The opening cutscene of “Mario & Luigi: Brothership” might feel like déjà vu for anyone who has watched the recent blockbuster from Nintendo and Illumination, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”. Both narratives kick off with the iconic brothers, Mario and Luigi, being sucked into a portal, desperately holding onto each other before being separated and catapulted into new adventures in different locations. This compelling visual not only sets the stage for their respective tales but also underscores the deep bond between the siblings.
Creative Convergences: A Happy Coincidence?
The developers at Acquire and Nintendo have expressed their amusement over the similarities, which they claim were entirely coincidental. Akira Otani from Nintendo EPD shared insights into the development process during an episode of ‘Ask the Developer’. He remarked, “We didn’t actually have the movie in mind when we made it. Or rather, when we made it, we didn’t have any information about The Super Mario Bros. Movie. I assumed the movie would probably also express the bond between the brothers in some way, but I decided not to worry about how this would be depicted and to just focus on portraying it in the right way for Mario & Luigi… But yeah, I’ve been told that the opening cutscene bears an uncanny resemblance.”
The reaction among the team members was light-hearted, with Director Haruyuki Ohashi and Designer Hitomi Furuta from Acquire both finding humor in the coincidence, echoing Otani’s sentiment that it felt like a clever nod between the creators.
Brotherly Bonds: The Core of Mario & Luigi’s Appeal
Despite the similarities, both the game and the movie stand on their own with unique storytelling elements that emphasize the theme of brotherly love and cooperation. “To be fair, the movie and the game share the same foundation – this brotherly bond,” Ohashi explained. This core theme resonates deeply with fans who have followed Mario and Luigi through decades of gaming history.
Moreover, Otani expressed hope that the movie’s success would bring more attention to the “Mario & Luigi” game series, especially since the franchise had faced the threat of discontinuation before Acquire and Nintendo revitalized it with “Brothership”. The game marks a significant return for the series, which had not seen a new original entry since “Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam” in 2015.
The anecdotal “coincidence” between “Mario & Luigi: Brothership” and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” serves as a reminder of the universal themes that run through Nintendo’s storytelling: adventure, familial bonds, and the joy of exploration. As both the film and game continue to delight audiences and players alike, the spirit of Mario and Luigi lives on, proving that some coincidences are just too good not to celebrate.
