Luigi's Mansion: The Comic Thrill of Mario's Brother

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Luigi's Mansion is a video game series developed by Nintendo featuring Mario's brother Luigi in an unexpected role: ghost hunter . A unique blend of exploration, puzzles, and macabre humor, the series brought Luigi out of the shadows to become a lovable, funny, and easily frightened hero. With its gothic cartoon vibe, original mechanics, and immersive atmosphere, Luigi's Mansion is one of the most original series in the Mario universe .

Luigi's Mansion (2001) – The GameCube Revelation

Released in 2001 as a launch game for the Nintendo GameCube , Luigi's Mansion surprised players by putting Luigi at the center of the action, relegating Mario to the role of "princess to be saved." Far from the usual running and jumping, the gameplay here relies on slowness, caution, and observation .

Luigi receives a letter telling him he has won a mansion. Upon arriving there, he discovers a place infested with ghosts , and Mario is missing. With the help of the eccentric scientist Professor K. Tastroff and his special vacuum cleaner, the Poltergust 3000 , Luigi must overcome his fear to free the place.

Main features

• A unique mansion divided into rooms, with a semi-linear progression
• Ghost bosses with distinct personalities, each requiring a specific strategy
• Using the Game Boy Horror , a tool for scanning the environment
• Minimalist sound ambiance and dynamic lighting to reinforce tensions

Despite its relatively short lifespan, the game was praised for its originality and its atmosphere worthy of a Halloween cartoon.

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (2013) – Expanding the Universe on 3DS

Twelve years later, Nintendo returns with Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon , developed by Next Level Games . Released on Nintendo 3DS in 2013, this installment multiplies the locations and situations by offering five distinct mansions , each with a unique architectural style and puzzles.

The plot revolves around the Black Moon , a magical gem that pacifies ghosts. When it is broken, the spirits become aggressive. Luigi, despite himself, is once again called for help.

Notable new features

• Extensive exploration with regular returns to each mansion for new missions
• New special Dark-Light Device to reveal invisible objects
• Collectibles : Hidden Gems, Boos to Capture, and Rating Ranks
• ScareScraper (Haunted Tower) mode in local and online multiplayer for up to 4 players

The game is praised for its inventive level design , humor and expressive animations , as well as for the introduction of more varied mechanics and replayability elements.

Luigi's Mansion 3 (2019) – The masterpiece on Nintendo Switch

Released on October 31, 2019, for Nintendo Switch , Luigi's Mansion 3 takes the series to a new level. Luigi, Mario, Peach, and the Toads are invited to a luxurious hotel called the Revenant Palace , a trap set by Sarah Gooey (Hellen Gravely) and King Boo .

Each floor of the hotel has a theme in its own right : film studio, botanical garden, prehistoric museum, medieval suite... The game is full of visual surprises and cultural references.

Major additions

• Poltergust G-00 : Projections, suction cups and sweeping of groups of ghosts
• Gooigi : Gelatinous double for solo or co-op, crosses grids and spikes
• Highly interactive and partially destructible environments
• Some of the most detailed graphics and animations on the Switch
• Expanded multiplayer modes: Floor Madness and ScareScraper co-op minigames

Why is Luigi's Mansion a cult series?

• A unique tone mixing slapstick humor , light tension and a haunted house atmosphere
• Original gameplay based on physics, light and capture
• Coherent universe with iconic objects: Poltergust, Dark-Light , etc.
• Highlighting Luigi , who has become a hero in his own right
• Critical and commercial success: Luigi's Mansion 3 surpasses 13.54 million copies (March 2024)

Recurring characters

• Luigi – unwitting but determined hero
• Professor K. Tastroff – eccentric inventor and mentor
• The Boos – iconic mischievous ghosts
• King Boo – recurring antagonist
• Gooigi – gelatinous invention adding strategy

Legacy and future of the series

With three acclaimed installments and numerous spin-offs, Luigi's Mansion is now an iconic Nintendo franchise . A remake of Luigi's Mansion 2 was announced for the Switch in 2023, and fans are already hoping for a fourth installment with even more paranormal and cooperative gameplay.

Conclusion

Luigi's Mansion has carved out a unique niche for itself in the Nintendo pantheon. By playing on the contrast between comedy and thrills , giving Luigi a real personality, and refreshing his mechanics with each installment, the series has won over a wide audience. Proof that even in the dark, the light of a flashlight (and a tricked-out vacuum cleaner) can make Mario's brother shine.