This is the fourth Mario & Luigi game. Hmm. Unlike Paper Mario, which often reinvents itself and not always for the better, this series is reliable but can feel safe. Sure it’s been beefed up (pardon the pun) and had extra bits bolted on, but it’s still following the formula established way back in Superstar Saga. But it’s a good game nevertheless, and often manages to overcome staleness or bring a smile.

These games are JRPGs with a platforming element. As always you control both Bros, Mario always using the A button and Luigi being assigned B. You jump around, hammer stuff, learn new ways to jump or work together to get around the environment and collect stuff, and then there are turn-based battles. They try to keep these fun and dynamic with timed hits and the ability to dodge and counter any enemy attack, which requires observation and reflexes. This is successful, but towards the end I found my favoured special attacks and just used those to make the battles go quicker.

A significant portion of the game’s mechanics are recycled to some extent from previous games, but presented in new ways or at least tweaked slightly. For example, Bowser’s Inside Story had Bowser growing to giant size and fighting with the DS held sideways. This game has Luigi becoming huge instead. The big new idea of this game is the dream world, where Luigi will sleep and Mario will enter his dream. This isn’t executed in a way that develops his character though unfortunately (except in a couple of instances), as it’s more like an alternate surrealist 2D version of the environment you’re in. It does give lots of fun gameplay opportunities though with Luigi gaining many bizarre abilities, and battles in the dream world being taken on solo but with flashy group attacks on swarms of enemies.

As always with this series, the script and characters are very pleasing and funny. Silliness abounds and fun new characters are introduced along with a fanservice parade of returning ones too. Popple, Kylie Koopa, Broque Monsieur, Starlow, and Bowser’s three minions Goomp, Paraplonk, and Guy all make welcome returns from previous games, along with a world populated by Beanish, Toads, Yoshis, and Hoos acting as tourists on Pi’illo Island. The island itself has new NPC races as well as instant standouts such as the Zeekeeper, the Massif Bros (pictured above), Britta, and others. The antagonist Antasma is mostly just cheesy and new helper partner Dreambert has his moments despite being played mostly straight, especially when he loses his composure. It all works together to create a quite busy world that feels good to run around in and interact with.

The first thing I noticed about the game though in trailers was how amazing it looks. AlphaDream have become absolute masters of 2D spritework, with wonderfully drawn characters that are so animated and shaded as to appear 3D. They can’t hack actual 3D though apparently, so the Giant Battles which appear with polygonal graphics were outsourced to Good-Feel! The graphics are definitely a selling point for this game, and this bright and colourful world is captivating.

Apart from the many small improvements to the game formula (quick example: selectable perks on ranking up), I just want to applaud this game for, like its predecessors, making the Mario world feel expansive and interesting. The newly released Paper Jam Bros looks to be following in Sticker Star’s doomed footsteps and adopting the tired, basic New Super Mario Bros aesthetic. Getting to know this new setting of Pi’illo Island was nice and the range of characters felt like a celebration of the quirkiness of this series. Its slow pace may have felt a drag at times but Dream Team (Bros.) can stand with the best of the Mario RPGs, a nice solid entry.