Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

2D mustache, check... 2D cap, check... 2D princess, che... uh oh.

While Mario and friends have seen many an adventure on the GameCube, they haven't done the RPG thing in three years (or ever, if we restrict our focus to the GameCube). Enter Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, incorporating all of the cute, action-oriented elements that made Super Mario RPG and the original Paper Mario instant classics. Combining classic RPG story depth with familiar, lovable characters and a turn-based battle system that is anything but dull, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door earns severe Fun Factor cred.

The Plot Thickens, But Mario Does The Opposite.

As with most Mario titles, PM: TTYD focuses on the perpetual perils of Princess Peach, who is perniciously poached by the cruel and heartless Bowser. Surprisingly, King Koopa is not behind Peach?fs Princess-napping this time. Instead we are introduced to a band of salute-happy weeble people called the X-naughts, who conspire to capture poor Peach for a nefarious purpose. Of course, Mario's only hope of rescuing his lady fair is gathering a bunch of stars (surprise!!) from various ne'er-do-wells occupying the surrounding environs of Roguesport. On his familiar star-seeking saga, Mario is joined by a motley collection of goodhearted riff raff who assist in his battles and puzzle solving. Granted, there is a tremendous amount of supercute infused into every frame of this game, but when has an "M" rating ever stood for "Mario"?

3, 2, 1?c Power Shell!

While this game's story is intriguing and hilarious, it's the unique battle system that takes center stage. Utilizing precisely timed button presses (that vary according to which character you're using), players can do extra damage or even avoid getting hit. This action-oriented approach to the standard RPG formula is probably the most engaging features of the game (right next to the super-clean graphics) and succeeds in relieving the tedium that sometimes accompanies turn-based battle systems. Classic RPG elements (like turn-based battles, item stores, and a rich plotline) flesh out classic Mario elements (like star/coin collecting, pipe travel, and jumping on things' heads as a means of violent retribution) to create a thoroughly enjoyable gaming experience (as long as you can tolerate the cuuute!).

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