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Developer: Alphadream Corporation
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: RPG
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 28 Nov 05
User Rating
7.8 (4 votes) -
- Some may scoff at a Mario RPG, but this turn-based masterpiece is perfect for the increasingly popular DS, featuring solid combat and trademark Nintendo feel.
Overview
I remember not too long ago whenever the name "Mario" was mentioned in regards to a future release, heads turned from miles away. Just the thought of a new Mario game coming out was something that always spurred a lot of people's attention. Well in this day and age Mario may still have a huge following, but nowhere near as dominant as it was ten years ago. A perfect example of this is his latest jump onto the Nintendo DS in Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time. This is a game that would have been talked about for months ten years ago, but for a Mario game, it came very under the radar. The question is can Mario still impress us in 2006? Read our full review of the game to find out!
Gameplay
I remember way back when, when Mario first went out of his original platforming ways and on the SNES transitioned into an RPG. At the time I remember not particularly caring for the game, but as I look back on it I now can play it and truly enjoy the great work that Nintendo did with that game. Well RPG's have now become a big part of Mario, and we have seen some great Paper Mario outings that have been very successful, and even Mario & Luigi teaming up to try and give more great Mario RPG experiences. The big question is can Mario and Luigi Partners in Time continue to wow us on the DS?
For those of you who don't know, Mario and Luigi first teamed up on the GBA in Superstar Saga, which was just a great game. What Partners in Time does it takes all of the ideas in the previous game and then adds some new ideas and DS functionality to the mix and combines all of this to make Partners in Time. Partners in Time, is what I would consider a turn-based RPG with a heavy emphasis on action and all that Mario goodness.
One thing that separates this Mario game from the previous games of the series is that this game you can play with both baby Mario and baby Luigi, and then you can also use both grown up counterparts as well. What happens here is that you will at many times need to control both duos, and this has a lot of strategy that goes along with it. The game can get a bit hectic as well, which means you will have to take all you have learned from the game thus far and really just go at it at full force.
I think what I loved most about Partners in Time was that it took the Mario franchise and just made another extremely complex yet simple game. The game has a very simple, easy to use combat system that I found myself enjoying quite a bit. Another big thing about Partners in Time is just the amount of variety that the game has. I never feel like I was doing the same thing over and over again, because the developers managed to keep things varied up and keep the puzzles in the game extremely interesting. I never thought an RPG would be done as well as this game was completed. Partners in Time manages to keep things lighthearted and challenging, and combines all of this to make a very entertaining game.
Graphics
If you have ever thought about a Mario RPG coming to the DS, you can probably already picture in your head what this game looks like. In fact when I sat down for my first sitting of this game, I was just taken away with how great of a job the developers did this time. It's great that the quality of the visuals so high in this game, and they managed to just keep things so fresh throughout the whole experience. The developers managed to make great character models with a ton of detail and a ton of color. And the environments, in true Nintendo fashion, are full of bright colors and plenty of detail. The overall approach with this game simple and effective something that left me with just a very impressed feel.
Fun Factor
Many may not realize this is an RPG going into this game, but even with that being said although you cannot expect the same sort of old school Mario platforming in this game. You can however expect a very fast paced and entertaining RPG that worked very well in the Mario universe. The combat is very simplistic and holds true to the typical Mario RPG format. The one thing that really stood out to me in this game was that the developers kept coming up with new ideas, which makes this game great.
Overall
In the end Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time impressed me by being even better than I had. Sure the game isn't a new revolutionary RPG experience, but it is a very simple, challenging, and exciting game that once again makes the Mario franchise one to be a fan of. If you like the previous Mario RPG games, then you would be crazy not to go run out and pick up this game.
- Gameplay
9.0 - Graphics
9.0 - Fun Factor
9.0 - Overall
9.0
