Nintendo spent the last year reviving the best RPGs in its history. Last November, the publisher released a remake of 1996’s Super Mario RPG, and earlier this year, it released a remake of 2004’s Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Both are widely considered the best adventure RPGs of Mario and bringing them so close was a real pleasure. Turns out there might have been a reason to revisit these gems this way. They may have been there to set the table for Mario & Luigi: Brothership, a brand new entry in Nintendo’s other Mario-based RPG series. After so many hours of playing and additional hours of thinking about it some more, this could very well be the peak of Mario’s RPG adventures to date.

All aboard and set sail

Mario & Luigi: Brothership begins in the Mushroom Kingdom, but the plumber brothers are quickly sucked into another world that needs their unique help. The electric-themed land of Concordia once existed as a single continent with a melting pot of different people. It remained that way until the binding Uni-Tree was destroyed, splitting Concordia into more than a dozen islands, all adrift. A burgeoning Wattanista named Connie and a new companion named Snoutlet are there to help guide Mario and Luigi against a new threat called Master Zokket and his cronies, the Extension Corps.

Most previous entries in the Mario & Luigi series sent players through a larger connected world. Concordia’s various islands, on the other hand, can give the impression that the game takes place in linear, individual stages. This is a slight oversimplification, because some of these islands can be complicated and challenging with numerous platforming sections, field puzzles, and enemies. Part of the fun is completing some of these challenges with Bros. Moves, like one that allows Mario and Luigi to spin like a UFO through gaps. Ultimately, the central idea is to reconnect each island by disconnecting the lighthouse from each one. Yes, instead of a flagpole, like old times, Mario and Luigi finish an island by jumping over a lighthouse.

What makes the lighthouses interesting is that once they are disconnected, the islands connect to the central hub of Shipshape Island. Players then open a huge ocean map and search for connected currents to search for other islands along the horizon. As more islands join the ship, the ultimate goal is to reunite these lands under a new Uni-Tree that Connie is farming primarily from scratch. It’s satisfying and fun to not only bring new islands into the fold, but also watch their inhabitants begin to land on Shipshape Island and begin to mingle with each other. The guild not only tells players to unite these worlds, but gradually shows them the progress they are making as they go.

With so many lands to discover, Brothership uses that idea to introduce some of the most memorable supporting characters to emerge in a Mario RPG. Beyond Connie and Snoutlet, there’s explorer Arc, science genius Technikki, and the brave group of kids who call themselves IDLE. Players will interact with these characters, as well as some minor supporting characters, throughout the adventure and there is even a section in the story that briefly reunites many of these cast members. Combine this with the sudden arrival of some old friends (and enemies), and it makes Brothership feel like a much bigger world, with greater stakes and memorable faces than any Mario RPG before it.

The brotherhood goes even further by making this world seem important through their side quests. This is the first title in the Mario & Luigi series to feature multiple side quests and are often worth checking out as rewards can range from valuable items to inventory pieces that far exceed what can be found. in a merchant’s shop. What’s especially interesting is that some of these side quests may be relevant to the story and, as such, players will only have a limited amount of time to complete them.

That said, this is the first Mario RPG of its kind where it feels like the story can play out in different ways. There are several points where players have a choice before them and any decision they decide can affect the progress of the story. While the story ultimately sails toward the same destination, the steps to get there may be different depending on certain decisions made. One example I can point to is that there are a pair of brothers near the beginning of the game who went their separate ways, so their mother asks Mario and Luigi to find them. Depending on which one they seek, a different brother will spend the rest of the story tending a shop on Shipshape Island. Is he most important choice? No, even having that kind of choice presented is a big deal for this series.

There’s more to say about Brothership’s story, but let’s put that aside and build to the best part by discussing the evolution of the Mario and Luigi formula.

The logic of teamwork.

Brothership’s gameplay formula is largely the same as previous Mario & Luigi titles. One button controls Mario and the other controls Luigi, although Brothership spends much less time forcing players to jump between the A and B buttons. Fortunately, Luigi follows his brother automatically, so his dedicated buttons are They are mainly used for specific question blocks or other objects that have a giant “L.”

Turn-based battles work similarly. The brothers fight side by side with their own stats and unique Bros. Attacks. Enemies can be knocked down by those Bros. Attacks, as well as Mario and Luigi’s signature Jump and Hammer. Enemy attacks are then telegraphed in such a way that players can dodge them or counter them with one of the brothers’ signature attacks. As the game progressed and enemies began to attack in greater numbers, I enjoyed having two or more of them team up for a more elaborate attack. Players will become familiar with this aspect of the game, especially since leveling up can be a bit difficult.

A slightly greater degree of strategy is implemented once players unlock Battle Plugs. These are open sockets that can be equipped with different sockets that will perform various functions. They could be offensive-minded abilities, such as dealing extra damage against flying enemies; defensive abilities, such as reducing incoming enemy damage; or support abilities, such as automatically using an item without taking a turn. Battle Plugs have a limited number of uses before they need to be recharged, so players must manage how they use them, especially during boss battles. Battle Plugs can be tedious to manage, especially as some sections drag on, but the net result is satisfying nonetheless.

Boss battles can become almost theatrical. These larger enemies can attack multiple times and their tricks will sometimes allow them to use their surroundings to their advantage. Fortunately, players can respond in kind with a specific mechanic. I’m getting there! I promise!

Little brother, big laughs.

Those who have played previous Mario & Luigi titles know that this series is highly regarded for its comedy. Brothership does not disappoint in that regard and, in fact, stands head and shoulders above its predecessors. This game is a riot of laughs, full of silly puns (the funny names are just the beginning), hilarious dialogue, and plenty of slapstick humor.

As you can imagine, the source of much of this humor is Luigi. He has always been a straight man with his older brother. He’s been a valuable source of comic relief, especially in this game, where parts of the story can get a little heavy. The moments of humor with Luigi are very useful and never feel mean. Everyone laughs with Luigi, never at him.

All that being said, Luigi is not only there for lightness. Brothership introduces the idea of ​​Luigi Logic, which posits that Mario’s little brother is prone to flashes of brilliance. You’ll have epiphanies on the field, an idea will occur to you during a cutscene, or most importantly, you’ll think of something during a boss fight.

Luigi Logic in boss fights is one of the freshest ideas I’ve seen implemented in this series to date. When Luigi successfully executes his idea, a boss will be out of combat for at least one turn and take critical damage. Putting Luigi Logic to work is often a theatrical affair, testing players with a quick mini-game that’s more hit than miss. I had one instance where I got annoyed with a Luigi Logic minigame, followed by a later instance where I thought it was one of the brightest ideas in the entire game.

By the end of Brothership, players appreciate Luigi as a character more. He becomes more than just the scared cat that tiptoes around haunted mansions. He puts his brain and his heart to work throughout this journey, and by the end, there is a sense that there is no one more proud of him than Mario.

Brotherhood is magical.

It takes a special kind of game to be among the ranks of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Mario & Luigi: Brothership is up there with an unforgettable story, lovable characters, a deeper-than-expected combat system, and beautifully drawn environments. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much or smiled so much. The music is also lovely from world to world and even throughout the various battles, although I must admit I did notice a strange sound mix during standard combat.

Mario has ventured into massive worlds before. He has even navigated the cosmos through different galaxies. Rarely has a world in any of their games felt so connected. Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a game about building bonds, the kind Mario shares with his beloved brother.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership will be released on Nintendo Switch on Thursday, November 7 for $59.99 USD. The game is rated E.

Ozzie has been playing video games since he bought his first NES controller at age 5. He’s been interested in gaming ever since, only stepping away briefly during his college years. But he returned after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, primarily spending time helping propel the Guitar Hero series into its heyday. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzles, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a big fan of anything that has a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can’t enjoy a good story with a cold Cherry Coke?