Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (2005) | Nintendo DS Video Game
Meta Description: Dive into our hands-on review of Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time for Nintendo DS. Master the dual-screen, time-traveling co-op gameplay and defeat the Shroob invasion.
Game Intro: A Time-Tripping, Co-op Masterpiece
If you thought managing the Mario brothers was a handful, try throwing their diaper-wearing, hammer-wielding past selves into the mix. Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time is a brilliant, bizarre RPG that takes everything great about Superstar Saga and splits it across two timelines.
The plot kicks off when a terrifying, purple alien race called the Shroobs invades the Mushroom Kingdom of the past, kidnapping young Princess Peach. Through a series of unstable time holes, the adult Mario and Luigi end up teaming up with Baby Mario and Baby Luigi. What follows is a genuinely funny, dark (by Mario standards), and clever adventure. AlphaDream hit a sweet spot here—the writing is genuinely witty, Yoko Shimomura’s soundtrack is fantastic, and the time-travel mechanic allows for some of the most creative world design on the Nintendo DS.
How to Play: Managing the Ultimate Quartet
At its core, Partners in Time is a turn-based RPG, but it ditches traditional static combat for active, rhythm-based mechanics. You aren't just selecting "Attack" from a menu and watching it play out; you need to time your button presses perfectly to dodge enemy lasers, counter-attack with standard jumps, or unleash devastating "Bros. Items" like Red Shells and Trampolines.
The real magic, though, is how the game utilizes the four brothers simultaneously. You can play with all four characters stacked together as a powerhouse unit, or split them up into two pairs (Adults and Babies) to tackle separate areas. The game makes brilliant use of the DS dual screens—when the groups separate, you’ll often have the adults navigating a puzzle on the bottom screen to open up a path for the babies on the top screen. It keeps you on your toes and ensures the puzzle-solving never feels repetitive.
Controls: Mastering the Button Layout
Don't let the four-character setup intimidate you—the control scheme is incredibly intuitive once you get the rhythm down. Each brother is mapped to a specific face button on the DS, making combat and exploration a test of your coordination.
- A Button / Z Key: Controls Mario (Adult) actions and attacks.
- B Button / X Key: Controls Luigi (Adult) actions and attacks.
- X Button: Controls Baby Mario actions and attacks.
- Y Button: Controls Baby Luigi actions and attacks.
- X + Y Buttons (Simultaneous): Triggers specific Baby actions, like digging underground or flattening into a glider.
- L / R Shoulder Buttons: Cycles through different world abilities (like swapping between jumping and hammer swings) or switches control between the adult and baby pairs when they are split up.
- Top Screen: Functions as your permanent overworld map, tracking your location and nearby save albums. During split-screen puzzles or specific battles, it dynamically switches to show the babies' perspective.
Touch Device Controls
You can use on-screen controls on touch devices, such as Android mobiles, Apple phones, iPhones, tablets, iPads, and other devices with touch support.
