Mario & Luigi: Brothership hands-on: Immaculate vibes meet brilliant nonsense

GamesRPGMario & Luigi: Brothership hands-on: Immaculate vibes meet brilliant nonsenseWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. GamesRPGMario & Luigi: Brothership hands-on: Immaculate vibes meet brilliant nonsenseWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Nintendo) No hero should have to work alone. Batman trained Robin, Bill and Ted changed history, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, well, let’s just say they went on their own terms. In video games, the most iconic duo is easily Mario and Luigi. Since 2003, Nintendo’s flagship brothers have headlined Mario & Luigi, a spin-off of the iconic Super Mario franchise that places equal emphasis on Mario and Luigi as a team; the cornerstone of this philosophy is how all critical button inputs boil down to the A and B buttons which correspond to Mario and Luigi respectively. The siblings have been enjoying a well-earned vacation for the last decade (since Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam on 3DS), but we caught up with the pair to go hands-on with their latest, Mario & Luigi: Brothership, on the increasingly aging Nintendo Switch. After an hour in their company, it’s clear that there’s little in the way of mechanical innovation in this successor. Yet, thelittlethings, the dressings and accoutrements to this mushroom dish, have left me thinking about it for days. They’re enough to justify this brotherly reunion entirely. Setting sail (Image credit: Nintendo) Mario & Luigi find themselves on Concordia, a colorful ocean planet made up of disconnected islands. It’s up to the pair to reconnect them, through the power of Brothership – or, well, the Shipshape Island. A moving buccaneer ship that’s a giant island itself, it floats all around Concordia in a big loop; a mighty helpful navigational map occupies the top left corner of the screen that allows players see where on its route the Shipshape is passing in real-time. Brothership is classic Mario in terms of narrative structure and design in this way, only now with a high seas twist. It’s like someone binge-watched Indiana Jones' most thrilling scenes while blasting the relaxed tunes of Jimmy Buffett and thought: “What if we made this a Mario & Luigi game?” Plugging back in (Image credit: Nintendo) The Nintendo Switch is over seven years old – old age for gaming hardware – but Brothership proves that even this old dog can do new tricks. The turn-based scraps of Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam remains intact in Brothership, down to its strikingly familiar user interface and the real-time inputs that allow a boost to damage based on timing accuracy. Even Paper Jam’s Battle Cards are back, now dubbed ‘Battle Plugs’, which give Mario and Luigi all sorts of combat perks. A personal favorite: Getting ‘perfect’ timing during combat drops a spike ball on my chosen enemy. I’m a sucker for stacking damage in RPGs, and with this Battle Plug, it never ceased being delicious forcing an enemy to lose more HP after giving them a proper wallop. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more To be clear: The combat is stilltremendousfun. The game’s cartoonish animation, in concert with its specific sound mixing – a cacophony of bubbles, metallic hammers, and airypops!– makes it so that you as the playerwantperfect timing in combat, because it just feels so good. Anyone who has spent time in Paper Jam will find themselves right at home in Brothership. It’s a culmination of all that’s come before, its simple concepts refined into a wonderfully moreish loop that make it stand out among Nintendo’s library. Brothers in paradise (Image credit: Nintendo) The reliably consistent and wholesome ‘vibe’ of Mario is nothing short of impressive. The delightfully innocent nonsense has stuck with me since my demo – Brothership is a perfect example of what makes bros so iconic. Mario is the closest thing gaming has to aDisney, Miyazaki, or Muppets equivalent; we really should not be surprised at the billions The Super Mario Bros. Movie grossed at the box office last year. With over 20 years and now six games accounting for this fan favorite sub-series, Nintendo has more than proved that Super Mario isn’t and shouldn’t be a solo act. It’s hard for Mario to cast a shadow over his brother when Luigi stands a solid six or seven inches taller than him. (Image credit: Nintendo) On the first island I visited, the primary mission was to retrieve hair gel for a self-centered music deejay. There’s a traversal mechanic where Mario and Luigi can link up and spin into a floating tornado; the still animation has them in a tango. And when Mario and Luigi reconnect the islands to Shipshape, they take out oversized electrical plugs (which emanate a magnificent golden glow) which they ‘insert’ into Shipshape’s sockets. The cutscene ends with Mario and Luigi joyously jumping in a circle, their gloved hands held. Whether it’s cute moments like this, the constant sense of discovery across Concordia, or the thrill of whacking enemies in perfect timing with your brother, Brothership is able to become something more. In other words, the vibes are simply immaculate. Mario & Luigi: Brothership is set to release on November 7, 2024 for the Nintendo Switch. More Mario? We’ve got our ranking ofthe best Mario games, so take a look! CATEGORIESNintendo SwitchPlatformsNintendo CATEGORIES More about rpgPlanescape: Torment was a revolutionary RPG, but many of its devs had no experience with the D&D campaign it was based on: “What the f*ck is that?“Elder Scrolls modders have released a playable part of the ambitious Project Tamriel, which aims to recreate all of the beloved RPG’s regions in MorrowindLatest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetSee more latest► More about rpgPlanescape: Torment was a revolutionary RPG, but many of its devs had no experience with the D&D campaign it was based on: “What the f*ck is that?“Elder Scrolls modders have released a playable part of the ambitious Project Tamriel, which aims to recreate all of the beloved RPG’s regions in MorrowindLatest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetSee more latest► More about rpgPlanescape: Torment was a revolutionary RPG, but many of its devs had no experience with the D&D campaign it was based on: “What the f*ck is that?“Elder Scrolls modders have released a playable part of the ambitious Project Tamriel, which aims to recreate all of the beloved RPG’s regions in Morrowind More about rpg Planescape: Torment was a revolutionary RPG, but many of its devs had no experience with the D&D campaign it was based on: “What the f*ck is that?“Elder Scrolls modders have released a playable part of the ambitious Project Tamriel, which aims to recreate all of the beloved RPG’s regions in Morrowind Planescape: Torment was a revolutionary RPG, but many of its devs had no experience with the D&D campaign it was based on: “What the f*ck is that?” Planescape: Torment was a revolutionary RPG, but many of its devs had no experience with the D&D campaign it was based on: “What the f*ck is that?” Elder Scrolls modders have released a playable part of the ambitious Project Tamriel, which aims to recreate all of the beloved RPG’s regions in Morrowind Elder Scrolls modders have released a playable part of the ambitious Project Tamriel, which aims to recreate all of the beloved RPG’s regions in Morrowind Latest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetSee more latest► Latest “Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet “Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet “Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet See more latest► Most PopularI’m fed up of pretending The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie’s Revenge isn’t a Christmas game, and a hauntingly good one at thatSilent Hill 2 Remake’s reinvention of its most underrated character means so much more in 2024"This is incredibly rare”: How Mouthwashing quietly became 2024’s breakout horror hitI’m no Grinch, but will someone please direct me to the good Christmas games?This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chancePatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far Most PopularI’m fed up of pretending The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie’s Revenge isn’t a Christmas game, and a hauntingly good one at thatSilent Hill 2 Remake’s reinvention of its most underrated character means so much more in 2024"This is incredibly rare”: How Mouthwashing quietly became 2024’s breakout horror hitI’m no Grinch, but will someone please direct me to the good Christmas games?This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chancePatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far Most PopularI’m fed up of pretending The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie’s Revenge isn’t a Christmas game, and a hauntingly good one at thatSilent Hill 2 Remake’s reinvention of its most underrated character means so much more in 2024"This is incredibly rare”: How Mouthwashing quietly became 2024’s breakout horror hitI’m no Grinch, but will someone please direct me to the good Christmas games?This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chancePatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far Most Popular I’m fed up of pretending The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie’s Revenge isn’t a Christmas game, and a hauntingly good one at that Silent Hill 2 Remake’s reinvention of its most underrated character means so much more in 2024 “This is incredibly rare”: How Mouthwashing quietly became 2024’s breakout horror hit I’m no Grinch, but will someone please direct me to the good Christmas games? This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chance Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics” Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s past Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé 17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding” Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over Christmas Spy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1 Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”