Summary
Mario and Luigi: Brothershiphas made one seemingly minor change to the longstanding RPG series that has been getting a big negative reaction from players, shifting the controls for Luigi by a single button press. The controls for theMario and Luigiseries have been relatively static through its 20-plus-year run, and requiring a single press of the A button inMario and Luigi: Brothershipis a mechanic a lot of fans are having trouble coping with.
The sixth main installment in the RPG series, which dates back to 2003’sMario and Luigi: Superstar Sagaon the Game Boy Advance,Mario and Luigi: Brothershipwas releasedon November 7 exclusively for Nintendo Switch. Since its inception, the series has held a pretty steady formula of having players control Mario in the overworld, with Luigi close in tow, and shifting to a turn-based format when battles occur.
There have been somechanges inMario and Luigi: Brothershipthat have set it apart from the rest of the series. While Mario’s attacks have traditionally been mapped to the A button and Luigi’s to the B button, the new control scheme forces players to first select one of Luigi’s attacks with A before then pressing B to confirm the action. While it doesn’t require players to learn an entirely new system, the single button press seems to have incensed a sizable portion of the series' fan base, as the slew of social media posts about the game is filled with complaints about the two controllable characters no longer having a single button that corresponds with controlling them.
Mario and Luigi: Brothership Fans Want Luigi Mapped Back to the B Button
The button mapping for Luigi’s combat powers aren’t the only changes made to the green-clad plumber. While previous games in the series would require separate button presses for each brother to helpMario and Luigi solve puzzlesand generally get around in the overworld, again mapped to A and B,Brothership’s Luigi Logic mechanic makes many of the younger Mario brother’s actions automatic when the brothers are outside of combat. While this change affects gameplay much more prominently than Luigi needing a combination of the A and B buttons in combat, fans seem to be relatively silent about it.
Since the game was released so recently, it’s unclear just how significantly the combat control scheme change will affect the collective fan review scores. The reaction from professional critics has been generally favorable so far, with the game currently holding a score of 79 on MetaCritic, but fan opinion can be affected by even seemingly minute issues, andreview bombing on sites like MetaCriticcan significantly alter a game’s score.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership
WHERE TO PLAY
All hands on deck for an island-hopping adventure starring Mario and LuigiThe brothers return for a brand-new adventure on the high seas! Set sail with Mario and Luigi on Shipshape Island (part ship, part island) and journey through the vast world of Concordia. Launch out of Shipshape’s cannon to visit, explore, and quest your way through islands that range from tropical rainforests to bustling cities. Meet new friends along the way, like Connie and Snoutlet (definitely not a pig), and encounter familiar faces from the Mushroom Kingdom like Peach and Bowser, who may help—or hinder—you on your journey!You’ll have to rely on Mario and Luigi’s brotherly bond to succeed. Use Bros. Moves to get past obstacles while you explore, and powerful Bros. Attacks in a dynamic twist on turn-based combat. You’ll need every edge this “brothership” will give you to save the day!
