Mario & Luigi: Brothership is out now on Nintendo Switch, and I was able to relive some of my formative years playing Paper Mario on the Nintendo 64 through the early 2000s. This being the 6th edition of the Mario & Luigi series, we are transported from the Mushroom Kingdom into another world. A world where the iconic duo set sail on the open seas where exploration, fun battles, and a lot of Luigi busting it down await. At the time of writing, I’ve only made it through a small part of the game, so this is my first impression so far!
Immediately, you can see Nintendo’s latest iteration of Mario, which takes a fresh, retro look at the art style of the characters. It embraces a more cartoony, Chibi style than what we see in Mario Wonder or Odyssey. The level diversity matches the variety of Mario Odyssey, though the levels are shorter – there are many of them. Each island that you visit has a distinct character from the last. From the vibrant warmth of your home base, Shipshape Island, to the greyed and wet Raynforest Island, each is endearing to the player. It made me excited to see what would be on the next level.
The enemies in Brothership are so diverse and are wonderfully designed, from the new yet recognisable mobs like the onion-shaped Seedle or Chameleon-like Invizilizard to the unfamiliar gumball-looking Guardarm. Some characters are so cute that I almost felt guilty stomping on them, while others I took great pleasure in curb-stomping.
Then there is the supporting cast; the inspiration is clear, odd, and works. The locals of the world are humanoid plugs, reiterating the world’s overarching theme of connection; they’re super expressive! What makes them even more endearing are their names. For example, Connie, the first friendly local that we are introduced to, is a Wattanist… HOW CUTE! She walks us through the blight we glimpse in the intro and sets us out on our journey. A journey which is guided by a new personal favourite companion (sorry Cappy and Starlow) Snoutlet the pink, flying (looks like one but vehemently denies being one) piglet. The art style and character design are an absolute hit, and I can’t wait to see what else awaits me.
Turn-based games and RPGs have been a mainstay throughout my gaming life. Brothership’s gameplay appeals to the inner child who frantically mashes “A” to catch something or do a critical hit by introducing a rhythm-based mechanic when attacking. Assigning one of the brothers to a button for each combat is more engaging, though it does get repetitive due to the lack of variety. Like most RPGs, there is a level-up mechanic, with each level-up improving stats and making Mario & Luigi more formidable. With Mario and Luigi lending themselves to DPS and Tank roles, respectively, I am excited to see what kind of builds I could make from items procured.
As someone who played Paper Mario on repeat, I was super excited when I heard that there was a new RPG Mario game on the Horizon. When I saw the gameplay trailer, I got super excited and sent a message to my wife to get the popcorn going while I set up the couch for a cozy co-op game. Then, after loading in, getting both characters and heading out on the journey of Brothership, we came to the stark realisation that it was, in fact, a single-player game. This is a huge missed opportunity for Nintendo, which prides itself on being the console that brings people and families together. Despite this big knock-back, this game is still enjoyable, with laugh-out-loud moments and a comfy environment. It’s not the kind of game I would choose every day, but I did enjoy picking up after a stressful day.
To read more or to purchase Mario & Luigi: Brothership click here.
