AlphaDream was a dream (ha!) that lasted 20 years: On February 28, 2020, after going bankrupt, the studio closed down, leaving behind 16 games for Nintendo handheld consoles, from Game Boy Color to Nintendo Switch. They are probably best known for their two hit sagas: ‘Hamtaro’ and ‘Mario & Luigi’. They were the ones who created the beloved Nintendo RPG and, with their end, the future of the brothers was uncertain.
The alpha dream
It looked like the end, until in the last Nintendo Direct, the Japanese company announced it would release a new game in the saga, ‘Mario & Luigi: Fraternal Connection’, the sixth title (not counting the compilations), which… we don’t know who’s making it. And Nintendo, of course, doesn’t clarify it, simply stating that we should pay attention to the credits when the game is released.
At least they concede that “some of the original developers who worked on the franchise are involved in its development”. Generally speaking, Nintendo seems to have an aversion to naming the studios that make their third-party games, even if they’re as prestigious as Good Feel, who created ‘Princess Peach: Showtime!’ and remained concealed until the game’s release. Perhaps it’s time to start giving credit where credit is due, right Nintendo?
