Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time is one of those DS RPGs that just sticks with you. You start off thinking it’s another fun Mario adventure—until baby Mario and Luigi pop up, and suddenly you’re juggling four characters in battles. The time-travel twist means you’re hopping between past and present, solving puzzles that actually require some brainpower (unlike, say, your average platformer).

Combat’s the real highlight here—timed button presses for attacks and dodges keep things active, and coordinating all four bros feels chaotic at first but super satisfying once you get the rhythm. The writing’s got that classic Mario & Luigi humor too, with Luigi being his usual nervous self and the babies adding extra slapstick.

It’s not the longest RPG out there, but the charm and clever mechanics make it worth revisiting. Just don’t blame me if you start muttering “baby cry” sound effects under your breath after a few hours.