Critique of ‘Mario & Luigi: Brothership’: Solid Combat and Impressive Graphics Undermine Potential


If you observed someone playing *Mario & Luigi: Brothership* for an hour, you might conclude it ranks among the finest Switch games or RPGs of the year. Unfortunately, the game continues well beyond that initial hour.

*Brothership*, the newest chapter in the enduring RPG series featuring Nintendo’s beloved plumber duo, has most of the elements needed for an enjoyable adventure. The turn-based combat remains captivating, particularly when joined with some of the most delightful visuals found in a 3D Mario game. It even includes an impressively sturdy set of build-crafting mechanics intended for younger players.

With its charming nautical backdrop, *Brothership* seems poised to impress—or at least be quite enjoyable. Regrettably, it ends up feeling more like “adequate,” which is insufficient to sustain it through its lengthy gameplay.

### *Brothership* departs from the Mushroom Kingdom, for better or for worse

The latest *Mario & Luigi* journey (not created by the original developers AlphaDream, which shut down in 2019) presents a strong enough premise to capture players’ interest—at least temporarily.

The premise is straightforward: Mario, Luigi, and their companions are transported from the Mushroom Kingdom to a new realm known as Concordia. Once a cohesive continent energized by the mystical Uni-tree, Concordia is now a collection of disjointed, drifting islands. Mario and Luigi must traverse these islands, reconnecting them to the Uni-tree to restore balance.

As with earlier *Mario & Luigi* titles, *Brothership* prioritizes charm and lighthearted humor over grand storytelling reminiscent of *Final Fantasy*. The bulk of the game centers on jumping from one whimsical island to the next, addressing local issues and linking the islands back to the Uni-tree. The islands and characters frequently feature pun-inspired names, with humor that is playful and clever.

Nonetheless, the writing lacks the sharpness and cleverness of previous entries like *Bowser’s Inside Story*. While never outright poor, much of the dialogue comes across as mundane, falling short of generating much enthusiasm.

On the plus side, *Brothership* strives to convey a socially relevant narrative about the significance of connection. The game’s visual theme revolves around electricity, with numerous NPCs resembling living ports or connectors. The aim is to reunite a divided populace, both on a small scale (island by island) and on a larger scale (throughout the journey).

Sadly, the game doesn’t explore these themes in depth, and the electric concept often appears to serve merely as a way to fill the world with characters looking like HDMI connectors. While this concept is amusing in theory, most of these characters lack distinctiveness and end up feeling like interchangeable figures.

When compared to the vibrant cast of the recent *Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door* remake, *Brothership* doesn’t measure up.

### The *Mario & Luigi* combat still impresses

Fortunately, *Brothership* retains its essence as a reliable RPG. The combat—arguably the series’ core—remains enjoyable, which nearly makes the game worth playing. Nearly.

Battles are turn-based, consistent with previous installments, and the fundamental mechanic stays unchanged: Mario and Luigi combine their efforts in attack. Every action, from simple jumps to extravagant Bros. Moves, requires precise timing for button presses, as does dodging, defending, and countering enemy strikes.

This system ensures combat remains captivating for the majority of the game. Observing Mario and Luigi collaborate is endearing, and the quick-time events inject an extra layer of thrill into the turn-based gameplay. Mastering battles relies not just on statistics but also on your timing and proficiency.

While the combat mechanics are familiar, *Brothership* introduces a novel element: plugs. A few hours into the gameplay, you acquire the ability to insert plugs into personal power outlets, each providing unique combat effects. For instance, one plug might infuse your attacks with fire, while another could automatically execute quick-time events on your behalf.

Each plug has a limited number of charges and requires time to recharge, adding a strategic dimension to battles. Switching plugs during fights (without consuming a turn) becomes tactically interesting, particularly as you uncover hidden combos with added effects.

Nevertheless, it takes far too long—roughly 15 hours—to reach the stage where you have enough outlets and plugs to truly appreciate this system.

Boss battles serve as another standout feature, but they highlight one of *Brothership*’s shortcomings: there simply aren’t enough of them. Many islands conclude abruptly, with Mario and Luigi resolving issues without a climactic showdown.

The major, set-piece boss encounters are fantastic, however. They introduce “Luigi Logic,” a mechanic that enables Luigi to interact with the environment in distinctive ways, often shifting the battle’s momentum. Yet, these encounters are too infrequent, and the mechanic lacks complexity. Resorting to Luigi Logic is consistently the right approach, and it invariably stuns the