Mario & Luigi: Brothership espouses the importance of the cherished bonds between friends, families and even foes, but that doesn’t stop the iconic brothers from indulging in a good hammer time.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership is an excellent return to Nintendo’s otherwise languishing role-playing game (RPG) spin-off series, packed chock-full of charm, wit, and whimsy, plus pleasingly detailed combat mechanics that will deliver hours of fun.
In their latest gander, the mustachio’d brothers are whisked away to the land of Concordia and on a quest to reunite its fragmented lands following the destruction of the Unitree that once connected them. It’s a tale with a strong narrative theme; that the bonds between friends, family, and even foes have innate power. In classic Nintendo style, every possible aspect of the game centers itself around its morals to charming effect.
To go with its delightful tone is a robust combat system, largely following suit of its series predecessors but with the added flair of Luigi Logic, new Bros Attacks, and a power-up system called Plugs. It’s silly and fun, offering a moderate challenge as you time your attacks and counters between the two brothers. However, later in the game, the sheer number of enemies can become a bit repetitive, and you’ll likely end up skipping your fair share of battles. Overall, though, it’s very rewarding, and there’s a great variety of enemies and interesting bosses to tackle, making it a standout Nintendo Switch game of 2024.
However, like other recent releases such as The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Brothership also suffers from occasional performance issues. These are particularly prevalent when there are several enemies on screen or heavy particle effects, affecting even the island navigation map later in the game when more areas are unlocked.
It’s an unfortunate issue, as the game is so beautifully visualized that you want to lavish on every detail. The new 3D sprites for its cast of characters are a welcome visual upgrade, adding new depth of emotion and gesture both in and out of combat. Its lush and well-detailed overworld offers a reasonable amount of exploration, though some of the earlier levels feel underdeveloped when you revisit them towards the end of the game.
While it’s not exactly a contender for game of the year, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Brothership. The game is great fun, but it’s also warm and inviting, blending some of the franchise’s most beloved Mushroom Kingdom friends and foes with charming new Concordian companions to create a rich world filled with love and connection. There’s a real resonance in how Mario & Luigi: Brothership delivers its moral lesson, but entwined with bonny Nintendo flair and slapstick nonsense that makes the game feel truly special.You can make me whole again
Once transported to Concordia, Mario and Luigi and their new guides Connie and Snoutlet sail the open seas in search of fragmented islands from the former continent of Concordia with a mission to reconnect them to the new Unitree. Each island bears a distinctive theme; from the dance and rhythm-crazed populace of Twistee Island to the rival fire and ice villages of Heatfreeze Island and the desert dwellers of Allsand Island.
The game’s main hub, Shipshape Island, also teems with life, populated by side characters like three gossipy hens that’ll give you clues for side quests as well as equipment and resource shops for stocking up between islands. Along the way, the crew of adventurers grows to welcome a plethora of new characters, with my personal favorite being a band of kids going by the moniker of the IDLE group. As with all of the new companions, Brothership relishes in exploring the bonds they share and create, and there’s a wealth of relations explored through the lens of Concordia. From parental to sibling, found family and friendship to rivalry, and even bonds of love, Nintendo deftly toes the line of cheesiness, keeping the game firmly in the realm of fuzzy feelings.
It’s not just Concordians that decorate the storyline; throughout the game, you’ll encounter familiar faces from the Mushroom Kingdom, from predictable appearances like Princess Peach, Starlow, and Bowser to welcome surprises like Birdo and even a first-time Mario & Luigi appearance for Dorrie.
This does, however, mean the game can be pretty wordy, often splicing the action with extended character development and conversation that can make the game drag a little at times. In saying that, I did find it hard to breeze through some of the dialogue where I truly enjoyed watching the story play out, especially thanks to its quirky comedy and hyperanimated style. The volume of characters also means there’s a little pressure on some of the characters to condense their personality. Starlow, for example, is a little subdued compared to previous entries in the series, especially when it comes to her love-hate relationship with Luigi.
