Genre: RPG
Year: 2005
Developed by: AlphaDream
Published by: Nintendo
Platforms: DS
#365
Feeling Like: Writer’s Coin Block

Hey, Brain?

Yeah?

I’ve got a problem.

Ok, let’s talk it out.

Do you mind if we think instead? I don’t want to talk out loud to myself, Kyla might be listening.

Fine by me, but you’re going to have to transcribe it.

I can do that. Did you want to be bolded, or italicized?

Italicized, seems classier. 

Lovely.

Plus, bold would indicate that I really know what I’m talking about, and I don’t.

You don’t?

No. I mean I know what you’re going to say. 

You do?

Well, I’m you. 

Right. Well, how do I go about telling the readers of the 500 that I don’t really have any specific, tangible memories of Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time?

You just did. 

Yeah, but I’d like SOMETHING to work with here.

Well, you can mention that you’re not a huge fan of handhelds.

I think I’ve said that in nearly every write-up so far.

You can allude to your inner annoyance that this isn’t a true Super Mario RPG sequel.

Yeah, I think that idea’s also getting long in the tooth.

Roger that. Let me try to think of something.

Phew.

Nope, nothing. 

WHAT?

Nadda. I don’t remember the story, or anything different from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, aside from the improved visuals. 

Well that’s something. We’ll have to explain more than that, however. This is better than 134 games I’ve beaten in my life, so there’s got to be a reason for that.

Hmmm. 

The action puzzles made really good work of the dual screen, I will say.

Yeah, I remember that. Takes advantage of the hardware.

The timed attacks, a mainstay of the Mario RPG games, are terrific here.

Hey, you’re doing pretty good considering I’m the brain and you’re the…uh…rest of the body without the brain?

Hey, thanks! I just remember that the variance of combo attacks, combined with the quick time events on bosses meant that skill and patience really mattered when it came to overcoming tougher obstacles.

True. Bowser battles in particular meant you couldn’t just mash the attack button. 

It’s refreshing to see a game that forces you to use items because they’re so useful. I will say that as fun as the boss battles were, they felt a bit long. I felt the game needed an adrenaline shot in the arm, the pacing seemed off.

Well there you go, you justified the positioning slightly. 

Phew! I guess that’ll do.

It is a bit weird how you can’t formulate specific memories about this one, yet have it higher than 134 other games.

Guilty as charged. It’s a slight upgrade over Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga but nowhere near some of the other Mario RPG games to go any higher. I guess it didn’t differentiate itself enough, but enjoys a standard level of quality to nudge it slightly above others.

Good enough for me. Let’s talk about The Legend of Zelda next. I have a feeling we won’t need to have this type of conversation about it. 

Not a chance.

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