Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
If you thought their last adventure was insane — the brothers travel back in time to retrieve Princess Peach, only to come face-to-face with baby versions of themselves, the princess and Bowser. With twice the Mario brothers and twice the laughs, this side-splitting adventure could only find a home on the dual screens of the Nintendo DS.
Overview
The full cast — adult Mario & Luigi team up with their baby selves against the Shroob invasion
The Shroobs — alien invaders from a dying planet who descend on the Mushroom Kingdom in forceIn this sequel to Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, the brothers travel back in time to retrieve Princess Peach, only to come face to face with baby versions of themselves, the princess and Bowser. Teaming up with their young selves will soon send Mario and Luigi on a quest of lunatic proportions as players must control both the adult AND baby versions of the Mushroom Kingdom heroes.
Players use the top screen to study the land, keep track of the pair of brothers not under their control or maximise combo moves in battle. With twice the Mario brothers and twice the laughs, this massive side-splitting adventure could only find a home on the dual screens of the Nintendo DS.
Story
Professor E. Gadd — inventor of the Cobalt Star time machine that starts the whole adventure
Princess Shroob — ruler of the alien invasion force, and not the only Shroob princess…During Mario and Luigi’s infancies, the Shroobs — aliens from a withering distant planet — discover the Mushroom Kingdom and invade it. The attack forces Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Baby Peach, Toadsworth the Younger, and Baby Bowser to flee in the Koopa Cruiser.
In the present day, Princess Peach, Toadiko, and Toadbert travel to the past via Professor E. Gadd’s time machine, powered by the magical Cobalt Star. But when the device returns, it is occupied by a hostile alien. Mario and Luigi use a newly formed time hole in the castle gardens to travel to the past and find Peach. Before they proceed, E. Gadd gives them Stuffwell — a talking suitcase — to assist them and carry supplies.
Upon arriving in Hollijolli Village, the brothers are defeated by a trio of Shroobs, but Baby Mario and Baby Luigi arrive and save their future selves. Together the four brothers embark on a quest to rescue Peach and drive back the Shroob invasion, collecting fragments of the Cobalt Star along the way.
After gathering five of the six Cobalt Star shards, the heroes enter Shroob Castle and defeat Princess Shroob. Peach shows them the final piece — but refuses to let them combine it, desperately trying to warn them. Baby Bowser snatches it and reassembles the star, inadvertently releasing the sealed Elder Princess Shroob — the true, far more dangerous ruler who had been imprisoned inside the Cobalt Star all along.
Elder Princess Shroob devastates the kingdom in her true form. The heroes battle and defeat her, but she uses her last power to poison Baby Mario. In a twist of fate, Bowser swallows Elder Princess Shroob whole to steal her power, becoming Shrowser — the game’s true final boss. After Mario and Luigi defeat Shrowser, the Cobalt Star shatters, all Shroobs are turned into harmless mushrooms, and peace is restored.
Mario and Baby Mario — working together across time to save the kingdom
Luigi and Baby Luigi — partners in the truest senseGameplay & Battle System
Adult and baby brothers fight side by side — both pairs act in every battle
Baby techniques like the Baby Drill and Baby Spin open new paths in the overworldPartners in Time is a turn-based action RPG in which all four brothers — Mario, Luigi, Baby Mario and Baby Luigi — participate in every battle simultaneously. Each brother has his own Command Block: adult brothers use A (Mario) and B (Luigi); baby brothers use X (Baby Mario) and Y (Baby Luigi). The babies ride on the adults’ backs in the overworld, dropping to the ground only when needed.
Battles begin by touching an enemy in the overworld. A First Strike — jumping on or hammering an enemy — deals pre-battle damage or stuns them. Conversely, being hit from behind prevents the struck brother from acting on his first turn. Turn-based combat allows timed button presses to power up attacks and dodge enemy attacks entirely — mastering timing is essential.
Piggyback mode is central to the game: the babies ride on the adults’ shoulders, and most Bros. Items require coordinated input from all four. The top DS screen displays brothers not currently on screen, allowing players to keep track of all four at once.
Stats
Each of the four brothers has independent HP, POW, DEF, SPEED and STACHE stats. Mario and Baby Mario favour power and speed; Luigi and Baby Luigi favour HP, defence and stache. Baby brothers start weaker but grow significantly as the game progresses.
Bros. Items
Bros. Items replace the Bros. Attacks from Superstar Saga — consumable items used in battle requiring timed input from all four brothers. They are found or purchased throughout the game.
A brother kicks the shell at an enemy — it rebounds multiple times. Keep pressing to deal more hits.
A Chain Chomp chases a brother and goes on a rampage through all enemies. Guide it with the stylus.
Spawns copies of all four brothers who march offscreen and blast every enemy simultaneously.
Both adult brothers toss fireballs at multiple enemies — time each toss carefully.
All four brothers leap into a cannon and launch at the enemy — aim for maximum damage.
Like the Bro Flower but hurls iceballs — can freeze enemies solid.
A brother kicks an egg — press buttons as it bounces to keep it airborne and deal more damage.
All four brothers bounce on a trampoline and rain down on enemies from above.
Like the Green Shell, but once the enemy is defeated the shell keeps hitting remaining foes.
Brothers press buttons to mix fire and ice — combining elements for powerful multi-hit combo.
Field Techniques
Outside of battle, each brother pair has unique field techniques used to explore the world and solve puzzles:
| Technique | Who | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Spin Jump | Adults | Jump over large gaps, reach higher areas |
| Hammer | Adults | Smash rocks, activate switches, stun enemies |
| Baby Drill | Babies | Drill through soft ground to reach hidden areas |
| Baby Spin | Babies | Hover across gaps using Baby Mario as a propeller |
| Piggyback Jump | All four | Babies launch adults to great heights from their shoulders |
| Baby Cakes | Babies | Distract Yoob with cakes to progress through Yoob’s Belly |
| Cannonball | All four | Launch all four brothers from cannons across distances |
Characters
Playable
The elder brother. Uses the A button in battle. Favours power and speed stats.
Mario’s younger brother. Uses the B button. Favours HP, defence and stache.
Mario’s infant self. Uses the X button. Starts weak but grows into a powerhouse.
Luigi’s infant self. Uses the Y button. Loyal companion to his older brother.
Villains
A militaristic alien race from a dying planet. They invade the past Mushroom Kingdom, draining Toads of their vim energy to power their UFOs.
The commander of the Shroob invasion force. Defeated in Shroob Castle — but not the true final threat.
The far more powerful elder sister, sealed inside the Cobalt Star. Accidentally freed by Baby Bowser — she is the game’s true antagonist.
The infant Koopa King, who causes chaos throughout the adventure — and unwittingly frees the Elder Princess Shroob.
Supporting Cast
The infant Princess, held captive by the Shroobs. Her cries have a surprising effect on the Cobalt Star fragments.
Travels to the past via E. Gadd’s time machine, is captured by the Shroobs. Desperately tries to warn the brothers not to reassemble the Cobalt Star.
The eccentric inventor of the Cobalt Star time machine, and creator of Stuffwell. Provides the brothers with their talking suitcase guide.
A talking suitcase created by E. Gadd to assist Mario and Luigi. Carries their items and provides guidance throughout the quest.
A Koopa reporter covering the Shroob invasion. She later reappears in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team.
Baby Peach’s devoted caretaker in the past. Far more energetic than his future self.
Peach’s loyal present-day attendant, present at the castle when the adventure begins.
Yoob is a giant Shroob-modified Yoshi that swallows other Yoshis. A key segment of the game takes place inside Yoob’s Belly.
Locations
The Shroob invasion force — an army of alien soldiers who overrun the past Mushroom Kingdom
Yoshis and Yoob — Yoshi’s Island is overrun and a giant Shroob-modified Yoshi swallows the YoshisThe adventure spans 20 locations split between the present-day Mushroom Kingdom and the Shroob-invaded past. Two locations (Koopa Cruiser and Shroob Mother Ship) cannot be revisited.
| Location | Notes |
|---|---|
| Peach’s Castle | Present-day starting point; time holes open here to the past |
| Hollijolli Village | First past location; devastated by the Shroob invasion |
| Koopa Cruiser ‡ | Baby Bowser’s airship; the babies’ escape vehicle at the start |
| Bowser’s Castle | Past castle; overrun by Shroobs |
| Toadwood Forest | Shroobs drain vim energy from Toads here to power their UFOs |
| Vim Factory | Processing facility for Toad vim energy |
| Yoshi’s Island | Home of the Yoshis; Kamek attacks here |
| Yoob’s Belly | Interior of the giant Shroob-Yoshi; a dungeon within a creature |
| Peach’s Castle Dungeon | Underground prison beneath the past castle; home of Fawful’s shop |
| Gritzy Desert | Desert region with a Roman-themed Koopaseum arena |
| Koopaseum | Arena where the Shrooboid Brat boss battles take place |
| Gritzy Caves | Cave network beneath the desert; Petey Piranha lurks here |
| Thwomp Volcano | Active volcano ruled by Mr. Thwomp; Mrs. Thwomp is the boss |
| Thwomp Caverns | Caverns beneath the volcano; Bowser & Baby Bowser battle here |
| Shroob Mother Ship ‡ | The Shroob flagship; defeated by a Banzai Bill |
| Toad Town | The main hub town; Gramma’s Place shop is here |
| Star Hill | Hill of wishes; leads to the Star Shrine |
| Star Shrine | Home of a Cobalt Shard; Elder Shrooboid boss battle |
| Shroob Castle | The Shroob stronghold; final dungeon with both Shroob princesses |
| Peach’s Castle Cellar (Past) | Final area; Shrowser is fought here |
‡ Cannot be revisited
Shops
Four shops are found throughout the adventure. Fawful’s Bean ‘n’ Badge sells badges exclusively, priced in beans rather than coins — a nod to the returning villain from Superstar Saga.
- Shroom Shop — Peach’s Castle (present)
- Monty Mart — Gritzy Caves
- Gramma’s Place — Toad Town
- Fawful’s Bean ‘n’ Badge — Peach’s Castle Dungeon (badges for beans)
Bosses
The Shroobs — the main enemy force, appearing in multiple boss encounters throughout the gameYoshi’s Island is overrun — Sunnycide has swallowed the Yoshis and must be defeated from within| Boss | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Baby Bowser | Peach’s Castle (past) | Auto-win after five turns |
| Junior Shrooboid | Peach’s Castle | First real boss |
| Shroobs (×3) | Hollijolli Village | Unwinnable adult battle; babies fight later |
| Hammer Bros. (×2) | Vim Factory | Baby-only battle |
| Swiggler & Dr. Shroobs | Vim Factory | Protect Swiggler while Dr. Shroobs heal it |
| Kamek | Yoshi’s Island | Transforms the arena |
| Sunnycide | Yoob’s Belly | Fought from inside the creature alongside eggs |
| Shrooboid Brat | Koopaseum | Arena battle with audience throws items |
| Petey Piranha | Gritzy Caves | Giant plant boss |
| Mrs. Thwomp | Thwomp Volcano | Large, Small & Fake forms |
| Bowser & Baby Bowser | Thwomp Caverns | Father and son tag team |
| Commander Shroob | Star Hill | With Support Shroobs and Shroob-omb |
| Elder Shrooboid | Star Shrine | Two-phase fight; turns Toadbert and Kylie into mushrooms |
| Princess Shroob | Shroob Castle | The invasion commander — not the true final boss |
| Elder Princess Shroob | Shroob Castle | True final boss; two forms with arms, foot and crown |
| Shrowser | Peach’s Castle Cellar | Bowser possessed by Elder Princess Shroob; counter 20 fireballs |
References to Other Games
Partners in Time is packed with nods to Nintendo history:
| Game | Reference |
|---|---|
| Super Mario Bros. | Toadsworth the Younger tells the baby brothers “she’s NOT in another castle or anything” — a direct nod to the iconic mushroom retainer line from the original game. |
| Super Mario Bros. All-Stars | Shrooboid Brat’s audience throws Poison Mushrooms matching their appearance from the All-Stars remake of The Lost Levels. |
| Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island | Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Baby Bowser and Chomp Rocks all return from Yoshi’s Island. |
| Yoshi’s Cookie | The cookies from that game reappear in Yoshi’s Island. |
| Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga | Fawful returns as a badge vendor. Bowser’s theme is reused. The box art style is reused. |
| Super Smash Bros. for Wii U / Ultimate | The music tracks “Tough Guy Alert!” and “The Grand Finale” appear. Princess Shroob appears as a spirit in Ultimate. |
| Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam | The tutorial theme is a cover of Partners in Time’s tutorial theme. |
| Mario & Luigi: Dream Team | Kylie Koopa reappears, with a picture of a Shroob on the wall where she is found. |
| Mario & Luigi: Brothership | Bowser refers to Starlow as “Chippy,” originating from Bowser’s Inside Story. The Treevil gets a new wire variant. |
Glitches
| Glitch | Description |
|---|---|
| ? Block Teleport | In Thwomp Caverns, use the Baby Spin in the cyclone. If Baby Mario lands on the ? Block on the left platform while Baby Luigi stays there, Baby Mario warps to the platform above. Piggyback mode and adult switching are disabled until Baby Mario moves into the spikes, which takes both babies to the upper platform. |
Reception & Sales
Partners in Time received generally positive reviews, praised for its humour, characters, graphics and innovative use of the DS dual screen. The main criticisms were lengthy boss battles and the complexity of coordinating four characters simultaneously.
| Publication | Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| IGN (Craig Harris) | 9/10 | Praised gameplay, difficulty curve, humour and two-screen display. Noted the game starts too easy. |
| Nintendo Life (Thomas Bowskill) | 9/10 | Praised gameplay, comedy and sound. Noted limited replay value. |
| Nintendo Power (Jonathon Metts) | 8.5/10 | Strong praise for the four-character system and writing. |
| Metacritic | 86/100 | Based on 45 reviews — generally positive reception. |
| GameRankings | 85.23% | Based on 55 reviews. |
Sales
The game sold 132,726 copies in its opening week in Japan (ranked #7). Worldwide sales reached 1.39 million units.