Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, the 3DS sequel to Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, won't be available in North America until August 11, but here in the UK it was released today (under the name Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Bros.). I've spent a bit of time with the game, so if you want to know what to expect from this new RPG check out the video below and/or read on:
It doesn't take a genius to predict the plot for this one, though this kidnapping of Princess Peach seems a particularly thin excuse to motivate Mario and Luigi to set off on their latest adventure. In this case, she's whisked away into the Dream World, where are also stranded several citizens of Pi'illo Island, the trio's holiday destination of choice. Bowser has teamed up with a new villain, and the game involves thwarting the pair's plans and rescuing people along the way.
To do that, Mario has to explore both Pi'illo Island and the Dream World. In the 3D Pi'illo Island he's accompanied by Luigi, and the pair explore various RPG-esque locations – forest, village, desert, and so on – battling enemies, building up experience, and looking for items. The Dream World is a 2D puzzle platformer, though still filled with enemies to battle, and since Mario enters it through Luigi's dreams he is instead accompanied by “Dreamy Luigi”.
Here, then, is this sequel's hook. Dreamy Luigi can interact with special items called “Luiginary Works” to transform into a variety of objects powered by dream logic. Sometimes he transforms into a bunch of miniature Luigis, which in turn form towers that can carry Mario around. It's typically bizarre stuff, certainly what you'd expect from the developers who let you walk around inside Bowser's intestines, but you soon get used to it.
Aside from these Luiginary works, the rest of the mechanics should be familiar. You explore both the island and the Dream World, battle enemies, gain experience, level up, unlock new abilities, buy and equip gear, unlock new areas, and progress through the story. The developers ensure that you know exactly what you're doing with many, many tutorials, but they gradually ease up and give way to a satisfyingly complex game, with plenty of room for tactical play, and battles that require you to learn the behaviours of the various enemies you'll encounter.
Reviews should start to come in over the course of the day, but a couple of magazines have shared their views already. Edge, for instance, gave the game a 7, agreeing that the battling is satisfying but lamenting that humour is lacking until Bowser shows up a few hours into the game. Official Nintendo Magazine, on the other hand, apparently awarded a score of 92%, rejoicing in its length (they reckon around 35 hours) and amount there is to do.
Have you been looking forward to this latest in the Mario & Luigi series?
