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{{articleabout|the RPG series featuring Mario and Luigi as the main characters|other uses of "Mario & Luigi"|[[Mario & Luigi|here]]}}
{{italic title}}
{{italic title|''Mario & Luigi'' (series)}}
{{series infobox
{{series-infobox
|image=[[File:Mario & Luigi Series Logo3.png|310px]]<br>Logo design used since ''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]''<br>
|image=[[File:Mario & Luigi Series Logo.png|290px]]
|first=''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]'' ([[List of games by date#2003|2003]])
|title=Mario & Luigi
|latest=''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]'' ([[List of games by date#2018|2018]])
|first=''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]'' ([[2003]])
|number=7 (5 direct, 2 remakes)
|latest=''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]'' ([[2013]])
|franchise=''[[Super Mario (franchise)|Super Mario]]''
|number=4 installments
|parent=''[[Mario (series)|Mario]]''
}}
}}
The '''''Mario & Luigi'' series''' (Mario & Luigi RPG, マリオ&ルイージRPG in Japan) is a quadrilogy of [[Role Playing Game]]s developed by [[AlphaDream]] for [[Nintendo]]'s handhelds, starting in 2003 with ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]'' for the [[Game Boy Advance]]. Each title has [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] team up for a meandering quest in which they must battle evil, all the while completing various and often banal side-quests. More playable characters were introduced in the second and third ''Mario & Luigi'' games. The series is renowned for its inventive plots and humorous dialogue and is notable for maintaining continuity between the four installations.
{{quote|Nintendo's hilarious action-RPG proves that two heroes are better than one.|'''[[Nintendo Power]]''' Volume 175|source=January 2004}}


==History==
'''''Mario & Luigi''''', known in Japan as '''''Mario & Luigi RPG''''' (マリオ&ルイージRPG ''Mario ando Ruīji Aru Pī Jī''), is a series of {{wp|role-playing video game}}s developed by [[AlphaDream]] for [[Nintendo]]'s handheld platforms since 2003. The series features games with long, detailed stories full of battles featuring [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] as the titular characters. As in the ''[[Paper Mario (series)|Paper Mario]]'' series, the battle system emphasizes timing and elaborate attacks. Compared to other RPGs, the tone of the ''Mario & Luigi'' games is generally more whimsical and lighthearted, with various in-game jokes and comical references to the heritage of the [[Super Mario (franchise)|''Super Mario'' franchise]].
{| align=center width=100% border=1
 
|- style="background-color: whitesmoke;"
The ''Mario & Luigi'' series consists of five installments and two remakes: ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga|Superstar Saga]]'' ([[Game Boy Advance|GBA]], 2003), ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time|Partners in Time]]'' ([[Nintendo DS|DS]], 2005), ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story|Bowser's Inside Story]]'' (DS, 2009), ''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team|Dream Team]]'' ([[Nintendo 3DS|3DS]], 2013), ''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam|Paper Jam]]'' (3DS, 2015), ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions|Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]'' (3DS, 2017), and ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey|Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]'' (3DS, 2018).
!width=15%|Title, Original Release and System
 
!width=85%|Synopsis and Ratings
==Gameplay==
[[File:MLPiT Gritzy Desert screenshot.png|thumb|Mario and Luigi in [[Gritzy Desert]] in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time''.]]
The gameplay of ''Mario & Luigi'' differs from most other role-playing games due to its focus on controlling [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] simultaneously. During overworld sections, the directional pad controls Mario's movement with Luigi following closely, while Mario and Luigi's other actions are controlled individually with either of two lettered buttons: A for Mario, and B for Luigi. The game begins with them being able to jump independently, though they gain access to [[hammer]]s and a variety of other techniques as the game progresses. For example, in ''Superstar Saga'', Luigi's hammer can be used to squash Mario into [[Mini-Mario|a smaller size]], allowing access to small gaps, while placing Mario on Luigi's shoulders allows them to [[Spin Jump (Mario & Luigi series)|act like a propeller]] and hover across large gaps. Various enemies roam the overworld, and coming into contact with these enemies initiates a battle. Landing a hit on the enemy while on the overworld allows the player to [[First Strike|deal preemptive damage]], while the opposite is also possible.
 
Battles in these games are turn-based. Mario and Luigi can attack normally either by [[jump]]ing, which can deal multiple hits, though when used against enemies covered in flames or with spikes, Mario or Luigi will get hurt instead of the enemy; or with the hammer, which is powerful, but ineffective against flying enemies. Similar to other ''Super Mario'' RPG titles (''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]'' and the ''[[Paper Mario (series)|Paper Mario]]'' series), players can time button presses to make their attacks more effective, such as earning an extra jump attack or increasing the hammer's power. Introduced in this series is the way in which Mario and Luigi can defend themselves during an enemy's attack. When an enemy attacks, the brothers will be able to either jump or use their hammer which, when successfully timed, allows them to dodge their attacks and even deal counter damage (for example: if they jump on top of a charging [[Goomba]]). Throughout the game, players can unlock [[Bros. Attack]]s, which use [[Bros. Point]]s (BP) requiring players to cooperate between Mario and Luigi's actions to perform powerful combination attacks. Players can also use items such as the [[Super Mushroom]] for healing, [[pepper]]s for boosting stats, and [[1-Up Mushroom]]s for reviving fallen Bros. Defeating enemies earns experience points which help the Bros. level up and increase their stats, with players given the option to further increase the stats of one attribute every time they level up. Players can further improve their stats by equipping new gear to the Bros., or making them wear badges that give them special attributes.
 
In ''Bowser's Inside Story'', [[Bowser]] becomes a playable character who is controlled on the top screen. The world inside Bowser's body, which is played with Mario and Luigi, is presented in a 2D side-scrolling style. The brothers sometimes must directly interact with Bowser in order for the player to progress, and have opportunities to visit the overworld via [[Warp Pipe]]s as the plot advances. In battle, Bowser plays similarly to Mario and Luigi, but specializes in punching and breathing fire. He can inhale to suck up defenses and enemies from the top screen, similar to [[Kirby]], a character from another Nintendo franchise. Any enemies inhaled will enter his body, where Mario and Luigi will fight them instead. Bowser earns new abilities by rescuing his caged minions, or by finding living kitten-like blocks called [[Blitty|Blitties]]. Further, the Mario Bros. play various [[minigame]]s where they help out Bowser from inside his body in order to progress: for example, the [[Arm Center]], where the brothers hit spark-like items into a muscle to strengthen Bowser's arms; the [[Leg Outpost]], where they stomp on leg muscles to strengthen Bowser's legs; and the [[Gut Check (location)|Gut Check]], where they help digest food that Bowser eats. One location, the [[Rump Command]], has the player accumulate adrenaline in order to supersize Bowser if he is crushed, leading to a new battle system in which the DS is held vertically like a book and all attacks require the stylus and microphone.
 
''Bowser's Inside Story'' also introduced a new [[rank]]ing system in which, after a character has reached a specific level, his rank will increase. Upon reaching these milestones, that character will receive a special bonus, such as an additional equipment slot, being able to visit specific shops or receiving a certain piece of equipment. Mario and Luigi each have six ranks, but Bowser has four. The badge system from previous games has also changed, now possessing effects that Mario and Luigi can use by charging a meter with attacks. When the meter is filled, players can touch the meter to activate its effect, which varies depending on the combination of badges equipped, such as health recovery or stat raising.
 
''Dream Team'' requires Mario to enter the world of Luigi's dreams to progress through the plot. Like Bowser's body in the previous game, this "[[Dream World]]" takes place in a 2-D side-scrolling environment, where Mario is joined by a "[[Dreamy Luigi|Dreamy]]" counterpart to Luigi. Throughout the Dream World stages, players will find various phenomenons called "[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team#Luiginary Works|Luiginary Works]]," into which Dreamy Luigi can embed himself to allow players to interact with the environment by touching the real-world Luigi on the touchscreen. For example, players can tweak Luigi's mustache to manipulate a Luigi-shaped tree to fling Mario to new areas with its branches, or make Luigi sneeze to create a gust of wind that blows blocks into the foreground. Mario can also take command of a stack of Luigis known as "[[Luiginoid]]s," which takes on new abilities and forms as the game progresses, such as smashing through blocks, creating whirlwinds, and rolling down hills. Also in the Dream World, Mario can combine with Dreamy Luigi in battle and fight against large groups of enemies with assistance from the Luiginoids, which allow him to attack multiple enemies with successful attacks.
 
In ''Paper Jam'', [[Paper Mario (character)|Paper Mario]], which is the paper-like rendition of Mario seen in the ''Paper Mario'' series interpreted as a separate character, joins his normal counterpart and Luigi to form a team of three. He can use his paper thin body to perform his own unique actions, such as squeezing through tight gaps or turning into a paper airplane in battle to help the brothers. He can also use [[Copy Block|make copies of himself]], allowing him to deal extra damage or attack multiple enemies at once, as well as use special techniques called "[[Trio Attack]]s" where he, the normal Mario, and Luigi attack together. There are also sections where players control giant [[papercraft]] versions of Mario, Luigi, Peach, and [[Yoshi]] to fight other papercraft enemies.
 
==Games==
===Main series===
{|align=center width=100% class="wikitable"
|-
|-
!''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''
!width=15% style="background-color:#d9d9d9;font-size:125%;text-align:left"colspan="2"|Title
----
[[File:Superstars.PNG|150px]]
| The first game in the series was ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]'', released in 2003 for the [[Game Boy Advance]]. In the game, two new villains, [[Cackletta]] and [[Fawful]], steal [[Princess Peach's voice]]. Mario and Luigi, of course, jump into the action and travel to the [[Beanbean Kingdom]] to stop them. It is later found out that Cackletta had stolen Peach's voice to awaken the [[Beanstar]], a powerful star that can grant all wishes, such as letting Cackletta rule the world, that is awakened by a pure voice. Princess Peach happened to be the one with the "Pure" voice.
|-style=font-size:8pt align=center
| {{releasedate|USA|November 17, 2003}} [[Game Boy Advance]]
|[http://www.gamespot.com/mario-and-luigi-superstar-saga/reviews/mario-and-luigi-superstar-saga-6083876/ GameSpot - '''9.2'''] • [http://www.metacritic.com/game/game-boy-advance/mario-luigi-superstar-saga MetaCritic - '''90''']
|-
|-
!''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time''
!width=15% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|Cover, original release, and system
----
!width=85% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|Synopsis
[[File:MarioLuigiPartnersTime.jpg|145x145px]]
| A sequel to ''Superstar Saga'' was made for the [[Nintendo DS]] in 2005, called ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]''. This game centered on the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] of the past, during the invasion of an alien race known as the [[Shroobs]]. Unaware of the danger, Princess Peach uses a [[Time Machine]] built by [[Professor E. Gadd]] to travel into the past, where she was promptly captured by the alien leader, [[Princess Shroob]]. Teaming up with [[Baby Mario]] and [[Baby Luigi]], the adult Mario bros. set off to defeat the Shroobs and save Peach, using [[Time Holes]] created by the malfunctioning Time Machine to travel back and forth through time.
|-style=font-size:8pt align=center
| {{releasedate|USA|November 28, 2005}} [[Nintendo DS]]
|[http://www.gamespot.com/mario-and-luigi-partners-in-time/reviews/mario-and-luigi-partners-in-time-review-6140551/ GameSpot - '''8.9'''] • [http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/11/28/mario-luigi-partners-in-time IGN - '''9/10'''] • [http://www.metacritic.com/game/ds/mario-luigi-partners-in-time MetaCritic - '''8.6''']
|-
|-
!''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story''
!colspan="2"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]''
----
[[File:Bowsersinsidestorycover.jpg|145x145px]]
|The third installment, ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'', was announced at Nintendo's Fall Press Conference on October 2nd, 2008.<ref>[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n10/conference2008fall/mov/ds.html?n10 Nintendo fall 2008 conference]</ref> While Mario and Luigi are still playable, [[Bowser]] becomes the central protagonist in this game as he attempts to reclaim both the Mushroom and Koopa Kingdoms from Fawful, who used an outbreak of a disease known as the [[Blorbs]] as an opportunity to launch his own evil plot for world domination. Fawful later gives Bowser a [[Vacuum Mushroom]], making Bowser inhale everything around him, including Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and other characters.
|-style=font-size:8pt align=center
| {{releasedate|Japan|February 11, 2009}} [[Nintendo DS]]
|[http://www.gamespot.com/mario-and-luigi-bowsers-inside-story/reviews/mario-and-luigi-bowsers-inside-story-6226786/ GameSpot - '''9.0'''] • [http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/09/10/mario-luigi-bowsers-inside-story-review IGN - '''9.5/10'''] • [http://www.metacritic.com/game/ds/mario-luigi-bowsers-inside-story MetaCritic - '''90''']
|-
|-
!''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team''
|align="center"|[[File:Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga Box NA.png|150px]]<span style="font-size:8pt"><br>{{release|USA|November 17, 2003}} [[Game Boy Advance]] </span>
----
||The first game in the series was ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]'', released in 2003 for the [[Game Boy Advance]]. In the game, two new villains, [[Cackletta]] and [[Fawful]], steal Princess Peach's voice. Mario and Luigi jump into the action and travel to the [[Beanbean Kingdom]] to stop them. It is later found out that Cackletta had stolen Peach's voice to awaken the [[Beanstar]], a powerful star that can grant all wishes, such as letting Cackletta rule the world, that is awakened by a pure voice. Princess Peach happened to be the one with the "pure" voice.
[[File:Box NA - Mario & Luigi Dream Team.png|145x145px]]
|The fourth installment, ''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]'', was announced during February 14, 2013's Nintendo Direct.<ref>http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/archive/02-14-2013/</ref> Due to the shift to 3D, the game uses a new art style. In this game, Mario, Luigi, Pincess Peach and Toadsworth go on a trip to [[Pi'illo Island]], where the Bat King [[Antasma]] have turned many [[Pi'llow|residents]] into stone, and kidnaps Peach. In order to save the Pi'illo Island folk and the princess, Mario must explore both the real, tridimensional world, and the side-scrolling world in Luigi's dreams.
|-style=font-size:8pt align=center
| {{releasedate|Europe|July 12, 2013 }} [[Nintendo 3DS]]
|''(Unavailable)''
|}


==Appearances of the Series==
The game was later released for the [[Wii U]] as a [[Virtual Console]] title on [[Nintendo eShop]] in 2014, and is included in [[Game Boy Advance - Nintendo Switch Online]], released in 2023.
===''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''===
|-
Artwork from the ''Mario & Luigi'' series appeared as stickers in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'': Cackletta, Luigi with [[Baby Luigi]], Luigi, Mario with Luigi, [[Prince Peasley]], a Shroob, [[Stuffwell]], and [[Toadsworth]]. Additionally, one of the random names in ''Brawl'' when naming something (for example, naming a friend code) is FWFUL, obviously referencing Fawful. Additionally, [[Gritzy Desert]]'s music from ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'' is selectable as the [[Mushroomy Kingdom]]'s stage music.
!colspan="2"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]''
|-
|align="center"|[[File:MarioLuigiPartnersTimeBox.jpg|145x145px]]<span style="font-size:8pt"><br>{{release|USA|November 28, 2005}} [[Nintendo DS]]</span>
||A sequel to ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'' was released for the [[Nintendo DS]] in 2005, called ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]''. This game centers on the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] of the past, during the invasion of an alien race known as the [[Shroob]]s. Unaware of the danger, Princess Peach uses a [[Prof. E. Gadd's time machine|time machine]] built by [[Professor E. Gadd]] to travel into the past, where she was promptly captured by the alien leader, [[Princess Shroob]]. Teaming up with [[Baby Mario]] and [[Baby Luigi]], the adult Mario bros. set off to defeat the Shroobs and save Peach, using [[Time Holes]] created by the malfunctioning time machine to travel back and forth through time.  


==Major Elements of the ''Mario & Luigi'' series==
The game was later released for the Wii U as a Virtual Console title on Nintendo eShop in 2015.
===Major Characters===
====Protagonists====
{| align=center width=100% border=1
|- style="background-color: whitesmoke;"
!width=10%|Character
!width=65%|Brief Biography
!width=15%|First Appearance
|-
|-
![[Mario]]
!colspan="2"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]''
----
[[File:Mario - Mario & Luigi Dream Team.png|145x145px]]
|Mario, with his brother, as the series name suggests, is the star of the series. When there is trouble, Mario attempts to solve the problem as quickly as he can, dragging Luigi alongside him. In this series, Mario is a very famous hero, being well-known in various lands. As in most ''Mario'' games, Mario is a silent protagonist, but he communicates by body movements and speaking in gibberish.
|<center>''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Luigi]]
|align="center"|[[File:Bowsersinsidestorycover.jpg|145x145px]]<span style="font-size:8pt"><br>{{release|Japan|February 11, 2009}} [[Nintendo DS]]</span>
----
||The third installment, ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'', was announced at Nintendo's Fall Press Conference on October 2nd, 2008<ref>[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n10/conference2008fall/mov/ds.html?n10 Nintendo fall 2008 conference]</ref>, and released for the Nintendo DS in 2009. While Mario and Luigi are still playable, [[Bowser]] also becomes a central protagonist in this game as he attempts to reclaim both the Mushroom and Koopa Kingdoms from Fawful, who used an outbreak of a disease known as the [[Blorbs]] as an opportunity to launch his own evil plot for world domination. Fawful later gives Bowser a [[Vacuum Shroom|Vacuum Mushroom]], making Bowser inhale everything around him, including Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and other characters.
[[File:Luigi - Mario & Luigi Dream Team.png|145x145px]]
|Luigi is Mario's younger, lesser-known brother. He often gets dragged into adventures beyond his will. Luigi is more cowardly and more hesitant than Mario, but he is willing to help solve any trouble that has arisen. Luigi's clumsy antics are usually comic relief, but it can be sometimes dangerous, including when he left Baby Luigi alone to [[Petey Piranha]] in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time''. Luigi does not speak either in this game, communicating similarly to Mario; only in ''Dream Team'' do Luigi's thoughts take the form of words, and this only in a single area known as Dream's Deep.
|<center>''[[Mario Bros.]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Baby Mario]]
!colspan="2"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]''
----
[[File:MnL2 BabyMario.png|145x145px]]
|Mario and Luigi encounters Baby Mario and Baby Luigi in their adventures in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time''. Similar to Mario, Baby Mario often jumps ahead when a problem rises. Baby Mario is impulsive at times, unlike Mario, including when he uses his hammer in  misbehavior.
|<center>''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Baby Luigi]]
|align="center"|[[File:Box NA - Mario & Luigi Dream Team.png|145x145px]]<span style="font-size:8pt"><br>{{release|Europe|July 12, 2013 }} [[Nintendo 3DS]]</span>
----
||The fourth installment, ''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]'', was announced during February 2013's Nintendo Direct<ref>http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/archive/02-14-2013/</ref>, and released later in 2013, for the [[Nintendo 3DS]]. Due to the shift to 3D, the game uses a new art style. In this game, Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toadsworth go on a trip to [[Pi'illo Island]], where the bat king [[Antasma]] has turned many [[Pi'illo|residents]] into stone, and kidnaps Peach. In order to save the Pi'illo Island folk and the princess, Mario must explore both the real, tridimensional world and the side-scrolling world in Luigi's dreams.
[[File:MnL2 BabyLuigi.png|145x145px]]
|Much like Luigi, Baby Luigi is a more timid brother than Baby Mario. In ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', he is easily frightened, and he frequently cries in troublesome situations. Baby Luigi has shown to be key to destroying the Shroobs in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'' when he reverted characters to normal with his tears. He is also shown to know that an object has bad vibe, such as crying at the [[Cobalt Star]] because it contains the Elder Princess Shroob inside it.
|<center>''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Bowser]]
!colspan="2"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]''
----
[[File:Bowser Artwork - Mario & Luigi Dream Team.png|145x145px]]
|Bowser has appeared in various roles in the ''Mario & Luigi'' series. Unlike in most ''Mario'' games, Bowser aided Mario and Luigi in reaching the Beanbean Kingdom in ''Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga'', but after the crash landing, Bowser unintentionally became a rival, being used first by Popple as a minion and then by Cackletta as a body to posess. In ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', Bowser is mainly an antagonist, teaming up with Baby Bowser to fight Mario and causing trouble by kidnapping 'Princess Peach' (later revealed to be a disguised Princess Shroob). He is manipulated once again when he is turned into Shrowser by the [[Elder Princess Shroob]]. Bowser is the primary protagonist in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'', with Mario and Luigi adventuring inside him after he inhales the Vacuum Mushroom. ''Mario and Luigi: Dream Team'' sees Bowser himself pose a serious threat, making an alliance with Antasma to rule the world by using the Dreamstone.
|<center>''[[Super Mario Bros.]]</center>
|-
|-
|align="center"|[[File:Mario & Luigi - Paper Jam - NOA Boxart.png|145x145px]]<span style="font-size:8pt"><br>{{release|Japan|December 3, 2015}} [[Nintendo 3DS]]</span>
||The fifth installment, ''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]'', was announced during Nintendo's 2015 E3 Digital event. It was initially released later in 2015 for the Nintendo 3DS, and features a crossover with the [[Paper Mario (series)|''Paper Mario'' series]]. The story involves Luigi accidentally stumbling over a book and releasing characters from the ''Paper Mario'' series into the ''Mario & Luigi'' world. Bowser and [[Paper Bowser]], despite some disagreements, decide to team up, combine their respective [[Koopa Troop]] armies, and kidnap Peach and [[Paper Peach]]. Thus, Mario and Luigi team up with [[Paper Mario (character)|Paper Mario]] to rescue the princesses, as well as the [[Paper Toad]]s. This is the first game in the series to be compatible with [[amiibo]].
|}
|}


====Antagonists====
===Remakes===
{| align=center width=100% border=1
{|align=center width=100% class="wikitable"
|- style="background-color: whitesmoke;"
!width=10%|Character
!width=65%|Brief Biography
!width=15%|First Appearance
|-
|-
![[Cackletta]]
!width=15% style="background-color:#d9d9d9;font-size:125%;text-align:left"colspan="2"|Title
----
|-
[[File:Cackletta.png|145x145px]]
!width=15% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|Cover, original release, and system
|Cackletta is the primary antagonist in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''. She and Fawful had stolen Princess Peach's voice. She has also caused trouble in Beanbean Kingdom by transforming [[Queen Bean]] into a giant beast and stealing the [[Beanstar]]. After Mario and Luigi defeated her, Fawful took her soul and placed it into Bowser's body, transforming Bowser into [[Bowletta]].
!width=85% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|Description
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Fawful]]
!colspan="2"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]''
----
[[File:MustardofDoom Fawful.png|145x145px]]
|Fawful is Cackletta's servant. He speaks in Engrish and uses many food-related metaphors. In ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'', he steals Princess Peach's voice and helps transfer Cackletta into Bowser. In ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', Fawful plays more of a supporting role. He runs an underground badge shop the Baby Mario Bros. can access. Fawful plays as the main antagonist in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story''. He has usurped Bowser's Castle while creating an outbreak of [[Blorbs]]. He has also given Bowser the Vacuum Mushroom to aid him in his plot to rule Mushroom Kingdom.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Shroob]]s
|align="center"|[[File:MLSS+BM Box NA.png|145x145px]]<span style="font-size:8pt"><br>{{release|Japan|October 5, 2017}} [[Nintendo 3DS]]</span>
----
|Announced during a ''Nintendo Treehouse Live'' webcast at E3 2017, this remake of ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'' was released for the [[Nintendo 3DS]] later in 2017. It features revamped and updated graphics akin to ''Dream Team'' and ''Paper Jam'' (including the use of additional lighting effects), as well as re-scored music. A previously untold storyline also exists in a new mode called ''Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser'', where players control members of Bowser's army in efforts to reunite and rally his troops and find Bowser, in an adventure relying on new mechanics, with [[Captain Goomba (Mario & Luigi series)|Captain Goomba]] leading the cause. The game features [[amiibo]] functionality, tied to figurines of three enemies of the Mario Bros.: Goomba, [[Boo]], and [[Koopa Troopa]].
[[File:ShroobAlien Pits.png|145x145px]]
|The Shroobs are an alien race that has invaded Mushroom Kingdom in the past. They have trapped Toads and extracted their vim to power their technology. They can shoot bolts transforming characters into Shroob Mushrooms. The Shroobs speak a foreign language that Mario and Luigi understand only later in the game. One of the Shroobs major weakness is baby tears.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Princess Shroob]]
!colspan="2"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]''
----
[[File:PrincessShroob Pits.png|145x145px]]
|Princess Shroob commands the Shroob fleet during most of ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', and is thus the game's main antagonist. When Princess Peach has traveled to the past, Princess Shroob manages to capture her, but not without Peach trapping the Elder Princess Shroob - the ''real'' leader of the shoobs - in the [[Cobalt Star]]. It is only after Princess Shroob is mortally wounded in battle that this is revealed, however.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Antasma]]
|align="center"|[[File:M&L BIS+BJJ Box art.jpg|150px]] <span style="font-size:8pt"><br>{{release|Japan|December 27, 2018}} [[Nintendo 3DS]]</span>
----
|Announced during the March 2018 Nintendo Direct, this remake of ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'' was released for the Nintendo 3DS, initially later in 2018. Like ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions'', it features revamped and updated graphics and music, adds in many of the improvements introduced in ''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team'', and features a previously untold story/mode where players control [[Bowser Jr.]] on his own adventure.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTuCLAkCSJA Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey reveal trailer]</ref>
[[File:Antasma Artwork - Mario & Luigi Dream Team.png|145x145px]]
|Antasma is a nightmare and the main antagonist of ''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]''. He is behind the destruction of the [[Dark Stone]] and the freezing of the [[Pi'illow]]s. [[Mario]] must enter [[Luigi]]'s dreams in order to rescue Antasma's victims, which by the time Mario starts to enter Luigi's dreams include [[Princess Peach]], whom Antasma abducts early in the game. He also teams up with Bowser, and the two villains later set their sights on the [[Dream Stone]], which holds the power to grant any wish.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]</center>
|}
|}


===Supporting Characters===
===Miscellaneous===
====Protagonists====
To promote ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions'', a trivia game was released on the [[Play Nintendo]] website called ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions Trivia]]''.
{| align=center width=100% border=1
 
|- style="background-color: whitesmoke;"
==Characters==
!width=10%|Character
===Major protagonists===
!width=65%|Brief Biography
{|align=center width=100% class="wikitable"
!width=15%|First Appearance
|-
!width=15% style="background-color:#d9d9d9;font-size:125%;text-align:left"colspan="3"|Character
|-
!width=10% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|Image
!width=65% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|Brief biography
!width=15% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|First ''Mario & Luigi'' appearance in role
|-
|-
![[Princess Peach]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Mario]]
----
[[File:Princess Peach Artwork - Mario & Luigi Dream Team.png|145x145px]]
|Princess Peach is usually a victim when trouble arises in Mushroom Kingdom. In all games, she is kidnapped at some point. Peach, however, is not entirely helpless, unlike in the mainstream ''Mario'' games, since she has provided help to the Mario Bros. such as warning the dangers of the Cobalt Star and later the Dark Star.
|<center>''[[Super Mario Bros.]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Toadsworth]]
|[[File:MLSS+BM Artwork - Mario.png|center|145x145px]]
----
|Mario, with [[Luigi|his brother]], as the series name suggests, is the star of the series. When there is trouble, Mario attempts to solve the problem as quickly as he can, dragging Luigi alongside him. In this series, Mario is a very famous and popular hero, being well-known in various lands. As in the majority of ''Super Mario'' games, Mario is a silent protagonist, but he communicates by body movements and speaking in Italian-sounding gibberish.  
[[File:Toadsworth PiT.png|145x145px]][[File:Young Toadsworth.png|145x145px]]
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]</center>
|Toadsworth is Princess Peach's companion. He is often worrisome about Peach, especially if Peach decides to take a trip. Toadsworth provides help and advice to the Mario Bros. during their adventures. In ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', Toadsworth's younger counterpart, [[Toadsworth the Younger]] allies with Toadsworth and attempts to take care of Baby Peach.
|<center>''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Professor Elvin Gadd]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Luigi]]
----
[[File:Professor Elvin Gadd PiT.png|145x145px]]
|Professor Elvin Gadd helps Mario & Luigi with his items and inventions. In ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'', he gives them a special item after he samples a new drink. His time machine in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'' has helped Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach travel to the past. E. Gadd has also invented the Hydrogush 4000 from an event in [[Thwomp Mountain]], which is vital in defeating the Shroobs.
|<center>''[[Luigi's Mansion]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Baby Peach]]
|[[File:MLSS+BM Artwork - Luigi.png|center|145x145px]]
----
|Luigi is Mario's younger, lesser-known brother. He often gets dragged into adventures beyond his will. Luigi is more cowardly and more hesitant than Mario, but he is willing to help solve any trouble that has arisen. Luigi's clumsy antics are usually comic relief, but it can be sometimes dangerous, including when he left Baby Luigi alone to [[Petey Piranha]] in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time''. As in the majority of ''Super Mario'' games, Luigi does not speak either in this game, communicating similarly to Mario; only in ''Dream Team'' do Luigi's thoughts take the form of words, and this happens only in [[Dream's Deep]] and whenever he becomes a [[Giant Luigi|giant]].
[[File:BabyPeach.png|145x145px]]
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]</center>
|When Princess Peach is a baby, her castle is being attacked by both Baby Bowser and the Shroobs, with Baby Bowser attempting to kidnap her. When Baby Bowser has realized he lost to the Shroobs, he allows the Baby Mario Bros. and Toadsworth the Younger to flee. Baby Peach is taken to safety in the future Princess Peach's castle, with Toadsworth and Toadsworth the Younger taking care of her.
|-
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Baby Mario]]
|-
|[[File:MnL2 BabyMario.png|center|145x145px]]
|Mario and Luigi encounter Baby Mario and Baby Luigi in their adventures in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time''. Similar to Mario, Baby Mario often jumps ahead when a problem rises. Baby Mario is impulsive at times, unlike Mario, including when he uses his hammer in misbehavior.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]</center>
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Stuffwell]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Baby Luigi]]
----
|-
[[File:Stuffwell.jpg|145x145px]]
|[[File:MnL2 BabyLuigi.png|center|145x145px]]
|Stuffwell is a friendly talking suitcase, invented by Professor Elvin Gadd. He carries Mario and Luigi's items and can show the party's stats. His catchphrase is, "BACK TO ADVENTURE!"
|Much like Luigi, Baby Luigi is a more timid brother than Baby Mario. In ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', he is easily frightened, and he frequently cries in troublesome situations. Baby Luigi has shown to be key to destroying the Shroobs in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'' when he reverted characters to normal with his tears. He is also shown to know that an object has bad vibes, such as crying at the [[Cobalt Star]] because it contains the Elder Princess Shroob inside it.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]</center>
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Starlow]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Bowser]]
----
|-
[[File:Starlow - Mario & Luigi Dream Team.png|145x145px]]
|[[File:BISDX Artwork - Bowser.png|center|145x145px]]
|Starlow is another supporting character that holds Mario and Luigi's items. She is one of the four [[Star (species)#Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story|Star Sprite]]s shown in the game. She helps Mario and Luigi advance in their adventure by tutorials and advice. After Bowser inhales her, she tricks Bowser by calling herself "Chippy". Throughout the game, she has demonstrated irritation toward Luigi.
|Bowser is on the protagonist side in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'' and ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story''. Unlike in most ''Super Mario'' games, Bowser aided Mario and Luigi in reaching the Beanbean Kingdom in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'', but after the [[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions#Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser|crash landing]], Bowser unintentionally became a rival, being used first by Popple as a minion and then by Cackletta as a body to possess. Bowser is the main protagonist in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'', with Mario and Luigi adventuring inside him after he inhales the Vacuum Mushroom.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]</center>
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Dreambert]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Paper Mario (character)|Paper Mario]]
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|-
[[File:Dreambert Artwork - Mario & Luigi Dream Team.png|145x145px]]
|[[File:Paper Mario - MarioLuigi-PaperJam.png|center|145x145px]]
|Dreambert is the Prince of the [[Pi'illo]] people that helps Mario and Luigi in their adventures on [[Pi'illo Island]]. He aids them in the [[Dream World]], helping them learn new moves to further advance deeper into Luigi's Dreams and information to aid them in their exploration. His main goal is to prevent Antasma from taking the [[Dream Stone]] and using it for malevolent reasons.  
|Originally from the ''[[Paper Mario (series)|Paper Mario]]'' series, Paper Mario is introduced to Mario and Luigi when Luigi tips over a book and releases the ''Paper Mario'' characters into their world. Paper Mario is one of them, and he immediately helps Mario and Luigi defeat some Paper Goombas, and the three team up to rescue Paper Toads, stop Bowser and Paper Bowser, and rescue Peach and Paper Peach. Paper Mario can create copies of himself to mitigate his low HP and attack multiple times at once. When dodging, when he jumps, he can float briefly. Paper Mario and the Mario Bros. are needed when performing Trio Attacks, and they also partake in Papercraft battles.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]</center>
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]</center>
|-
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Captain Goomba (Mario & Luigi series)|Captain Goomba]]
|-
|[[File:MQCaptainGoomba.png|center|145x145px]]
|Captain Goomba is the main protagonist of the ''Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser'' story mode from ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]'', the 3DS remake of the original GBA game that started off the series. After the Mario Bros beat him and Private Goomp and the Koopa Cruiser crashes in the Beanbean Kingdom, the young Goomba wakes up in a cave and after some adventuring, he comes across a small group of his brethren, and after a comical reunion, they name him the captain of their squad. Although they do this because no one else wants to and they have no respect for Captain Goomba, the captain all but takes off from there as he turns into the leader the army needs and rallies the army back to rescue Bowser.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]''</center>
|-
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Captain Shy Guy (Mario & Luigi series)|Captain Shy Guy]]
|-
|[[File:MLSS+BM Art - Captain Shy Guy.png|center|145x145px]]
|Captain Shy Guy is a deuteragonist of the ''Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser'' story mode from ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]''. He is the second captain after Captain Goomba, and joins him in Beanbean Fields after mistaking him for Fawful's minions. Being a Shy Guy, he is often quiet and can be very embarrased easily, as shown during the Cutie Battle Contest.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]''</center>
|-
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Captain Boo]]
|-
|[[File:MLSS+BM Art - Captain Boo.png|center|145x145px]]
|Captain Boo is a deuteragonist of the ''Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser'' story mode from ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]''. He is the third captain, and joins Captain Goomba in Chucklehuck Woods, although he only wanted a flag to help block the sunlight but took on his role as a captain anyway. Out of all the captains, Captain Boo appears to possess the most amount of common sense.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]''</center>
|-
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Captain Koopa Troopa]]
|-
|[[File:MLSS+BM Art - Captain Koopa Troopa.png|center|145x145px]]
|Captain Koopa Troopa is a deuteragonist of the ''Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser'' story mode from ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]''. He is the last captain, and joins Captain Goomba in Teehee Valley. He often speaks in rhymes which is often followed by the sound of wind, and is often ignored when doing so.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]''</center>
|-
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Bowser Jr.]]
|-
|[[File:BowserJr BISDX Point.png|center|145x145px]]
||Bowser Jr. appears as the main character of ''Bowser Jr.'s Journey'' in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]''. He and the [[Koopalings]] go out to find the ingredients for the [[Skeletone Formula:D]], so that Bowser Jr. can impress his dad. However, his selfish nature causes problems for everyone around him, and when the [[Best Fitness Friends]] begin to attack the Koopalings, Bowser Jr. has to start taking things seriously and rescue the minions.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]''</center>
|}
|}


====Antagonists====
===Major antagonists===
{| align=center width=100% border=1
{|align=center width=100% class="wikitable"
|- style="background-color: whitesmoke;"
|-
!width=10%|Character
!width=15% style="background-color:#d9d9d9;font-size:125%;text-align:left"colspan="3"|Character
!width=65%|Brief Biography
|-
!width=15%|First Appearance
!width=10% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|Image
!width=65% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|Brief biography
!width=15% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|First ''Mario & Luigi'' appearance in role
|-
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Bowser]]
|-
|[[File:Bowser MLPJ.png|center|145x145px]]
|Bowser is the [[Shrowser|final boss]] of ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', one of the main antagonists of ''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team'', and one of the main antagonists of ''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam'' (alongside Paper Bowser). In ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', Bowser is mainly an antagonist, teaming up with Baby Bowser to fight Mario and causing trouble by kidnapping 'Princess Peach' (later revealed to be a disguised Princess Shroob). He is manipulated once again when he is turned into Shrowser by the [[Elder Princess Shroob]]. In ''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team'', Bowser allies with [[Antasma]] to take advantage of the [[Dream Stone]]'s wish granting powers, but it is later revealed that Bowser uses Antasma only to further his own goals. In ''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam'', Bowser teams up with his paper counterpart to further his plans to take over the Mushroom Kingdom.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]''</center>
|-
|-
![[Popple]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Cackletta]]
----
[[File:MLSSpopple.jpg|145x145px]]
|Popple is an independent thief that often crosses Mario and Luigi's tracks in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''. He has befriended Rookie, who is Bowser without his memory. Popple and Rookie cause trouble for Mario and Luigi multiple times, but they often end up getting beaten. When Popple loses Rookie, he teams with [[Birdo]], with Birdo falling in love with him. Popple often ends his sentences with, "See?".
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Baby Bowser]]
|[[File:Cackletta.png|center|145x145px]]
----
|Cackletta is the main antagonist in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''. She and Fawful had stolen Princess Peach's voice. She has also caused trouble in Beanbean Kingdom by transforming [[Queen Bean]] into a giant beast and stealing the [[Beanstar]]. After Mario and Luigi defeated her, Fawful took her soul and placed it into Bowser's body, transforming Bowser into [[Bowletta]].
[[File:Babybowser.png|145x145px]]
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]''</center>
|Baby Bowser is a major antagonist in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time''. It is revealed that even as a baby, Bowser attempted to kidnap Princess Peach. During one invasion, however, the Shroobs interfere, and Baby Bowser loses his [[Cobalt Star Shard]]. Baby Bowser, with [[Kamek]], follows the Mario and Baby Mario Bros., attempting to steal back the shard.
|<center>''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]</center>
|-
|-
![[Midbus]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Bowletta]]
----
[[File:Midbus Artwork - Mario and Luigi BiS.png|145x145px]]
|Midbus is Fawful's servant, guarding Bowser's Castle after Fawful has usurped it. Midbus fights Bowser three times in the game. Midbus is strong, but lacking in intelligence; he speaks in broken sentences. He often gives long names for weapons he uses.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]</center>
|-
|-
|}
|[[File:Bowletta Art - MLSS.png|center|145x145px]]
 
|Bowletta is the form Bowser takes after being possessed by Cackletta, and is the final boss in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''. Bowletta kidnaps Princess Peach and demands Mario and Luigi to find all of the shattered pieces of the Beanstar and bring them to her in exchange of releasing Peach (although it is implied she was lying about this). After she loses Peach and the Beanstar however, she uses [[Bowser's Castle]] to attack the Beanbean Kingdom, at which point Mario and Luigi go and defeat her for good by destroying her heart, and releasing Bowser from Cackletta's control in the process.
===Other Characters===
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]''</center>
*[[Broque Monsieur]]
*[[Elder Princess Shroob]]
*[[Kamek]]
*[[Kylie Koopa]]
*[[Lady Lima]]
*[[Prince Peasley]]
*[[Queen Bean]]
*[[Toad (species)|Toad]]
*[[Toadbert]]
*[[Yoshi (species)|Yoshi]]
 
===Gameplay Elements===
[[File:MandL2 GritzyDesert.jpg|thumb|Mario and Luigi in [[Gritzy Desert]] in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time''.]]
The ''Mario & Luigi'' series features games on a turn-based RPG system. Enemies are encountered in the overworld, and the main protagonists, Mario and Luigi (and Baby Mario and Baby Luigi in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time''; and Bowser in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'') can interact the enemy and enter into a battle scene. If they attack the enemy, they get a first-hit advantage by dealing damage with the enemy (or stunning the enemy if they use hammers), unless they jump on spiked or fire enemies. If the enemy hits the rear brother in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'', that rear brother misses the first turn, stunned and vulnerable to attack, unless he has a higher speed stat. This has changed in the next games, since enemies have to hit behind either of the two brothers to make them stunned.
 
In all four ''Mario & Luigi'' games, the Mario Bros., the Baby Mario Bros., Bowser and Mario and the Luiginoids can receive various new abilities to enter otherwise inaccessible spots. For instance, the Mario Bros. can use the High Jump ability to reach high areas.
 
In Battle, the Mario Bros., the Baby Mario Bros., and Bowser have various methods to attack the enemy. They have a basic attack or a special Bros. attack. In ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'', the Bros. attack consumes Bros. Points (BP). In ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'' and in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'', items activate these attacks.
 
The ''Mario & Luigi'' series battle system also comes with the ability to avoid attacks by jumping, using a hammer, punching, and using the shell (the latter two that Bowser uses). Often, when facing against the Mario Bros., enemies signal which brother they will attack.
 
As in all ''Mario series'' RPGs, the characters have a choice to flee the battle, but by first attempting it.
 
====Stats====
As in most RPG games, each character has a different stat. When characters level up by earning enough experience points (or alternatively use special items made from beans in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''), their stats elevate. Players can decide which stat to add a bonus via roulette, but they should be aware that the numbers that boost the star will eventually decrease if consistently chosen.
 
Stats are also temporarily increased or decreased when peppers are consumed or from enemy attacks.
 
{|width=100% cellspacing=0 border=2 cellpadding=3 style="border-collapse:collapse;"
|-
|-
!Name
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Fawful]]
!Description
|-
|-
|HP
|[[File:Fawful Artwork - Superstar Saga.png|center|145x145px]]
|HP, or Health Points, is how much health the Mario Bros. the Baby Mario Bros., and Bowser have. If HP drops to zero, the brother faints. The fainted brother must be carried if the enemy attacks where he is, making it a slight liability with the battling brother. If all brothers or Bowser have no HP, then it is a game over.
|Fawful is Cackletta's servant. He speaks in Engrish and uses many food-related metaphors. In ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'', he steals Princess Peach's voice and helps transfer Cackletta into Bowser. In ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', Fawful plays more of a supporting role. He runs an underground badge shop the Baby Mario Bros. can access. Fawful plays as the main antagonist in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story''. He has usurped Bowser's Castle while creating an outbreak of [[Blorbs]]. He has also given Bowser the Vacuum Mushroom to aid him in his plot to rule Mushroom Kingdom.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]''</center>
|-
|-
|SP
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Shroob]]s
|SP, or Special Points, is a stat found only in [[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]].  They are used when Mario, Luigi, or Bowser uses a Special Attack. They are very similar to Bros. Points.
|-
|-
|BP
|[[File:Shroobs.jpg|center|145x145px]]
|BP, or Bros. Points, allows Mario and Luigi to use Bros. Attacks in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]'' and ''[[Mario and Luigi: Dream Team]]''. If Bros. Points are depleted or inadequate, Mario and Luigi cannot use certain Bros. Attacks.
|The Shroobs are an alien race that has invaded Mushroom Kingdom in the past. They have trapped Toads and extracted their vim to power their technology. They can shoot bolts transforming characters into Shroob Mushrooms. The Shroobs speak a foreign language. One of the Shroobs major weakness is baby tears. Several Shroobs were also frozen in a preservation chamber in [[Bowser's Castle]] as shown in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'', where three of them are fought as an optional boss.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]''</center>
|-
|-
|POW
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Princess Shroob]]
|This stat indicates the Mario Bros., the Baby Mario Bros., and Bowser's offensive abilities. The higher the stat, the more damage they deal.
|-
|-
|DEF
|[[File:Princess Shroob MLPiT artwork.jpg|center|145x145px]]
|This stat indicates the Mario Bros., the Baby Mario Bros., and Bowser's defensive abilities. The higher the stat, the less damage they receive.
|Princess Shroob commands the Shroob fleet during most of ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', and is thus the game's main antagonist. When Princess Peach has traveled to the past, Princess Shroob manages to capture her, but not without Peach trapping the Elder Princess Shroob - the ''real'' leader of the shoobs - in the [[Cobalt Star]]. It is only after Princess Shroob is mortally wounded in battle that this is revealed, however.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]''</center>
|-
|-
|SPEED
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Elder Princess Shroob]]
|A linear stat, Speed indicates how fast the characters are. Characters with the higher speed move first in battle.
|-
|-
|STACHE/HORN
|[[File:Elder Princess Shroob MLPiT.png|center|145x145px]]
|Stache, (or Horn for Bowser) is a unique stat. The higher the Mario Bros. have this stat, the more likely they can deal lucky hits, which deal double the damage. Also, the higher the stat, the bigger discount and bonuses the Mario Bros. can get at stores. In ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'', a higher Stache or Horn stat means a higher chance for winning in [[Scratch Card]].
|Elder Princess Shroob is the older sister of [[Princess Shroob]] from ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', she was trapped in the [[Cobalt Star]] by Peach and the bros and babies collected Cobalt Star Shards thinking the star could destroy the Shroobs. But it freed the Elder Princess Shroob who promised to kill the bros for her sister's recent death.
|}
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]</center>
 
====Items====
The series features many items. Items can be obtained if the characters hit blocks, win battles, win minigames, and others. Mario and Luigi can buy items at various shops with coins they earned in battles and blocks. Clothes and badges are earned usually as a prize while key items are needed to advance the storyline or complete a sidequest.
 
====Consumable Items====
{|width=100% cellspacing=0 border=2 cellpadding=3 style="border-collapse:collapse;"
|-
|-
!Image
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Dark Star]]
!Name
!Description
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MLSuperstarSagaMushroom.png]] [[File:MaL PiT Mushroom.png]] [[File:Mushroom BiS.png]]
|[[File:Dark Star MaLBIS.png|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" |[[Mushroom]]  
|The Dark Star is the ultimate antagonist of ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story''. It was put in the [[Toad Town Caves]] so that nobody would be able to use it's power. However, Fawful steals it, and uses Peach to awaken the Dark Star so he can absorb it's power. Once the Dark Star awakes, it goes inside Bowser's body, and steals his DNA to become [[Dark Bowser]].
| Recovers 25 [[HP]]/20 HP/30 HP for the Mario Bros.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MLSuperstarSagaMushroom.png]] [[File:MaL PiT Mushroom.png]] [[File:Mushroom BiS.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Antasma]]
| align="center" |[[Super Mushroom]]  
| Recovers 50 HP/40 HP/60 HP for the Mario Bros.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MLSuperstarSagaMushroom.png]] [[File:MaL PiT Mushroom.png]] [[File:Mushroom BiS.png]]
|[[File:Antasma Artwork - Mario & Luigi Dream Team.png|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" | [[Ultra Mushroom]]
|Antasma is a bat king and the former main antagonist of ''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]''. He is behind the destruction of the [[Dark Stone]] and the freezing of the [[Pi'illo]]s. [[Mario]] must enter [[Luigi]]'s dreams in order to rescue Antasma's victims, which by the time Mario starts to enter Luigi's dreams include [[Princess Peach]], whom Antasma abducts early in the game. He also teams up with Bowser, and the two villains later set their sights on the [[Dream Stone]], which holds the power to grant any wish. Bowser later reveals that he is merely using Antasma to advance his own schemes.
| Recovers 120 HP/80 HP for the Mario Bros.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]''</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MLSuperstarSagaMushroom.png]] [[File:MaL PiT Mushroom.png]] [[File:Mushroom BiS.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Paper Bowser]]
| align="center" | [[Mushroom#Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars|Max Mushroom]]
| Recovers all HP/240 HP for the Mario Bros.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Drumstick.png]]
|[[File:Paper Bowser MLJP.png|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" | [[Drumstick (Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story)|Hot Drumstick]]
|Originally from the ''[[Paper Mario (series)|Paper Mario]]'' series, Paper Bowser along with other paper characters such as Paper Mario, escapes from the storybook Luigi has accidentally opened. Paper Bowser is one of the main antagonists of ''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam''. When he initially meets Bowser, the two bicker, but they ultimately cooperate and kidnap Princess Peach and Paper Princess Peach.
| Recovers 80 HP for Bowser.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]''</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Drumstick.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Best Fitness Friends]]
| align="center" | [[Drumstick (Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story)|Fiery Drumstick]]
| Recovers 150 HP for Bowser.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Drumstick.png]]
|[[File:BISDX- Dieter Pose.png]] [[File:BISDX- Beef Pose.png]] [[File:BISDX- Kaley Pose.png]]
| Align="center" | [[Drumstick (Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story)|TNT Drumstick]]
|The Best Fitness Friends, [[Dieter]], [[Beef]], and [[Kaley]], are the main antagonists of the ''Bowser Jr.'s Journey'' story mode from ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]''. They were three of Fawful's minions who sought to overthrow him and take control of the kingdom themselves. They tricked Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings into gathering the ingredients for [[Skeletone Formula:D]], thus leaving Bowser's Castle defenseless and allowing them to use the Skeletone to create [[Malatone Formula:X]], which could brainwash many minions.
| Recovers 280 HP for Bowser.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]''</center>
|}
 
===Supporting protagonists===
{|align=center width=100% class="wikitable"
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MushroomDrop.png]]
!width=15% style="background-color:#d9d9d9;font-size:125%;text-align:left"colspan="3"|Character
| align="center" | [[Mushroom Drop]]
| Recovers 15 HP (all).
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MushroomDrop.png]]
!width=10% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|Image
| align="center" | [[Super Drop]]
!width=65% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|Brief biography
| Recovers 30 HP (all).
!width=15% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|First ''Mario & Luigi'' appearance in role
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MushroomDrop.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Princess Peach]]
| align="center" | [[Ultra Drop]]
| Recovers 60 HP (all).
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MLSuperStarSagaNut.png]][[File:Nut.png]]
|[[File:MLPJ Artwork - Princess Peach.png|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" | [[Nut]]
|Princess Peach is usually a victim when trouble arises in Mushroom Kingdom. In all games, she is kidnapped at some point. Peach, however, is not entirely helpless, since she has provided help to the Mario Bros. such as warning the dangers of the Cobalt Star and later the Dark Star.
| Recovers 20 HP (each).
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MLSuperStarSagaNut.png]][[File:Nut.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Toadsworth]]
| align="center" | [[Nut|Super Nut]]
| Recovers 40 HP (each).
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MLSuperStarSagaNut.png]][[File:Nut.png]]
|[[File:Toadsworth PiT.png|center|145x145px]][[File:Young Toadsworth.png|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" | [[Nut|Ultra Nut]]
|Toadsworth is Princess Peach's companion. He is often worrisome about Peach, especially if Peach decides to take a trip. Toadsworth provides help and advice to the Mario Bros. during their adventures. In ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', Toadsworth allies with [[Toadsworth the Younger|his younger counterpart]] and attempts to take care of Baby Peach.
| Recovers 100 HP/80 HP (each).
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MLSuperStarSagaNut.png]][[File:Nut.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Professor E. Gadd]]
| align="center" | [[Nut|Max Nut]]
| Recovers all HP/160 HP (each).
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Syrups.PNG]]
|[[File:Professor Elvin Gadd PiT.png|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" | [[Syrup]]
|Professor E. Gadd helps Mario & Luigi with his items and inventions. In ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'', he gives them a special item after he samples a new drink. His time machine in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'' has helped Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach travel to the past. E. Gadd has also invented the Hydrogush 4000 from an event in [[Thwomp Volcano]], which is vital in allowing the Mario Bros. to enter the volcano, and defeating the Shroobs.
| Recover 20 [[BP]]/10 [[SP]].
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Syrups.PNG]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Baby Peach]]
| align="center" | [[Super Syrup]]
| Recover 40 BP/20 SP.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Syrups.PNG]]
|[[File:Baby Peach M&LPiT artwork.jpg|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" | [[Ultra Syrup]]
|When Princess Peach was a baby, her castle is being attacked by both Baby Bowser and the Shroobs, with Baby Bowser attempting to kidnap her. When Baby Bowser has realized he lost to the Shroobs, he allows the Baby Mario Bros. and Toadsworth the Younger to flee. Baby Peach is taken to safety in the future Princess Peach's castle, with Toadsworth and Toadsworth the Younger taking care of her.
| Recover 100 BP/30 SP.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Syrups.PNG]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Stuffwell]]
| align="center" | [[Max Syrup]]
| Recover all BP/40 SP.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Ultra Mushroom.PNG]]
|[[File:Stuffwell.jpg|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" | [[1-Up Mushroom]]
|Stuffwell is a friendly talking suitcase, invented by Professor E. Gadd, and acts as Mario and Luigi's assistant in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time''. He carries Mario and Luigi's items and can show the party's stats. His catchphrase is, "BACK TO ADVENTURE!"
| Revives a fallen brother with half of his max HP.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Ultra Mushroom.PNG]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Kylie Koopa]]
| align="center" | [[1-Up Mushroom#Mario & Luigi series|1-Up Super]]
| Revives a fallen brother with all HP
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:RefreshingHerb.PNG]]
|[[File:Kylie Koopa M&LPiT artwork.jpg|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" | [[Refreshing Herb]]
|Kylie is a recurring supporting character in the ''Mario & Luigi'' series. She appears in ''Partners in Time'' in the past as a traveling reporter first encountered on Yoshi's Island. She encounters the brothers several times after this, and is the only person to see Elder Princess Shroob in the Cobalt Star besides Baby Luigi. She returns in ''Dream Team'', oddly not remembering the brothers, in a much more minor role.
| Used to get rid of status ailments.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Green pepper65.png]] [[File:Pepper Green.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Starlow]]
| align="center" | [[Green Pepper]]
| Boost DEF and/or get lighter.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MLSuperStarSagaREDPEPPER.png]] [[File:Pepper Red.png]]
|[[File:Starlow 2 BISDX.png|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" | [[Red Pepper]]
|Starlow is another supporting character that holds Mario and Luigi's items. She is one of the four [[Star (species)#Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story|Star Sprite]]s shown in the game. She helps Mario and Luigi advance in their adventures in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'', ''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team'', and ''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam'' by giving them tutorials and advice. After Bowser inhales her, she tricks Bowser by calling herself "Chippy". Throughout ''Bowser's Inside Story'', she has demonstrated irritation toward Luigi, but started to warm up to him in ''Dream Team''.
| Boost POW and/or weight.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Pepper Blue.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Prince Dreambert]]
| align="center" | [[Blue Pepper]]
| Raises SPEED.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MLSuperStarSagaGoldenShroom.png]]
|[[File:Dreambert Artwork - Mario & Luigi Dream Team.png|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" | [[Golden Mushroom]]
|Dreambert is the Prince of the [[Pi'illo]] people that helps Mario and Luigi in their adventures on [[Pi'illo Island]] in ''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team''. He aids them in the [[Dream World]], helping them learn new moves to further advance deeper into Luigi's Dreams and information to aid them in their exploration. His main goal is to prevent Antasma from taking the [[Dream Stone]] and using it for malevolent reasons. His role is similar to Starlow and Stuffwell from the past games.
| Recovers Max HP and BP.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:StarCandy.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Paper Peach]]
| align="center" | [[Star Candy]]
| Recovers 999 HP and SP.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Retry Clock.PNG]]
|[[File:MLPJ Artwork - Paper Peach.png|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" | [[Retry Clock]]
|Originally from the [[Paper Mario (series)|''Paper Mario'']] series, Paper Peach, along with multiple paper characters, came out of the storybook that Luigi dropped. She initially was frighted by the new world she found herself in, but later on developed a deep friendship with Princess Peach, as well as enjoying the company of Mario, Luigi and Starlow. After the Mario Bros. went looking for Paper Mario, Paper Peach and Princess Peach get kidnapped by the Bowser duo. While held captive, both princesses gossiped about multiple topics, such as their hairstyles, Mario, and getting kidnapped by Bowser.
| Allows a player to restart a battle.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]</center>
|}
|}


=====Beans=====
===Supporting antagonists===
[[Bean]]s are consumable items found in all ''Mario & Luigi'' games, but in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'', special beans are found, and they can be blended in the [[Starbeans Café]]. The drinks made from a blend of these beans can increase stats. In ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', beans are used to buy badges. In ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'', beans are used to increase stats.
{|align=center width=100% class="wikitable"
 
|-
{|width=100% cellspacing=0 border=2 cellpadding=3 style="border-collapse:collapse;"
!width=15% style="background-color:#d9d9d9;font-size:125%;text-align:left"colspan="3"|Character
|-
|-
!Image  
!width=10% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|Image
!Name
!width=65% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|Brief biography
!Description
!width=15% style="background-color:#e0e0e0;"|First ''Mario & Luigi'' appearance in role
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:BeansWoo SS.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Popple]]
| align="center" |Woo Bean
| Woo Beans are usually found by defeating certain enemies, some with the Game Boy Horror SP pin. They are also earned in the surfing minigame.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:BeansHoo SS.png]]
|[[File:MLSS Art - Popple.png|center|165x165px]]
| align="center" |Hoo Bean
|Popple is an independent thief that often crosses Mario and Luigi's tracks in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''. He has befriended Rookie, who is Bowser without his memory. Popple and Rookie cause trouble for Mario and Luigi multiple times, but they often end up getting beaten. When Popple [[Bowletta|loses Rookie]], he teams with [[Birdo]], with Birdo falling in love with him. Popple often ends his sentences with, "See?". He reappears in ''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team'' trying to steal [[Bedsmith|a treasure]] and battling with Mario and Luigi.
| Hoo Beans are found in hidden treasure chests. They are also earned in the surfing minigame.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:BeansChuckle SS.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Koopalings]]
| align="center" |Chuckle Bean
| Chuckle Beans are found when Luigi digs up X marks on the ground. They are also earned in the surfing minigame.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:BeansHee SS.png]]
|[[File:BISDX - Koopalings.png|center|155x155px]]
| align="center" |Hee Bean
|The Koopalings first appear in franchise in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'', acting as encounters through the last parts of the game. However, they have no dialogue (this was changed in the remake) or importance to the story. They later appear in ''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam'' as supporting antagonists with larger roles than in their previous appearance in the series. In this game, [[Larry Koopa|Larry]], [[Wendy O. Koopa|Wendy]], [[Ludwig von Koopa|Ludwig]], and [[Roy Koopa|Roy]] first appear when Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario are knocked out by cannon fire. [[Iggy Koopa|Iggy]], [[Lemmy Koopa|Lemmy]], and [[Morton Koopa Jr.|Morton]] are later seen showering the land with paper terrain alongside [[King Bob-omb]]. All seven of them make a final reappearance as the last Koopa Troop members left capable of fighting the Mario Bros. before the final boss. The Koopalings later appear as bosses during Minion Quest in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions'' after being brainwashed by Fawful, and in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey'' as deuteragonists.
| Hee Beans are found when Mario and Luigi win certain minigames.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:BlendyWoohoo SS.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Baby Bowser]]
| align="center" |Woohoo Blend
| Created from brewing 25 Woo Beans, the Woohoo Blend gives 4 HP to the brother that uses it.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:BlendyHooHoo SS.png]]
|[[File:Babybowser.png|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" |Hoohoo Blend
|Baby Bowser is a major antagonist in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time''. It is revealed that even as a baby, Bowser attempted to kidnap Princess Peach. During one invasion, however, the Shroobs interfere, and Baby Bowser loses his [[Cobalt Star Shard]]. Baby Bowser, with [[Kamek]], follows the Mario and Baby Mario Bros., attempting to steal back the shard.
| Created from brewing 25 Hoo Beans, the Hoohoo Blend gives 4 BP to the brother that uses it.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:BlendyChuckle SS.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Kamek]]
| align="center" |Chuckle Blend
| Created from brewing 25 Chuckle Beans, the Chuckle Blend gives 4 SPEED to the brother that uses it.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:BlendyTeehee SS.png]]
|[[File:BISDX - Kamek.png|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" |Teehee Blend
|Kamek is a supporting antagonist in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', ''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team'', and ''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam''. He acts as an assistant to Bowser, always helping him try to stop Mario and Luigi. In ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey'', Kamek works with Bowser Jr. in trying to make the Skeletone Formula:D. He also tries to get Bowser Jr. to stop being selfish, and help Bowser's minions.
| Created from brewing 25 Hee Beans, the Teehee Blend gives 4 STACHE to the brother that uses it.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:BlendyHoolumbian SS.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Midbus]]
| align="center" |Hoolumbian Blend
| Created from brewing 15 Woo Beans and 10 Hoo Beans, the Hoolumbian Blend gives 4 POW to the brother that uses it.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:BlendyChuckoccino.png]]
|[[File:Midbus Artwork - Mario and Luigi BiS.png|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" |Chuckoccino Blend
|Midbus is Fawful's servant and the secondary antagonist in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'', guarding Bowser's Castle after Fawful has usurped it. Midbus fights Bowser three times in the game, the third time after Fawful transforms him into [[Blizzard Midbus]]. Midbus is strong, but lacking in intelligence; he speaks in broken sentences. He often gives long names for weapons he uses.
| Created from brewing 15 Woo Beans and 10 Chuckle Beans, the Chuckoccino Blend gives 4 DEF to the brother that uses it.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:BlendyTeeheespresso.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Bowser Jr.]]
| align="center" |Teeheespresso Blend
| Created from brewing 15 Woo Beans and 10 Hee Beans, the Teeheespresso Blend gives 6 to a random stat to the brother that uses it.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Bean.png]]
|[[File:MLPJ Artwork - Bowser Jr.png|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" | [[Bean|Heart Bean]]
|Bowser Jr. first appeared in the series as a secret boss in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]'', fought at the end of the Boss medley in the [[Battle Ring (Mario & Luigi: Dream Team)|Battle Ring]], but he took on a more supporting role in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]''. In this game, he fights the Mario Bros. throughout the game alongside Paper Bowser Jr. His role in the story involves taking the book that contains the ''Paper Mario'' world from Roy and guarding Peach and Paper Peach in his father's castle. He fights in the player in Papercraft battle in Mount Brrr, and as a regular boss in Bowser's Castle. Throughout the game, he develops a friendship with his paper counterpart.
| Increases health by 1 Point.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]</center>
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Bean.png]]
!colspan="3"style="font-size:125%;text-align:left"|[[Paper Bowser Jr.]]
| align="center" | [[Bean|Special Bean]]
| Increases special points by 1 Point.
|-
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Bean.png]]
|[[File:MLPJ Artwork - Paper Bowser Jr.png|center|145x145px]]
| align="center" | [[Bean|Power Bean]]
|Originally from the ''[[Paper Mario (series)|Paper Mario]]'' series, Paper Bowser Jr. appears as [[Bowser Jr.]]'s playmate. After [[Luigi]] accidentally opened the paper book, Paper Bowser Jr. alongside with his father landed inside [[Bowser's Castle]]. As Bowser and Paper Bowser were arguing, Paper Bowser Jr. played together with Bowser Jr. He likes to explore the realistic Mario world, and he hates guarding the princesses.
| Increases power by 1 Point.
|<center>''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]</center>
|}
|}


====Badges====
===Other characters===
Badges can be equipped on the playable characters to give them extra effects or more power in battle. Badges are bought in shops, earned as prizes, or found in defeated enemies. Characters can equip only one badge at a time. In ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'', only the Mario Bros. can equip badges. The badges are part of a gauge that fills when an action command is executed well. When the gauge is filled, the Mario Bros. can use various actions including healing themselves.
*[[Big Massif]]
*[[Brickle]]
*[[Britta]]
*[[Broggy]]
*[[Broque Madame]]
*[[Broque Monsieur]]
*[[Chakron]]
*[[Crinkle Goomba]]
*[[Dr. Snoozemore]]
*[[Dr. Toadley]]
*[[Eldream]]
*[[Elite Trio]]
**[[Corporal Paraplonk]]
**[[Private Goomp]]
**[[Sergeant Guy]]
*[[Lady Lima]]
*[[Lil' Massif]]
*[[Paper Kamek]]
*[[Petey Piranha]]
*[[Prince Peasley]]
*[[Queen Bean]]
*[[Starshade Bros.]]
*[[Toadbert]]
*[[Toadette]]
*[[Toadiko]]
*[[Wiggler]]
*[[Yoob]]
*[[Zeekeeper]]
 
==Appearances in other series==
[[File:Super Mario Kun 35.jpg|thumb|170px]]
===''Super Smash Bros.'' series===
Artwork from the ''Mario & Luigi'' series appeared as stickers in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'': Cackletta, Luigi with [[Baby Luigi]], Luigi, Mario with Luigi, [[Prince Peasley]], a Shroob, [[Stuffwell]], and [[Toadsworth]]. Additionally, one of the random names in ''Brawl'' when naming something (for example, naming a friend code) is FWFUL, obviously referencing Fawful. Additionally, [[Gritzy Desert]]'s music from ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'' is selectable as the [[Mushroomy Kingdom]]'s stage music. In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', Prince Peasley, Fawful, [[Princess Shroob]], [[Starlow]], [[Broque Monsieur]], [[Prince Dreambert]], [[Antasma]], and [[Papercraft|Papercraft Mario]] appear as [[Spirit (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)|spirits]].
 
A cover of the battle theme, "Try, Try Again" from ''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team'', appears in the [[Paper_Mario_(stage)|Paper Mario stage]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'' and in [[Woolly World]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]''. As the original track, it was composed by [[Yoko Shimomura]]. Additionally, ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'' features original versions of "Tough Guy Alert!" in Woolly World and "The Grand Finale" from ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'' in [[Mario Galaxy (stage)|Mario Galaxy]]. In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', the tracks appear in the ''Super Mario'' soundtrack, along with the battle theme from ''Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser'' in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]''.
 
===''Super Mario-kun''===
''[[Super Mario-kun]]'' has devoted a few volumes to [[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time|''Partners in Time'']] and [[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story|''Bowser's Inside Story'']]. The art style on the covers even reflect the Mario & Luigi art style (especially seen in the color of Mario and Luigi's insignias). Although the storylines are similar to the story in game, there are multiple variations and twists. General examples include Mario and Luigi being able to speak fully, and Baby Mario and Baby Luigi are capable of talking as well. More specifically, [[Yoob]], for example, is actually a friendly giant Yoshi that [[Sunnycide]] manipulates while [[Tanoomba]] can transform into clones of Mario and company to cause mischief.
{{br}}
 
==Similarities between games==
Despite having different storylines and gameplay, the ''Mario & Luigi'' games contain many recurring elements. Some similarities continued for the first three games; others for the first four; and many similarities persist through all five entries (excluding remakes, which contain the same similarities as the games they are based on).
===First three games===
*The playable characters shout "Nintendo!" after the game is launched, as the Nintendo logo appears. In ''Superstar Saga'', only Mario and Luigi do this, but in ''Partners in Time'' there is a chance that Baby Mario and Baby Luigi do so instead any time the game is launched. This selection also applies to Bowser in ''Bowser's Inside Story''.
*Bowser (or Baby Bowser in ''Partners in Time'') appears as the first boss and first battle overall, acting as a tutorial for the battle mechanics.
**In ''Dream Team'', Antasma takes this role instead, and in ''Paper Jam'', there is no tutorial boss; the first battle is instead against Paper Goombas.
*Three versions of Bowser can be battled: Bowser, Rookie and Bowletta in ''Superstar Saga'', Bowser, Baby Bowser and Shrowser in ''Partners in Time'', and Bowser, Bowser X and Dark Bowser in ''Bowser's Inside Story''.
**''Dream Team'' and ''Paper Jam'' instead contain five Bowser battles each: Bowser, Giant Bowser, Bowser X, Giant Bowser X and Dreamy Bowser in ''Dream Team'', and Papercraft Bowser, Bowser, Paper Bowser, Shiny RoboBowser and Dry Bowser in ''Paper Jam''.
*Fawful appears as a recurring character: as Cackletta's assistant in ''Superstar Saga'', a badge dealer under Princess Peach's Castle in ''Partners in Time'', and the main antagonist in ''Bowser's Inside Story''.


[[File:ML Badge.png]] ''For a full list on badges, see [[Badge#Mario & Luigi series badges|here]]''
===First four games===
*The setting is largely somewhere other than the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] of the present: the [[Beanbean Kingdom]] in ''Superstar Saga'', the Mushroom Kingdom of the past in ''Partners In Time'', [[Bowser's body]] in ''Bowser's Inside Story'', and [[Pi'illo Island]] and the [[Dream World]] in ''Dream Team''.
*Mario and Luigi travel inside characters: [[Bowletta]] in ''Superstar Saga'', [[Yoob]] in ''Partners in Time'', Bowser in ''Bowser's Inside Story'', and Luigi through his dreams in ''Dream Team''.
*At least one named [[Beanish]] character appears: Popple appears in ''Superstar Saga'' and ''Dream Team'', and Fawful appears in the first three games. However, generic members of the species only appear in ''Superstar Saga'' and ''Dream Team''.
*During the tutorial battle, Mario learns battle actions while Luigi is occupied with something else: watching the fight in ''Superstar Saga'', playing in ''Partners in Time'', sleeping in ''Bowser's Inside Story'', and dreaming about the fight in ''Dream Team''.
*A character disguises themselves as Peach: Luigi in ''Superstar Saga'', Princess Shroob in ''Partners in Time'', Bowser's memory in ''Bowser's Inside Story'', and Kamek and the Elite Trio in ''Dream Team''.
**The fifth game instead has Peach and Paper Peach using fake Princess Peach decoys to escape from Bowser.


====Clothing====
===All five games===
The main protagonists can also equip clothing to increase stats, such as DEF, HP, and SPD. Clothes can be bought at shops, earned as prizes, or found in defeated enemies. Some clothes are exclusive to Mario while only Luigi can wear others; some clothes are compatible with both. In ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'', clothes can provide extra effects. In ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'', clothes received additional types including overalls, gloves, socks, boots, and accessories for Mario and Luigi, and and shells, arm bands, rings, and fangs for Bowser. Characters can equip more clothing if their rank go up (the maximum is three), but they can equip only one of each type.
*The storyline is about or heavily features collecting the pieces of a Star or another magic item: the [[Beanstar]] in ''Superstar Saga'', the [[Cobalt Star]] in ''Partners in Time'', the [[Star Cure]]/[[Miracle Cure]] in ''Bowser's Inside Story'', the [[Ultibed]] in ''Dream Team'', and [[Fire Ore]] to build [[Papercraft|Papercraft Fire Mario]] in ''Paper Jam''.
*Bowser mimics the gameplay devices that Mario and Luigi employ in each game:
**As [[Rookie]], he develops his own Bros. Attacks with Popple in ''Superstar Saga'';
**He partners up with his younger self while traveling to the past in ''Partners in Time'';
**In ''Bowser's Inside Story'', he is a playable character with his own set of [[Command Blocks]]. He has an equivalent to Bros. Attacks in the form of Brawl Attacks, which he also uses when Mario and Luigi battle him in [[Toadley Clinic]];
**Bowser is powered up by a [[Antasma|dream entity]] in the dream world like Mario, and unleashes his power through his dreams like Luigi, in ''Dream Team'';
**He teams up with his paper self and obtains his own [[Trio Attack Hammer]] in ''Paper Jam''.
*The tutorial themes are all remixes of the ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' overworld theme.
*Unique variants of common ''Super Mario'' enemies appear : ''Superstar Saga'' has bean-related enemies, ''Partners in Time'' has [[Shroob]]-like enemies, ''Bowser's Inside Story'' has Fawful-themed, body-themed and [[Dark Star]]-themed enemies, ''Dream Team'' has Antasma-themed and dream-themed enemies, and ''Paper Jam'' has paper versions of enemies.
*When enemies are defeated, they disappear either by fading away or in a small explosion; when bosses, or defeated, they disappear in a large explosion.
*A [[Wiggler]] variant appears as a boss battle. While ''Partners in Time'' does not have any traditional Wigglers, there is a Shroob-like Wiggler called [[Swiggler]].
*Bowser appears as the final boss in some form: [[Bowletta]] in ''Superstar Saga'', [[Shrowser]] in ''Partners in Time'', [[Dark Bowser]] in ''Bowser's Inside Story'', [[Dreamy Bowser]] in ''Dream Team'', and [[Shiny RoboBowser]] in ''Paper Jam''. Of these, Dark Bowser is the only one who is not actually Bowser (as it is the [[Dark Star]] taking his form); Bowser is also possessed by [[Cackletta]] and [[Elder Princess Shroob]] respectively to create Bowletta and Shrowser.
*The main antagonists have an alternative form in their final battle: Cackletta becomes [[Cackletta's Soul]], [[Elder Princess Shroob]] becomes bigger and more monstrous, Fawful transforms into the [[Dark Star Core]], Antasma transforms from his bat form into his true form, and Paper Bowser transforms into the armor of Shiny RoboBowser.
*The game does not save after the final boss is defeated: when returning to the title screen and re-opening the save file, it only shows the last save before entering the battle. This effectively means there is no post-game state in any of the five games.
**Only the last two games show any indication of the game having been finished, with [[Jukebox]]/[[Music Player]] options being unlocked, as well as Hard Mode becoming available in ''Dream Team''.


[[File:ML Overalls.png]] ''For a full list on clothing, see [[Clothing|here]].''
===Other===
*In games after ''Superstar Saga'', characters other than Mario and Luigi have also been playable: Baby Mario and Baby Luigi in ''Partners in Time'', Bowser in ''Bowser's Inside Story'', [[Dreamy Luigi]] in ''Dream Team'', and Paper Mario in ''Paper Jam''.
*In games after ''Superstar Saga'', Mario and Luigi have a partner can store their items, give tutorials, and speak in Mario and Luigi's stead: Stuffwell in ''Partners in Time'' and Starlow in all future games.
*The first three games and ''Paper Jam'' have Mario and Luigi saying "Let's-a-go!" and "Okey-dokey!" respectively when transitioning into a battle.
*The third, fourth and fifth games all have two different normal battle themes: the Mario Bros. and Bowser's battle themes in ''Bowser's Inside Story'', the real world and dream world battle themes in ''Dream Team'', and a battle theme for the Mario Bros. before and after Paper Mario joins the party in ''Paper Jam''.


==Similarities Between the Games==
==Gallery==
*The Mario Bros. have been inside someone's body in the first three games (Bowletta's belly in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'', Yoob's belly in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'' and [[Bowser]]'s and a giant [[Sockop|Sockop's]] body in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'').
<gallery>
*All of the games are mainly set somewhere other than the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] of the present ([[Beanbean Kingdom]] in ''Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga'', the Mushroom Kingdom of the past in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time'', [[Bowser's body]] in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'' and [[Pi'illo Island]] and [[Dream World]] in ''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team'').
Mario & Luigi Series Logo2.png|The old logo of the series
*All four games have their own version of the Mushroom Kingdom enemies (''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'' have bean-related enemies, ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'' have Shroobified enemies, ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'' have Fawful-themed, organ-themed and [[Dark Star]]-themed enemies, and ''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team'' have [[Gromba]]s, rock versions of [[Goomba]]s).
Mario & Luigi series logo JP.png|The Japanese logo of the series
*The first three games have similarities between the boss fights, starting with the fact that Bowser is always the first boss.
</gallery>
**During the initial fights, Mario learns the action command while Luigi is occupied with something else (watching in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'', playing in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', sleeping in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'', and dreaming about the fight in ''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team'').
**In all four games, three versions of Bowser must be battled (Bowser, Rookie and Bowletta in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''; Baby Bowser, Bowser and Shrowser in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time''; Bowser, Bowser X and Dark Bowser in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story''; Bowser possessed by Antasma, Giant Bowser, and Dreamy Bowser in ''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team'').
**All four games have at least one boss that only gives the player a limited number of turns to defeat before [[Game Over]]. The bosses are: [[Roy Koopa]], [[Wendy O. Koopa]], and [[Larry Koopa]] in ''Superstar Saga'', three [[Shroobs]] in [[Hollijolli Village]], and [[Elder Shrooboid]] in his larger form in ''Partners in Time'', and [[Fawful Express]] and X bosses in ''Bowser's Inside Story'' (though the X Bosses do not give a Game Over, rather they are just pulled away from the battle).
**In all four games, there is at least one Wiggler-esque boss.
**In all four games, an altered form of Bowser is the final Boss (Bowletta, Shrowser, Dark Bowser, and Dreamy Bowser).
**On that note, two of the final bosses (Cackletta in ''Superstar Saga'' and Fawful in ''Bowser's Inside Story'') are fought inside Bowser.
*All four games have one character that is stuck and needs help, but as soon as they are rescued, something bad would happen. In ''Superstar Saga'', [[Bloat]] is stuck in a gap, and after he is rescued, the [[S.S. Chuckola]] starts to move out to the [[Oho Ocean]], and sinks. In ''Partners in Time'', the [[Hollijolli Mayor]] is stuck in a chimney, and after he is rescued, [[Shroob UFO]]s come and kidnap him. In ''Bowser Inside Story'', [[Bowser]] is stuck in a hole on the floor in [[Bowser's Castle]] after eating too much food. After he falls down from the hole, he soon catches on fire and is bombed to [[Underground Tunnel]] by a great number of [[Bob-ombs]], In ''Dream Team'', Brickle gets stuck in the Mushrise Park fountain. As soon the bros frees him by adding more water pressure, the fountain shoots and lands on Grobot which then goes out of control.
*All four games' storyline is about collecting the pieces of a Star or another magic item (the [[Beanstar]] in ''Superstar Saga'', the [[Cobalt Star]] in ''Partners in Time'' and the [[Star Cure]]/[[Miracle Cure]] in ''Bowser's Inside Story'').
* The Final Bosses of all four games are defeated by eliminating parts of the bosses' body to conceal a weak point: Cackletta's arms and her head must be destroyed to make attacking her heart possible, the Elder Princess Shroob's tentacles must be destroyed to conceal her crown, which after being de-activated will drop the boss's defense, the Dark Fawful Bug needs its arms, legs and glasses to be destroyed so the player can attack the Dark Star Core, and Dreamy Bowser needs his arms to be destroyed before he himself can be attacked.
*All four Mario & Luigi games have an elite version of an enemy. In ''Superstar Saga'', there is an elite version of the [[Troopea]] called the [[Elite Troopea]]; in ''Partners in Time'', there is an elite version of a [[Boom Guy]] called the [[Elite Boom Guy]]; in ''Bowser's Inside Story'', there was an elite version of the [[Goombule]] called the [[Elite Goombule]]; in ''Dream Team'' the word "elite" isn't used, but there are many "R" versions of enemies.
*All games have the bosses exploding, and the enemies disappearing or a small explosion.
*All four games in the series start somewhere in [[Princess Peach's Castle]].
*All four games' last area to explore is in a castle.
*In the first three games, The main antagonist takes over [[Peach's Castle|Peach's]] and/or [[Bowser's Castle]] in the game. In ''Superstar Saga'', [[Bowletta]] takes over Bowser's Castle. In ''Partners in Time'', [[Princess Shroob]] takes over Peach's Castle of the past. In ''Bowser's Inside Story'', [[Fawful]] takes over both castles.
*All four games have at least two new characters with at least a different speech patterns or language. ''Superstar Saga'' has Fawful's odd metaphors and Cork and Cask's French accents, and also Popple's slang. ''Partners in Time'' features the Shroob language and Kylie Koopa's slang. ''Bowser's Inside Story'' had Midbus with his broken, poor English, the Emoglobin's odd vocal patterns, and [[Broque Monsieur]]'s French accent. And in "Dream Team"  Broque Monsieur and Kylie Koopa return and Hooskis language with "hoo" in it, Popple's slang again and as well as Antasma's Slavic accent.
*All four games have a move where the player can spin or drill into the ground.
*All 4 games have their host system appear in the game somewhere (a purple and then a yellow [[Game Boy Advance]] is used as a message device by [[Bowletta]] in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'', the DS Radar - actually a grey [[Nintendo DS]] - is used by E. Gadd in ''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time'', [[Dark Fawful]] uses a red [[Nintendo DSi]] to pursue the [[Dark Star]] in ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story''), and a giant 3DS is seen as a computer used by a Shelltop in Pi'illo Castle in ''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team''.
*Fawful appears in the first three games (As Cackletta's assistant in ''Superstar Saga'', as a badge dealer under Princess Peach's Castle in ''Partners in Time'', and as the main antagonist in ''Bowser's Inside Story'').
*All four games have the same sound effects similar to [[Super Mario Bros.]].e.g Jumping and Fireball sound effects.
*When Mario & Luigi speak in all four games, they sometimes mention a type of Italian pasta as part of the gibberish.
*Each game, starting with ''Partners In Time'' has an antagonist from the previous installment.
*In all four games, a character disguises him/herself as Princess Peach; Luigi in ''Superstar Saga'', Princess Shroob in ''Partners in Time'', a strange, round creature from the [[Memory Banks]] turns into a blocky version of Princess Peach called Memory P(though it isn't really suppose to be a disguise)in ''Bowser's Inside Story'', and Kamek in ''Dream Team''.
*All four games had at least one or two brothers in danger/kidnapped where the other(s) needed to same him (them). (In ''Superstar Saga'', Mario fell into a chucklecola barrel and was struck down with Bean Fever where Luigi needed to save him while Luigi was taken by a crane and kidnapped by Popple to use as a hostage where Mario needed to save him. In ''Partners in Time'', Both Mario and Luigi were kidnapped by brainwashed hammer bros, where Baby Mario and Luigi needed to save them. In ''Bowser's Inside Story'' Luigi was stuck in an immune cell only to be saved by Mario, and later Mario was kidnapped by Sockop for his energy to be taken, only to be saved by Luigi. In ''Dream Team'' Luigi is sent into an unnatural sleep by the [[Dreambeat]]s and Mario needs to defeat [[Dreamy Mount Pajamaja]] to wake him up.
*The first three games have Mario and Luigi saying "Let's-a-go!" and "Okey-dokey!" respectively at the start of a battle.
*In games after ''Superstar Saga'' Mario and Luigi have partner(s) that store their items, give tutorials, and also speak in Mario and Luigi's stead.
**They also all hide in Mario's pocket.
*In all four games the heroes meet a friendly character which reappears in the many different areas they explore. [[Prince Peasley]] in ''Superstar Saga'', [[Kylie Koopa]] in ''Partners in Time'', [[Broque Monsieur]] in ''Bowser's Inside Story'', and [[Eldream]] in ''Dream Team''.
**With the exception of Broque Monsieur, they all lend a hand when the bros. are in danger at one point: Prince Peasley defeats Fawful when he has the upper hand, Kylie disguises herself as a Shroob to save them from getting executed by them, and Eldream takes Mario, Peach, and Dreambert out of the dream world when they are knocked out by Bowser and Antasma.


==References==
==References==
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Latest revision as of 17:01, May 18, 2024

Mario & Luigi
Mario & Luigi series logo as of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team.
Logo design used since Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
First installment Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003)
Latest installment Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey (2018)
Number of installments 7 (5 direct, 2 remakes)
Franchise Super Mario
“Nintendo's hilarious action-RPG proves that two heroes are better than one.”
Nintendo Power Volume 175, January 2004

Mario & Luigi, known in Japan as Mario & Luigi RPG (マリオ&ルイージRPG Mario ando Ruīji Aru Pī Jī), is a series of role-playing video games developed by AlphaDream for Nintendo's handheld platforms since 2003. The series features games with long, detailed stories full of battles featuring Mario and Luigi as the titular characters. As in the Paper Mario series, the battle system emphasizes timing and elaborate attacks. Compared to other RPGs, the tone of the Mario & Luigi games is generally more whimsical and lighthearted, with various in-game jokes and comical references to the heritage of the Super Mario franchise.

The Mario & Luigi series consists of five installments and two remakes: Superstar Saga (GBA, 2003), Partners in Time (DS, 2005), Bowser's Inside Story (DS, 2009), Dream Team (3DS, 2013), Paper Jam (3DS, 2015), Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions (3DS, 2017), and Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey (3DS, 2018).

Gameplay

Mario and Luigi Spin Jumping in the Gritzy Desert
Mario and Luigi in Gritzy Desert in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time.

The gameplay of Mario & Luigi differs from most other role-playing games due to its focus on controlling Mario and Luigi simultaneously. During overworld sections, the directional pad controls Mario's movement with Luigi following closely, while Mario and Luigi's other actions are controlled individually with either of two lettered buttons: A for Mario, and B for Luigi. The game begins with them being able to jump independently, though they gain access to hammers and a variety of other techniques as the game progresses. For example, in Superstar Saga, Luigi's hammer can be used to squash Mario into a smaller size, allowing access to small gaps, while placing Mario on Luigi's shoulders allows them to act like a propeller and hover across large gaps. Various enemies roam the overworld, and coming into contact with these enemies initiates a battle. Landing a hit on the enemy while on the overworld allows the player to deal preemptive damage, while the opposite is also possible.

Battles in these games are turn-based. Mario and Luigi can attack normally either by jumping, which can deal multiple hits, though when used against enemies covered in flames or with spikes, Mario or Luigi will get hurt instead of the enemy; or with the hammer, which is powerful, but ineffective against flying enemies. Similar to other Super Mario RPG titles (Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars and the Paper Mario series), players can time button presses to make their attacks more effective, such as earning an extra jump attack or increasing the hammer's power. Introduced in this series is the way in which Mario and Luigi can defend themselves during an enemy's attack. When an enemy attacks, the brothers will be able to either jump or use their hammer which, when successfully timed, allows them to dodge their attacks and even deal counter damage (for example: if they jump on top of a charging Goomba). Throughout the game, players can unlock Bros. Attacks, which use Bros. Points (BP) requiring players to cooperate between Mario and Luigi's actions to perform powerful combination attacks. Players can also use items such as the Super Mushroom for healing, peppers for boosting stats, and 1-Up Mushrooms for reviving fallen Bros. Defeating enemies earns experience points which help the Bros. level up and increase their stats, with players given the option to further increase the stats of one attribute every time they level up. Players can further improve their stats by equipping new gear to the Bros., or making them wear badges that give them special attributes.

In Bowser's Inside Story, Bowser becomes a playable character who is controlled on the top screen. The world inside Bowser's body, which is played with Mario and Luigi, is presented in a 2D side-scrolling style. The brothers sometimes must directly interact with Bowser in order for the player to progress, and have opportunities to visit the overworld via Warp Pipes as the plot advances. In battle, Bowser plays similarly to Mario and Luigi, but specializes in punching and breathing fire. He can inhale to suck up defenses and enemies from the top screen, similar to Kirby, a character from another Nintendo franchise. Any enemies inhaled will enter his body, where Mario and Luigi will fight them instead. Bowser earns new abilities by rescuing his caged minions, or by finding living kitten-like blocks called Blitties. Further, the Mario Bros. play various minigames where they help out Bowser from inside his body in order to progress: for example, the Arm Center, where the brothers hit spark-like items into a muscle to strengthen Bowser's arms; the Leg Outpost, where they stomp on leg muscles to strengthen Bowser's legs; and the Gut Check, where they help digest food that Bowser eats. One location, the Rump Command, has the player accumulate adrenaline in order to supersize Bowser if he is crushed, leading to a new battle system in which the DS is held vertically like a book and all attacks require the stylus and microphone.

Bowser's Inside Story also introduced a new ranking system in which, after a character has reached a specific level, his rank will increase. Upon reaching these milestones, that character will receive a special bonus, such as an additional equipment slot, being able to visit specific shops or receiving a certain piece of equipment. Mario and Luigi each have six ranks, but Bowser has four. The badge system from previous games has also changed, now possessing effects that Mario and Luigi can use by charging a meter with attacks. When the meter is filled, players can touch the meter to activate its effect, which varies depending on the combination of badges equipped, such as health recovery or stat raising.

Dream Team requires Mario to enter the world of Luigi's dreams to progress through the plot. Like Bowser's body in the previous game, this "Dream World" takes place in a 2-D side-scrolling environment, where Mario is joined by a "Dreamy" counterpart to Luigi. Throughout the Dream World stages, players will find various phenomenons called "Luiginary Works," into which Dreamy Luigi can embed himself to allow players to interact with the environment by touching the real-world Luigi on the touchscreen. For example, players can tweak Luigi's mustache to manipulate a Luigi-shaped tree to fling Mario to new areas with its branches, or make Luigi sneeze to create a gust of wind that blows blocks into the foreground. Mario can also take command of a stack of Luigis known as "Luiginoids," which takes on new abilities and forms as the game progresses, such as smashing through blocks, creating whirlwinds, and rolling down hills. Also in the Dream World, Mario can combine with Dreamy Luigi in battle and fight against large groups of enemies with assistance from the Luiginoids, which allow him to attack multiple enemies with successful attacks.

In Paper Jam, Paper Mario, which is the paper-like rendition of Mario seen in the Paper Mario series interpreted as a separate character, joins his normal counterpart and Luigi to form a team of three. He can use his paper thin body to perform his own unique actions, such as squeezing through tight gaps or turning into a paper airplane in battle to help the brothers. He can also use make copies of himself, allowing him to deal extra damage or attack multiple enemies at once, as well as use special techniques called "Trio Attacks" where he, the normal Mario, and Luigi attack together. There are also sections where players control giant papercraft versions of Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Yoshi to fight other papercraft enemies.

Games

Main series

Title
Cover, original release, and system Synopsis
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
North American box art of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
USA November 17, 2003
Game Boy Advance
The first game in the series was Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, released in 2003 for the Game Boy Advance. In the game, two new villains, Cackletta and Fawful, steal Princess Peach's voice. Mario and Luigi jump into the action and travel to the Beanbean Kingdom to stop them. It is later found out that Cackletta had stolen Peach's voice to awaken the Beanstar, a powerful star that can grant all wishes, such as letting Cackletta rule the world, that is awakened by a pure voice. Princess Peach happened to be the one with the "pure" voice.

The game was later released for the Wii U as a Virtual Console title on Nintendo eShop in 2014, and is included in Game Boy Advance - Nintendo Switch Online, released in 2023.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
MarioLuigiPartnersTimeBox.jpg
USA November 28, 2005
Nintendo DS
A sequel to Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga was released for the Nintendo DS in 2005, called Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. This game centers on the Mushroom Kingdom of the past, during the invasion of an alien race known as the Shroobs. Unaware of the danger, Princess Peach uses a time machine built by Professor E. Gadd to travel into the past, where she was promptly captured by the alien leader, Princess Shroob. Teaming up with Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, the adult Mario bros. set off to defeat the Shroobs and save Peach, using Time Holes created by the malfunctioning time machine to travel back and forth through time.

The game was later released for the Wii U as a Virtual Console title on Nintendo eShop in 2015.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
The North American cover of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.
Japan February 11, 2009
Nintendo DS
The third installment, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, was announced at Nintendo's Fall Press Conference on October 2nd, 2008[1], and released for the Nintendo DS in 2009. While Mario and Luigi are still playable, Bowser also becomes a central protagonist in this game as he attempts to reclaim both the Mushroom and Koopa Kingdoms from Fawful, who used an outbreak of a disease known as the Blorbs as an opportunity to launch his own evil plot for world domination. Fawful later gives Bowser a Vacuum Mushroom, making Bowser inhale everything around him, including Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and other characters.
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
North America box art of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Europe July 12, 2013
Nintendo 3DS
The fourth installment, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, was announced during February 2013's Nintendo Direct[2], and released later in 2013, for the Nintendo 3DS. Due to the shift to 3D, the game uses a new art style. In this game, Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toadsworth go on a trip to Pi'illo Island, where the bat king Antasma has turned many residents into stone, and kidnaps Peach. In order to save the Pi'illo Island folk and the princess, Mario must explore both the real, tridimensional world and the side-scrolling world in Luigi's dreams.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Mario & Luigi - Paper Jam - NOA Boxart.png
Japan December 3, 2015
Nintendo 3DS
The fifth installment, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, was announced during Nintendo's 2015 E3 Digital event. It was initially released later in 2015 for the Nintendo 3DS, and features a crossover with the Paper Mario series. The story involves Luigi accidentally stumbling over a book and releasing characters from the Paper Mario series into the Mario & Luigi world. Bowser and Paper Bowser, despite some disagreements, decide to team up, combine their respective Koopa Troop armies, and kidnap Peach and Paper Peach. Thus, Mario and Luigi team up with Paper Mario to rescue the princesses, as well as the Paper Toads. This is the first game in the series to be compatible with amiibo.

Remakes

Title
Cover, original release, and system Description
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
North American box art of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
Japan October 5, 2017
Nintendo 3DS
Announced during a Nintendo Treehouse Live webcast at E3 2017, this remake of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga was released for the Nintendo 3DS later in 2017. It features revamped and updated graphics akin to Dream Team and Paper Jam (including the use of additional lighting effects), as well as re-scored music. A previously untold storyline also exists in a new mode called Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser, where players control members of Bowser's army in efforts to reunite and rally his troops and find Bowser, in an adventure relying on new mechanics, with Captain Goomba leading the cause. The game features amiibo functionality, tied to figurines of three enemies of the Mario Bros.: Goomba, Boo, and Koopa Troopa.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey Box art
Japan December 27, 2018
Nintendo 3DS
Announced during the March 2018 Nintendo Direct, this remake of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story was released for the Nintendo 3DS, initially later in 2018. Like Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, it features revamped and updated graphics and music, adds in many of the improvements introduced in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, and features a previously untold story/mode where players control Bowser Jr. on his own adventure.[3]

Miscellaneous

To promote Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, a trivia game was released on the Play Nintendo website called Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions Trivia.

Characters

Major protagonists

Character
Image Brief biography First Mario & Luigi appearance in role
Mario
Artwork of Mario
Mario, with his brother, as the series name suggests, is the star of the series. When there is trouble, Mario attempts to solve the problem as quickly as he can, dragging Luigi alongside him. In this series, Mario is a very famous and popular hero, being well-known in various lands. As in the majority of Super Mario games, Mario is a silent protagonist, but he communicates by body movements and speaking in Italian-sounding gibberish.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Luigi
Artwork of Luigi
Luigi is Mario's younger, lesser-known brother. He often gets dragged into adventures beyond his will. Luigi is more cowardly and more hesitant than Mario, but he is willing to help solve any trouble that has arisen. Luigi's clumsy antics are usually comic relief, but it can be sometimes dangerous, including when he left Baby Luigi alone to Petey Piranha in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. As in the majority of Super Mario games, Luigi does not speak either in this game, communicating similarly to Mario; only in Dream Team do Luigi's thoughts take the form of words, and this happens only in Dream's Deep and whenever he becomes a giant.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Baby Mario
Baby Mario
Mario and Luigi encounter Baby Mario and Baby Luigi in their adventures in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. Similar to Mario, Baby Mario often jumps ahead when a problem rises. Baby Mario is impulsive at times, unlike Mario, including when he uses his hammer in misbehavior.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Baby Luigi
Baby Luigi
Much like Luigi, Baby Luigi is a more timid brother than Baby Mario. In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, he is easily frightened, and he frequently cries in troublesome situations. Baby Luigi has shown to be key to destroying the Shroobs in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time when he reverted characters to normal with his tears. He is also shown to know that an object has bad vibes, such as crying at the Cobalt Star because it contains the Elder Princess Shroob inside it.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Bowser
Bowser
Bowser is on the protagonist side in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. Unlike in most Super Mario games, Bowser aided Mario and Luigi in reaching the Beanbean Kingdom in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, but after the crash landing, Bowser unintentionally became a rival, being used first by Popple as a minion and then by Cackletta as a body to possess. Bowser is the main protagonist in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, with Mario and Luigi adventuring inside him after he inhales the Vacuum Mushroom.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Paper Mario
Paper Mario
Originally from the Paper Mario series, Paper Mario is introduced to Mario and Luigi when Luigi tips over a book and releases the Paper Mario characters into their world. Paper Mario is one of them, and he immediately helps Mario and Luigi defeat some Paper Goombas, and the three team up to rescue Paper Toads, stop Bowser and Paper Bowser, and rescue Peach and Paper Peach. Paper Mario can create copies of himself to mitigate his low HP and attack multiple times at once. When dodging, when he jumps, he can float briefly. Paper Mario and the Mario Bros. are needed when performing Trio Attacks, and they also partake in Papercraft battles.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Captain Goomba
Captain Goomba is a Captain Goomba
Captain Goomba is the main protagonist of the Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser story mode from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, the 3DS remake of the original GBA game that started off the series. After the Mario Bros beat him and Private Goomp and the Koopa Cruiser crashes in the Beanbean Kingdom, the young Goomba wakes up in a cave and after some adventuring, he comes across a small group of his brethren, and after a comical reunion, they name him the captain of their squad. Although they do this because no one else wants to and they have no respect for Captain Goomba, the captain all but takes off from there as he turns into the leader the army needs and rallies the army back to rescue Bowser.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
Captain Shy Guy
Captain Shy Guy in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions.
Captain Shy Guy is a deuteragonist of the Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser story mode from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions. He is the second captain after Captain Goomba, and joins him in Beanbean Fields after mistaking him for Fawful's minions. Being a Shy Guy, he is often quiet and can be very embarrased easily, as shown during the Cutie Battle Contest.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
Captain Boo
Captain Boo in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions.
Captain Boo is a deuteragonist of the Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser story mode from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions. He is the third captain, and joins Captain Goomba in Chucklehuck Woods, although he only wanted a flag to help block the sunlight but took on his role as a captain anyway. Out of all the captains, Captain Boo appears to possess the most amount of common sense.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
Captain Koopa Troopa
Captain Koopa Troopa in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions.
Captain Koopa Troopa is a deuteragonist of the Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser story mode from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions. He is the last captain, and joins Captain Goomba in Teehee Valley. He often speaks in rhymes which is often followed by the sound of wind, and is often ignored when doing so.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
Bowser Jr.
Artwork of Bowser Jr. made for Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey.
Bowser Jr. appears as the main character of Bowser Jr.'s Journey in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey. He and the Koopalings go out to find the ingredients for the Skeletone Formula:D, so that Bowser Jr. can impress his dad. However, his selfish nature causes problems for everyone around him, and when the Best Fitness Friends begin to attack the Koopalings, Bowser Jr. has to start taking things seriously and rescue the minions.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey

Major antagonists

Character
Image Brief biography First Mario & Luigi appearance in role
Bowser
Bowser
Bowser is the final boss of Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, one of the main antagonists of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, and one of the main antagonists of Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (alongside Paper Bowser). In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Bowser is mainly an antagonist, teaming up with Baby Bowser to fight Mario and causing trouble by kidnapping 'Princess Peach' (later revealed to be a disguised Princess Shroob). He is manipulated once again when he is turned into Shrowser by the Elder Princess Shroob. In Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Bowser allies with Antasma to take advantage of the Dream Stone's wish granting powers, but it is later revealed that Bowser uses Antasma only to further his own goals. In Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, Bowser teams up with his paper counterpart to further his plans to take over the Mushroom Kingdom.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Cackletta
Artwork of Cackletta from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Cackletta is the main antagonist in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. She and Fawful had stolen Princess Peach's voice. She has also caused trouble in Beanbean Kingdom by transforming Queen Bean into a giant beast and stealing the Beanstar. After Mario and Luigi defeated her, Fawful took her soul and placed it into Bowser's body, transforming Bowser into Bowletta.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Bowletta
Official artwork of Bowletta.
Bowletta is the form Bowser takes after being possessed by Cackletta, and is the final boss in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Bowletta kidnaps Princess Peach and demands Mario and Luigi to find all of the shattered pieces of the Beanstar and bring them to her in exchange of releasing Peach (although it is implied she was lying about this). After she loses Peach and the Beanstar however, she uses Bowser's Castle to attack the Beanbean Kingdom, at which point Mario and Luigi go and defeat her for good by destroying her heart, and releasing Bowser from Cackletta's control in the process.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Fawful
Fawful artwork from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Fawful is Cackletta's servant. He speaks in Engrish and uses many food-related metaphors. In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, he steals Princess Peach's voice and helps transfer Cackletta into Bowser. In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Fawful plays more of a supporting role. He runs an underground badge shop the Baby Mario Bros. can access. Fawful plays as the main antagonist in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. He has usurped Bowser's Castle while creating an outbreak of Blorbs. He has also given Bowser the Vacuum Mushroom to aid him in his plot to rule Mushroom Kingdom.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Shroobs
Shroobs
The Shroobs are an alien race that has invaded Mushroom Kingdom in the past. They have trapped Toads and extracted their vim to power their technology. They can shoot bolts transforming characters into Shroob Mushrooms. The Shroobs speak a foreign language. One of the Shroobs major weakness is baby tears. Several Shroobs were also frozen in a preservation chamber in Bowser's Castle as shown in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, where three of them are fought as an optional boss.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Princess Shroob
Artwork of Princess Shroob from Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Princess Shroob commands the Shroob fleet during most of Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, and is thus the game's main antagonist. When Princess Peach has traveled to the past, Princess Shroob manages to capture her, but not without Peach trapping the Elder Princess Shroob - the real leader of the shoobs - in the Cobalt Star. It is only after Princess Shroob is mortally wounded in battle that this is revealed, however.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Elder Princess Shroob
Yes! I have found a sprite of Elder Princess Shroob's first form!
Elder Princess Shroob is the older sister of Princess Shroob from Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, she was trapped in the Cobalt Star by Peach and the bros and babies collected Cobalt Star Shards thinking the star could destroy the Shroobs. But it freed the Elder Princess Shroob who promised to kill the bros for her sister's recent death.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Dark Star
Dark Star artwork from Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.
The Dark Star is the ultimate antagonist of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. It was put in the Toad Town Caves so that nobody would be able to use it's power. However, Fawful steals it, and uses Peach to awaken the Dark Star so he can absorb it's power. Once the Dark Star awakes, it goes inside Bowser's body, and steals his DNA to become Dark Bowser.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Antasma
Antasma artwork from Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Antasma is a bat king and the former main antagonist of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. He is behind the destruction of the Dark Stone and the freezing of the Pi'illos. Mario must enter Luigi's dreams in order to rescue Antasma's victims, which by the time Mario starts to enter Luigi's dreams include Princess Peach, whom Antasma abducts early in the game. He also teams up with Bowser, and the two villains later set their sights on the Dream Stone, which holds the power to grant any wish. Bowser later reveals that he is merely using Antasma to advance his own schemes.
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Paper Bowser
Paper Bowser
Originally from the Paper Mario series, Paper Bowser along with other paper characters such as Paper Mario, escapes from the storybook Luigi has accidentally opened. Paper Bowser is one of the main antagonists of Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. When he initially meets Bowser, the two bicker, but they ultimately cooperate and kidnap Princess Peach and Paper Princess Peach.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Best Fitness Friends
BISDX- Dieter Pose.png BISDX- Beef Pose.png BISDX- Kaley Pose.png The Best Fitness Friends, Dieter, Beef, and Kaley, are the main antagonists of the Bowser Jr.'s Journey story mode from Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey. They were three of Fawful's minions who sought to overthrow him and take control of the kingdom themselves. They tricked Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings into gathering the ingredients for Skeletone Formula:D, thus leaving Bowser's Castle defenseless and allowing them to use the Skeletone to create Malatone Formula:X, which could brainwash many minions.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey

Supporting protagonists

Character
Image Brief biography First Mario & Luigi appearance in role
Princess Peach
Artwork of Princess Peach, from Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Princess Peach is usually a victim when trouble arises in Mushroom Kingdom. In all games, she is kidnapped at some point. Peach, however, is not entirely helpless, since she has provided help to the Mario Bros. such as warning the dangers of the Cobalt Star and later the Dark Star.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Toadsworth
Toadsworth's artwork in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Toadsworth the Younger's artwork from Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time.
Toadsworth is Princess Peach's companion. He is often worrisome about Peach, especially if Peach decides to take a trip. Toadsworth provides help and advice to the Mario Bros. during their adventures. In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Toadsworth allies with his younger counterpart and attempts to take care of Baby Peach.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Professor E. Gadd
Professor Elvin Gadd's artwork in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time.
Professor E. Gadd helps Mario & Luigi with his items and inventions. In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, he gives them a special item after he samples a new drink. His time machine in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time has helped Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach travel to the past. E. Gadd has also invented the Hydrogush 4000 from an event in Thwomp Volcano, which is vital in allowing the Mario Bros. to enter the volcano, and defeating the Shroobs.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Baby Peach
Artwork of Baby Peach for Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
When Princess Peach was a baby, her castle is being attacked by both Baby Bowser and the Shroobs, with Baby Bowser attempting to kidnap her. When Baby Bowser has realized he lost to the Shroobs, he allows the Baby Mario Bros. and Toadsworth the Younger to flee. Baby Peach is taken to safety in the future Princess Peach's castle, with Toadsworth and Toadsworth the Younger taking care of her.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Stuffwell
Artwork of Stuffwell from Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Stuffwell is a friendly talking suitcase, invented by Professor E. Gadd, and acts as Mario and Luigi's assistant in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. He carries Mario and Luigi's items and can show the party's stats. His catchphrase is, "BACK TO ADVENTURE!"
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Kylie Koopa
Artwork of Kylie Koopa from Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Kylie is a recurring supporting character in the Mario & Luigi series. She appears in Partners in Time in the past as a traveling reporter first encountered on Yoshi's Island. She encounters the brothers several times after this, and is the only person to see Elder Princess Shroob in the Cobalt Star besides Baby Luigi. She returns in Dream Team, oddly not remembering the brothers, in a much more minor role.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Starlow
Artwork of Starlow made for Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey.
Starlow is another supporting character that holds Mario and Luigi's items. She is one of the four Star Sprites shown in the game. She helps Mario and Luigi advance in their adventures in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, and Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam by giving them tutorials and advice. After Bowser inhales her, she tricks Bowser by calling herself "Chippy". Throughout Bowser's Inside Story, she has demonstrated irritation toward Luigi, but started to warm up to him in Dream Team.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Prince Dreambert
Prince Dreambert artwork from Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Dreambert is the Prince of the Pi'illo people that helps Mario and Luigi in their adventures on Pi'illo Island in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. He aids them in the Dream World, helping them learn new moves to further advance deeper into Luigi's Dreams and information to aid them in their exploration. His main goal is to prevent Antasma from taking the Dream Stone and using it for malevolent reasons. His role is similar to Starlow and Stuffwell from the past games.
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Paper Peach
Artwork of Paper Princess Peach, from Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Originally from the Paper Mario series, Paper Peach, along with multiple paper characters, came out of the storybook that Luigi dropped. She initially was frighted by the new world she found herself in, but later on developed a deep friendship with Princess Peach, as well as enjoying the company of Mario, Luigi and Starlow. After the Mario Bros. went looking for Paper Mario, Paper Peach and Princess Peach get kidnapped by the Bowser duo. While held captive, both princesses gossiped about multiple topics, such as their hairstyles, Mario, and getting kidnapped by Bowser.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

Supporting antagonists

Character
Image Brief biography First Mario & Luigi appearance in role
Popple
Artwork of Popple from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Popple is an independent thief that often crosses Mario and Luigi's tracks in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. He has befriended Rookie, who is Bowser without his memory. Popple and Rookie cause trouble for Mario and Luigi multiple times, but they often end up getting beaten. When Popple loses Rookie, he teams with Birdo, with Birdo falling in love with him. Popple often ends his sentences with, "See?". He reappears in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team trying to steal a treasure and battling with Mario and Luigi.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Koopalings
Artwork of the Koopalings from Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
The Koopalings first appear in franchise in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, acting as encounters through the last parts of the game. However, they have no dialogue (this was changed in the remake) or importance to the story. They later appear in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam as supporting antagonists with larger roles than in their previous appearance in the series. In this game, Larry, Wendy, Ludwig, and Roy first appear when Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario are knocked out by cannon fire. Iggy, Lemmy, and Morton are later seen showering the land with paper terrain alongside King Bob-omb. All seven of them make a final reappearance as the last Koopa Troop members left capable of fighting the Mario Bros. before the final boss. The Koopalings later appear as bosses during Minion Quest in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions after being brainwashed by Fawful, and in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey as deuteragonists.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Baby Bowser
Baby Bowser
Baby Bowser is a major antagonist in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. It is revealed that even as a baby, Bowser attempted to kidnap Princess Peach. During one invasion, however, the Shroobs interfere, and Baby Bowser loses his Cobalt Star Shard. Baby Bowser, with Kamek, follows the Mario and Baby Mario Bros., attempting to steal back the shard.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Kamek
Kamek
Kamek is a supporting antagonist in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, and Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. He acts as an assistant to Bowser, always helping him try to stop Mario and Luigi. In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, Kamek works with Bowser Jr. in trying to make the Skeletone Formula:D. He also tries to get Bowser Jr. to stop being selfish, and help Bowser's minions.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Midbus
Midbus artwork from Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Midbus is Fawful's servant and the secondary antagonist in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, guarding Bowser's Castle after Fawful has usurped it. Midbus fights Bowser three times in the game, the third time after Fawful transforms him into Blizzard Midbus. Midbus is strong, but lacking in intelligence; he speaks in broken sentences. He often gives long names for weapons he uses.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Bowser Jr.
Artwork of Bowser Jr., from Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Bowser Jr. first appeared in the series as a secret boss in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, fought at the end of the Boss medley in the Battle Ring, but he took on a more supporting role in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. In this game, he fights the Mario Bros. throughout the game alongside Paper Bowser Jr. His role in the story involves taking the book that contains the Paper Mario world from Roy and guarding Peach and Paper Peach in his father's castle. He fights in the player in Papercraft battle in Mount Brrr, and as a regular boss in Bowser's Castle. Throughout the game, he develops a friendship with his paper counterpart.
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Paper Bowser Jr.
Artwork of Paper Bowser Jr., from Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Originally from the Paper Mario series, Paper Bowser Jr. appears as Bowser Jr.'s playmate. After Luigi accidentally opened the paper book, Paper Bowser Jr. alongside with his father landed inside Bowser's Castle. As Bowser and Paper Bowser were arguing, Paper Bowser Jr. played together with Bowser Jr. He likes to explore the realistic Mario world, and he hates guarding the princesses.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

Other characters

Appearances in other series

Super Mario Kun 35.jpg

Super Smash Bros. series

Artwork from the Mario & Luigi series appeared as stickers in Super Smash Bros. Brawl: Cackletta, Luigi with Baby Luigi, Luigi, Mario with Luigi, Prince Peasley, a Shroob, Stuffwell, and Toadsworth. Additionally, one of the random names in Brawl when naming something (for example, naming a friend code) is FWFUL, obviously referencing Fawful. Additionally, Gritzy Desert's music from Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time is selectable as the Mushroomy Kingdom's stage music. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Prince Peasley, Fawful, Princess Shroob, Starlow, Broque Monsieur, Prince Dreambert, Antasma, and Papercraft Mario appear as spirits.

A cover of the battle theme, "Try, Try Again" from Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, appears in the Paper Mario stage in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and in Woolly World in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. As the original track, it was composed by Yoko Shimomura. Additionally, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U features original versions of "Tough Guy Alert!" in Woolly World and "The Grand Finale" from Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story in Mario Galaxy. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the tracks appear in the Super Mario soundtrack, along with the battle theme from Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions.

Super Mario-kun

Super Mario-kun has devoted a few volumes to Partners in Time and Bowser's Inside Story. The art style on the covers even reflect the Mario & Luigi art style (especially seen in the color of Mario and Luigi's insignias). Although the storylines are similar to the story in game, there are multiple variations and twists. General examples include Mario and Luigi being able to speak fully, and Baby Mario and Baby Luigi are capable of talking as well. More specifically, Yoob, for example, is actually a friendly giant Yoshi that Sunnycide manipulates while Tanoomba can transform into clones of Mario and company to cause mischief.

Similarities between games

Despite having different storylines and gameplay, the Mario & Luigi games contain many recurring elements. Some similarities continued for the first three games; others for the first four; and many similarities persist through all five entries (excluding remakes, which contain the same similarities as the games they are based on).

First three games

  • The playable characters shout "Nintendo!" after the game is launched, as the Nintendo logo appears. In Superstar Saga, only Mario and Luigi do this, but in Partners in Time there is a chance that Baby Mario and Baby Luigi do so instead any time the game is launched. This selection also applies to Bowser in Bowser's Inside Story.
  • Bowser (or Baby Bowser in Partners in Time) appears as the first boss and first battle overall, acting as a tutorial for the battle mechanics.
    • In Dream Team, Antasma takes this role instead, and in Paper Jam, there is no tutorial boss; the first battle is instead against Paper Goombas.
  • Three versions of Bowser can be battled: Bowser, Rookie and Bowletta in Superstar Saga, Bowser, Baby Bowser and Shrowser in Partners in Time, and Bowser, Bowser X and Dark Bowser in Bowser's Inside Story.
    • Dream Team and Paper Jam instead contain five Bowser battles each: Bowser, Giant Bowser, Bowser X, Giant Bowser X and Dreamy Bowser in Dream Team, and Papercraft Bowser, Bowser, Paper Bowser, Shiny RoboBowser and Dry Bowser in Paper Jam.
  • Fawful appears as a recurring character: as Cackletta's assistant in Superstar Saga, a badge dealer under Princess Peach's Castle in Partners in Time, and the main antagonist in Bowser's Inside Story.

First four games

  • The setting is largely somewhere other than the Mushroom Kingdom of the present: the Beanbean Kingdom in Superstar Saga, the Mushroom Kingdom of the past in Partners In Time, Bowser's body in Bowser's Inside Story, and Pi'illo Island and the Dream World in Dream Team.
  • Mario and Luigi travel inside characters: Bowletta in Superstar Saga, Yoob in Partners in Time, Bowser in Bowser's Inside Story, and Luigi through his dreams in Dream Team.
  • At least one named Beanish character appears: Popple appears in Superstar Saga and Dream Team, and Fawful appears in the first three games. However, generic members of the species only appear in Superstar Saga and Dream Team.
  • During the tutorial battle, Mario learns battle actions while Luigi is occupied with something else: watching the fight in Superstar Saga, playing in Partners in Time, sleeping in Bowser's Inside Story, and dreaming about the fight in Dream Team.
  • A character disguises themselves as Peach: Luigi in Superstar Saga, Princess Shroob in Partners in Time, Bowser's memory in Bowser's Inside Story, and Kamek and the Elite Trio in Dream Team.
    • The fifth game instead has Peach and Paper Peach using fake Princess Peach decoys to escape from Bowser.

All five games

  • The storyline is about or heavily features collecting the pieces of a Star or another magic item: the Beanstar in Superstar Saga, the Cobalt Star in Partners in Time, the Star Cure/Miracle Cure in Bowser's Inside Story, the Ultibed in Dream Team, and Fire Ore to build Papercraft Fire Mario in Paper Jam.
  • Bowser mimics the gameplay devices that Mario and Luigi employ in each game:
    • As Rookie, he develops his own Bros. Attacks with Popple in Superstar Saga;
    • He partners up with his younger self while traveling to the past in Partners in Time;
    • In Bowser's Inside Story, he is a playable character with his own set of Command Blocks. He has an equivalent to Bros. Attacks in the form of Brawl Attacks, which he also uses when Mario and Luigi battle him in Toadley Clinic;
    • Bowser is powered up by a dream entity in the dream world like Mario, and unleashes his power through his dreams like Luigi, in Dream Team;
    • He teams up with his paper self and obtains his own Trio Attack Hammer in Paper Jam.
  • The tutorial themes are all remixes of the Super Mario Bros. overworld theme.
  • Unique variants of common Super Mario enemies appear : Superstar Saga has bean-related enemies, Partners in Time has Shroob-like enemies, Bowser's Inside Story has Fawful-themed, body-themed and Dark Star-themed enemies, Dream Team has Antasma-themed and dream-themed enemies, and Paper Jam has paper versions of enemies.
  • When enemies are defeated, they disappear either by fading away or in a small explosion; when bosses, or defeated, they disappear in a large explosion.
  • A Wiggler variant appears as a boss battle. While Partners in Time does not have any traditional Wigglers, there is a Shroob-like Wiggler called Swiggler.
  • Bowser appears as the final boss in some form: Bowletta in Superstar Saga, Shrowser in Partners in Time, Dark Bowser in Bowser's Inside Story, Dreamy Bowser in Dream Team, and Shiny RoboBowser in Paper Jam. Of these, Dark Bowser is the only one who is not actually Bowser (as it is the Dark Star taking his form); Bowser is also possessed by Cackletta and Elder Princess Shroob respectively to create Bowletta and Shrowser.
  • The main antagonists have an alternative form in their final battle: Cackletta becomes Cackletta's Soul, Elder Princess Shroob becomes bigger and more monstrous, Fawful transforms into the Dark Star Core, Antasma transforms from his bat form into his true form, and Paper Bowser transforms into the armor of Shiny RoboBowser.
  • The game does not save after the final boss is defeated: when returning to the title screen and re-opening the save file, it only shows the last save before entering the battle. This effectively means there is no post-game state in any of the five games.
    • Only the last two games show any indication of the game having been finished, with Jukebox/Music Player options being unlocked, as well as Hard Mode becoming available in Dream Team.

Other

  • In games after Superstar Saga, characters other than Mario and Luigi have also been playable: Baby Mario and Baby Luigi in Partners in Time, Bowser in Bowser's Inside Story, Dreamy Luigi in Dream Team, and Paper Mario in Paper Jam.
  • In games after Superstar Saga, Mario and Luigi have a partner can store their items, give tutorials, and speak in Mario and Luigi's stead: Stuffwell in Partners in Time and Starlow in all future games.
  • The first three games and Paper Jam have Mario and Luigi saying "Let's-a-go!" and "Okey-dokey!" respectively when transitioning into a battle.
  • The third, fourth and fifth games all have two different normal battle themes: the Mario Bros. and Bowser's battle themes in Bowser's Inside Story, the real world and dream world battle themes in Dream Team, and a battle theme for the Mario Bros. before and after Paper Mario joins the party in Paper Jam.

Gallery

References