After the unfortunate closure of AlphaDream, the long-time developer behind the Mario & Luigi series, many fans believed the beloved franchise might never see another installment.
However, a recent Ask the Developer feature reveals that even Nintendo came close to shelving the series before partnering with Acquire to co-develop Mario & Luigi: Brothership.
The interview includes insights from Akira Otani and Tomoki Fukushima of Nintendo EPD, along with Acquire’s director Haruyuki Ohashi and designer Hitomi Furuta, who discussed the game’s conception and development prior to its release earlier this year.
When asked about fan reactions to the revival after such a long hiatus, Otani shared:
“For a long time, we held numerous internal discussions about creating a new installment after Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. Our goal was to innovate with hardware advancements while preserving the charm of the classic Mario & Luigi games.
Balancing these objectives was challenging, and there was a point when we thought continuing the series might be impossible. We even considered giving up.
“Eventually, after much deliberation, we decided to approach Acquire. After multiple conversations with Ohashi-san, I became confident that Acquire could help us realize our vision of bringing Mario & Luigi into 3D. That’s when we agreed to begin joint development.
“It was equally important to retain the ‘Mario & Luigi-like’ essence of the series. To ensure this, we also brought in some former AlphaDream staff members who had worked on previous titles.”
This collaboration resulted in a triumphant return for the series, but the future of Nintendo’s partnership with Acquire remains uncertain.
Recent reports suggest Sony’s potential acquisition of Kadokawa Corporation, Acquire’s parent company, which could complicate future collaborations. For now, though, fans can celebrate the successful revival of Mario & Luigi on the Nintendo Switch.
The full interview offers additional fascinating details about the game’s development. Designer Hitomi Furuta mentioned that early designs initially gave Mario a “more rugged, edgier” look, but Nintendo recommended revising the visuals to align with the series’ established aesthetic, ensuring it remained recognizable to long-time fans.
We’re thrilled to see Mario & Luigi back in action and can only hope this marks the start of a new era for the cherished franchise.
