Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

Most games in the Mario series cast Bowser as the villain to be defeated. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story from 2009, however, turns the script inside out: the player controls not only both brothers but above all the King of the Koopas himself, and spends a considerable part of the adventure literally inside his body. Many fans and critics consider this game the pinnacle of the entire series.

The genius lies above all in the interweaving of two gameplay layers. Mario and Luigi move through Bowser's insides and solve puzzles from within, while Bowser himself fights and explores the world outside. What the brothers do inside affects Bowser's abilities outside and vice versa. The battles once again rest on precisely timed action inputs, with Bowser's fights offering monumental scale and humor alike.

Development was again handled by AlphaDream, and the game came out on the Nintendo DS, whose dual-screen layout was made for this concept: the bottom display often belonged to the brothers inside the body, while the top one showed Bowser in the outside world. Some battles also made use of touch controls and tilting the console.

The game's cultural significance is confirmed by its exceptional critical reception. Bowser's Inside Story is one of the highest-rated titles on the Nintendo DS, and its humor, writing and inventive battle design made it a benchmark of quality. It later received a remake on the Nintendo 3DS, which testifies to its enduring popularity.

The combination of sharp humor, catchy gameplay and an unconventional take on the series' most famous villain makes this game a must-have for every DS owner. It is funny, inventive and surprisingly deep.

Why play: The peak installment of the series where you play as both Bowser and the brothers at once, with brilliant humor and inventive battles.