Paper Mario: The Origami King is an action-adventure RPG for the Nintendo Switch. Like past games in the series, it features a flat version of Mario as he battles evil alongside his companion Olivia to defeat king Olly. The Origami King maintains much of what players enjoyed in the five previous Paper Mario titles. From a pleasing paper world aesthetic to challenging battle puzzles, the game plenty to offer gamers.
Like other Mario games, while it's fun and accessible to general audiences, the game does have a lot of challenges and secrets hidden within. The Origami King can get difficult, so here are some tips and tricks to help out new players.
Trees Give Confetti
Confetti is an important resource, as it help players fill up holes and earn more coins. It can also provide Mario with items and is an alternative method to get items or coins to battle enemies. Coins are especially useful, as they make Mario stronger in a fight. One of the easiest ways to stock up on huge amounts of confetti is to shake trees. Many areas of the game have trees, so hit their trunks with Mario's hammer to rustle their leaves.
Trees will drop more than enough confetti to help fill the world. You never know when you will need confetti, so always stock up when you have the change. Confetti is also found in things like flowers, but these will give a lot less than trees.
Sit on Benches
While the game's many benches may just look like nice spots to sit down, they also serve another purpose. Benches are one of the only ways to heal damage, and they act as a sort of rest stop. While you could also consume items like mushrooms to heal, you're better off saving these for when you really need them and sitting on benches whenever you come across one. If Mario has taken some damage, try to find a bench. You never know when the next battle will happen, so it's good to be ready and healed up with mushrooms in your bag just in case.
Solve the Battle Puzzles
The Origami King's puzzle battles feature Mario in the center of concentric circles. Each ring has enemies lined up to surround Mario in different orders. While not mandatory, figuring out the puzzle during battle will make it exponentially easier defeat enemies and preserve your health. By shuffling the battlefield, players can align enemies in preferred spots to make the most out of Mario's attacks. If going for one of Mario's signature jump attacks, lining the enemies up single file will make the most out of his stomp. If going for a hammer smash, having the enemies in two by two clusters is very effective.
Again, solving the puzzles during battle is not mandatory, but it is definitely recommended to make battles easier and more efficient. It will also boosts your attack by 50 percent, which could actually kill enemies before they even have a chance to attack. While the puzzles can get quite difficult, every one has a correct solution, so don't give up.
Backtrack
Since Mario lives in a paper world, the two-dimensional flat perspective places the game camera in a particular angle. Because of this, a lot of things can be missed when first running through an area, include key details to help you progress. If that's the case, try running back the way you came to see if there are any secrets waiting to be revealed like treasure chests.
Returning to areas you've already completed provides a new perspective and can help you see things you wouldn't have originally spotted. Still, you'll need to have a sharp eye, because even with new perspectives, hidden secrets are not obvious. It's easy to go back to any place that has already been completed at anytime, so backtrack as you please.
Toads Can be Anything
Locating more Toads can grant you access to additional shops and reward you with plenty of coins. It is always a good idea to find as many Toads as you can early, but Toads are well-hidden and checking every nook and cranny for one can get tedious. When in the field, assuming everything and anything is a Toad is a good idea, especially things that seem to move suspiciously. You have nothing to lose by hitting that strange-looking flower or animal with your hammer.
If running around the entirety of the map and smacking things at random is not your cup of tea, consider buying Toad Bells. This item will automatically ring whenever the player is near a Toad. It can be purchased fairly early on in the game from the vendor after the first mini-dungeon. This is the best strategy for finding Toads early, and they'll really help out with future challenges. Try to leave as few Toads behind as possible.