Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

 DS
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 461 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 412 out of 461
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 461
  3. Negative: 22 out of 461
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  1. Webosxdxdxddd
    Aug 30, 2023
    0
    This game is just not worth playing. They overstuffed everything and it feels so bloated. The minigames were painful, the giant battles were mediocre, the soundtrack is just OK, and the humor is very dry. If you want to play an RPG title on a DS, try Partners in Time, because this one... No, just no.
  2. BananaBob3310
    Aug 9, 2023
    10
    One of the best games ever made, the ost, the story, the combat sistem, one of the best childhood games for sure
  3. Pilest
    Jul 3, 2023
    9
    This game is so incredible. The systems have been fine tuned with a far better implementation of the bros. items. The story is great, play as bowser is fun, starlow is way better than that suitcase **** I only have 2 problems. The first is that the use of the microphone is quite intense and makes it less accessible. The second is this game probably introduced children to vore 2/10
  4. AnthonyStf
    Jun 18, 2023
    9
    9/10

    #nowplaying The New CALassic by Cal Chuchesta feat. Filthy Frank, Pink Guy, 3PAC, FrankJavCee, John Sakars, D. Respect, Dom Rabrun, NMESH via @audiomack https://audiomack.com/calchuchesta/album/the-new-calassic
  5. Nickname64
    Jun 17, 2023
    10
    Voreㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ
  6. miguellopez99
    Jun 2, 2023
    9
    90/100 .
  7. Yojimbo2015
    May 21, 2023
    7
    Very similar to its predecessor Partners in time but with added 2D levels and the chance to play as Bowser. A solid little arcade adventure and slightly better than the first game.
  8. Ricardoggy
    Apr 21, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is wonderful, the soundtrack is a masterpiece, the combat is the best in the Mario & Luigi series, it had a lot of affection with references to other games and the return of fawful who is the best villain in the Mario Franchise apart from Bowser. The Bowser in this game is the best interpretation of Bowser he is my favorite bad guy, and the fact that he helps Mario & Luigi without knowing it, and after he knows it, he gets angry and gets beaten up. The bosses are masterpieces and Dark Bowser is the best boss in the Mario franchise.… Expand
  9. Maor_NYC
    Apr 16, 2023
    10
    Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is a fantastic game that is sure to please both casual and hardcore gamers alike. The game is a perfect mix of classic Mario platforming, role-playing, and puzzle-solving that results in a truly unique and engaging experience.

    The gameplay itself is top-notch, The battle system is intuitive and engaging between all 3 of our main characters. The    Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is a fantastic game that is sure to please both casual and hardcore gamers alike. The game is a perfect mix of classic Mario platforming, role-playing, and puzzle-solving that results in a truly unique and engaging experience.

    The gameplay itself is top-notch, The battle system is intuitive and engaging between all 3 of our main characters.
    The game's presentation is simply outstanding. The graphics are bright and colorful, capturing the whimsical spirit of the Mario franchise perfectly. The music similarly excellent, providing a delightful audio backdrop to the game as a whole. As a longtime fan of Mario and Luigi games, I can confidently say that Bowser's Inside Story on the Nintendo DS is one of the best in the series. And what makes this game even better?

    BOWSER.

    Playing as Bowser in a Mario game is a refreshing change of pace. In previous games, he was always the big baddie to defeat. But here? you play as him and experience his perspective, thoughts, and abilities which overshadow the brothers.
    His personality and humor make him a standout char, with his constant grumbling and the hilarious dialogue between him and the world.

    The Story of the game is fantastic, it's got "Story" in its name for a reason, any game where you have such a unique scenario of the hero's and villain teaming up to defeat a greater evil is gonna be flames.

    Bowser's Inside Story is an excellent game that showcases why Bowser is such a beloved character in the Mario universe. His unique abilities and humorous personality add a new dimension to the game, and the game as a whole from top to bottom is top notch for the DS.
    PLAY THE GAME, SHOWTIME!    … Expand
  10. Patches_
    Apr 15, 2023
    10
    im just wasting characters to put this joke................. v o r e. 10/10
  11. ZackH25
    Mar 30, 2023
    8
    A very good and different Mario game. The story was very smart and the gameplay was good but did get a bit tedious at times. The boss fights were very fun as they all felt different. Controlling bowser and then Mario and Luigi was also really fun. The main villain of the wizard was also quite cool and the fight where big bowser fights the castle was also very cool.
  12. SailorWaddleDee
    Feb 2, 2023
    10
    I love playing as bowser but as mario i dont like it i would pref it if i could only play as bowser and luigi
  13. OnBeat
    Dec 15, 2022
    9
    It is a very good but sometimes drags on but it’s really good for the time.
  14. hector_bcn98
    Nov 7, 2022
    8
    Hasta la fecha, el Mario y Luigi que menos me ató a jugar. Posiblemente por el desgaste y cierta repetición que llevaba ya la saga. Notable, de todas formas.
  15. FireBroFilms
    Aug 15, 2022
    9
    ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎
  16. TheDuner13
    Aug 6, 2022
    10
    gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood
  17. DolphinReviews
    Jul 20, 2022
    7
    Great RPG. A must buy for the DS. Superstar Saga is better but this title stands on its own. It's good.
  18. child_reviews
    Jul 10, 2022
    10
    Le game good. The combat is enertaining for both charcters hitting an excellent on bowser is extremly satisfying and playing as the bros is just as good. The dialoge and story is funny, logical and unique. The overworld is also a joy to explore as both charcters even though sometimes its a bit confusing of how to get somewhere as a different character but thats probably just me. The musicLe game good. The combat is enertaining for both charcters hitting an excellent on bowser is extremly satisfying and playing as the bros is just as good. The dialoge and story is funny, logical and unique. The overworld is also a joy to explore as both charcters even though sometimes its a bit confusing of how to get somewhere as a different character but thats probably just me. The music is amazing just like all the mario and luigi games. One thing i dislike is that theres only one combat song and only one boss song (other than the one for the final boss) which was kinda dissapointing, but since they're so catchy i'll let it slide. The gimick where you make bowser huge and fight giant things is great and doesn't overstay its welcome. In general this is a must play for ds users.… Expand
  19. Ebip
    Jun 13, 2022
    9
    WHAT A GREAT GAME. the concept with Bowser Is Good,The Music Is Good,The bosses are Good but the giant battles are the weakest part of the game.Still a game i love like Dream team and the past games
  20. Gais
    Mar 29, 2022
    10
    Es una obra maestra sencillamente genial que derrocha creatividad y es en definitiva, el mejor Mario & Luigi de todos
  21. HildaSimp5
    Feb 12, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bowser`s Inside Story was my second M&L game, i absolutely love it! The story is quite interesting and for the most part, manages to keep me invested for its duration. Unique, new characters and enemies makes this feel so special and different from other mario games, which also a huge plus. The music is also SO good and has many catchy tracks. Fawful as the main villain does his job very well, and i really enjoy the way he speaks and is overall a very entertaining villain, but i am not overly crazy about him like most seems. Playing as Bowser is incredible! He is such an intersting character when he is not the main villain, he is just a big loveable goofball. Though for me, he does overshadow Mario and Luigi. There are a few times where i say to myself id rather play as Bowser. Minigames are mostly ok. Eating the carrot and Nose deck are frustrating and annoying and i just don`t like them. Smacking small energy balls to increase Bowser`s muscles to a beat is easily my favorite one.
    Overall Bowser`s Inside story is an excellent game, with some problems for me, but none overshadows the game`s postives at all and still manages to be a favorite of mine. This game has pretty much everything i could want from a Mario RPG.    … Expand
  22. llegare-new
    Jan 16, 2022
    9
    MARIO & LUIGI: BOWSER'S INSIDE STORY

    One of the best games I've played in my life, having charismatic characters, an addictive combat and experience system and an entertaining story that goes beyond the standards of the main Mario games.
  23. Tharso
    Jan 12, 2022
    10
    A masterpiece of a game, had so much good memories of this game :) really wanted a remake/port to the switch with all the potencial it deserves
  24. greninjaX
    Nov 21, 2021
    10
    this is the best mario and luigi game. if you're going to play one game in this series, make it this one
  25. ND-Bringer
    Sep 26, 2021
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I still remember back in the day, I would play this game for hours, in my Mom's old yoga studio after school while sipping a mango lassi. I had good times smashing enemies as the King Koopa himself. Returning to this game after many years has been a nostalgic experience, I love so many things about this game but after completing it for the first time, I felt a bit empty. Here's the scoop, the first act of the game is utterly brilliant, a classic Superstar Saga tutorial battle followed by Bowser buying drugs off the street...I mean obtaining a mysterious mushroom from a complete stranger(Either way, Bowser think of your kids that may or may not exist in this universe, since this isn't the remake). Oh and there's the "Blorbs" disease too...but you're likely to forget about that plot until the 2nd act of the game, when Mario and Luigi enter Toad Town. Anyway, I'm having a good time with the first Mario and Luigi level. After Bowser sucks everyone up, Mario is sent to a creative side scrolling world that lies within Bowser. Grinding and practicing my timing attacks just gives me such a warm feeling inside. Every time you level up you have the option of boosting one of your stats little further and little things like this can even make grinding really enjoyable. Bowser wakes up and learns about the returning villain Fawful's plan to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. And after a quick showdown with his very own Wario Land clone, he sets off on a quest to reclaim is title as the Mushroom Kingdom's top villain. Man I love Cave Cape's music, its a shame that there's barely anything to do in accept come back and use your new abilities to collect some hidden treasure. But moving on, playing as Bowser is the best thing about this game! Throwing wicked punches and setting blaze to my foes, it's the literal best to play as a boss. And then comes the Vacuum Block, its a great mechanic but I hate the control. The DS is made for swift movement, not intense button mashing! I'll get back to the worst of it later. The 1st act takes us through a nice order of levels. Bowser's intestine trash pit, a cape, a beach, Bowser's esophagus where you have the change the water level very once in a while on the outside, a forest, a Birdo worm fight, a Giant Bowser battle(which is freaking awesome to control), a quick field level, and finally Bowser's castle. It's a nice lineup that keep you motivated with a few fun mini games here and there. Seeing the world with Bowser's eyes is just an interesting experience. But his naive character leads to his downfall, as I roll my eyes with a missed opportunity to knock out Fawful. The 2nd act of the game has us search for Star Cures to remove Fawful's Dark Star barrier and remove the Blorbs disease. It's a fine act for what it is, but Bowser is just shoved aside for the most part as I start to remember that the Bros have platformer levels. While exploring the exterior of Bowser's Castle, I'm pondering why are their puzzle mechanics exclusive to Bowser's new Body Slam technique? Heck, his shell print is placed onto to the puzzle obstacles. Did Fawful install this? Why? This game is creative, but it like a kids cartoon that doesn't make a lick of sense sometimes. After collect all of the Star Cures and some new special moves, Mario and Luigi storm the castle and free Bowser from his safe prison, its a race against the clock to stop Fawful from draining the power of the ancient Dark Star. But the Bros. can't enter the castle...because the game won't let them. So Bowser storms the castle after the game literally asks us to take a break while we heal his back. Honestly why not? The pollen and leg muscle mini games were stressing me out a tad. And we reach the 3rd and final act of the game. It's also my least favorite part of the game. I'm glad Bowser's Spike Ball ability helps speed things up, but why is there an entire contraption dedicated to this ability within the castle!? I was about to take this game's plot seriously with the dark star, but this is just bizarre! And the boss fights here are really cool, but they're just visually stunning. Mashing that X button with your life force in order to win the battle is just painful. And the painful brew is mixed in with tedious mini games that just slows everything down. The Dark Bowser fight in particular is a mess. Again, it LOOKS awesome...BUT you can't defeat him unless you can suck up his healer, Fawful. And I killed Dark Bowser like 13 times, because I just couldn't summon the might to mash the X Button enough according to this game's standard's. And even after I finally did it, Fawful can just crawl out if you don't defeat him in time. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? Afterword, Bowser is beat up by the Bros and they send him a "thank you cake", for technically saving the world. This game is rather good, but since the post game just consists of collecting and grinding, I'm done here. It's just a game to experience once because the remake just has more content.… Expand
  26. Resetto
    Jul 3, 2021
    10
    To me, this is the second to best Mario RPG of all time! It comes close to topping Thousand Year Door for how fun it is!
  27. nahobino5_
    Jun 26, 2021
    3
    I found playing this to be incredibly stressful and not rewarding. The characters and graphics are the most charming part.
  28. jake17
    Nov 9, 2020
    0
    It's a great game that go's on far too long. I enjoyed my time with it but within 8 hours I was losing it for a 20 hour game which made me start to lose interest.
  29. TimeJ
    Oct 19, 2020
    9
    This game is great. It's not just the best Mario & Luigi game, it's the best Mario RPG game. Do yourself a favor and play this as soon as possible.
  30. Julian0505
    Aug 3, 2020
    10
    The best Mario RPG. You think TTYD is perfect? Get ready for a rude awakening.
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best DS Game of 2009
3
#3 Most Discussed DS Game of 2009
1
#1 Most Shared DS Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 58 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 58 out of 58
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 58
  3. Negative: 0 out of 58
  1. NintendoWorldReport
    90
    Fans who loved the first two games shouldn't hesitate in picking up Bowser's Inside Story. It features everything that makes the series enjoyable and adds onto it everything but the kitchen sink. Despite a few minor flaws, it's a game that features an ingenious game design synonymous with Nintendo games and is easily one of the best DS games of the year.
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  2. Worth Playing
    96
    The bottom line on Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is that it's one of those games that every DS owner should buy, period. Regardless of your feelings about RPGs, the title is just so entertaining and well-executed that you're nearly guaranteed to love it.
    Read full review
  3. Official Nintendo Magazine UK
    92
    The freshest, most vital RPG on the DS for ages. You'd be daft to pass it up. [Nov 2009, p.76]
    Read full review
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