June 10, 2004

{ Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (GBA) }

Though press releases peg Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga as an RPG(role-playing game) it has less in common with the Dragon Quests and Final Fantasies of the world than it does with its side-scrolling forebears. Yes, you walk amongst an isometric map screen, speak to NPC(non-player characters)s, collect items, and battle enemies on a menu-based fighting screen. Yes, you can buy and sell items that restore health and status or raise your stats, and become stronger after gathering experience points. Mario & Luigi contains most of the game elements that characterize console RPGs but the simple fact is this game does not play like the RPGs it fashions itself as. Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga is the third in a series that began on the SNES(Super Nintendo Entertainment System) with Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, a joint venture between Nintendo and SquareSoft (now SquareEnix). Many of the aspects introduced in Super Mario RPG were retained in the N64(Nintendo 64) pseudo-sequel Paper Mario, i.e. timed button presses inside of battle to increase damage, the use of items from Super Mario Bros. as weapons, and the ability to jump at any time. This GBA(Game Boy Advance) edition further builds on these standards with an interesting game play mechanism that emphasizes the ampersand in the title. The gimmick, if you want to call it such, of Mario & Luigi is that each brother's actions are controlled by one of the two buttons on the Game Boy. The A button (typically) controls Mario and the B button (typically) controls Luigi. Just to jump on top of a cliff or box you need to press both face button in quick succession, Luigi won't automatically follow his brother. Each brother has his own special actions on the overworld screen that he uses with the help of his sibling: Mario can use his spin jump to cross chasms, Luigi can be sent underground to crawl under gates. The brothers Mario can also join forces in battle to execute increasingly complicated coordinated attacks requiring the timed use of both buttons to deal major damage. Battles take much more effort than in a traditional RPG, but they don't become tiresome nearly as quickly either. Long time fans of the Mario Bros. will enjoy the clever throwbacks to the series' history scattered throughout Mario & Luigi. All items are found inside of the question-mark bricks that have held mushrooms and coins since Super Mario Bros. Familiar enemies with familiar attack patterns stand between the Marios and success. Minor characters from past games populate the Mushroom and Bean Bean Kingdoms, including a special appearance from Super Mario RPGs Geno. The story too is the same damned one it has always been: the Princess is in trouble and Mario sets out to save her. Mario & Luigi shines particularly bright in the area of writing. In addition to the clever trivia mentioned above Mario & Luigi introduces what could be my absolute favorite video game villain. Fawful, a sidekick to the nefarious Cackletta, speaks with the most intentionally hilariously broken sentences yet displayed on a Game Boy's tiny screen. Unceasingly screaming at the top of his lungs Fawful mixes metaphors like a pro. He could be a character sprung out of the mind of Evan Dorkin (Milk & Cheese, Dork). His favorite phrase, which he interrupts his own sentences to bark, is "I HAVE FURY!" I had hoped to write some of his more memorable appearances down, but I was laughing too hard to remember. I would recommend this game to anyone just to meet Fawful. He is that good.

» Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga is brought to you by Nintendo, obviously.

» Buy it...

By Benjamin in Games, Reviews | Comments:

Comments

I have been playing this game on my GBA emulator as to screw the Japaneese due to the fact they secretly defeated us in WW2...but the Yellow Press would have you believe otherwise. This game is really fun. I love when you get you get to knock that fucking big dumb bitch turtle down with your fire-ass manuver, like what's up bitch, what's up now bitch. And you learn said processes through twin sister Jellyfish massage experts. And how Mario & Luigi are all celebrities because of their jump prowess....this game rocks like a motherfucker. But don't be buying it, get the emulator VirtualBoyAdvance and the rom from cherryroms.com

THIS IS ALL TYPED UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF CUERVO AND CRACK I MEAN CROAK THE "FROG'S CHOICE OF COKE".

Posted by: Bryan Lunsford at June 13, 2004 1:26 AM

im fine

Posted by: andres at August 1, 2008 3:31 AM