Honestly, nobody expected the Mario and Luigi series to come back from the dead like a Dry Bones. After AlphaDream—the original studio—went bankrupt back in 2019, most fans figured the "Bros. RPG" era was just... over. Then out of nowhere, Mario and Luigi: Brothership dropped, and it basically reminded everyone why we fell in love with these goofy, timing-based adventures in the first place.
It’s 2026 now. The "new" has worn off the box art, but the game is still dominating conversations. Why? Because it’s weird. It’s colorful. And it handles the Mario brothers with more personality than almost any other game in their 40-year history.
Mario and Luigi Brothership: The RPG That Saved the Series
If you haven't played it yet, the setup is a bit of a trip. You aren't in the Mushroom Kingdom. Instead, you're drifting through the world of Concordia. This place was once a single continent, but it got shattered into a bunch of floating islands because the Uni-Tree (the big energy source) was destroyed.
You spend the game on Shipshape Island. It’s literally a ship that is also an island. You sail around the ocean, find these floating chunks of land, and try to plug them back into the main circuit. It’s basically "Electrical Engineering: The Game," but with more jumping and slapstick humor.
The Weird Aesthetic of Concordia
One of the coolest things about this new Mario and Luigi game is the art style. The developers at Acquire (who took over for AlphaDream) went with this high-contrast, cel-shaded look. It feels like a Saturday morning cartoon came to life.
The people who live in Concordia—the Concordians—have faces that look like literal electrical outlets. Even the enemies often look like plugs or coiled wires. It’s a very specific vibe that separates it from the "Red and Green" aesthetic we usually see.
Combat is Still All About the Rhythm
The core of the Mario and Luigi series has always been the combat. If you just stand there and press "A," you’re going to get your teeth kicked in. You have to time your hits.
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In Brothership, this is more satisfying than ever. You control Mario with the A button and Luigi with the B button. If an enemy swings at Mario, you have to jump at the right second. If a giant hammer-wielding baddie targets both of them, you might have to time a synchronized dodge.
Battle Plugs: The Secret Sauce
They introduced this thing called the Plug System. Think of it like Materia from Final Fantasy VII but more tactile. You create these "Battle Plugs" that grant you passive abilities, like:
- Creating a shockwave every time you land a Great jump.
- Automatically countering certain attacks.
- Increasing the window for "Excellent" hits.
The catch? These plugs have a limited number of "charges." Once they run out, you have to swap them for something else while they recharge. It stops you from just finding one broken strategy and spamming it for 40 hours.
Luigi Logic and the Brotherly Bond
Luigi usually gets the short end of the stick, but in Brothership, he’s actually the brains of the operation. They call it Luigi Logic. During exploration or boss fights, Luigi will get a "bright idea" (a lightbulb literally appears over his head).
If you trigger it, he’ll run off and do something context-specific. Maybe he sabotages a boss's shield, or maybe he finds a hidden path by rolling into a ball. It makes the two brothers feel like a genuine team rather than just two sprites following each other.
The Problem with the Pacing
Look, I love this game, but let's be real: it's long. Like, 50-hours-long. For a Mario RPG, that’s a massive commitment.
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Some of the islands feel a bit like filler. You’ll arrive, find out a bridge is broken, go find three gears, fix the bridge, and then get to the actual story. It’s a classic RPG trope, but in a game that relies so heavily on "go here, plug this in," it can feel repetitive around the 30-hour mark.
Why We’re Still Talking About It in 2026
With the Switch 2 now officially out and games like Mario Tennis Fever taking up everyone's time, why go back to a turn-based RPG?
Because of the heart.
The story in Brothership is actually surprisingly deep. It deals with themes of connection and isolation. The villain, Zokket, isn't just a "bad guy because he’s bad" (though he is pretty evil). The whole conflict stems from the idea that when people stop being connected, things fall apart. It’s a bit on the nose, sure, but it hits home.
Specific Highlights You Shouldn't Miss
- The Animation: The way Mario and Luigi react to things is incredible. If Mario gets hurt, Luigi looks genuinely panicked. If they win a fight, they have these elaborate secret handshakes.
- The Bros. Attacks: These are the special moves that use both characters. Some of them involve kicking a shell back and forth, while others involve flying around on a giant rocket. They look spectacular.
- The Music: Hideki Sakamoto (who did the music for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) knocked it out of the park. The battle theme is an absolute earworm.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Playthrough
If you’re just starting or thinking about a second run, here are a few tips to avoid the "mid-game slump" that some players complain about.
Don't ignore the side quests. I know I said some things feel like filler, but many of the side missions actually reward you with the best Battle Plugs. If you skip them, you'll be under-leveled for the Great Lighthouse dungeons, which are the hardest parts of the game.
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Mix up your plugs. Don't just stick to the damage-dealing ones. The status-effect plugs—the ones that cause "Glohmed" or "Dizzy" effects—are essential for the late-game bosses.
Pay attention to the background. During boss fights, the enemies often telegraph their moves in the background before they actually attack. If you see a baddie moving to the left of the screen, they’re probably going to target Mario.
Moving Forward: The Future of the Duo
While we haven't seen a formal announcement for a sequel yet, the success of Mario and Luigi: Brothership basically guarantees the series isn't going anywhere. Nintendo knows there is a massive hunger for these "lower-stakes" adventures that focus on character and humor rather than just saving the universe from a cosmic horror (though we usually end up doing that anyway).
If you’re looking for a game that doesn't take itself too seriously but still offers a legitimate challenge, this is it. It’s the perfect blend of the old-school AlphaDream charm and new-school polish.
Next Steps for Players:
- Check your Plug recipes: Visit the research hub on Shipshape Island to see if you have the materials for the "Auto-Dodge" plug.
- Backtrack to earlier islands: Once you get the "UFO Spin" move, go back to Rumbla Island to find the hidden chests you couldn't reach before.
- Update your game: Ensure you're running the latest patch (released late 2025) to fix the frame rate drops in the final area.