Update [Mon 7th Nov, 2022 15:00 GMT]: With over 20 days still remaining in its Kickstarter campaign, the Paper Mario-inspired '2D' RPG Flynt Buckler Wakes the Sleepy Castle has smashed its goal for funding and has now been confirmed for a Switch release in 2024.
At the time of writing, the amount raised stands at £30,901 (a substantial increase from the original goal of £26,099) and the first of a series of stretch goals has been achieved, adding a new 'Gladiator Mode'.
There is still a good amount of time left to support the campaign and any further donations will only serve to add more to the finished product (another two stretch goals have already been laid out). A pledge of CA$25 (around £17) or more secures you a digital copy of the game and the bonuses only get greater from there.
The game is currently slated for a Switch release in early 2024, leaving Sleepy Castle Studio plenty of time to ensure that Flynt Buckler is in tip-top condition for his journey onto the Switch
Original article [Thu 11th Aug, 2022 09:15 GMT]: If there's one thing that Switch fans crave (other than Breath of the Wild 2 news), it's a new addition to the classic Paper Mario series. While we cannot offer you that as such today, Flynt Buckler Wakes the Sleepy Castle is certainly a move in the right direction.
Combining turn-based combat with a story book-inspired RPG adventure, the game looks set to fill a particularly Paper Mario-y shaped hole in our Switch catalogue. Developer Sleepy Castle Studio has announced that a Kickstarter campaign will be launching this Fall for a Switch release (which feels like the game's obvious home), and are predicting a launch date of Q4 2023.
You will play as Flynt, a hero tasked with protecting his kingdom after a curse brings a host of story book characters to life. The game is set across several of these fictional worlds, meaning that the genre is always ready to change.
With angry mushrooms, coin collecting, and an enlarged clown that looks like a beefed-up Shy Guy (does that make him Shy Man?) it is clear that Flynt Buckler will wear its inspirations on its sleeve. However, with the turn-based combat and cartoonish mechanics, there is enough originality here to ensure that the game is not a paper-trace copy of its predecessor.
Want to know what the game has in store? Check out a full list of its features below:
6 vast storybook worlds brimming with quests, treasures, and secrets
A fun, fast-paced turn-based battle system that rewards experimentation and strategy
A colorful cast of memorable characters that will help (and sometimes hinder) Flynt on his adventure
Stories within stories: experience a charming and lively narrative where the rules are constantly changing
A jazzy, big-band soundtrack that keeps the energy pumping throughout
For more information about the Kickstarter launch, be sure to keep an eye on the campaign's page here.
What do you make of this Paper Mario-inspired RPG? Let us know in the comments below!
[source twitter.com]
Comments 40
Alex Kidd in Paper Mario World
I still need to try Bug Fables...
but hey, the more the merrier. It's not like Nintendo will be making a proper RPG of this style any time soon.
Well... if Nintendo refuses to do another Paper Mario, I will happy to buy this one... if it is good of course.
@EarthboundBenjy Playing Bug Fables (avatar is Vi from the game) at the moment (finally got around to it) it's pretty good.
Anyways will definitely keep an eye on it, especially if a physical manifests
Oh right, Bug Fables. Still need to finish that game.
This Switch fan craves a new 3D Super Mario title to be honest. 5 years since Odyssey, so I reckon we're due another.
This looks cute! I liked the Thousand Year Door a lot, only problem was the last boss is SO HARD. I didn't expect that difficulty spike
@EarthboundBenjy Bug fables is literally a love letter to paper Mario, the humor, the art style, and the gameplay. Yes it has its problems, what game doesn’t, but it’s pluses makes up for its cons.
This looks promising. Gonna keep an eye on it.
Recycling
Paper-Mario
Genre
RPG for short.
I'm happy with that.
Yes more of this please. Like Bug Fables, this looks like a promising game akin to Paper Mario.
I'm already in love with this game, just because it's a game base off of Paper Mario and Paper Mario TTYD. can't wait for more details of the game.
Love the music. I forgot how good the old Paper Mario gameplay style was until recently replaying the original on Switch Online and then Bug Fables so this could be great too.
I've said it before, I love how Nintendo creates a subgenre and forgets about it then fans pick up the mantle to create spiritual successors. In a somewhat ironic twist, maybe in a few years we can even say we're sick of Paper Mario TTYD-likes. Lol
Definitely some cuphead vibes.
@EarthboundBenjy Yeah because Nintendo don't think innovation ended in 2000 and continue to try new ideas with their series.
Don't see why that makes Origami King not a proper entry.
@IronMan30 Good point and so true. It's like that Starfox-alike that's supposed to drop... The name escapes me. Thank goodness devs do pick up these mantles!
@Dr_Lugae
I didn't say Origami King wasn't a proper entry in the Paper Mario series.
I said (or rather implied) that it wasn't a proper RPG. Which it isn't.
Looks promising. Will definitely be keeping my eyes on this one.
A Paper Mario style game is great, but my absolute most wanted game is a true follow up to Super Mario RPG. Make it happen Nintendo and Square Enix!
Not bad. Even brings back the Hero +1 set up.
That game itself looks awesome visually and mechanically. But I don't know how I feel about the actual design of the characters. Also, I don't really get the idea making it as if the objects are actually 2-dimensional in the world. Like, it works when everything is paper. But here? I don't get it.
@JohnnyC I hear you, but in the board room, I'm sure they count Bowser's Fury as a new 3D Mario game.
I love this art style, and I won't complain about a new TYD-style game!
Ewwww cuphead and papermario mixed together,..... not the kind of game I ever wanted to see. Not a fan of cuphead In general. The music and asthetic here gives me similar cuphead vibes. 🤮
@Dr_Lugae If your idea of "innovation" is making games more shallow and bare-bones than their predecessors, then sure. 🤷♂️
I don't really like it. The characters design seems pretty lazy (pig, skeleton, mushrooms...) and the main character looks pretty plain. Every game doesn't have to have visually complicated character, but a little creative effort (without being other the top) would have been appreciated.
The game itself looks fun, but I would like to know the mechanics: what I liked in "paper game" are strange mechanics who take advantage of the paper world.Let me fold, scratch, draw, destroy...
Seems, just with this trailer, a generic copy of paper mario. I'll have to wait for more informations!
@Seanmyster6 I think there's a lot of ways Paper Mario has expanded on its ideas through the new approaches. You're not going to see vehicular exploration or non-hub-based connected worlds in the older games. You aren't going to get the level of depth and interactivity of TOK's boss battles in the old system.
Some elements are left behind but it doesn't make a game shallow for not having something a previous entry has, if in it's place there's lots of things the previous games didn't do.
@NightMiroir They're not lazy designs IMO. But I sort of think they're a bit repulsive and misshapen and loads have big ol' eyebrows. It's like some kind of 80s/90s gross-out Ren & Stimpy cartoon designs (especially that pig towards the end) partially chibi-fied into the Paper Mario style.
Like standard Mario enemies are mascot-like to the point that people would have them as avatars. I just don't think these ones are appealing in that way.
@Dr_Lugae I think repulsive is the right word! It also reminds me of old cartoons : and especially the ones with a lot of colors and sounds and visual effects, to make children pay attention (so, nothing positive in my books haha)
I'm just glad this actually has a trailer and is confirmed to be coming out sometime in the near-distant future, unlike all the other paper games where I've known of them for years but have no idea how close to completion they are. This looks like fun. I always felt like it would be a neat idea for Nintendo to have another team work on classic-style Paper Mario games to keep old fans happy, kinda like how Story of Seasons exists to give Harvest Moon veterans the experience they're looking for while Harvest Moon is now trying to appeal to a different demographic. But if indie titles capturing the old spirit is gonna be the new norm, that's not too far off from the idea I had in mind, so I'm okay with this. (Plus, let's face it, that idea would probably be way too risky for Nintendo, anyway)
As for the visual style, I actually have no problem with this because on top of being unique, I get the feeling the 'ugly' designs were intentional. It kinda gives off that 'beautifully ugly' vibe you get from works like Rango and Teacher's Pet, where the characters are not designed to look attractive at all, but you can't take your eyes off them.
Wow, there sure are a lot of indie devs lately who are trying to recapture that old Paper Mario charm that was needlessly abandoned..... Hey Nintendo, does that suggest anything to you..? No....? Ok
Backed this one, plus they’re from Québec so it makes me pretty proud!
Yeah nah I'm good, not going to help kickstart a single game since so many have been disappointments.
GL to the devs though.
Hopefully this will be good, I won't kickstart but would buy the game on release if it turns out well.
I'm sure Bug Fables is good but the art style of it turns me off for some reason, I still might grab it on sale at some point though.
Nice, between this and that ghost game, it should scratch that Paper Mario itch.
I'm just waiting for Adamgyru's game, since he has as sound a foundation in excellent game design as any designer working today. Too many "paper mario-likes" lately and they all look less good than the paper mario games everyone complains about.
Backed it, Can't say no to more Paper Mario like games
Game looks interesting, definitely more interesting than the Origami King and Color Splash.
Yayyyy thanks for bringing this game to my attention, I wouldn't have known about it otherwise. I need more of paper mario style games!!!
WHY TF DO Quality INDIE DEVS STRUGGLE TO GET A SWITCH DEV KIT but BRICK BREAKER GAMES END UP ON THE SHOP ANYWAY?
Makes NO SENSE!
That music rocks!
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...