I first played this game as a kid on my gameboy, and I have to say, it's held up incredibly. Tons of great jokes and humor, lots of personality, fun combat and mini games, all combined into a fantastic game.

What distinguishes this game is the writing and great personality given to the Mario bros, even though they don't say a word of dialogue! So many gags (mostly at Luigi's expense) and fun reactions, great animations in and out of combat, and fun scenarios ranging from Luigi getting hypnotized to getting squished into a surfboard! The rest of the cast is phenomenal as well, from amnesiac Bowser to the guffawing Fawful, Christmas tree crabs and yoshi enthusiasts. Stellar dialogue and hilarity abound.

Combat in this game is solid. Bros moves are fun to master, though I wish it was easier to unlock advanced moves. The bosses are well designed and unique, if not terribly difficult, ranging from fighting living soda to a lovestruck birdo. I also want to mention the great combat animations on both sides of battle.

Gameplay is a fun experience all around. There's a plethora of minigames, none of which are required to play more than once, and you can choose which one to earn beans. Admittedly, it's occasionally annoying to deal with dozens of enemies when you just want to explore and find hidden blocks and beans. The platforming and puzzles are well-executed, so that there's a lot of good content in between fights.

Overall, one of the best jrpgs out there, driven by great characters and gameplay.