Earlier this week, Nintendo announced a long-awaited return to a fan-favorite series with Mario & Luigi: Brothership. The last time we got an all-new game in the Mario & Luigi series was 2015’s Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. The prior releases in the series were two remakes, one of which holds the dubious honor of being one of the worst-selling Mario games of all time. I and other fans were concerned about the future of the series after the developers, AlphaDream, shut their doors in 2019. It took nine years, but a new one is coming and looks great.
The first and most significant departure is the shift to full 3D. While earlier Mario & Luigi games had some 3D elements, they were primarily 2D. The expressive animations translate exceptionally well to 3D and exhibit noticeable care. Also of note is Kevin Afghani’s performance as Mario and Luigi. He’s nicely settling into the role well, even if it’ll never be the same without Charles Martinet. It will always sound a little “off” to me. Like Mickey Mouse’s voice change after the passing of Wayne Allwine, it will take some getting used to.
Outside of that, this looks like more of the series we love in all the best ways. Bros. Attacks return in all their flashy glory. Environmental puzzles and gimmicks are back as well. The world covers a large area, with multiple islands to explore. The announcement did not reveal much of the story. But the subtitle “Brothership” has me hoping the game will touch on their sibling dynamic like the Super Mario Bros. Movie did. Keep your eyes here for more info as the release approaches.
In the meantime, I want to gush about the Mario series Nendoroids we sell. I love these so much. We currently have some in stock, and these tend to go fast!
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