Playing Mario games was a lot different when I was young.
I would play as much as I was able, and then hand the controller to someone else — a sibling, a cousin, a friend, or a parent — and say, “Can you get me through this part? I can’t do it!” That someone would help me through so I could happily run off to play the next section … until I got stuck again and had to ask for more help.
This was decades ago, though. I’ve become the older sibling, friend, or relative to many folks in the time since. Sure, hand me the controller. I can beat that part for you.
Paper Mario: The Origami King makes me feel like that kid again, and it’s absurd. I bump into those moments of frustration daily as I play. Feeling so stymied is especially jarring when contrasted with the whimsy of the rest of the experience. It’s a delightful children’s game for children except when it’s making you do multivariate calculus.
A whimsical paper world
Paper Mario: The Origami King really is, for the most part, a delightful and silly game. Mario heads to Peach’s castle to attend the Origami Festival, which is obviously on brand for a paper-based game. The conflict arrives in the form of the self-appointed origami king himself, King Olly. He starts folding Princess Peach, Toads, and minions alike into origami versions of themselves, which is an unnatural state for the two-dimensional denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom.
[embedded content]
It’s up to Mario and the friends he finds along the way to navigate environmental and platforming puzzles, turn-based combat, and paper puns while they set their world right.
Like past games in the Paper Mario series, The Origami King shines the brightest due to the conceit that everything is made of paper, an idea that Nintendo loves to take to its natural conclusion whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Everything on the screen is some playful combination of stickers, papercraft, and papier-mache. I can almost smell the construction paper with its familiar texture and torn edges. I can see the creases and imagine the safety scissors that cut out the shapes.
The paper version of Toad Town and Princess Peach’s castle.Intelligent Systems/Nintendo via Polygon
But then I bump into one of those origami Folded Soldiers, and I have one of my moments of wanting to hand the controller to someone more competent. Combat, at first blush, seems like an RPG: You encounter a representation of an enemy in the world, and then you transition into a battle arena where you face several of that enemy in turn-based combat.
Origami King adds a twist here, however. Combat takes place in a circular arena with Mario in the center. My enemies are arranged around me on a series of four rings divided into twelve sections. I can rotate these rings or slide the sections to arrange my enemies into a pattern before each turn — rows for jumping attacks or two-by-two squares for hammer attacks. Combat is basically a puzzle mini-game as much as a battle of tactics. If I get it right, I can win every fight in one turn without taking any damage.
Combat is more puzzle than tactics.Intelligent Systems/Nintendo via Polygon
It’s a mechanic that takes a little getting used to, because I only have a few moves and a time limit in which to make them. There are so many of those easy puzzle-combat scenes early in the game that they start to feel overly simple and unnecessarily time-consuming, and I get both bored and overconfident.
Then another encounter, this one slightly later in the game, leaves me staring at the screen absolutely certain the puzzle is impossible. My time runs out or I run out of moves on the rings, and I’m left with an imperfect solution and an overwhelming sense of defeat because this seemingly simple kids’ game just crushed any confidence I had previously built up.
The game does offer me some assistance for my moments of confusion. As I explore the world, I’m rescuing hapless Toads who have been origami’d or have gotten their heads stuck in something. During combat, these Toads appear in stands around the battle arena and I can pay them gold coins to help me solve the puzzle. It helps, but being rescued by Toads feels … unpleasantly humbling.
There are other concessions to my fallibility as well. I can recover even when I screw up these puzzles, however. Mario survives the turn-based attacks of the minions, and I get another chance at a simplified version of the puzzle if I’m able to take out a few of the enemies, but not all of them. I don’t think any of these minion battles have taken me more than three rounds to complete, but each of those rounds stretch out into minutes-long combat sequences that drag down the pacing of the game.
And then I encounter my first boss battle.
Whimsy becomes misery
Boss battles change the rules of combat yet again. The rings remain, but the boss stands in the center and Mario is on the outside. Those ring segments now have a variety of arrows, items, and actions shown on their top. My task — still with a time limit and a set number of ring moves — is to find a path along those arrows, to a spot close to the boss, that ends on a segment with an attack action.
It’s an overwhelming challenge, but not impossible, and I even improve a little beyond “muddling through” by the end of my first boss fight.
Boss fights are confusing and frustrating in an entirely new way.Intelligent Systems/Nintendo via Polygon
The second boss fight introduces tiles that change in the time between when I set my path and Mario executes it. It’s a twist, but that’s to be expected. I adapt, and Mario arrives at the boss. I watch him deliver a perfect attack. For zero damage.
This boss, it turns out, is only vulnerable from one of those ring segments and not the other 11. I get hints over subsequent turns about why my attacks didn’t work and where I have to stand, but it still takes me three more rounds to figure it out.
By the time I’m in my third boss battle, I’m controlling the rings, charting paths, picking up items, hitting actions in a specific order, chipping away at the boss’ health bar, and planning for my next turn. Those simple, sliding, twisting puzzles and one-round combat encounters from the early hours of the game have turned into lengthy boss fights that feel like a test I didn’t study for.
These fights easily take between 10 and 20 minutes (and one notable 30-minute fight) for a single attempt — no dying, no restarting, just 30 minutes of struggling to figure out what to do, and then trying a new approach once I have a slightly better idea about what I need to do to continue forward.
This isn’t as much of a difficulty spike as it is a difficulty brick wall. I could bribe the Toads to help me out more, but I have to balance that cost against buying necessary weapons and items. And I hate admitting defeat in the face of puzzles that the game has trained me to think have a simple solution, especially when it means asking Toads for help. The battles become so much harder, and the game itself barely seems to notice or care about the problems this will cause players.
You have to spend your coins to buy better weapons, but they break over time.Intelligent Systems/Nintendo via Polygon
The game is a delight most of the time, and is often too simple as I spend my time running around, talking to other characters, and giggling at the silly wordplay expected from a Paper Mario release. But the 10% or so of the game made up of combat encounters and boss fights makes me absolutely miserable. I’ve made it about halfway through the entire game at this point, and I dread the next boss fight, both because of the time commitment and the frustration I’m sure to feel, based on everything that’s come before.
I’m sure I’ll muddle through it, confused and frustrated, but still kicking, and get back to the jokes about paper products and pounding crumpled-up Toads flat with my hammer. It’ll be silly and funny again, and I’ll almost forget my frustration. But then another boss battle will make me want to fling my Switch through a window.
Delightful, but at what cost?
Nothing is “just a Mario game” anymore. There are 35 years of history and multiple series spanning everything from the original Super Mario Bros. to the various incarnations of Mario Kart, Mario Tennis, and Super Smash Bros., to list very few.
Mario is a brand, not a genre. The strongest connective tissue between them is made up of the characters and basic story beats, while being designed in ways that make them fun for players of any age. These games can often be as hard, or as easy, as you’d like to make them.
For so much of Paper Mario: The Origami King, that’s true. I want to share it with my nieces and nephews, as well as my grown friends. But I hesitate due to the frustration of the combat and those imposing boss battles — those moments where I wish I had someone else to take over on the controller.
Paper Mario: The Origami King will be released July 17 on Nintendo Switch. The game was reviewed using a download code provided by Nintendo. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You can find additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.
<div class="c-shoppable c-shoppable–has-image" data-anthem-component="1566416" data-cid="site/shoppable-1594844199_8292_46087" data-cdata=""anthem_component_id":1566416,"title":"Paper Mario: The Origami King ","chorus_asset_id":20031731,"url":"https://www.amazon.com/Paper-Mario-Origami-King-Nintendo-Switch/dp/B088MYGMPJ","retailer":"Amazon","price":"$59.99","description":"
The kingdom has been ravaged by an origami menace! Join Mario and his new partner, Olivia, as they battle evil Folded Soldiers, repair the damaged landscape, and try to free Princess Peach’s castle from the clutches of King Olly in this comedy-filled adventure.
The kingdom has been ravaged by an origami menace! Join Mario and his new partner, Olivia, as they battle evil Folded Soldiers, repair the damaged landscape, and try to free Princess Peach’s castle from the clutches of King Olly in this comedy-filled adventure.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
___
Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20083353/Paper_Mario_The_Origami_King_combat_arena.jpg)
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20083355/Paper_Mario_The_Origami_King_boss_fight_arena.jpg)
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20083386/Paper_Mario_The_Origami_King_Shiny_Boots_broke.jpg)
