The WhatsNext verdict
If you enjoy witty Mario RPG writing, timing-based battles, and puzzles built around coordinating multiple characters, this is a particularly distinctive DS adventure. Players seeking strong time-travel consequences or consistently well-balanced combat may find it tiring late on.
What it does best
Timed combat turns every enemy attack into a readable reflex test
A bizarre Mario story told with consistently funny dialogue
Two-screen puzzles make four-character teamwork feel genuinely novel
What might put you off
Late-game battles become exhausting endurance tests
The time-travel premise feels underused
The setup
What you are walking into
The famous Mario Brothers return in this sequel to the humorous Superstar Saga. In this adventure, Princess Peach takes a trip in a time machine, but when it returns, there's only a monster inside! The heroic brothers travel back in time only to discover that evil alien life forms known as the Shroobs have taken over the Mushroom Kingdom, and no-one is safe! They soon meet up with their younger selves, and set out to stop the alien menace, not to mention rescue the Princess!
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