The action kicks off when evil King Olly invades the Mushroom Kingdom, folding Princess Peach and most of Bowser's minions into origami nightmares that mindlessly do his bidding. Aided by Olly's kind sister Olivia, a reluctant half-folded Bowser and others, Mario has to travel to the furthest reaches of the kingdom to unravel the whole mess.

The cardcraft graphical style has always been a highlight of the series, and it's in fine form here. The paper on which most 2D animated characters are printed is floppier and more expressive than ever, while I love the realistic origami renditions of classic enemies and the terrifying implications of the papier mache tanks that roam the world.

Constantly collecting confetti to fill in holes and restore the levels seemed at first like a shameless attempt to slow down progress, but Mario looks so joyful throwing those coloured scraps around that you can't help but smile. The soundtrack, from jazz to metal to Japanese folk, is also predictably incredible.

Nintendo seems to have taken a stance against variations on established friends and foes, so where in prior games you might encounter a gang of ninja koopas or a palaeontologist goomba, in Origimi King you either get stock standard Mario universe characters or entirely weird new creations like the stationary-themed bosses.

Luckily the generic and oddball characters alike are filled with personality thanks to some incredible writing. From Olivia's naive metacommentary to the smack-talking box of coloured pencils you face at the first fortress, the constant chatter stays fresh amid frequent absurd story twists and a huge diversity of locations.

The idea that enemies from a side-scrolling Mario game have strangely complicated private lives is a frequent and effective theme, but there's also plenty of slapstick and the odd musical number thrown in. Plus each and every screen is practically filled with hidden Toads, who have been folded into origami or taped out of the way, and their non sequitur quips and monologues when you rescue them is a frequent highlight. In a memorable early example, hitting an aparent golf flag reveals a folded Toad who comments on what a workout his core is getting. He then rises to the top of the pole and steps appear in retro Mario style. Jumping to the top of the flag pole sets off a firework, which turns out to be more thankful folded Toads.

Meanwhile the battle system, which imposes itself whenever you come into contact with an enemy, is wholly unsatisfying. Bad guys are arranged on a circular dial which you have to manipulate under strict time pressure. Solve the puzzle and your quarries will be all lined up for a quick trouncing, but fail and the fights can become interminable.

I'd hoped this system would be expanded upon, but aside from the excellent boss fights — which add a pathing element that makes the puzzles really engaging — it just feels like you're solving the same almost-done Rubix cube over and over again.

Worse still, winning battles does not result in experience points or other modes of increasing your abilities. Instead, exploring the game will randomly net you hearts that increase your maximum hit points as well as your strength, which isn't very empowering.

In fact you've little incentive to participate in battles at all, except for the fact that they're a good source of coins, which are vital in tougher mandatory battles where you'll spend them to put extra time on the clock or summon helpful Toads. Then again, coins are plentiful outside of battle, and I rarely found myself with fewer than 10,000 on hand (buying an extra second in battle costs 10).

It's clear that, compared to the role-playing focused first two Paper Mario games, the system here allows people of all ages and skill to enjoy the entire experience. But the RPG-like elements included here are so flimsy I found myself wishing battles were used for bosses only so I could explore the landscapes unharassed.

The sprawling and surprising world is absolutely the star of the show in Origami King. Whether you're sailing the high seas or working your way through a Shogun-themed amusement park, the sight gags and quips don't let up, the story has genuine heart and the crafted world is just so endlessly darling. That it's so frequently slowed or interrupted by the half-hearted battles is a real shame, but it can't stop the irrepressible charm and humour of the game at large.

Paper Mario: The Origami King is out now on Switch.