Mario & Luigi: Brothership Review – Nintendo Switch RPG Returns After a Decade

In November 2024, the Mario & Luigi series made its eagerly awaited return with the release of 'Mario & Luigi: Brothership' for the Nintendo Switch.

Nearly a decade since the last title, this fresh installment represents a significant milestone for Nintendo and developer Acquire, tasked with revitalizing one of the most beloved RPG series in the Mario franchise.

While the game delivers on many fronts, it also presents a handful of notable shortcomings that have polarized long-time fans and newcomers alike. Developed by Acquire, 'Mario & Luigi: Brothership' combines expressive 3D character art with the series’ signature humor and turn-based mechanics.

Players once again join Mario and Luigi as they traverse vibrant island settings, engaging in classic RPG battles and solving puzzles.

The game transitions the iconic hand-drawn art of previous entries into an immersive 3D style for the first time, with animations that capture the duo’s personalities.

While the story does not upend RPG conventions, it provides a solid narrative backbone, introducing a virtual reality twist involving a reimagined Mushroom Kingdom and a memorable antagonist, Reclusa, who stands out among Mario villains for her depth and charisma. Despite these positives, 'Brothership' is not without its flaws.

One of the most common critiques involves the game's pacing and length.

According to player feedback and completion data, the main story can take upwards of 40 hours to complete—a runtime comparable to 'Mario & Luigi: Dream Team.' However, unlike its predecessor, much of 'Brothership’s' narrative momentum is reserved for the final stretch, leaving large intervals of repetitive content and side quests that many feel amount to filler.

Multiple islands, such as Bulbfish Island and Merrygo Island, have been highlighted for their monotonous design and lackluster contribution to world-building.

Industry reviewers have stressed that tightening the story and reducing non-essential quests would result in a more engaging and concise experience. Technical performance is another major sticking point.

While 'Mario & Luigi: Brothership' aims for a 30 frames-per-second target on the Nintendo Switch, it often falls short—especially in late-game scenarios.

Frame rate drops during overworld traversal and densely populated segments, such as the Hammer Rally minigame, can disrupt gameplay and timing-based challenges.

As the game progresses and the in-universe red fog envelops the world, performance issues persist, at times dipping below 20 frames per second.

This has stood out in reviews, especially since previous Mario titles on the Switch typically maintain a more consistent visual experience.

Many critics have stated that optimization or a potential Nintendo Switch 2 update could address these technical shortcomings. Gameplay feedback has also highlighted changes to Luigi’s mechanics.

In contrast to earlier series entries where players could independently control both brothers in exploration and combat, Luigi is now AI-controlled during overworld navigation, and battle controls assign his actions to the A button rather than the traditional B button.

While these adjustments are relatively minor, some fans prefer the classic control scheme, and have expressed a desire for customizable settings in future updates or sequels.

Additionally, prolonged tutorial segments and dry writing contribute to the feeling of a bloated campaign. However, it’s not all criticism.

The endgame sequences, particularly the final boss battle, have been praised for their creativity and emotional impact, with some series veterans ranking the final encounter among the best in Mario & Luigi history, only second to 'Bowser’s Inside Story.' Furthermore, commercial data has shown that 'Mario & Luigi: Brothership' performed well in terms of sales, underscoring demand for high-quality Mario RPGs on the eShop and physical Nintendo Switch releases.

Nintendo’s awareness of both feedback and sales data bodes well for the possibility of future entries, as the company is known for iterating based on player response. In summary, 'Mario & Luigi: Brothership' is a visually impressive and narratively ambitious entry in the series that is ultimately hindered by pacing and technical issues.

For players who can persevere through its slower sections, the payoff is well worth it, with some of the most memorable moments the franchise has to offer.

Given its strong sales and Nintendo’s history of responding to fan input, there’s reason to anticipate a brighter, more polished future for this iconic RPG series on Switch and beyond.

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