The handheld Mario & Luigi RPG series has always been defined by its limitations. The first game's unique control scheme, mapping A to Mario and B to Luigi, was a clever twist on the timing-based combat of Super Mario RPG, built to work on a system with just two face buttons. Later iterations maintained its heart and humor with additional elements, but it has always been the smaller, more modest handheld Mario RPG series in contrast to the Paper Mario series on consoles. Based on a hands-on preview with Mario & Luigi: Brothership, it looks as if the sweet little handheld series is finally being given the premium treatment on the hybrid Nintendo Switch, without losing its charmingly goofy sense of humor.
Just how deep it goes remains to be seen in the full game, but what I've seen so far is certainly impressive. The Mario & Luigi series has long been a de facto second-tier Mario RPG, the little sibling of the dual series. Mario & Luigi: Brothers