The Thousand-Year Door Remake Adds Instant Party Swapping, Hint System, New NPCs, and More

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door’s upcoming remake is continuing to generate buzz in the lead-up to its release next month, which is no surprise, given the immense legacy of the GameCube original. From a content and gameplay standpoint, it looks like the remake is going to be a pretty straightforward one, but Nintendo is still adding in some new features to modernize the experience.

Some of these were revealed in a recently published previews. One in particular that fans of the original game are sure to appreciate is the Partner Ring, which as per IGN, now allows you to instantly swap party members during combat with the press of a button rather than having going into the menus each time. Meanwhile, there’s also a new badge in the remake called Nostalgic Tunes, which, when equipped, will switch to the original game’s soundtrack rather than the remake’s remixed tracks.

Players will also find new NPCs in the city of Rogueport who’ll help out in various ways. For instance, there’s a new Toad Battle Master who will give you tips related to combat and even allow you to use a battle arena where you will be able to practice all of your attacks without the threat of damage from enemies.

Then there’s Ian Foomus, who will also be present in Rogueport’s Trouble Center, serving as a guide for side quests- which means the original game’s infamous backtracking should be less of a menace in the remake. According to Nintendo Life, you’ll have to pay Ian Foomus to receive hints, but all hints you receive will also be logged in your journal.

Additionally, you’ll also be able to receive hints from your archaeologist Goomba companion Goombella at any time with the press of a button. Meanwhile, the remake will also feature new music tracks and concept art in the Sound and Art Galleries.

Nintendo recently also released a new overview trailer for the remake, detailing its combat, badges, story, and more. Check it out through here.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door launches for the Nintendo Switch on May 23. As per recent reports, reviews will begin going live a couple days ahead of release, on May 21.