Mario & Luigi: Superstar Collection

Welcome to the Mario & Luigi: Superstar Collection! This ain’t just about two plumbers rescuing a princess for the umpteenth time; it’s about timing based combat, absurdly funny writing, some of the most creative mechanics ever stuffed into a Mario game, and sometimes surprisingly emotional scenes.  I'm covering everything: original releases, remakes, side modes, the works. Let’s-a go!  

Mario & Luigi

Superstar Saga

This one's the trailblazer, instead of another Bowser kidnaps Peach plot, Superstar Saga kicks off with Peach’s voice getting stolen by the unhinged Cackletta and her ranthappy henchman Fawful. Gameplay-wise, this is where the series’ signature mechanics were born: timed hits, bros moves (like the high five jump and fireball tennis), and exploration that actually requires both brothers’ abilities. The pixel art is good, the music slaps, and the boss fights are creative. Fawful alone makes this game a masterpiece.

If you’ve ever played Game Boy Advance games on anything but the console, you know that some games look way too bright and washed out due to GBA's unlit display. Enter the color improvement patch, this hack tones down the eye-searing neon and gives the game a richer, more balanced palette. Suddenly, the Beanbean Kingdom’s greens look lush instead of radioactive, the bros’ overalls stop glowing like they’re made of highlighter ink, and the whole game just feels closer to what the artists originally intended.

Pixel Perfect

 

Widescreen

Partners in Time

Instead of the usual lighthearted romp, Partners in Time goes full sci-fi horror, with the bros (both adult and baby versions) fighting the creepy, parasitic Shroobs. The time-travel premise is cool, and the dual screen combat, where babies and adults fight simultaneously is a neat twist, tho you may get it dizzy. It’s also the most linear game in the series. No overworld, no real exploration, just battle after battle of corridors. Anyways, the darker tone is refreshing, the baby bros are adorable, and the Shroobs are legit unsettling.

Bowser's Inside Story

The fan favorite. This time, Fawful tricks Bowser into gulping the Mushroom Kingdom, including Mario and Luigi, who then run around his guts fixing stuff while Bowser wreaks havoc outside. The genius here is the dual gameplay: traditional bros action plus Bowser’s overpowered brawling, complete with giant battles where you punch enemies by blowing into the DS mic. The humor remains present, the pacing is perfect, and the final boss is one of Nintendo’s hypest moments ever. The best Mario & Luigi game and arguably one of the best JRPGs.

Dream Team

Luigi’s time to shine! Most of this game takes place inside Luigi’s dreams, where reality bends and the bros pull off insane screen filling combo moves. The dream world gimmick leads to some of the series’ most creative puzzles and battles, and the soundtrack never fails. It’s also bloated tho. The tutorials never end, the pacing drags in the second half, and the gyro controlled giant battles are hit or miss. Still, the emotional moments (yes, a Luigi game made people cry) and sheer creativity make it worth the slog.

Base game

 

Update

Paper Jam

The crossover that sounded amazing on paper (heh ) but ended up feeling half baked. Paper Jam brings Paper Mario into the mix as a third party member, and the trio mechanics are fun! But everything else? Eh. The story’s barebones, the worlds are recycled, and the mandatory minigames (looking at you, papercraft battles) overstay their welcome. I mean, it’s not that bad, it just feels like it could be more.

Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions

The remake of Superstaga Saga keeps everything that made the original great but gives it a shiny 3DS makeover. The sprites are smoother, the colors pop more, and the battle system feels even snappier. But the real addition is Bowser’s Minions, a light SRPG mode where you command an army of, well, Bowser’s minions.

It’s cute! But also kinda shallow. The story’s fun seeing events from the villains’ perspective is a neat twist, and the squad based combat is a decent distraction. Still, it’s just that, a distraction. The main game is the star here, and thankfully, it’s as fantastic as ever. If you never played the GBA version, this is the definitive way to experience Superstar Saga in my opinion.

Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey

The remake polishes an already flawless game. The graphics are updated (tho if you played the previous one, you'll miss the original sprites), the controls are adjusted for the 3DS, and the giant battles no longer require mic blowing.  

The big addition is Bowser Jr.’s Journey, which unlike Bowser’s Minions, this one’s got depth: customizable squads, actual difficulty, and a surprisingly engaging plot about Jr. trying to prove himself. It’s way better than it has any right to be.

Base game

 

Update

Brothership

And yeah, we can’t put Mario & Luigi: Brothership on a 3DS for obvious reasons. But before I wrap this up, gotta pour one out for AlphaDream, because without them, we wouldn’t have Bowser suplexing castles or Luigi having existential crises in his own dreams. It’s a damn shame they shut down in 2019. Financial struggles hit hard, and their 3DS games, while all flawed but decent weren’t the smash hit that could’ve kept them afloat.