Are you struggling to defeat the final boss in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time DS? Many players find this encounter challenging, but with the right strategy and preparation, victory is within your grasp. This guide will walk you through the boss’s attacks and provide a step-by-step strategy to ensure you emerge triumphant.
Understanding the Final Boss’s Attacks
To effectively combat the final boss in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time DS, you need to be familiar with its various attacks. Recognizing these attacks and knowing how to counter them is crucial for survival.
1. Tentacle Stab
This is a quick and subtle attack where the boss uses one of its four tentacles. Keep a close watch on the tentacles, as the tip of the attacking tentacle will sparkle just before it strikes. Tentacles on the right side target Luigi, while those on the left target Mario. Be ready to dodge or defend accordingly when you see the sparkle.
2. Energy Sphere
The boss will create a large energy sphere and launch it upwards. During this attack, the tentacles will shoot red and green orbs into the sphere. Count the orbs of each color. The color with the majority of orbs indicates which brother will be targeted. Use your hammer to deflect the sphere away from the targeted brother repeatedly until it dissipates.
3. UFOs
In this attack, multiple UFOs (up to six) will appear at the top of the screen. The boss will then fire a beam at them in a specific order. Pay attention to the order in which the UFOs are hit, as this is the sequence they will attack you. Some UFOs will catch fire when hit. Burning UFOs target Mario, while non-burning UFOs target Luigi. Use your hammer to hit the UFOs back at the boss to inflict damage.
4. Poison Clouds
This attack is deployed once you’ve destroyed the boss’s lower tentacles. The boss will shoot poison clouds towards you. Simply jump over these clouds to avoid being poisoned. Poison status can significantly hinder your progress, so evasion is key.
5. Spinning Tentacles
Similar to the spinning arms attack from the final boss in the previous game, this attack involves tentacles emerging from under the boss’s body and spinning either clockwise or counter-clockwise. These spinning tentacles can inflict substantial damage quickly. Be prepared to jump over them carefully, as there can be two to four tentacles simultaneously.
Strategy to Defeat the Final Boss in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time DS
Here’s a robust strategy to defeat the final boss in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time DS, leveraging items and smart tactics:
Preparation is Key
Before facing the final boss, ensure you are well-prepared:
- Ulti-Free Badge: Travel back to the present using Stuffwell at a save point. If you haven’t already, collect 90 beans. Go to Fawful in the Mushroom Castle Basement (present) and purchase the Ulti-Free badge. This badge grants unlimited use of Bros. Items for the brother wearing it, significantly boosting your offensive capabilities.
- Healing Items: Stock up on healing items using your coins. Having around 10 healing items, along with some 1-UP Supers, should suffice for most players, even those who find dodging challenging.
Battle Strategy: Step-by-Step
- Target the Legs First: Your initial focus should be on destroying the boss’s legs. This is crucial for deactivating the boss’s tiara, which protects its head.
- Utilize Mix Flowers: Have Mario use Mix Flowers. These items are excellent for targeting multiple parts simultaneously, allowing you to damage both the legs and the tiara effectively. Continue using Mix Flowers until the lower legs are destroyed.
- Attack the Tiara: Once the legs are gone, shift your focus to the tiara. Copy Flowers are highly recommended for this phase. If you can master the timing, Copy Flowers can inflict massive damage to the tiara. Keep attacking the tiara until it turns greyish in color.
- Damage the Head: With the tiara weakened (greyish), you can now damage the boss’s head. Continue using Mix Flowers to target everything but the head initially, clearing any respawned legs or tentacles. Then switch to Ice Flowers to lower the head’s defense, making your subsequent attacks more potent. Alternatively, if you prefer not to debuff, simply continue using Bros. Items and focus your attacks on the head.
- Handle Leg Respawn: Be aware that the boss will occasionally respawn its legs and tentacles. When this happens, revert to using Mix Flowers to quickly eliminate them and keep the boss vulnerable. Once the legs are down again, the tiara will reactivate, requiring you to repeat the tiara-targeting phase.
- Rinse and Repeat: Continue this cycle of destroying legs, attacking the tiara, and then focusing on the head. Persistence and consistent execution of this strategy will eventually lead to victory.
Don’t Forget Shrowser
After defeating the final boss’s main form, you will still need to face Shrowser. The key here is to avoid his attacks and simply wait for the mushrooms at the top of the screen to disappear. Once they are gone, the battle concludes.
Conclusion
By understanding the final boss’s attacks and implementing this strategic approach, you will be well-equipped to conquer this challenging encounter in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time DS. Remember to prepare with the Ulti-Free badge and healing items, utilize Mix Flowers and Copy Flowers effectively, and stay patient. Victory is just around the corner!
