Mario & Luigi (series)

Template:Series-infobox Mario & Luigi, known in Japan as Mario & Luigi RPG (マリオ＆ルイージRPG Mario ando Ruīji Aru Pī Jī), is a series of role-playing video games developed by AlphaDream for Nintendo's handheld platforms since 2003. The series features games with long, detailed stories full of battles that Mario and Luigi, the titular brothers, must endure in order to progress through the game with ease; as in the Paper Mario series, the battle system emphasizes timing and more elaborate attacks. Compared to other RPGs, the tone of the Mario & Luigi games is generally more whimsical and lighthearted, with various in-game jokes and comical references to the heritage of the Mario franchise.

The Mario & Luigi series consists of five installments: Superstar Saga (GBA, 2003), Partners in Time (DS, 2005/06), Bowser's Inside Story (DS, 2009), Dream Team (3DS, 2013), and Paper Jam (3DS, 2015/16).

Gameplay

Mario and Luigi in Gritzy Desert in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time.

The gameplay of Mario & Luigi differs from most other role-playing games due to its focus on controlling Mario and Luigi simultaneously. During overworld sections, the directional pad controls Mario's movement with Luigi following closely, while Mario and Luigi's other actions are controlled individually with either of two lettered buttons: A for Mario, and B for Luigi. The game begins with them being able to jump independently, though they gain access to hammers and a variety of other techniques as the game progresses. For example, in Superstar Saga, Luigi's hammer can be used to squash Mario into a smaller size, allowing access to small gaps, while placing Mario on Luigi's shoulders allows them to act like a propeller and hover across large gaps. Various enemies roam the overworld, and coming into contact with these enemies initiates a battle. Landing a hit on the enemy while on the overworld allows the player to deal preemptive damage, while the opposite is also possible.

Battles in these games are turn-based. Mario and Luigi can attack normally either by jumping, which can deal multiple hits, though when used against enemies covered in flames or with spikes, Mario or Luigi will get hurt instead of the enemy; or with the hammer, which is powerful, but ineffective against flying enemies. Similar to other Mario RPG titles (Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars and the Paper Mario series), players can time button presses to make their attacks more effective, such as earning an extra jump attack or increasing the hammer's power. Introduced in this series is the way in which Mario and Luigi can defend themselves during an enemy's attack. When an enemy attacks, the brothers will be able to either jump or use their hammer which, when successfully timed, allows them to dodge their attacks and even deal counter damage (for example: if they jump on top of a charging Goomba). Throughout the game, players can unlock Bros. Attacks, which use Bros. Points (BP) requiring players to cooperate between Mario and Luigi's actions to perform powerful combination attacks. Players can also use items such as the Super Mushroom for healing, peppers for boosting stats, and 1-Up Mushrooms for reviving fallen Bros. Defeating enemies earns experience points which help the Bros. level up and increase their stats, with players given the option to further increase the stats of one attribute every time they level up. Players can further improve their stats by equipping new gear to the Bros., or making them wear badges that give them special attributes.

In Bowser's Inside Story, Bowser becomes a playable character who is controlled on the top screen. The world inside Bowser's body, which is played with Mario and Luigi, is presented in a 2D side-scrolling style. The brothers sometimes must directly interact with Bowser in order for the player to progress, and have opportunities to visit the overworld via Warp Pipes as the plot advances. In battle, Bowser plays similarly to Mario and Luigi, but specializes in punching and breathing fire. He can inhale to suck up defenses and enemies from the top screen, similar to Kirby, a character from another Nintendo franchise. Any enemies inhaled will enter his body, where Mario and Luigi will fight them instead. Bowser earns new abilities by rescuing his caged minions, or by finding living kitten-like blocks called Blitties. Further, the Mario Bros. play various minigames where they help out Bowser from inside his body in order to progress: for example, the Arm Center, where the brothers hit spark-like items into a muscle to strengthen Bowser's arms; the Leg Outpost, where they stomp on leg muscles to strengthen Bowser's legs; and the Gut Check, where they help digest food that Bowser eats. One location, the Rump Command, has the player accumulate adrenaline in order to supersize Bowser if he is crushed, leading to a new battle system in which the DS is held vertically like a book and all attacks require the stylus and microphone.

Bowser's Inside Story also introduced a new ranking system in which, after a character has reached a specific level, his rank will increase. Upon reaching these milestones, that character will receive a special bonus, such as an additional equipment slot, being able to visit specific shops or receiving a certain piece of equipment. Mario and Luigi each have six ranks, but Bowser has four. The badge system from previous games has also changed, now possessing effects that Mario and Luigi can use by charging a meter with attacks. When the meter is filled, players can touch the meter to activate its effect, which varies depending on the combination of badges equipped, such as health recovery or stat raising.

Dream Team requires Mario to enter the world of Luigi's dreams to progress through the plot. Like Bowser's body in the previous game, this "Dream World" takes place in a 2-D side-scrolling environment, where Mario is joined by a "Dreamy" counterpart to Luigi. Throughout the Dream World stages, players will find various phenomenons called "Luiginary Works," into which Dreamy Luigi can embed himself to allow players to interact with the environment by touching the real-world Luigi on the touchscreen. For example, players can tweak Luigi's mustache to manipulate a Luigi-shaped tree to fling Mario to new areas with its branches, or make Luigi sneeze to create a gust of wind that blows blocks into the foreground. Mario can also take command of a stack of Luigis known as "Luiginoids," which takes on new abilities and forms as the game progresses, such as smashing through blocks, creating whirlwinds, and rolling down hills. Also in the Dream World, Mario can combine with Dreamy Luigi in battle and fight against large groups of enemies with assistance from the Luiginoids, which allow him to attack multiple enemies with successful attacks.

In Paper Jam, Paper Mario, which is the paper-like rendition of Mario seen in the Paper Mario series interpreted as a separate character, joins his normal counterpart and Luigi to form a team of three. He can use his paper thin body to perform his own unique actions, such as squeezing through tight gaps or turning into a paper airplane in battle to help the brothers. He can also use make copies of himself, allowing him to deal extra damage or attack multiple enemies at once, as well as use special techniques called "Trio Attacks" where he, the normal Mario, and Luigi attack together. There are also sections where players control giant papercraft versions of Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Yoshi to fight other papercraft enemies.

Games

Main series

Title
Cover, original release, and system	Synopsis
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Template:Released Game Boy Advance	Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, the first game in the series, was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2003. It begins in the traditional Mushroom Kingdom, but progresses to the Beanbean Kingdom for the majority of the game. The story begins when the witch Cackletta, adopting the guise of a Beanbean ambassador, and her assistant Fawful arrive to steal Princess Peach's voice and replace it with explosives. Once summoned to her palace, Mario and Luigi confront and subdue Bowser, who coincidentally decides against a kidnapping of Peach that he had been attempting and teams up with the brothers to take her voice back, concerned that the voice would destroy his castle. Mario, Luigi, and Bowser then fly to the Beanbean Kingdom via Bowser's airship, the Koopa Cruiser, but Fawful attacks the cruiser mid-flight and blows it out of the sky, causing Bowser and the brothers to become separated. After rescuing Prince Peasley, who had been transformed into a dragon by Cackletta, the brothers reach Beanbean Castle and step into a trap laid by Cackletta that drops them into the sewers. It is then revealed that Cackletta's goal is to steal the Beanstar, a mythical object inside the castle, which once awoken with Peach's voice will grant all of her wishes. After the Beanstar is stolen, Mario and Luigi encounter a mutated Queen Bean and travel to Chucklehuck Woods to obtain a soda called the Chuckola Reserve which will cure her. Then they visit Woohoo Hooniversity, where Cackletta plans to awaken the Beanstar, but manage to defeat Cackletta, severely incapacitating her causing Fawful to suck her soul into his vacuum helmet. In both locations, the brothers encounter Popple, a thief, and his accomplice Rookie, an amnesiac Bowser. When Mario and Luigi meet Peach, who arrives in Beanbean inexplicably with her own voice, it is revealed that Peasley had warned the Princess of Cackletta's plot beforehand and the "Princess Peach" whose voice was stolen was instead a disguised Birdo. Meanwhile, Fawful imbues a weak Bowser with Cackletta's soul, resulting in the twisted Bowletta, who kidnaps Peach and demands the Beanstar in exchange for her. After the Beanstar is taken back, the Beanbean Kingdom is found under attack, and the brothers, accompanied by Peasley, must travel to Bowser's flying castle to confront Bowletta and restore order to the kingdom.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Template:Released Nintendo DS	Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, a prequel/sequel to the first game, was released in 2005/2006 for the Nintendo DS system. This game's plot is completely unrelated to the first one, with emphasis on a time traveling theme as the protagonists travel between the past and present of the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario, Luigi, Baby Mario and Baby Luigi search for Peach and co-operate to save her from alien abduction, in a plot and setting considerably darker in tone than those of the first game. The game begins as Professor E. Gadd completes his newest invention of a time machine powered by a gem called the Cobalt Star, which is presented at Peach's Castle. Peach enters the time machine into the past, but fails to return, only leaving a member of an alien species known only as the Shroobs within the damaged time machine. The Mushroom Kingdom of the past had actually been invaded by the Shroobs, with Peach being kidnapped and held hostage at her castle. After defeating the monster, a Time Hole opens, leaving a passageway into the past. While searching for Peach, Mario and Luigi locate their younger selves and agree to locate "crystal shards," remnants of the Cobalt Star which had been shattered during Peach's journey. Unwittingly, the brothers collect all of the shards, while being pestered by Baby Bowser (Bowser in the past) who wants the Cobalt Star. At the end, they restore the Cobalt Star only to unleash the Elder Princess Shroob, who was trapped inside the Cobalt Star by Peach, and must defeat her in order to rescue Peach and return the past to normal.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Template:Released Nintendo DS	Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, the second sequel, was first revealed at Nintendo's Tokyo Press Event in October 2008, and then released in 2009. The story opens with a disease called the "Blorbs" spreading across the Mushroom Kingdom and causing infected Toads to inflate like a balloon and roll around uncontrollably. A council is called at Peach's Castle to discuss what could be done about the pandemic, with Starlow, a representative of the "Star Sprites," also attending. It is discovered that those affected had eaten a mushroom given them by Fawful, disguised as a salesman. Bowser invades the castle attempting to kidnap Peach, but he is defeated by an enraged Mario and expelled from the castle. Bowser is tricked by Fawful into eating a Vacuum Shroom, which causes him to mindlessly inhale everything in sight, including Mario, Luigi, Starlow, Peach, and her attendants. Fawful proceeds to take over Peach's castle, and his assistant, the boar-like Midbus, takes over Bowser's castle. Mario and Luigi, who have shrunk to microscopic size, navigate Bowser's body and manage to revive him. Bowser, having no memory of the event, does not know the brothers are inside his body and only communicates with Starlow, who nicknames herself "Chippy" to avoid suspicion. The Koopa King must now track down Fawful in order to reclaim his castle. Later on, Fawful takes possession of the Dark Star, an evil and powerful entity with a seal that can only be broken by Peach. Mario and Luigi sneak out of Bowser and visit the physician Dr. Toadley, who tells them that they must gather the three Star Cures to create the Miracle Cure, a magical medicinal object that will cure the Blorbs disease and destroy the barricade blocking the entrance to Peach's castle. After the brothers race against Bowser for, and ultimately collect, the three cures, Bowser tracks down and defeats Midbus in Peach's transformed castle. The Dark Star, its seal having just been broken, enters Bowser's body, leeches on his cells, and absorbs his DNA. The Mario Bros. attempt to stop the Dark Star, but it escapes, absorbs Fawful's remains, and uses Bowser's DNA to create a shadowy, powerful doppelgänger of him, "Dark Bowser." The trio must work together to destroy the Dark Star in order to save the world from evil domination.
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Template:Released Nintendo 3DS	The fourth entry, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, was revealed on Nintendo Direct in February 2013, and was one of many Luigi-themed games released during Nintendo's "Year of Luigi" celebration to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary since Luigi's original appearance in Mario Bros. in 1983. Mario, Luigi, Peach, and her attendants (including Toadsworth) are flown to Pi'illo Island, where they meet Starlow. The gang are then introduced to Antasma, a bat king, who teams up with Bowser to acquire the Dream Stone, a powerful artifact that grants the user endless wishes. Together, Mario and Luigi must defeat them to save the island while battling enemies and traveling through Luigi's dreams along the way. In addition to Mario encountering his brother's Dream World counterpart, the brothers also seek help from Prince Dreambert, the ruler of the Pi'illos, during their quest. Eventually, it is learned that Bowser had been using Antasma the whole time, and so he betrays his partner and escapes with the Dream Stone. After Antasma is defeated by the Mario Bros., Bowser inhales the Dream Stone to transform into an empowered living nightmare of himself, Dreamy Bowser, which the brothers must defeat in order to rescue the Princess and return to their vacation.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Template:Released Nintendo 3DS	Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, known as Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros. in PAL regions, is the fifth installment in the series, released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2015. The game is a crossover between the Paper Mario games and the Mario & Luigi series. While attempting to fix a hole in Peach's castle library, Luigi trips and accidentally knocks over a mysterious book containing the Paper Mario world, causing the paper-thin residents within it to spread across the Mushroom Kingdom. Afterwards, Bowser combines his evil army with that of his paper counterpart, Paper Bowser, and they kidnap Peach and her paper version. Mario and Luigi must now team up with Mario's paper counterpart, "Paper Mario," to set everything right, defeat both Bowsers, and bring all the paper people back into the book. Paper Jam can be considered the aftermath of Dream Team and Paper Mario: Sticker Star (not to mention a prequel to Paper Mario: Color Splash), resulting in the sprite-based residents of one universe meeting their paper-thin counterparts from the other one. Paper Mario can use his paper thin body to perform his own unique actions that will help the brothers, or make copies of himself during battle to deal extra damage or attack multiple enemies at once. Mario and other characters also gain their own papercraft versions which can be used in certain sections of the game to defeat papercraft enemies.

Ports/remakes

Title
Cover, original release, and system	Description
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
Template:Released Nintendo 3DS	Announced during a Nintendo Treehouse Live webcast at E3 2017, a remake of Superstar Saga was released for the Nintendo 3DS under the title Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions. It features revamped and updated graphics akin to Dream Team and Paper Jam (including the use of additional lighting effects), as well as re-scored music. A previously untold storyline also exists in a new mode called Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser, where players control members of Bowser's army in efforts to reunite and rally his troops and find Bowser, in an adventure relying on new mechanics, with Captain Goomba leading the cause. The game features amiibo functionality, tied to figurines of three enemies of the Mario Bros.: Goomba, Boo, and Koopa Troopa.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
Template:Released Nintendo 3DS	Announced during a Nintendo Direct, this remake of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is set to release for the Nintendo 3DS in 2019. Like the Superstar Saga remake, it features revamped and updated graphics and music, adds in many of the improvements introduced in Dream Team, and features a previously untold story/mode where players control Bowser Jr. on his own adventure.

Characters

The casts of the Mario & Luigi series vary widely, and except in Paper Jam, include a variety of original characters created by AlphaDream along with those designed by Nintendo as part of the traditional cast of the franchise.

Protagonists

The main playable protagonists are Mario and Luigi, the titular brothers. When there is trouble, Mario attempts to solve the problem as quickly as he can, dragging Luigi alongside him. Mario is very famous and popular not only in the Mushroom Kingdom, but also in foreign lands when he travels to them. Luigi, the lesser-known of the two, often gets dragged into adventures beyond his will, is more cowardly and hesitant than his brother, and engages in clumsy antics that are usually comic relief but are sometimes dangerous. During the course of the series, Mario and Luigi seek help from other characters, notably Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, their infant selves, in Partners in Time; and Paper Mario in Paper Jam. Another protagonist is Captain Goomba, who appears as a protagonist in Minion Quest from the Superstar Saga remake.

Antagonists

Deviating from a central tradition of the Mario franchise, Bowser is not the central antagonist in most Mario & Luigi games. In Superstar Saga, he aids the protagonists during a period of the game, but his body eventually becomes possessed by an evil spirit. Partners in Time has him teaming up with his baby counterpart to fight the Mario quartet, and later serving as the final boss to be encountered after the main boss, whom the Mario Bros. had just defeated, manipulates him. In Bowser's Inside Story, he is the main protagonist, with Mario and Luigi adventuring inside him. In Dream Team and Paper Jam, he is the true main antagonist: in the former game, using an original antagonist created by AlphaDream to further his own goals, and in the latter, teaming up with a paper counterpart to himself to advance his scheme to take over the Mushroom Kingdom.

The primary antagonist of Superstar Saga is the Beanish witch Cackletta. Her aide, the assailant Fawful, is characterized by his comical use of language, as evidenced by his use of broken grammar and bizarre metaphors. Cackletta causes trouble for the Beanbean monarchy, including mutating Queen Bean and transforming her son, Prince Peasley, into a dragon; and steals a mystical object called the Beanstar which once awoken with a "pure" voice (specifically, that of Peach) will grant all of her wishes. Nonetheless, the "Peach" whose voice was stolen is not really Peach at all, causing the Beanstar, once exposed to the voice in question, to go berserk and flee. After Mario and Luigi confront and defeat Cackletta in battle, severely incapacitating her in the process, Fawful sucks up her soul into his Vacuum Helmet to save her life, but Prince Peasley stops an attack done on the brothers by Fawful at Cackletta's command. The ejected Fawful has the consciousness of Cackletta possess Bowser's body to form the creature Bowletta.

Fawful returns in Partners in Time as the owner of an underground badge shop. In Bowser's Inside Story, he reprises his role as a key villain; only this time, he is the main antagonist in the story. He creates the outbreak of the Blorbs and tricks Bowser into eating the Vacuum Shroom, which causes him to mindlessly inhale everything in sight. Once Peach is gone and the majority of the population have been incapacitated, Fawful proceeds to usurp Peach's castle. Once Bowser tries to stop him, Fawful lures the Koopa King into a trap, extracts Peach from inside his body, and takes possession of the powerful Dark Star. Once the seal on the Dark Star is broken, Fawful tries to absorb the star's power before being found and defeated by Bowser. Fawful's remains are absorbed by the Dark Star, and once the aforenamed object has been destroyed by Bowser along with Mario and Luigi inside him, the inhaled Fawful self-destructs.

The main antagonists of Partners in Time are the Shroobs, a race of fungal alien creatures who trap Toads and extract their energy as a means of powering their race's own technology. They derive from the Shroob Planet and are ruled by Princess Shroob, the primary antagonist. Princess Shroob captures Peach when she travels to the past of the Mushroom Kingdom, in the process trapping her twin sister, the Elder Princess Shroob, in the Cobalt Star. Another one-time antagonist in the series is Antasma from Dream Team, portrayed as a bat king who destroys the Dark Stone, freezes the Pi'illo race, and teams up with Bowser to acquire the wish-granting Dream Stone. Bowser later reveals that he is merely using Antasma to advance his own schemes.

Supporting characters

Princess Peach, the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, appears at some point in all games in the series in her traditional role as the damsel in distress; however, even in captivity, she is able to assist the Mario Bros. in some way, such as warning them of the dangers of the Cobalt Star in Partners in Time, and the Dark Star in Bowser's Inside Story. Toadsworth, her companion introduced in Super Mario Sunshine, appears in the first four entries to provide help and advice for the player during the adventure. In Partners in Time, when the older Peach is kidnapped, Toadsworth retrieves Baby Peach from the past into the present, where she is nurtured by both the old and young renditions of him. Professor E. Gadd from Luigi's Mansion also appears in the first two games: in Superstar Saga he gives the player special items in return for samples of drinks that the brothers give him at the Starbeans Café in Beanbean Castle Town, and in Partners in Time he provides the player with advice throughout the adventure and is the inventor of the time machine that sends Mario and Luigi to the past, as well as the "Hydrogush 4000" which uses Baby Luigi's tears to defeat the Shroobs.

Several new supporting characters were created by AlphaDream to aid the brothers during their adventures. In Superstar Saga, both Queen Bean and Prince Peasley assist Mario and Luigi during their journey after being rescued by them; a number of their subjects, including not only those belonging to the dominant Beanish race but also those belonging to other races, such as the Hoohooligans, provide aid to the Mario Bros. as well. Prince Peasley, in particular, is hailed as a celebrity in his native Beanbean Kingdom. Partners in Time featured a character called Stuffwell, a talking briefcase created by E. Gadd who carries items and accessories and can show the player's statistics. Bowser's Inside Story introduced Starlow, a representative of the "Star Sprites" that watch over the Mushroom Kingdom, who gives tutorials and advice to help Mario and Luigi advance through this adventure and the next two. She shows herself to be irritated toward Luigi in her debut appearance, but starts to warm up to him in Dream Team. In Dream Team, Prince Dreambert plays a similar role to Starlow and Stuffwell from the previous games.

There are also original supporting characters who hold antagonistic roles. Superstar Saga introduced Popple, a thief, as a recurring antagonist who engages the protagonists in conflict at various times during the game. During the brothers' first two encounters with him, he is accompanied by a sidekick called Rookie (an amnesiac Bowser). The two cause trouble for the Mario Bros. twice, but in both incidents, they are defeated. After Popple loses his Rookie, the next time the brothers face him he fights alone, and when last encountered by them, he fights alongside Birdo, who falls in love with him. The Koopalings are first encountered by the Mario Bros. in Superstar Saga in Bowser's castle, but do not hold any importance to the story; however, when they next appear in Paper Jam, they become supporting antagonists with expanded roles. In Bowser's Inside Story, Fawful has a boar-like assistant named Midbus, who is strong but unintelligent; this character guards Bowser's castle after Fawful has taken it over and subsequently fights Bowser three times in the game. Additionally, Bowser Jr., who returns from previous Mario titles, appears in Dream Team as a secret boss and in Paper Jam as a supporting antagonist.

Minor supporting characters in the series include Kylie Koopa and Toadbert, both introduced in Partners in Time; Kamek the Magikoopa and Petey Piranha, both of whom first appear in Partners in Time but return in later installments; Broque Monsieur, Chakron, Dr. Toadley, and the "Elite Trio" of Bowser's minions in Bowser's Inside Story; and the Zeekeeper and the Massif Bros. from Dream Team, among others.

Appearances in other series

Super Smash Bros. series

Artwork from the Mario & Luigi series appeared as stickers in Super Smash Bros. Brawl: Cackletta, Luigi with Baby Luigi, Luigi, Mario with Luigi, Prince Peasley, a Shroob, Stuffwell, and Toadsworth. Additionally, one of the random names in Brawl when naming something (for example, naming a friend code) is FWFUL, obviously referencing Fawful. Additionally, Gritzy Desert's music from Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time is selectable as the Mushroomy Kingdom's stage music.

A cover of the battle theme, "Try, Try Again" from Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, appears in the Paper Mario stage in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and in Woolly World in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. As the original track, it was composed by Yoko Shimomura. Additionally, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U features original versions of "Tough Guy Alert!" in Woolly World and "The Grand Finale" from Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story in Mario Galaxy.

Super Mario-Kun

Super Mario-Kun has devoted a few volumes to Partners in Time and Bowser's Inside Story. The art style on the covers even reflect the Mario & Luigi art style (especially seen in the color of Mario and Luigi's insignias). Although the storylines are similar to the story in game, there are multiple variations and twists. General examples include Mario and Luigi being able to speak fully, and Baby Mario and Baby Luigi are capable of talking as well. More specifically, Yoob, for example, is actually a friendly giant Yoshi that Sunnycide manipulates while Tanoomba can transform into clones of Mario and company to cause mischief.

Similarities between games

• The first three games have the playable characters say "Nintendo!" when the game boots up (Mario and Luigi in Superstar Saga, Baby Mario and Baby Luigi in Partners in Time, and Bowser in Bowser's Inside Story).
• The first four games are mainly set somewhere other than the Mushroom Kingdom of the present (Beanbean Kingdom in Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, the Mushroom Kingdom of the past in Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time, Bowser's body in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and Pi'illo Island and Dream World in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team).
• All five games have unique versions of common enemies (Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga has bean-related enemies, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time has Shroob-like enemies, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story has Fawful-themed, organ-themed and Dark Star-themed enemies, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team has Antasma-themed and dream-themed enemies, and Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam has paper versions of enemies).
• The first three games all feature Bowser as the first boss, so that the player can learn about the basic battle gameplay. During the initial fights of the first four games, Mario learns the action commands while Luigi is occupied with something else (watching in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, playing in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, sleeping in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, and dreaming about the fight in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team).
• In all five games, an altered form of Bowser is the final boss (Bowletta, Shrowser, Dark Bowser, Dreamy Bowser and Shiny RoboBowser). The only forms of Bowser that aren't actually him is Dark Bowser, which is really the Dark Star, and Bowletta and Shrowser were possessed by Cackletta and Elder Princess Shroob, respectively.
• All games' storylines are about or heavily feature collecting the pieces of a Star or another magic item (the Beanstar in Superstar Saga, the Cobalt Star in Partners in Time, the Star Cure/Miracle Cure in Bowser's Inside Story, the Ultibed in Dream Team and Fire Ore to build Papercraft Fire Mario in Paper Jam ).
• All games have the bosses exploding, and the enemies disappearing or a small explosion.
• Fawful appears as a recurring character in the first three games (As Cackletta's assistant in Superstar Saga, as a badge dealer under Princess Peach's Castle in Partners in Time, and as the main antagonist in Bowser's Inside Story).
• The first three games and Paper Jam have Mario and Luigi saying "Let's-a-go!" and "Okey-dokey!" respectively when transitioning into a battle.
• In games after Superstar Saga Mario and Luigi have a partner that store their items, give tutorials, and also speak in Mario and Luigi's stead.
• In the first three games, three versions of Bowser must be battled (Bowser, Rookie and Bowletta in Superstar Saga, Bowser, Baby Bowser and Shrowser in Partners in Time and Bowser, Bowser X and Dark Bowser in Bowser's Inside Story).
  • Dream Team and Paper Jam takes it two steps forward, with five (Bowser, Giant Bowser, Bowser X, Giant Bowser X and Dreamy Bowser in Dream Team and Papercraft Bowser, Bowser, Paper Bowser, Shiny RoboBowser and Dry Bowser in Paper Jam).
• All five games have a Wiggler boss fight.
  • The Wiggler becomes stronger and stronger as the games go on.
• In all five games the main antagonists have an alternative form in their final battle. Cackletta transforms in her spirit, Elder Princess Shroob in a biggest and monstrous form, Fawful in Dark Star Core, Antasma in a ghost and Paper Bowser in an armor.
• Since the second game, there are other characters playable over Mario and Luigi. In the second there are the babies, in the third there is Bowser, in the fourth there is Dreamy Luigi and in the fifth there is Paper Mario.
• The first four games all have a character who disguises themselves as Peach for one reason or another. In the first Luigi, in the second Princess Shroob, in the third the memory of Bowser and in the fourth Kamek with the Elite Trio.
  • The fifth game pulls a twist on this, with Peach and Paper Peach using fake Princess Peach decoys to escape from Bowser.
• In the first four games Mario & Luigi always end up inside someone (Superstar Saga was Bowletta, Partners in Time was Yoob, Bowser's Inside Story was Bowser and the Giant Sockop, and Dream Team was inside Luigi's dream.) In fact, this serves as the main founding element of Bowser's Inside Story.
• The first four games feature at least one Beanish character, although the species itself as a whole only appears in Superstar Saga and Dream Team. Fawful appeared in Superstar Saga as the secondary antagonist, Partners in Time as an underground shopkeeper, and Bowser's Inside Story as the main villain. Popple appeared in Superstar Saga as a rival to the Mario Bros, and Dream Team as a minor character.
• Four of the five games have a battle that cannot be won, with Dream Team the exception to this pattern. (Superstar Saga was Fawful, Partners in Time was the three Shroobs and Bowser's Inside Story was Midbus.) In Paper Jam the Paper Goomba Wheel battle cannot be won by Mario & Luigi, and instead must be won by Paper Mario.
  • In Dream Team, the battle with Bowser and Antasma in his bat form can be won (as the victory screen shows), but instantly after the battle, Bowser uses Antasma's power to breathe purple flame and knock Mario, Luigi, and Peach out cold.
• All games have Bowser in the same or involved with a similar situation as the Bros at some point:
  • Developing his own Bros. Attacks with Popple, as Rookie, in Superstar Saga
  • Partnering up with his younger self while traveling to the past in Partners in Time
  • Dark Fawful helping Dark Bowser from inside his body, similar to how Mario and Luigi help Bowser from inside his body in Bowser's Inside Story.
  • Being powered up by a Dream entity (Mario) and unleashing his power through his dreams (Luigi) in Dream Team
  • Teaming up with his paper self, and even obtaining his own Trio Hammer in Paper Jam.
• In all five games, the game does not save after the final boss is beaten, only resuming at the last save before fighting them.
  • Only the last two games show any indication of the game having been finished, with a jukebox option being unlocked, and Hard Mode in Dream Team.
• The third, fourth and fifth games all have two different normal battle themes: the Mario Bros. and Bowser's battle themes in Bowser's Inside Story, the real world and dream world battle themes in Dream Team and a battle theme for the Mario Bros. with and without Paper Mario in Paper Jam.
• In all five games, the tutorial themes are all remixes of the Super Mario Bros. overworld theme.