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In the extensive catalog of turn-based RPGs, we have one featuring the most famous plumber brothers in history, who are ready to fix yet another mess. Mario & Luigi: Brothership inherits much of the mechanics of Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros., a Nintendo 3DS title, and makes it into something new and grand. And let me tell you, despite my preference for the dynamic duo on side-scrolling adventures or board game-like matches, I couldn’t put my Nintendo Switch down when playing this one.
In Brothership, Mario and Luigi must figure out how to reconnect an entire island system and end the power outage. So yes, this entry goes deeper into the plumbing and electrician roots of the siblings. To do so, they must use some of their signature moves from their other games and, with the power of their brotherhood, learn to work together and create new attacks. This is a turn-based game packed with action, special flashy moves, and dynamism for those who hate the static combat formula.
The Classic Mario Bros. Adventure With a New Presentation
In Mario & Luigi: Brothership, instead of having to rescue the Mushroom Kingdom and its inhabitants, these siblings are transported into another world. This world had linked its parts to the Uni-Tree that provides them with energy. However, an incident disconnected the energy line of the Uni-Tree, and the world ended up divided into floating islands scattered over the sea.
As fate would dictate it, but not quite, this duo of plumbers and now electricians must help connect the new Uni-Tree on Shipshape Island to the other islands. In previous titles, Mario had to visit each part of the kingdom or different planets; now, the brothers must go to each island.
When choosing my next destination, I felt like Captain Jack Sparrow, sailing the ocean, using the spyglass to set my course. On the voyage, I discovered new ocean currents, seas, and islands; I even searched for points of interest in the sea, such as reefs. However, instead of making a boat trip to each of the coordinates, you will have a hectic flight through the air after being launched by a powerful cannon to the next coast. It was a fun way to explore each place, and I enjoyed looking at it as I moved from one locale to another.
The main objective is to explore and reach each island’s lighthouse and connect it to the Uni-Tree’s electric circuit. However, the fun is finding a way to solve each new obstacle, defeat the enemies, and see how different the islands are. For example, Raynforst is a rainy jungle island where you must deal with vines that get in your way. In Florall, you must use the giant flowers as trampolines to reach higher places and solve puzzles to open flower buds, creating new paths. The variety of challenges was refreshing and gave every locale that sense of uniqueness.
A Brotherly Smackdown
For a turn-based combat game, Mario & Luigi: Brothership has a lot of action. To begin with, when you select your next move, Mario or Luigi will jump against their classic Blocks, but at the beginning, you only have the options of Jump, Item, and Flee. As you progress in the story, you will find more actions, such as attacks with Hammers or Shells.
Using each attack has an interesting twist because Mario and Luigi have their assigned buttons and make coordinated attacks. For example, to use Jump with Mario, you must use his button, which is A, at the right moment. If you do it right, Luigi will help boost Mario using B. This action also has its timing. If you perform this attack well, you will have a third action with Mario; again, using A at the right moment, he will make a devastating super jump against a single target.
The same applies to Luigi’s skills, but with him using the B button first. When you use the Hammer, each attack has its timing, and if you execute it at the exact moment, you will get a unique joint move and improve the damage of the attacks. It took me a while to get the hang of every move, but once I nailed it down, it was so fun to pull off these skills that felt like a synchronized dance.
If your attacks no longer have the same impact, you can try first with farming EXP to level up Mario and Luigi. Every few levels, you will get a Skill Point; these are independent for each character and will help you to enhance their builds. However, if you want more power, you can’t forget to buy gear. Each Glove, Wear, Boot, and weapon has a unique effect. You can combine HP upgrades, better damage, maximize your Defense, or do more damage with the first hit; this is when you hit them before entering combat. And for RPG newcomers, this game isn’t overwhelming at all. I don’t play a lot of them and found building my siblings extremely easy.
Mario See, Mario Do
The enemies also have their timing. You must be alert to see if they will attack Mario or Luigi. In combat, you can dodge, but you can also counterattack. However, it will depend on each monster because some are invisible, others move more before hitting, and others can hit twice if you don’t dodge. For some monsters, you must pay attention to their position because they can cover their heads, and that will reduce the damage of your Jump. For this case, you can use Luigi’s Hammer; it will do more damage because he hits horizontally, while Mario hits vertically with the Hammer.
Even though the enemies are of the “same species,” they have their moves. The Seedle enemies hit with a seed or a tackle, but as you continue advancing, you find another Seedle enemy: a water one. This water bud makes a spin attack; this enemy is of the kind that, if you don’t dodge, can hit both characters in one turn. Like the plumbers, this bud also has buffs for its teammates, mainly those to improve Speed or Recover HP. So if you face them, the first thing to do is to get rid of the Water buds and then the basic enemies so that it takes less time.
Beyond the hands-on moments in combat, which were my absolute favorite and kept it from becoming stale, I have to say enemy variety was the next best thing. Whenever you feel you’ve learned the ins and outs of mashing buttons to dodge everything, new foes appear to encourage you to learn new timing. This made each encounter even more dynamic, and it is something that those delving into the turn-based scene for the first time will love. In a way, it is a perfect transition for those used to a more action-oriented approach to their games.
Use Your Head
Another aspect that stands out in Mario & Luigi: Brothership is that you will find parts where you will need Luigi’s specific help as you progress. Luigi will start to glow in some parts, and you can use the L button to activate “Luigi’s Logic.” At the start, “Luigi’s Logic” will be handy for sending Luigi to collect items around the map, break boxes, or make counterbalances. Other parts have marked mechanisms for each brother, like giant buttons with the color and initial of each one. Some of these puzzles are to lower a bridge or to activate a mini-game, like in Florall Island, to make a new path.
But Luigi’s creativity is unlimited, and he will also help you create special “sibling” techniques. The first one you will find will make the brothers hold hands and start spinning together so fast that they will begin to float as if they were an alien ship. This mechanic helps fly over short distances and collect more coins in the air. Even as you progress, you will discover more and more bro-techs.
The bosses have their abilities, too, although their mechanics are similar to the island’s enemies. At the beginning of these fights, you will have no problem until you can activate “Luigi’s Logic” during the battle. This happens after doing some damage to the boss, and it will change its attacks to a special one, with Luigi having a window to do as much damage as possible. The first boss will throw rocks that you must hit, and one of them will fall on a statue in the background. Luigi will run to the statue to make a counterattack; here, be alert to the timing to make a joint attack, which stuns the boss.
The biggest challenge of “Luigi’s Logic” and the combat is the attacks or the puzzles because you must coordinate well with both characters. In the beginning, it was a little complicated to remember which button was for each one and when to press it. However, the more I practiced, the more I got the hang of it. Also, one thing I loved, despite Mario being usually one of gaming’s biggest heroes, is how Luigi becomes essential to be victorious in the fights and advance through the maps. It was nice to see both brothers get an equal amount of time under the spotlight.
A Perfect Duo
I’m a fan of Mario games, but I’m more used to the classic platformers. I usually avoid turn-based games because they usually seem more static or slow for me. However, Mario & Luigi: Brothership is very different because of its counterattack mechanics and brotherly abilities, which make it more dynamic. Besides, it takes advantage of the RPG features without making it overwhelming.
The story doesn’t feel that linear either, which I also liked. For example, when visiting an island for the first time, you can only go to reconnect the lighthouse; on your second visit, you can fight the boss. Also, I mentioned how much I enjoyed being an island-seeking plumber, visiting each ecosystem to test its mechanics and learning how to connect each lighthouse. Ultimately, it is a proper turn-based RPG for veteran fans but a terrific starting point for those who want to see the dynamic duo from a new perspective.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership (Switch Reviewed)
Mario & Luigi: Brothership is an excellent choice for those who love turn-based combat and RPGs because of its unique twists, dynamic combat, and gorgeous world to explore.
Pros
- An excellent exploration system.
- Amazing dynamic fights.
Cons
- Certain button combinations can be difficult to master.
- The story isn't bad, but it isn't groundbreaking either.
