Battle Guide

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Mario gets the Battle Guide in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

The Battle Guide is a guide that appears in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, and Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey. It gives the player information on how to perform Battle Basics and Battle Actions, such as Jump, Hammer, and Bros. Attacks. The Battle Guide also includes a demo on how each action is performed, and allows the player to practice the action themselves without spending any BP. Anything not yet viewed will have a "!" displayed next to it.

In the former two games, it can be accessed by tapping an icon in the bottom right of the touch screen during battle. In the latter game, the guide is accessed by hitting a Command Block known as the Guide Block.

In Mario & Luigi: Brothership, the Snoutlet School serves as a replacement for the Battle Guide.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

Battle

• Basics #1: Command Blocks: Everyone in your party has his own button for battle actions. You can control Mario with , Luigi with , and Paper Mario with . Once it's your turn, choose a Command Block and take action. Slide the Circle Pad left or right to scroll through the Command Blocks, and then press a character's button to make your selection. Win battles by defeating all on-screen enemies. First, try attacking an enemy by choosing the Jump Block.
• Basics #2: Dealing Damage: Attack enemies by jumping on them, hammering them, or by using a Bros. Attack or Trio Attack. An enemy is defeated when it's HP reaches 0. Deal more damage when attacking by accurately controlling the Circle pad and the timing of your button presses. The button you press depends on the attack. Be sure to check the explanation on the Touch Screen after choosing an attack. Your attacks are rated on 4 levels. The highest rating is Excellent, so aim for that!
• Basics #3: Watch your HP!: If you take damage from an enemy's attack, your character's Hp will decrease. if it reaches 0, your character will faint. If Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario all reach 0, the game will end. Not to worry!, you can restart the battle from the beginning or restore from your last save point. Be careful out there! If your HP is getting low or one of your characters faints, select the Item Block and use an item to help him recover. Mushrooms can restore a character's HP.1-Up Mushrooms can revive a character who has fainted. You can buy items from a shop or earn them by defeating enemies. Make sure you have enough before you head into battle! Don't like the way a battle is going? Select the Flee Block to escape. But use it sparingly - you won't earn any experience by fleeing.
• Basics #4: Getting stronger: When you win a battle, all of your characters will earn EXP. When a character has earned enough EXP, his level will go up. As your characters level up, they'll gain more HP and their attacks will deal more damage to enemies. If you're having a hard time with a strong enemy, try battling some weaker enemies first to level up your characters. After leveling up a few times, you'll eventually Rank Up and earn the chance to select a Rank Up Bonus. Choose wisely - you'll recieve only a limited number of Rank-Up Bonuses throughout the curse of the game.
• Basics #5: Status: You can check up on the status of any of your characters via the menu. There are 6 areas to watch: HP, BP, POW, DEF, SPEED, and STACHE. HP is your health. Your characters lose HP when enemies land attacks, and if it reaches 0, they will faint. BP stands for Bros. Points, you spend Bros. Points every time you use a Bros. Attack or a Trio Attack. POW is your attack power. The higher the number, the more damage you can deal. DEF is your defensive power. The higher the number, the less damage you'll take. SPEED is how fast you can act. The higher the number,the more attacks and actions you can perform in battle. STACHE measures how luxuriant and robust your moustache is. Higher numbers mean more Lucky Hits and more items from enemies.
• Turn Order: The order in which your characters and enemies attack depends on their relative stats - particularly SPEED. The higher a character's SPEED, the more often he will be able to act.
• Paper Mario's Copy Ability: Paper Mario can make copies of himself to amplify his solo attacks. The more copies, the more damage!
• Avoid Attacks with Copies: If Paper Mario has any copies, he loses them instead of HP when attacked.
• Demo and Practice: You can practise a selected attack or view a Demo by tapping the appropiate button on the lower screen. Watching the demo will help you learn how to time your actions during the attack. In Practice mode, you can try out the attack for yourself. Hone your skills before facing off against real enemies!
• Jump Attacks: Choose Jump to deal damage to an enemy by stomping on it. Defeat enemies by dealing damage to them until their HP reaches 0.
• Hammer Attacks: Choose Hammer to deal damage to an enemy by smashing it. Use the hammer to attack enemies that you can't stomp, like ones with spikes.
• Bros. Attacks: Use a Bros. Attack to make Mario and Luigi attack together! Complete a Bros. Attack to deal a lot of damage! Each Bros. Attack consumes BP. Use items like Syrup Jars to recover BP.
• Trio Attacks: Use a Trio Attack to turn enemies to paper and then attack them with all of your characters! Complete a Trio Attack to deal a lot of damage! Each Trio Attack consumes BP. Use items like Syrup Jars to recover BP.
• Targeted Character: A red outline indicates the target of an enemie's attack. A dotted white line indicates a character who may or may not be attacked. When you see a dotted white line, watch the enemy's movement to see who the real target is. There's always a telltale sign in the enemy's actions before it attacks. If you need a little help, turn Assist on. That way, you can always see which of your characters will be attacked next. Turn Assist on or off by pressing START when it's your turn to select a Command Block.
• Emergency Block: You can hold down while a character's being attacked to reduce the amount of damage he takes. It's always better to dodge an enemy's attack completely, so use Emergency Block as a last resort. If you're having a hard time dodging an attack, that's when Emergency Block comes in handy.
• Jump Guard: When Mario and crew crouch before an enemy attacks, they can do a Jump Guard. Jump by pressing the appropriate character's button. Jump to avoid attacks, and deal damage by landing on enemies. Paper Mario can fly high if you hold down after jumping.
• Hammer Guard: Wielding hammers during an enemy's attack is a sign that your party can do a Hammer Guard. Ready a character's hammer by pressing the corresponding button. Once a hammer is fully charged, release the button to swing it forwards. Paper Mario's copies will all take a swing when you use his hammer.
• Airplane Guard: Move the aeroplane above Mario's or Luigi's head using the Circle Pad . Once the aeroplane is hovering over Mario or Luigi with or and hold down the button to hang on.
• Boomerang Guard: To begin, move the target using the Circle Pad. Press either Mario's or Luigi's button to throw the boomerang at your target. Sometimes you need to aim for an enemy, and other times you need to aim for an object. Calmly move your target and fire away!
• Trampoline Guard: Move left and right using the Circle pad and try to anticipate where the cannonball will land. Press to bounce it when it lands. If you can keep the cannonball bouncing, it will eventually bounce back onto your enemies and deal damage to them.
• Battle Cards: Each battle card has a special effect that can prove helpful in battle. To use a battle card, you need Star Points which you gain by pulling off successful attacks. You can use a battle card once you collect the number of Star Points written on that card. To earn Star Points more quickly, get the best ratings possible on solo attacks. Use Bros. and Trio Attacks for even more Star Points.
• How to Use Battle Cards: Select the card you want to use by tapping on it. Tap the card again to use it. You'll spend the number of Star Points written on the battle card when you use it. Once you use a battle card, it will be discarded. Once all of your cards have been discarded, they'll be reshuffled and available to use again. Cards can also be discarded. If you have three cards, you won't be able to dealt any more, so it's handy to discard one if you don't want it. Choose a battle card to discard and then tap FLIP OVER.
• Battle Cards Sets: When you get a new battle card, you can view it by selecting the Battle Cards option in the menu. To use a new card in battle, add it to one of your battle card sets.
• Expert Challenges: Expert Challenges are special achievements that you complete by battling. Each one earns you points that you can spend on gear! View expert Challenges by tapping the medal icon during battle or by opening the menu and selecting GUIDE. A good strategy is to start on the Expert Challenges you think you can complete.
• Easy Mode: In Easy Mode, your characters will be stronger than usual and enemies will be weaker than usual. You can also use Hint Blocks and Easy Attack Mode while playing in Easy Mode. See the guide for more information on those features. You can turn on Easy mode by selecting the Wrench icon in the menu. You'll also be given the option to turn it on after losing a battle. You can't complete Expert Challenges while playing in easy mode. So, once you get the hang of things, try turning Easy Mode off.
• Hint Block: The Hint Block will appear while battling in Easy Mode or if your party is defeated and needs to restart the battle. The Hint Block will give you hints about how to battle or the quirks of a particular enemy. You won't lose a turn when you use a Hint Block, so read as many hints as you like!
• Easy Attack Mode: If you need a little help pulling off Bros. Attacks or Trio Attacks, try Easy Attack Mode. You'll use more BP, but the attacks will be slowed down and easier to complete. You'll still deal just as much damage, so don't hesitate to use this mode when you're having a hard time completing a specific attack. To use easy Attack Mode, first enable Easy Mode from the menu. Then press before you select an attack.

Attacks

• Jump: Press when stomping an enemy to jump again! Land both jumps for an Excellent.
• Paper Mario's Jump: For every copy, press when you land. Time landings well to earn an Excellent.
• Hammer: Press when the hammer flashes! Time it well to earn an Excellent.
• Paper Mario's Hammer: When all copies are holding their hammers high, press and go for an Excellent.
• 3D Red Shell: Mario kicks the shell with , and Luigi kicks with . Chain multiple kicks together!
• Rocket Blast: The rocket will take Mario and Luigi high up in the air before they jump off. To stomp, press each character's button just as he lands on the enemy. If both bros. stomp the enemy, the rocket will fire at the end. Aim the rocket by sliding left and right on the Circle Pad. Do one loop, and then aim right in the middle of where your enemies are standing!
• Bomb Derby: Slide right on the Circle Pad to throw a bomb and then press to hit it towards an enemy. The faster you go, the more damage you can do. Make it to the end to launch a giant bomb!
• Cannonball Chuck: Press to begin spinning, then again when you're ready to launch. Aim straight ahead! Once your cannonball is in the air, you can steer left and right using the Circle Pad. You can also fly higher by sliding down and lower by sliding up on the Circle Pad. When aiming for tall enemies, slide down on the Circle Pad to fly high and topple them!
• Toad Trail: Use the Circle Pad to steer as you slide along the path of Paper Toads. Watch out! If you fall off the path, your attack will fail. Press to jump over the gaps in the trails. At the end of the path, steer Mario and Luigi towards the enemies with the Circle Pad!
• Fire Flower: Repearedly press the button of the bro holding the bigger fireball. The sizes of the fireballs will change from time to time. Whenever the sizes of the fireballs change the thrower will also switch. Throw lots of fireballs to go into a bonus mode. Just keep mashing and !
• Drill Shell: Press to launch, and then press to drill down when you're directly over an enemy. Once you connect, press as many times as possible to deal the most damage.
• Dropchopper: Move the Dropchopper above Mario's and Luigi's head using the Circle Pad. Press for Mario to grab on and for Luigi. The faster they both grab it, the higher it goes. Aim for your enemies using the Circle pad, and press the top character's button to release!
• Balloon Blast: At the top of each jump, press either or to blow up the balloon. The better your timing, the bigger the balloon will get. The aiming gets harder with each jump. Pump that balloon and let it fly!
• Mega Thwonk: Press each time Luigi stomps on the ground. You'll spend up if you time right. Press at just the right time to whack your enemy with the hammer. Continue pressing each time Mario lands an enemy's head to keep dealing damage!
• Trio Racquet: Press the character's buttons (, and ) to hit the ball back at the wall. Return each hit and then press the character buttons in order to do a special attack.
• Trio Kite: Press each character's button as fast as possible when indicated. The faster you push the buttomns, the higher the kite will fly. When Paper Mario climbs up the stiring that's your sign to attack. When all of the Paper Mario copies stack up, use to smash your enemies!
• Trio Whirligig: Use the Circle Pad to steer your characters around the spiral. You can press to dive faster. Pass through as many rings as possible, and try to collect all the enemies. You collect enemies simply by ploughing through them on your way down. The same goes for the rings. Aim for them and dive through! At the bottom, press just as you reach each platform to punch through. The number of rings you hit determines how many platforms there will be hit at the end.
• Trio Shuriken: Aim the cursor at the falling enemies with the Circle Pad. The cursor will lock on to an enemy. At that point you can release the Circle Pad. Depending on who is holding the Shuriken, throw it with either or . As the shuriken nears an enemy, press to deal a lot of damage. The character holding the shuriken will switch each turn. Keep throwing the shuriken to attack by pressing . Throw a giant shuriken at the end with , and don't forget to press . Aim for when the enemies overlap to deal a lot of damage at once.
• Trio Meteor: As each meteor drops, you can control it by using the Circle Pad. The meteors generate wind that you can use to collect the enemies in one spot. For maximum impact, use the wind to gather all the enemies in the central crater. Once they're in the crater, the enemies won't blow around much so it's easier to hit them. As the meteors get close, start aiming directly for the enemies. Press each character's button to jump off his meteor at the last second. Hitting all of the enemies at once deals huge damage! If each meteor hits an enemy, you'll get a bonus attack! Press , and to jump.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions

Battle Basics

• Basics #1: Command and Attack: There are fixed buttons to control Mario and Luigi. Move Mario with the Button and move Luigi with the Button. When it's Mario or Luigi's turn to act, select a Command Block to perform an action. Select a block by moving the Circle Pad right or left. Press the character's button to confirm. Battle and defeat all of the enemies to win. You can start by selecting the JUMP block to begin attacking.
• Basics #2: Damage and Defeat Foes: Attack enemies with commands like JUMP and HAMMER to inflict damage. Victory is yours when their HP goes down to zero. Deal additional damage when attacking by pressing the right button and moving the Circle Pad at the right time. The button you need to press for this varies depending on the attack. Read the explanation on the bottom screen after selecting an action. The timing of your button presses will earn one of four possible ratings. Try to aim for the highest rating: Excellent!!
• Basics #3: Watch Mario & Luigi's HP: Mario and Luigi lose HP when they are damaged by attacks. If either of them reaches 0 HP, they will faint and be unable to move. If Mario's and Luigi's HP both reach 0, it's game over! If that happens, you will have the option of retrying that battle from the beginning, or you can restart from your last save. If a bro's HP gets low, or if they pass out, choose the Item block and use an item to recover. Restore HP by using a Mushroom. If Mario or Luigi faint during battle, use a 1-Up Mushroom to help them recover. Using items will eat into your supplies. You can acquire more items by defeating enemies or by purchasing them at shops. If you encounter a foe that you can't defeat, use the Run block to flee. Run too often, however, and your team won't get any stronger!
• Basics #4: Win Battles, Get Stronger: Defeat all enemies to win a battle and earn EXP for Mario and Luigi. Earn enough and their Levels will increase. As they grow in level, they will deal additional damage and their HP will increase, all of which will make defeating enemies easier. If you feel that enemies are getting too strong, fight foes that are easy for you to defeat, and proceed once you've increased your level.
• Basics #5: Status Attributes: You can see Mario's and Luigi's various stats by checking out Status on the menu screen. Attributes are separated into HP, BP, POW, DEF, SPEED, and STACHE. HP shows a character's health. Taking damage causes it to decrease. Characters will faint if their HP reaches zero. BP shows how many Bros. Points you have. These are necessary for Bros. Attacks and will diminish as you use them. POW shows a character's strength. The bigger that number is, the more damage that character will deal in battle. DEF shows a character's defense. The bigger that number is, the less damage that character will receive in battle. SPEED shows a character's quickness. The bigger that number is, the sooner a character can act in battle. STACHE shows a character's lucky mustache power. A bigger number means more lucky hits and better deals when shopping.
• Attacking with JUMP: Select JUMP to stomp an enemy and inflict damage. This type of attack is especially effective against flying units.
• HAMMER Attacks: Select HAMMER to strike an enemy and inflict damage. Use the Hammer to attack spiky foes and other enemies that can't be jumped on.
• HAND Attacks: Choose the Hand Attack to have Mario attack with fire and Luigi attack with thunder. You will deal extra damage to enemies if you exploit their elemental weakness.
• Jump Guard: Mario and Luigi can also perform actions during enemy attacks. They can do a jump guard when either of them crouches down. Press either character button to jump. You can avoid enemy attacks by jumping at the right moment. Time your jumps to land on enemies and deal damage as well.
• HAMMER Guard: You can perform a Hammer Guard during an enemy attack when Mario and Luigi are holding out their Hammers. Keep their character buttons pressed down to make them hold their Hammers up. When they are holding their Hammers above their heads, release the buttons to swing the Hammers down.
• Character Targeting: There are certain behaviors that can help you predict who an enemy will attack. Try to spot any and all tells! You can also tap the Assist icon on the bottom screen to turn assist ON or OFF. Turn assist ON to mark the character who is being targeted by an enemy's attack. If a red marker appears beneath Mario, that means he is the one being targeted. If a green marker appears beneath Luigi, that means he is the one being targeted. If you're having trouble figuring out who an enemy is targeting, try turning assist ON.
• Emergency Guard: Hold down the Button during enemy attacks to guard. This will decrease the amount of damage you receive. All monster attacks can be avoided, so there is no need to use Emergency Guard if you are confident you can dodge in time. Try using Emergency Guard for enemy attacks you don't think you can otherwise avoid.
• Enemy Encounters: If you make contact with an enemy, a battle will start! If you initiate an encounter by jumping on an enemy, they will receive damage at the start of the battle.
• Status Effects: There are times when certain enemy attacks will cause status changes in battle. When a status change takes effect, you may have your actions limited or your HP may decrease. These effects will heal over time. You can recover from status effects faster by using a Refreshing Herb.
• Using Bros. Attacks: Select Bros. Attack to have Mario and Luigi work together to perform a special attack! You can deal even more damage to enemies by successfully following button prompts during a Bros. Attack. Using these attacks will consume BP. You can restore BP by using items like Syrup.
• Watch and Learn: After you've selected an attack, you can press the icon on the bottom screen to see an example of it or practice it. Select DEMO to view a tutorial video. This is a great way to learn the timing of moves. In PRACTICE, you can try attacks for yourself. Keep at it until you've mastered them.
• Easy Mode: If you select Easy Mode, Mario and Luigi will become stronger, and enemies will be easier to defeat. You can select Easy Mode in the Options menu, or when you game over after losing a battle. Use it if you ever feel the game is too hard.
• Easy Attack Mode: If you find that Bros. Attacks are too difficult to perform, try utilizing Easy Attack Mode. Although this mode requires more BP, it makes it easier to successfully time Bros. Attacks. Press the Button when selecting an attack to enable Easy Attack Mode. The amount of damage the attack deals will not be affected, so give it a try for attacks you're having trouble with.
• Hints: Hint messages will appear while Easy Mode is activated, or if you are defeated and choose to retry a battle. To view hints, press the Hint icon in the center of the bottom screen. Hint messages contain valuable information, as well as tricks for defeating enemies. When you see a hint, try putting it to the test!

Battle Actions

• Jump: Press ( for Luigi) after you land. If your timing is right, you will score an extra attack! Time all of your attacks well and aim for an Excellent rating.
• Hammer: Press the ( for Luigi) Button when the Hammer is above Mario's (or Luigi's) head! Time it perfectly to earn an Excellent rating.
• Hand: Press the (or ) Button when you're fully charged! Try for an Excellent rating.
• Splash Bros.: Press the Button before Mario jumps on Luigi. Press the Button when Mario is directly over Luigi. Press when they smash into the enemy. Time button inputs well for an Excellent rating!
• Super Splash Bros.: This can be used to attack spiky enemies. When Mario climbs on top of Luigi, press →→ to the rhythm. Finish by pressing the Button! Press it when you jump on the enemy to get an Excellent!
• Bounce Bros.: Press before Luigi jumps on Mario. Press when both are directly above the enemy! Press the Button when jumping on an enemy. Time all jumps well to get an Excellent rating!
• Super Bounce Bros.: This move can hit two enemies. Press the Button before Luigi jumps on Mario. Press the Button before hitting the ground to perform a big jump! Gen an Excellent rating by jumping on enemies using → in the correct order!
• Chopper Bros.: Press the Button when Mario swings his Hammer over his head. Press the Button when Mario jumps on Luigi to pop up. Tap the Button once Mario descends to the same height as the enemy!
• Super Chopper Bros.: This won't affect flying enemies. Press the Button when Mario swings his Hammer over his head. When Luigi is directly under the enemy, press to knock them into the air! If you knock Luigi back into the ground, you can hit your foe into the air again. To knock Luigi back underground, press the Button when Luigi hits the ground. Then, press when the foe hits the ground to make submerged Luigi knock them sky high! ... Continue this rhythm eight times to earn an excellent rating!
• Swing Bros.: Press when Mario and Luigi hold hands! Keep holding the button to make them spin around. They will keep spinning faster. The faster they spin, the more damage they will deal. When Mario and Luigi reach top speed, let go of the Button! Press when Luigi collides with a foe! Pull it off flawlessly to earn an Excellent rating!
• Super Swing Bros.: Successfully earn a Good rating or better to cause an item to drop. Press when Mario and Luigi hold hands! Keep holding the button to make them spin around. They will keep spinning faster. The faster they spin, the more damage they will deal. When Mario and Luigi reach top speed, let go of the Button! Press when Luigi collides with a foe! Nail all button inputs to earn an Excellent rating! Press the Button when Mario and Luigi touch to make them join together! Press and at once when you stomp on a foe. Don't let go to earn an Excellent rating!
• Fire Bros.: When Mario throws a fireball, press the Button quickly to make it grow. When the fire gets close to Luigi, hit it by pressing the Button! The bigger the flame, the better your chances of an Excellent! And the more damage you'll deal!
• Super Fire Bros.: When Mario throws a fireball, press the Button quickly to make it grow. When the fire gets close to Luigi, hit it by pressing the Button! Press when Mario and the fire are the same height! A larger flame may earn an Excellent!
• Thunder Bros.: Press when Luigi builds up his thunder. Press when Luigi gets on top of Mario to perform a big jump! Press when Luigi is highest in his jump. Get an Excellent to deal heavy damage! If you succeed, there's a chance you'll lower the enemy's DEF.
• Super Thunder Bros.: Press when Luigi builds up thunder. When Mario's Hammer is above his head, press ! When Luigi gets to the base of the foe's feet, press the Button for an Excellent rating!
• Cyclone Bros.: Press when Luigi swings his Hammer over his head. Mario will become Mini Mario! When Luigi jumps, tap the Button! This will spin Mini Mario around at high speed! Get many consecutive hits for an Excellent! You can attack enemies several times. During the attack, you can change the foe you are targeting. When Mario starts to move forward, move the Circle Pad toward the foe you want to target.
• Super Cyclone Bros.: Press when Luigi swings his Hammer over his head. Mario will become Mini Mario! When Luigi jumps, tap the Button! This will spin Mini Mario around at high speed! Get many consecutive hits for an Excellent! You can attack enemies several times. During the attack, you can change the foe you are targeting. When Mario starts to move forward, move the Circle Pad toward the foe you want to target. In the Super version, an additional attack can be made at the end. When Mario and Luigi stop spinning, press the Button to prepare for the finisher. Finish by pressing when the Hammer is overhead! This can make enemies dizzy.

Gallery

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  Hints from the Battle Guide in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey