gameplay | New ring based battle system. Puzzles and exploration. | Card based battles. Linear progression. |
| Characters | Memorable partners like Olivia | No consistent partners |
| Music | Varied and remixed soundtrack | Great music but less variety |
| Visuals | More detailed paper texturing | Less detailed but stylized visual effects |
| Bosses | Creative multistage paper transformations | Formulaic weak point battles |
While both are great Paper Mario games, Origami King edges out as the better game through its story, characters, gameplay variety, music, and imaginative boss battles. The switch to 3D environments makes the paper world feel more alive. Small touches like paper unfolding and sliding help realize the paper theme in creative ways not seen before. However Color Splash is still recommend for fans of the series thanks to its humor and Mario & Luigi inspired combat. But Origami King takes the Paper Mario franchise to new heights and proves to be the superior game overall.
In conclusion, Paper Mario: The Origami King improves upon Paper Mario: Color Splash in several ways such as its story, characters, gameplay variety and boss battles. The switch to 3D makes Origami King feel like a more full realization of the paper theme. Overall, Origami King takes more creative risks that pay off making it the better Paper Mario experience compared to its predecessor. However, Color Splash is still an enjoyable entry for fans, making both games worth playing for Paper Mario enthusiasts.
