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Nintendo hits another one out of the park

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 73 / 86
Date: December 05, 2005
Author: Amazon User

The brothers Mario have been reunited again following the fantastic `Superstar Saga' and this time they're joined by their own baby versions. They may be tiny and they may occasionally cry fountains of tears but that doesn't stop them from being formable fighters who can hold their own with their adult counterparts. The hook in `Partners in Time' is the time traveling between the past and present versions of the Toadstool kingdom. The Kingdom of the past has been attacked by aliens, the adult princess has been kidnapped (shock) and the Cobalt Star (the McGuffin of the story) has been broken into various pieces that need to be retrieved.

`Partners in Time' carries on that tradition of legitimately funny scripting set by `Superstar Saga' and most of the play mechanics remain the same. Much like the RPG console versions the handheld games are all about timing. Fights are turn based affairs requiring the player to time out strikes and defends. Players with difficulty getting the rhythm down may find themselves having some difficulties. Each creature type has a slightly different pattern and sometimes multiple attack sequences. It can take some fast reflexes but like most Nintendo games `Partners in Time' is designed to be beaten even by players with modest skills. One of the issues I have is the fact that it can be very difficult to manage all four brothers during combat even after hours of practice. It's actually even harder when the adult and baby version are separated because the adults uses X and Y while the babies use B and A. I found it challenging to get used one set of buttons and suddenly switch to the other especially when you need to switch between adults and babies quickly.

The Mario RPG's have always taken an aesthetic minimalist approach. There are five adjustable character attributes including the enigmatic `Stache'. The brothers can wear one pair of overalls and one badge to help boost stats or give special bonus abilities. Like every RPG made since the dawn of time the brothers will have an ever increasing (and potent) selection of items to choose from as the game progresses. If complexity is your bag the Mario RPG's may disappoint. It's all about simplicity. If anything Partners simplifies the experience even more by creating a more linear experience over `Superstar Saga'. The various collectible bean types have now been eliminated in favor of the generic `bean' so no more bean drinks.

The DS system has been on such a roll of late and `Partners in Time' is just one more five star game in a growing library of great DS games. With this game and Mario Kart Nintendo has really had a great winter season.

GREAT GREAT GREAT

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 49 / 68
Date: November 29, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This is truly a great RPG. Take this from a guy who doesn't like RPG's. But this game is so clever and fun, it simply can not be denied. There is still lot's of talking, which I am never a fan, but there is also much more action and more creative puzzles than in the last outing. This is a funny game as well. You will like this game. No you will love this game. Mario does it again. Buy this game and you will have hours of fun this Christmas.

YOUR new Partner in Time!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 11
Date: November 30, 2005
Author: Amazon User

The smash success of Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga on the GBA is now followed by another smash on the DS. The game utilizes the touch screen greatly, and gives new innovation to an already golden formula, making it platinum.

You will once again take control of Mario and Luigi and save the Mushroom Kingdom and Princess Peach from danger. The thrat this time is a race known as the Shroob. Their home planet is no longer bursting with life, and so they decided to leave and check out your home. They're all lead by Princess Shroob, and they think the Mushroom Kingdom is the perfect place to conquer.

The events that take place in the game will take place in the present, as well as the past. Using not only Mario and Luigi, but baby Mario and baby Luigi. The game is full of as much love and heart as the previous title, being funny and having some of the most engaging gameplay ever presented in an RPG.

As with the GBA version, Superstar Saga, you'll control Mario and Luigi. The A button controls Mario and the B button controls Luigi. Just the same, the X and Y buttons control baby Mario and baby Luigi. And using all four characters isn't all that bad at all. The younger versions of our heros can be given piggyback rides to speed things up a little. You may find yourself having to use the children more often than not. They can fit into places their adult counterparts can't, and they can also be flailed to places the older brothers can't reach. You'll most likely control both sets independently, and that's fine as well.

Both sets work in different ways, however. Mario and Luigi use toned down versions of special abilities found in Superstar Saga. Mario and Luigi execute the jumps, while Baby Mario and Baby Luigi use hammers, which let them hit switches and bury underground.

Shopping hasn't changed at all. The only difference is that you'll have to buy baby clothes for the younger heros. Badges, thankfully, can be equiped on anyone.

Battling has undergone a big change, but I assure you it's for the better. You now control four characters in battle as opposed to just two. Some of your attacks can now be enhanced thanks to the babies. For example, they can perform an attack with their hammers while standing on their respected shoulders. Special moves in battle have also changed. Instead of learning all new techs, it's based on the items you have in stock. This is also enhanced by the babies. Some of your special techniques will involve all four of your players. Others will be slightly enhanced by using the babies, meaning they'll be more powerful. You may have to do some battles without your little buddies.

The same old "timed hits" which was introduced in the SNES classic, Super Mario RPG, still exists here. In your special attacks if you mess up the button combination it could cost you to perform a watered down attack instead of a successful rock hitting assault. The same goes for dodging techniques. As in the first Mario and Luigi game, enemies will clue you in on who they're attacking and you'll have to have the correct timing to dodge them. It takes time to learn, but it presents a very good challenge to the game.

Mario and Luigi Partners in Time does not slouch on the DS capabilities. You'll find yourself using both screens. The top screen serves as a map, and as a gameplay screen when the babies seperate from the adults. The top screen also serves to present story sequences rather well. The use of the touch screen may sometimes feel a little tacked on (like wiping off a dirty picture to make a discovery), but at least you'll actually use it.

Visually, the game stays true to the look and feel of the GBA title. It's good to see it doesn't make Baby Mario and Baby Luigi look too cute either. The DS also gives us a more sharper look at thing such as special attacks. The time periods also look distinctly different. The only problem that really presents itself with the visuals, is how some angles make jumps hard, and how some of the counterattacks are hard to pull off because of the angle.

The voice acting is fantastic. With a different variety, including the babies. It also sounds really lively. The sound is pretty well done too. Some of the themes (like the battle theme) you won't find yourself humming, but the music is good where it is, and it also stays true to the situation, as well as to the original GBA game.

Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time is without a doubt, one of the best DS titles out there. While it's safe to say it doesn't outdo Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga on the GBA, you can be sure this is a damn good follow up.

The Good:
+Great graphics
+Wonderful combat system
+Engaging fameplay
+Solid graphics
+Great sense of humor

The Bad:
-Camera angles make some jumps hard

A solid DS title!

Awesome game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 11
Date: December 13, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I was a bit nervous to get this game because I am not really a big gamer and there are not two but four characters to control but I was pleasantly suprised but how informative the game was on how to control the players' different attacks.

The game also has a lot of funny parts that will definitely make you laugh and there is never a repetitive and dull moment.

The only drawback is that once you are done with the game, you can't go back and redo any of the levels.

Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time....

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 16 / 20
Date: December 01, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Nintendo, yet again, puts out the goods with Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time. Like Paper Mario(N64) and Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga(Gameboy Advance) before it, Partners is an engrossing RPG that is not only addictive to play but humorous as well. Mario and Luigi travel back in time to rescue Princess Peach, only to come face to face with baby versions of themselves, the princess and Bowser. Teaming up with their baby versions send Mario and Luigi on an adventure of their life as players must control both the adult AND baby versions of the Mushroom Kingdom heroes. The result is absolutely hilarious, at times. Apart from the second screen and character aspect, Partners in Time doesn't stray too far from the Superstar Saga original. It has more elaborate puzzles, and more action-based fights than the original game, though, and it's alot meatier in terms of gameplay time. Although it doesn't explore the Nintendo DS like other developers have, Partners in Time definitely approaches the system in more extremely creative ways. You'll see what I'm talking about when you play the game. It's defiitely a game that diehard and casual RPG fans should pick up.

My biggest gripe, however, with Partners in Time is the graphics. Alphadream coulda, at the very least, spiced things up a little bit in that department instead of giving us GBA visuals, which is something I've noticed lately on games coming out for the DS. Why are developers giving us GBA graphics when the Nintendo DS is capable of so much more? With games like Castlevania, I could understand the reason why but, even then, Konami made certain aspects of their latest Castlevania adventure more 3-D'ish.

Once again, though, Alphadream delivers an outstanding RPG worthy of your time. Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time is a blast.

A hard game to rate

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 14 / 18
Date: November 26, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Mario and Lugi Superstar Saga was a legendary GBA game, even though the graphics were a little grainy, me and my friend play that game almost daily at lunch time, being excited about the 2005 release, I bought it right away without thinking. Mario and Luigi Partners in Time is NOT, i repeat NOT a remake of the GBA game Mario and Luigi Super Star Saga, created in 2003. Which is a good thing, mainly.

The game has the second-most creative plots in a Mario game (The first goes to Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door), where Peach goes in a time machine back to the past, and this alien race called the Shroobs conquer the past Mushroom Kingdom. Mario and Luigi have to go save the past Kingdom from all the evil, but this time they have some... uh friends...

Their (ahem) "friends" are actually their own younger selves from the past when they were still babies (Toddlers, at least, since they can walk and jump). You will learn some moves for each team, they younger bros. will get hammers, which will work equal to the hammers in Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga.

A familar ability is in this game as well, stomping baddies before battles will give them extra damage, but if you jump on one with flames, spikes, etc. you'll actually take damage. If you've never played the GBA original, you can counter and dodge moves when foes attack, making this an actually exciting RPG, and not a boring one where it's 100% turn based.

The Bros. Points have been removed, MALSS (Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga) you had to use Bros. Points to operate special moves, which were quite tedious, since you had to get an extra power up called Syrup to recover them. MALPIT (Mario and Luigi Partners in Time) gives you Bros. Items which are like special moves, except you only need to use one thing instead of two.

The length of the game depends on how long it will take you, the game goes by faster if you actually fight enemies instead of running away (you lose coins every time you do this, quite a lot, actually, so it's not recommended) since you can level up. You can't run away from Mini-Boss or Boss fights, so fighting is recommended, since it's the easiest way to get money and the only way to get EXP to level up

You have Heart Points for health, Power for... duh, power, Defense for Defense, Speed for Speed, and wait, what's this Stache? What the (BLEEP) is Stache points? Well, Stache points are a % of how many Lucky hits you can land, Lucky hits do more damage, and Stache points also give you discounts on buying items and higher refunds for selling items.

To increase some stats, you can also buy clothes, this is a faster way, but it costs a lot of money. Only people that don't run and fight nearly every single battle will have a lot of money left over. Another thing to buy is badges, these let you do special things like recover health every turn.

Beans seem pretty useless, you dig into the ground, and pop up where there is an X mark to get one, until... you get to (SPOILER) Fawful's Badge N' Bean Shop, (Fawful was a major NPC character in MALSS) where you can trade them for badges. All of the badges (Even though they're RARE) really really suck... except for the Ulti-Free Badge, which lets you use infinite bro items, no matter what amount you have, even though it takes time to get more then 1, you can just play certain games for beans if you don't like to search.

Another issue is saving, one of the biggest complaints that I have. In order to save, you have to find something called a Save Album, you have to actually jump under it to go to the save menu, this is quite bad, if you think you don't have to save "yet" and get in a battle, lose and have to start over from your last save.
Even worse, if you run out of battery power. However, another alternative is to pause the game and put it in sleep mode (Charge it if you can) and play again when you can.

OK: Time for the comparisons

WHICH IS BETTER

MALSS: Better humor

MALPIT usually recycles old jokes, or inside jokes from the other game, i.e a really annoying character Prince Peasly is a poster on the wall. Some of the jokes are sometimes not even really funny, and just annoying (Babies crying, Baby Peach, Baby Mario, no sound jokes, where you just watch something with no music and few sound effects).
Also the dialouge is sometimes amazing, and a second later it just makes you think "What? Was that supposed to be funny?"

MALPIT: Better Action

MALSS is bland compared to MALPIT and that's a pretty bold statement. You actually control 4 guys in battle by using 4 buttons, and you need to switch frequently in some parts of the game between the pairs, doing special actions to get to secret areas, or required areas to progress through the game.

RECOMMENDATION:

I would actually getting the ORIGINAL first, so you can understand if this is your type of humor, the original is actually easier, since it's normal paced, even the fast battles, while this one is frantic, requiring you to press buttons for successive items, or skillful baddies.

TOTAL 9/10

The Bad: Some cutscenes are annoying, limited save feature, only 2 slots, no multiplayer, "fast" gameplay (not really bad after you get used to it)

if you arealdy have MALSS read a few other reviews before purchasing this excellent game to make your descision

truly an awesome game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 14
Date: August 30, 2006
Author: Amazon User

mario and luigi: partners in time is easily one of the best ds
games and after a half year of playing,its still my favorite game. the story starts off with this alien race known as the shroobs looking for a new home. By cruel fate they find the
mushroom kingdom. at the same time in the future prof. e. gadd just finished creating his time machine powered by the colbat
star. peach sets off to the past to see the mushroom kingdom
of old. but somthing amiss... when the machine returns theres
no princess peach! also strange holes start appering around the castle. Now its up to mario and luigi to save the kingdom! once you find the babys Mario and luigi then the story really starts. one frequantly asked question is if i play partners in time before superstar saga(the original mario and luigi game)will I miss anything? The answer is no. The plots beetween both games have nothing in common. but i do recomend play super star saga first.

The power of plumbers

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 10
Date: January 20, 2006
Author: Amazon User

In 2003, Nintendo's Mario Bros. escalated their positions from platforming icons to RPG heroes. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga for the Game Boy Advance marked Mario and Luigi's first venture into the role-playing genre. The game did exceptionally well, and left many fans clamouring for a sequel. The sequel has arrived, although on another platform, in the form of Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. Engaging a similar formula, Partners in Time obviously tries to build on the things that made Superstar Saga great. And to a certain extent, it does, thanks to the unique idea that forms the basis of this game - babies.

The plot of the game doesn't spring any surprises - the Mushroom Kingdom is under siege, Princess Peach is captured, and the plumbing pair has to engage in an adventure to save the day. This is the premise that many Mario Bros. games are based upon, and Nintendo are not going to mess with it. The villain this time is a certain Princess Shroob, ruler of a world known as the, er, Shroobs (full marks for creativity!). Hell bent on conquering the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Shroob leads her army of Shroobs into an all-out invasion, and (more or less) did her stuff. The only thing that she didn't count on is the intervention of the Mario Brothers. The thing that sets this normal routine apart from past Mario games is that Shroob's invasion didn't actually happen in the present. Instead, the events were unfolded from years past. The present day Mario and Luigi will therefore have to travel between present and past to stop the Shroobs' evil plans. Warrior Within, anyone?

The time travelling idea is not something that is totally new to Nintendo. Some years ago, they experimented on it to great effects for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. That too, is by no means the only occasion that time travel happens in a Nintendo game. The highlights of Partners in Time, however, are the appearances of Baby Mario and Baby Luigi. Princess Shroob's invasion has conveniently happened at a time when Mario and Luigi were just toddlers, and it's no surprise that the brothers have to come face to face with (literally) their former selves. What happens next is a double team of the double team, making it quite a ride for the player of this game.

The gameplay of Partners in Time is clearly the thing that makes it enjoyable. Like a standard platformer, Mario and Luigi will spend a lot of time exploring different locations on the Mushroom Kingdom's map, which includes such familiar places like Bower's Castle and Yoshi's Island. The concept of having different sizes of the brothers also makes the usual puzzle-solving a little more inventive. For example, the smaller brothers can reach areas that the older ones can't. Similarly, the babies can ride on their older selves to cross larger gaps that they can't jump over.

Now, did I just say "jump"? Well, jumping is basically what the Mario Brothers do, really. The four round buttons of the DS (A, B, X and Y) are used to perform the jumping action for the four characters, so you'll get to control Mario using A, Luigi using B, and so on. The combat system also uses these respective buttons extensively. Like conventional RPGs, the battles are turn-based, and the first move is always given to the character (or enemy) with the fastest recovery speed. Combat actions are issued in the form of commands, and guess what, the first move that all four brothers begin with is "jump". There's a twist to the rather simplistic jump attack though. When you jump at an enemy, you can jump again when you're about to reach him to incur additional damage. This is a bit like the "jump" command that Kain uses in Final Fantasy IV Advance, and it's definitely useful during the early moments of the game.

The brothers will learn new commands as the game progresses, including the use of "Brother Items", a synonym for weapons. Brother items are very useful tools that can cause a large amount of damage to your enemies. For example, you can use shells during attacks, which allow a brother to roll a shell to an enemy, and then have the other catch and roll the rebound back to the same enemy, and then have the first brother do the same... until you can't catch up with the increased speed each time the shell gets rebounded. Much like playing squash, actually, but nonetheless very useful if you want to end a fight quickly. The baby versions of the brothers will also lend a hand during combat, which can lead to some devastating combo moves. If, for example, you use a shell on an enemy while piggybacking the babies, you can unleash a four-character combo that dishes out some major pain to the enemies. If this sound like ass-kicking to you, well, it is.

The game, though relatively easy, does present some nasty challenges along the way. The boss fights, for instance, could take you some time to clear. Thankfully, most of the enemies have their individual attacking patterns, and if you get used to how they attack, you should find yourself dodging these attacks comfortably. And if you time it right after dodging an attack successfully, you can even dish out a counter-attack, which makes the going a little easier. Of course, as a RPG, you'll also earn experience points when you fight, and you'll get to level up when you hit the required points for upgrading. Apart from this, you can also upgrade your gear with the use of clothings and badges. These, like armoury items in most RPGs, help to build up your defence, or increase your attack prowess.

Partners in Time utilizes some features of the DS for the gameplay as well. The dual screen, for example, is used to perfection most of the time as a map. If you happen to get the babies characters into an area where the older brothers can't access, the top screen will switch to show the babies exploring this area. If you're learning a move, the top screen will even show you, in a rather comical step-by-step fashion, how to execute it. The use of the dual screens is definitely interesting, making the experience very much richer. You'll also use the touch screen on certain occasions, usually to wipe a dirty portrait to find out what's on it - this works too much like Trace Memory for my liking, though.

Apart from the gameplay, the presentation of Partners in Time is also pretty good. Some may question as to why Nintendo are still using GBA-style graphics for a DS game, but the answer is obvious - they still look great. The characters have some nice animated movement apart from the usual jumping action. For example, after a very tough fight, you may find Mario expressing a sigh of relief. This could be what you're thinking at that moment as well, so it appears entirely appropriate. The music is also superb, with a mixture of classic and new scores making the game feel less like a typical Mario game. The voice-overs, if minimal, are also pretty spot on. It doesn't fail to amuse me when Mario spouts some Italian gibberish to Luigi, only for the latter to respond with a typical "oh yeah!". Priceless!

All in all, Partners in Time lives up to its hype as a worthy successor to Superstar Saga. More importantly, it presents to the DS an enriching RPG experience not commonly found in its current library. My only gripe with the game is that at times, it plays more like a platformer than a RPG. Maybe the jumping has taken its toll, but this doesn't make the game any worse. In a nutshell, whether you enjoy the Mario Bros. as a platformer or a RPG, you'll find yourself quickly immerse in the world of Partners in Time.

One of the best Mario games yet, but a little short

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: April 06, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This is an excellent sequel to Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, where you get to control not only the Mario Bros., but their baby versions too. The only problems, and I mean ONLY PROBLEMS are that it is a little short, and ends abruptly. Once you fight the last boss, there is nothing left to do. Absolutely nothing. When you want to save before your final boss battle, the game asks you if you are sure want to save, because you cannot go back to anything from before after you save. This game is great and I definitely reccomend that you buy it, but my suggestion is: once you finish an area in the game, go back and explore. And as you near the end of the game, go back to places you hadn't gone before. For example, there are cool mini-games in Thwomp Volcano that most would probably pass to get to the end. And this is not the kind of game that you play once and that's it. There are a lot of things you can do differently. For example, badges give the Bros. special abilities in battle, so choose different badges next time and see what you prefer.

One of the finest gaming experiences the DS has to offer

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 16
Date: December 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Mario And Luigi: Partners In Time (2005.)

INTRODUCTION:
For Nintendo, Mario games are almost always a sure-fire success. Even if the games aren't very good, they always sell excellently. But over ninety percent of the time, the games in question ARE excellent. Even Nintendo's attempt to take Mario into other genres have worked well, including role-playing games. In 2003, Nintendo released the Game Boy Advance RPG, Mario And Luigi: Superstar Saga. With its easily accessible and unique gameplay, as well as a rather comical presentation, the game was a huge hit with Nintendo gamers everywhere. It wasn't surprising in the least that Nintendo had a sequel planned for the Game Boy Advance's successor, the Nintendo DS. 2005 saw the release of Mario And Luigi: Partners In Time. Read on for my review of this game, and see how it fares in comparison to the original.

OVERVIEW:
Nintendo released Mario And Luigi: Partners In Time in 2005. The game is for one player, and is available only on the Nintendo DS. The overall gameplay is similar to the previous game, but there are now multiple characters (or versions of characters) that can be controlled.

REVIEW:
I had high expectations for this game, and once again, Nintendo delivered the goods. If you thought they couldn't create another Superstar Saga, this game will prove you wrong! Once again, Nintendo creates an experience that is comical, entertaining, and just plain fun to play. It's one of the few must-own Nintendo DS titles out there. The storyline of the game involves Professor E. Gadd creating a time machine. And as we all know, time travel rarely works as well as is intended. Princess Peach is sent back into the past, and the Mario Brothers go back in time to retrieve her. Once there, they find themselves in the midst of an ongoing attack on the kingdom. They encounter themselves as babies, and join forces with these past versions of themselves. It's a solid and entertaining storyline, definitely better than that old "the Princess has been captured by Bowser" storyline Nintendo has been pushing on the gamers for years. The gameplay mechanics, for the most part, are quite easy to learn, making it an easily accessible experience for gamers of all ages. All the way through, the game stays fresh, rarely seeming redundant or tedious. There are a few minor flaws, though. First and foremost is the flaw Nintendo is infamous for - NOT LETTING GAMERS SKIP CUT SCENES. There is a LOT of dialogue in this game, and not being able to skip any of it is just horrible. I play the game to have fun, not to listen to characters talk! When will Nintendo learn that they will benefit from letting gamers skip the cut scenes in their games? Or will they never learn? Another flaw is the lack of puzzles, and overall linear gameplay. The game is fun, but most RPGs have puzzles to challenge the gamer, and this one certainly is lacking in that element. Likewise, the overall experience is a linear one, and much of the time it will seem like the game is "holding your hand" all the way through. The challenge is also fairly limited and seems imbalanced. My last complaint is that, when controlling four characters, there is a LOT of stuff to remember, and you often have to remember it FAST in order to fight an effective battle - not good for slow thinkers like myself. But in the end, these shortcomings are ultimately undone by all the things the game does well.

OVERALL:
Overall, this is one of the best games on the Nintendo DS so far. Regardless of what kind of gamer you are, if you own a Nintendo DS, Mario And Luigi: Partners In Time is a fun-filled gaming experience for the DS, and one of the few titles on the system that is truly a great one. Don't pass this one by!

EDITION NOTES:
Not much to say here. This game is a recent release, and like most Mario games, this one has become wildly popular at its time of release. The game is readily available in most stores, and is likely to remain such for quite some time to come. If you want to get this game, it won't be too hard to find it.

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