Unlocking Adventure: A Deep Dive into Mario and Luigi: Brotherhood for Nintendo Switch

Let go, all hands on deck and raise the sail! Sam has never been on a sailboat a day in his life, but he’s been a big brother for 31 years. That means he’s 50% qualified to shout something about Mario and Luigi: Brotherhood, which is already pretty high by PU standards. Raise the jib and tilt the rudder, we’re going on an adventure!

Nintendo and marine themes: more than once they are one a sign made in heaven. Add to this the fact that Mario is back in the form of a beloved turn-based RPG and the course for success seems set. At least, if you know how to keep the wind in your sails. And that is exactly the most challenging thing about sailing. That and the difference between starboard and port….

Pico Bello BV

We blast through the story of Mario and Luigi: Brotherhood at hurricane force 10. A short vacation to the sunny destination of Concordia costs Mario and Luigi dearly when they discover that the continent is a fungus fell apart. The plugs that connected the individual parts and provided power were removed with the sleekly styled Shoqx, the inspiration is still unclear. As a result, all the loose parts are now moving without direction in the currents of the sea. All the green signals for a super shitty vacation, as the Airbnb island and the local pub are now floating about 65 nautical miles apart.

The word ‘plumber’ may mean ‘electrician’ in Concordian, as Niet Te Strakke Total BV is contracted on site to put the entire Concordia back together. It’s also the starting point for a flood of points, something they seem to love in this part of the world. There is Zeiland, the sailing island with which the brothers attack the seas full of scattered islands. Their client with a connector on her hat is called Connie and the hyperactive electric pig with an identity crisis is called Trufvolt. The quote may never be paid and the extra time doesn’t make the dog happy, but Mario and Luigi wouldn’t be themselves if they didn’t help out of the goodness of their hearts.

Mand.

Fortunately, we found enough gold coins on the way to pay for the ball sandwich at lunchtime, so we come to work with good confidence. However, we don’t have to go far out to sea before the fun begins. Every trip to an island is preceded, interrupted and completed by a lot of unnecessary communication. Characters have a bad habit of speaking out loud during every internal monologue or analysis of a problem. It is impossible to avoid these conversations and they rarely add anything to the adventure, which takes the wind out of the sails.

When I finally shoot myself out of a cannon onto a nearby island, a little holiday feeling starts to creep in. Each of the islands has its own looms and special flora and fauna, making each trip a special visit. For example, there is an island with a rotating maze in the middle, we help the king of disco find his hair gel and we have to find an oasis in an island full of sand and undead sharks. There is also a new type of puzzle or puzzle to be found on almost every island, which ensures that each day’s journey is different. It’s hard work, but it’s a lot of fun to slowly re-navigate each of these islands.

Kick or knock

But there are dark clouds on the horizon, because there is a mandatory activity that as a typical holidaymaker you will only find in Hersonissos or Lloret: a good fight. That in itself is not a strange hobby at all for the brothers, who have jumped on many heads with their brown work shoes. The problem is not in the nature of the activity, but its form. In the first quarter of the game you have only two attacks: jumping on someone’s head or whaling them with a huge funny hammer. And where both are completely effective, the limited offer does not provide entertaining fights. In an endless stream of kicks or punches, you fight your way through a tsunami of enemies in battles that all look the same.

That’s particularly worrying, especially since these battles are an integral part. The turn-based combat is the way to collect experience points to make Mario and Luigi stronger. And since Shoqx and his companions are not stupid drinkers, you will need to collect several experience points before you can chase these criminals off the islands. There is simply no other choice but to continue the same fight to connect all the individual islands to the Zeiland. It takes almost a full working day of playtime before this changes, so your holiday can easily start a day later.

Unholy ritual 69

Thank God the wind is changing, because after those first hours we suddenly get several new attacks and enemies. This way, enemies get more types of attacks and appear in increasingly diverse groups. Each enemy must be dealt with differently, which suddenly makes me think strategically about each battle. I also get a temporary power boost: plugs. I can choose from an arsenal of pads, each of which gives the two brothers a special power. Hitting several enemies at the same time, getting life points back with each successful attack, leaving enemies alight with a successful attack: there are countless possibilities that only get really interesting when you combine them. While I take out my frustrations with the chat dwellers on my opponents, I suddenly have fun with fighting.

Things also get a little more interesting outside of battles. I am slowly getting several powers that help me solve puzzles on islands where I am now or where I have been. For example, the turbo brothers can dance a tango, turning themselves into a flying UFO, or join in an unholy ritual 69 to create a beach ball that can squeeze through small openings. It is not very hygienic, but it offers room for new puzzles and therefore new entertainment.

The new boost in combat and puzzles is very welcome, but it also seems to be a rather short-lived revival. The wind that was blowing our sails also goes down, only rising from time to time with just a handful of new powers. That’s where the problem is with this holiday: the first few days you just lie by the pool while your ears are blown off, then you go walking 40 kilometers in 32 degrees for two days in a row. There’s enough variation to make for a very enjoyable and varied ride, but the pace of this adventure is too irregular for an enjoyable and organic experience. Add to that the fact that several tsunamis of conversation are fired at you for every trip to an island and you understand that the feeling of the holidays never stops.

Mario and Luigi: Brotherhood will be available on Nintendo Switch from November 7.