Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story was the first RPG I ever played. I also have quite a bit of history with it over the years too. Back when I first had the game, I played it quite a bit and ended up getting pretty far. The further I got, the more difficult it was to progress. The game wasn't absurdly hard for me it was that my DS shoulder pads beginning to wear out from use over the years. I ended up getting to the final boss but I could never mash fast enough when dealing with a certain part. I eventually abandoned it and sold it. Eventually Nintendo announced the 3ds remake back in 2018 and while the remake itself didn't need to exist, I was excited because that meant I'd finally get another chance at beating it. I did, and it took me over 8 years to do it. Since there is extra content and a handful of things to compare, I will probably review the remake a separate time.

The story itself isn't extremely grand or convoluted but it is better than your average Mario game and will likely keep you hooked on what happens next. The dialogue is what really makes the game and all of the characters will definitely get a chuckle out of you in some capacity. Bowser is the one who steals the show in this game though, not only is Bowser a bit of a goofball but you get to see more of his personality in general which is something you don't usually get in a Mario game. He is a fully three-dimensional character and not just a "bad guy who kidnaps damsel-in-distress."

The gameplay is a lot more engaging than most RPGs. It is turn-based but unlike most turn-based games you actually have control over your attacks for better or worse based on your timing. The same goes for enemy attacks as well since you will have to memorize their patterns and have the proper timing to avoid their moves. Even outside of the traditional combat, the game gets very unique with how it utilizes the DS's features. The stylus is used in mech fights and you do use it for certain moments where you're inside Bowser. Speaking of that, the gameplay really takes advantage of the concept of the Mario Bros being stuck inside Bowser. There are a wide variety of minigames and puzzles that make the game fun and give it a sense of immersion since you're usually shown what happens to Bowser as a result of what you're doing to him on the inside.

The soundtrack is peak Yoko Shimomura and rivals her work in the Kingdom Hearts games. The most memorable song to me is In The Final which you can obviously tell by its name plays when you fight the final boss. It makes the fight all the more badass.

This game was a fantastic experience and I'm glad it was my introduction to the RPG genre. It's easily one of the best games released on the DS. If you love Mario or/and love RPGs, you won't want to miss this one.