Mario & Luigi : L'Épopée fraternelle, le RPG des frères

Mario & Luigi: Brothership, the Bros.' RPG

1331 mots | Temps de lecture : 6 minute(s)

Nine years after Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, the RPG saga of the two plumbers finally resurfaces with Mario & Luigi: Brothership, released on November 7, 2024, on Nintendo Switch. A highly anticipated return for RPG fans, and a significant first for the series: it is the very first installment designed directly for a home console.

AlphaDream, the historical studio behind the franchise, closed in 2019, is out: this new adventure is developed by Acquire studio alongside Nintendo. Head to Connexia, a world of floating islands to reconnect, where good-natured humor and precisely timed battles, as always, make all the difference.

Summary

A Nine-Year-Awaited Return

The Mario & Luigi series originated in 2003 with Superstar Saga on Game Boy Advance. Its formula: an RPG where you simultaneously control the two brothers, each with their own button, in battles that are as fast-paced as they are humorous. Subsequent installments followed on Nintendo's handheld consoles, from the DS to the 3DS, until Paper Jam in 2015.

After this installment, the franchise remained silent, largely due to the difficulties and eventual liquidation of AlphaDream, its historical studio, in 2019. Brothership thus marks a true renewal. Development is now entrusted to the Japanese studio Acquire, supported by Nintendo. This is the sixth original installment in the saga, but most notably the first designed from the outset for a home console rather than a portable one: the Nintendo Switch, being a hybrid, offers the best of both worlds here.

Connexia, an Archipelago to Reconnect

The adventure takes place in Connexia, a world once united and prosperous thanks to a giant tree, the Unicea, and a benevolent energy called Harmoneon. Following a catastrophe, this continent shattered: all that remains is a myriad of scattered islands across a vast sea, now cut off from each other.

Sucked into this world, Mario and Luigi embark aboard the Shipshape Island, an astonishing ship-island whose mast is none other than a young sprout of the Unicea. The goal: to navigate the ocean currents, reach the islands using a cannon that literally propels the two brothers towards the horizon, and then reconnect each island to a gigantic lighthouse to restore the flow of energy. This maritime exploration, completely new to the series, structures the entire progression and gives the game its central theme: reuniting what has been separated.

Precisely Timed Turn-Based Battles

True to the saga's DNA, the core of the game remains turn-based combat with timed action. Each brother is associated with a button: precise timing of button presses allows for bonus damage during attacks, but also for dodging, jumping, or counter-attacking at the exact moment an enemy strikes. Here, nothing is ever fully automatic, and the player's attention is constantly required.

The Brother Attacks, those spectacular special moves performed by the two brothers, are of course present. The big new feature is the Battle Plugs, a customization system similar to badges. These modules are equipped to unlock all sorts of effects and refine one's strategy:

  • elemental damage, like fire, added to attacks;
  • area attacks affecting multiple enemies at once;
  • healing or bonuses triggered automatically in combat.

Luigi's Logic, Snoutlet, and Signature Humor

It's impossible to talk about Mario & Luigi without mentioning its humor. Brothership relies heavily on Luigi's endearing antics and clumsiness, and introduces Luigi's Logic: these flashes of genius that, in the midst of combat or when facing a puzzle, trigger decisive, and often very stylish, actions from the green plumber. A great way to put the younger brother back at the center of the adventure, as he too often remains in his brother's shadow.

As for new faces, the two brothers are guided by Snoutlet, a small flying companion who loves to nest under Luigi's cap, and meet Amperia, one of the guardians of the Shipshape Island. Opposite them stands Zokket, an enigmatic antagonist who causes trouble across Connexia. A delightful detail: the entire universe is built on electrical vocabulary, which colors the names of characters and places as well as numerous puns.

Generally Positive Critical Reception

Upon its release, Mario & Luigi: Brothership received a generally positive reception. The specialized press praised its witty writing, its artistic direction reminiscent of a true animated cartoon, and the freshness of its maritime exploration, for an aggregate score of around 77/100 on Metacritic. Several French reviews saw it as a successful return of the saga to Switch.

However, some reservations consistently appeared across reviews: a somewhat slow start, sometimes intrusive tutorials, and an uneven pace over time. Nothing prohibitive, however, for such a long-awaited return: the game nearly reached 2 million copies sold by March 31, 2025, proof that the brothers' RPG saga truly had its place on a home console.

Brothership in a nutshell

Name (France) Mario & Luigi : L'Épopée fraternelle
English Name Mario & Luigi: Brothership
Japanese Name Mario & Luigi RPG: Brothership! (マリオ&ルイージRPG ブラザーシップ!)
Release Date November 7, 2024 (worldwide)
Platform Nintendo Switch
Developer Acquire, with Nintendo
Genre Role-playing game (RPG)
Universe Connexia, floating islands to reconnect

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FAQ

  • When was Mario & Luigi: Brothership released?
    The game was released worldwide on November 7, 2024, exclusively on Nintendo Switch.
  • Who developed Mario & Luigi: Brothership?
    It was developed by the Japanese studio Acquire with Nintendo. It is the first installment in the series not to be by AlphaDream, a studio that closed in 2019.
  • Is this the first Mario & Luigi on a home console?
    Yes. Previous installments were released on handheld consoles; Brothership is the first in the series designed for a home console, the Nintendo Switch.
  • Do I need to have played previous Mario & Luigi games?
    No. The story is self-contained and takes place in a new world, Connexia; no prerequisites are necessary to enjoy it.
  • What world does the game take place in?
    The adventure takes place in Connexia, an archipelago of floating islands that Mario and Luigi must reconnect from the Shipshape Island, a ship-island topped by the Unicea tree.
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