Mario & Luigi: Brothership Reviews

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is ranked in the 71st percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10.0
Nov 20, 2024

The Mario & Luigi series began to grow stale over time, so I’m happy to say that Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a welcome refresher in several gameplay areas. When it’s fun, it’s very fun, and there are a lot of neat ideas and sections that make this game get generally better as you get more into it. The Plugs and some of the overworld abilities make those sections some of the most fun I’ve seen from the M&L series to date. It also made the leap from handheld to console quite well, with some really nice aesthetics and animations to its visual components. In some ways, Brothership feels like two steps forward and one step back for the series. While not quite the worst game in the series pacing-wise, Brothership still has its share of slow sections that drag on a fair bit more than I would have liked. This ultimately holds it back from being as tight and consistently great as it could have been. I also appreciate that the game’s attempts with its story are a touch more earnest rather than just being fully comedic, and the game still has its charm, but I found its narrative a touch too basic and lacking in interesting developments despite the amount of its runtime taken up by cutscenes. Ultimately though, there’s a lot to like with Brothership. If you want a generally upbeat and at times wacky RPG with a neat and skill-rewarding combat system and don’t mind something a bit simple on the story, it’s a pretty fun game.

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 20, 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a worthy successor and at the same time an attempt to modernize the series. The new mechanics such as the “Luigi Logic” and the “Battle Plug System” add interesting levels, while the proven gameplay of the predecessors is retained. There is criticism mainly on the technical side: performance problems on the Nintendo Switch and occasional backtracking tarnish the overall impression a little. Nevertheless, the strengths outweigh the drawbacks - especially the charming narrative, the creative characters and the captivating battles. Fans of the series and newcomers alike can look forward to an adventure that will leave them with a big smile on their face.

Review in German | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Nov 16, 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is yet another little gem in the impressive Nintendo Switch lineup. Acquire takes the helm of a saga born over twenty years ago on handheld consoles and successfully ferries it into 2024. Fun and multifaceted in its play proposition, the colorful new installment of the RPG adventures of the video game media's most famous plumber brothers is a must-have experience for Nintendo fans. There may be little in the way of ruolistics (apart from perhaps far too verbose dialogues), but one thing is for sure: it's really nice to experience a new odyssey with Mario and Luigi.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Nov 17, 2024

I was unimpressed with Brothership. I wanted a new Mario and Luigi game quite badly and as this shows, you should probably watch what you wish for. It’s lacking in story, presentation, a stable framerate and the constant hand-holding is infuriating. The only saving grace is that the premise of it is interesting and the battle system is massively entertaining.

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98%
Nov 18, 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is exactly the game the series needed. It captures all the essence fans love: fun, clever humor, and outstanding battle mechanics. If you’re a fan of RPGs and the Mario universe, this game is perfect for you. Without a doubt, it’s one of the best RPG experiences ever created in the world of Mario.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

7 / 10.0
Nov 18, 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership tells a charming and positive story with incredibly poor pacing and some impressive combat and exploration mechanics that have quite a bit of depth.

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7.5 / 10.0
Nov 19, 2024

At the end of the day, Mario and Luigi: Brothership has plenty of great elements to it that are also trapped behind a game that just wants to take its time and squeeze as much juice out of itself as it can.

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6.5 / 10.0
Nov 14, 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership takes far too long to get to the point, and the journey to get there isn’t nearly as interesting as it needs to be to make it feel worthwhile. Again, there are some great ideas here, and the game looks amazing, but unless you want your hand held for dozens upon dozens of hours, you’ll probably find yourself a little let down by it all.

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7.5 / 10.0
Nov 18, 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership delivers everything fans expect from a new game in the franchise: a solid use of the dynamic between the two brothers in its combat and exploration systems. Unfortunately, Mario & Luigi: Brothership falters by overextending itself, stretching its story beyond what's necessary with unnecessarily long dialogues and secondary content that, overall, does not significantly enhance the player experience.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

6 / 10
Nov 16, 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership could have been great, but the wonderful presentation and level design can't save it from ceaseless conversations and the repetitive combat.

Review in Unknown | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Nov 12, 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a typical Turn -based RPG. It has a very nice artstyle and the game speaks almost for itself. Good timing is very important. The game is a bit on the easy side, but this does not have to spoil the fun. A good game for young and old.

Review in Dutch | Read full review

7.9 / 10.0
Nov 14, 2024

As interesting as the art direction and various game mechanics are, Mario & Luigi: Fraternal Charge is probably not the great comeback that many fans were hoping for, due to some choices that detract from its formula and enjoyment. The basic structure seemed excessively repetitive (perhaps the concept is starting to age a little too much?), and it failed to recapture the charisma of other Nintendo productions. It remains a cute, enjoyable and universally enjoyable RPG, even if we were hoping for something more for the return of this historic and beloved series.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a great addition to a series of RPGs widely recognized for its quality, bringing an experience rich in combat and exploration challenges. Finally being able to dive into a Mario & Luigi in Portuguese is a unique and very special experience that is easily recommended for both veterans and newcomers to the genre.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Nov 14, 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a very enjoyable installment of the long-running RPG series starring the plumber brothers. An enjoyable battle system, a somewhat tame storyline, familiar characters and a pleasant soundtrack are definitely a recipe for success, despite a few imperfections. If you are looking for an enjoyable adventure for about 25-30 hours then Brothership is a very good choice.

Review in Polish | Read full review

3.5 / 5.0
Nov 15, 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership has some strange choices that take away from the title, but the gameplay and characters are as snappy and charming as ever. It’s not the best game in the series, but fans of Mario & Luigi likely won’t regret giving Brothership a chance.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a game with many surprises and many things to explore. It delivers a complete experience on a visual and combat level. It is a gem that can bring more than one smile to your face.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2024

Mario And Luigi Brothership is an engaging action platformer with beautiful graphics, strategic combat, and a variety of gameplay elements. While it has some limitations, such as slow pacing and limited accessibility options, the game’s strengths in exploration, character progression, and humor make it a worthwhile addition to any Mario fan’s collection.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2024

Mario and Luigi: Brothership offers an enchanting adventure, combining exploration with captivating gameplay. The vibrant world of Concordia and its quirky characters bring fresh life to the series, despite a simplistic narrative. With intuitive mechanics and the classic charm of our favorite plumbers, it offers a delightful journey that's a must-play for fans.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 13, 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is an exciting, albeit imperfect adventure that brings the Mario Bros. to a whole new world. There is plenty to see and do and it is well worth taking the time to slow down and immerse yourself in this brand new adventure.

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 12, 2024

The most famous plumbers in the Nintendo universe return with a new installment of the Mario & Luigi franchise where they will have to save the continent of Concordia from a great disaster in a great and fun adventure

Review in Spanish | Read full review