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Tear Jerker / Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

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  • The Shroobs' plight, especially when you look at the game from their POV. Yes, they try to destroy the Mushroom Kingdom, but the only reason they're doing this is because their own homeworld was dying and needed to find a new home or risk extinction. Unfortunately, this attempt to save their species had to be spearheaded by two of the most genocidal and cruel members of their species.
    In my opinion, this theme tells you everything about the Shroobs: they're a sentient race that's done multiple bad things, trying to keep their planet alive, and are willing to do anything to do so. This is shown when Elder Princess Shroob's army of Shroobs use themselves to attack Mario, Luigi, Baby Mario, and Baby Luigi. But they have no choice, cause if they don't do this, than their ENTIRE species dies. But if you fail to stop them, the entirety of the Mushroom Kingdom dies as well. It's a lose-lose situation when you really think about it, cause we have no idea how the Shroobs really act. For all we know, back on their home planet, they could enjoy making art, listening/creating music, and baking, just like us.

  • When a character faints. When the adult faints, their younger self drags them to safety, and if one of the Babies, the other starts to cry and then carries the other for the rest of the duration of the battle.
    • None of the bosses which are obviously sapient show any hesitation in attacking Mario and Luigi while they are carrying their baby selves on their backs. Not to mention that killing their baby selves would affect other characters more than just emotionally. This becomes despicable and heart-wrenching for the player when the adults faint and cannot continue battling, prompting their baby selves to drag them away to safety and you are left...fighting the ruler of an entire race of aliens...as toddlers. To make it even worse, once one of the babies faints the one that's still standing will cry out the name of his fallen brother in grief, run over to him, and attempt to continue to survive enemy attacks while carrying his unconscious brother on his back, noticeably strained by the weight. To make matters worse, it makes it much harder to dodge enemy attacks, making it all the more likely for you to fail in doing so and letting the last brother awake get KOed.
  • When Toadbert, Toadiko, and Kylie turn into Shroob Mushrooms.
  • The whole section at Hollijolli Village. The music is a very eerie rendition of Jingle Bells, and it's a town that got destroyed by Shroobs while they were celebrating Christmas. And they're harvesting the souls of the towns people for UFO fuel. On Christmas.
    • It's made worse by the fact that this is the very first level of the game, and thus the first impression you get of the Shroobs. They destroyed it on Christmas. Being the first level and all, you'll feel quite helpless to see the remains of a destroyed town. On Christmas. Oh, and did we mention that this happened on Christmas?

  • Toad Town is visited somewhat late in the game, and when you end up here, it's completely unrecognizable. This cheery town, the place where the Toads lived, has been destroyed by the Shroobs when Peach's Castle was conquered and is completely abandoned aside of two old ladies that manage the shop. There's no living soul in town aside of those old ladies, only Shroobs that search for surviving Toads to use as fuel for their UFOs. Making it worse is the music, a sad, monotone melody that highlights the state of Toad Town. It's like being in a ghost town.
  • The ending. The Shroobs are all defeated, and the past! Mushroom Kingdom is now safe and restored. But Young Toadsworth, and the babies of Peach, Mario, and Luigi have to go back to their own time for good, never to see their future selves again. Baby Luigi goes up to his adult self and gets on his shoulders, ready to go on another adventure; but when he realizes he'll never see his future self again, he cries. Luigi gives Baby Luigi the last Yoshi Cookie he had been holding onto, which cheers the little guy up. He rewards Luigi by tossing him a hammer...which then promptly bonks Luigi on the head.


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