Summary
Over the 41 years that Mario and Luigi have been around, the expansive world of the Mushroom Kingdom and its neighbors has seen many a threat, but one of the most interesting can be found in the RPGPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Originally found on the GameCube, players can now experiencePaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Dooron the Switch, which sees Mario go up against the X-Nauts.
Gamers will find themselves fighting against the goggled X-Nauts inPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door’s many chapters, be it in small doses or even in sizable raids across their locked-down bases. They serve as one ofThe Thousand-Year Door’s bigger antagonists and only appear in this one game, but they masterfully integrate intimidation into a narrative that is upbeat and humorous overall, doing so without taking away from its lighthearted tone.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door’s Sir Grodus and Lord Crump Serve Two Distinct Purposes
To understand why the X-Nauts are so critical toPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, it should be understood thatPaper Mariofocuses on being a fun experience above all else. Simply telling a story about Bowser stealing the Star Rod to be all-powerful, humor and whimsy are present throughout the tale the game tells. Still,Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Doorimproves on many aspectsof the Gamecube version, including the size and depth of the overall story, which is where the X-Nauts come in.
Lord Crump is Perfect as One of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door’s Comedic Villains
Lord Crump is the player’s introduction to the X-Nauts, helping set the tone of the game as he chases after Goombella for answers in plenty of humorous dialogue and scenes. This doesn’t change throughout Crump’s involvement in the story, as he remains the butt of jokes with characters like the Punie Elder and even his own boss fights. He matches well with how many of the standard X-Naut soldiers are also just as bumbling as he is,with the computer TECserving as a great melancholy balance between all the humor and the far more intimidating Sir Grodus.
Sir Grodus is a Terrifying Face in the Paper Mario Series
Players won’t get to meet Sir Grodus until they beat Chapter 1 and start Peach’s intermissions, though that doesn’t make him any less powerful as a character. He stands tall as the leader of the X-Nauts, and holds his cards close to his chest, being revealed more by TEC due to his desire for his beloved Princess Peach to be informed and safe.Grodus is more aware of the truth behind the Thousand-Year Doorthan the player is, which is made clear through his cold demeanor and calculated actions that add a sense of urgency to what’s going on. Mario needs to stop Grodus, and doing so isn’t just a fun little adventure because Grodus is cold and cunning, and will take over the world if left to do so.
It’s specifically because of Grodus' seriousness thatThe Thousand-Year Doorhas a weight behind it that lingers beneath the more comedic moments, which turns the adventure into one that’s mainly fun yet is still able to leave fans on the edge of their seats. The fact that this RPG can seamlessly balance stakes with its heavily comedic tone in such a great way is one of thereasonsPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Dooris so beloved. Even if they only appeared in one game, the X-Nauts are extremely memorable because of how different Grodus and Crump are.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2024)
WHERE TO PLAY
Join Mario and friends on an epic paper adventure: A classic story unfolds on the Nintendo Switch system.Collect the Crystal Stars before the bad guys do: The X-Nauts are after the treasure behind the Thousand-Year Door! With a map from Princess Peach—and the help of a few locals—Mario must journey through a colorful world made of paper to find it first.Surprises abound in this deep and engaging tale, where everyone’s got something to say and it’s often not what you’d expect! Here are just a few of the colorful characters you’ll encounter along the way.Master your badges and timing-based attacks to impress the audience in a theatrical twist on turn-based RPG combat. Make use of all the abilities that come with being cursed—er, conveniently made of paper—like folding into a plane to cross big gaps or turning sideways to slip through narrow openings.
