By now, it can safely be said that Mario makes for a good RPG. A franchise that started out taking the platforming genre by storm has produced six fantastic roleplaying titles, a few of which are regarded as some of Nintendo’s best work. For the 7th one they would put out, this star-studded history is both a blessing and a curse; it means that most likely, the game will be good given Nintendo’s proven track record, but it also means that it has a serious reputation to live up to and will have a tougher time seeming unique.
Regardless of all this, the 7th one in question, Mario and Luigi 3: Bowser’s Inside Story, might be the best Mario RPG ever made.
That’s especially saying something since it’s the third entry in the Mario and Luigi spinoff series, which has produced two very good titles already. The only real issue so far was that Partners in Time felt like a GBA game simply slapped onto the DS, with underwhelming sprites and little gameplay features that benefited from the handheld’s two screens.
Not so much with Bowser’s Inside Story, it’s a game that utilizes just about every last piece of hardware the DS can throw at you. Don’t expect to be tapping or sliding with the stylus too often, though, as it’s only used for a few special attacks and actions. Instead, Mario and Luigi 3’s big highlight is the regular and inventive use of both the top and bottom screens. As most may know by now, Bowser learns the ability to inhale whole objects early on in the game, which leads to Mario and Luigi getting sucked inside and venturing within. While sitting in Bowser’s gut, the brothers will explore the interior, complete some platforming, solve some puzzles, and even fight their own enemies from time to time. You’ll often switch back and forth between Bowser and the Mario Bros. on the fly, particularly when Bowser needs a little help himself.
This is where the real fun comes in. As Mario and Luigi, you’ll play through brief minigames for these sequences to create a certain reaction such as giving Bowser an adrenaline boost or making room in his stomach to eat more food. They’re all neat, and they add great diversity to a game already loaded with a myriad of set pieces.
The combat will be familiar for fans of the Mario and Luigi series, and it’s as good as it’s ever been. Unlike the majority of turn-based RPGs, you don’t get a moment’s rest in these games. With the number of different button presses possible with actions, and the opportunities you have to dodge your opponents’ elaborate attacks, the combat is so active that it feels like it’s in real time.
The new material this time comes from playing as Bowser, which may not be a huge change, but is still loads of fun given how powerful his attacks are. As expected, you’re by yourself when using him, so don’t expect someone else to heal you when you get low on health. There is a couple unique features to him, however, one being his vacuum-like ability. In the middle of a battle, you can have Bowser inhale healing items from enemies or even some of the enemies themselves, where you’ll then do battle with them using Mario and Luigi.
Another outrageous sequence is where Bowser will grow to Godzilla size and do combat with massive enemies. Here you’ll turn the DS sideways and hold it like a book, tapping and swiping on the touch screen to perform his attacks, even blowing into the microphone to have his spew fire. Goofy? Oh yes. Fun? That, too.
The whole game is an absolute blast, made only better by the great world that Nintendo created for the story to take place in. While certain Mario games in recent history like Thousand Year Door and Partners in Time seemed to lack a very rich Mushroom Kingdom look and feel, Bowser’s Inside Story truly feels like a Mario game. There’s a lot of familiar imagery from the franchise to be found, and even the new creations fit in well, instead of looking like they could be in just any whacky, colorful franchise.
Some of this can be attributed to the incredible sprite work done by Nintendo. This time it’s obvious that the game was developed with the DS’s hardware being utilized to the fullest, and the result is one of the best-looking 2D game ever. Everything within has fantastic color and detail, along with some of the most fluid animation in the business. The only legitimate complaint is that, when Luigi and Mario are traveling inside Bowser, the environments are a little bland. Sure, you can’t expect his digestive system to contain gorgeous landscapes, but they look generic and kind of ugly.
That’s really it as far as flaws go, and it’s hardly a huge one seeing as how you spend most of the time outside of Bowser’s body anyways. If it wasn’t obvious by all of the previews, and the title of the game itself, this is Bowser’s tale. He’s definitely the star of the show, taking up over half of the screen time with his adventure. It’s a hilarious one, too, filled with ridiculous circumstances and very funny dialogue, especially from the Koopa King himself.
It’s also a lengthy story, with the primary campaign clocking in somewhere between 20-25 hours. And as usual with Nintendo adventures, there’s plenty more to do even after the credits roll, including a ton of collectibles to be discovered, a bunch of minigames, some difficult Challenge Modes, and even a few full-blown sidequests. If you’re looking for a DS game that can offer around 40 hours or more of unique content, Bowser’s Inside Story fits the bill.
