The Mario franchise has long served as possibly the most iconic mascot in the entire gaming medium. He starred in hundreds of best-selling games. One of the best examples would be the Mario and Luigi series released for Nintendo’s portable consoles. These games were a unique foray into the JRPG genre. The games were continually praised for adapting the Mario franchise to the JRPG medium while adding unique touches. With the series’ return in the upcoming Brothership, many fans are looking back on the original series. Here is a breakdown of the history and evolution of the iconic Mario and Luigi series of JRPGs.
The Beginning of Mario and Luigi
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While gamers usually associate the Mario brand with high-action platformers, Nintendo has given him many RPG adventures over the years. The first example from Nintendo was Super Mario RPG for the SNES, a collaboration with veterans Square Enix. The game was heralded as a classic and received a remake on the Switch in 2023. The Paper Mario series from Fire Emblem creator Intelligent Systems is another RPG line from the franchise.
In 2003, with the genesis of the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo released Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga. The series introduced new characters and factions, such as the witch Cackletta and the Bean-Bean Kingdom. Their combat, which combined unique “micro-games” within turn-based battles, such as timed attacks and platforming, made the games unique. While this was a simple start, it proved what Nintendo could do with their flagship franchise.
The Nintendo DS Era
After the first game’s success, the Nintendo DS era would see two more entries in the Mario and Luigi series, Brothers in Time and Bowser’s Inside Story. Brothers in Time saw the duo using time travel to unite with their iconic “baby” versions to do battle against the malevolent, invading Shroobs. Whereas the original game was limited by technology, this new iteration refined the presentation and added mechanics based on the DS’s dual screens. The next game was the commercial hit Bowser’s Inside Story.
The game follows an unlikely alliance between the brothers’ longtime nemesis, Bowser, as they stand against one of their most memorable foes, Fawful. Fawful quickly became one of the most surprisingly popular Nintendo villains for his quirky demeanor, nonsensical speech pattern, and surprising intelligence as a villain. These games were eventually released again on the 3Ds but have not been added to the Switch yet. Much like the WarioWare games, they gave players dozens of minigames to spice up their gameplay. Many critics revered the game for their innovations of the long-tread genre of turn-based JRPG combat.
The 3DS Era and Beyond
Unfortunately, after the series’ renaissance, it would go quiet for the next decade. The next game was the mystical Dream Team. In keeping with the creative nature of the franchise, the game introduced the linked worlds of the waking and sleeping worlds to fight enemies and solve puzzles.
The latest game in the series was the Paper Mario crossover Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam. While both games were well received, neither achieved the financial success Nintendo hoped for. After both games, the Mario and Luigi series slowed down in hype and production. This is especially sad, given how beloved these RPG franchises were during their respective heydays.
In the game’s aftermath, its developer, Alpha Jam, sadly filed for bankruptcy in 2019. Because of this, the Mario and Luigi series went dark for the next half-decade. Fortunately, Nintendo recently announced the return of the series with Brothership. Not only will this be the first one on the Switch, but it will also bring the series into 3D. Given the series’ already unique mechanics, this opens up a world of possibilities.
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