10 Times Video Game Spiritual Successors Were Better Than Official Sequels

After the release of the first two Paper Mario titles, the cutout role-player looked like it had a bright future ahead of it. But every follow-up since has been disappointedly average at best. As such, fans were praying Paper Mario: Origami King could turn things around.

Unfortunately, the Nintendo Switch title's fighting mechanics were unnecessarily complex and long-winded, befuddling the majority of players. It was clear the developers didn't have many fresh ideas, since the bosses consisted of a stapler, coloured pencils, a rubber band, and a hole punch, 

Just to rub salt in the wounds, Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling, which was released the year before, retooled Paper Mario's formula better than Origami King did. The Moonsprout Game's turn-based title has simple controls, an intuitive combat system, and straightforward mechanics, making it more accessible. With its beautiful aesthetic, well-developed characters, and beefy campaign, there's more than enough here to keep players entertained for hours on end. 

If Origami King owners are still ticked off they didn't get the Paper Mario experience they hoped for, they need to give Bug Fables a go.