The most under-appreciated game in the series and it isn't hard to see why.
PiT is sandwiched between two highly beloved games. Superstar Saga was bound to be a tough act to follow with how fresh and unique it was and the legacy of Bowser's Inside Story is iconic, with memes and references still residing in the internet to this day.
But please do not skip Partners in Time. The reason why this game works for me is that the M&L series always gave off the energy of a Dav Pilkey work, specifically Captain Underpants and Ricky Ricotta. If you aren't familiar with those graphic novels, then here's a brief synopsis of what his works contain.
A big, wacky adventure with concepts that lead to hilarious scenarios. There's a cartoonishly evil villain of the week, all with their own gimmicks and the heroes must thwart those villains to save the day.
I find that Mario and Luigi have always fit this vibe, from the graphical style to the dialogue and even scenarios. They're all silly. And Partners in Time fits just in line with SS and BiS. An alien invasion of weird mushroom people? Time travelling? Teaming up with the baby versions of Mario and Luigi to defeat said aliens? With AlphaDream's beautiful and humorous presentation, how can you not find that fun!?
But something I want to further give credit to Partners in Time for is the game's attempt at a story and it's cartoonish villains of the week. The game goes for a much more darker tone. But the real kicker is the motivations for the villains. Where other M&L villain's motivation for world domination are not explained (and its not necessary for them to be explained) I love how the Shroob's motivation for world conquest is actually explained. They're here to take over the Mushroom Kingdom by circumstances of survival. Not because they are just "Evil." This isn't anything complex, but even just that context alone turns a typical cartoony villain into somewhat of a tragic villain who meets their end to a group of people who are just trying to survive as well. That goes a long way for me.
These are just a few aspects of Partners in Time that I love, but I don't hear discussed enough. It's typically about how the gameplay between controlling 4 characters is tedious and how the mazes are confusing. And you know what, fair enough, it is a game and should be critique as such. I also have my gripes in those departments. But none of those issues were enough to get in the way of all the fun I had. And with so many small, charming moments stacking up in this game, I can't help but look back at it with a unique fondness.
PiT is sandwiched between two highly beloved games. Superstar Saga was bound to be a tough act to follow with how fresh and unique it was and the legacy of Bowser's Inside Story is iconic, with memes and references still residing in the internet to this day.
But please do not skip Partners in Time. The reason why this game works for me is that the M&L series always gave off the energy of a Dav Pilkey work, specifically Captain Underpants and Ricky Ricotta. If you aren't familiar with those graphic novels, then here's a brief synopsis of what his works contain.
A big, wacky adventure with concepts that lead to hilarious scenarios. There's a cartoonishly evil villain of the week, all with their own gimmicks and the heroes must thwart those villains to save the day.
I find that Mario and Luigi have always fit this vibe, from the graphical style to the dialogue and even scenarios. They're all silly. And Partners in Time fits just in line with SS and BiS. An alien invasion of weird mushroom people? Time travelling? Teaming up with the baby versions of Mario and Luigi to defeat said aliens? With AlphaDream's beautiful and humorous presentation, how can you not find that fun!?
But something I want to further give credit to Partners in Time for is the game's attempt at a story and it's cartoonish villains of the week. The game goes for a much more darker tone. But the real kicker is the motivations for the villains. Where other M&L villain's motivation for world domination are not explained (and its not necessary for them to be explained) I love how the Shroob's motivation for world conquest is actually explained. They're here to take over the Mushroom Kingdom by circumstances of survival. Not because they are just "Evil." This isn't anything complex, but even just that context alone turns a typical cartoony villain into somewhat of a tragic villain who meets their end to a group of people who are just trying to survive as well. That goes a long way for me.
These are just a few aspects of Partners in Time that I love, but I don't hear discussed enough. It's typically about how the gameplay between controlling 4 characters is tedious and how the mazes are confusing. And you know what, fair enough, it is a game and should be critique as such. I also have my gripes in those departments. But none of those issues were enough to get in the way of all the fun I had. And with so many small, charming moments stacking up in this game, I can't help but look back at it with a unique fondness.