Paper Mario: The Origami King is the newest entry in Nintendo’s popular Paper Mario franchise and the first game in the series to grace the Switch. The Paper Mario series has had its ups and downs over the years, but The Origami King is being considered a strong return to form. The new Paper Mario title features a strong story, addictive gameplay, and a fantastic sense of humor.
One of the most enjoyable elements of The Origami King is all of the characters that are in the game, some of which are familiar faces and others are brand new. Accordingly, here are the 10 best characters from Paper Mario: The Origami King, Ranked.
10 Spike
Spike are a series of enemies from the Super Mario franchise that often get overlooked. They don’t have the same prominence of Goombas or Koopas, and they’re not as strange as Shy Guys. Even still, Spikes stick around and Paper Mario: The Origami King features them both in the capacity of invading enemies, but also temporary helpers.
Spike doesn’t make as big of an impression as some of Mario’s other allies, but he’s full of entertaining dialogue and he’s a fun presence at the brief canned food party that Mario finds himself at.
9 Professor Toad
Toads are a dime a dozen in the Mario series, but in The Origami King, one of the more entertaining partners that Mario aligns himself with is Professor Toad. Professor Toad is not only a scholar and an archaeologist, but he can also hold his own in battle.
Professor Toad is able to help both Mario and Olivia out with ancient clues and riddles, but he's also able to apply his digging skills both in and outside of battle. Professor Toad fluctuates between courageous and timid, but that just adds more to his character.
8 Princess Peach
Princess Peach is usually slotted in the role of Mario’s faithful love interest and damsel in distress and Paper Mario: The Origami King doesn’t mess too much with those ideas. What’s so interesting about Peach’s role in The Origami King is that she’s quickly folded by King Olly and turned into his unwilling slave. Folded Princess Peach submits to Olly and she’s also fashioned into a tapestry that hangs over his throne. It’s a nice change to see Peach transformed and in need of help and it makes the use of her in the conclusion hit even harder.
7 Kamek
Kamek is no stranger to the Paper Mario series, but he’s typically featured as support for Bowser and a magical obstacle for Mario and his team. The Origami King mixes things up here and Kamek actually becomes a helper to both Mario and Olivia as they try to help Bowser reclaim his castle. It’s exciting to get to have Kamek work with Mario and his magic abilities in battle are a great asset. Kamek’s strength comes in handy, but his sarcastic attitude also makes him an entertaining addition to the team.
6 Bowser Jr.
Bowser Jr. is typically treated like unbridled id in contrast to Bowser’s more reserved megalomania. Paper Mario: The Origami King turns Bowser Jr. into a reluctant ally for Mario when Bowser’s castle is taken under siege by King Olly. It’s entertaining to have the rambunctious Bowser Jr. as part of the team, especially when Bowser himself is compromised. It’s always a pleasant sight to see that floating clown car. Some of the best moments in the game also surround Bowser Jr. temporarily being drained of his color and in need of restoration.
5 Bowser
Bowser is typically Mario’s arch nemesis, but the Paper Mario series effectively throws new villains into the mix, with Bowser often becoming a victim himself. Paper Mario: The Origami King does fantastic work with the ferocious character since it neuters Bowser to be a folded version of himself. This brings out Bowser’s anger in hilarious ways and it’s amazing to see how a clothespin and a giant stapler can be the King of Koopas new greatest rivals. Bowser is one of the best characters in The Origami King because of the new role that he’s given.
4 Luigi
Luigi’s presence isn’t necessary to make a good Mario game, but it’s usually more enjoyable when he’s along for the ride in some capacity. Mario and Luigi begin this journey together but find themselves separated for the majority of the game. Luigi is an essential help in terms of locating many lost keys and he temporarily assists Mario in battle, too. The sharp humor in The Origami King is in fine form with Luigi and the game perfectly understands how to treat Mario’s perpetual sidekick.
3 The Legion Of Stationery
All of the Paper Mario games work hard to have bosses that are not only entertaining, but also humorous. The Origami King is perhaps the most successful in this regard and it's especially obvious with the series of bosses, The Legion of Stationery. These six bosses help King Olly in his domination, but they're all just office supplies with sentience. They don't have faces or emotions, but instead are just giant versions of a stapler, tape, or colored pencils. The odd nature of these enemies and Mario fighting against them makes them an extremely memorable collection of foes.
2 Bobby
Bobby the Bob-omb is one of Mario’s primary partners throughout The Origami King and in terms of all of the characters, he arguably goes through the biggest and most emotional arc out of anyone—Mario included. Bobby enters Mario’s team as a Bob-omb with memory loss who wants to recover his identity. Bobby eventually remembers who he is, but not long after he chooses to make the ultimate sacrifice to keep Olivia safe. It’s a surprisingly powerful moment that also reflects the individual power of all of these enemies that are often seen as disposable through Mario games.
1 Olivia
Olivia is Mario's main partner throughout his journey in The Origami King and she has a reasonably deep backstory. Olivia is the sister of the evil King Olly, but she's also been created by him so she can act as yet another cog in his elaborate master plan. Olivia rebels against her brother and instead focuses on helping Mario and rehabilitating the land. Olivia is full of personality and has many of the game's best lines, but her ability to transform into weapons and objects to assist Mario make her even more entertaining and versatile.