Sometimes, a series will only improve with time, reaching its high point somewhere in the middle (cue Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare) or continues to improve on itself entry after entry. While some would contest, The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario series are both cases of franchises polishing proven mechanics time after time. Then, there are series that hit their high point right off the bat, or get a second homerun, only to take a dive thereafter. Hence was the case with Paper Mario.

The Paper Mario series is one that fans are frustrated with. 2001’s Paper Mario introduced a fresh Mario RPG series that came five years after the acclaimed Super Mario RPG. While not quite as revered, it had adorable presentation, witty riding, and memorable characters, as well as simplistic turn-based mechanics that were challenging but rewarding.

In 2004, Nintendo released the beloved Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, which is considered the series’ early highlight. It wasn’t revolutionary, but it refined Paper Mario’s well-received formula to a tee.

Yet, The Thousand-Year Door remains the most brilliant entry in the series for its sheer refinement of the original’s RPG mechanics, the wittier writing, and the captivating plot. While it didn’t flip the script or shake things up, it didn’t need to. Paper Mario was a game that didn’t quite have its footing, and The Thousand-Year Door solidified it. Truly, it remains the series’ best game and possibly the best GameCube title, even among gems like Metroid Prime, Resident Evil 4, and Eternal Darkness.

And things sort of slid from there. The Wii’s Super Paper Mario was fun but placed an emphasis on action-platforming rather than the turn-based mechanics the series was known for, making it more of an action RPG. While a good title, and charming as ever, it was somewhat unrecognizable from The Thousand-Year Door.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star was where the series took a real dive. Once again, it charmed, though the gameplay didn’t prove quite as deep in terms of RPG mechanics as The Thousand-Year Door had been.

Finally, Paper Mario: Color Splash released in 2016 to sub-par reception that criticized the game for its narrative simplicity. Where previous Paper Mario plots were renowned for engaging and well-written stories, Color Splash simply failed to deliver on its end.

It’s sad that it’s been nearly 20 years since the series’ best installment, and yet, its following three entries didn’t capture the same magic of The Thousand-Year Door. Nintendo often adheres to the old wisdom of “Don’t fix what ain’t broken,” which hasn’t quite been applied to the Paper Mario series for some reason.

Hopefully, Paper Mario: The Origami King manages to reach the height, more or less, that The Thousand-Year Door did all those years ago.