Mario & Luigi – Superstar Saga & Bowser’s Minions

Mario & Luigi – Superstar Saga & Bowser’s Minions, known in Japan as Mario & Luigi RPG 1 DX, is an enhanced remake of the 2003 game Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga for the Game Boy Advance. Along with the remake, it also comes along with the new story called Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser, where Bowser’s minions are battling enemies from the Beanbean Kingdom in order to rescue Bowser. The remake of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga has updated graphics, soundtrack, and controls, looking visually similar to Mario & Luigi: Dream Team and Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam.

The story is mainly the same as it was in the original game. However, some additions and alterations to the gameplay have also been made. Many character sprites are derived from the sprites of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team and Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, causing their appearance to be different with respect to the one of the original game. This game is the third role-playing game in the Mario franchise after Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario.

Unlike those titles however, Superstar Saga features a lighthearted whimsical script and a greater emphasis on comedy and humor. The player controls Mario and Luigi simultaneously as they traverse the overworld, fight enemies, gain experience points, and find new items and gear. The battle system differs from traditional games of the genre, with more emphasis on timing and elaborate attacks called Action Commands.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is largely set in the Beanbean Kingdom, a country neighboring the Mario series’ usual setting of the Mushroom Kingdom, mainly populated by Beanish people and Hoohooligans. The player characters are brothers Mario and Luigi, who travel to the Beanbean Kingdom to return the voice of Peach, the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, after it is stolen by the Beanish witch Cackletta and her henchman Fawful. Among other characters are Queen Bean and Prince Peasley of the Beanbean Kingdom, who assist Mario and Luigi; and the thief Popple, who crosses paths with them throughout the game.