Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

The NA boxart.

Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (known in Japan as Mario and Luigi RPG 3!!!) is the third game in the Mario & Luigi series. It was released in Japan on February 11, 2009, in the United States on September 14, 2009, in Europe on October 9, 2009, and October 22, 2009 in the PAL region.

Story

The Mario Bros. inside Bowser

All around the Mushroom Kingdom, Toads begin to fall victim to the mysterious Blorbs. Mario and Luigi, of course, are called into action, and along with their new friend Starlow set off to find the cure, however they are swallowed by Bowser after he eats an item called a Vacuum Mushroom, which increases his inhalant power and was given to him by Fawful.

Bowser is the third playable character, and he sets out on a journey to defeat Fawful and reclaim his castle, however is unaware that he ate Mario and Luigi.

Bowser arrives at Plack Beach. Bowser meets Broque Monseir, a famous block collector, who is trapped on an island. He tells Bowser he helps him, he will give him a Vacuum Block. With the Mario Bros' help, he is able to pull the island and rescue Broque Monseir.

Bowser then comes across the Sea Pipe Statue and battles it. With the Vacuum Block and the Mario Bros' help, he is to beat it. The statue spews water, Bowser drinks the water allowing Mario and Luigi to enter the Pump Works and find a special attack called Fire Flower. With Bowser's cooperation, they access to the Flame Pipe. Mario and Luigi realize the reason Bowser can't breathe fire was because Scutlet was blocking the flames. They defeat the bug, allowing Bowser to breathe fire. Bowser asks Starlow her name, Starlow (not wanting Bowser to know Mario and Luigi are in his body) tells her name is Chippy.

Bowser meets Broque Monsier again this time looking for his pet, Broggy. Broggy attacks them. Bowser bests him with his fire and shell defense. Bowser heads to Dimble Wood and meets Broque Monsier again in his shop with Broggy. They sell Bowser items and gear. Broque Monsier asks Bowser to bring him fifthteen Blitties and he will be given the Broggy Bonker.

Bowser find his Goomba Corps stuffed in a cage by Fawful. Bowser frees them. Then, a Fawful Copter appears and Fawful tells Bowser that he scattered his minions through the Kingdom. Bowser sees three of his minions, Private Goomp, Seargent Guy, and Parapalaponk. The three are trying to retake Bowser Castle by firing a Banzai Bill at the castle, but are low on ammo. Bowser goes looking for a Banzai Bill. He arrives at the Wiggler Farm and finds the Giga Carrott and pulls it. The Wiggler gaurding it tells him he has a Banzai Bill and will give him it if he eats the all of the Giga Carrott. Bowser succeeds, but the Wiggler forgets the bet and is angry that Bowser soiled the Wigglers' hard work that he battles Bowser. Bowser bests him.  The Wiggler gives Bowser the Banzai Bill. But Bowser gets a belly ache, so Mario and Luigi go to the Nerve Cluster to find whats giving Bowser the painful aches. The brothers find that Durmite is the one causing the tremors and defeat it. They find Toadbert who finds a switch that gives Bowser the sliding haymaker. Bowser loads the cannan. But Fawful's brawny minion, Midbus has the castle lifted into the sky to Dimble Wood. Bowser gets crushed underneath his own castle. Mario and Luigi go to the Rump Command to revive his body. Bowser grows big and battles his castle. After the fight, he heads for his castle.

On the way to Bowser Castle, Bowser frees his Shy Guy Squad. Midbus, however, lifts the castle again. Bowser comes to cliff and throws a iron ball and his castle crashes back to it's original place. When Bowser arrives at his castle, he realizes Fawful actually turned his castle into Fawful Theater and also brainwashed his minions. After looking around the theater, the show is about to start. Bowser sees all the seats are taken and complains to manager, but he is given the VIP seat. Fawful launches Bowser on stage where he fights Midbus in a cage fight. After the KO Midbus is dragged away, Bowser demands his castle back from Fawful, but Fawful tricks Bowser into eat a buffet of Bowser's favorite (yet unhealthy, greasy, and sweet) foods. Bowser becomes fat and chubby after the Boos fed him so much food. Mario and Luigi venture into the Flab Zone, marking it the perfect oppurtunity to look for Princess Peach. However, the bros manage to find Peach, but the princess is taken by Alpha Kreta, so the Mario Bros. give chase. Mario and Luigi find a new special attack called Jump Helmet and a new move, Spin Jump, and Badges. Mario and Luigi rescues Peach and defeat Alpha Kreta. Before celebrating, the bros, Peach, and Starlow realizes that they have another problem: they have to find a way to escape Bowser's body. Fawful uses a ray gun remove Peach from Bowser's body. Fawful's real plan is revealed, he is after the Dark Star which is sealed under Toad Town and he needs Princess Peach to awaken it.. Despite their efforts, Peach is captured and is removed from Bowser's body and carried away while unconcious(for the whole game until she is rescued) by Fawful. Midbus places a treadmill under Bowser to burn off fat. Bowser, covered in flames, heads to a crate of Bomb-Ombs and (accidently) lits one up which lits the others, resolting in a huge explosion, flinging Bowser out of his castle into a underground tunnel in Cavi Cape.

Bowser finds his Monty Mole Bros. digging a secret escape tunnel he told them to build to Toad Town. After finish digging, he arrives at Toad Caves which is under Toad Town. He goes into a building and triggers the security system and is zapped unconious. Mario and Luigi go to the Pipe Yard which is filled with pipes Bowser enhaled and find themselves outside Bowser's body. Just then, they hear Fawful's voice. Mario and Luigi decide to find Dark Star before their psychotic enemy. Mario and Luigi find a block and strike it and find it full of shells. Three friendly blue Paratroopas teach them how to use a shell and also give them a new attack pieces called Yoo Hoo Cannan. Mario and Luigi find the room where the the Dark Star is, but the Toads guarding it can't let them in. But then, they are actually Fawful's minions. The bros are too late to stop Fawful. Fawful heads over to Peach's Castle with the Dark Star. A Toad tells Starlow and the plumbers to head Fawful at Peach's Castle. Mario and Luigi are about to enter the castle when a barrier blocks the castle entrance.

Mario and Luigi head over to Dr. Toadley's Clinic. The Mario Bros. trick the intern into thinking they are coming down with the Blorbs.

Gameplay

Mario and Luigi travel in a 2-D traditional platforming game inside Bowser, while Bowser explores a 3-D overworld. The Mario Bros. are controlled by the A and B buttons, while Bowser is controlled by the X and Y buttons.

Battle

Like in the other Mario and Luigi games, the game is an RPG and the players will take turns using various attacks. The key to the series battle system is to have good timed hits such as pressing the A or B button when landing on an enemy, getting an better attack rating. Bros. Attacks return from the first game, with a second variation of Special Attack known as the Brawl Attack.

Special Attacks

• Green Shell (located in the Trash Pit; mandatory to complete the game)
• Fire Flower (located in the Pump Works)
• Jump Helmet (located in the Flab Zone)
• Yoo Who Cannon (located in the skies above Toad Town; mandatory to complete the game)
• Super Bouncer (located in the Energy Hold)
• Spin Pipe (obtained when you solve the first puzzle the Sea Koopa Kuzzle has to offer.)
• Snack Basket (located in the Dimble Wood forest; mandatory to complete the game)
• Mighty Meteor (obtained in the Toadley Clinic when you get the third Star Cure)
• Magic Windows (located in Bowser Castle. The Mario bros. have to defeat the Shroobs to get it.)
• Falling Star (located in the gardens that surround Peach's castle)

Locations

• Princess Peach's Castle
• Cavi Cape
• Cavi Cape Cave
• Dimble Wood
• Bowser's Body
• Plack Beach
• Toad Town
• Blubble Lake
• Bowser's Castle
• Bowser's Castle Path
• Bumpsy Plains

Characters

Playable

• Mario
• Bowser
• Luigi

Non-Playable

• Princess Peach
• Starlow
• Toadsworth
• Toadbert
• Fawful
• Midbus
• Broggy
• Broque Monsieur
• Broque Madame
• Blitty

Enemies

Please see List of Enemies in Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.

Reception

Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story receved a 35/40 by Famitsu and sold 650,000 copies in Japan in the first half of 2009. The game was on the #1 spot on the bestsellers list for a long time in Japan. Nintendo Power also gave Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story a 9.5 out of 10. In general, the game has received very positive reviews.

Names in other languages

• Español: Mário y Luigi: Viaje al Centro Bowserus (Mario and Luigi: Journey to the Centre of Bowser)
• Portugués: Mário e Luigi: Viajem ao Centro Bowseros (Mario and Luigi: Journey to the Centre of Bowser)
• Italiano: Mario e Luigi: Viaggio al Centro di Bowser (Mario and Luigi: Journey to the Centre of Bowser)
• Français: Mario e Luigi: Voyage au Centre de Bowser (Mario and Luigi: Journey to the Centre of Bowser)
• Deutsch: Mario und Luigi: Abenteuer Bowser (Mario and Luigi: Adventure Bowser)

Trivia

• This is the third time Mario and Luigi have gone inside one of their enemies' bodies, and the second time they've entered Bowser's.
  • The first time for both was when the bros. entered Bowser's body to free him of Cackletta's possession.
  • The second time for the former was when the bros. were eaten by a Yoob.
• The three exclamation points in the Japanese title seem to imply the three playable characters.
• This is the first time that the Japanese and U.S. releases have the same boxart. The European boxart, however, has the same artwork just rearranged differently.
• This is the first game in the entire Mario series to feature Bowser Koopa as the main character.