Luigi's Mansion 2, known in North America as Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, is an action-adventure game developed by Next Level Games and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS in 2013. This sequel to the 2001 GameCube title Luigi's Mansion marks the third game in the Mario franchise where Luigi takes the lead role instead of his brother, Mario. In this installment, players guide Luigi through multiple haunted mansions, capturing ghosts using a specialized vacuum cleaner invented by Professor E. Gadd. The objective is to restore peace to Evershade Valley by collecting the shattered pieces of the Dark Moon and confronting the main antagonist, King Boo.
Storyline
The narrative begins with Professor E. Gadd observing that the Dark Moon—a mystical object that pacifies the ghosts in Evershade Valley—has been destroyed by King Boo. This event causes the once-friendly ghosts to become hostile and wreak havoc throughout the region. Seeking assistance, Professor E. Gadd contacts Luigi, who, despite his apprehensions, agrees to embark on a quest to retrieve the Dark Moon fragments and restore order to the valley.
Gameplay
In Luigi's Mansion 2, players control Luigi as he explores five distinct mansions, each filled with unique missions and puzzles. Equipped with the Poltergust 5000—a specialized vacuum cleaner—Luigi captures ghosts and solves various challenges. The game adopts a mission-based structure, with each mission requiring players to achieve specific objectives to progress the storyline. Additionally, a cooperative multiplayer mode allows up to four players to team up locally or online to explore the “ScareScraper,” tackling various challenges together.
Remastered Version
On June 27, 2024, Nintendo released a remastered version of Luigi's Mansion 2 for the Nintendo Switch, titled Luigi's Mansion 2 HD. This version features enhanced graphics, supporting high-definition resolution, and includes minor adjustments to suit the new console. Due to the Nintendo Switch's lack of stereoscopic 3D functionality, this feature was omitted in the remastered version. Luigi's Mansion 2 HD achieved commercial success, topping charts in Japan and the United Kingdom during its first week of release, with 1.19 million copies sold within the first four days. As of November 2024, the game has sold 1.59 million copies.
Luigi's Mansion 2 is a notable action-adventure game that offers a unique and engaging experience for players. With its captivating storyline, innovative gameplay, and improved graphics in the HD version, the game is a worthy addition to any Nintendo fan's collection.
Below is a trailer for Luigi's Mansion 2 HD, providing a visual glimpse into the game: