After being dormant for nearly nine years, the Mario & Luigi series finally has a shot at revival. first original entry in almost a decade. Not only must Brothership continue to uphold the series' upbeat tone and offbeat humor that made the previous entries so beloved, but it must be able to evolve the series and take the Mario Bros. in a bold new direction.

The release of a new Mario & Luigi game is a miracle. After the underwhelming response to Paper Jam, Mario & Luigi's last original entry, the series would receive two remakes of the Bros.' earlier outings that underperformed in sales. Couple that with the news of original developer AlphaDream going bankrupt, and it would have been safe to assume this series was gone for good. Thankfully, Brothership has proven this is not the case and, if the latest overview trailer proves anything, it's that the Mario & Luigi series is here to stay.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership Looks Like It'll Fix A Classic Mistake

The Series Is Clearly Going Back To Its Roots

One way in which Brothership proves the series' worth is by amending one of its past mistakes, with a more ambitious focus on setting. Some of Mario & Luigi's most memorable adventures include unique and vibrant locales, from Superstar Saga's Beanbean Kingdom to Dream Team's Pi'illo Island. These locations were coupled with a range of lively and energetic characters that helped to make each entry distinct from one another. Paper Jam lacked such ambition, keeping the Bros. in an uninspired version of the Mushroom Kingdom that was filled with the same identical Toads – a common symptom of Nintendo's worst Mario era – lacking the charm Mario & Luigi was built upon.

Brothership is clearly taking a step in the right direction. The recent overview trailer from Nintendo of America's YouTube channel focused heavily on the new location of Concordia, a land split apart into several distinct islands. From a jungle that's constantly raining, to an island shaped like an actual ship, each locale stands out with its own unique themes. This is only made better by the slew of new characters that populate each island, helping to bring Concordia alive. Everything shown so far in Brothership's world demonstrates a clear effort to reintroduce the same sense of discovery and wonder as previous Mario & Luigi entries.

Brothership Opens The Door For A Mario & Luigi Revival

This New Entry Is Carving The Way Forward

Brothership's embrace of the series' past is only the beginning. This new entry is proving the worth and potential of Mario & Luigi's future through Brothership's multiple new introductions. For example, the addition of Luigi's Logic provides the opportunity for more complex, in-depth puzzles that exceed the more simplistic approach of previous entries. The overview trailer also demonstrated a new inclusion for battles in the form of Battle Plugs. The ability to apply multiple effects in battle adds a new level of strategy, encouraging the player to find the most effective ways to defeat the many foes the Bros. will face.

These new inclusions are a perfect showcase of what the Mario & Luigi series still has to offer. There seems to be a certain level of care put into making Brothership the natural evolution for a series that's always willing to experiment and surprise, while remaining true to its core. Through all the new features that the Mario & Luigi: Brothership overview trailer showcased, there is instilled a sense of confidence not felt for the series for a long time. If the end result is truly as wondrous as what's been shown so far, then the future of Mario & Luigi looks bright.

Source: Nintendo of America/YouTube