A cute, fun and entertaining game, but farily short and little replay value...
Graphics: 9/10
The graphics are cute and fun and really suit the environment and game style, but aren't amazing or ground breaking. They are also much the same as the ones on GBA and it would have been nice to see a bit of a step up. However, the graphics still work nicely and all the characters look great. Scenery is also done very well and each area you travel to really does have its own unique feel!
Gameplay: 9/10
Following the traditional style of Mario RPG gameplay you travel around the wordl and will run into monsters that are visible in the field. You will then verse them in battle. In battle, you have access to a number of different commands such as the jump, hammer, item and bro items. You also have the added extra of carrying the badies around and if Mario or Luigi die the baby can take their place! The battle has a really nice flow and feel to it and the new Bros. Items bring an extra level of depth.
In the field the game runs very smoothly and there are plenty of puzzles to figure out, however most of them are not very difficult and require little thought for seasoned gamers. There is a wide variety of enemies to engage which keeps things interesting.
The two issues with the gameplay are the fact that up until about three quaters of the way through the game basically tells you exactly where to go and what to do. The second problem is the lack of mini-games, more on this in the replay value section.
Sound: 9/10
Your typical sort of Mario music with some nice new tracks that accompany the battle and suit the environments really well. The music for the final battle is especially nice. Sound effects are where this game really shines in terms of sound though. The sounds of the babies crying, mario and luigi calling and jumping around are all awesome!
Replay Value 7/10:
This is where the game really lets itself down. Playing the game through the first time is great and you'll feel like it all works really nice, but after it is all done there is little need to come back and do it again! You could attempt to get all the equipment, badges or beans, but there are no mini-games like in the previous game to come and set new records on. The game also doesn't take that long to beat (it took me just under 16 hours to beat on my first play) and thereis no real challenge to return to.
Conclusion 8.7/10:
Partners in Time is a great game and definetly worth a pick-up for your DS. However if you are looking for the fantastic experience that the first game gave you, you may be a bit dissapointed. Nevertheless the gaem is great, cute, charming and a lot of fun!