The existence of Mario, Luigi, and their juvenile counterparts in the upcoming DS RPG Mario & Luigi 2 has long been known. However, up until now the reasons behind the appearance of said juveniles has remained a mystery. Potential plumbers need not ponder this predicament any further, though, as the latest issue of Famitsu has cleared everything up.

It appears as if the story, while transpiring in the familiar lands of the Mushroom Kingdom, will take gamers to a time rarely visited throughout the series' multiple installments. Somehow the mustachioed duo find themselves transported back through time, where they encounter their younger selves. Of course, this eventually leads to a four plumber partnership that must save the land from an enigmatic alien force.

As the E3 footage implies, this second Mario & Luigi title will have players utilizing all four characters to surmount the numerous obstacles placed throughout the world, both outside of and during battle. The combat segments will still utilize the previous game's timing-based battle scheme, but with several additional four-man tag-team attacks. The DS's dual screens will aid in reducing the confusion during exploration, as the bottom screen will display the adult brothers, while the top will depict the infants.

Mario & Luigi 2 is slated for a release sometime in November. RPGamer will continue to report on this title as more information surfaces.