How to Fast Travel in Mario & Luigi: Brothership – A Complete Guide
Key Takeaways
- Efficient Island Navigation: Use the green and blue pipes to save time and explore more efficiently in Mario & Luigi: Brothership.
- Return to Explore More: Revisiting islands offers additional quests, gear upgrades, and new pathways.
- Level Up Before New Challenges: Backtracking helps you level up and prepare for tougher adventures ahead.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a sprawling, island-hopping adventure that lets players explore multiple islands and uncover hidden treasures, side quests, and unique collectibles. With dozens of locations and bonuses waiting to be found, fast travel becomes essential, allowing players to navigate swiftly between destinations. This guide covers everything you need to know about fast traveling and why revisiting previous islands can give you a significant advantage.
How Fast Travel Works in Mario & Luigi: Brothership
In Mario & Luigi: Brothership, fast travel is handled by a unique system of pipes green and blue which lets you quickly jump between key areas. Here’s a breakdown of how each pipe works:
Understanding the Green and Blue Pipes
- Green Pipes: These pipes are designed for intra-island travel, meaning they’ll take you to various locations within the same island. To activate a green pipe, simply have Mario jump on top of it, unlocking a predetermined fast travel point on that island. Green pipes are invaluable for quickly moving to key spots, like towns for gear or healing.
- Blue Pipes: These pipes facilitate inter-island travel, transporting you from one island to another. Blue pipes are found near your spawn points or on Shipshape Island and can only transport you to other islands once they’ve been unlocked and reconnected. Blue pipes also offer a map interface, making it easy to select from available destinations.
Fast Traveling Limits
- Green Pipes: They can only take you to other locations on the same island.
- Blue Pipes: These pipes only allow travel between starting locations on different islands.
- Unlocking New Islands: You won’t be able to fast-travel between islands right away. Certain areas need to be reconnected, which is often tied to completing specific sections of the game’s story.
When you first arrive at an island, the fast travel system may be limited. You’ll need to advance the story and reconnect certain points to unlock the full fast-travel functionality. So, if you’re deep within an island, green pipes may not always connect you directly to another island.
Should You Return to Previous Islands?
As much as you may want to complete an island in one go, Mario & Luigi: Brothership encourages backtracking to previous islands for several reasons:
- Hidden Rewards: Some areas may be inaccessible on your first visit, and you may need new tools or abilities to unlock them. Revisiting islands allows you to find items that were previously out of reach.
- Sprite Bulbs and Side Quests: Sprite Bulbs and other collectibles are hidden across various islands. Many side quests involve returning to prior locations to unlock new paths, collect Sprite Bulbs, or complete certain tasks.
- New Pathways: Reconnecting islands often opens new routes, allowing for further exploration and discovery.
- Leveling Up: Revisiting previous areas is an excellent way to level up before moving on to tougher challenges. By battling enemies on earlier islands, you can gain experience, upgrade your abilities, and stock up on essential gear.
Additional Tips for Fast Traveling in Mario & Luigi: Brothership
Here are some extra tips to make the most of the fast-travel system and ensure you don’t miss any critical content:
- Plan Your Routes: Make it a habit to check both green and blue pipes as you unlock them. This will save you time in backtracking later.
- Return to Towns Frequently: Islands often have towns where you can purchase new gear or heal. Take advantage of fast travel to return to these spots when you need an upgrade or recovery.
- Use Backtracking for Completion: Many islands have challenges and obstacles that can only be completed with specific tools. Make sure to revisit islands once you’ve acquired new abilities or items.
FAQs
Q: How do I unlock a green pipe?
A: To activate a green pipe, simply jump on top of it. This will unlock that location as a fast travel point, allowing you to return there quickly in the future.
Q: Why can’t I use fast travel on some islands?
A: Some islands require you to complete story elements before fast travel is fully unlocked. Once the story is completed in a given area, the pipes will reconnect, allowing you to travel freely.
Q: What’s the benefit of returning to old islands?
A: Revisited islands often contain additional content like Sprite Bulbs, hidden items, new pathways, and side quests that only become available after completing part of the main storyline.
Q: Can blue pipes be used to travel within an island?
A: No, blue pipes are exclusively for inter-island travel. For intra-island fast travel, use the green pipes found across different sections of the island.
