I vividly remember the first time I popped the gray cartridge into my original Nintendo DS. It was 2005. The dual-screen era was still finding its legs, and frankly, we weren't ready for how dark things were about to get in the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario & Luigi Partners in Time DS wasn't just a sequel to Superstar Saga; it was a weird, experimental, and occasionally punishing dive into time travel that felt nothing like a standard Mario game.
It’s gritty. Or at least, as gritty as a game featuring a sentient suitcase named Stuffwell can get.
Most people remember the "babies." Baby Mario and Baby Luigi. But if you look past the cute character designs, you're staring at an alien invasion story—the Shroobs—that involves literal life-force harvesting and a destroyed kingdom. It’s a lot. Honestly, the tonal shift from the vibrant Beanbean Kingdom of the first game to the purple-hued, desolate past of Partners in Time is still one of the boldest moves AlphaDream ever made.
The Quad-Button Combat Nightmare (And Why It Works)
If you've played any of the Mario & Luigi games, you know the rhythm. You hit 'A' for Mario and 'B' for Luigi. Easy. But Mario & Luigi Partners in Time DS decided that two buttons weren't enough for our thumbs. It introduced the Babies, mapped to 'X' and 'Y'.
Suddenly, you aren't just timing jumps for two brothers. You're managing a vertical stack of four characters.
When the babies are on the adults' backs, you have to coordinate four separate button inputs to maximize damage during "Bros. Items." It’s frantic. You’ll mess up. I still mess up. The game demands a level of manual dexterity that honestly rivals some rhythm games. Unlike Bowser's Inside Story, which focused on the giant-scale gimmick, this game focused on the micro-management of your own hands.
It’s tactile in a way modern RPGs usually avoid.
One thing that often gets lost in the conversation about this game is the removal of the "Bros. Points" (BP) system. In Partners in Time, special moves are consumable items. You buy them in shops. You find them in blocks. Some fans hated this because it felt like you could "run out" of your best attacks right before a boss. I actually think it adds a layer of survival horror—okay, maybe that’s dramatic—but it definitely adds resource management that isn't present in the rest of the series.
Those Shroobs Are Genuinely Terrifying
Let’s talk about the Shroobs. These aren’t your typical "I want to kidnap Peach" villains. Princess Shroob and her twin sister are cold, calculating imperialists. They don't just want to rule; they want to replace.
The imagery in the Toadwood Forest is haunting. You see Toads strapped to trees, their life energy being drained to fuel Shroob UFOs. For a 2005 handheld game meant for kids, that’s incredibly dark. It gave the stakes a weight that Superstar Saga lacked. You weren't just on a wacky adventure; you were a resistance fighter in a conquered land.
The boss fights reflect this. They are long. Like, really long.
If you go into the Sunnycide or Elder Shrooboid fights without enough Cannonballers or Ice Flowers, you’re going to be there for twenty minutes. The HP pools in Mario & Luigi Partners in Time DS are notoriously high. Some critics at the time, including reviewers from IGN and GameSpot, pointed out that the game can feel like a "boss rush" toward the end. They weren't wrong. But there's a satisfaction in dodging a complex, multi-stage attack from a Shroob boss that the later, easier entries in the series never quite replicated.
The DS Hardware: A Blessing and a Curse
This was a "Year One" DS game. AlphaDream was clearly trying to figure out what to do with that second screen. Most of the time, the top screen acts as a map. Useful? Sure. Revolutionary? No.
However, the way the game splits the party is where the DS hardware shines. You'll often send the babies through a small hole into a sub-area while the adults wait on the bottom screen. You have to switch back and forth to solve puzzles simultaneously. It’s a bit clunky by 2026 standards, especially when compared to how Bowser's Inside Story used the dual screens for the Bowser/Bros. interaction, but it laid the groundwork.
Interestingly, Mario & Luigi Partners in Time DS is the only game in the series that doesn't have a traditional interconnected world map. You travel via "Time Holes" from Peach's Castle. This makes the game feel more linear. It's a series of levels rather than a world you explore.
Is that a downgrade?
Maybe. It definitely loses that "Metroidvania" feel where you see a ledge you can't reach and come back later with a new power-up. But it keeps the pacing fast. You’re always moving forward into a new time period, a new environment, or a new tragedy.
Why There Was No 3DS Remake
This is the question that haunts the fanbase. Nintendo and AlphaDream remade Superstar Saga and Bowser's Inside Story for the 3DS. They skipped Partners in Time entirely.
Why?
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Rumor has it that the sales figures didn't justify it, or perhaps the mechanical complexity of the four-button combat was too much of a hurdle for a quick engine port. It’s a shame. A remake could have fixed the bloated boss HP and refined the consumable item system. Instead, the original DS version remains the only way to play it (outside of the Wii U Virtual Console, which is now a digital ghost town).
It makes the original cartridge a bit of a collector's item. If you find one at a garage sale, grab it. It’s the "black sheep" of the family, but that’s exactly why it’s worth your time. It’s weird, it’s mean, and it’s unapologetically different.
Mastering the Past: Real Tips for a Replay
If you’re digging out your old DS or 3DS to play this again, there are a few things you’ve probably forgotten that will save your life.
First, ignore the "Stache" stat during level-ups for a bit. Focus on Power and HP. Because you have four characters, your individual HP pools are actually quite low. One mistimed dodge from a boss can wipe out the babies, and then your Bros. Items become significantly weaker.
Second, farm the "Pocket Chomp" item. It’s one of the most reliable damage dealers in the game because it scales well with your timing.
Third, don't be afraid to use your items. Unlike other RPGs where you save your "megalixirs" for the final boss, Mario & Luigi Partners in Time DS expects you to burn through your inventory. The shops are generous, and the coins are plentiful.
Honestly, the game is best played in short bursts. The linearity can feel repetitive if you try to marathon it in two sittings. But as a journey through a bizarre, alien-infested version of Mario's history? It’s unmatched.
Your Partners in Time Action Plan
- Check your hardware: This game runs natively on DS, DS Lite, DSi, and all 3DS/2DS models. The DSi XL or New 3DS XL screens make the 2D sprite work pop beautifully.
- Emulation note: If you're emulating, you need a layout that shows both screens vertically. Side-by-side layouts will break the puzzles where characters move between the top and bottom screens.
- Difficulty spike: Be prepared for the Gritzy Caves. It’s where the game stops holding your hand and starts demanding near-perfect dodges.
- The "Secret" Boss: Without spoiling too much, make sure you collect the Beans hidden in the ground throughout the game. There’s a shop in the sewers of Peach’s Castle run by a familiar face from Superstar Saga who will trade them for some of the best gear in the game.
There isn't going to be a "new" way to play this anytime soon since AlphaDream, the developer, unfortunately went bankrupt in 2019. This DS original is the definitive, and only, version of this strange tale. It’s a piece of Nintendo history that refused to play by the rules. It’s grumpy, it’s colorful, and it’s still the most unique RPG on the handheld. Go play it. Just don't blame me when your thumbs cramp up during the final boss.