Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Mario and Luigi P.I.T. is the sequel to the GBA’s amazing RPG game Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga, did this new chapter live up to the originals fun, enjoyment and challenge? Read on to find out.
To begin with here are the basics of the game, it’s a 2D isometric view Role Playing Game where you take control of the dynamic duo Mario & Luigi and their younger selves from the past in order to save Princess Peach (again!) but this time not from Bowser or any kind of Koopa but a new foe the evil Shroob princess and her Shroob army.
A good story line and script is just what a Mario game needs and this game nailed them both, the story line is all about time travel throughout the Mushroom Kingdom past and present. Where you will meet up with younger versions of the regular cast and take control of Baby Mario & Baby Luigi. Along the way you will meet all your favourite Mario characters and some new enemies. Playing as Baby Mario and Baby Luigi brings you something new. There is plenty of interaction with other characters from the Mushroom Kingdom along the way.
The games turn based battle system is similar to the other Mario RPG titles, which is great, if it ain’t broke don’t try to fix it (well done Nintendo). For those of you who don’t know, Mario rpg games aren’t just simply choose a move, hit, then wait to be hit. You have more of a say in the battle with on screen button commands which dish out more powerful attacks or help you defend yourself from an arsenal of moves. There are two new features added to this style, firstly new combos with the babies, which to begin with I found quite challenging and took a while to get used to but persistence will pay off later in the game. Secondly they have removed the bros attacks from the last game and replaced it with bros items, these are similar except you buy/find bros items along the way instead of having BP (bros points) which you would lose each time you did a bros attack. These little extras add that certain something to an already successful format.
Whilst on your travels you will come across places where you will need to use special outside of battle moves which are accessed using the L and R buttons they consist of high jumps, rolling up into a ball and many more this gives the game a great platforming feel and makes the game fun even while you’re on the move between battles..
A special mention has to be made for the games amazing 2D graphics, since the DS is powerful enough to run 3D it can run 2D to near perfection and yet again Nintendo shows us that sprites aren’t a dead form of game graphics. Also the games animation in-game and cut scenes alike run smoothly and also make you smile with the Bros attempts at baby sitting failing more often than not. There is some quirky Nintendo style comedy in their quest to keep their young counterparts from danger.
Now the downside, what’s the point of a DS game that doesn’t incorporate the touch screen? The only DS feature the game made use of was the extra 2 buttons X and Y to control the babies. The touch screen can’t even be used on the load data menus or pause menus. So, its back to using the d-pad and A button to equip your team which seems slow when you want to use your finger to choose exactly what you want when you want it. Nintendo should have incorporated the touch screen some how either for the battles or even the mini games. It seems petty but you have the system, the technology and the game, how can the systems main feature be overlooked on a major release title.
A feature they should have used is the top screen map witch takes out the adventuring difficulty and makes the game easier than it should have been by showing you where all the exits, entrances and items are.
Another thing that bugged me was the lack of replay value, the game can easily be finished in less than 15 hours and after that there is nothing to do no extra quests, fun mini games or multiplayer the only thing I could think of doing is try and get your team to lv .100.
Conclusion:
Graphics: 90% great 2D engine
Sound: 80% awesome remixes of old Mario tunes and some new ones to keep you going.
Controls:70% Great battling mode but no touch screen mini games lets it down.
Lasting appeal: 60% good while it lasts but no multiplayer or any thing to eep you going back for more.
Overall
80%Its such a shame that this game was so short and had nothing to do afterwards so unless you are a collector of Mario titles there is no need to buy this you can just borrow it, you could easily complete this in less than 3 or 4 days and be stuck with nothing left to do on it except start again.
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To begin with here are the basics of the game, it’s a 2D isometric view Role Playing Game where you take control of the dynamic duo Mario & Luigi and their younger selves from the past in order to save Princess Peach (again!) but this time not from Bowser or any kind of Koopa but a new foe the evil Shroob princess and her Shroob army.
A good story line and script is just what a Mario game needs and this game nailed them both, the story line is all about time travel throughout the Mushroom Kingdom past and present. Where you will meet up with younger versions of the regular cast and take control of Baby Mario & Baby Luigi. Along the way you will meet all your favourite Mario characters and some new enemies. Playing as Baby Mario and Baby Luigi brings you something new. There is plenty of interaction with other characters from the Mushroom Kingdom along the way.
The games turn based battle system is similar to the other Mario RPG titles, which is great, if it ain’t broke don’t try to fix it (well done Nintendo). For those of you who don’t know, Mario rpg games aren’t just simply choose a move, hit, then wait to be hit. You have more of a say in the battle with on screen button commands which dish out more powerful attacks or help you defend yourself from an arsenal of moves. There are two new features added to this style, firstly new combos with the babies, which to begin with I found quite challenging and took a while to get used to but persistence will pay off later in the game. Secondly they have removed the bros attacks from the last game and replaced it with bros items, these are similar except you buy/find bros items along the way instead of having BP (bros points) which you would lose each time you did a bros attack. These little extras add that certain something to an already successful format.
Whilst on your travels you will come across places where you will need to use special outside of battle moves which are accessed using the L and R buttons they consist of high jumps, rolling up into a ball and many more this gives the game a great platforming feel and makes the game fun even while you’re on the move between battles..
A special mention has to be made for the games amazing 2D graphics, since the DS is powerful enough to run 3D it can run 2D to near perfection and yet again Nintendo shows us that sprites aren’t a dead form of game graphics. Also the games animation in-game and cut scenes alike run smoothly and also make you smile with the Bros attempts at baby sitting failing more often than not. There is some quirky Nintendo style comedy in their quest to keep their young counterparts from danger.
Now the downside, what’s the point of a DS game that doesn’t incorporate the touch screen? The only DS feature the game made use of was the extra 2 buttons X and Y to control the babies. The touch screen can’t even be used on the load data menus or pause menus. So, its back to using the d-pad and A button to equip your team which seems slow when you want to use your finger to choose exactly what you want when you want it. Nintendo should have incorporated the touch screen some how either for the battles or even the mini games. It seems petty but you have the system, the technology and the game, how can the systems main feature be overlooked on a major release title.
A feature they should have used is the top screen map witch takes out the adventuring difficulty and makes the game easier than it should have been by showing you where all the exits, entrances and items are.
Another thing that bugged me was the lack of replay value, the game can easily be finished in less than 15 hours and after that there is nothing to do no extra quests, fun mini games or multiplayer the only thing I could think of doing is try and get your team to lv .100.
Conclusion:
Graphics: 90% great 2D engine
Sound: 80% awesome remixes of old Mario tunes and some new ones to keep you going.
Controls:70% Great battling mode but no touch screen mini games lets it down.
Lasting appeal: 60% good while it lasts but no multiplayer or any thing to eep you going back for more.
Overall
80%Its such a shame that this game was so short and had nothing to do afterwards so unless you are a collector of Mario titles there is no need to buy this you can just borrow it, you could easily complete this in less than 3 or 4 days and be stuck with nothing left to do on it except start again.
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