Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga: Difference between revisions

In addition to being the first installment in the [[Mario & Luigi (series)|''Mario & Luigi'']] series, this game is also the third ''Super Mario'' RPG following ''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]'' and ''[[Paper Mario]]'' respectively. It would itself be succeeded by ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]'' for the [[Nintendo DS]] in 2005. Notably, the game takes heavy inspiration from ''{{wp|Tomato Adventure}}'', AlphaDream's first Game Boy Advance RPG, featuring very similar graphics, sound effects, and even allusions to certain characters. This game features rumble support if played on a [[Game Boy Player]]. The [[Mario Bros. (Game Boy Advance)|remake of the ''Mario Bros.'']] arcade game featured in the [[Super Mario Advance (series)|''Super Mario Advance'']] series of games was also included with ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''.

Later, the Mario Bros. make it to [[Chateau de Chucklehuck]] to find the reserve. They end up in an unexpected fight with [[Popple]], the shadow thief, and his partner, [[Rookie]], who are both defeated. The brothers soon meet [[Cork and Cask]], the owners of the brewery, who teach them [[Mini-Mario]] and [[Dunk Hammer|Luigi Dunk]]. Mario and Luigi later retrieve three [[Chuckola Fruit]] to give to [[Chuckleroot]]. When they reach Mother Chuckola, they find the creator of [[Chuckola Cola (Mario & Luigi series)|Chuckola Cola]], Bubbles, who is busy telling jokes to the Chuckola Reserve. The soda then transforms into the [[Chuckolator]]. After a battle with the Bros., it is defeated and reverts into normal soda, causing an enraged Bubbles to create a tremor that sends the brothers and the soda underground. Mario lands in the soda and Luigi heads back to Beanbean Castle by doing a barrel run.

*[[Mario]] - The well-known hero.

*[[Toad]] - Sent to deliver word to Mario. Only briefly playable at the very beginning of the game.

*[[Prince Peasley]] - Beanbean Kingdom hero.

*[[Queen Bean]] - The Queen of the Beanbean Kingdom.

*[[Cackletta]]/[[Bowletta]] - The primary villain and final boss.

*[[Fawful]] - Cackletta's minion, secondary antagonist, second tutorial boss, and penultimate boss.

*[[Popple]] - Recurring villain and boss.

*[[Bowser]]/[[Rookie]] - Minor villain who, for the first half of the game, suffers from amnesia and works for Popple. During the second half, Cackletta's spirit possesses his body.

The game also has several secret caves which can only be visited by either Mario or Luigi acting separately from one another. These areas start as 2-dimensional, side-scrolling levels in the traditional platforming style. A rare item can be obtained from a [[presenter]] if the caves are completed.

|Luigi can hit Mario with his hammer, squishing him into [[Mini-Mario]]. Using this technique, Mario can move into small openings. He can also sense hidden Chuckle Beans and other treasures buried under the ground.

![[Hammer Bro#Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga|Hammer Bro]]

*Some caves near Beanbean Castle Town are underground courses that resemble those found in ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' There are three such caverns; two of them are north of Beanbean Castle, while the third is found to the west of Beanbean Castle. At the end of each course is a [[presenter]] who gives him a rare item such as a [[High-End Badge]] or the [[Iron Pants]].  

*There are [[Ankoopa]]s in some caves; Mario can use his [[Firebrand]] power to knock them over, allowing Mario and Luigi to pass and reach presenters that give them a special item, such as a Golden Mushroom.

==Presenter locations==

[[File:MLSS-Gold Monty Mole Screenshot.png|frame|left|A [[presenter]] giving [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] a [[1-Up DX|1-Up Super]] in [[Bowser's Castle]].]]

{{main|Presenter}}

In the game, Mario and Luigi can find presenters throughout the Beanbean Kingdom that will reward them with items, clothing, or badges when found.

The Japanese video game development studio [[AlphaDream]] developed ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''. Both of ''[[Super Mario RPG]]'' co-directors were involved with the game, as they left [[Square]] alongside various other former employees to join Alphadream, Yoshihiko Maekawa was director while Chihiro Fujioka is listed under Special Thanks. [[Satoru Iwata]] was the executive producer, while [[Takashi Tezuka]] was the production supervisor. The music heard in the game was produced by [[Yoko Shimomura]], like in ''Super Mario RPG''.

*''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]'': The [[Geno]] doll returns as a cameo in the Star 'Stache Smash minigame. Additionally, Mario humming the ''Super Mario Bros.'' theme in the shower is first seen in ''Super Mario RPG'', when he is showering in the [[Marrymore]] Suite. Also, "Mario is Everyone's Star", the music played at Mario and Luigi's house as well as the Warp Pipe zones is a cover of "Super Pipe House", the theme from Mario's Pad.

*This game was planned to release in {{wp|Mainland China}} by {{wp|iQue}}, but left unreleased due to the huge scene of piracy in China at that time. The unreleased Chinese prototype received an ISBN, meaning it was approved for distribution despite the ban on video games from the {{wp|Government of China|Chinese government}}.