Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story review (DS)

The action sticks closely to the basic template that has been set in the Mario & Luigi series since the first game appeared on the Game Boy Advance, albeit with some cool DS updates. Bowser and the brothers each have a number of different unique abilities that you can unlock over the course of the adventure. The brothers' abilities are mostly team-based actions, such as standing on each other's shoulders, using an air-filled Mario, burrowing underground, or smashing Mario into miniature size, to name a few. As always, new abilities let you access different areas and find the many secrets peppered throughout the land. When in combat, you can access a different set of combo moves that make up the brothers' chuckle-worthy special attacks. One noteworthy example sees you stuffing Luigi full of pastries so that he balloons out, and then tossing him in the air so he can slam down to the ground and damage your enemies. As with normal attacks, if you time your button presses right, you can do bonus damage to your targets, which is both satisfying and key during boss fights.

When you're playing as Bowser, the action works in more or less the same way, but with a very cool twist. When you're exploring, the irritable monarch has fewer moves at his disposal than the brothers, and he's not big on subtlety. For example, when faced with an obstacle, Bowser can often stomp, slam, roll, or burn his way past it. When using Bowser in combat, you have a basic punch and flame attack, as well as a powerful breath attack that lets you inhale items or small enemies. The breath attack is handy for finding hidden block kittens spread throughout the world as well as for passing the buck in battles. When enemies are inhaled, they'll end up in Bowser's stomach, where Mario and Luigi can take them on, which makes for some interesting multipart battles. Bowser's special attacks differ from the brothers', thanks to his many minions. Each special attack uses a set of minions, such as goombas, koopas, and bob-ombs, and requires you to use the touch screen to perform the attack. Finally, Bowser has several unique combat sections in which he grows to Godzilla-like proportions. These require you to turn your DS on its side and use the touch screen and microphone to attack and to collect items. Bowser's size boost doesn't offer him too big an advantage over his enemies, though, since they're as big as he is and just about as mean. These sections offer a cool change of pace that adds to the game's already impressive amount of variety.

While the main story sends you through various locations in the Mushroom Kingdom to explore, battle, solve puzzles, and drive off Fawful, that isn't everything there is to do. One of the best aspects of the game is the variety of activities to take on. Over the course of the adventure, you have the option to solve puzzles, give massages, look for hidden items, and engage in minigames. The game's role-playing elements keep things simple and accessible. Bowser and the boys earn experience and level up as they progress. New to the leveling system is a ranking system that determines which gear you can equip on the characters and which shops you can buy gear from. Another new twist is the way that badges are implemented in battle. Badges are items you can purchase and equip on each brother, separately from gear, and they will offer a variety of effects depending on the badge combination. The only minor ding on the game's offerings is that, outside of going back to earn a secret rank, there isn't much reason to go back and replay the game once you've finished it.

On top of all this superb and varied gameplay, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story boasts a colorful and crisp art style, impressive character animation, and some whimsical audio design that's perfectly in keeping with other aspects of the game. It's a fun, accessible role-playing game for the DS that anyone with even a passing interest in the subject matter shouldn't miss.