The Best Early Side Quests In Mario & Luigi: Brothership

Key Takeaways

• Mario & Luigi: Brothership features direct and indirect side quests players can engage in.
• Gathering reefs and Grampy Turnips are examples of side quests with rewards like accessories.
• Completing side quests like Arc’s Secret and Zokket’s Schemes can lead to valuable rewards and enhancements.

Like typical RPGs, Mario & Luigi: Brothership will offer players direct and indirect side quests. For example, the actual literal term and sub-menu will not pop up for side quests until about three to four hours into the game. Before that happens, players may think side quests only involve backtracking to islands and getting new treasures once pathways open up Metroidvania-style.

While Island backtracking is certainly a thing players should do in Mario & Luigi: Brothership, there are more direct side quests to take on. Some of them even have time limits like in the Persona games. So, let’s dive in for some early examples that players should miss with these plumber bros.

7 Gathering Reefs And Grampy Turnips

Hunting Down Artifacts In A Big World

• Location: N/A
• Reward: N/A

There are two types of gathering side quests in the game that have no direct ties to the side quest board. First, players will meet Issa Rock on Rumbla Island who will join the crew on Shipshape Island.

While sailing around the world, Issa Rock will ask the two plumber brothers to keep an eye out for reefs. The more reefs players find the more rewards they can gather from like accessories. Another gathering side quest will require players to uncover Grampy Turnips hidden in patches on the various islands. There’s a gold version hiding out on Shipshape Island that will reward players the more they gather.

6 Arc’s Secret

Help The Navigator’s Plights

• Location: Raynforst Island
• Reward: Arc Scope

Arc’s Secret is a direct side quest and one of the few in the game that players can miss out on if they progress the story too far. The navigator on Shipshape Island, Arc, wants players to find his telescope. All players have to do is sail back to Raynforst Island after they complete it the first time.

New pathways will open up after players link islands to Shipshape Island, giving them a Metroidvania-like incentive to backtrack. With this new way open on Raynforst Island, players can find the Arc Scope. Players can then use it as an accessory which will boost EXP earned in battle.

5 Zokket’s Schemes

Someone is Missing Some Boots

• Location: Minmin Islet
• Reward: Accel Boots

Zokket’s Schemes is another missable side quest in the game. Besides the big islands in the game, players can fire onto islets which are smaller and typically have side quest-related objectives. Players can complete Zokket’s Schemes on Minmin Islet, for example, where the two plumbers will run into the Extension Corps.

They’re kind of like the Team Rocket equivalents from the Pokemon series of Mario & Luigi: Brothership. There will be a brief cutscene before they peace out, no battle is necessary. Behind them, players can gather the Accel Boots which is a boot-based weapon that will increase Speed during battle when enemies are defeated.

4 Spiralia’s New Creation

1-2 Switch

• Location: Twistee Island
• Reward: Picnic Hammer

Players will meet Spiralia the first time they explore Twistee Island in the game and she’s quite the character. Later, players can return to the island to get a quick side quest from her called Spiralia’s New Creation.

All players have to do is go through a quick mini-game involving Mario and Luigi alternating switches on the ground. Once finished, she will give players the Picnic Hammer, a weapon both brothers can equip. The Picnic Hammer has no bonuses attached but for this point in the game, it’s a decent hammer.

3 Little Lost Toad

An Amusement Park Battle

• Location: Merrygo Island
• Reward: Bros. Hammer

Merrygo Island is set up like an amusement park and the central core of the island is based around a maze. It’s one of the trickier island “dungeons” that players will have to go through. Players can return to get the Little Lost Toad side quest from a random Toad who wants players to rescue his friend.

After going through another maze trial, players must face off against a few Snaptor enemies. Once complete, players will get the Bros. Hammer which is a big upgrade from the Picnic Hammer. This weapon will restore BP by two whenever an enemy is slain in battle and BP is like MP in other RPGs.

2 The Hammer Fan

Let The Plumbers Work

• Location: Rumbla Island
• Reward: Heart Bean

The Hammer Fan will not result in another hammer weapon for a reward. Instead, players will get a Heart Bean which will upgrade the HP of either Mario or Luigi. There are a lot of Beans in Mario & Luigi: Brothership that will improve stats and anytime players see a side quest offering them Beans they should take it.

This one is painfully simple and all players have to do is meet a random NPC on Rumbla Island. He’s a big fan of hammers and just wants to see Mario and Luigi smash boxes a few dozen times before he rewards them with the Heart Bean. It’s a simple side quest for an RPG but that’s not a bad thing.

1 It’s Dorrie!

A Special Guest Arrives

• Location: Desolatt Island
• Reward: Idle Scarf

When Princess Peach finally reunites with Mario and Luigi on Shipshape Island, a side quest will eventually pop up. Dorrie will wash up on shore prompting the It’s Dorrie! side quest. Dorrie is a Loch Ness Monster-looking creature who first appeared in Super Mario 64 and has made several appearances in the franchise since.

The side quest will send players to Desolatt Island where players will need to fight off some more monsters to save NPCs. After players return to Princess Peach, she will reward players with the Idle Scarf. This accessory will raise HP and Defense but lower Stache and Stache in Mario & Luigi: Brothership is akin to Luck-based stats in other RPGs.