Developer Insights Vol. 15: Mario & Luigi: Brothership – Chapter 4 | Updates

Otani: Throughout the series, we’ve typically leaned on piano tunes for much of the background music. This time, however, we wanted to try something fresh, so we experimented with wind instruments to evoke deeper emotions. We left the rest up to him…

Ohashi: Creating the music was quite the journey. We would meet once a week with Sakamoto-san, often finding ourselves puzzled with questions like, “What does ‘Mario & Luigi-like’ even mean?” (Laughs) Ultimately, we zeroed in on instruments that echoed the essence of Mario & Luigi sound, like tropical steel pans, lively brass bands, and accordions.

Otani: As soon as we fine-tuned our instrument selection, it began to resonate with the series’ unique vibe. While ‘Mario & Luigi-like’ doesn’t have a strict definition, I knew it had to fit seamlessly with the characters’ in-game movements. The outcome was a collection of truly impressive tracks.

What struck me most was that, aside from recurring tunes, there were numerous tracks created specifically for individual scenes. Generally, you have standard tracks like one for battles, another for boss fights, and different ones for events. But here, each cutscene was matched with its own distinct musical piece.

Ohashi: For this project, we didn’t add the music until after the scenes were determined. Sakamoto-san composed every scene’s music after understanding the transition from one to the next, which was particularly important for the pivotal moments that required careful collaboration.

Otani: There’s this bubbling synergy that builds as the story progresses. With over 100 musical pieces, each one is exceptional. I really need to get my hands on the soundtrack! (Laughs)

Ohashi: Generic tunes would have never done justice to the cutscenes. The scenes themselves were already quite beautifully executed, and it made sense to add incidental music for that extra dramatic punch. That decision added 40 additional tracks to our initial 60. (Laughs)

Okay, but what about the schedule?

Everyone: (Laughs)

Fukushima: We were, indeed, on a tight schedule, but that only fueled our immersion in the process. Ultimately, we recorded live sessions, and let me tell you, that enhanced the listening experience significantly.

Otani: Acquire’s commitment to understanding the soul of the series is why this game captures the ‘Mario & Luigi-like’ essence so well. To solidify that, we invited some key figures from the Mario & Luigi series at AlphaDream, like the director of their world-building and battle design, to join us. We even had Maekawa-san, a significant figure from AlphaDream, come on board to supervise. His involvement certainly enriched the game’s core vibe.

Ohashi: It was a tremendous learning opportunity. We certainly didn’t want fans of the previous entries to feel this installment was off-key.

While the story is crucial in an RPG, maintaining a balance with gameplay isn’t simple, right?

Ohashi: During the latter development stages, Fukushima-san was hands-on with the team responsible for the battle system.

Fukushima: Prior games in the series featured a “badge” system that players would use strategically during battle. Once a badge was deployed, it was unavailable until recharged, which meant players often saved them for critical moments, like tough boss fights.

We thought it’d be nice to give players something a bit more relaxed in terms of usage. So, together with Acquire, we designed the Battle Plug system. This system allows you to equip Battle Plugs, offering noticeable effects during standard actions. Just equipping them tweaks gameplay subtly or adds unique effects.

Otani: Balancing all these different plug combinations posed a challenge.

Fukushima: You can say that again! (Laughs) There are over 40 Battle Plugs, and when it comes to mixing and matching, the possibilities are endless. We didn’t want it to become a complex strategic puzzle; instead, we wanted players to enjoy experimenting and feel the difference, making it friendly even for younger players new to gaming.

Ohashi: It’s exciting to discover not only the individual plug’s effects but also the dynamic synergies from combining them.

Fukushima: Players have their own preferences, perhaps leaning towards aggressive plugs for high-damage output or defense-focused plugs for recovery and counterattacks. However, since each plug has limited uses before needing a recharge, you’ll have a blast switching them around and finding your favorites.

Furuta: I really enjoy using Iron Ball plugs in battles! With the Surprise Iron Ball plug alone, one iron ball drops. But when you mix it with a Kaboom Attack, you can strike multiple foes. And if you use two Surprise Iron Ball plugs, the balls grow larger, delivering even greater impact when combined with the Kaboom Attack. It feels natural and intuitive.