Mario & Luigi Brothership review: I simply moustache you play this game

Fans of turn-based Super Mario action have been blessed with an embarrassment of riches lately.

First came the completely unexpected Nintendo Switch remake of Super Mario RPG, the first game to ever dare to ask: what if we made a Final Fantasy game and chucked an Italian plumber in there? Not long after we were treated to a gorgeous remaster of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, for my money one of the finest video games on any system.

These two releases alone would have been enough to keep Mario RPG enthusiasts happily fed and watered until the Switch successor finally arrives, but Nintendo decided to save the best for last. Mario & Luigi: Brothership is the first truly new entry in the Mario & Luigi RPG series since 2015, and it’s a sparkling return to form that might just be the best since Superstar Saga graced the Game Boy Advance.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership doesn’t waste much time getting stuck in. A beautifully animated introductory cutscene sees the brothers (and various other Mushroom Kingdom residents) transported to a strange world in which everything is connected by and dependent on a kind of organic electricity that’s grown, not manufactured.

This realm has been broken apart by a cataclysmic event, causing various land masses to float aimlessly around a large ocean. Luckily, Mario and Luigi happen to land on the one island that has been fashioned into a giant makeshift boat, and the brothers set about a new voyage to reconnect the world one island at a time.

It’s worth noting that you don’t get to freely explore this ocean, if you’re thinking you might be getting something akin to The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Exploration is more Spirit Tracks, with the island only being able to travel along set currents (because of the electricity motif, get it?).

This approach can feel a little clunky at first. You basically have to wait for the island to drift along the current you’ve chosen and, if you’re alerted to a nearby land mass, you’ll need to head towards the ship’s cannon and fire yourself at it. You can travel back to previously explored islands at will once you’ve connected them, so the idea is that you backtrack to explore for sidequests and power-ups while your vessel cruises to its next destination.

It’s a sound idea on paper, but in practice it just meant I found myself abandoning side quests halfway in any time I got the notification to let me know we were approaching new land. The issue is, if you don’t get to the cannon to fire yourself towards the new island before your “boat” drifts past it, you have to wait for it to ride the currents back around again.

Fortunately, you can unlock the ability to greatly speed up your travelling island quite early on, meaning you can simply wait by the cannon as you thunder towards your destination in less than half the time.

Nintendo

Being given a wide ocean to explore that’s confined to set rails feels like a bit of a waste, but there are still plenty of secrets to discover and optional islands and quests as you continue your voyage, so your wanderlust should be at least partly satisfied.

There’s plenty of variety to the islands themselves, too. From desert shantytowns and dense jungles, to gleaming office complexes and gigantic amusement parks, Brothership’s island-by-island approach means every new landfall feels like an entirely self-contained adventure within a larger story. I should also note; that while the game is predominantly linear, you do get some choice in what order you tackle certain islands, though the overall impact on the narrative is negligible.

One other huge improvement I have to praise, especially after recently playing through Superstar Saga again via the Nintendo Switch Online library, is that Luigi is no longer solely controlled by the player when exploring.

Past games in the series would get a little clunky and confusing as you used one button to make Mario jump and another to have Luigi do the same. Platforming segments and puzzle solving is much more enjoyable now, owing to the fact Luigi will simply follow Mario under his own steam. With the tap of a button you can even send the lanky plumber off on his own to smash blocks or pull switches, making for a markedly more intuitive experience.

The writing isn’t quite on par with earlier entries in the series, which still contain some genuinely laugh-out-loud dialogue and ridiculous encounters. Some of the sharper edges have been softened and everything feels just a little bit safer. Still, there are some great moments for Mario and Luigi, plus an adorable supporting cast and a fun sense of humour to keep everything ticking along.

Some of the game’s best humour comes from the tiny details afforded by the game’s gorgeous cartoony aesthetic. I don't think the plumbers have ever looked this good, with Brothership’s distinct style allowing for exaggerated expressions and moments of genuine physical comedy.

Whether it’s the look of fear on Mario’s face after his brother is knocked out in battle, or the way Luigi silently congratulations himself for landing on an island without crashing headfirst into a tree, this game is a constant delight to look at. Once again, Nintendo reminds us that the Switch is still capable of genuinely gorgeous games.

Nintendo

That stunning visual style lends an entirely new flavour to Brothership’s turn-based combat systems, which I think might just be the best they’ve ever been in any Mario RPG. That familiar rhythm-based attack and defence approach is back, with carefully timed button presses rewarding increased damage, extra hits, and the ability to evade enemies entirely. As per previous games, specific enemies require different timings and approaches to exploit their weaknesses and avoid their attacks, but there’s a flair and fluidity to battle rarely seen in a turn-based RPG.

For one thing, there’s a much greater focus on Mario and Luigi working together for powerful combos, with what previous games might have saved for special attacks presented here as standard moves. This, in turn, opens the door for some really rather spectacular special moves between the bros.

A particular favourite of mine involves Mario and Luigi attempting to throw a Yoshi egg into a crowd of enemies, with the proper button presses resulting in the green cutie bursting from its shell and obliterating the bad guys with a butt stomp. I also enjoyed a bombastic attack that had Mario and Luigi mash buttons to inflate an artificial thundercloud, which would then rain lightning down.

There’s also greater opportunity for customisation, with special Battle Plugs taking the place of badges alongside all the usual hammer and boot upgrades that’ll grant Mario and Luigi various buffs.

Battle Plugs have a range of different effects, from making it easier to counter enemies to hammer attacks resulting in an explosion that damages multiple foes. While badges in previous games would grant indefinite perks, Battle Plugs have to be recharged after a certain amount of turns, meaning you’re encouraged (forced) to have a constant rotation, trying new combinations for unexpected bonuses.

It can be a bit of a pain to remember to swap out plugs in between battles if one has lost its juice, but thankfully you can just as easily swap them in and out during fights if needed. The only real downside to the game’s otherwise pristinely polished combat is that loading screens are just a fraction too long in and out of battles, perhaps the only real concession here to the Switch’s ageing hardware.

I’ve saved the game’s very best feature till last: Luigi Logic. This is an utterly unhinged new feature that’s used in and out of battle, and basically revolves around one very simple concept: what if Luigi has an absolutely batshit idea and Mario just lets him run with it?

Nintendo

Luigi might see a small gap in a fence, for instance, and take it upon himself to charge at it and force his supple green frame through so he can hit a switch on the other side and let Mario join him. He may see a horde of hungry sharks and volunteer himself as a distraction by dangling himself temptingly from a nearby tree.

He will do things no human has ever thought possible, contorting his body and mind in obscene ways to complete his mission. It’s gleefully silly, and constantly surprising. Whenever the little ‘L’ prompt appears, you’re never quite sure what the cheeky little blighter has come up with.

Luigi Logic can also be used in the game’s various boss battles, adding an extra pinch of spice to the game’s already excellent combat. These particular Luigi Logic moves lead to various ridiculous minigames that, if completed properly, allow the brothers to stun a boss and lay down some serious bonus damage.

A few minor niggles aside, Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a largely glowing return for the iconic brothers. This is a charming adventure full of whimsy, heart, and humour, all bolstered by accessible yet rewardingly rich RPG systems, and a gloriously gorgeous visual style. The Nintendo Switch might be on its way out, but it’s capable of some absolute bangers.

Pros: Gorgeous to look at, great sense of humour, battles are a blast, Luigi Logic!

Cons: Sailing is a little more rigid than I’d like, loading screens

For fans of: Sea of Stars, Paper Mario

9/10: Exceptional

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is available November 7 for Nintendo Switch. Read a guide to our review scores here.