Amidst the charming vibes of a cutesy RPG, Mario & Luigi: Brothership (set for release on November 7) is poised under immense expectations. This eagerly anticipated installment marks the first new entry in the beloved Mario & Luigi franchise since the original developer, AlphaDream, declared bankruptcy in 2019. Moreover, it takes on the weighty responsibility of being Nintendo’s leading Mario RPG, particularly since its other major RPG series, Paper Mario, has completely shifted away from traditional RPG mechanics.
Thankfully, Brothership rises to the occasion and meets the challenge head-on. It marks one of Nintendo’s most impressive efforts to date in crafting an engaging Mario RPG, enriched by clever advancements in storytelling and dynamic combat structures.
However, players will need to remain patient as the brilliant features of Brothership gradually reveal themselves, with many of its most captivating elements tucked away during the game’s early hours. Critics and fans alike criticized the extended prologue in 2013’s Mario & Luigi: Dream Team for dragging on with tedious tutorials. In contrast, while Brothership features fewer tutorials hampering the opening phase of the adventure, it offers scant compelling content to explore.
Getting things in shipshape
The narrative kicks off with Mario and Luigi going about their daily lives when an inadvertent act by Luigi unleashes a swarm of bees. In a touching moment, Mario intervenes to save his brother, leading to a heartwarming embrace that sets a heartfelt tone for the journey ahead. This sweet scene is a refreshing change for the franchise, moving away from the often snarky banter directed at Luigi for comedic effect. Their bond catalyzes an extraordinary event in the sky, transporting the duo into an enchanting new realm known as Concordia.
Yet, the situation in Concordia is dire. A shadowy power has ravaged the Uni-Tree, a vital plant that physically binds the country together, resulting in communities trapped on isolated islands, unable to forge connections or expand their horizons. Mario and Luigi are tasked with reuniting each island and rejuvenating the Great Lighthouses, which serve as symbolic beacons designed to promote unity across this fractured land.
The setup is charming, but players may find it takes anywhere from five to eight hours before Brothership begins to unfold its true potential. Characters with great promise flit in and out rapidly, only to be lost in the shuffle as Mario and Luigi move on to their next task. In the initial few islands, enemies are monotonous, and the brothers’ combat abilities are limited. The result? A gameplay experience that can quickly become repetitive and lacks the excitement of meaningful exploration.
Brothership acknowledges its pacing issues; for example, Shipshape Island, which serves as the players’ floating headquarters, navigates the seas at an agonizingly slow pace. Should players miss an island or a point of interest, they may find themselves waiting a minute or longer for Shipshape to circle back and reveal it again. Just before engaging in the first Great Lighthouse — about eight hours into the adventure — a duo of Toads devises a way to enhance the ship’s speed, allowing it to traverse even protracted circuits in under ten seconds.
Frustratingly, there’s no trigger or achievement that unlocks expedited travel or introduces significant enhancements to improve the overall gaming experience. Instead, Brothership dispenses such improvements seemingly at random, after forcing players to grind through less engaging content for a while.
An oddball cast
A striking incident occurs early in the game when a disgruntled young bully, filled with pent-up frustration, lashes out at artwork. An aunt from his past calmly advises him that to earn people’s affection, he should focus on bringing happiness to others — before comically delivering a “tough love attack” that sends him soaring into the sky. While the parenting method is questionable, the core message throughout Brothership centers around the idea that achieving harmony requires effort. True happiness hinges upon considering others’ needs alongside your own, leaving no space for the whims of self-entitled bullies in a desirable society.
This theme, while not groundbreaking, is noteworthy in a Mario game, as it diverges from the usual lighthearted narrative nature. Unlike most Mario RPGs — even those with more substantial storylines like Super Paper Mario — the narrative here is compelling, featuring deeper reflections and applications beyond the game’s confines. This is quite refreshing amidst a period when genuine harmony in real life feels like a distant dream; seeing a beloved icon venture outside the realm of pure fantasy carries an undeniable charm.
The wide array of quirky supporting characters Mario and Luigi encounter lends the message of Brothership a more personal touch, which is greatly enhanced by a significant evolution in the game’s approach to character arcs. Traditionally, supporting characters had minimal roles and would make brief appearances for witty remarks before vanishing back into the shadows. In Brothership, the game introduces a fresh narrative style wherein characters possess their own evolving stories, enriching the overall experience.
Some narratives are delightfully whimsical, such as that of a middle manager navigating his newfound purpose through daily visits to a spa after losing his job. Others delve into deeper territories, like that of a young sailor embarking on a mission to rescue their father while simultaneously learning to become self-sufficient. And some characters present surreal experiences, such as the Grampy Turnips— amusing little old vegetable men rooted in the soil who offer both useful wisdom and nonsensical ramblings in equal measure.
A lack of worldly variety
Regardless of their individual stories, quests given by these characters often require Mario and Luigi to revisit previously explored islands, whether it’s to uncover new areas, hunt for hidden treasures, or vanquish designated foes. Brothership hinges on this incentive to engage with each locale, especially as the actual level design appears to be one of its weaker elements.
When it comes to combat, Brothership boasts a richer complexity compared to environmental exploration. Previous entries in the Mario & Luigi series incorporated intricate puzzles within each area that capitalized on the characters’ joint abilities, labeled Bros. Moves — collaborative actions that only Mario and Luigi could execute together. While Brothership follows a different route, it appears constrained by established traditions, as the Bros. Moves featured largely revolve around throwing fireballs or spinning to create a temporary hovering effect, without the innovative uses seen in prior entries.
Moreover, the implementation of puzzles is often inconsistent. Each island offers a mix of creative setups and simplistic challenges, with several featuring merely basic jumping tasks or spinning across gaps. The visual variety of most islands largely alleviates the tedium of exploration, particularly as the adventure opens up more seas and introduces vibrant amusement parks and bustling tourist hotspots against the backdrop of Nintendo’s classic landscape designs, like icy terrains, deserts, and volcanic areas. Nonetheless, when compared to the heights achieved in earlier games, such as Partners in Time (2005) and Bowser’s Inside Story (2009), the overall puzzle design presents a letdown.
Even though the gameplay actions may seem mundane at times, Brothership retains a charming aesthetic and engaging atmosphere. As the first fully 3D installment in the Mario & Luigi franchise, it features larger character models that express emotion more vividly than ever. This results in some of the most dynamic animations ever seen in a Nintendo title, rivalling even recent acclaimed releases like Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023).
A surprisingly complex strategic core
For instance, one of their attacks involves Mario and Luigi engaging in a playful embrace, reminiscent of a tango dance. Battling foes requires a series of timely button presses, where each action is accompanied by lively animations. When Mario raises his hammer, Luigi can propel it from below, launching Mario somersaulting toward an enemy, leading to a delightful showcase of slapstick antics. Occasionally, players might find it entertaining to intentionally mess up the prompts just to witness the brothers’ expressive, horrified reactions.
The possibility of the brothers flubbing their attack with minimal repercussions might indicate that Brothership leans towards simplicity. However, combat with regular enemies presents relatively little challenge compared to more strategic encounters found in titles like Metaphor: ReFantazio. In Brothership, the emphasis lies on precision timing—pressing the correct buttons at just the right moment yields increased damage, effective defenses against enemy assaults, or initiation of counteractions.
At its peak, many of the confrontations in Brothership stand out as some of the most unforgettable within the series. Moments characterized by “Luigi Logic”—scenarios where Luigi ingeniously devises unorthodox strategies independent of Mario—appear in various battles, allowing players to harness Luigi’s capabilities through timely, daring attacks that can daze opponents, resulting in substantially higher damage for subsequent turns.
Picking these moves may seem intuitive at first glance, yet the intricacies of boss encounters call for meticulous planning before settling on any tactics. Opting to bypass healing or support options for a more aggressive strike can either culminate in a swift victory or lead to catastrophe if a button prompt is missed—hardly desirable, given the often protracted and intricate nature of these confrontations.
With the myriad of enhancements introduced to the Mario & Luigi series through Brothership, the outcome is a delightfully engaging (albeit comical) battle system within the genre—once it finally begins to roll. Overall, while the game does possess some fantastic themes, sequences, and mechanics, players may need to endure a lengthy wait to fully appreciate them.
However, for those players willing to persist through hours of introductory content, Brothership ultimately emerges as one of the most outstanding Mario RPGs to date.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership launches for Nintendo Switch on November 7.
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the strategic depth in combat distinguishes Brothership from its predecessors, inviting players to think on their feet while embracing the whimsy and charm that the Mario & Luigi series is known for. Although the game suffers from various pacing and world-design issues, the engaging character narratives and the complex, satisfying combat mechanics provide a refreshing experience that stands out amidst a sea of predictable gameplay. As players venture through the vibrant and lively environments, they encounter numerous opportunities for creativity and innovation, solidifying Brothership as a memorable addition to the franchise.
