One of the Best Mario Games Around!
/Do you like Mario games? Did you have a Nintendo DS growing up? If you answered yes to at least one of these questions, then it's time to take the Nintendo DS back out from the closet (or buy one) to try out Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story!
Front cover of the game's case. Image obtained from Wikipedia.
Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story was a game released for the DS by Nintendo in 2009, and was developed by AlphaDream. Even though the game was not created by Nintendo, it is still a very amusing game to play, and you can still tell that a lot of love was put into it! Although the game was remade for the 3DS, which includes some upgrades to the game along with a different art style, the original is just as fun to play!
When I first played this game as a child, it blew my mind with the game design, characters, and overall storytelling that I had not seen in any previous Mario games. And even as I finished the game, I would eventually come back to play it all over again, because it was that good!
At the start of the game, you play as Mario and Luigi as they rush to a meeting to help Princess Peach find a cure for the Blorbs: a seemingly random disease that made a handful of Toads bloat so comically large that they couldn't move, blocking multiple pathways.
Gameplay from the remake
However, the meeting is interrupted by Bowser demanding to kidnap the princess (typical), to which Mario jumps in to stop him while Luigi lazily sleeps on the table, yet somehow looks super comfortable.
After the fight, Bowser, despite his large size, is launched into the forest near the Mushroom Kingdom. After eating a mushroom in hopes to crush Mario, his mouth instead turns into a vacuum and he inhales many of the “innocent” creatures of the forest, and eventually the majority of the people in the Mushroom Kingdom, including Mario, Luigi, and Peach.
Gameplay from the beginning of the game.
Gameplay of the fight tutorial.
For those who have never heard of this game, I know what you might be thinking: “Bowser’s Inside Story? We must be getting his backstory in this game!” wrong. Instead, Mario and Luigi work together to escape Bowser's actual insides after he is tricked by the main antagonist. I know what you may be thinking now: “Wait, Bowser isn’t the main antagonist? But his name is in the title!” not in this game. Instead, the main villain is Fawful. And while he may be short in size, he makes up for in trickery.
Throughout the game, you play as Mario and Luigi as they team up to find a way to save the Mushroom Kingdom from Bowser’s dreadful insides. Within Bowser’s body are many enemies he swallowed to which you take turns with Mario and Luigi to attack. Further into the game, you unlock more tools and team-based attacks where you control Mario and Luigi at the same time.
Additionally, you gain the ability to switch control to Bowser as he tries to figure out what the heck just happened, and to later take back his Kingdom from the deceitful Fawful. As you venture around as Bowser, you also get to initiate battles very similar to Mario and Luigi and later on unlock more of his abilities and team-based attacks with his troops.
Gamplay of Mario & Luigi’s battling mechanic.
Gameplay of Bowser’s Battling mechanic from the remake.
For those who enjoy causing chaos and playing the villain, they will certainly enjoy playing as Bowser. Otherwise, the player is forced to watch helplessly as Bowser isn’t deterred from causing crime or making terrible decisions for his own gain.
For those who prefer to play as the heroes, they will definitely enjoy the loving brotherly dynamic between Mario and Luigi. Within this game, Mario and Luigi have numerous heart-warming scenes; they comfort each other when scared, hug and cheer together when happy, and are greatly concerned when the other gets hurt.
Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story includes many humorous cutscenes that won't leave you bored, and instead will leave you wanting more! Definitely a game worth playing if you are in the mood for some humour and nostalgia!
Hello! My name is Adam/Comet, and I’ve been playing games since I was a child :] I remember my parents telling me that around the age of 4, I was already setting up and playing a Care Bears puzzle-type game on my own (not well, but I tried).
I don’t play many games nowadays, but every once and a while I enjoy playing adventure RPGs, survival games, and social simulators. I mostly enjoy games where I can tap into my creativity whether to become a specific character, or create worlds! 😄 So, If you’d like to find fantasy/sci-fi roleplay games, survival games, or a relaxing simulator, I’ve got a few to recommend!
