Key Takeaways
- Island-hopping mechanic sets Mario & Luigi Brothership apart from previous entries.
- Bulbfish Island offers a unique nighttime mystery exploration experience.
- Heatfreeze Island presents a hot vs. cold conflict in a distinct design.
Every entry in the Mario & Luigi series has a new twist or idea to help the brothers new adventure stand out, and Mario & Luigi Brothership is no different, For Brothership, this core mechanic is island-hopping as the core method of exploring the world.
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Instead of a bigger, interconnected map, the brothers find themselves using the moving Shipshape Island to get between each of the lost islands of Concordia to help bring the land back together. All of these islands have their own unique designs and motifs, and stand out from each other in different ways, but which is the most enjoyable to explore?
8
Bulbfish Island
Brotherly Sleuthing
While most of the islands in Mario & Luigi Brothership have a brighter aesthetic that makes them enticing and easy to explore, Bulbfish stands out, being in a perpetual state of nighttime, with only a few parts of the island lit up by streetlights.
Instead of a more linear exploration experience, you’ll be uncovering the mystery behind the strange behaviour of some of the island’s residents, as well as the missing bulbfish eggs. You’ll need to jump around the island, talking to specific characters and solving puzzles to get to the bottom of what’s happening on this island.
7
Slippenglide Island
Pack For Cold Weather
Icy levels in video games can often be some of the most frustrating thanks to how awkward slipping around on ice can be. However, Mario & Luigi Brothership overcomes the usual issues that come with this style of level, instead focusing on a more platforming-centric island.
This is also the island where you’ll learn how to boost your rolling traversal ability. By boosting your roll, you’ll be able to progress past trickier sections of the level. Unlike the earlier traversal abilities, you’ll need some precise timing and skill to pull off using the ability properly, making it an enjoyable challenge to utilize.
6
Twistee Island
Pomp And Circumstance
One of the earlier islands you’ll get to explore in Brothership is Twistee Island, and while it’s a bit smaller than some of the others, it makes up for this with its personality. You’re visiting the island to look for Maykit, and you’ll find her reciting poetry at the top of a cliffside, but you won’t be able to get up to her unless you can prompt the massive plant alongside the cliffside to grow a pathway upwards.
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The problem is that the plant will only grow with dancing and music, and the resident rhythm master of the town, Dyode, is down in the dumps since he’s unable to style his signature pompadour without his hair wax. So it’s up to the brothers to explore the dense forest to get the hair wax that Dyode is desperate for, and finally complete the island.
5
Desolatt Island
IDLE Territory
Most of the islands in Brothership are quite linear with how you’re intended to work through them, and this is why Desolatt island stands out, by letting you explore the sprawling town in whatever way you desire.
The town is home to the IDLE group, a collection of delinquent youngsters that you’ll need to locate so they can help you reach the end of the island. Finding each of the members in the rustic town provides a more open-ended challenge, and is a great change of pace from the rest of the game.
4
Heatfreeze Island
Hot ‘N’ Cold
The Mario series is no stranger to combining hot and cold locations, with the same idea present in the very first Mario Galaxy game. Clearly, recycling ideas isn’t always a bad thing, since Heatfreeze Island is a highlight of Mario & Luigi Brothership.
Here you’ll try and resolve the conflict between the residents who live on the hot and the cold side of the island, by trying each of their signature dishes, and chatting to citizens from each side. The island is full of personality, and both halves have a distinct design that makes moving between them a unique experience.
3
Merrygo Island
Just Around The Corner
For the first few islands of Mario & Luigi Brothership, you’ll only come across new characters from the world of Concordia, but as you move into new seas, you’ll realize that it wasn’t just the brothers that were pulled into this kingdom, but other Mushroom Kingdom residents like Peach.
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With the promise of locating the princess, the brothers will make their way to Merrygo Island, but it’s hardly a straight line to reach Peach, since the island is split into different sections by a moving maze. Getting through the maze provides a fresh challenge, and getting to reunite with classic Mario characters like Peach and Birdo makes it even more of a stand-out level.
2
Lottacoins Island
Concordia Financial District
While most of the islands in Mario & Luigi Brothership are mostly outdoors, with only a few inside sections, Lottacoins stands out from the rest, with most of the island’s exploration being inside high-rise buildings.
Similarly to New Donk City in Super Mario Odyssey, exploring such a different setting from the other levels makes it stand out from the crowd. You’ll also unlock the rolling ability in this level, giving the brothers a unique way of getting around the pipes in the massive central building.
1
Rumbla Island
Statuesque Beauty
Likely the first standard island you’ll visit in Mario & Luigi Brothership, Rumbla Island is home mostly to artists, and because of this, you’ll find statues and art installations all around the area, making it a joy to explore.
However, not everyone loves the artistic decorations around the island, and you’ll repeatedly face off against a gang of ruffians who are solely dedicated to destroying all the art they come across. Even though they manage to break a fair few statues, luckily, the residents of the village are able to rebuild them all by the time the brothers return.
- Franchise
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Mario & Luigi
- Released
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November 7, 2024
- Developer(s)
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Acquire
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
- ESRB
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E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence
- How Long To Beat
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37 hours
- OpenCritic Rating
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Strong
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
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November 7, 2024