Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga: Difference between revisions

|release='''Game Boy Advance:'''<br>{{release|USA|November 17, 2003|Japan|November 21, 2003|Europe|November 21, 2003<ref>[https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Game-Boy-Advance/Mario-Luigi-Superstar-Saga-267024.html ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'' | Game Boy Advance | Games | Nintendo], retrieved 3-17-2020</ref>|Australia|November 28, 2003<ref>[https://themushroomkingdom.net/games/mlss TMK: Release date info], retrieved 9-17-2008</ref>}}'''Virtual Console (Wii U):'''<br>{{release|USA|April 3, 2014|Europe|April 3, 2014|Australia|April 3, 2014|Japan|April 30, 2014}}'''Game Boy Advance - Nintendo Switch Online:'''<br>{{release|USA|February 8, 2023|Japan|February 9, 2023|Europe|February 9, 2023|Australia|February 9, 2023|South Korea|February 9, 2023|HK|February 9, 2023}}

|ratings={{ratings|acb=g|cero=a|esrb=e|pegi=3|usk=0}}

|platforms=[[Game Boy Advance]], [[Virtual Console]] ([[Wii U]]), [[Game Boy Advance - Nintendo Switch Online]]

|format={{format|gba=1|wiiudl=1|switchdl=1}}

|input={{input|gba=1|wiiu=1|wiiupro=1|wiiusideways=1|wiiuclassic=1|joy-con=1|switchpro=1}}

'''''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''''' is a [[Genre#Turn-based tactics|turn-based]] action [[Genre#Role Playing|RPG]] for the [[Game Boy Advance]], developed by [[AlphaDream]] and published by [[Nintendo]]. It was released in November of 2003 for the Game Boy Advance and later as a [[Virtual Console]] title for the [[Wii U]] in April of 2014 and as one of the launch titles for [[Game Boy Advance - Nintendo Switch Online]] in February of 2023. The plot revolves around [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] traveling to and exploring the [[Beanbean Kingdom]] to recover [[Princess Peach]]'s voice from an evil witch, [[Cackletta]], and her pupil, [[Fawful]].

In addition to being the first installment in the [[Mario & Luigi (series)|''Mario & Luigi'']] series, this game is also the third ''Super Mario'' RPG following ''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]'' and ''[[Paper Mario]]'' respectively. It would itself be succeeded by ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]'' for the [[Nintendo DS]] in 2005. Like ''Paper Mario'', the game is a spiritual successor to ''Super Mario RPG''. It also takes heavy inspiration from ''{{wp|Tomato Adventure}}'', AlphaDream's first Game Boy Advance RPG, featuring very similar graphics, sound effects, and even allusions to certain characters. This game features rumble support if played on a [[Game Boy Player]]. The [[Mario Bros. (Game Boy Advance)|remake of the ''Mario Bros.'']] arcade game featured in the [[Super Mario Advance (series)|''Super Mario Advance'']] series of games was also included with ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''.

The Goodwill Ambassador from the [[Beanbean Kingdom]] and her assistant arrive at the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] to bring a gift from [[Queen Bean]] for [[Princess Peach]]. However, it turns out to be an act of deceit; the ambassador and her assistant are actually villains respectively named [[Cackletta]] and [[Fawful]], who quickly steal Peach's voice and escape with it into the dark sky.

Meanwhile, Mario and Luigi are at [[Mario Bros.' House|their house]] when [[Toad]] runs by to alert Mario to the ordeal; Mario runs off to [[Peach's Castle|Princess Peach's Castle]] while inadvertently dragging [[Luigi]] behind him. Inside, the Bros. run into [[Bowser]] trying to kidnap Peach. After Mario defeats Bowser, a Toad then tells them that Peach's voice was replaced with an explosive vocabulary. Bowser, scared the princess might wreck [[Bowser's Castle|his castle]] if kidnapped, reluctantly agrees to help Mario retrieve Peach's voice.

Mario and Luigi crash land in [[Stardust Fields|Beanbean Borderland]]. They soon meet the [[Border Bro]]s., who let them pass after they play the [[Border Jump]] game. Mario and Luigi soon find Bowser stuck in a cannon; its operator, [[Tolstar]], tells the Bros. to get 100 [[Beanbean coin]]s in order to secure Bowser's release. While doing that, they learn the [[High Jump]] and [[Spin Jump]] from the [[Starshade Bros.]] After getting enough coins, Tolstar decides to attack the brothers, but is soon defeated. Soon after, one of the Starshade Bros. arrives and lights the fuse of the cannon Bowser is stuck in, [[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions|shooting him across the kingdom]].

The brothers soon make it to [[Hoohoo Village]], where some [[Beanish]] soldiers mistake them for foes. Tolstar tells the soldiers the brothers are not lying, and they are permitted entry to the town. They soon leave to find Fawful tormenting a soldier. He mocks the brothers by placing a rock statue in front of them, blocking their path to [[Beanbean Castle]]. They decide to visit the [[Hammerhead Bros.]] back at the village to obtain [[Hammer]]s from them. However, the Hammerhead Bros. cannot make hammers because the material that they have is too brittle. They need a Hoohoo Stone, so the brothers climb up [[Hoohoo Mountain]] to retrieve one from the summit.

Midway, they confront a statue named [[Hoohooros]] whom challenges the Bros. to a battle. Once they overcome Hoohooros, it allows them to continue up the mountain. When the Bros. finally reach the summit, they find a Hoohoo Stone, but it falls off the mountain. This awakens [[Blablanadon]], who is mad at what they did. After the Bros. explain the incident, Blablanadon apologizes and explains that he has been sitting on a strange egg for some time. Suddenly, the egg hatches, revealing [[Dragohoho]]; the creature knocks Blablanadon away and fights the brothers. They defeat the monster, and it transforms into [[Prince Peasley]], the prince of the kingdom, who thanks the Bros. for freeing him and gives them a [[Peasley's Rose|rose]]. Blablanadon flies the Bros. back to Hoohoo Village, where they meet the Hammerhead Bros. again. With the Hoohoo Stone that fell into their cabin, the Hammerhead Bros. are able to make them the hammers they require.

Using their hammers, they demolish Fawful's statue and travel down Hoohoo Mountain towards [[Beanbean Castle Town]]. Along the way, they find a cave with an old man and his Beanish dog, who asks them to ride the [[Mysterious Mine Carts]]. Afterwards, the Mario Bros. reach Beanbean Castle Town, but they find the town in ruins because of an attack from Cackletta and Fawful. The brothers quickly go to [[Beanbean Castle]], where they meet up with two soldiers who refuse to let them in. Luigi shows them the rose that Peasley gave and the soldiers allow the brothers to enter. Inside, they meet [[Lady Lima]], the kingdom's ambassador. They tell her what's going on, but she does not believe their story, and decides to test them by sending them down to the castle sewer to fix a leaking pipe problem.

Later, the Mario Bros. make it to [[Chateau de Chucklehuck]] to find the reserve. They end up in an unexpected fight with [[Popple]], the shadow thief, and his partner, [[Rookie]], who are both defeated. The brothers soon meet [[Cork and Cask]], the owners of the brewery, who teach them [[Mini-Mario (form)|Mini-Mario]] and [[Dunk Hammer|Luigi Dunk]]. Mario and Luigi later retrieve three [[Chuckola Fruit]] to give to [[Chuckleroot]]. When they reach Mother Chuckola, they find the creator of [[Chuckola Cola (Mario & Luigi series)|Chuckola Cola]], Bubbles, who is busy telling jokes to the Chuckola Reserve. The soda then transforms into the [[Chuckolator]]. After a battle with the Bros., it is defeated and reverts into normal soda, causing an enraged Bubbles to create a tremor that sends the brothers and the soda underground. Mario lands in the soda and Luigi heads back to Beanbean Castle by doing a barrel run.

[[File:Woohoo Hooniversity MLSS.png|frame|left|Mario and Luigi in Woohoo Hooniversity]]

Mario and Luigi land at [[Oho Oasis]], where they learn the [[Firebrand]] and [[Thunderhand]] moves in the [[Fire Palace|Fire]] and [[Thunder Palace|Thunder]] temples. Meanwhile, Fawful finds the injured Bowser lying on the ground and implants Cackletta's soul inside, turning him into [[Bowletta]]. The Mario Bros. soon meet Peasley again, saying that Princess Peach is arriving at [[Beanbean International Airport]]. They arrive and find that [[Piranha Plant]]s led by [[Mom Piranha]] are infesting the runway, and set out to take care of this problem, allowing the [[Toad Express]] to land safely.

They arrive at the only known route to Little Fungitown, [[Teehee Valley]]. Before reaching the town, they are confronted by the rock creature, [[Trunkle]], whom they overcome. At Little Fungitown, the Bros. decide to go to the arcade, where Mario plays [[Star 'Stache Smash]] and wins an "[[Invincishroom]]" - which is actually a misidentified [[Poison Mushroom]]. He eats it, but ends up in the hospital, where he has contracted [[Bean Fever]]. The only cure for this disease is [[Crabbie Grass]] from [[Guffawha Ruins]]. Luigi intends to travel to the area to find the grass, but loses his nerve when he finds out about [[moai|a bone-crushing monster]] living there. To try and calm himself, he goes to [[Psycho Kamek]] ([[Dr. Toadley]] in the remake), who hypnotizes him into thinking that he is Mario. The newly-emboldened Luigi goes to Guffawha Ruins.

Mario and Luigi go out to get the first Beanstar piece, which is in the [[S.S. Chuckola]] back at Teehee Valley. After the ship is sent into [[Oho Ocean]], the Mario Brothers follow the floating Beanstar to [[Gwarhar Lagoon]]. Here, they learn [[Dash (Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga)|Dash]] and [[Tickle]] from the [[Jellyfish Sisters]]. They later discover that the Beanstar piece is being used as an ornament for [[Hermie III]]. The brothers soon receive the piece after a battle with Hermie.

The next piece is from the fashion stylist [[Harhall]], who gives Mario and Luigi the piece after they [[Splart|color fabric]] with [[Designbomb]]s. The third piece is back at Chucklehuck Woods, where they have to play a game in [[Winkle Colosseum]] and surpass the [[Winkle]]s. They soon find Popple again, and defeat him to retrieve the third piece of the Beanstar. The last piece comes from [[Boddle]] after they get [[Neon Egg]]s for his [[Yoshi Theater (Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga)|Yoshi Theater]] sign.

At the castle, Mario and Luigi meet the [[Koopalings]], along with Fawful, who possesses some new gadgets. After trumping them and several other foes with the ranks of Bowletta's new army, the Bros. make their way to Bowletta herself; she reveals her plan to take over the Mushroom Kingdom after she is done gaining control of the Beanbean Kingdom. The brothers fight her and supposedly win, until a [[Time Bob-omb]] comes and suddenly takes them out. Bowletta reveals that she had been only faking her defeat, and eats them alive. In her body, the Mario Bros. fight Cackletta again, this time in her [[Cackletta's Spirit|spirit form]]. Mario and Luigi soon manage to defeat Cackletta once and for all. She spits them out of Bowser's body and vanishes, reverting Bowser to normal. Peasley then comes to address the brothers, saying that he has planted a detonator in the castle, and it will explode shortly. The brothers escape the castle via Blablanadon in time, but Bowser crashes into Oho Ocean, only to be later rescued by [[Prince Peasley]].

Later on, Peasley drops by with a huge present for the brothers. As the heroes return to the Mushroom Kingdom via Peach's airplane, Peasley's present turns out to be Bowser, who is dropped off at his other castle. The plane lands at Princess Peach's Castle, and fireworks erupt. It is then shown that the adventure was made into a movie being shown in the Yoshi Theater, where the screen zooms out to show the Yoshis sitting in the theater and applauding.

*[[Mario]] - The well-known hero of the Mushroom Kingdom.

*[[Toad]] - Sent to deliver word to Mario. He is only briefly playable at the very beginning of the game.

*[[Prince Peasley]] - A hero from the Beanbean Kingdom.

*[[Queen Bean]] - The queen of the Beanbean Kingdom.

*[[Lady Lima]] - Queen Bean's most trusted advisor.

*[[Cackletta]]/[[Bowletta]] - An evil witch, the main villain, and the final boss.

*[[Fawful]] - Cackletta's tech-savvy pupil, the secondary villain, and the penultimate boss.

*[[Popple]] - A self-proclaimed master thief, and a recurring boss.

*[[Bowser]]/[[Rookie]] - A minor villain who, for the first half of the game, suffers from amnesia and works for Popple. During the second half, Cackletta's spirit possesses his body.

*[[Seabed]]

The game also has several secret caves which can only be visited by either Mario or Luigi acting separately from one another. These areas start as 2-dimensional, side-scrolling levels in the traditional platforming style. A rare item can be obtained from a [[mole (presenter)|mole]] if the caves are completed.

*HP (abbreviation of Heart Points) is the amount of life that Mario and Luigi have. When an enemy hits either of them, they lose HP. When their HP reaches zero, they lose consciousness, but can be revived with a [[1-Up Mushroom]] or [[1-Up DX|1-Up Super]].

When choosing the item icon, Mario or Luigi can use an item to recover [[Heart Point|HP]] or [[Bros. Point|BP]]. Other items, such as Refreshing Herbs, can heal status effects, and red or green peppers will raise POW and gain weight or raise DEF and lose weight respectively. When one of the bros. passes out, the other bros. can use a [[1-Up Mushroom]] or [[1-Up DX|1-Up Super]] to revive them. However, once an item is used, the bro's. turn is over.

|Luigi can hit Mario with his hammer, squishing him into [[Mini-Mario (form)|Mini-Mario]]. Using this technique, Mario can move into small openings. He can also sense hidden Chuckle Beans and other treasures buried under the ground.

|{{button|gba|Start}} to swap,{{button|gba|L}} three times, hold {{button|gba|B}}, then release.

|{{button|gba|L}} three times, hold {{button|gba|B}}, then release.

|[[Hoohoo Mountain]]<br>[[Beanbean Castle]]<br>[[Beanbean Fields|Beanbean Outskirts]]<br>[[Beanbean Castle]]<br>[[Chucklehuck Woods]]<br>[[Seabed]]<br>[[Gwarhar Lagoon]]

|[[Beanbean Castle Sewer]]s

|[[Chucklehuck Woods]]<br>[[Seabed]]<br>[[Gwarhar Lagoon]]

|align="center"|[[File:MnL Oho Ocean Pestnut.png]]

|[[Seabed]]<br>[[Gwarhar Lagoon]]

|[[Seabed]]<br>[[Gwarhar Lagoon]]

|[[Seabed]]

|[[Seabed]]<br>[[Gwarhar Lagoon]]

|[[Seabed]]<br>[[Gwarhar Lagoon]]

|[[Seabed]]<br>[[Gwarhar Lagoon]]

|[[Seabed]]<br>[[Gwarhar Lagoon]]

|[[Seabed]]<br>[[Gwarhar Lagoon]]

![[Hammer Bro#Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga / Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions|Hammer Bro]]

There are 28 bosses in the game. They are listed below in chronological order, although Hermie III, Popple (third encounter), and Piranha Bean can be fought in any order.

The stats of the derivatives of bosses are shown if they are not zero.

!Coins dropped

|[[Peach's Castle|Princess Peach's Castle]]

|Obtained from a Border Bro after Mario and Luigi complete the first stage of the Border Jump minigame

|Winkle Colosseum after battling Popple for the third time.

|The S.S. Chuckola soda cellar after winning Bink's barrel minigame.

|Obtained after winning the minigame in Winkle Colosseum.

There are various sidequests Mario and Luigi can complete outside the main story. These quests vary in results. Certain sidequests become unavailable at a certain point in the game. There are a few sidequests available in [[Toad Town#Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga / Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions|Toadtown Square]] before they leave the Mushroom Kingdom, after which they cannot be completed.

|Near the start of the game, while [[Mario]] is exploring Toadtown Square, there is a [[Mushroom]] atop a hedge next to a [[Toad (species)|Toad]] in the southeast corner of the plaza. If Mario jumps onto the hedge and collects the Mushroom, the Toad asks for it. If Mario refuses to give it back, the Toad starts to panic. Mario can talk to the Toad again and again and refuse to give it back over and over. If Mario decides to return the Mushroom, the Toad decides to let him keep it and gives him a [[Super Mushroom]] as a going-away gift before wishing him luck in the [[Beanbean Kingdom]].

*Hundreds of [[bean]]s are hidden throughout the overworld that Mario and Luigi can find and spend at [[Starbeans Cafe]] in the castle town. There are four different kinds of beans: Woo beans ([[File:BeansWoo SS.png]]), Hoo beans ([[File:BeansHoo SS.png]]), Chuckle beans ([[File:BeansChuckle SS.png]]), and Hee beans ([[File:BeansHee SS.png]]). Depending on which kinds of beans Mario and Luigi spend, different blends will be produced. When Mario and Luigi produce a blend, Professor E. Gadd will give them a prize. When the Bros. drink the blend, they will also gain a stat boost. The possible blends, beans required, stat boosts, and prizes are listed below.

*Some caves near Beanbean Castle Town are underground courses that resemble those found in ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' There are three such caverns; two of them are north of Beanbean Castle, while the third is found to the west of Beanbean Castle. At the end of each course is a [[mole (presenter)|mole]] who gives him a rare item such as a [[High-End Badge]] or the [[Iron Pants]].  

*There are [[Ankoopa]]s in some caves; Mario can use his [[Firebrand]] power to knock them over, allowing Mario and Luigi to pass and reach moles that give them a special item, such as a Golden Mushroom.

In the game, Mario and Luigi can collect [[Bean|Chuckle Beans]] by coming across beanholes -- Xs or other distinguishing features on the ground -- all throughout the Beanbean Kingdom. There are 197 Chuckle Beans from beanholes. Beans can only be collected out of the ground after the player learns the Luigi Dunk move at Chateau de Chucklehuck. [[Chuckleroot's granddaughter]] also explains how to drill into the ground and pick up beans.

==Mole locations==

[[File:MLSS-Gold Monty Mole Screenshot.png|frame|left|A [[mole (presenter)|mole]] giving [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] a [[1-Up DX|1-Up Super]] in [[Bowser's Castle]].]]

{{main|Mole (presenter)}}

In the game, Mario and Luigi can find moles throughout the Beanbean Kingdom that will reward them with items, clothing, or badges when found.

|image1=MLSS Peach's Castle.png

|caption1=Western

|image2=MLSS Peach's Castle (Japan).png

|caption2=Japanese

|image1=MLSS Toad in Mario Bros House.png

|image2=MSSToadQuest.png

|caption2=Japanese

In the Japanese version, when [[Toad]] has entered [[Mario Bros.' House|Mario and Luigi's house]], a directional pad appears on-screen to the bottom-left.

|image1=MALSS Marioshouse inside.png

|image2=MALRPG Marioshouse inside.png

|caption2=Japanese

The portrait of [[Princess Peach]] in Mario and Luigi's house has been touched up in the Japanese version.

|image1=MLSS starting BP.png

|image2=MLSS starting BP Japan.png

|caption2=Japanese

In the Western version, [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] both start with 10 BP. In the Japanese version, Mario and Luigi respectively start out with 14 and 16 BP.

|image1=MLSS Mario level up.png

|image2=MLSS Japan Mario level up.png

|caption2=Japanese

In the Japanese version, whenever Mario or Luigi level up, a {{button|GBA|pad}} in [[Lakitu]]'s speech bubble was added to indicate that up or down is used to select a stat. If one is selected, a {{button|GBA|B}} appears in the speech bubble, indicating that said button cancels the selection.

|image1=MLSS Hammerhead Bros tutorial.png

|image2=MLSS JP Hammerhead Bros tutorial.png

|caption2=Japanese

In the Western version, arrow signs are smaller to accommodate for more directions. In the Japanese version, the sign found directly north of [[Beanbean Castle Town]] does not give directions for Beanbean Castle Town, and it only has one arrow for Hoohoo Mountain.

In the Japanese version, there are three [[Recovery Block|Heart Block]]s, which are found in [[Beanbean Castle Sewer]]s, [[Oho Oasis]], and [[Teehee Valley]] respectively.

|image1=StarStacheSmash.png

|image2=Star Stache Smash MLSS JP.png

|caption2=Japanese

Mario and Luigi's heads in [[Star 'Stache Smash]] are different for the Western and Japanese releases.

|image1=MLSS Starbeans Cafe Menu.png

|image2=MLSS JP Starbeans Cafe Menu.png

|caption2=Japanese

In the [[Starbeans Cafe]] menu, there is a red E. Gadd icon next to each drink that Mario and Luigi have already made.

*[[Trunkle]] has a different battle strategy between the Western and Japanese releases.

Many characters from other [[Nintendo]] franchises were apparently going to appear in [[Starbeans Cafe]], such as [[Fox|Fox McCloud]], [[Link]], and [[Captain Olimar|Olimar]]. These characters were replaced by [[Professor Elvin Gadd|E. Gadd]] in the final game; the dialog of the characters can still be seen in the game's code.

The Japanese video game development studio [[AlphaDream]] developed ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''. Both of ''[[Super Mario RPG]]'' co-directors were involved with the game, as they left [[Square]] alongside various other former employees to join AlphaDream, Yoshihiko Maekawa was the game's director while Chihiro Fujioka is listed under Special Thanks. [[Satoru Iwata]] was the executive producer, while [[Takashi Tezuka]] was the production supervisor. The music heard in the game was produced by [[Yoko Shimomura]], like in ''Super Mario RPG''.

{|class="wikitable reviews"

For a month, a knock-knock joke contest was held on the game's website.<ref>Nintendo. [http://marioandluigi.gameboy.com:80/contest/home.jsp Mario and Luigi: Knock-Knock Joke Contest]. Retrieved February 5, 2022. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20031204042721/http://marioandluigi.gameboy.com:80/contest/home.jsp Archived] December 4, 2003, at 04:27:21 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> Each week for four weeks, a submitted joke was chosen to advance to the Grand Prize round. The semifinalists received a [[Game Boy Advance#Game Boy Advance SP|Game Boy Advance SP]] and a copy of the game. In the Grand Prize round, the winning joke was chosen by the contest's celebrity judge, {{wp|Kathy Griffin}}. The grand prize of the contest consists of a [[Nintendo GameCube]], ''[[Wario World]]'', ''[[Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour]]'', ''[[fzerowiki:F-Zero GX|F-Zero GX]]'', [[bulbapedia:Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire|Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire]], ''[[Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', ''[[Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance)|Donkey Kong Country]]'', a [[Game Boy Player]], a [[Nintendo GameCube#Nintendo GameCube–Game Boy Advance Link Cable|Nintendo GameCube–Game Boy Advance Link Cable]], a Memory Card 251, a GameCube messenger bag, and "a year's worth of online comedy-writing classes at Writer's Village". The grand prize-winning knock-knock joke was the third week's winning joke and goes as follows:

|description4=Toadsworth and Prince Peasley revealing what really happened at Princess Peach's Castle.

*This game was planned to release in Mainland China by [[iQue]], but left unreleased due to the huge scene of piracy in China at that time. The unreleased Chinese prototype received an ISBN, meaning it was approved for distribution despite the ban on video games from the Chinese government.

*Coincidentally, the [[Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)|remake]] of ''[[Super Mario RPG]]'' for the Nintendo Switch, supervised by ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'' director Yoshiko Maekawa and also composed by [[Yoko Shimomura]], was released on the same day as this game's 20th anniversary.

{{Super Mario games}}