Mario & Luigi: Bowsers Inside Story is a game I have been waiting to review for quite some time. The game was released in Japan back in February and since then, I have done everything I can to get as much information about this classic.

I own the imported version of this game but for some reason it kept locking up in my DSi. Its not an US DSi either, anyways. I waited until the american release of the game so I can write up a review on it. From the ground up, you look at this games art design you would think it would not have anything special to be played. However, this is the third game in the series and its the best game to date in the series.

The story centers around Fawful, Mario & Luigi, and Bowser. Once again Fawful, the villain, is up to no good and is out for complete and total control of the Mushroom Kingdom. There is an outbreak causing the Toadstools to swell up into what the locals are calling the “Blorbs”. These infected Toad’s roll all over destroying everything in there path. No further information as to what lead to this outbreak or if there is a cure is known by any of the wisest of Toads. The virus has called upon the Royal Toadstools and Princess Peach to work together to find a solution to this issue.

Logo: http://i34.tinypic.com/kch387.jpg

US Box Art: http://i38.tinypic.com/2h807c6.jpg

Japanese Box Art: http://i38.tinypic.com/153yahl.jpg

WIthout any other resources in dealing with this problem, only one option remains. Calling upon our favorite Super Bro. Duo: Mario & Luigi! Once again it is on these Super Bros. to save all who are endangered in the Mushroom Kingdom. However, during the meeting of royals, mushrooms, and two plumbers…Bowsers comes storming into the Princess’ Castle and demands that Princess Peach to surrender or be kidnapped…you see where this is going don’t you? The story is stereotypical yes, but the twist here is awesome. For starters, this is not the traditional Mario game that your used to.

This is once again Mario & Luigi, its an RPG folks so be ready for some serious thinking if you wish to win your battles. The first battle with Bowser is more of a brushing up if you either haven’t played the previous games or are new to the series. You learn how to attack, how to counter, how to dodge, and so much more. The battle is not long at all and once its over, its lift off time for Bowser as he is sent flying out of the Princess’ Castle and then he lands flat on the ground in the woods far from the Castle. When he awakens via help from Kamek, AKA Magikoopa, Bowsers so enraged that he begins to trek back to the castle. This is where things take a hysterical turn. En route to the castle, Bowser walks past a wizards tent and is declared the “Winner”.

Our Heroes: http://i33.tinypic.com/2598jzp.jpg

Our Other “Hero”: http://i37.tinypic.com/2lcv68g.jpg

Bowser approaches the tent and gets his prize, a special Mushroom that will finally, once and for all, help him defeat Mario! Or does it? Once Bowsers eats the prize, he quickly becomes sick and weak. But once that passes after a few second he quickly becomes like Kirby and begins to swallow up anything and everything in his path. Only difference here from Kirby and Bowser is that Bowsers power doesn’t change when he absorbs objects or enemies. He instead can shrink all of the objects and devour them whole. The Wizard turns out to be the elusive Fawful, the enemy from the first two games, and this is when the game takes a hilarious turn. Bowser storms back to the Castle and walks in once again ready for battle but his absorbing ability takes over and he swallows up everyone and everything…except for Luigi as he was trying to resist but fails miserably for Luigi.

Luigi in this game is more of a comic relief although you do play as him and he is very useful in battle and in gameplay as well. Both Bros. you use at the same time. Mario’s actions are tied to the A Button and Luigi is the B Button. These buttons remain that way in battle since all of the actions you wish to use require you to press the correct button to move that character in battle. You get the traditional RPG Controls as in Items, Attacks, Special Attacks, Equipment, as well as some special character specific and Bros. Specific actions that are done in and out of battle.

The battles are also Turn Based like the classic Final Fantasy games. Also it should be noted, these games are in no way tied to the Paper Mario and Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars games, this is an entirely new series of games for the Bros. You can also use classic Mario Bros. items such as Hammers, Fire Flowers, Mushrooms, Shells and so much more as you progress through the game.

Bowser’s Minions: http://i37.tinypic.com/14w710.jpg

Absorbing Makes Battles For Mario & Luigi: http://i34.tinypic.com/2wqsbrt.jpg

The game itself outside of being an RPG, this is one of those rare games that can be labeled a comedy since it is as its core about the humor. Yes it is childish at best but there are some good moments in the game and the way Luigi is implemented into the game is awesome. Its not often you get these two to work along side one another in the same game. However, your not just playing as Mario & Luigi. Your gameplay is on the Touch Screen while on the top screen, Bowser side of the story is being played out. Bowser is also fully playable and is also very useful. All three characters have there own items and equipment as well as special moves. Bowsers actions are controlled by the X and Y buttons.

Mario & Luigi are within Bowsers body and depending on the situation, Mario & Luigi may need to work Bowsers innards to give him strength and new abilities to overcome any obstacles that may be in his way. Also you are in Bowsers body…but do not tell him that. To Bowser, only Starlow (Chippy to Bowser) is the only living creature within his body. Mario & Luigi travel throughout Bowser’s nerves, stomach, and all other vital organs in which there is tension, pain, and infection. Your actions will have an outcome which can be viewed on the top screen. While playing as Mario & Luigi, you can view the outside world and Bowser at any time by looking at the top screen. You can also switch characters at any time except for in battle and when either party has either fainted or the situation requires your full attention as Mario & Luigi or Bowser. You can also later on in the game gain the ability to use Bowsers absorption technique freely and swallow up enemies, items, and so many other things. There is an awesome side effect to this.

Inside And Out Of Bowser: http://i34.tinypic.com/2wq905f.jpg

Giant Bowser: http://i35.tinypic.com/rlmatj.jpg

When in battle as Bowser, if there is an enemy that shows up with minions, you can swallow them up using the absorption technique and when they reach Bowsers stomach, you use Mario & Luigi to defeat those minions. After that battle is over, its just Bowser and who ever survives the absorption. And when the battle finally ends, all three characters gain EXP. This is huge since its like you have three party members with you at all times. Granted, the game play is based on the actions of all three characters separately since Bowser doesn’t know that his nemesis Mario is within his body. You also can keep Mario & Luigi in Bowsers nerves and travel freely throughout his body when ever you wish. This is also known as a Hub World. Bowsers body plays the Hub World for Mario & Luigi while the outside world is all Bowsers playground.

Throughout the game you collect puzzle pieces as either Mario & Luigi or Bowser. When the 10 pieces within each area are collected, they form a new special attack for the Bros. or for Bowser. You can learn many helpful attacks for battle and special moves for traveling the worlds. You can use Bowsers brute strength to crush rocks, breathe fire to burn down objects in the way, or you can just stand in front of objects to either eat or drink just to see what the reaction will be in Bowsers body.

If he drinks water, you can swim inside his body as Mario & Luigi. If he eats too much, he will get sick and there maybe be viral cells that attack you or spoiled fruit that contain bugs that become a major problem. There is certainly lots to do no matter who you play as. The gameplay is super easy to follow and straight forward. This is a game that doesn’t force you to master any particular strategy or anything like that. Its a game of humor, wits, and common sense. The Bros. get abilities like Fire Flower, Drill Bros, Turtle Shell Mario, Mini Mario, Blorb Luigi, Tornado Bros. and so many more as you progress. Pay close attention for lots of hidden items and lots of Nintendo inside jokes.

Using Luigi As A Weapon: http://i35.tinypic.com/dbtdg5.jpg

There is much to do in this game, its a 20 hour + game to finish. The story line is bland but because of the quick and easy methods to play and the refreshing humor, you won’t be bored. There is also a fantastic art style to this game, it does not look like any other Mario game that I know of to date. Also, since the emphasis is on humor and not challenge, there is really no reason why you should be annoyed at this game. There are also items that revive you when you faint all together, however, you have to start that battle over from the beginning. You do get fully revived though so there is a trade off.

Couple of things do bother me in this game. For starters, you find yourself wandering around a lot throughout the game, you do get lost from time to time but sometimes there are instances where the game doesn’t really tell you where you should go. Also, I’m not much for too much dialog in game, this one is packed with long stretches of reading, so be ready to either get all tired from the reading or be ready to hold down A lots. There is some minor voice over work in this game, but only when Mario & Luigi say each others names, everything else is either a roar or some form of Sim-lish from The Sims or Animal Crossing.

Sideways Gaming: http://i34.tinypic.com/ak8obl.jpg

Outside of that, this is a MUST have for anyone who owns a DS and its a must have simply because it is a fun game to play and very refreshing since it is an all new experience and not like the second game which was just made with dual screen functions. This is a new game built on and for the DS. Mario & Luigi: Bowsers Inside Story is now available for an MSRP of $34.99. Rated E For Everyone. Only On Nintendo DS.

Hits:

-Must Have Game For Any DS Owner

-Fantastic Art Style

-Fantastic Cast Of Characters

-Fun & Funny Game

-Easy To Pick Up And Play

-Refreshing Gameplay

-Lots To Do

-Great Controls

-Another Example Of An Original Game On A New System Done Correctly

-Lots Of Gameplay To Be Had

-Lots Of Collectibles

-Switch Characters Anytime With A Single Button

-Special Attacks Are Funny And Some Are Used In Your Travels

-Horizontal DS Holding Works Smoothly

-Perfect Translation From The Japanese Version

-20+ Hours Of Gameplay

Misses:

-Weak Story

-Too Much Reading

-No Voices, Only Noises

-Easy To Get Confused From Time To Time
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Official Score:

Mario & Luigi: Bowsers Inside Story Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

Editor’s Choice
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Click here to purchase Mario & Luigi Bowser’s Inside Story on Amazon.com.

Click Here To Rent Mario & Luigi: Bowsers Inside Story from Gamefly.com.

Official Site: http://bowsersinsidestory.com/

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- John Yomtov

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Now i know what your thinking, Nintendo is in PC Mode here, how could they let a Grand Theft Auto game land on there console? Let alone there widely successful Nintendo DS of all things. Well its true, back at E3 last year it was announced by Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo’s “trying too hard to sound excited about video gaming” Executive Vice President Of Sales & Marketing. This announcement shook the gaming scene since so many people had figured Nintendo would not even go this route with there handheld let alone ever let games rated E or T on there handheld. Since there are not so many to begin with and the ones they have are subpar at best. This is not the first attempt for Nintendo to cash in on that massive audience this series has developed over the past decade, Nintendo has had Grand Theft Auto before on the Gameboy Advance and Grand Theft Auto 2 for the Gameboy Color. Both were failures to say the least given the fact that Nintendo’s consoles at the times of these two ports were released were not as powerful as there console counterparts. So for Nintendo being the only handheld show in town at the time, these games really had nothing to compare themselves too, nor was there any real chance Rockstar could have developed something successful for the Gameboy Color since it was nothing more then a Color version of the GB. The Advance should have had a hit but then again it got panned by critics all over, i too felt that it was a bad move for Rockstar more then Nintendo. Nintendo needed something to shed its “Kiddy” image but instead get a violent but bad game. Both are rare titles, so if you have them hold on to them, rare titles get a nice coin on eBay.

Here is a picture of Cammie Dunaway on stage at E3 announcing Chinatown Wars: http://i44.tinypic.com/b824xw.jpg

Here is proof these other GTA Games on Nintendo Exist:
Grand Theft Auto Advance: http://i40.tinypic.com/iwjgc3.jpg
Grand Theft Auto 2 (Gameboy Color): http://i43.tinypic.com/2znqsdj.jpg  

This is the official Box Art of a Great GTA Game On a Nintendo system:
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars: http://i40.tinypic.com/2i9qtf4.jpg

Fast forward to 2009, given the bad history of GTA on Nintendo, when i first heard of Chinatown Wars, i really had mixed feelings. It’s a touch screen handheld console, how will Rockstar make this happen. The possibility is there for sure, but will Nintendo give them full control or will they be a push over and make them censor the game. Rockstar has been secretly developing this game since 2007 so this is definitely a game that has been through long testing sessions and lots of R&D has been put into it. The final product is an absolute classic. The game, unlike the PSP side story games, takes place in the Grand Theft Auto IV world in the same time. It’s a side story yes, but its not in the past nor is it a prequel. There are sections of Liberty City that have shown the effects of the events that have taken place in GTA IV. The story centers around Huang Lee, a 25 years old who is coming home to Liberty City. Not so enthused by the return to there since he hates the area with a passion, he has a simple assignment which is to return a family artifact, the sword “Yu-Jian”, to his uncle Wu “Kenny” Lee. Sadly though, things don’t play out as planned and now Huang is thrown into the gangster life that he only heard about in music and movies. Throughout the game you find more and more about how corrupt Huang’s family really is and you also find out more and more interesting facts about Liberty City. You are thrown into the lifestyle of corruption and violence as you work your way to the top of Liberty City to find out who stole Yu-Jian and who it was that left you for dead and why.

You are Huang Lee: http://i39.tinypic.com/2ahv5oi.jpg 
Meet The Family, Clara You Know (Hi Marty…Mam!): http://i42.tinypic.com/23lnkl.jpg  

Lots of side missions and lots of collectibles to be found in this game just like any other GTA in the famous series. The graphics in this game are awesome, its not the classic 8 bit look, its more of a cel-shaded affair like the Zelda games on DS. Top down view is back for another round in this game and it works well in certain areas, for example, when going under a bridge or train track the camera tends to be problematic in ways. You can drive into things for no reason but once you have been in the situations a couple of times you know how to work with it. The camera does fade out the bridges and train tracks well and adds an arrow pointing the direction you are driving/running. The cool thing about this new top down design is that the GPS System from GTA IV was brought over to this new game. Just like GTA IV also the game’s whole engine is based off of your cell phone. Only this time, being a touch screen, its like an actual phone that you are using. You can receive text messages, emails, and even set destinations. The coolest aspect of the touch screen phone is the fact that when you receive a message from someone to meet them, you just click on “Touch Here” and it will automatically plot your route to the person or points of interest. Also cool about the touch screen portion is the ability to log onto the Internet when in your safe house. While its not the real Internet, its a much simpler experience. from the amount of time i have put into the game, i have only seen the internet used to upload your stats, check emails, and save my game. Other then that, from what i have seen so far, i don’t think there will be any other use for it. Stat Uploading accesses Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to upload your stats to Rockstar’s Social Club community. There people can compete for the best stats. No multiplayer however or co-op. One great feature about the Wi-Fi is that you can stay connected even when your not on the laptop. Your phone will act as your source of Internet connection. So if you have friends on your friends roster, you can send and receive “items” (i think we all know what we talking about here) to one another all in real time.

Overhead Cam: http://i44.tinypic.com/2v3redg.jpg (The game’s action is all on the top screen, this is from the top screen)

The game features so much use of the touch screen its almost as if Rockstar wanted to embarrass Nintendo on how to properly code for the handheld. You break into cars as usual but sometimes the car will require some hot-wiring. Normally you would press a button combo to get it to work. But with a touch screen you can do more then that. You can now remove panels, snip wires, smash up engines, place car bombs, GPS trackers,  as well as throw explosives out of your car all from the touch screen. You can eve use a screw driver to force start the ignition. Another cool feature is that if your car is pushed off the road and lands into the water, you tape the touch screen on the back windshield to make it shatter for your escape! While on a boat, the touch screen acts as a sonar showing you objects on the sea floor that you can salvage or are required to get due to a mission. You can also use the touch screen to become a tattoo artist and earn some extra cash. The touch screen also serves as your section to conceal and sell…well you know. All over Liberty City there will be dealers and users or both at the same time. All looking for deals and or to move large amounts of product. If you come into contact with one, they will be added to your phones address book and you can use the touch screen GPS to plot a point to get to them quickly. Also, you will receive either text message or email from the dealers or sellers telling you of quick money making sales or locations in need of a certain product that will pay top dollar for it. I have made a big amount of coin so far in this game on that alone since the missions don’t pay as much as i would think they would. The premise of the game is that Huang comes a rich family, which probably explains the low reward missions. Also, when in alert, the cops will pursue you heavily depending on your Star Level. Instead of avoiding them, if you can cause them to wreck there car via pushing it off the road and into something, that car will be eliminated and your star level will decrease. Each star has its amount of cars to be wrecked, 1 Star = 1 Car and etc.

Being a business man: http://i41.tinypic.com/2wcmfdt.jpg The top screen shows you and the buyer and or seller as well as look out for the Police. The bottom screen controls what you are selling and what you are buying. The car trunk stores what the Seller wants to unload, and the bag conceals what you are looking to sell.

Searching for missing product under the water: http://i41.tinypic.com/281gc2x.jpg You use the top screen to make sure you are out of the sight of police and or the coast guard. You use the touch screen to turn the lever to lower the hook.

Other people’s trash….you know the expression: http://i42.tinypic.com/25gb67a.jpg You can search dumpsters for cash, weapons, etc. All through the touch screen.

Being a Tattoo Artist as a side job: http://i40.tinypic.com/sg5qj6.jpg You can earn some extra cash by using the touch screen to draw out tattoos or you can use it to place gang markings on new recruits.

When you just plain forget to bring car keys: http://i39.tinypic.com/2gtw5s4.jpg

Disarming a car bomb: http://i39.tinypic.com/rktpv4.jpg You use the voltmeter to determine which wire is hot and which is not. Then you use the wire cutter to cut the wire that needs to be cut to disarm the bomb. Timing is crucial since the car will explode.  

There are lots of things to do in this game, i can go on and on about it for hours, bottom line…THIS IS A MUST OWN. Hands down the best Nintendo DS Game out and Best DS Game EVER…period. A serious contender for Game Of The Year and a great start for GTA on a Nintendo Console. This game may change the way games are made on the DS. It’s great to see something new rather then something released with DS Functions much like how the Wii gets its games. This game is amazing and in my opinion may be the BEST Grand Theft Auto i have ever played. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is NOW available for an MSRP of $34.99. Only On Nintendo DS.

Watch The Trailer In High Quality.
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Official Score:
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5
Editor’s Choice Award
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Buy Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars here: here.

Rockstar Games Official Site For Chinatown Wars: http://www.rockstargames.com/chinatownwars/.

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Rockstar Social Club: http://socialclub.rockstargames.com/

- John Yomtov