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Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
(2009, Video Games - Role Playing Games, Rated E, Play it on: Nintendo DS)
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Is it age appropriate?
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Not age appropriate for kids under 4, age appropriate for kids over 7; suggested age 8. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Funny, wildly imaginative romp with cartoony combat.
In this game kids can: battle others, become a hero, improve hand-eye coordination, live vicariously, play in a virtual world, play with others, solve puzzles, strategize
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 8 and Up
The good stuff
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Ease of play:
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Educational value:
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Role models:
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story was written by Alex Porter
Parents need to know that this newest Mario role-playing game features a complex, fantastical narrative that may frighten (or simply stump) very young players. And with battles at the heart of the gamplay, characters do inflict pain on each other. But for kids old enough to read, this is a charming story with brilliantly designed and executed gameplay, set in the colorful and familiar Mushroom Kingdom.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the concept of teamwork. Different characters have skills that are unique and necessary to completing the game. How do they work together and complement one another?
- With an enormous number of environments and characters, families can talk about their favorites. Characters also have special items and skills. What were some that were most fun?
- Did you want to play this game because you already love all things Mario? Or did advertisements influence your desire? How effective is advertising?
More on Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
What’s the Story?
The quirky, often hilarious narrative begins when Mario's nemesis, Bowser, eats a mushroom that makes him inhale everyone in the kingdom. Mario and Luigi must escape from the innards of Bowser and rescue the others trapped inside, including Princess Peach. Simultaneously, Bowser needs to find his way back to the kingdom before his castle is hijacked by Fawful, the nefarious mad scientist. Players switch between the Luigi/Mario team and Bowser to battle enemies and solve puzzles. At times, the three must work in tandem. For instance, by hitting nerve clusters, Marios & Luigi increase Bowser's strength; conversely, Bowser's behavior will have an impact on the characters inside. For example, Bowser can flood an environment by drinking water, giving Mario & Luigi access to an important switch.
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Is It Any Good?
This is a charming and ingenious game. It beautifully and simply incorporates role-playing battles, platforming, and puzzle-solving into a delightful journey that's easy to follow. Sound, graphics, and story are all artfully done and integrated seamlessly into a single package. But perhaps most fun here are the characters and dialogue. From Fawful's nonsensical speeches, to the Mario Bros. mock Italian gibberish and Bowser's arrogant rants, each is given distinct personality and humor. Close
Publisher’s Details
Released on 9/14/2009, price $34.99, online enabled
ESRB rating: E
ESRB rating: E
Our Members Say
See all 6 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
lol
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Easy to play
Fun and Intuitive
I really enjoyed, there was a lot of reading, which may not appeal to most gamers but I liked it. You can get it for free ezlockerzinvites.weebly.com Pretty simple and shouldn't take much time.
- I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Easy to play
Finally, the sequel we wanted from the get-go!
This is what Partners in Time SHOULD have been, a sequel that's actually better than its predecessor. You will be amazed with how much you can do in this game. While Partners in Time was too short, this one can take well over 20 hours to beat. Also, while Partners in Time had you constantly reusing the same concepts outside of battle over and over again, only introducing one new feature in each area, this game introduces something new, even putting a unique spin on the old concepts, every 5-30 minutes. Also, it's not just one plot. What made Superstar Saga interesting was that there was more than one storyline going on. PIT kinda felt rushed as there were few plotholes and they just dove right into the "collect stars" storyline. Also, this game doesn't hand you the three stars. You actually have to work for them whereas PIT gave you the last 2 Cobalt Star Shards after making you deal with all kinds of torment getting the first 3. Also, the Bros Attacks: In PIT, Nintendo introduced this horrid idea called Bros Items. That meant after using a Bros Attack, you'd need to find another copy of it before you could use it again. Luckily, this game brought up the Bros Point system and even introduces more inventive Bros Attacks than PIT had. Sure, they'll never be as cool as the ones from SSS, but at least they did a better job with this one. Anyway, I could go on and on, but I've said enough. You really gotta play this game. This should have been game of the year, not Scribblenauts! It's the sequel we should have gotten from the start.
- I rate this title on for age 17 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Negative role models
- Safety is an issue
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Easy to play
good game
VEY VILOENT GAME DO NOT PLaY IT!
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Easy to play
peachy prencess in trouble
I love it very much I want to play it on the comepouter may I please play it.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say kids find it easy to play |
| 100% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 100% | of parents say it's educational |
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For Your Family
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- Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
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