Holy crap! After hearing how anal Nintendo got about their character designs cause of branding after Super Paper Mario, I was positive they'd never remake this. I'm super excited!!
When the newest Paper Mario game came out, the developers said in some interviews that the reason the games style completely changed in Sticker Star and beyond is that Nintendo got super protective over how their characters are depicted. They weren't allowed to make their own variations of established Mario-world inhabitants (like a professor Goomba or a pirate Bomb-omb or a purple Kamek named Kammy), they either had to use the characters as they were (such as just "Toad", or just "Kamek") or use their own completely original designs. It's also why none of the recurring characters from past games showed up since Super Paper Mario.
Basically the upper management was getting mad that Paper Mario was taking on too much of its own identity compared to the broader Mario brand. It's why Origami King is mostly just Toads all over the place.
This game means so much to me, I'm literally playing through with a friend right now (just got to Twilight Town last week!). I'm so absolutely excited for this game once again, and I'm glad Nintendo decided to make this step. I mean, not even Paper Mario 64 first? Bonkers. I'm thinking I'll do a BP-only Bonetail run as soon as I get my hands on it.
The only person I can think of more excited than me is Arlo, which is a given.
I mean a widescreen, HD remaster. It being on NSO's emulators doesn't necessarily mean it isn't up for being remastered, as Link's Awakening is on GB but was also remastered.
Nintendo likely thought that fans would more appreciate a TTYD remaster than Paper Mario 64, and I know I sure do. (Not that I dislike PM64.)
I still have the copy I bought with some lawn mowing money in 2005. It's aged very well. I'm excited for some of the younger folks to get to play this absolute masterpiece.
I wonder if they'll be removing Danger Mario as a possible strat.
They remove my glass cannon build, and we take to the steets.
But I don't think they'd change any of the core mechanics. Maybe add some side ones, like a boss rush mode, like what they added to the Mario RPG remake.
My 1-in-a-million prediction? Fast travel mechanic. Mario folds himself up into an envelope and mails himself to a town he's already gotten a crystal star from. (Yes, I know we already have the underground pipes, just let me believe.)