Mario & Luigi: Brothership

About

"Mario & Luigi: Brothership" is a 2-player co-op and single-player fantasy RPG set on the high seas. Join the brothers on an island-hopping adventure through Concordia, using their bond for Bros. Moves and attacks in turn-based combat. Meet new friends and familar faces as you save the day on Shipshape Island and beyond. Pretty visuals accompany this tropical, action-packed journey.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

42%

Audience ScoreBased on 47 reviews

story4 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Engaging and inventive battle system that keeps combat fun and varied.
Vibrant and charming art style with excellent animations that enhance the overall experience.
Humorous writing and a heartfelt story that adds depth to the adventure.

Pacing issues lead to a sluggish experience with excessive dialogue and backtracking.
Performance problems, including frequent loading times and occasional frame rate drops.
Some gameplay elements feel repetitive and can become tedious over the lengthy campaign.

story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
63%
16%
The story of *Mario & Luigi: Brothership* is characterized as charming and humorous, featuring engaging themes and expressive animation. However, it suffers from significant pacing issues, with a slow start and excessive dialogue that detracts from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the narrative picks up in the second half, supported by inventive gameplay mechanics and a vibrant art style.
- “The story is sweet and funny, with some surprising themes.”
- “While there are significant pacing issues that mean the game takes a while to get going, a simple but engaging battle system and an incredibly intriguing second half of the story helps to keep Brothership on course.”
- “Mario & Luigi: Brothership takes this long-running RPG series to new heights in a high-seas adventure that's packed full of top-notch combat, inventive variety, a positive and thoughtful story, and lots of signature comedy from the dynamic duo themselves.”
- “[game overall seems to drag things out in favor of giving you a longer playtime, waiting for your ship to reach an island was totally not needed, story picks up later than it should.]”
- “[sluggish pacing, tutorial heavy dialogue, constant story goal post shifting, luigi is just there]”
- “[constant stop-start conversations, story takes a while to get going, quantity over quality side quests]”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
36%
27%
The gameplay of "Mario & Luigi: Brothership" features a strong battle system and engaging exploration mechanics, complemented by vibrant graphics and a charming story. However, it suffers from pacing issues, repetitive elements, and a lack of accessibility options, which can detract from the overall experience. While the combat and puzzle design are praised, the slow interactions and bloated runtime may frustrate some players.
- “The vibrant graphics and engaging gameplay create an inviting experience that appeals to both new players and long-time fans.”
- “Shipshape is a fun hub area that's constantly evolving, islands are wonderfully diverse, with a unique musical track and biome for each. Puzzle and general level design are fun and engaging without being too easy or frustrating, engaging turn-based combat heightened by the new Bros. attacks, boss fights have fresh mechanics and new Luigi logic sequences to figure out.”
- “Excellent combat system, charming art style, entertaining exploration, solid gameplay.”
- “Apart from its great battle system, Mario & Luigi: Brothership is an incredibly disappointing revival that suffers from boring gameplay and dialogue, a bloated runtime, shockingly bad performance, and a fundamental misunderstanding of what made the series great.”
- “Other gameplay ideas miss their target, and things become a drag far too quickly.”
- “The actual current mechanic is fine but it takes some getting used to as it is so easy to miss islands and you can have a lot of downtime waiting to arrive. I just wish the game would let me get on with it; the game doesn’t offer any real accessibility options.”
graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
27%
The graphics of "Mario & Luigi: Brothership" are widely praised for their vibrant and emotive art style, which captures the whimsical essence of the Mario universe. Reviewers highlight the colorful environments, delightful animations, and excellent visual humor that enhance the overall experience, making exploration enjoyable and engaging. The cel-shaded graphics and well-executed design contribute to a visually appealing game that resonates with both new and long-time fans.
- “The vibrant graphics and engaging gameplay create an inviting experience that appeals to both new players and long-time fans.”
- “The colourful art style captures the whimsical essence of the Mario universe, making every environment a joy to explore.”
- “This is a big game, packed full of surprises and fun, and the all-new battle plug system, alongside lots of flashy specials, a fittingly emotive art style, and a world that is brimming with puzzles and challenges, make for a must-play in our book.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The optimization of "Mario & Luigi: Brothership" has received mixed reviews, with some players noting significant performance issues, particularly towards the end of the game, leading to sluggish pacing and occasional choppy gameplay. While the combat system and world design are praised for their creativity and engagement, the overall experience is marred by repetitive elements and a lack of wit in the writing, contributing to a bloated and underwhelming revival of the series.
- “The combat system keeps the core while adding lots of smart new features, excellent enemy variety, and countering attacks is great fun as a result. The smart world design offers a great mix of puzzling and platforming to offset the battles. The art style is fantastically emotive and works well to connect us to the bros. There is lots of replayability, and it looks and sounds great with good performance all around.”
- “Apart from its great battle system, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is an incredibly disappointing revival that suffers from boring gameplay and dialogue, a bloated runtime, shockingly bad performance, and a fundamental misunderstanding of what made the series great.”
- “[Sluggish pacing, poor performance, writing is devoid of wit, overloaded with gimmicks]”
- “[Combat can feel a bit repetitive at times; occasionally choppy performance.]”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by clever writing, engaging visual gags, and a charming art style that enhances the comedic experience. Players appreciate the blend of verbal and physical humor, along with the heartfelt storytelling and expressive character animations that contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with engaging gameplay elements, making it both entertaining and enjoyable.
- “The writing is clever, funny, and punny, making the battles engaging and keeping you on your toes.”
- “The story is sweet and funny, with some surprising themes that add depth to the humor.”
- “The game is heavy on humor, both verbal and physical, with Luigi's logic being just wonderful.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in "Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story" is highly praised for its excellent quality, enhancing the game's charming atmosphere and engaging gameplay. Each area features unique musical tracks that complement the diverse environments, contributing to the overall enjoyment of the experience. The soundtrack is noted for its ability to elevate the fun and humor inherent in the game's design.
- “What saves Mario & Luigi: Brothership from sinking completely is the strategically engaging and fun battle system, delightful animations that go hand-in-hand with the cartoony art style, and the excellent soundtrack.”
- “Shipshape is a fun hub area that's constantly evolving, islands are wonderfully diverse, with a unique musical track and biome for each.”
- “[Well-written and consistently packed with abundant humor and charm; delightful cast of characters; engaging exploration; consistently enjoyable combat; rewarding progression; looks gorgeous; excellent soundtrack.]”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of heartfelt storytelling and humor, with players appreciating the touching character moments and the wholesome experience it offers. While some feel that the emotional depth may not be entirely fulfilling, the game's charming worlds, lovable characters, and satisfying side quests contribute to an overall positive emotional impact.
- “Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a wholesome, cheerful, and simply wonderful experience that is deserving of both Mario and Luigi's names.”
- “Heartfelt story, easy-to-understand combat system, beautiful worlds with lovable characters, side quests feel satisfying, heavy on humor, both verbal and physical, Luigi logic is just wonderful.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
Players appreciate the game's replayability due to interconnected islands that evolve with each playthrough, alongside a combat system that introduces new features and diverse enemy encounters. The combination of engaging puzzles, platforming elements, and a captivating art style further enhances the overall experience, encouraging multiple playthroughs.
- “Connected islands will trigger changes in the island, adding replayability.”
- “The combat system keeps the core while adding lots of smart new features. The excellent enemy variety and countering attacks are great fun as a result. The smart world design features a great mix of puzzling and platforming to offset the battles. The art style is fantastically emotive and works well to connect us to the characters. There is lots of replayability, and it looks and sounds great with good performance all around.”
- “Connected islands will trigger changes in the game, adding replayability.”