Mario and Luigi Bowser's Inside Story Special Abilities

In Mario and Luigi Bowser's Inside Story there are numerous special abilities that both the Mario bros and Bowser can use respectively. This guide will tell you which are good, which aren't, and how to unlock them respectively.

Mario and Luigi Special Attacks

Mario and Luigi's special attacks, are gotten via collecting all ten attack pieces in various areas. About half of them are gotten just through the course of the game in general, but the other half will actively need to be seeked out and collected, or gained through side quests.

Green Shell

Target: Single (but serial, so it moves on to another enemy when the first is defeated).

The first and fall back special attack, Mario and Luigi kick a Green Shell at the enemy. It's easy enough to use, just press A when the shell gets near Mario, and B when it gets near Luigi. Fifth attack gets to 'Good', eight attack 'Great' and final attack 'Excellent'.

You get this in the game's storyline, I think in the first area of the game.

Only hits ground based enemies.

Rating: 7/10. Good, but there's better very quickly.

SP: 3

Fire Flower

Target: All. May burn an enemy. Or cause fire elemental damage.

A simple enough attack, you gain this from collecting the Attack Pieces in the Pump Works. To use, you press the button of what brother has the fireball repeatedly to lob fireballs. For Mario, this is A, and Luigi this is B. If both, hit A and B repeatedly at the same time.

This may cause burn damage. It will also do more damage to enemies weak to fire, and a good list to see which those are can be found at the below link:

Mario and Luigi Bowser's Inside Story Enemy Guide

However, it's fairly weak, so the elemental damage is never really worth it past the first few areas.

Rating: 5/10. Gets useless rather quickly, nowhere near as good as Bowser's fire breath either.

SP: 4

Jump Helmet

Target: Single

A powerful, but basic attack you collect from the Flab Zone, you have to collect all ten attack pieces there to use it. It's a helmet that Luigi wears, and Mario bounces off of towards the enemy. Press A when Mario lands on the helmet to cause more power and damage at the end, and make Luigi move underneath where Mario is landing. Press A as Mario hits the enemy at the end.

It's fairly good, and does a lot of damage to a single enemy, almost like Shy Guy Squad in Bowser's attack list. Remember though, it's all no frills power, and hence will get outclassed by the various later attacks as a result.

Rating: 8/10.

SP: 6

Yoo Who Cannon

An interesting memory based attack, this is gained by teaching Mario how to use Blue Shells in Toad Town. How it works is that you have multiple cannons appear, and Mario and Luigi are in each, waving. Remember the order, becausr the cannons are fired at random, and you have to press either A or B respectively to fire Mario and Luigi at the enemy.

It's an okay attack, although it's a bit hard to use if you're memory isn't the best in the world. Again, it's out classed by later attacks.

Rating: 7/10

Target: All

SP: 7

Super Bouncer

Target All. May cause dizziness in enemies

A horrible attack, and one that's a bit of a pain to use, you get this by collecting all attack pieces in the Energy Hold. You have to spike a ball with Luigi on up by pressing A, move Luigi to the top of the ball as it falls on the enemy with the control pad, then press B as it hits the enemy. It does hit multiple times, but truth be told, it's a pain to use, and not really that effective.

Rating: 4/10

SP: 7

Mighty Meteor

Target: All. May cause enemies to lose attack power temporarily. Drops items after successful use.

An extremely useful attack gotten after collecting the three Star Cures, you simply get it from the receptionist at Dr Toadley's Clinic. Using it is fairly easy, just hold A or B as Mario/Luigi respectively, stand under where the meteor is falling and release to smash it straight at a random enemy.

This attack is fairly useful, and is like the Art Attack of Mario and Luigi Bowser's Inside Story, having low SP cost and massive power. After five successful hits (or the enemy dies from the attack), you also get a powerful item, such as a Star Candy or 1-Up Super!

Rating: 10/10

SP: 8

Spin Pipe

Target: Single. May cause dizziness.

Gotten from Kuzzle in Plack Beach when you revisit as Mario and Luigi, for solving a jigsaw puzzle, this move is pretty annoying, albeit apparently quite useful when you first get it. Basically, you have to remember which bro is at the end of the pipe that's about to land on the enemy after it spins a number of times, and press that button (A for Mario and B for Luigi). You can do multiple hits with this move as well.

It's not useful for me, since my memory when in a battle situation is not particularly good, but some people might find it useful. It also loses use when Magic Window is gained.

Rating: 6/10

SP: 10

Snack Basket

Target: All.

A powerful (and hilarious) attack you have to collect to progress in the game (it's needed to topple Chakron for the third Star Cure), you get this in Dimble Wood as part of a side quest (you'll know when you get that far, the pieces are along your route). It's easy to use, quite powerful and extremely funny to watch, but there are better attacks sadly.

To use this, first press A or B to throw the snack basket, and make Luigi run underneath all the falling food to eat it. The more food of course, the better. Then, press A rapidly to make Mario lift up and throw Luigi, and press B at the top of the throw to make Luigi roll and smash downwards, causing an earthquake which damages all enemies.

It's a fairly good move. Unlike many of the other attacks, this is an extremely easy to use attack, and the pure comedy value makes it useful in some situations. And it's needed to progress, which makes it good.

Rating: 9/10

SP: 14

Magic Window

Target: All. May cause dizziness.

A fantastic move gained from beating the sole optional boss in the game (the Shroobs in Bowser's Castle), this attack hits all enemies, can hit infinitely until all enemies are destroyed, and is pretty good in general. To use, just start the attack like any other, then press the button of the character who's about to land on the enemy when they pop out the window. A for Mario, B for Luigi, and both A and B if both come out at the same time. Be careful though, the windows appear at random, and can also appear on the top screen!

A very useful move, if simply because it is so easy to master, and can be used constantly until a boss drops down dead without losing multiple turns. It can't hit spiky enemies, but can hit flying ones, and as a result, basically makes the Jump Helmet, Spin Pipe and Super Bouncer completely obsolete.

Rating: 10/10

SP: 18

Falling Star

Target: All. May cause lowered enemy defence.

The most ridiculously powerful attack in the game for Mario and Luigi, you get this via collecting all 10 attack pieces in Princess Peach's Castle. You are probably wondering 'Hang on, I never saw any attack pieces in Princess Peach's Castle'. Well, this is because they are insanely convoluted to get, and without a guide, I would never have figured out this stuff.

So to get them. Go straight, take first right exit, climb steps, enter tower to right, go through door to the north, and go along the ledge. You'll find a blue shell block, so make Mario hit it, and hit him towards the ? mark block to the right. You'll then see the Paratroopas who taught you the attack appear again. They'll eventually ask for about 300 coins, give them it and you'll get about 7 of the attack pieces. Now, they'll mark three hidden blocks on the touch screen map, so go over to rooms they're in, and jump to make them appear, getting the rest of the attack pieces for this attack.

On to how to use it then... well first of all, Mario and Luigi are given a pile of small stars and a large star circles above the chosen enemy. When the big star goes red, press A and aim the cursor at it to make Mario throw stars, and for Luigi, do the same (except with B and the cursor) for Luigi. If you're really stuck, just aim the cursor where the star is going and hammer A and B at the same time, since most will probably stick.

The star will eventually move to the centre again, go up, and smash dowards on the enemy, along with all the stars attached to it. Mario and Luigi look ridiculously happy at this point.

Now, in terms of how good this is as an attack, it's fairly good. Good for one single power attack to finish off a tough boss as quickly as possible, but not as useful as some of the earlier abilities due to it's ridiculously high SP cost.

Rating: 9/10

SP: 20

Bowser's Special Attacks

Goomba Storm

Target: Single (but serial, so will attack consecutive enemies when one is defeated).

The most well known attack that Bowser has, you get this by saving some Goombas from a cage in Dimble Wood. Using it is fairly simple, the Goombas will run at the enemy, and if you tap them with the touch screen, Bowser sets them on fire and they fly upwards, falling on the enemy.

However, it's a bit difficult to use compared to the early attacks Mario and Luigi get, and why it's useful when you've got nothing else, any other attack will replace this when you get it.

Rating: 7/10

SP: 6

Shy Guy Squad

Target: Single.

Gotten from freeing the Shy Guys on Bowser Path, this attack involves Bowser being launched at the enemy like a projectile from a catapault. To use this, start the attack, and swipe the stylus left quickly to pull Bowser backwards more and more. He'll then be launched in a powerful attack straight at the enemy.

It's a pretty good attack, and is a good power attack when you get it. use in some boss battles.

Rating: 8/10

SP: 8

Koopa Corps

Target: All

Not sure where you get this, but it's a powerful attack. I think it's found in the lake area. Still, a whole load of Koopa Shells get fired with this attack, and you have to drag Bowser up and down to send them at the enemy, almost like the game Break Out or Pong.

In all though, it's a powerful attack that is great fun to use, and extremely useful when you get the hang of it, so...

Rating: 9/10

SP: 10

Bob-omb Blitz

Target: All (may cause dizziness).

Bowser's worst attack, I'm not sure where it's found. But put simply, it's not worth it. You're supposed to line up all the Bob-ombs so that they attack enemies on screen, but it's pretty difficult to do, and extremely badly outclassed by other abilities.

Rating: 5/10

SP: 12

Magikoopa Mob

Target: All. May cause burn damage.

Bowser's best attack that doesn't require collecting Blitties, Magikoopa Mob is one of your key attacks you'll be using in final battles. You get this by getting the three keys in Princess Peach's Castle, then opening the room to the left, freeing the Magikoopas inside from the cage.

To use this, you'll see various Magikoopas line up and aim wands at the enemies, so draw a line between all the orbs at the tip of the wands to boost the power with Bowser's fire breath. Five shots will be fired, all of which do really good damage.

Rating: 10/10. Easy to use, and powerful.

SP: 15

Broggy Bonker

Target: Single (serial, will attack other enemies when first is defeated. May cause dizziness).

An hilarious and brilliant attack, you get this for collecting all 15 of the Blitties in the game (as Bowser, battle the enemies listed below and use your vacuum command to suck up the Blitty, going back to Broque Monsieur when you have them all). Bowser will send out Broggy (that dog boss you fought early in the game), and you'll have to clean him so he's spotless. He'll then charge at the selected enemy, and attack it twice, before attacking a third time with about twenty of the blitties coming at the enemy from behind, hitting about ten to twenty times and often causing dizziness to the foe in question.

A great move, and sheer comic hilarity when you use it in battle, this is the definite move to use if you have it. It's expensive, but the power and humour here outweights that by a ton.

Rating: 10/10

SP: 20

List of Blitties for above attack to be gotten

Where to find the 15 cats you need for the above attack.

1. Dimble Wood; Enemy: Treevil
2. Cavi Cape; Enemy: Chuboomba
3. Plack Beach; Enemy: Toothy
4. Dimble Wood; Enemy: Trashure
5. Bumpsy Plains; Enemy: Flifit
6. Bowser Path; Enemy: Chain Chawful
7. Underground Tunnel; Enemy: Choomba
8. Bubble Lake; Enemy: Beehoss
9. Bubble Lakebed; Enemy: Crawful
10. Bowser's Castle; Enemy: Jailgoon
11. Bowser's Castle; Enemy: Sniffle Thwomp
12. Peach's Castle; Enemy: Mechawful
13. Peach's Castle; Enemy: Naplock
14. Peach's Castle; Enemy: Dark Trashure
15. Peach's Castle; Enemy: Dark Mechawful

Basically, go to the above locations, fight one of those enemies, use vacuum command and you'll get the Blitty. Don't think too hard about how a defenseless kitten got in Bowser's Castle, Peach Castle or the bottom of the Bubble Lake.