A Lot To Get Excited for in September

There is a really interesting and never been done before game coming out for the Nintendo DS next month. Scribblenauts. It’s going to be awesome, fun, and inventive. I am going to buy it and probably have a blast, but I feel that it has overshadowed another game that is part of a series that has never yet let me down. The Mario & Luigi RPG series.

For those unfamiliar with the series, the Mario & Luigi RPG series has been offering an alternative to the typical RPG since back on the Super Nintendo. A few generations ago a partnering with then SquareSoft, created a lovable package by the name of Super Mario RPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars. The most distinguishing characteristic of gameplay was the implementation of timed attacks. A player would need to time button presses with the character’s attacks in order to gain valuable benefits such as increased damage or combos. This helped keep the game constantly moving because a player would always be active doing something. Since then the series has continued with improvements into the Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga for GBA and Partners in Time for the Nintendo DS. Developer AlphaDream has gone about changing things up by adding more attacks, team ups, and defense sequences.

One of the reasons I’ve enjoyed each of the M&L games is because of this constant action. It has been a long time since I’ve been able to play a normal RPG with a traditional turn based attack system. Since Final Fantasy VI, I have had a hard time playing a game where I would be just sitting around waiting for my turn to attack. I have a lack of patience coupled with a short attention span, so The Mario & Luigi RPG series has always been my breath of fresh air in the Role playing genre.

Another of the reasons M&L has been such an enjoyable series is the personality. In each of the games, the Mushroom Kingdom is under some sort of attack scheme. A new super villain is in town with another generic plan for world domination. While most times rather generic and unmemorable in terms of story creativity, We must not forget that The Mario Brothers are one of the most recognizable video game characters, and to see them spring in to action, it is something that you do not often see. Honestly, when do you see the Mario Brothers take on evil as a team? Mario is the Hero. He has always gotten plenty of screen time and each game revolves around the Red Plumbers quest to save Princess Toadstool. Luigi might make a cameo or possibly be an unlockable character, but he has always taken a backseat to his brother. In the RPG series, you are finally able to see them go off and interact with each other. It is a little sad though to always see Luigi reduced to the cowardly role, but I will take whatever I get. Heck, I’d even take another Luigi’s Mansion game.

My final reason to get hyped about this game is the music. Shimomura Yoko is once again back working on the RPG series. If you’re unfamiliar with her work outside of M&L, think Parasite Eve and Kingdom Hearts. In the world of video game music, far too many composers are over looked. The main few names get tossed around. Uematsu. Kondo. Who else would you say? I am guilty of this. But that is a discussion best saved for another time.

So where are we now? Honestly, my hype for this game is kind of low right now. It’s not as high as it should be. Among the other September games, Scribblenauts has a lot of my attention and since it is coming out the same week, I could easily see the same thing overlook effect happening to other game players. But this is not a game to overlook. The story this time around is viable. Amidst the plan to overtake the Mushroom Kingdom, Bowser’s mouth was turned into a black hole and the Bros. are sucked in to fend for themselves in the beasts’ innards. Instead of just controlling the Marios, combat will be juggled between the brothers and Bowser. The Marios will also need to travel about the Insides of Bowser, hence the name of the game, activating certain muscles or triggers, in effect controlling the large reptile. It is a welcome change in gameplay, and from a surface perspective, it looks like enough to keep me interested through the entire game. Even though, I am a little shaky right now, I know it will be a good idea to be pick up this game day one. The AlphaDream logo will pop up. The Mario Bros. will say “Nintendo!” The music will start up and the good times will roll. I just hope the final bosses will not be as devastatingly hard as they have been in the past games.

Thanks,
David