Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (Japanese: マリオ&ルイージRPG3! Mario ando Ruīji Āru Pī Jī Surī, Mario & Luigi RPG 3), is the third installment of the . It is a Nintendo DS game developed by AlphaDream and published by Nintendo in 2009. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is most noticeably the first game of the entire to have Bowser, who is usually the antagonist, as the protagonist, with Mario and Luigi themselves being supporting, but still major playable characters.
A remake for the Nintendo 3DS titled Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey was released in Japan in December 2018 and worldwide in January 2019.
==Plot==
A mysterious disease called the Blorbs hit the Mushroom Kingdom, which causes residents to balloon up to a huge size, and become unable to move, which is caused by the Blorb Mushroom that was sold by a stranger, later revealed to be Fawful. Princess Peach calls everyone together a meeting to decided how to cure the rampant disease. They call a Star Sprite called Starlow, the Mario Bros, and several other Toads, including Toadsworth and Toadbert. In the middle of the meeting, Bowser breaks into the castle (angry he wasn't invited as the blorbs is affecting his part of the kingdom as well) but Mario battles him and defeats him. King Bowser Koopa retreats to Dimble Wood, after his defeat where he encounters a strange person who offers Bowser a Lucky Shroom, a mysterious item will endow Bowser with the power to defeat the Mario Bros. Bowser eats the Mushroom and it grants him the ability to inhale large quantities of matter. He breaks back into Peach's Castle and starts vacuuming everyone there including the Mario Bros. Mario and Luigi are flung down into the depths of Bowser's stomach where they must escape to save the Mushroom Kingdom.
==Character rank==
During the game are Special Ranks for the Mario Bros. and King Bowser Koopa. The Character Ranks determines on how many levels to earn to reach the targeted rank.
Mario & Luigi:
*Mushroom = Lv. 1 - Starting Rank
*Shell = Lv. 6 - 2 Pieces of Gear
*Flower = Lv. 12 - 3 Pieces of Gear
*Shine (Sprite) = Lv. 18 - Shop at Toadles in Toad Town
*Star = Lv. 25 - Shop at Star Shop at Toad Town
*Rainbow = Lv. 40 - Highest Rank and earning Battle Badge for Luigi
Bowser:
*Bronze Crown = Lv. 1 - Starting Rank
*Silver Crown = Lv. 10 - 2 Pieces of Gear
*Gold Crown = Lv. 20 - 3 Pieces of Gear
*Final Boss Crown = Lv. 40 - Highest Rank and earning New Piece of Gear for Bowser
==Characters==
===Playable===
*Mario
*Luigi
*Bowser
===Supporting===
*Princess Peach
*Toadsworth
*Toadbert
*Starlow
*Kamek
*Toads
*Broque Monsieur, a bipedal creature who seems to be made from ? Blocks.
*Broggy, Broque's pet.
*Broque Madame, another bipedal creature made out of ? Blocks.
*Blitties, cat creatures that seem to also be made out of ? Blocks.
*Three members of Bowser's army:
**Sergeant Guy, a green Shy Guy with a bag on his back containing a gray pipe and a Magikoopa's wand.
**Corporal Paraplonk, a red Paratroopa wearing a red bucket on its head and green shoes.
**Private Goomp, a Goomba that wears blue clothes and seems to look sad.
*Emoglobin, a species of block-like creatures inside Bowser that give hints and help with minigames.
*Princess Lipid, who explains Bros. Badges.
*Yikk, the creator of Tower of Yikk and the Boo-ray Machine.
*Kuzzle, the guardian of the second Star Cure.
*The Koopa Paratroopa Trio, friendly blue-shelled Paratroopas.
*Dr. Toadley, the Toad with a Miracle Cure.
*Chakron, the guardian of the third Star Cure.
==Bosses==
Encountered in order:
# Sea Pipe Statue (Bowser, Bros.)
# Scutlet (Bros.)
# Wiggler (Bowser... w/ optional Bros.)
# Durmite (Bros.)
# Bowser's Castle (Giant Bowser)
# Midbus (B)
# Alpha Kretin/Beta Kretin (Bros.)
# Bowser #2 (Bros.)
# Tower of Yikk (Giant Bowser)
# Wisdurm (Bros.)
# Fawful Express (Giant Bowser)
# Bowser Memory M and L (Bros.)
# Shroobs (optional; Bros.)
# Junker (Bros.)
# Blizzard Midbus (Bowser... w/ optional Bros.)
# Dark Star (Bros.)
# Super Peach's Castle (Giant Bowser)
# Dark Fawful (Bowser... w/ optinal Bros.)
# Dark Bowser + Dark Star Core (Bowser, Bros.)
==Trivia==
*This is the first and only Mario game that has Bowser's name in it. Not counting the Remake or Bowser's Minions and Bowser's Fury.
*This is the first of the only two Mario & Luigi games that involves three main playable characters (Mario, Luigi, and Bowser). The second is in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (with Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario).
*This is the last Mario RPG where Coins are lost from fleeing a battle.
*This is also the last Mario & Luigi game where Luigi's socks are shown on the artworks.
*When Mario & Luigi told Starlow that they defeated the Shroobs, it was a reference of Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time since they were Baby Mario and Baby Luigi.
*This is the first Mario & Luigi game to have multiple languages for its North American release. Both the French and Spanish translations are distinct from those of Europe and done by Nintendo of America.
*If the player is controlling Bowser, then switch to Mario/Luigi inside him, there will be a remix of the song in the area Bowser's playing.
*This is the first Mario & Luigi game where Bowser does not end up possessed by the main villain, as well as the first RPG game since Paper Mario where the main villain does not actually possess one of the main characters.
**However, Dark Bowser is a character who has copied Bowser lineaments by gathering his DNA, and is similar to previous Bowser possessions, however, he is more so a clone of Bowser than him being possessed.
**Bowser's Inside Story is the Best-Selling game in the Series. (Having 4.56 Million Units Sold)
*This was the first Mario & Luigi game to be released in Japan before in North America.
== Reception ==
Bowser's Inside Story received critical acclaim and is the second-highest rated game in the Mario role-playing games subseries (second only to Paper Mario for the Nintendo 64)"Paper Mario". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved September 22, 2021., with many of the praises going to the improved gameplay, storyline, humor, and Bowser's role as the focal character. The first North American critic to review it was the magazine Nintendo Power, who scored the game a 9.5/10 saying it is "the best RPG-style Mario adventure ever made," and that "Anyone who loves the Mario characters, role-playing games, or even action games should absolutely give Bowser's Inside Story a look.""Reviews: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story". Nintendo Power. No. 246. Future plc. October 2009. p. 86. IGN awarded it a 9.5 as well as an Editors Choice Award. GameInformer awarded the game an 8.75 out of 10 and gave it an award for "Handheld Game of the Month". GameDaily gave the game 10/10. Official Nintendo Magazine gave the game 92%, saying "Bowser's Inside Story is the freshest, most vital RPG on the DS for ages". GameSpot gave the game a 9.0, and awarded it with an Editors' Choice award, praising the overall plot and story."Mario & Luigi Bowser's Inside Story Review for DS -GameSpot". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2010-07-10. Retrieved 2009-10-24. X-Play's Blair Herter gave the game a 5 out of 5, highly praising the plot."Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story - Reviews - G4tv.com". G4tv. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved November 25, 2009. Giant Bomb's Brad Shoemaker gave the game a 5 out of 5, and the website later named it the Best DS Game of 2009."Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Review". Giant Bomb. November 2, 2009. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2012."Giant Bomb's Nintendo DS Game Of The Year, 2009". Giant Bomb. January 1, 2010. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
=== Fan Reception ===
In 2016, WatchMojo placed Bowser's Inside Story at the #5 spot in their "Top 10 Mario Bros. Role-Playing Games" list; following behind Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (#4), Paper Mario (#3), Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (#2), & Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (#1).Spake, N. (2016). Top 10 Mario Bros. Role-Playing Games. WatchMojo. Retrieved November 12, 2023 In 2023, WatchMojo also placed it at the #1 spot in their "All 14 Super Mario RPGs Ranked" video over on their sister channel MojoPlays.MojoPlays (WatchMojo). (2023). All 14 Super Mario RPGs Ranked. YouTube. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
==Names in Other Languages==
*Spanish: Mario y Luigi: Viaje al Centro Bowserus (Mario & Luigi: Journey to the Centre of Bowser) (Parody of Journey to the Centre of the Earth)
**In the 3DS version, this game is called "Mario y Luigi: Viaje al Centro Bowserus y (plus) Las Pericépias Bowsius" (Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey). "Bówsius" is the genitive of Bowser Jr.'s Spanish name, "Bowsy".
*Italian: Mario e Luigi: Il Viaggio Al Centro Bowsérus (Mario & Luigi: Journey to the Centre of Bowser)
**The 3DS version is called "Mario e Luigi: Il Viaggio Al Centro Bowserus + Le Avventure Bowserus Giuniorus". Bowserus Giuniorus is the genitive of Bowser Jr.'s name, Bowser Giuniore.
== External links ==
* bowsersinsidestory.com (defunct)
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fr:Mario & Luigi: Voyage au centre de Bowser
it:Mario & Luigi: Viaggio Al Centro di Bowser
ja:マリオ&ルイージRPG3!!!
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Category:Nintendo DS games
Category:Mario & Luigi series
Category:Role-playing games
Category:2009 games