Mario & Luigi RPG1 DX on 3DS, remake of the first Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga on GBA. Bowletta and her minions in the Beanbean Kingdom. Classic franchise humour enriched. The original magnificently enhanced for 3DS.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player7+
Description
Mario and Luigi travel inside Peach's body to face the witch Cackletta in this fully remastered remake of the first Mario & Luigi. Published by Nintendo, released in Japan in December 2017. Turn-based combat with evasion timing, all-new Bowser's Minions mode, fully remastered visuals. Japan exclusive.
Mario & Luigi - RPG1 DX review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
The side mode brings a second visual grammar. Where the main adventure keeps its detailed figures and deep scenery, the minion battles read like a plan of manoeuvres, with units reduced to medallion portraits, blocks of colour by category and formations displayed from above. The two registers coexist on the same cartridge without ever contaminating each other.
The original handheld melodies find real instruments again. What once came out of a chip with a handful of channels is here handed to recorded brass, strings and percussion, without a single note being changed, so that a tune heard fifteen years earlier is recognised at once. The side mode, for its part, gains parodic military fanfares that existed in no earlier version.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Mild"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Handling both brothers in concert, triggering tandem attacks with perfect timing and exploring a kingdom packed with humor makes for an action RPG whose every gag and puzzle begs for the next. The timing-based combos and duo powers reward skill. The formula has spawned plenty of follow-ups since, but this first entry keeps its freshness and bite intact.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Travelling to the Beanbean Kingdom to recover Peach's stolen voice launches a witty adventure RPG, here fully remastered. The hearty main quest, bro-duo moves to master and the bonus Bowser's Minions mode stretch the pleasure. That generosity of content, doubled by timeless humour, earns the title a length fans appreciate.
Technical info
💾0,44 GB📅07/12/2017
Published by Nintendo
Mario & Luigi - RPG1 DX (3DS) price, value & rarity
The Korean version of Mario & Luigi RPG1 DX is among the last Nintendo Korea 3DS localisations, released when the local market had largely moved on. The local print is very limited and complete-in-box copies are a genuine regional rarity today. A prime target for Asian Mario RPG completists.
Is Mario & Luigi - RPG1 DX still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2017 on 3DS and known in Japan as Mario & Luigi RPG1 DX, AlphaDream's project is the remake of the very first Mario & Luigi, which founded the comic RPG series on the tandem of the two brothers. The turn based combat built on the timing of blows and dodges, the exploration dotted with puzzles and the ever present visual humour keep an intact charm, enhanced by a careful graphic overhaul. The side mode devoted to Bowser's minions adds a strategy layer. The easiness remains. An excellent accessible RPG, recommended for fans of rhythmic combat and of humour.
