Mario & Luigi: Brothership | Review Thread

Game Information

Game Title: Mario & Luigi: Brothership

Platforms:

Nintendo Switch (Nov 7, 2024)

Trailers:

Developer: Nintendo

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 80 average - 78% recommended - 23 reviews

Critic Reviews

CGMagazine - Jordan Biordi - 8.5 / 10

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is like a perfect representation of the Bros themselves: even though one might trip up here and there, everything works so well together that it makes it an unforgettable experience.

COGconnected - James Paley - 75 / 100

This game suffers when subjected to a reviewer’s brutal pacing. Maybe if I hadn’t been racing towards the finish line, the endless tiny loading screens wouldn’t have bothered me as much. I was also forced to discard a lot of the side content. It’s not super compelling stuff, but the act of completing it can be pretty relaxing. Searching for Sprite Bulbs scratches that completionist itch in a big way. Plus, the game is beautiful and the battles are a lot of fun. I still wish the puzzles weren’t so frustrating for me. But again, they benefit from more patience than I could spare. My momentum while playing felt wobbly and uneven, but this is still a well-crafted game. Perhaps your time (if you can offer more of it than me) will be well-spent playing Mario & Luigi: Brothership.

Checkpoint Gaming - Elliot Attard - 7 / 10

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is undeniably endearing, learning from other media forms to present an uplifting adventure with lovable protagonists. With too much dialogue and backtracking implemented within the game’s design, it can run at a pace that feels slow, ballooning what should be a fun jaunt into an overly long adventure. There’s room for further fine-tuning of ideas, meaning Brothership isn’t the flawless seafaring journey we wanted. Though it’s also far from a shipwreck with incredible charm and gameplay offerings carrying this title across picturesque waters.

Console Creatures - Bobby Pashalidis - 9 / 10

Mario & Luigi: Brothership may not reinvent the series but it’s yet another excellent adventure filled with over the top humour featuring the iconic Mario brothers.

Daily Mirror - Aaron Potter - 4 / 5

Mario and Luigi: Brothership is an utterly charming reinvention of the brotherly RPG series that, up until now, had previously been left adrift for too long. By offering even more ways to traverse and do battle through the introduction of new Bros. Moves and Battle Plug modifiers, Nintendo has found a way to keep Mario and Luigi’s turn-based escapades fresh, while the new sea-faring structure offers a great means to explore various types of locations jam-packed with several micro-stories and mysteries to resolve.

Enternity.gr - Nikitas Kavouklis - Greek - 9 / 10

Mario & Luigi: Brothership will keep you busy for dozens of hours, and the best way to enjoy it is to spend as much time as possible exploring every crevice and pipe.

Eurogamer - Christian Donlan - 4 / 5

A relatively minor instalment, but in a series this magical, that’s still good news.

GAMES.CH - Benjamin Braun - German - 87%

Quote not yet available

GRYOnline.pl - Filip Melzacki - Polish - 7.5 / 10

Not everything works here, but the spirit of Maio & Luigi series is strong. Brothership is a successful return, and – in case we don’t get any more installments – a much better finale than Paper Jam. Despite a weak beginning I’m happy with my time with this game, and fans should be as well.

GamesRadar+ - Luke Kemp - 4 / 5

Despite a few lurches here and there and some so-so exploration, Mario & Luigi Brothership offers an enjoyable voyage with smooth sailing, and a punderful script that brings the laughs. It has a new developer and an extra dimension, but the same dedication to humor and brotherly love.

Glitched Africa - Marco Cocomello - 8 / 10

Mario & Luigi: Brothership doesn’t disappoint as the first RPG in the series in nearly ten years. It is a charming adventure that fleshes out a wonderful new world to explore. It looks unlike anything we’ve seen from Nintendo with an impressive coat of cel-shaded paint. While the game might feel like a basic RPG in comparison to the modern greats, there’s a lot more to enjoy here.

God is a Geek - Adam Cook - 8 / 10

Brothership is a fun time, but has frustrating moments. It’s not an easy recommendation like Paper Mario, but you’ll have a good time nonetheless.

Metro GameCentral - GameCentral - 7 / 10

A welcome return for the Mario & Luigi franchise, that proves to be a more involved role-player than expected, even if it lacks the consistent humour and weird gameplay flourishes of previous games.

Nintendo Life - PJ O’Reilly - 9 / 10

Mario & Luigi: Brothership takes this long-running RPG series to new heights in a high-seas adventure that’s packed full of top-notch combat, inventive variety, a positive and thoughtful story, and lots signature comedy from the dynamic duo themselves. This is a big game, packed full of surprises and fun, and the all-new Battle Plug system, alongside lots of flashy specials, a fittingly emotive art-style, and a world that brimming with puzzles and challenges, make for a must-play in our book.

Press Start - James Berich - 7.5 / 10

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is the classic Mario & Luigi experience that fans have been clamouring for since Bowser’s Inside Story. While there are significant pacing issues that means the game takes a while to get going, a simple but engaging battle system and incredibly intriguing second half of the story helps to keep Brothership on course.

SECTOR.sk - Michal Korec - Slovak - 9 / 10

It takes a while, but when The Brothership is in full swing, it is an excellent action RPG after all these years: exploration, arcade elements, tactical strategy and the mix of gameplay is top-notch. We are so glad that the Switch has its entry in the series.

Saudi Gamer - Arabic - 7 / 10

A game carried by its scrappiness more than its technical feats or original ideas. It might be overshadowed by its older sibling series, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a fun and packed experience.

Shacknews - Ozzie Mejia - 9 / 10

Mario has ventured to massive worlds before. He’s even surfed the cosmos across different galaxies. Rarely has a world in any of his games felt this connected. Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a game about building bonds, the kind that Mario shares with his cherished brother.

Spaziogames - Valentino Cinefra - Italian - 8.7 / 10

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a delightful return for the beloved series, with deep gameplay and vibrant worlds that make it a must-have on Nintendo Switch, despite a few minor design shortcomings.

Stevivor - Matt Gosper - 9.5 / 10

With so many bespoke moments for each little mini-story, complete with unique minigames and interesting character arcs, Brothership is bursting at the seams with fun things to do.

TheSixthAxis - Stefan L - 7 / 10

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a welcome return for the other Mario RPG series, taking a more straightforward, less gimmicky approach to bring new players into the fold. The rhythm of the brothers in combat is pleasingly engaging, as ever, and there’s a solid adventure here, but it’s just lacking that spark to match the franchise’s very best.

VGC - Andy Robinson - 4 / 5

Mario & Luigi Brothership is a triumphant return for the series, maintaining the spirit and action-oriented platforming of its predecessors, coupled with fantastic exploration and satisfying battle mechanics.

WellPlayed - Kieron Verbrugge - 8 / 10

Although the formula is bordering over-familiar at this point, it’s been long enough between entries that this return to the Mario & Luigi series is incredibly welcome. It manages to feel fresh enough with interesting new wrinkles that play on this new world and story’s overall themes, and its obsession with fraternal bonds results in probably my favourite take on the Bros. to date.