Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time is widely regarded as the "darkest" entry in the Mario & Luigi RPG series. While it never received an official 3DS remake like its predecessor and successor, it is fully playable on 3DS hardware through backward compatibility.
Fair question. Here’s why the 3DS CIA forwarder is my preferred way to play Partners in Time in 2026:
When discussing the , we are not referring to an official Nintendo remake (which does not exist). Instead, we are referring to a community-created package that allows you to play the original Nintendo DS game on your 3DS or 2DS system through emulation or backward compatibility injection. mario and luigi partners in time 3ds cia
I won’t link to ROMs or pre-made CIAs here. If you own the original DS cartridge, dumping your own ROM (via GodMode9 on 3DS or a DS flashcart) is legal in many regions for backup purposes. Creating a forwarder from your own dump is the cleanest method.
: The game follows Mario and Luigi as they team up with their younger selves to stop the Shroobs , a ruthless alien race. The storytelling is sharper and more sinister than usual for Mario, giving it a unique identity. Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time is widely
: It is often cited as one of the hardest games in the franchise. Enemies are "HP sponges" with large health pools, and special attacks (Bros. Items) are consumable resources rather than being tied to a rechargeable meter.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time is a Nintendo DS RPG developed by AlphaDream and published by Nintendo in 2005 (North America). It’s the second main entry in the Mario & Luigi series and follows Mario and Luigi as they team up with their younger counterparts—Baby Mario and Baby Luigi—after a time-travel incident brings them to the Mushroom Kingdom’s past. The game blends turn-based and action-based combat, puzzle-filled exploration, and character-driven humor. Here’s why the 3DS CIA forwarder is my
Users looking to play this game digitally on a 3DS usually employ one of the following methods:
