Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

First unveiled at E3 2005, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time was a critical success from the start. Scoring highly on its reviews, the game was loved primarily for its creative, innovative gameplay carried over and revamped from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and for its great use of the "dual screened" aspect of the Nintendo DS, many feel that it is a worthy succesor to Superstar Saga. Several issues people took with the game were its repitivity and seemingly level-based gameplay. One of the most liked aspects of Superstar Saga was its free-roaming overworld, something limited to Princess Peach's Castle in this game.

Part turn-based RPG, part action RPG, and part platformer, Partners in Time took the formula from Superstar Saga and revamped it to take advantage of the Nintendo DS's new features. While it made almost no attempt to utilize the touch screen (Mario must rub the dirt off of an object at one point), the game used the addition of the X and Y buttons, the extra screen, and greater graphical capabilities to pull of the sequel. Mario and Luigi find themselves forced to work together with their younger selves, refered to as Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, as they save the Mushroom Kingdom of the past from the evil Shroobs.

=Story=

Author's note: The storyline is told in chronological order, with all the events in the past being told first and those in the present being told later. Those wishing to read the story as it is told in the game (swapping from past to present) should go to the game's article on Wikipedia.

While Mario and Luigi were still toddlers, the Mushroom Kingdom was faced with one of its greatest trials: the Shroob invasion. On a distant planet shaped and colored like a Poison Mushroom, there lived a vile and evil race of aliens known as the Shroobs. Living and dying on a planet as rotten as theirs was not agreeable to them, so they began to search for a planet worthy of invasion. They found the Mushroom World, specifically the Mushroom Kingdom.

Baby Bowser had picked the same day to kidnap Baby Peach. Attacking the main castle, named after the royal family's beloved princess, Peach, Baby Bowser battled Baby Mario for the first time, and was quickly defeated. However, this allowed the Shroobs to catch the distracted Toad guards unaware. Everyone was forced to flee. A young Toadsworth ran with Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, and Baby Peach (in her carriage) to the Koopa Cruiser that Bowser had used to travel. They escaped from the castle as quickly as possible.

Shortly after, a time machine appeared in the castle thrown room. Out stepped a fully grown Princess Peach and her loyal assistants Toadiko and Toadbert. The Shroobs stopped their invasion and let their leaders, the Elder Princess Shroob and Princess Shroob confront Peach. Thinking fast, Princess Peach grabbed a blue star from its place in the time machine. Holding it above her head, she forced the star to consume the Elder Princess Shroob inside of the star, and then let the star break into six pieces as the Shroobs shuffled forward to kidnap her. Toadiko and Toadbert ran away.

The Shroobs began their conquest of the entire Mushroom Kingdom. Toad Town fell as the Shroobs swarmed outward from Princess Peach's Castle. In a short period of time, the Mushroom Kingdom fell under complete Shroob control. It is unknown what other kingdoms, such as the BeanBean Kingdom, Sarasaland, or the Koopa Kingdom were doing at this time. Presumably, they fortified themselves or were unaware, as there is no indication that the Mushroom Kingdom received any assistance in its dark hour.

Meanwhile, time holes began appearing all over the Mushroom Kingdom. One such hole appeared just outside of HolliJolli Village. Shortly afterwards, a grown up Mario and Luigi popped out of it. A talking suitcase named Stuffwell followed, after which the time hole disappeared. Arriving in the village, they find it devastated from the Shroob attack. After finding the mayor, the Shroobs arrive, abduct the mayor, and proceed to defeat Mario and Luigi. However, in the Koopa Cruiser, Baby Peach is crying her eyes out because Baby Bowser did not want to stop to help the poor people being attacked. Baby Bowser, in an effort of save his ears, destroys the Shroob UFOs around HolliJolli Village. Mario and Luigi are brought aboard, where Toadsworth disregards their story as a result of the Shroob attack. The heroes, both past and present, then witness what has happened to Peach's Castle. It has been turned into Shroob Castle, with a giant statue of Princess Shroob in the center.

Later, a group of Shroobs began to attack the Koopa Cruiser, which then crash-landed into Bowser's castle. Mario, Luigi, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Baby Peach, and young Toadsworth were able to travel through a time hole in Baby Bowser's room that connected to the present-day Princess Peach's Castle. It can be inferred that the time hole disappeared soon afterward, as Baby Bowser never followed.

Characters
Main Characters:
 * Mario
 * Luigi
 * Baby Mario
 * Baby Luigi
 * Princess Shroob

Major Characters:
 * Toadsworth
 * Toad
 * Yoshi
 * Baby Peach
 * Professor E. Gadd
 * Kylie Koopa

Minor Characters:
 * Elder Princess Shroob