Let's be real: when Mario & Luigi: Brothership launched late in 2024, it felt like a miracle. After AlphaDream went bankrupt in 2019, most of us figured the series was dead and buried. Then Nintendo drops this massive, 35-hour seafaring RPG out of nowhere. It was beautiful, sure, but it was also kinda... messy.
Fast forward to now, early 2026. The dust has settled, the "Switch 2" (or whatever you're calling the successor this week) is finally out, and Nintendo has quietly been tidying up the Concordia seas. If you haven't touched the game since the first week of launch, or if you've been waiting for a reason to finally jump in, the Mario and Luigi Brothership update situation has changed the game significantly—mostly by squashing the bugs that used to make the late-game a slog.
The Patch That Saved Your Save File
For a long time, the game sat at version 1.0.0. For a Nintendo first-party title, that’s usually fine. But Brothership was developed by Acquire, and while they did a killer job with the Unreal Engine visuals, some nasty "soft locks" slipped through the cracks.
The big version 1.0.1 update (and the subsequent stability tweaks we've seen leading into 2026) basically acted as a massive safety net. Remember that nightmare on Skorcheen Island? There was a bug where trying to call Luigi back in the cave would just loop the animation forever. You were stuck. Progress blocked. Controller-throwing territory.
That’s gone now.
They also fixed the "Luck Charm DX" glitch. It used to be that you could hit 100 in the Hammer Rally and get absolutely nothing for your trouble. Now, the rewards actually trigger. It sounds like a small thing, but when you're grinding for that perfect build to take on the Extension Corps, those stats matter.
Luigi Logic and Performance: The 2026 Reality
If you’re playing on the newer hardware (System Version 21.2.0), the performance is the biggest "unwritten" update.
Honestly, on the original Switch, the frame rate in the overworld was—to put it lightly—chunky. Navigating Shipshape Island while the currents were moving used to feel like watching a slideshow in some areas. While there hasn't been a "Pro Patch" specifically labeled for Brothership, the latest system-level updates have noticeably stabilized the experience. The stuttering during "Luigi Logic" sequences—those bits where Luigi has a brain blast to solve a puzzle—is significantly smoother.
Speaking of Luigi Logic, it’s still the most divisive part of the game. Some people love that Luigi actually feels like a competent partner instead of just a "Green Stache" sidekick. Others hate how long the animations take. While Nintendo didn't "shorten" the animations in the update, they did fix a bug where Luigi would occasionally get stuck behind geometry during his "Logic" moves, forcing a room reload.
What Actually Changed in the Recent Patches?
It’s not all just "stability." Here’s the breakdown of the weirdly specific stuff they fixed:
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- The Battle Plug Glitch: There was a cheeky way to bypass the 5-plug limit. That’s been tightened up to keep the game's challenge intact.
- XP Thieves: Fixed a bug where killing a Mega Snaptor with a "Surprise Iron Ball" while using the "Coinpiler" plug would result in zero XP. Total buzzkill, now fixed.
- The Jump Helmet Math: Luigi’s Bros. Attack damage numbers used to display incorrectly, often showing only a single digit when it was actually doing way more. It was confusing, but the UI is much cleaner now.
- The IDLE Group soft lock: On Desolatt Island, the game would sometimes hang during the IDLE group's first appearance. That’s been cleared out.
The New Soundtrack Drop
One of the coolest "updates" to the Brothership ecosystem didn't actually happen inside the game. In January 2026, Nintendo finally added the full 94-track OST to the Nintendo Music app.
If you're a nerd for Hideki Sakamoto’s compositions (he's the guy who did Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Echoes of Wisdom), this is a huge win. The track "A Connectar Portal Opens" is a genuine banger. You can now stream the full 3 hours and 49 minutes of music, with about 60 of those tracks being extendable to 15, 30, or 60 minutes for background listening. It’s the best way to appreciate the music without a Goomba trying to bite your face off.
Why You Should Care About the Mario and Luigi Brothership Update Now
Look, the game is long. Like, 40-hours-to-100%-it long.
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At launch, the pacing felt off because you were constantly worried about a glitch or a frame-rate dip ruining the vibe. In 2026, the game finally feels "finished." It’s the biggest world the brothers have ever explored, and the "Battle Plug" system is arguably the most creative combat mechanic the series has ever had. Mixing and matching plugs to create shockwaves or auto-item usage makes the turn-based combat feel way more active than the old GBA days.
The "Mushroom Kingdom?" mystery—no spoilers, but if you know, you know—is also much more stable now. Those reality-bending segments used to be prime territory for crashes, but the latest version handles the asset loading much better.
Actionable Tips for Your 2026 Playthrough
- Check Your Version: Ensure you are on at least Version 1.0.1 before heading to Skorcheen Island. It will save you a literal headache.
- Hardware Matters: If you have the choice, play this on the newer console hardware. The Unreal Engine 4 backend scales much better there, making the 3D platforming segments feel responsive rather than floaty.
- Don't Ignore Side Quests: A few of the updates specifically fixed quest triggers for "Connie’s Mittens" and the "Wedding Cake" questline. These are essential for getting the best gear before the final showdown at Soli-Tree.
- Listen to the Music: If you’re struggling with a puzzle, the Nintendo Music app is actually a great way to hear the "Luigi Logic" themes without the pressure of the timer—sometimes the rhythm of the music actually gives away the puzzle solution.
The Mario & Luigi: Brothership update cycle proves that even when a game launches with "mixed" technical reviews, a bit of post-launch love can turn it into a top-tier RPG. It’s no longer the "buggy seafaring experiment"—it’s a polished, vibrant adventure that finally lives up to the AlphaDream legacy.