Series guide
All Paper Mario games in order
Paper Mario is one series with two personalities: the first games are turn-based RPGs with partners and badges, the later ones are puzzle-adventures with paper as the joke. Below are all seven games in release order, each marked as RPG or adventure, with the Nintendo platforms linked — because those are the copies we stock and test.
The short answer
Paper Mario (N64, 2000) → The Thousand-Year Door (GameCube, 2004) → Super Paper Mario (Wii, 2007) → Sticker Star (3DS, 2012) → Color Splash (Wii U, 2016) → The Origami King (Switch, 2020) → The Thousand-Year Door remake (Switch, 2024). No order is required. If you want the RPG: The Thousand-Year Door. If you want the modern adventure: The Origami King.
Every Paper Mario game in order
Years are the first release; Europe got the N64 original in 2001 and the others in the same year as Japan and North America.
| # | Game | Platform | Year | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paper Mario | Nintendo 64 | 2000 | RPG |
| 2 | Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door | GameCube | 2004 | RPG |
| 3 | Super Paper Mario | Wii | 2007 | platform-RPG |
| 4 | Paper Mario: Sticker Star | Nintendo 3DS | 2012 | adventure |
| 5 | Paper Mario: Color Splash | Wii U | 2016 | adventure |
| 6 | Paper Mario: The Origami King | Nintendo Switch | 2020 | adventure |
| 7 | Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (remake) | Nintendo Switch | 2024 | RPG |
Do you have to play them in order?
No. Every entry tells a self-contained story with a new cast; only a few running jokes carry over. What does change is the type: RPG up to The Thousand-Year Door, a platform hybrid in Super Paper Mario, and adventure games from Sticker Star onwards. Pick the type first, then the console.
Which Paper Mario should you buy now?
- The RPG, today: The Thousand-Year Door remake (Switch) — the series’ high point, playable without hunting for a GameCube.
- The RPG, as it was: The Thousand-Year Door (GameCube, 2004) — the collector target of the series.
- Where it began: Paper Mario (N64) — shorter and simpler than its sequel, and a cartridge that keeps its save.
- The modern adventure: The Origami King (Switch) — the most polished of the adventure entries.
- The cheap way to try the world: Super Paper Mario (Wii) — plentiful, inexpensive, and the story of the series in platform form.
Buying Paper Mario second-hand
The Thousand-Year Door is the one everyone wants — twice
The 2004 GameCube original is the collector target of the series; the 2024 Switch remake is the same game with a new look and is the sensible way to play it today. A GameCube disc is a small disc — the underside is what matters, and ours are play-tested through the first chapter and a save.
RPG or adventure: know which half you are buying
The first two games (and the remake) are turn-based RPGs with partners, levelling and badges. From Sticker Star onwards the series became puzzle-adventures with consumable attacks and no levelling — good games, but a different thing. If you want the RPG, the list above says which is which.
The N64 cartridge keeps its save without a battery
Paper Mario on N64 saves to the cartridge itself, so there is no battery to die. N64 cartridges are region-locked: an American cartridge does not fit a European console without modification — our listings state the region.
Super Paper Mario is the odd one out
A 2D platformer that flips into 3D, with the story of the series but almost none of the RPG combat. Wii discs are plentiful and cheap, which makes it the easiest Paper Mario to try.
Every copy tested before it is listed
Booting, saving, label, disc surface — checked on real hardware. We have been doing this since 2019, with 1400+ verified reviews at 5.0★, and we ship tracked to all 27 EU countries. Originals only; if something ever turns out not to be genuine, you get your money back.
Browse tested Mario gamesQuestions we get asked
Do I need to play the Paper Mario games in order?
No. Each game tells its own story with a new cast; only a few running jokes carry over. Start with whichever fits the console you own — or, if you want the RPG side of the series, with The Thousand-Year Door.
Which Paper Mario game should I start with?
The Thousand-Year Door — the 2024 Switch remake if you have a Switch, the 2004 GameCube original if you collect. For the lighter adventure style, The Origami King on Switch is the most polished.
Which Paper Mario games are RPGs?
Paper Mario (N64), The Thousand-Year Door (GameCube and the Switch remake) and, in a lighter platform form, Super Paper Mario (Wii). Sticker Star, Color Splash and The Origami King are adventure games without levelling.
Is Paper Mario the same as Mario & Luigi?
No. Mario & Luigi is a separate handheld RPG series (Game Boy Advance, DS, 3DS and Switch). The two met once, in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam on the 3DS in 2015.
Is Paper Mario suitable for children?
Yes — the series carries PEGI 3 or 7, and the humour works for adults and children alike. The RPG entries ask for some reading; the adventure entries less so.
Do you ship outside the Netherlands?
We ship to all 27 EU countries with track & trace. Parcels leave from the Netherlands, there are no customs charges within the EU, and your country’s exact rate appears at checkout before you pay.
Years given are the first release; European dates were sometimes a few months later. Onze Mario-collectie in het Nederlands.
