Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time -- Part 11: The Secrets of the Stars

Star Hill is a peacefully, starry road, with soothing music. It's still infested with enemies, however, so a leisurely stroll is not in order. You'll meet Handfakes, enemies that hold paper signs of enemies and attack in the same way as they do. Fire-based attacks do critical damage. Mix Flowers are a new Bros. Item found here. The bros surround the enemies, throwing fireballs into the air that conglomerate into a giant fireball. When the bros can no longer support the fireball by throwing fireballs, it drops on all enemies. It's incredibly powerful. You'll also encounter Fly Guys, Shy Guys with helicopters on their heads, carrying spike balls.

In the next area, send the Baby Cakes in a narrow gap and spin the gear to increase the air current. You can exit on the second and third levels on the left. On the second level, you can get some coins and items. On the third level, you can reunite with the bros and keep going. Save when you reach the Save Book.

Just up ahead, in the same area, is a Shroob. He summons an army of Shroobs to fight the bros. A flying saucer drops in a giant bomb. The Commander Shroob hides off screen, so lure him out with the bomb, by hitting the middle and right Shroobs. The left Shroob can't hold the bomb on his own and it rolls backwards, hitting the Commander Shroob, bringing him on screen. He takes critical damage from Ice Flowers. He'll fire with his ray gun and send Shroobs at the bros from the ground and the sky. After a while, he'll have the Shroobs bring in another bomb. Use Bros. Items and you'll defeat him quickly.

Ahead is an area with three star-shaped pillars. Stuffwell reports high Cobalt Star readings. He lets the Cobalt Star out and the pillars reform it. It reveals the Star Sprite that lives within the Cobalt Star. The sacred power of Star Hill allows the Star Sprite to speak with the bros. It says it has the power to defeat the Shroobs, which is why Princess Shroob shattered the Cobalt Star. The Star Sprite tells the bros to retrieve the other shards to restore the Cobalt Star. If they find two more shards, they'll be able to break the barrier that surrounds Peach's Castle. It says that when they collect the last shard, they'll be heroes. It opens a starry path ahead to the Star Shrine, where another shard is. Inexplicably, Baby Luigi starts crying. Walk or roll up the path ahead.

The pipe leads to the Star Shrine. There is a large star-shaped door ahead. The door opens its eyes and asks what the bros are doing there. Those unworthy or without purpose will not enter. Mario and Luigi will be appraised of their worthiness. Mario is deemed true and courageous, virtuous, and concerned about Luigi. He should watch his diet, however. He is worthy. Luigi, on the other hand, gets wished good luck. The door mentions that Luigi has secrets that he might not wished revealed. The door has no issues with the babies, but that only allows three bros through. The door presents three options: give up and go home, leave Luigi behind, or find and hit the Aurora Block. The Aurora Block is a rare block. If they find it and hit it, the door will let Luigi through.

Go either east or west. Either way, you'll reach the same place. In the next areas, you'll encounter Piranha Planets. You'll also find Wonder Thwacks. In the areas to the north, you'll need to Spin Jump from high platforms. If you find yourself falling a lot, try walking around in the Spin Jump pose, with Luigi standing on Mario. This may help you control the bros better. You'll reach a star-shaped area. Go north to an area with a gear, a rainbow block, and a couple of springs. Send the babies up the left spring and have Baby Mario drink water. Spin the gear to move the rainbow block to where the babies are. Hit the block with water, then go up the right spring. Hit the block and it moves to where the bros are. Have a bro and baby team up to hit the block and it moves in front of the door.

The door congratulates the bros on finding the Aurora Block. Luigi is to hit the block, but it moves out of the way. The door asks Luigi who is responsible for bringing the Aurora Block over. He gives Luigi three choices: Mario, the babies, or himself. Whichever you pick is incorrect and the door will ask again. And again. The door will say the correct answer was the fourth choice, everyone. Luigi complains that there were only three choices. The door reprimands him, saying Luigi is destined to be lonely. Luigi starts crying and Mario says the door is lying. The babies also defend Luigi. The door says they are the best siblings ever. The door says that it was all a test. He knows Luigi is pure of heart and they all may pass. Luigi hits the Aurora Block, which alters its size to match the size of the heart of the one who strikes it. Luigi is flattened into a disc. The door opens. This leads to a pipe to a new part of the Star Shrine

This part of the Star Shrine is shaped like a pentagon. Each point of the pentagon has a block with a star on it. Hit it to send a couple of beams out. Keep hitting those blocks to form beams that connect in the center of the pentagon, forming a star. You must form at least one connection between two sets of beams or the other will shut off. There is one puzzle where you'll have to match a pattern dictated by a ! Block. Hit the blocks in question with the baby of the same color as each part of the pattern to make the block with the star appear. This will form a path to the center of the pentagon from the north point. Take the pipe deeper into the Star Shrine.

Everything connects in a weird maze, but all you have to worry about is moving forward. In the third room, Stuffwell spots the Cobalt Star shard. Hit the switch to open the door ahead and release the shard. Suddenly, Toadbert and Kylie drop in after being carried by a Lakitu. Kylie explained that when she landed on Toadbert's head, his memory came back. He was holding onto a Cobalt Star shard in secret. He also reveals that restoring the Cobalt Star will not help us defeat the Shroobs. Toadbert says not to reform the Cobalt Star and runs off when Mario shows that they have four shards already. The Cobalt Star tries to communicate that a strong power ahead beckons and flies off.

In the next area, send the Baby Cakes under the low ceiling on the left. There are many paths to take, but one leads to a grate, leading to a switch. Hit the switch, which will allow the bros to climb higher. Climb the mostly pink stairs, Spin Jumping and Baby Spinning when you need to. Grab some items and save in the next area. Ahead, Toadbert and Kylie have been knocked down. Kylie says something about a monster and danger. Toadbert mentions his sketch. He says the hidden answer is there. We must rub the dirt smudge to reveal it. The dirt smudge in question is in the lower right corner. It reveals another Shroob wearing a crown. Before Toadbert can explain, a Shroob appears and turns Kylie and Toadbert into mushrooms. The explanation will have to wait.

This is the Elder Shrooboid. He'll approach the bros and spin into them. Counter with a hammer repeatedly. It has spikes on its head, so no jump-based attacks. He'll put the bros in crystals, then spin a giant iron ball at them. Jump repeatedly to break the crystal, then dodge him hitting the iron ball and diving at the bros. He'll also send a spike ball to circle the bros. Knock it away with a hammer and it falls over, so you can use jump attacks. After enough damage, it will grow larger and send out a flying saucer with a time bomb. He has all the same attacks. If you can repel the spike ball attack, it will fall down and the time bomb will move over him. He can also throw fireballs. Once it is defeated, it explodes, revealing the Cobalt Star shard. The rest of the Cobalt Star returns. We must leave Toadbert and Kylie here. Approach the door to open it. This leads to a time hole in the basement.  

Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time -- Part 10: A Fungus Among Us

The bros get to explore the Shroob mother ship. Oddly enough, it has quite a few bean spots. The room to the south is split by a wall. Go east to a narrow hallway. You'll encounter Guardian Shroobs. They're faster than normal Shroobs and like to team up for attacks. Ice Flowers do critical damage. In the background, you'll see Shroobs soaking in green liquid. Keep going to the right. You'll see a large purple ! Block. Hit it and it flies away. Send the babies up on the spring. There will be switches to hit,  illuminating the area ahead. You can only hit the ! Block when the area around it is lit up. Go to the right and hit the ! Block to form a bridge between the split rooms. When you're ready, go up the elevator.

Go north and you'll see the princess. Rather, it's a hologram. An army of Shroobs appears and the princess walks in with them. She rips off the fungus covering her face and reveals herself to be Princess Shroob. This time, her speech is translated. The bros are to be consumed. One Shroob doesn't seem to be celebrating and breaks out a camera. After snapping a few pictures and taking out the army with a ray gun, the Shroob reveals herself to be Kylie. The five escape into the elevator ahead. She's calling it even for saving her from Petey Piranha. Kylie thinks it may have been Princess Shroob's plan for the bros to take her to the present Mushroom Kingdom to take it over, as well. For once, Bowser's useful for something, as he foiled her plans. Get off the elevator and save.

Ahead, Kylie's found the keyhole for the key she found. It opens a trapdoor out of the mother ship. Baby Bowser, who's still on the roof, hears the noise and breaks through the roof. He hides on the ship.

In Yoshi Village, Toadbert's helping repair the village. The image he drew keeps bothering him, but he won't think about it anymore. Kylie lands on his head. This jogs his memory.

The bros land in a devastated area. Stuffwell says it's Toad Town. Explore the houses. Check out the glow gaps and send the Baby Cakes in for extra items. There are Shroids in this town, robotic Shroobs. If you counter their spike ball attack, they'll malfunction. Another attack is their flag attack. If the flag of the same color as the bro is raised, the bro should jump. This changes if the Shroid malfunctions. On your way, you'll pick up Red Shells. They're like Green Shells, but will hit other enemies after your target has been defeated. There's a house to the east that has a bridge connecting it to a house on the other side of the wall. Send the babies over and have the bros go south. The babies should go south to hit the blocks to open the gates ahead. They'll run into Skellokeys, skeleton Pokeys. They'll also encounter Love Bubbles, which attack from the air.

Throughout Toad Town, the bros will be separated from the babies. Stuffwell reports that the Cobalt Star is reacting strangely. Stuffwell says the activity is related to a place called Star Hill. There is a path there in Toad Town. The bros should go west, then east twice to the next set of blocks. The babies should go southeast, then south to reach their next set of blocks. Have all four bros go south to be reunited. Hit the ! Block to open the gate to the Time Hole. The pipe will take you to Star Hill.