Nintendo's portable gaming has a special place in the industry, a challenge the company will need to tackle in the years to come should it stick with a single 'hybrid' device in the form of the Switch. Nintendo's dedicated handhelds have consistently had games unique to that on-the-go space, with the Mario & Luigi series among them. It's graced the Game Boy Advance, DS and 3DS with multiple bizarre and quirky games, full of daft premises, witty gameplay and oodles of charm.
It all started with Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, and so it's somewhat fitting that the grand original by AlphaDream gets a second life with the slightly awkwardly titled Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions. It's a full remaster in that, aesthetically, it's a complete overhaul from the original, bringing it up to current-day standards while retaining its defining qualities. We'll start off with a fresh look at what makes this game tick before getting to what this 3DS version does differently.
Considered by some to be a spiritual successor to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, this first game in the Mario & Luigi series establishes some key things - the dual button control scheme, timing-based combat, and that villains are comedy gold. Though to be fair, the whole game is about humour. The cast of the Mushroom Kingdom and Beanbean Kingdom (where the game mostly plays out) are straight out of a comedy show, full of snappy lines and laugh-out-loud dialogue. Superstar Saga set the tone for all of the gems that followed and, in terms of its storytelling in particular, hasn't aged a bit.
The plot here, and its structure, arguably place it among the best the series has offered. New foes Cackletta and fan-favourite Fawful supposedly steal Princess Peach's voice; the famous Bros. and the intensely arrogant - and funny - Bowser team up (briefly) to tackle the new menace. Over the course of 20 hours+ they get split up, reunite in strange ways, and go through more twists and turns than a race car in Monaco. We meet some memorable new characters, and are also introduced to AlphaDream's spin on familiar mascots, with this game throwing in plenty of cameos along with fresh faces. It's clever writing, too, as it has the visual hooks and silliness to amuse young players, but also the self-referential wit to make big kids like this reviewer laugh.
As for the actual gameplay, it takes shape as any logical Mario RPG would. You explore the overworld, picking fights or dodging them if you prefer, gradually solving puzzles to explore the world and advance the story. Naturally the series has its own spins - first and foremost is the dual control mechanic. For the most part Mario & Luigi move together but jump independently with the A and B buttons, with X conveniently making them jump together. When you go into battle they operate independently, but you use timed button presses for a combination of attacks, dodges and counter-attacks. The centrepiece set of moves in combat are called Bros. Attacks, in which the two heroes work together on extravagant, powerful and goofy assaults.
It's a formula that was evidently nailed on day one, as it works as well here as it does in its various sequels. Those that have only played more recent entries in the series will also recognise a number of the overworld / exploration moves the brothers can pull off. Early on they're simple things like a high jump, but by the end Luigi will be electrocuting Mario to get through small spaces, or they'll hammer each other into smaller or mole-like forms. The design is fantastic, as moves and abilities are gradually unlocked to match circumstances; they feel easy and intuitive to execute.
It all unfolds over a fairly lengthy adventure, though those that felt more recent entries like Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam were padded out or thin on engaging characters will enjoy the relative brevity and diversity here. As is now the series' style it likes to pull the old "this is the end, nah it isn't!" trick a few times, but always in a way to raise a smile. Its new characters - now familiar to series veterans - are also superstars in their own right, with Fawful's iffy understanding of language comprehension being a particular high point. It's a world packed to the brim with charm, all wrapped around a clever spin on RPG exploration and combat norms.
Of course, plenty know this game well from the GBA original and its relatively recent inclusion in the Wii U Virtual Console library. With that Wii U release quite fresh in the memory, how can Nintendo justify this as a retail release?
For one thing, this is a genuine remaster, not a simple upscale. The entire game has been transplanted and reproduced in the 3DS-era engine for the series, which retains the eccentric animations and facial expressions of the older games but within colourful polygons. We've always been fans of the look, and purists seeking the 'original' should by all means play it on Game Boy Advance or the Wii U at a push; for the purposes of this new release the updated visuals look terrific. As a whole the game is a looker by 3DS standards.
Other aspects of the 3DS functionality are less important, and there's one major omission. To start with the touchscreen, it's used as a means to alternate between a minimap or touch buttons to access various moves and abilities; you can also place pins on the map to remind yourself of landmarks, though we generally went through the game only needing the most basic of pointers. The letdown, though, is a complete absence of the 3D effect.
There's no real justification for this beyond time- and cost-cutting. Both previous 3DS entries supported 3D with improving results, and it added a diorama-like appeal to the visuals, but here the experience is resolutely 2D. It ties into Nintendo's focus on the New Nintendo 2DS XL model, in particular, but after the recent joys of auto-stereoscopic 3D in Metroid: Samus Returns this feels like a snub to those of us that leave the slider all the way up. It's not a dealbreaker by any stretch, but considering the fact the action is almost exclusively on the top screen it's a lazy omission.
We do have amiibo implementation, too, in which you scan figures for a stamp book that you show to a merchant a little way through the game. On a superficial level this is one of the most fun ways we've seen amiibo implemented on the New 3DS / 2DS touchscreen, as you scan the amiibo by essentially 'stamping' the page. Standard Super Mario characters (though the pixel Mario and Yarn Yoshi worked for us) give you rewards, and the Goomba / Koopa Troopa / Boo amiibo do something 'special'. We didn't have those particular figures but, as is often the case for amiibo, you can enjoy the functionality or enjoy the game just fine without it.
The biggest new feature here, of course, is the Bowser's Minions campaign. It unlocks a short way into the story and follows an alternate path in which Bowser's much put-upon grunts seek to rescue their master. Initially a Goomba is made captain in order to be a fall guy, and what evolves is a real-time strategy-lite experience in a storyline that loosely follows along with the main adventure.
It offers a relatively lengthy campaign, though not all may see it through to completion due to the limited hook on offer. Employing a rock-paper-scissors approach to combat, before each stage you can see which kind of units the opposition will have and then build your squad and formation to counter that. Where you place units matters as much as type, and some are strong against particular opposition, with more joining your squad as you progress. As your numbers grow the challenging part is rotating enough to level up a broad range of fighters while also keeping each team's overall level moving in the right direction.
The actual battles themselves are extremely simplistic - you watch as the units scrap it out, occasionally using the A button when prompted for special attacks. You also have commands that you can issue (limited by a points system) to block enemy specials, rally the troops and more. Though you form the team and strategise a little behind the scenes the battles aren't very engaging. Grinding also comes into play as the challenge mounts, as you can go back and replay cleared stages if your units need more experience to level up.
The story told is charming, and the humour from the main game carries across. That's the saving grace of this mode, as the cast are certainly amusing enough to make the grind worth it. This add-on is competent enough, then, but not overly diverting; in terms of quality it's not really close to the design of the main adventure.
Overall, when you combine the remastered classic and the light-touch diversion of Bowser's Minions, you get a lot of playtime out of this one. It's also guaranteed to be some of the funniest and most unique gaming you experience this year, as the Mario & Luigi formula still shines brightly. For those that feel the latest entries on 3DS became bloated, meanwhile, this offers good value with a little more snap, though numerous extra hours can be spent on optional exploration and sidequests. It's just a shame, in the end, that Nintendo didn't implement the 3D effect, but that's one of our only complaints.
Conclusion
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is a classic, and this new version is arguably the definitive version. Yes, Bowser's Minions is a harmless but shallow add-on, but the Superstars are the real attraction.
This is a series that has a distinct and special place within Nintendo gaming, and after experimentation and not-always-popular approaches in the 3DS era of games, this takes us back to the IP's roots. What a treat it is, too - funny, smartly designed and pure unpretentious joy, this is a great start point for those that missed the original in the Game Boy Advance era, and should also be tempting to those with fond memories of the adventure.
Comments 106
Very nice. I'll admit, I wasn't too excited at first for this game but I'm liking the work they did to breathe some fresh air back into it.
Solid score.
Best one in the series.
Hopefully Nintendo can put out remasters.
Would love to see games like Golden Sun get the same treatment
This and Partners in Time are the only good ones imho. Looking forward to picking this up Friday after university, which will be like 30 minutes before the shop closes.
Worth a try. Wish they did it for Switch instead. Though it's a great handheld, the 3DS is slowly dying out. Except in Japan.
This is 60fps though compared to the previous M&L 3DS games, so the lack of 3D effect is more than worth the trade off for my money
In general I do like the style they've gone with as stated in the review, though am sad to see a few cases where they changed stylised Koopas/Toads to more generic ones
Imagine this game with graphic like Mario + Rabbids...
Only ever played the first two. Really have to give Bowser's Inside Story a go as I've heard great things.
Do want this though too as loved the GBA title.
Major bummer to me that the 3d was overlooked, but glad to see that the 3ds engine of the more recent titles was utilized
Never played this original, only Bowser's inside story (I thought was great) and Luigi's dream whatever (majorly disappointing to me) so I'm looking forward to this someday, I just have too many games on my plate right now haha
Really? No mentioning of the removed character designs? It is kind of a dealbreaker for fans of the original.
There are some games that you only want to play once, because of how perfect they are. This is one such game. When I was younger, I played through this masterpiece, trying each time to beat that final boss, who basically attacks you before you can do anything (unless you needed a higher Speed stat, if that was a part of this game?), and if you didn't manage to dodge her attacks, you would instantly (faint?) before getting to do anything of your own, and obviously if this happened to both Bros., you'd have to go through the first phase again.
I watched a YT video of the Final Boss of this version, and....she seems quite a bit easier this time around. I can deff see this game getting Nintendo's 'accessibility-treatment' applied to it, and that deff seems to be the case, especially with some of the attacks being a bit slowed down overall, etc. At the very least, Bowser;'s Minions seems kind of interesting, so if someone I know gets it, I'll at least maybe try that part out.
Overall, the game may look great and have a few extras, but that doesn't forgive the nerf to the difficulty, or the probably-remixed music (seriously, if even one note is changed from the originals (and I'm sure that's the case), the music is pretty much ruined in my eyes. It couldn't have been more perfect on the GBA).
Between SR, Mario+Rabbids, and Odyssey, my game availability is getting thin. I'll definitely have this on my radar for the inevitable dry spell.
10/10
I've played the GBA version twice so won't be double dipping for this one. Looks good though.
Never played this one before, can't wait!
Awesome. This is my favorite GBA title so this is a must buy for me.
I've never played through any of the games in this series, but definitely looking to start with this.
Can you get the sequel from GBA on the 3DS eshop?
As I already said on my comment on the "First Impressions", I'll most probably buy it if I can use a discount code I should have at this point.
But I think the omission of the 3D effect, which is always optional for those who don't like it or can't use it for medical reasons, is a shame and thus I believe the reviewer should've given it an 8 instead of a 9. He admits it's lazy, so 9 is a little bit higher than it deserves, in my opinion.
Anyway, looking forward to play it, because I use the 3DS much more than the GBA nowadays, and discover this very well regarded game of the series. I've only played Dream Team Bros. and I enjoyed it -and the 3D effect there was awesome-, although I did find it too long.
Woohoo! I really wanna play this.
I just cancelled my preorder last night.... Not because I don't want this but because I still have to beat Dream Team and Paper Jam, both of which I ABSOLUTELY LOVE. I am quite far between both of them and just want to finish them first. Also, I still have to beat Metroid. Basically what I am saying is that once I knock down some of my back catalog, this is being bought into my home It looks great!
Bowser's Inside Story was good too
This was a top 5 gba game for me. Still my favorite in the series as well. Not sure with all the games out and coming I need to re-visit it at this time but down the road maybe.
Graphically it looks good, but no 3D is really disappointing.
Mario RPG is all about the humour, this game and the other 2 on the DS are laugh out loud funny, much better than the previous 2 on 3DS.
The reviewer forgot to mention that only Wave 1 of the Super Mario amiibo line work + Bowser Jr.
@Josh2396 Yup i'm not going to bother because of the normalization of the Koopas and other characters through out the game.
Also I think not putting in 3D in a 3DS game is just lazy, i think Nintendo is giving up on the poor 3DS
Really makes me wish they'd port this to the Switch. I'd love to play it, but ever since I got my Switch, I noticed that I find it harder and harder to go back to the 3DS with its small buttons and tiny, low-res screen. I doubt it'll happen, but if they ever decide to bring it to the Switch, I'd definitely grab it. I might also at some point grab it on the 3DS, but not right now at full price. I don't know, but I just don't feel like making that investment with Warriors and Mario on the Switch being right around the corner, so to speak.
I hope the day will come soon, when the Switch will be the be-all and end-all one-stop place for Nintendo gaming. That plus a proper VC console ... keeps daydreaming ^^
Question, do they do the difficulty curve well in this game? I remember in Paper Jam the difficulty ramping up hugely when I faced a certain, fairly early game boss.
No 3D, no buy.
@memoryman3 of course ANY version of those characters will work. But it's true that it's limited to those characters.
@Bunkerneath Yeah it really is just a lazy remake of the game. They just used the old engine of Dream Team and Paper Jam, didn't even change the models of the Koopa's and Toads according to the original game AND removed the 3D effect. Shame that such an awesome game has gotten such a lazy remake.
I never cared much for the series, although I've never played this one and others are touting it as the best in the series. I doubt I'll give it a shot, there's too many other games to play.
Great review and a top score I can finally believe as all these Mario rpgs are fantastic.Never played the gba version so super excited for this.Although to be honest I still haven't played Paper Jam yet.
No 3d sucks balls though!
It's a shame I played the original only a couple of years ago on the Wii U VC. I'll still get this, but probably won't play it for a while yet. I own, but haven't actually played, the two sequels to this, Partners in Time and Bowser's Inside Story. I should really give them a go.
My Goomba Amiibo is on its way so I'm excited about that!
Can’t wait to get my preorder of this. My kids and I are looking forward to playing this. Don’t really care about no 3D, I never use it anyways. Not all games need 3D.
Wish we had that box art...
I am very excited to triple dip on this game. I played it numerous amounts of times on both the GBA and Wii U and even today, it still serves as my #1 favorite in the series. The later entries, in my honest opinion, fell very flat in comparison (despite me enjoying Dream Team and Paper Jam after how disappointed I was with PiT and BIS). The cast, the stories, the Bros charm, the gameplay mechanics (at least with PiT)...they all felt subpar in that not even an alien mushroom head, a body cell, and a pillow were any more interesting than Prince Peasley or even Queen Bean. Heck, even Cackletta is my favorite villain in the series today and as much as I liked Fawful, I only liked him as a right-hand character to the villain. His main villain role in BIS wasn't as good, imo.
Hopefully in the next Mario & Luigi game, Alpha Dream would take more cues from this game. I mean, I really missed the Hand Powers, the minigames were very unique and plentiful without being glorified Bros Items Acts, and the Bros Attacks in this game were much more interesting and better than using circus acts-like Bros Items. Of course, I would like to see the Battle Cards, Rank Up Bonuses, and an expanded equipment system from Paper Jam again.
@liljmoore
I'd like Advance Wars.
As much as I love the M&L series, I'll be skipping this one, for now at least. I played Superstar Saga for the first time rather recently on the Wii U, so it's still too early for me to want to play through it again. It wasn't my favorite title in the series either, so it's not as tempting for me to get as if it was Partners or Inside Story instead. The Bowser's Minions part is tempting, but still not enough for me to get it at the moment.
Glad to see it get a good score, as it gives me hope for a new M&L title in the future.
So it's a port of a GBA game with no changes to gameplay, no 3D, updated graphics that aren't necessarily better than the old ones, and a throwaway side campaign--with a full $40 price tag.
9 out of 10, eh?
I’m sticking with the original, thank you very much!
Original is for me, enjoy the graphics more, and since this is one of the only things this "remake" changes, ima stick too the original. ( only good addition is the skip cutscene for the fight near the end, which you know why its useful, but thats it, not much of a remake to be honest)
Sony started the year with an awesome lineup and Nintendo has delivered something big every month since. I just got a 3ds two years ago and picked up another one last month. I get that some who have owned the system have played all the games and are sick of it but I m cool with the continued support. I have a pro so I do like great graphics and high powered systems but it's not a deal breaker for me. I still play my nes and snes Wii U along with every other system I own on a weekly basis. I'm sure I'm not the only one with a huge a backlog that I may never finish if Sony and Nintendo keep delivering so much content.
Seriously, in a year where flat 3DS visuals are severely outdated: NO 3D NO BUY
Great review! Here's hoping the next one will be on Switch! And that they dare to be creative again, like the past games, with all those memorable characters ...and not just throw a bunch of stupid toads in there and call it a day.
I might drag out the Advance game again and feel smug about saving on a full price title. The original is a much more visually appealing game, from what I've seen of this remake. And Bowser's Minions looks a bit like Bowser gone web-browser (it reminds me of few a Flash-based time wasters), so I'm not too gutted to miss out on that.
Still, the original game was fantastic, and for those who haven't played it, I'm sure this game will be fantastic as well. Providing it still holds up, a 9/10 may be well justified, so I'm not fully on board with the idea that the reviewer should be docking points left right and centre. A great game is a great game.
Pokemon Sun/Moon and soon to be Ultra Sun/Moon, Mario Maker, Dragon Quest VIII, Hey Pikmin, and Mario & Luigi all don't have 3D visuals, some of the comments here lead me to believe that it is recent news that Nintendo gave up on 3D. They havent given up on the platform just yet though, hence New 2DS XL
@SLIGEACH_EIRE they give everything a 9
@Samus7Killer I don't know about that but they do tend to score games above the general average, usually by about 10%.
I have to say my money is gone for this month, too many Great games. This, Layton, Culdcept and Odyssey.
@UnseatingKDawg Right? UK gets the best Mario and Luigi box-art since Partners in Time and we get a collage that looks like it was made by a first grader in Microsoft Paint.
Now if only they could port this to the Switch too, that'll be awesome. I play the original on GBA and Game Boy Player and I had to say I enjoy it more on the big screen.
@HawkeyeWii There wasn't a GBA sequel to this game. The second game in the series is Partners in Time on the DS, which you can get on the Wii U eShop but not the 3DS one. (Unless I've misunderstood your question?)
Thank for review had this on pre-order looking forward to it...
Completely agree.
So awesome!
The lightning is impeccable & the music is nice. Enjoyed every bit of the game.
Why are people saying that they aren't a huge improvement obviously don't know what they're talking about.
I rather have these one that the high contrast one from the GBA :>
@Josh2396 how is it a deal breaker for only the toads in the first section of the game (and some in little fungitown) and one enemy?
@xPH03N1Xx86 the game is easier than the GBA original due to the updated jump attack & some bosses having slight stats tweaks.
@EmmatheBest Yoko herself remixed the music, so it boils down if you like the GBA hardware sound more or not. (Or nostalgia goggles) And keep in mind since she composed the original game, it might be that these iterations are what might she truly envisioned back then...
Also, I was thinking the same thing while playing through this, but you have to ask yourself: It's been some time since one might have played this (last time I did was 10 years ago) and after such a long time of playing the other entries & other games, it seems that one simply became better at playing games.
It's not some toads. It's almost all toads with original designs. I don't know how many enemies have had their original design removed to be honest, but I really can't call it a good thing nevertheless. The game loses quite a lot of character. With the removal of the Donkey Kong and Geno cameo, it loses even more. And why that is a dealbreaker? The remake has less to offer than the original game in this aspect.
The point of a remake should be to improve upon the original game, not remove features from it.
@Josh2396 true, it's indeed a shame that said character designs were removed, but they aren't really a 'feature', it's more of an aesthetic change that doesn't affect the gameplay.
(In the case for Geno it makes sense, due to licensing issues)
@Gridatttack That is true. I suppose it is only a real dealbreaker for those that have played the original. Don't get me wrong. I love the Mario&Luigi series. It's one of my favorite series of all times. It just makes me sad that Alphadream didn't put a lot of effort into this remake.
There are some changes to the gameplay though. Overall they made the game easier. Again not a huge big of a deal, but it is clearly targeted at newcomers because of that.
For those that have played the original, I just can't see a reason to buy it other than the remade soundtrack
@Maxz I feel that the current preview screens don't make justice on the new graphics.
My gripe with the original game is how all the graphics have these poppy bright colors due to the original GBA not being backlit.
I feel that here, it allows for the places to actual look more like what they're supposed to be.
@Josh2396 "real dealbreaker for those that have played the original". Well, I did and I don't find it a deal-breaker, but I can't say I'm not disappointing.
And well, I guess it's depends on how much one has a perception of 'effort'. I've always been critical to SMAS on how lazy it feels, but here at least, I feel they indeed tried their best to update the graphics while respecting the source material (with the exception of the character designs you mentioned)
And oh, it might be a spoiler, but from what I recall, they changed most, if not all the koopaling battles, which I felt it was a nice surprise, since I felt the original battles were too similar between all of them.
@Gridatttack Maybe dealbreaker is a bit of an exaggeration. I am only speaking for myself and some other people I know. Good to know the Koopaling fights have changed a bit.
i have this already on the Wii U. not interested in buying again.
@CreamyDream I could not agree more on those descriptions of the scores.
I mean, I do understand that this game gets a good grade. Even with the removal of some characters, the gameplay is mostly left the same. I just think something like the removal of characters, cameo's, etc. in a remake is something that should be mentioned. Nintendofan or not.
I was gonna do the double dip for the Minions add on as well I figured the 3D effect would be used but no 3D then no sale for me though the main game is a great game I really expected the 3D to be added in .
@CreamyDream "A lot of that is gone in the sequel since a lot of the NPCs are now generic toads and koopas."
I don't see how `a lot` is gone since it pretty much that removal affects only in the first part of the game & at little fungitown (& the giant koopas blocking the way)
What made the bean bean kingdom unique is still there.
@CreamyDream "Its graphics also aren't objectively better."
That depends. The GBA version accomplished what it could within the hardware, but the graphics here are "objectively" better because the 3DS hardware can accomplish more than the GBA
Also, you keep referring to "something integral to the original experience" which is debatable; it's true that the NPCs were more varied on the GBA and the controls somewhat better, but the core experience on being on an unique setting in the mario universe isn't hampered here to flat out dish out that the remake isn't worth.
The VC might be out there, but when this game eventually drop price in the after market, it's a more appealing choice, because in reality, it's better to play the GBA version on real hardware than on an emulated version with non-native resolution and washed down color palette.
For all the bellyaching in the comments, remember that most complaints comparing to the original are irrelevant to the large amount of 3DS or 2DS owners who did not play it on the GBA and most certainly are not going to hunt down a Wii U just for the chance to get it.
Most of the changes in this game are aimed towards those new players.
@CreamyDream yes, of course, I could continue replying because I have seen the entire game and can vouch that things like "character sprites is less expressive and comical" isn't as bad as they seem to be & depends on the person, but the whole point of this was to let people who read this review to have more sides on the matter whenever to buy this or not :>
Though, indeed, the current price tag is really a bummer. Wonder if that would have been the case if this was a digital-only release.
I've always wanted to jump on the Mario & Luigi RPG bandwagon and it looks like a great place to start out!
Very well written review. I'm with others however that it's arguably isn't as definitive of a remake as Nintendo would like you to believe it is. I liked the style of the gba original (something about the 3ds art style seemed too safe and sanitized for me). I also hate how they made npcs more generic (personality in toads and koopas is not a bad thing Nintendo!). I don't personally view it as that big of a loss with no 3d as I haven't used the 3d feature while playing on my 3ds in quite some time.
Also Thomas, on an unrelated note, will we be seeing a Culdcept Revolt review from you guys?
I found the gameplay and world design of the original so bland and unappealing compared to both Mario RPG and Paper Mario, did not like it at all - to say nothing of the lack of partners like PM had was a borderline dealbreaker.
One thing I can't deny, whoever wrote Fawful's dialogue had a pretty fun sense of humor.
I was pretty bummed to hear that there was no 3D, but no biggie. I'm still going to enjoy this starting Friday.
The fact I won't be enjoying this for a while for a variety of reasons makes me want to cry. Thankfully the original GBA cartridge is still there to act as a handy napkin.
Partners in Time was the best of the Mario Luigi series imo
I never got into this series, but after reading a lot of these comments, it seems I'd be better off just getting the original game on the wii u vc.
@Josh2396 Oh no, they change like 4 models, Sound the alarm this game is finished
Not bothered about playing this remake but anyone who hasn't played the original should snap it up. Terrific game.
@Videogameguru50 Yeah sure, remove content from the game in the remake and expect people to like it!
@Josh2396 Like a few models, screw that make the advanced bro moves easier to pull off and buff the bosses. Let's whine about a few model changes in a game that mostly retains its original models
It's been a very good year for Nintendo. A lot of ports and remakes, but unless you're one of them oddballs that get upset by such things it's been vintage stuff.
@Videogameguru50 The point I'm trying to make, what you can see in my other comments here, is that the remake is pretty lazy. Which is just a shame.
They used an old engine that was used in previous games, removed the 3D effect and on top of that didn't even change the models of the existing enemies to match the designs in Superstar Saga. It's just lazy
A remake should try to be better than the original in every aspect. This game did not try that. And if you have seem the comparisons, it's quite a lot of models.
And btw, the game is easier overall, I don't know if they have buffed the bosses, but few reviewers seem to have noticed that
@Josh2396 They streamline movement, updated combat, added a new mode, and visually enhanced areas in the game, a decent remake to me. Also the original Superstar Saga was easy as hell so I already expected the remake to follow that trend and the 3D effect in the Dream Team and Paper Jam was nothing special in the slightest
@Bunkerneath Hope you aren't saying that like you "got the game early" and are now deciding you aren't buying it...
I'll buy the original for 7 bucks on Wii U.
@Josh2396 I don't see why reusing an existing M&L 3DS Engine for a mere remake on an otherwise outdated handheld is considered a bad thing. Most companies wouldn't make a whole new Engine for a spin-off or remake if a feesible engine already exist.
As for the lack of 3D. They should've made it N3DS only if having 3D was slowing down the game since apparently many people still like 3D judging by these comments.
I definitely agree about the character designs. That's unfortunate to see and it almost makes me want to cancel my pre-order. (I'm getting it for 20% off, so maybe it's still worth it) I don't know if this is "lazy" or just Shigeru Miyamoto stance on not wanting unique character designs anymore on Toads and Koopas as seen from recent Paper Mario games.
@Spacey I don't mean that using an old engine is a bad thing. It only makes sense that they use the enginge again for this game. The point I was trying to make is that the developers didn't need a lot of effort to make this game in the first place: they already have the mapdesigns, gameplay and characters from the original game. They just needed to remake that in the new engine. The fact that they didn't even change all the character sprites/models, one of the few efforts that they did need to do, makes it such a lazy remake.
As for Miyamoto, I am not sure if it was his influence this time. The Donkey Kong cameo is also removed, and that was his franchise as well.
@Josh2396 They literally remade Cackletta souls model to be 3D and rescale Bowser body to it proper height. If you ever seen the original gba game, the sprites aged terribly
@Videogameguru50 Yes those sprites looked awful, even back in the day. But a remake with an already existing enigine is arguably one of the easiest games to make: you already have the tools and the source material. The fact that they needed to heavily remake 2 sprites of the source material really doesn't mean the game was ''a lot of effort'' to make: if you make a new game or use a new engine, EVERYTHING needs to be made from scratch.
@Josh2396 They literally remade almost every sprite in the game, also by your logic Kirby Planet Robobot is lazy for reusing the triple deluxe engine
@Videogameguru50 I never said that just using an old engine made a game ''lazy''. Using an old engine does mean that you won't need to put as much effort into a game as in a brand new one, for what you need to make a new engine.
So they didn't need to put in a lot of effort into that aspect of the game. But then they just reused the same sprites as in Dream Team and Paper Jam, without slightly changing them to match the look of the original GBA game. That was the part where the developers DID need to put effort in, and they didn't.
And no. They did not remake Bowsers sprite in this game. They just used the one they used in Paper Jam and Dream Team.
TLDR: using an old engine is not lazy. But not even changing the sprites in that engine to match the source material in a remake is.
They change like 4 sprites, the game is not ruin
@Spacey I wonder, why some characters designs being changed is cancel-worthy?
It's not like the entire designs were change; only the toads NPC, Dr. Toadley replacing the magikoopa in Little Fungitown, and around 4 enemies got their design changed.
The rest is pretty much the same with the updated graphics and doesn't really hampers a lot like some people claim to be...
@Gridatttack ''Because we're STILL angry about Sticker Star and Color Splash, and now any Mario RPG that doesn't have Toads with hair must buuuuuurrrrrrrrnn!!!!''
@CreamyDream You're not going to find many reviews from back in 2003, 2004 of the GBA release praising the Koopa and Toad NPCs, because they really aren't the focus of the game. Most of the Koopa NPCs show up for about 10 minutes at the start of the game and are never seen again. So I think it's a bit of an overreaction to be surprised that most people are indifferent to the designs of the Koopas and Toads being changed because its such a small part of the game.
What interested people and was most memorable about SuperstarSaga was the Beanbean Kingdom characters, the ones that they didn't change the designs of and put the most effort into re-drawing the sprites in this remake.
Nice review and nice score! I have it in my possesion now, so I'll dive in when I have the time (whenever that will be).
@Gridatttack Nah, I'm still getting it. I guess hearing a bunch of people complain about that made me think it was that bad. I'll form my own opinion. So long as the gameplay is relatively the same, I think I'll still enjoy it.
@meleebrawler Hey I actually enjoyed Color Splash despite my wish for the series to go back to its roots. I'm still getting the game, just I'll probably sell it once I play through it once.
This is the best Mario & Luigi game, I'm willing to get it again just for the updated visuals and sound and the great story.
@CreamyDream I actually forgot to mention.
From what I've recall, it seems that all the enemies were updated with an extra battle animation.
Say for example, the Yo bros from Hoohoo university now strike this 'cool' pose after a couple of cycles of the normal animation, or the Clumphs at Joke's end now scratch their nose.
I thought this was pretty cool, because it adds more personality to the enemies.
@Dogorilla Yep that definitely answered my question. Thank you! I honestly didn't know that the sequel was on DS. I thought the first 2 were on GBA.
What is the frame rate of this game? Did they cut it in half from 60 down to 30? I wish Nintendo would work on remaking choppy games. Bring out the Luigi's Mansion games at 60fps on Switch. Bring out Super Mario 3D Land at 60fps on Switch. How about Pikmin 3 at 60fps? How about bringing Animal Crossing back up to 60fps after these 30fps 3ds and DS versions?!
@EmmatheBest I realize this is an old comment/review. Having made it to the end credits of this game last night (and having never played the original), IMO there is a HUGE difficulty spike between the final boss and pretty much every other boss in the game. The Bowletta fight isn't bad at all, but Cackletta's Soul....Yeesh. It took me 3-4 tries over about an hour, both Mario and Luigi were at level 40. Most of it is trial/error and trying to get the timing down. But those windmilling arms, with their varying speeds, were hard for me to read and hit like trucks. And even with stat investment, it took FOREVER for her limbs to go down and expose her heart. I was spamming healing items like crazy, and some of the battle is indeed luck based. I've found a few comments online that suggest the final boss was buffed in this version.
A very fun, rewarding game? Definitely! I'm glad I played it! But I'm gonna contest your comment about that potential nerf.
@GoldenGamer88 Your wrong Mario And Luigi Dream Team is also a good game and not just those two games.
What a nice game. I'm right now into it on 3DS. Found the first hours a bit lacking in difficulty, but in the meantime it's harder and head really great puzzles and ideas.
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