Mario & Luigi 2 Preview

It seems like those that have had the chance to play Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga will be in for a real treat when it comes time for the DS sequel to release. For those that have yet to pick up Superstar Saga and play through the epic and quirky experience, you are encouraged to do so! Well, I guess myself would be included in that mix since I haven’t been able to do so! But anyway, this seems to be shaping up to be an excellent sequel to Superstar Saga, and the following preview will explain why!

Based on the hands-on demo put on display at Nintendo’s booth at this past E3, it seems safe to say that AlphaDream is striving for an even crazier and more intuitive experience with the dual screen system when it comes to Mario & Luigi 2!

Now the demo itself didn’t have tons to offer, but from what it did, it seems like it’s pretty evident where AlphaDream is trying to take the new Mario series. In some truly wacky chain of events, Mario and Luigi have both gotten themselves set in a mission that takes them to the past in an attempt to save Princess Peach. What’s so wacky about it? Well, in the process, both Mario brothers happen to run into the very “baby” versions of themselves!

Now the actual story and plot that will drive this game has yet to be revealed, but it looks like the core gameplay mechanics that drive the fun of this game stand behind the teamwork of the Mario brothers and their baby counterparts to solve a number of puzzles!

So how do you control four different characters all at once? Well, that’s what the purpose of the four face buttons of the DS is for! Both Baby Mario and Baby Luigi can be independently manipulated using the X and Y buttons respectively for whatever commands you’ll be able to give them. Then Mario and Luigi can be controlled using A and B respectively. In the demo that an IGN representative got the chance to play, he had to use Baby Mario and Luigi to actually free their adult counterparts and then use the adults to throw the babies into a tree trunk! Don’t ask, I’m not the one developing the game, because that is indeed cruel sounding! How the dual screens will be utilized is by the fact that each set of characters can be in either one at any given time, which makes use of the top and bottom nicely!

In terms of the battling that will occur in this game, the system is run off the very same turn-based engine that backed the original Mario & Luigi. But in a unique twist utilizing both screens at once, enemies can actually take up both screens, spanning the kind of height that might make the Mario brothers lose control of a certain “bodily function!” Perhaps the big boy Mario brothers should bring diapers with them? Utilizing all of the four face buttons, players of this game will have to dodge all enemy attacks, and then counter with their very own!

Upon first look at the graphics, they may not seem like much of an upgrade if any kind of one from the original Mario & Luigi. But supposedly when looking closer, you will see far prettier character animations and background level design! AlphaDream has even gone as far as making some cool “entering battle” effects already. For example, one actually causes the screens to sort of conform to a “sphere-like” object that will literally bounce off-screen across the dual screens!

So while we don’t know a heavy dose of information about this game as of now, when it comes time for the game to be closer to its release, more is bound to surface! Mario & Luigi 2 should be a great experience to follow the critically acclaimed Superstar Saga!