Mario And Luigi Dream Team Bros. UK Review

The Bros are back, so it’s time to wake up and dust off those Pi’illos, and save Princess Peach in a new RPG adventure.

The fourth entry in the Mario and Luigi series brings a vibrant setting, new characters, and endless hours of fun. But most of all, the title boasts a laugh-out-loud, witty script that even Bowser wishes he’d written.

Set on the idyllic Pi’illo island, Mario and Luigi take a well-earned vacation with Princess Peach and Toadsworth, but as all dreams sadly come to an end, so do vacations. Mario and co. are thrust out of their blissful peace and enter head-first into a world of adventure. The Pi’illo Island was once a Kingdom – lead by Prince Dreambert – full to the brim with luscious greenery, exotic fruit, and the Pi’illo natives. But their Kingdom was overthrown by the evil Antasma and, in his plight to destroy the Pi’illos, the bat king stole the Dark Stone. After his defeat, Antasma was imprisoned within the Dream World, never to see the light of day again. But in a horrid turn of events, Antasma shattered the Dark Stone, leaving all of the remaining Pi’illos to be cruelly trapped within the Dream World, scattered as pillows throughout the island.

By guiding both Mario and Luigi through the island you must locate the Pi’illos in the Dream world, bringing them back to reality. Of course, the journey is not without danger, as you will meet many old enemies from the Mario cannon, as well as some new additions too. Battles work in a similar way to the series predecessors, where a turn-based fight will commence against the enemy giving you the choice of the standard jump, the hammer, and the Bros. attacks. However, once you enter the Dream World, you can then perform additional attacks with Dreamy Luigi’s help – these are called ‘Luiginary’ attacks. Ranging from a Luiginary ball to whipping up your own Luiginary tornado, there’s a whole host of dreamy attacks to give enemy battles variety. The blend of real and imaginary, along with the pumped up boss fights, really boost this title’s action and gameplay, and garners the blissful satisfaction every gamer wants.

With it being the ‘Year of Luigi’, it would be a total mockery if our green plumber wasn’t the star of the show. Although you play more as Mario, Luigi is certainly at the forefront of this adventure. As he sleeps, you control Dreamy Luigi throughout the side-scrolling platforms of the Dream World. Entering Dreamy Luigi into ‘Luiginary works’ will give you the ability to use your stylus and affect Luigi’s real body in the outside world. From pulling his moustache in order to fling Mario from a tree branch and onto a platform, to using the weather to solve puzzles and push ice blocks, there are many surprising scenarios to discover.

Where the game really stands out from the crowd, though, is in its scripting. Much like previous titles in the Mario and Luigi series, the script takes on a life of its own, and almost guarantees you a laugh-a-minute plot. The witty humour from Starlow, Luigi’s clumsiness, over-the-top actions from Bowser and his crew, and a plot that recognises its stereotypes and generic tropes, is what makes this title go the extra mile – it’s a cake with all the trimmings, plus the cherry.

Mario and Luigi Dream Team Bros. is a game that just keeps on giving. With various mini-games, collector goals, and an abundance of battle options and scenarios, it’s a game that will keep you up at night and is far from a snoozefest.

9/10