Written by: Michael K
Oh, Alphadream…how sad it is to know the company went under in 2019. During their tenure, they made some of the greatest RPGs in the video game world. I wish the best for all of your employees, be they programmers or writers, because you produced 5 of the greatest handheld-only games of all time, starting with a game that will be turning twenty years old next year…Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga!
I first got this game on my 3DS as a Christmas gift from my younger brother. And I regret not playing it all the way through back then…because in the summer of 2020, three years after, I finally got to experience this amazing game in all its glory.
What makes this game stand out? The thing that made it so popular in 2003 was its humor and amazing animation.
From the very start, the game has an absurd new story: the Princess’s voice was stolen, replaced with a LITERAL explosive vocabulary, and Mario and Luigi get pulled into the adventure only when Luigi is interrupted doing the laundry, and Toad walks on Mario naked in the shower! I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemies! Not only that, but now the duo is forced to team up with Bowser to a kingdom inhabited by Bean People who worship a magical star made of bean! And it only gets crazier from there, with all sorts of absurd characters that you will laugh at seeing and interacting with.
And the animation and voice work in the game is fantastic. To compensate for Mario and Luigi not talking, they had them speak in a fictional Italian gibberish that never ceases to make me laugh each time. They especially gave Luigi a lot of personality that makes him, to me, my player one each time, with his over-the-top cowardice and constant bad luck.
And it’s not just the titular heroes, but the villains, who are hilarious. The game’s two villains, Cackletta and her sidekick, Fawful, have dialogue and animation that makes them charming and a sight to behold.
But enough about the characters, I don’t wanna spoil too much! How does the gameplay hold up? Well, I say that it holds up very well! The game’s turn-based combat is based on precise button-pressing, which can be a challenge at first, but once you get used to it, it really becomes a joy to master. You gotta keep on your toes though, as you can dodge enemies’ attacks, or even counter to turn it right against them! And the level-up system gives you endless options to upgrade your health, defense, speed, Bros. Attacks points, and ‘stache points that make items cheaper at stores!
For the game’s world, each location is very distinct! The BeanBean Kingdom might seem like a peaceful grassland in the middle, but every other area, be it the mountain where everyone says “HOO” in their sentences, or a brewery producing sentient wine made out of bad jokes, or a beach spa run by jellyfish people and a Christmas in July-themed Hermit Crab! And each zone is perfectly represented with the music, composed by the brilliant Yoko Shimomura.
I will say the game’s pacing does drip in some areas, especially in the segments in Teehee Valley later in the game, but otherwise, the pacing of Superstar Saga is spectacular, and combined with the traveling feel, it’s a perfect game to play on summer trips or long car rides in the country.
I would recommend Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga to anyone! The best version to play, I believe, is the remade version on the 3DS, which has beautiful upgraded graphics, fully orchestrated music, a more easy-to-use battle system, and an extra story mode called ‘Bowser’s Minions’, which allows you to play as a loyal Goomba seeking to save Bowser from Cackletta’s grasp, and provides a team battle game which can be difficult, but for those of you who like chance-based games, I’m sure you will enjoy it!
So have a good time! Stay tuned for the next Summer Game of the Week, here on CKDJ.net!
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