8 Paper Mario: The Origami King tips to know before you start playing

Some Paper Mario: The Origami King tips will help you in the latest installment of Mario’s papercraft adventures, where this time things are getting folded. King Olly has turned the Mushroom Kingdom into origami, sucking the life and soul out of our usually rather vocal heroes – and foes. But, before you start wandering into the wilderness with your new pal Olivia to save the world (again), why not arm yourself with these handy Paper Mario: The Origami King tips to help you get through.

Keep your eye on enemy movements to win in combat

Paper Mario: The Origami King features a brand new battle system, which plays out pretty much like an interactive dartboard. Before you can attack an enemy, the first stage of a battle will see you having to rearrange your enemies to get them in the best formation for you to deal serious damage. You’re aiming for either a line of four enemies so you can stomp them with your boots, or a stack of 2×2 for ultimate hammer smashes.

But, here’s a tip. Before the enemies shuffle themselves about for you, they’ll actually be in the correct position. Pay attention to the way they move, because then it’s just a case of you reversing their movements by spinning or sliding the segments. This is particularly handy when things get way more complicated.

Don’t be afraid to ask the Toads to cheer for you to help you win a fight

If you’re struggling with arranging enemies during a fight, never be afraid to call in the Toads for help. As part of his attempted new reign, King Olly has done his best to hide all the Toads away. You’ll find them turned into various origami creatures like bugs or fish, or hidden away in holes or between books, among other places, so keep your eyes peeled. The more you free as you move through Mushroom Kingdom, the more they’ll be able to help you in battle.

You can call for their help in battle by holding down Y during the arranging section. The longer you hold down Y, the more money you spend calling the Toads for help. Their assistance comes in various forms though, from moving enemies in better positions, or healing you, to simply spamming the battleground with various items to deal a little bit of damage to your foes. Pay up until the number goes gold for stage 1 help, or keep going until it goes red for maximum assistance.

Remember to restock your arsenal between worlds or when weapons break

As with previous Paper Mario series’ entries, you’ll start out with two basic weapons in the form of your boots and hammer. These are, thankfully, unbreakable but won’t be that effective against sturdier enemies. As you progress through the game you’ll get access to more and more powerful weapons, like iron boots for stomping spiked enemies or flashy hammers that deal more damage. However, these weapons will break, so make sure you’ve got plenty in your pocket to keep you going through each section of the game’s world.

You can restock your arsenal at the various weapon shops dotted around the world, and you’ll also find them hidden in ! blocks, among other hidden locations. Also remember to add any new weapons, and replace any broken ones in your arsenal to use in battle. You can do this by hitting + to access the menu, and then tabbing over to weapons. There you’ll see any weapons that are equipped, and any that aren’t, making it super easy to manage your arsenal.

Rest on benches regularly to top up your health

Along with your weapons, you’ll also want to keep an eye on Mario’s health. Your health level is constant, meaning any damage you incur in battle or while navigating the world, will carry through. You can top up your health by buying and eating mushrooms, or by cheering the toads on in battle, but while you’re in the world always keep your eyes peeled for a bench. These little peaceful spots not only allow you to have a rest and a little chat with Olivia, but will also fully recharge your health for free whenever you want.

Hit everything with your hammer so you don’t miss any hidden items

While you’re wandering around trying to unfurl the streamers holding Peach’s castle hostage, make sure to basically hit everything you can with your hammer. I’m talking trees, characters, flowers, bushes, inanimate objects, weird round holes… everything. Not only is a great way to stock up on coins, but you’ll also find that there are Toads hidden absolutely everywhere. The more you smash things, the more rewards you’ll find lurking in every nook and cranny.

Buy new accessories as soon as you can to boost Mario’s abilities

If you’re looking to discover every single secret the world of Paper Mario: The Origami King has to offer you, look to buy every new accessory that becomes available as soon as you possibly can. They’re pretty pricey (which is why smashing everything you can for all the coins comes in super handy), but they’ll unlock a plethora of handy upgrades to use in exploration as well as battling.

These range from a set of bells that you can equip to alert you to nearby hidden Toads or ! blocks, to a variety of battle bonuses that, for example, raise your health in battle, reduce the amount of damage you take, or simply gives you increased time to arrange enemies. Super handy to have in your pocket.

Listen out for tannoy announcements to learn about new gear

Handily, any new accessories or other very sidetrack worthy updates to the various vendors will always be announced via the game’s tannoy system. Keep an eye out for the announcements, which come with a very distinctive Doo Daa Dee Daa sound and a blue banner in the top right-hand corner of your screen.

Remember: you won’t be able to complete a world straight away

Sometimes Paper Mario: The Origami King doesn’t know what genre it is. Strategy for battles, action-adventure for narrative and exploration, with a little dash of metroidvania thrown in for good measure. It’s worth bearing in mind that if you’re looking to completely 100% an area, you may not have the tools or abilities to discover everything an area has to offer on a first pass.