A new launch trailer for Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story + Bowser Jr.’s Journey was released today giving us a tour of the belly of the beast. The brothers’ gut galavanting adventure sees the duo do battle with all manner of virus whilst empowering Bowser from within, helping him both inside and out.
The game is a 3DS remake of an older title, much like Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions was, with an added campaign for good measure.
Whilst Bowser’s Inside Story swallows the brothers whole, exploring the strangely symbiotic relationship between the Koopa King and his new residents, the entirely new Bowser Jr.’s Journey is seen through the tyke’s perspective.
As Jr. seeks the cure for the mysterious illness sweeping the Mushroom Kingdom, the Blorbs, he hopes to impress his dear ol’ Pa, beating the Koopalings to the chase.
Weirdly enough, this is the first time ever we’ll see Bowser Jr. and the Koopaling interact, raising all kinds of questions. Are they siblings? Why do they loathe each other? What kind of creature birthed the scaley youths? We may be a step closer to finding out in the new campaign.
Opting for an entirely different battle system beyond perfectly timed button-presses, Squad Battles see Bowser Jr. enlist an army of lackeys to do his bidding through formation focused fights. Slotting minions onto a grid, your army attack automatically and follow a Pokemon-esque formula of strengths and weaknesses.
Flying Koopa Troopas fell melee-focused Goombas, who in turn trump ranged fighters who pluck flying units out of the air. It seems to be quite a robust system, with placement, minion types, and First Officers all offering bonuses and skills to consider as you wage war.
Bowser’s Inside Story + Bowser Jr.’s Journey also features amiibo functionality, with either a minion amiibo like Boo or a protagonist like Peach or Luigi offering helpful in-game items for their respective campaigns. A Bowser amiibo, on the other hand, will gift you an item for either.
The game is out today exclusively on 3DS. For more 3DS titles to get hyped for this year, check out our 2019 list.
