Web Hosting by Netfirms | Free Domain Names by Netfirms

Luigi's Mansion

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo Of America

Console: GameCube

Genre: Adventure

Number of Players: 1

Released: November 14, 2001

Memory Card Blocks: 3

Introduction

With the launch of the GameCube, everybody was hoping for another great Mario launch game. It turns out that Mario has been kidnapped and is being held in a mansion. So instead of Mario, Luigi gets to star in his very own game for the first time. Luigi meets a scientist that tells him about the haunted mansion. Luigi receives a flashlight and a vacuum cleaner that resides on his back to help in his quest to find Mario.

Graphics: 9/10

The graphics are very well done and a good start for what the GameCube can handle. The lighting effects have to be seen to be believed. The flashlight beam lights up the hallways and rooms in an impressive manner. The shadow effects are top notch also. Using the flashlight, makes shadows everywhere. They look very real. The shadows caused by the lightening outside looks great also. The particle effects in this game are astounding. Dust is kicked up as you walk, and mist comes floating out of refrigerators.

Luigi himself is very detailed and has great facial animations. You can tell when he is happy or sad, and sometimes his body starts shaking when he is frightened. The ghosts look really good. They sometimes appear transparent and they remind me of Slimer from Ghostbuster’s. The mansion itself for the most part has good looking textures. Every once in a while you will see a blurry texture that doesn’t look right. I was definitely expected more for the mansion graphics. It’s worth noting that Luigi’s Mansion has absolutely no load time!

Sound: 8/10

The sound has its good points and bad. By a press of a button, Luigi will belt out "Marioooooo" and it will be different depending on Luigi’s current state of mind. Luigi even hums the music every once in a while. All the other characters in the game feature no voice what so ever. Very disappointing. There is only one song in the game that plays over and over and gets annoying. The sound effects are quite good though. The doors will creak, the ghosts will moan, and the crack of the lightening and thunder outside.

Gameplay: 8/10

The game play is pretty easy to get used to. You have to search each room for ghosts and then after you suck up all the ghosts you receive a key for the next room. You use the flashlight to stun a ghost and then you can suck them up. Not all rooms are this easy however. There are ghost bosses in some of the rooms that require you to complete a puzzle in order to be able to suck the ghost up. The big boss fights are very well done and there should have been more of them. The game play is really repetitive. Go into room, suck up ghosts, get key, and then repeat.

Controls: 8/10

The controls take a while to get used to. In order to catch the ghosts, you must use both the control stick and the C-stick. As you are sucking the ghost up, you must have the control stick and C-stick pointing in opposite directions. It does allow you however, to be able to walk and shine your flashlight up or down. A is for examining things, and B turns the flashlight off. Y will bring up the map, X will go into a first-person mode, and Z will show you your item list. R-button causes your vacuum to suck, and L-button will blow out anything that is in the vacuum.

Replay: 3/10

Replay value? What’s that? This game has virtually no replay value at all! After completing the game in 6-15 hours, you unlock a new mansion to explore. It’s the same mansion as before, but with ghosts in different places. This game is way too easy and repetitive. Would it have been hard to have more then one mansion?

Conclusion

Luigi’s Mansion certainly doesn’t live up to the other Mario universe games. It’s just way too short and repetitive. This is however a game that every GameCube owner should play. Rent it rather then buy it though unless you are rich or you are in love with Luigi. Super Mario Sunshine is almost here and who knows, maybe Luigi will be playable in it!?!

Pros Cons

Excellent Graphics Too short

Great lighting & shadow effects Luigi doesn’t speak enough

Good sound effects No replay value

Final Score: 7.75/10, 78%, C+

Reviewed by: Eric Brown on June 7, 2002

Go back to the top of the page.