| Reception | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Aggregator | Score |
| GameRankings | 86.80% |
| Metacritic | 87 |
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| Eurogamer | 9/10 |
| GameSpot | 8.9/10 |
| IGN | 9/10 |
| Nintendo World Report | 8/10 |
Partners in Time received a generally positive reception, with reviewers lauding the game's use of characters and plot. IGN's Craig Harris commended the game's comic style, stating "much of the charm from Mario & Luigi comes from the focus on humor that's bizarre and out there". Despite this, GameSpot's Ricardo Torres stated that "The self-referential humor that gave the original game its bite isn't as prevalent". Nintendo World Report's Jonathan Metts praised the game for returning to the traditional Mushroom Kingdom setting, claiming it led to more distinctive character and plot elements. While appreciating Partners in Time's use of humour, RPGamer's Derek Cavin criticised the game's plot, describing it as "a basic story that doesn't develop as much as it could have". The game's characterisation in particular was well received, with Eurogamer commending Stuffwell, who was compared to Fawful, a character in Superstar Saga.
Critics welcomed Partners in Time's use of the dual screen, as well as the rumble pak feature. GameSpot criticised the momentary use of the touchscreen, labeling it as "tacked on"; Eurogamer's John Walker, also critical of this, felt that game was better without utilising the DS's touchscreen. Reviewers complained about the game's controls, expressing difficulty with coordinating the four characters, with problems arising specifically in enemy encounters with characters that were not being controlled. The alterations to the battle system received a mixed response—GameSpot praised the more complicated and "richer" boss fights, while Nintendo World Report criticised the added complexity, stating "the growth in enemy resilience outpaces your growth in strength, so battles get longer and longer". IGN noted that "Partners in Time's quest starts out a little too easy", although they acknowledged that the game became increasingly difficult as it progressed.
Partners in Time's visuals and presentation were well received, with Eurogamer describing it as "utterly lovely". GameSpot appreciated the "added flair" in animation gained by the DS, although the perspective made such things as hitting blocks and countering attack "trickier than it should be". Torres proceeded to criticise the game's soundtrack, labeling it as the "weakest link", although other critics lauded the game's audio. On its first week of release in Japan, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time sold 132,726 units. As of July 25, 2007, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time has sold 1.39 million copies worldwide. In addition, the game has received the Editors' Choice Award at IGN. The game was ranked 50th in Official Nintendo Magazine's "100 Greatest Nintendo Games" feature.
Read more about this topic: Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time
Famous quotes containing the word reception:
“To aim to convert a man by miracles is a profanation of the soul. A true conversion, a true Christ, is now, as always, to be made by the reception of beautiful sentiments.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“But in the reception of metaphysical formula, all depends, as regards their actual and ulterior result, on the pre-existent qualities of that soil of human nature into which they fall—the company they find already present there, on their admission into the house of thought.”
—Walter Pater (1839–1894)
“He’s leaving Germany by special request of the Nazi government. First he sends a dispatch about Danzig and how 10,000 German tourists are pouring into the city every day with butterfly nets in their hands and submachine guns in their knapsacks. They warn him right then. What does he do next? Goes to a reception at von Ribbentropf’s and keeps yelling for gefilte fish!”
—Billy Wilder (b. 1906)