Given the paper cutout origins of South Park, it's no surprise that Obsidian's upcoming RPG South Park: The Game would take cues from the most famous paper role-playing game of them all.


After selecting your character class in South Park: The Game (fighter, thief, mage, cleric, or Jew), you'll enter a fantasy adventure filled with turn-based combat of a particular Paper Mario flavor. Speaking with Game Informer, lead designer Matt MacLean says the combat is powered by "reflex widgets" — timed button presses during a special attack that augment the attacks effect. You might swing your wooden sword automatically, but hitting the right button and the right point in the swing will cause double damage, for example. It's a mechanic that Paper Mario fans should be very familiar with.

As it turns out, Trey Parker and Matt Stone are quite the Paper Mario fans, it being one of the many games the creative duo have namedropped during their meetings with Obsidian Entertainment. While the pair seems to be well-versed in the history of role-playing games, they're letting Obsidian handle most of the combat system details. They just want to make sure the game remains one about kids being kids — hurting other kids. Badly.


Hit up the link for Game Informer's full interview with South Park: The Game's Matt MacLean.

Good Times With Weapons: The Combat of South Park [Game Informer]