20 Great Video Game Franchises That Became UNPLAYABLE

Serving as a spiritual successor to Super Mario RPG, Paper Mario was a paper-themed title that utilised turn-based battles. Even though Intelligent System's cutesy role-player could've been a cash-grab, it was anything but paper-thin.

Better still, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door went above and beyond to surpass its predecessor. Thanks to its innovative battle systems, clever puzzles, and quirky humour, The Thousand-Year Door ranks among the best Mario properties.

But rather than becoming Nintendo's next big spin-off, Paper Mario took a nosedive. Super Paper Mario, Sticker Star, and Colour Splash were okay, but never came close to matching the first two instalments. Even the crossover with Mario & Luigi, Paper Jam, failed to satiate the fanbase, thanks to its repetitive combat and lack of creativity. (It's worth mentioning the Mario & Luigi franchise has also gone south, as 2024's Brothership game proves.)

Though the Origami King instalment could've revitalised Paper Mario, it was let down by a convoluted combat system, infuriating puzzles, and a lack of RPG elements. (You can't even level up!)

Interestingly, the recently released Escape from Ever After captures the spirit of Mario's role-playing adventures better than Paper Mario has in decades. Why an indie studio can nail the Paper Mario experience better than a development company handpicked by Nintendo is a mystery.