Developer Insights Volume 15: Mario & Luigi: Brothership – Part 4 | Updates

Otani: Up until now, the series has primarily featured piano music, but we thought it was time for a change. We decided to bring in wind instruments to inject more emotion and left it up to the composer from there.

Ohashi: Crafting the music was quite challenging. During our weekly meetings with Sakamoto-san, we’d often find ourselves asking, “What does it even mean for something to sound ‘Mario & Luigi-like’?” (Laughs) Eventually, we settled on instruments that really echoed Mario and Luigi’s vibe, like tropical steelpans, energetic brass, and lively accordions, creating a catchy and distinctive sound.

Otani: Once we focused on the right instruments, the music really began to fit the series’ ambiance. Although we didn’t have a clear-cut definition for “Mario & Luigi-like,” I kept imagining how well it blended with Mario and Luigi’s movements in the game. The final result is filled with incredible tunes.

What stood out to me was the custom tracks created for specific scenes. Usually, in games, a single track might get recycled for different parts—one for battles, another for events—but this time, each scene got its own unique musical backdrop.

Ohashi: In this project, we added the music after each scene was completed. Sakamoto-san composed each piece by seeing how scenes transitioned into each other. We even worked together on the music for the climactic parts.

Otani: There’s a beautiful synergy as the story progresses. We ended up with over 100 music pieces, each one fantastic. I need the soundtrack for my collection! (Laughs)

Ohashi: Ordinary tracks wouldn’t do justice to the cutscenes. I felt the scenes alone were really well crafted and thought enhancing them with incidental music would add dramatic flair. So, we added 40 more tracks to the original 60. (Laughs)

Okay, let’s talk about the schedule.

Everyone: (Laughs)

Fukushima: Despite the tight deadlines, putting in the extra effort really helped us get more immersed. As a result, we recorded a live performance, which made the music even more exciting.

Otani: Acquire’s dedication and detailed research into the series were key to giving the game that authentic “Mario & Luigi-like” feel. To enhance this, we brought on board professionals who worked on the original Mario & Luigi series at AlphaDream. We also had Maekawa-san, who played a major role in past titles, to oversee the project, contributing significantly to capturing that signature vibe.

Ohashi: It was definitely educational. We wanted to ensure that fans of the previous games found this installment familiar and not disjointed.

Getting the story right in an RPG is crucial, but balancing gameplay is a whole other challenge, isn’t it?

Ohashi: Nearing the end of development, Fukushima-san and the team working on the battle system were in constant collaboration.

Fukushima: Previous games involved a “badge” system, where once you filled the gauge, you could use the ability, only to wait once depleted. Players seemed to reserve usage for critical moments, like boss fights.

To make things more casual and fun, we collaborated with Acquire to introduce the Battle Plug system. Instead of badges, you equip Battle Plugs, and their effects are obvious during regular play—equipping them leads to slight changes or additional effects.

Otani: Finding a balance with the Battle Plugs was quite the task, given the numerous combinations.

Fukushima: Definitely challenged us! (Laughs) With over 40 plugs, the possible combinations feel endless. We designed it so players could freely mix and match plugs for varying effects, making it accessible even for young gamers or newcomers to the series.

Ohashi: Part of the fun comes from discovering the synergies between different plugs.

Fukushima: Players can opt for aggressive plugs to deal damage or defensive ones to heal and counter. However, each plug has limited uses before it needs recharging, so swapping them around keeps things interesting.

Furuta: Personally, I love using Iron Ball plugs in fights! Equip a lone Surprise Iron Ball plug, and one ball drops. Combine it with a Kaboom Attack, and multiple balls descend on your foes. Equip two plugs, and those balls grow larger, dealing even more damage. It’s all very intuitive.