Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga -- Part 16: The Ultimate Battle

It's time to deal with Bowletta once and for all. Once you've made your preparations, go through the Great Door. Approach the throne and Bowletta congratulates them on making it this far. She intends to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom after she takes the Beanbean Kingdom. The battle begins.

Bowletta has a few attacks. She'll place a block over each bro's head, which they must hit 5 times to make it disappear. They must make it disappear quickly so they can dodge her fiery breath. She'll also spit energy balls called Flarets at the bros. Jump over the ones aimed at the bros. Some will remain on the battlefield, which she can use to heal herself. After enough damage, she'll go into her dark form and send colorful stars at the bros. Hit them back at her. When she's taken enough damage (she make skip her dark form entirely if you do enough early on), she'll say "Cursed Mario Bros.! Not again!" A Time Bob-omb set to zero appears and knocks out the bros. Bowletta scolds them for letting their guard down, and inhales them.

The bros wake up with 1 HP each. Cackletta's spirit is in the belly of Bowser and calls them a persistent pair. She intends to defeat them here and now. If your speed stat is high enough, you can move first, allowing you to heal the bros before she attacks. Otherwise, try to survive her arm attacks. She'll either try to flick the bros with her fingers or swing her arms around. Watch her eyes when she swings her arms around so you know where they'll be. Don't jump if her arms are high up. Her hands can summon either electricity or fire. Jump over the circling fire, which changes directions, and hit the electric ball with your hammer back and forth between the bros. Attack her hands before her head. She'll spit out an energy ball a bro will have to juggle with his hammer. Once you make the head disappear, only her core will remain, revealing her heart. It can restore and heal the head and arms. This is her weak point, so target it when it is revealed. It will be covered up after a while and you'll have to destroy her hands and head again. Do not use electricity or fire on her heart. Once you do enough damage to her heart, she'll use a couple more attacks. The spirit of Fawful will appear and shoot energy blasts at the bros, then appear in front of one of them. Hit him with your hammer. She'll also pause briefly to shoot lasers from her eyes. Again, watch her eyes to see if you need to dodge them. You have a brief moment where you can jump. She's almost done for when she shoots out many energy balls of different colors. This is a difficult attack to dodge, but you must hit the red and green energy balls back at her. It will take a while, but you can defeat her. The explosion forces the bros out of Bowser's body.

Bowletta can't believe she's been defeated. Her spirit leaves Bowser's body and floats away. Bowser lies unconscious on the floor. When the bros try to leave, Prince Peasley appears. He's rigged the castle with an explosive device set to blow in three minutes. They must all escape before time's up or it's Game Over. We can't leave the way we came, so go through the curtain in the back. Go south from there and you'll see lots of stairs. Go down the stairs and you'll find a barrel. Use it to hit a switch to the right. The path ahead will take you to the entrance where Blablanadon is. Talk to him and get out of the castle immediately. Bowser wakes up, unaware of his surroundings or what he has been doing. The explosions make the castle drop out of the sky into the ocean. Bowser flies out and hits the screen.

At Beanbean Airport, Queen Bean, Lady Lima, Toadsworth, Princess Peach, and the bros say their farewells. Prince Peasley leaves them with a large present, which trails behind the plane. Bowser appears from the present and starts chewing on the chain. Turns out they didn't want him in the Beanbean Kingdom and decided to give him back. The plane flies over the Beanbean Kingdom as the credits roll. Bowser drops in on his castle. Fireworks appear as the plane lands at the castle. The curtain closes on this adventure, as the Yoshis cheer from Yoshi Theater.

Well, we're done here. I had a great time replaying one of my favorite games and I hope you enjoyed ready about it. I think you can guess what I'm going to play next.

Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga -- Part 14: Mini Bosses Galore

Now that the bros have reached Bowser's Castle, all they have to do is find Bowletta. Bowletta and Fawful are in the throne room. Fawful says, "O Great Bowletta! The Mario Bros. who I hate are coming this way!" Bowletta is confident that the bros will never make it to the throne room. She calls the Koopalings, who appear and go throughout the castle.

Ahead are new enemies, such as Magikoopas, Hammer Bros, and Gunner Guys. They take critical damage from electricity. Boos will also appear. As you level up, you'll want to be sure to increase the bros' speed. You'll understand later. To reach certain platforms, you'll have to Spin Jump around bars overhead. What this means is that you must Spin Jump in a curve away from the platforms, then go to the platform you want to go to, instead of Spin Jumping in a line. The door ahead leads to Iggy's Room.

Iggy will spin around the bros to make them dizzy. This will change the control scheme, so up may move them to the right, for example. There are flames on the floor. If you hit them, you'll have to start over. Run into Iggy to start the battle. He'll spit fireballs, which you can hit back at him. He'll also spin around the bros to make them dizzy and unable to defend. Hit him with a hammer before the bros get dizzy. Once you defeat him, a portal appears, a bridge to the Save Book appears, and a bridge to the next area appears. The portal warps you into the main hallway so you can continue through the castle.

The next area has you jump over spikes. Magikoopas are here. They make rings of fire to jump through and heal allies. In the next room are yellow platforms, like the ones in Stardust Fields. The next room is Morton's. The Save Book is up the stairs to the right.

Morton will create shockwaves to dodge. Once you reach him, the battle will start. He'll flip in the air a number of times equal to the number of shockwaves he'll send out upon landing. He'll also shoot fireballs. Defeating Morton will allow you to progress.

Go up several flights of stairs, then Spin Jump across gaps and lava, using tornados. Lemmy's room is next. He'll spin around the bros, making three copies of himself. Hit the real one to start the battle. Otherwise, he'll spin around them again. In battle, he shoots fireballs and makes copies of himself. Eliminate the copies with Thunder Bros. Defeating him makes a portal appear and starts some water flowing outside. Have Mario drink the water to extinguish the flames.

In the next area, deal with a Magikoopa, then go into the next room. You'll have to shoot balls of water at Mecha-Koopas to hit them into the electrical circuits. You have 4 attempts to fill all three circuits before the Mecha-Koopas get released from the circuits. This opens the door ahead. There are two Piranha Plant buds in the ground. Have Mario drink some water, then have Luigi use the Thunderhand on him. Make the left Piranha Plant bud grow to produce a ! Block that opens the door ahead to Ludwig's room.

Ludwig crawls into his shell and moves towards the bros. Have the bros jump over him. He'll jump away. Try to leave and he'll drop down and attack you. In battle, he'll spin around in his shell, so jump over him. He'll also spin in front of the bros to make them dizzy. Once he's defeated, some spikes outside will disappear. Four Koopalings down, four to go.

Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga -- Part 13: Princess Luigi

After defeating Jojora and her friend, move into the next room. Fawful is there, saying, "So! The fink-rats come at last! Now is the time when you hand over the Beanstar, you little men! Send the Beanstar up to the top of this pedestal, and be hasty!" Send Luigi past the gate and Fawful commands, "Send the Beanstar up here!" Luigi presents the fake Beanstar and Fawful shoots it down. He says, "Oh! Oh, I am laughing at you! I can see through your pathetic designs, you ugly thing! That was a FAKE Beanstar! Now you give me the real one!" He vacuums up the real Beanstar from the suitcase, saying, "Har! You idiots of stupidity!", then flies off. Have Luigi go into the room to the north and hit the switch. This lowers the gate and Mario rejoins his brother. Mario comes up with a plan involving Peach's dress. Luigi is confused.

Go to the right. Fawful brings the Beanstar to Bowletta, saying, "O Great Bowletta! At last we have the Beanstar! I am joyful!" Bowletta is pleased. Mario appears, telling Bowletta to return Peach. Bowletta refuses, but Mario cracks up. Princess Peach walks in, covering her mouth. The presence of two princesses confuses Bowletta. Peach says the princess Bowletta kidnapped is a fake, prepared in advance. Bowletta chases after Peach and leaves the other one behind. Once they are gone, Mario talks to Peach, who is thankful and kisses him.

On the Koopa Cruiser, Bowletta and Fawful are thrilled to have Peach and the Beanstar. Fawful says, "I still have rage over that fake Princess Peach..." Bowletta admits that Peach and the bros are sly. She asks why Peach is covering her face. Fawful asks, "Do you hide something?" Bowletta freaks out at a cockroach behind Peach and she jumps, uncovering her face, revealing that she is Luigi. Bowletta asks, "Fawful, did you see that?" Fawful responds, "Yes. Mustache." Luigi's cover is blown. Bowletta commands Fawful to fire at will. The blast detroys the wig, revealing Luigi definitively. Luigi runs off and blocks their path with a crate. Luigi changes clothes and goes through the Koopa Cruiser.

The Koopa Cruiser has been hastily repaired and it looks like it.There are several orbs activated by electricity. Some of them reveal invisible blocks with lots of Hoo Beans. You'll eventually make it to the mouth of the Cruiser, where the Beanstar is. Activate the orb and Luigi takes the Beanstar, puts on a parachute, and jumps before Bowletta can reach him. Fawful says, "We chase them now!" Bowletta says they'll go to the Mushroom Kingdom instead. Fawful is worried and confused.

While falling to the ground, Luigi uses Peach's dress as a parachute. Prince Peasley appears and takes the Beanstar. A bird bites the cord tethering Luigi to his parachute and Peasley can't catch him. In Teehee Valley, Mario, Peach, and Toadsworth are waiting for Luigi to land. He lands face-first on the other side of some rocks. He sinks into the sand and drops underground, sending up a ! Block. Peasley will move the Beanstar to some place safe and Toadsworth and Peach will return to the castle. Mario's on his own to find Luigi.

Go north, then south. Hit the ! Block to lower a platform. Underground, Popple finds an unconscious Luigi and orders Rookie to tie him up. Just like Peach, Luigi has been kidnapped. Go back north over the lowered platform. Go to the left, where you'll encounter Dry Bones. These ones are faster and stronger than those you found on Hoohoo Mountain. Go through the yellow pipe on the left to go underground. Light the torches and use the Save Book. Ahead, Luigi is tied to a pillar. Use the Firebrand to burn the ropes. Popple appears, waiting for Mario to show up. He's found a new Rookie, who turns out to be Birdo. Birdo wants to spend some romantic time alone with Popple. Popple is not okay with this idea. Popple is okay with showing off Birdo's abilities in battle. With Birdo's power, they'll be unstoppable. Birdo thinks their special power is the power of love.

As always, Popple will first try to steal hammers or items. Attack Birdo first, or Birdo will retaliate for you hurting Popple. Birdo will try to inhale the bros. Stop the attack with a hammer. Birdo will also aim at the bros and shoot flaming rocks at them. Popple will flee after you defeat Birdo. Popple calls Birdo useless and fires his new Rookie. Birdo kicks him far away and decides to go solo to become a superstar. Go through the yellow pipe ahead and return to Beanbean Castle Town.

The town is under aerial siege. Go to the castle. Queen Bean informs the bros that Bowser's Castle is to blame for all the destruction. The place is defenseless to air-based attacks. Prince Peasley informs the bros that Peach and the others are safely in Little Fungitown. Mario says that he and Luigi know Bowser's Castle very well and will take care of things. Prince Peasley leaves on his own. Now the bros need a way to reach Bowser's Castle in the air. Return to Hoohoo Village and talk to Blablanadon. He'll fly the bros to Bowser's Castle and will bring them back when they want to return.

Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga -- Part 12: Surfing to the End of the World

When you have all four pieces, return to Beanbean Castle. The Beanstar revives and becomes whole again. Bowletta has a message on another Game Boy Advance. She wants the bros to bring the Beanstar to her at Joke's End to the northwest. They can't reach it by walking underwater. Queen Bean thinks Bowletta's up to something other than awakening the Beanstar with Peach's voice. Prince Peasley gives the bros a fake Beanstar as a decoy. Toadsworth gives the bros Peach's extra dress so she'll have a change of clothes if she ruined the dress she's currently wearing. Prince Peasley says the bros may find a way to cross the ocean's surface on the beach, as there was a surfing spot there. He gives the bros the prize money of 99,999,999,999,999,999 Mushroom coins, which comes to 99 Beanbean coins at the current exchange rate. We should've asked him to hold the coins for the trip home.

Go visit the Hammerhead Bros. first. They'll reforge the hammers into Ultra Hammers, which can break any rock. You can go anywhere now. Go to the right and play another game with the Thwomp. Try to get Secret Scroll 2, which will teach Luigi the Bros. Attack called Cyclone Bros.

The surfing spot is just to the right of the yellow pipe that takes you underwater. There's a slot in the ground. Have Mario hit Luigi with his hammer into the slot to make Luigi a surfboard. Surf's up! There's lots to explore in the ocean. To the southeast are a pair of islands that hold a surfing game. Hit the balloons on the course in the least amount of time. You'll get beans, including Hoo Beans, and other prizes. While surfing, avoid whirlpools. North of Oho Oasis is another island. Go north of it and enter the whirlpool. You'll go underwater near a yellow pipe. Take it aboveground to the island for a 1-Up Super. Go back underwater to get off the island. The path underwater will take you near the S.S. Chuckola. In Gwarhar Lagoon, go to the southeast and break the rocks to meet Spangle. He wants a stage, like a festive tree. Take him to Hermie. He will stand atop Hermie's shell. Hermie will give you the Soulful Bros. badge.

When you're ready to go to Joke's End, surf as far to the northeast as you can go, mostly in the north direction. It is due north of Oho Oasis. The fun music gives way to something creepier. Break the rocks and go immediately to the left to reach the green pipe. Go up the stairs to meet a girl holding a bundle. Her name is Jojora. The palace of Joke's End is their playground. Jojora hasn't heard of Bowletta or Peach. She says the path ahead will be more challenging than what the bros have faced before. Light the torch ahead and go inside.

To the left is a moving tornado. Re-enter it to reach a mole with a Red Pepper and Green Pepper. To the right is a vat. Jojora floats to the upper right, wondering if the bros can make it to where she is. Break the cracked doorway to go north, up the stairs. Go right again and Spin Jump to the next doorway. Use the Thunderhand to get past two sets of rollers and reach a ! Block which opens the door in the room with the vat. Go through the doorway. Go right and down the stairs. You'll see some wood in a stove. Light it on fire to make the liquid in the vat boil. Return to the vat, stand on the grate above it, and Spin Jump to create a tornado. Go upstairs and Spin Jump into the tornado to cross the large gap.

Jojora says things will get more challenging from here on out and that the bros should give up. Go under the gate and hit the ! Block to open the door. Have Mario go through the door and up the stairs. Go through the doorway in the back. Go left, then south to reach a Simu-Block. Have Luigi go to the right, up the stairs, south, left, and north to reach the other Simu-Block. Hit the blocks to lower the gate for Mario. Have Luigi go south, then left. Have Mario follow the path and hit the ! Block to make a barrel appear. Luigi must be in the room when you hit the block. Have Luigi hit the switch, which opens the door for Mario. Both bros should walk through the doors to reach two more Simu-Blocks. Hit them and Jojora appears again. She's impressed with the bros' tenacity and will have them play a little game. They must hit the blocks that appear. If they hit 30 blocks in 25 seconds, she'll open the doors ahead.

Both bros go inside, but are still split up. Luigi goes north. Mario goes several flights of stairs and lights four candles. This moves a platform. Have Mario return to the room where the platform moved. Have Mario stand on the yellow platform and Luigi stand under the yellow platform. While controlling Mario, have Luigi jump so Mario can get over a higher platform. Both bros should go south to Simu-Blocks. Hit them to lower the gate. Both bros should go south again. Position Mario under the ! Block and control Luigi. Hit the ! Block and move Luigi under the shadow of the falling barrel. Have Luigi walk to the north and step on the panel. This will make a bridge appear outside so the bros can regroup. Go back south and right to a room with a Save Book. Go through the doorway and up the stairs. You'll be in the room with the four candles. Ignore them for now and go to the northeast. The stairs will lead you into another room with a vat and Jojora. She doesn't like the bros' annoying persistence.

Follow Jojora to the right. Drop down the stairs and go left to another fireplace. Light it to create some vapor. Spin the vapor into a tornado, which rises up to the candles. Go back to the room with the candles. Have Mario drink some water, stand in front of the tornado, and have Luigi hit Mario with his hammer to extinguish all four flames simultaneously. This opens the door to the north. Go upstairs to a room with a barrel and Save Book. Go up the stairs and hit the ! Block after putting Luigi in front and selecting Mario's Firebrand. Hit the block to make some platforms appear in the gap temporarily. Quickly line the bros up on the lower white line and use the Firebrand to move quickly. This may take a few tries.

Jojora's in the next room, welcoming the bros as the first people to make it up here. She tells them to have a seat and relax. She's going to invite one of her friends and the bros get to pick: Chucklissa, Oholina, Hoohoolia, and Teeheena. They're all the same, so pick one that strikes your fancy. Her friend is a giant snow monster. You have to battle them both. Jojora will approach the bros and try to use her wand. Swat it away with your hammer. She'll fly off for a few turns, so you can deal with her friend. If you hit her friend while Jojora is around, she'll attack the bros and heal her friend. Deal with Jojora when she's around and leave her friend alone. Jojora has really high defense and each attack will only do 1 HP of damage, so attacks like Chopper Bros. are your best friend in this fight. Her friend will wonder if one of the bros likes her. She'll change her hair color from blonde to pink. With blonde hair, she's susceptible to fire attack, but susceptible to electric attacks when her hair is pink. She'll roll into a snowball at a bro, which can be blocked with a hammer. She'll also try to pick a bro up, so stomp on her hands. Jojora will whip up a snowstorm. The bros should keep jumping from being buried alive. Once you defeat her friend, Jojora will be upset and flee the battle. You'll get the Sledge Heart badge if you have the Game Boy Horror SP equipped. According to Jojora, play time is over. Light the two unlit torches in the room to go forward. You'll want to save before you go.

Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga -- Part 9: It's Officially a Mario Game

There are a few things to do in Little Fungitown. Go west, then go east by Spin Jumping on the mushroom platforms. There's an invisible block with a Hoo Bean here. There's another Hoo Bean on the leftmost mushroom in front of the Embassy. You can jump on the mushrooms from the wall on the right. There are shops for gear and items. One local mentions not eating food you're not used to. Many others mention the Game Arcade, which is on the east side of town. They mention the Invincishroom, a mushroom delicacy of 1-Up Mushrooms and Stars, which is the prize for beating the high score in the arcade.

Inside the arcade, there's only one game open: The Star 'Stache Smash, hosted by Geno. We need to beat the high score of 200 points to get an Invincishroom. Use the (A) and (B) buttons to tilt the tray to make items slide into the mouths of Piranha Plants on the sides. If a bomb goes into a Piranha Plant's mouth, it will close and the other will open. I got a score of 339. The owner of the arcade will give the bros an Invincishroom, a green mushroom with red spots. Mario eats it without sharing with Luigi. Mario turns green and collapses.

Mario is rushed to the Embassy. The doctor says he has Bean Fever. It afflicts travelers who aren't used to the region's food. The doctor is out of the remedy that can cure Mario. He'll turn into a bean in three days if he isn't treated. The doctor says that to the west is a dangerous place called Guffawha Ruins. Crabbie Grass, the cure for Bean Fever, grows there. Luigi eagerly volunteers to go in search of the Crabbie Grass, until the doctor mentions monsters in the ruins that do nasty things to their victims. Luigi becomes his cowardly self. It is all Peach can do to talk him into it. A trembling Luigi leaves the Embassy, unable to jump. There is only one place he can go: a house on the southeast corner.

A Koopa lives here called Psycho Kamek. He has the ability to perform hypnosis. After a deep breath, Psycho Kamek mentions that Luigi looks a lot like Mario and might be a fan of his. He'll turn Luigi into Mario. He starts the hypnosis. After the hypnosis is over, Luigi has a look in the mirror. His hats and clothes are red and he sounds like Mario. Luigi is now confident and can jump around. Return to Teehee Valley.

Go south past the Toads, then head west up a small stone elevator on the left. Go south. The path splits ahead. To the east, you'll be able to reach a Hoo Bean in an invisible block. Go south, then west. Go west again and you'll be in an area like Hoohoo Mountain. Go south, then north up the large stairs. Hit the red statue in the middle. It will crumble and Luigi must hit eight blue spheres. Do not hit the red ones. They will turn blue eventually. Try to hit them right after they bounce. The surrounding statues will make a white statue with a switch appear. Hit the switch to open the door ahead. Use electricity on the orbs to open the gate.

The enemies here are Chuck Guys (like Spear Guys), Limbo Bros, and Oucher Glasses. Cross the gap of donut lifts. There's a complicated puzzle ahead. You have to hit switches to make the lifts move around so you can reach the top. There are four levels. Hit either the blue or green switch on the first level, then hit the other switch on the second level. This should allow you to reach the fourth level, where the red switch it. Hit it, then go back down to the second level. Hit the blue and green switches again, and you can reach the door. Ahead is another challenge, where you must jump from moving platforms while avoiding flames. This opens the door to the Crabbie Grass. Ahead is a yellow pipe back to Little Fungitown.

Head back to the Embassy. Lightning will strike. This will zap Luigi back to normal, so he won't remember what he was doing when he was "Mario". Ahead, more lightning strikes. The Clown Copter appears and Peach is in it. A silhouette appears. Luigi thinks it's Bowser, but the silhouette thinks he's mistaken. It's Bowletta, the result of Cackletta's spirit entering Bowser. Fawful explains, "Cackletta's power has poured ino this Koopa who is king!!! The body is of the Bowser, but the mind is all of the Great Cackletta!" Bowletta is kidnapping Peach to use her voice. They fly off. Well, the Princess has officially been kidnapped. Go into the Embassy and cure Mario's Bean Fever.

Back at Beanbean Castle, Toadsworth scolds the bros over the kidnapping. Lady Lima brings in a message from Bowletta, on a Game Boy Advance. She wants the four pieces of the Beanstar in exchange for Peach's safe return. She will contact the bros once the Beanstar reforms. The bros have no choice but to follow Cackletta's demands. Prince Peasley knows the general areas where the pieces fell. They are marked on the map. He challenges the bros to find them before he does. The prize: 99,999,999,999,999 Mushroom Coins. Toadsworth suggests getting the piece in Teehee Valley first. We should do as he says; we can't access the other Beanstar pieces yet.