The legendary plumbers in one of their best adventures to date, not to mention their funniest.
The iconic Mario Bros. are probably best known for their ability to take care of business as a group as much as being able to save the day on their own. While it's true that many of the plumbers' recent adventures have been solo efforts, it's still very easy to make a case that Mario and Luigi shine brightest when they both are able to share the spotlight. Mario&Luigi: Superstar Saga for the GBA manages to pull off this feat by putting them together in one of the more original adventures the two have ever taken part of, not to mention that it's one of the funniest games you're likely to play.
Nintendo and Alphadream's Mario&Luigi: Superstar Saga begins with Princess Peach being in peril once again. If you're already starting to feel a sense of deja vu, the similarities end here. This time around, the Mushroom Kingdom's fairest lady has had her voice stolen by a witch, named Cackletta, and replaced with explosives, of all things. Unable to accept this, Mario, Luigi, and Bowser (yep, that guy) head off to a neighboring land, known as the Beanbean Kingdom, in order put an end to whatever scheme Cackletta is planning. Little do the three of them know what kind of adventure they will be a part of this time.
Mario&Luigi: Superstar Saga is classified as an RPG, and while it does have all of the things you'll find in a standard RPG, it can be considered a platformer just as easily. As the Mario Bros., you'll be jumping and hammering your way through the Beanbean Kingdom as much as you will be talking to other characters, buying and using items, and battling your way through the game. As you progress, the brothers will gain abilities that allow them to perform great feats as a duo that will help them overcome many obstacles, and these are just as crucial traveling in the field as they are in battle. Those that are expecting to be disappointed by the lack of an RPG-feel won't be, but it's also not a game where you'll feel bored because you're walking around the majority of the game and not engaging in real activity.
M&L: SS' battle system, as you would probably expect by now, also follows this suit. Even though the battles are turn-based encounters where you select what you want to do each turn, success and failure depends largely on reflexes that you'll need in a standard Mario game. How good you are at timing your jumps, hammer attacks, etc. will determine how much damage you'll do and how much damage you can avoid from the game's enemies that you'll face, both old and new. Being aware of how each and every enemy the game attacks is very important, as they have animations or gestures that will alert you of which brother they will attack and how they will do it. It may sound like an easy task, but in fact, this is the element that will keep you on your toes and involved in every battle you're in.
Even with the aforementioned twists to the RPG formula, what really enables Superstar Saga to stand out from most games of the genre but still keep it just as respectable as an RPG is how it hangs its hat on being a game that is just as funny as most RPGs try to be serious or emotional. Rarely do you find a game that has writing so good that it will literally have you laughing out loud, but this game takes on the challenge and gets the job done. It's safe to say that Mario and Luigi have never interacted with other characters, each other, quite this way. Plus, chances are that you're find another character or two that will really appeal to you.
Moving on to the visual aspect of the game, Mario&Luigi: Superstar Saga is able to excel because it does a stellar job of being serious about creating a not-so-serious world. Once again, even though you're looking at a bunch of sprites, the game oozes with a great deal of charm. While a lot of areas are fairly simplistic in style, it all comes together in a great package. The game does its best job when it comes to battles, as waiting for what new trick an enemy will throw at you becomes something of a treat. Even some of the tricks outside of battle, though, will manage to leave a smile on your face.
The sound department for Superstar Saga keeps the train rolling fairly well. It comes as no shock that this game has its share of classic Mario themes, but it has a few original tunes that are rather catchy, as well. What really gives this game the nod when it comes to what you hear is when the Mario Bros. are talking to each other. Even when it's those mumblings that you can't understand, it sets a nice mood that the two are working together, for better or (in Luigi's case most of the time) for worse.
Mario&Luigi: Superstar Saga's biggest fault is that it's a relatively short RPG outing, with about a 15-20 hour adventure if you manage to get stuck a few places along the way (and that's still being a bit polite). Even so, this game is more about being a blast for as long as it lasts over dragging itself along to make it feel more 'epic,' and you can't really blame it for that. Add the Mario Bros. game that is also playable in the Super Mario Advance games, and you still have something that is sure to keep you busy for a good while. Overall, this is Mario and the gang at their most charming, and fans of the plumbers will surely find this one of their favorites because of it. Even if you're looking for a solid RPG experience or something with a different mood to it, you can't go wrong with Mario&Luigi: Superstar Saga.