Customer Reviews

Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga

5 star:		(110)
4 star:		(36)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga is perhaps one of the best GBA games we've received this year. Rich color and textures along with new gameplay elements make this a must have for the GBA! The third RPG in the Mario franchise we've seen. Mario and Luigi combines the elements of Paper Mario and Super Mario RPG to create yet another RPG masterpiece.

To start off are the graphics. The graphics presented to us are very well done. Rich colorful environments decorate this game in a way we've never thought possible on the GBA. Mario, Luigi and other characters are visually stunning. The animations in battle are simple, yet fun to look at. You'll no doubt be impressed by the graphics the first time around.

The music and other sound in this game is also quite good. Music from nearly all the Mario games is mixed into the bunch as well as introducing new tunes. The new tunes are quite remarkable, especially for the GBA. While some tunes get a little repetitive and loop around much too quickly, you'll quickly get used to it, as it is a minor flaw.

The story is that a witch named Cackletta from the neighboring Kingdom of Beanbean has stolen Princess Toadstool's beautiful voice and has replaced it with explosives. Each time Toadstool speaks you'll see a lot of symbols pop up in her dialogue box and then come down to the ground with an explosion. When Bowser comes to kidnap the Princess he soon realizes that she would probably ruin his castle. In short, Bowser decides to help Mario and Luigi.

What was even more remarkable are the voices in the game. Mario and Luigi don't scream, grunt, groan and moan for every action they do, but they're voices are still pretty well done. Bowser's voice is also impressive. Voices are very well done on this game so you shouldn't find yourself turning down the volume a whole lot. Mario and Luigi never really say anything; instead you hear them speaking gibberish a lot of the time when they communicate.

The game also presents a lot of moments that'll without a doubt make you laugh. Even the opening cinema and beginning of the game are pretty funny. So you'll find a lot of entertainment with this that I think you'll really love.

The battle system is quite different from your standard Turn-Based RPG as well as on the field. For example, the A-Button controls one character and the B-Button controls another. The start button switches Mario and Luigi around so that the other one leads (so if Mario is leading push start and Luigi steps in front). So they're both on the over world map. If Mario is leading the A-Button Controls him, and the B-button controls Luigi and vice-versa.

What's even more important is that in battle the A-Button ALWAYS controls Mario and the B-Button ALWAYS controls Luigi. This is always true in battle. There are four commands in battle: Solo Attack, Bros. Attack, Items and Run. The Solo Attack allows your character to attack of course. But remember that if it's Luigi you use the B-Button. Much like Super Mario RPG you've got "Timed-Hits". Pressing a button right before the attack connects causes a more powerful hit. Bros. Attacks are different. This is where Mario and Luigi do a duel attack to an enemy. You must execute by entering the right button commands as they appear on screen. If you decide you want to make them harder to pull off you can do them without the aid of button commands and have the speed at which the attack is executed at increased. Of course the harder one you choose the more damage it'll do.

What's also interesting is that you can dodge attacks. When an enemy comes to attack you, press the button that corresponds to that character to dodge the attack. So if an enemy attacks Mario you'd press A.

Mario and Luigi can also use techniques on the field. Luigi can jump on Mario's head and perform a high-jump and Mario can jump on Luigi's for a spin jump. They can also use hammers which they can smash blocks with too.

I've only about one or two cons with the game. One is you only have Mario and Luigi. No one else joins the party. This isn't really a con but for an RPG there are some RPGers who expect more characters to control. The other con however, is that they included the arcade Mario Bros. While this isn't necessarily bad, it's on EVERY Mario game on the GBA! It was nice at first but after the second Mario Advance game it just began to lose my interest. I'm sure many will probably overlook the Original Mario Bros. Game.

However, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga is excellent for the GBA. It's the first original Mario game on the GBA and for that I'm glad. This is without a doubt one of the greatest GBA games we've ever seen before.

This game is really terrific!

Basic plot: too full of twists and turns to explain here. But basically, it's another "Mario & Lugi go on a quest" game. However, it's different from any other Mario game I've ever played (although I'll admit I have never played Paper Mario).

What's particular about this game is that, first of all, you play as Mario AND Luigi at the same time, with the A and B buttons each controlling one of the brothers. Second of all, whenever you run into an enemy, instead of killing it with a jump or battling it in the usual manner, you automatically switch into Battle Mode. In this mode, you each get a turn at attacking the enemy, then the enemy gets a turn at you, and you need to dodge the attack. This initially surprised me, and irritated me: I'll admit I found it somewhat boring at first. However, I can assure you it grows on you. At first, all you can do is jump on the enemies, but as you make progress, you learn new very cool techniques, including Bros. Attacks, in which both brothers combine their forces to inflict severe damage on the enemy. The variety of attacks you eventually learn makes the whole thing very entertaining.

Speaking of entertaining, this game also has a lot of humour. The creators, by inventing the new techniques, enable you to put your characters into rather unusual situations. There are puzzles to solve, which I found to be quite fun (although some people may not like those). And, at times, you find yourself in delightfully funny circumstances. There are quite a few dialogues and scenes, many of which are ironic and very entertaining.

Finally, this is an elaborate game that will keep you busy for a while. It records the number of hours you've been playing, and right now, I'm almost at the end and my file shows I've been playing for over 21 hours!!!! I'm not a very good gamer, I'll admit, but still, this isn't a game you'll finish in two hours and then put away, you really get your money's worth here.

So, in conclusion, don't expect a traditional Mario game, but something very different and, in my opinion, at least as good. Oh, and the graphics are very nicely done. ;-)

A little about myself: I'm 28, female, and a "casual" gamer. RPG's have never interested me--I've watched friends play and find most of them bore me. However, after seeing all of the positive reviews on Mario & Luigi on different sites (like ign.com) I decided I'd give it a try. Am I glad I did!!! The game is funny, enjoyable, and not overly difficult. It's quite engaging and I find myself playing longer at any given time than any other game for the Game Boy. The game combines platform elements (like exploring and gathering objects) with puzzles, and turn-based battles. However, in the battles you still control both Mario and Luigi...you pick their moves and control the execution of the attacks. I highly recommend this game for individuals of all ages and game preferences...including people like myself who typically would not consider trying an RPG. However, for younger children please note: you really do need to be able to read to play this game, as many clues for solving the puzzles are written on tablets on the walls.

It all started with the Squaresoft/Nintendo collaborative work on Super Mario RPG for the Super NES, and continued with Paper Mario on the Nintendo 64. Now, the guys of Alpha Dream over at Nintendo have turned out a truly wonderful, enjoyable, and innovative game deserving of the Mario (and Luigi) name, and more than worthy of its heritage. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga just plain rocks.

Though the game has many, many excellent qualities, perhaps the best is the revolutionary control. Like some other RPGs, you can jump, swim, and dash through towns and wilderness, using Mario and Luigi's trademark moves, as well as recent additions to their super repertoires. The thing that sets Mario & Luigi apart, however, is the manner in which one button controls one brother, while the other button controls... well, the other brother. For example, in the locale screens, you can make Mario jump (or swing a hammer, or anything) with A, while making Luigi do something totally different with B. This dual control is the key to the game, and you'll have to apply it to everything from combat to just getting around the Beanbean Kingdom.

Speaking of combat, it's turn-based, but the extra attacks from Mario RPG have made a triumphant return, accompanied by counterattacks, dodges, and Bros. Attacks that require timed sequences of button presses, which all serve to give the turn-based battles a very active and fun feeling. It's almost an action RPG.

If all this seems to complicated, don't worry; the game does an excellent job of making absolutely sure you know how to use your myriad attacks. Besides, it's really not that difficult. The dual controls give the game a unique feeling that can't really be compared to anything else.

Overall, the game is quite a hoot. The characters are interesting, and the jokes are genuinely funny -- especially those in the "Luigi who?" vein. The plot is so loony you can't help but like it. Superstar Saga is an enjoyable romp through yet another facet of the Mario Bros. world that manages to be unlike any other game -- Mario or otherwise -- that came before.

This game is in a way a tiny bit like Paper Mario only because of the battle modes.If you liked Paper Mario you are bound to be hooked to this game like I was.
The story goes like this:
The Good Will Embasadore from the Beanbean Kingdem has just arrived and wishes to improve her kingdom's ties with the Mushromm Kingdom.But instead has stolen Princess Peach's beautiful voice and replaced it with explosive vocabulary!Wait...that was no Good Will Embasadore...that was the evil witch, Cackletta!

Now it's up to you, Mario & Luigi, to get Princess Peach's voice back and stop Cackletta from anymore destuction.

This isn't just another GBA game!It's not just follow a path left to right!You get to explore the beautiful Beanbean landscape as you travel from places like Hoohoo Town home of the Hoohoolagins to Woohoo Hooniversity and lots more places too!

Nintendo has managed to put some humor into this great game too!So you won't be just blistering up your fungers from playing too much, you'll be laughing your head off!

This is a fantastic game that any Nintendo fan shouldn't miss!Even if you aren't a Nintendo fan you should still get this game!

One word can actually encapsulate the overall execution of Mario and Luigi: Superstar Sage. I hold the word with a dreamlike tone and utter, "WOW." With slobber and saliva dripping all over my gaming bib and onto my small GBA screen, I know gaming buffs around the world have rejoiced. After the aged magic that was Super Mario RPG on the beloved SNES and Paper Mario on the N64, Nintendo resurrects the gaming legend once again. Mario is known to travel in all types of gaming, from Mario Tennis to his true roots of platforming, but as far as his RPG entries are concerned, he never ceased to leave mouths hanging. His third RPG graces the GBA and I couldn't be more happier since it proves to astound and innovate. I find it, in every aspect, a rewarding treasure that is much needed in the overpopulated gaming stream.

Sometimes the gaming audience needs to take a refreshing break from hammering their wrath on the bad guy attempting to raze the world. Sometimes gamers need to release tension whether it'd be a hectic job or schedule, and play a lightly driven, amusing game. And that's where this great RPG glows. Offering a screwball plotline, this RPG is a refreshing way to start packing up for another multi-hour adventure. The vile emperor Cackletta has left Princess Peach as a destructive siren, and the notorious Bowser will not grab her until she is cured. Bower decides to aid Mario and Luigi and treat her, and once that is done, Bowser will fulfill his only purpose in his existence, which is to kidnap the Princess. So what if the plot is not nerve-busting, the sense of humor welcomingly emanates to fill such a void. There are a plethora of jokes that mock the Mario franchise itself. I cracked at the inability of the locales who knew nothing of Luigi, but only the heroics of Mario. Unlike tons of RPGs, your journey will not be impeded by a mass of dialogue, and when there is some you'll be wanting to read and listen to it develop.

The gameplay is so solidly done that it is simply impossible to put the game down. Many whine that the RPG genre has nothing new under the sun, but this game will make you more than eager to watch the RPG evolution, despite all the common transgressions. The end results of the game is extraordinary, especially the hallmark gameplay.

A hybrid of 2D Zelda on crack and traditional RPG battles, the game grinds both elements into an exquisite twist. What makes it so different are the options bestowed before the player, both on the battle menu and while navigating dungeon play. Battle menu aside, Mario and Luigi offers a unique gameplay experience that is extremely inventive. Both brothers stay together, and each are able to be controlled. They start off with simple actions, and as the player progresses through the game, both brothers develop abilities to use on the environment. Their moves vary, which in turn, access new areas in Beanbean Kingdom. Each special move is hilarious in its own right, my favorite has to be Mario lighting Luigi's butt on fire, Luigi then rams his way through breakable things in the environment. The creativity and hilarity booming in the game makes for an extremely hearty experience.

The battle engine is wonderfully done. Borrowing the idea from Super Mario RPG, the GBA installment also has the player timing his button pressing. If done successfully, the heroes will dodge and counterattack enemy attacks. With the ordinary choices like item on the menu, the real innovation lies with the single and Bros. attack. Single attacking allows the player to jump and use an assortment of strikes, while Bros give way to a collective combo. While leveling up my team, I felt nostalgia encroach upon me. It enkindled both the Super Mario universe and the incredible reality that Mario is in again, in terrific RPG format. There are also other elements in the gameplay that make this RPG worth the time, such as the novel power of moustaches!

The atmosphere is velvety rich. Closely matching the graphical nature of Yoshi's Island, another great game for the GBA, the screen is a fine lure into the Mario world. The vibrant sprites of each character augment the gameplay and experience. The cast of characters will summon back memories from past Mario games and not to mention new characters alike. Animation is splendidly brimming with GBA quality all over it. The environments which mirror all the regions that we've come to know on earth is layered exceedingly well on screen. Helping to define the mood are the highly notable tunes. Original nits and bits of classic sounds are back, remixed, and thrown with new catchy whiffs. Its really surprising to listen to the variety of songs throughout the game. As a double plus (newspeak), the cast uses their quirks and signature sounds.

Do your gaming life a favor, remove yourself form the cliché of gaming titles and disappointments of this year, and get Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga. Packing in appealing visuals, sound, and a variety of brilliant gameplay, an RPG hasn't felt this good for quite some time. I'm particularly tired of graphical de force games that struggle to mirror Hollywood, especially the RPG genre. It is a sure, safe bet to grab another game starring Mario, the one who probably started your gaming addiction altogether.

Could this simply be the best Mario RPG game yet? I think so! A better version of the 2005 sequel, this game came out in 2003. Think Paper Mario (Nintendo 64, Nintendo Gamecube) was good? Try this thing out!

You don't get any extra partners, however, but it doesn't really matter, since once you get good at counterattacking, you're pratically invincible. Like most RPGS you need to actually fight instead of running away from battles, running away costs coins, so it's not recommended. If you fight, however you gain EXP and coin.

You can use your coins to buy clothing for defense, and HP. Or you can buy badges for Bros. Points, and Power. Some badges and clothes give you extra powers, like being able to float, or attacking spiked enemies. Plus, there is also special items where you get to do special things (Get 50% off items, sell items for 100% cash back, get rare items, double money won from battles, etc.)

There is a load of minigames to choose from, but you have to find them in the game first before playing, completing these will give you a special type of bean: Hee beans, which are used to make coffee. Hoo beans you can only find in blocks, Chuckle beans can only be found underground by digging, and Woo beans can only be found by winning battles with bean enemies (with "bean" names)

The save feature is so-so, you have to walk up underneath save albums, and the game takes it's sweet time saving, usually takes up to 15 seconds to save, it's not really that bad, but it's kind of annoying when you're in a rush.

The multiplayer is ok... Mario Bros. came out in every portable Mario game that has been released yet (Except for the Mario Kart one), at least you can team up in Classic mode if all 4 of you have this game back and cables.

If you have a DS take warning, the multiplayer will NOT work on a DS or a DS Lite, read your instruction booklet that came with it, it shows you on the first few pages.

There is a few platform places in this game, similar to Super Mario Bros. most are minigames, which will give you items, these are quite fun and easy, since most of the obstacles are actually timed.

This game will even take the fastest gamer at LEAST 10 hours to complete (Without buying anything or going back to revist things, at least 10 hours)

Unfortunatley, most people say this is a long game. That is not so, if you're good, you can beat this game in about 3 days (Taking breaks of course) since it's supereasy.

Anyways, buy it right away if you haven't

10/10

This game rocks.I loved Paper Mario and this is just like it.You control Mario,but now you also control Luigi.

The story is this:Princess Peach of the Mushroom kingdom gets her voice stolen(and replaced with explosive vocabulary)by a witch named Cackletta and her servant Fawful.Mario and Luigi come to the castle to find Bowser there ready to kidnap Peach.But,because of her condition,Bowser decides to team-up with the Mario bros. and save the BeanBean and Mushroom kingdoms from Cackletta and Fawful.

This game is the BEST Mario game ever(except Paper Mario).This is a RPG,which makes it different then every Mario game........except Paper Mario.Well you should buy this game (and Paper Mario and the Thousand-Year Door for the Gamcube).

Well, I was just coming home from my last day at the Art Institute of California in San Francisco when I realized my younger brother got a new Game Boy Advance. When I asked him what he was playing, he answered, "Mario & Luigi." Now, I didn't know much about the game itself, but when I heard it was an RPG, I decided I'd give it a try. After all, the other Mario games I'd played were all in the Action/Adventure genre (with the exception of the Smash Bros. series).

Let me just be direct: Mario & Luigi is a great Mario RPG game. It mixes in old school Mario goodness with a twist. Let me also say that this is the only Mario RPG game I've played so far (I don't really play video games as much as I used to), so I'm even more impressed.

The story starts out simple: Some evil sorceress called Cackletta steals Princess Peach's voice and replaces it with vocabulary that explodes (literally). Naturally, Mario comes to the rescue, dragging along his reluctant brother Luigi. Bowser, who wanted to do the usual kidnapping, decides to lend a hand to the bros. (Knowing that his castle would be destroyed if he stole Peach in this state). And thus, your adventure begins. As you play through the story, prepare for some major laughs - you'll meet zany characters and deal with hilarious bosses, ranging from a rotound swinder to a giant soda soldier.

The gameplay itself is well done. You control both Mario Bros., and thus you must work together to finish the game. Each Bro has his own unique techniques to help the other in times of need (i.e. Mario can spin while carrying Luigi to cross large gaps). Of course, an RPG ins't and RPG without enemies, and there are tons of 'em in this game. The battle system is typical: you take turns. Each Bro starts with the standard Jump attack, and eventually they can wield more powerful weapons. When the going gets tough, the Bros. can work together to use "Bros. Attacks": super moves that can inflict major damage if timed well. When the enemy attacks, you can dodge or counterattack (a nice touch, I might add).

The game starts out easy, but gradually it gets tough, with tons of puzzles and mini-games waiting to be solved. If you are not the patient type of person, then this ain't the game for you, sir. There are tons of bosses, each of which has an attack pattern and (sometimes) a weakness. Some are easy and and some are challenging, but then, is that not the deal with any video game?

The sound was what impressed me most. The music is a mix of old school Mario tunes with new, upbeat ones. The voices: I don't know how the developers did it, but just hearing actual voices in the game...it's commendable. For a GBA game, that is. The game sounds pretty good with headphones, too.

Overall, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is a great Mario RPG game. I'd recommend it to anyone who's patient. Impatience'll get you nowhere in this.

This game ROCKS!!! It is one of the best games ever made, period! It's very engaging and fun. The events and challenges keep pouring out. It's a great game when you have to think and figure things out to beat it. I love it!

Buy it, you won't regret it!