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Luigi's Mansion
The experiment that became a beloved franchise.
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PRESS START
An Introduction To Today’s Game
Happy Halloween friends!
Retro October Fest ends with one of the perfect retro games to play on Halloween.
Luigi’s Mansion.
Admittedly, I didn't play this when it first came out. Its sequel, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon for the 3DS, was my entry point for the series. But it's a series I'm very fond of now.
Back in 2001, I remember standing in line outside a Walmart, waiting to pick up a GameCube on launch night. No preorders, just first come, first serve. It was my first and only midnight release I went to.
Meeting strangers, ordering and sharing pizza together, freezing and talking about our favorite games while we stood in line for hours. It was a perfect night.
Well, almost. You see, I only picked up Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2 that night. The only thing that went wrong, I didn't pick up Luigi's Mansion.
My younger self made a mistake.
So much atmosphere in this classic!
Which stresses you out more??Pick one below to record your vote and leave a comment! It might be featured in the next issue! |
BEHIND THE PIXELS
Let’s Dive Into The Game
In Luigi’s Mansion, you play as a very reluctant hero: Luigi, the oft-overlooked younger brother of Mario. The game greets you with a cartoonishly creepy mansion that Luigi has “won” in a contest he never entered, a clear sign that trouble (and ghosts) lie ahead.
Unlike the bright platforming worlds of Mario, this game is an action-adventure that blends light horror elements with puzzle-solving. Think of it as Ghostbusters meets The Legend of Zelda. The goal is simple: explore the mansion’s rooms to find Mario, who has gone missing inside, and capture a menagerie of mischievous ghosts along the way.
The game that made vacuums cool.
But instead of jumping on enemies, Luigi vacuums them up! Equipped with Professor E. Gadd’s ingenious Poltergust 3000 vacuum, you must shine your flashlight to stun ghosts, then suck them in before they break free.
It’s a satisfying core mechanic that turns each room into a mini battle of wits: part hide-and-seek, part fishing reel, as you tug against each ghost’s wild resistance until POP, they’re trapped in your vacuum canister.
The Game Boy Horror, your other essential tool, functions as your map and communication device. Professor E. Gadd checks in periodically with hints, though thankfully not as frequently as he would in the sequel. The device also scans rooms for hidden objects and tracks your collection of portrait ghosts and Boos.
Speaking of Boos, fifty of them hide throughout the mansion, each with punny names like Boolicious and Booripedes. Hunting them down adds substantial playtime to what is otherwise a fairly short adventure.
A Gameboy is used as the game’s map.
Luigi's Mansion showcases impressive technical achievements for 2001. The lighting effects were groundbreaking, with Luigi's flashlight casting realistic shadows and illuminating dust particles floating through the air.
The physics engine lets you interact with almost everything. Vacuum up tablecloths, suck curtains off windows, make chandeliers swing. Nothing feels like a static background element.
The mansion itself drips with atmosphere, from creaky floorboards to thunder rumbling outside. Composer Kazumi Totaka crafted a memorable score that Luigi nervously hums whenever the music stops, a charming detail that adds personality to every quiet moment. It’s such a little detail but I find it so endearing for Luigi and it’s one of my favorite things about the series.
Professor E. Gadd is the Egon of the game. He makes all the fun tools you get to play with.
The game takes roughly five to six hours to complete, though determined players can extend that by hunting down every Boo and maximizing their treasure collection. The games length was the main reason why I passed on the game when it first came out.
Your ending depends on how much money you collect throughout the adventure, ranging from a tiny tent to a massive mansion. Getting the best rank requires thorough exploration and skillful ghost captures.
A Hidden Mansion mode unlocks after beating the game, offering a harder version with stronger ghosts and a more powerful vacuum.
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WHERE TO PLAY
The game was released on Nintendo Switch Online - Gamecube this week!
A remake came out for the Nintendo DS in 2018.
Original Copies of the Game (All prices in USD for NA version)
Loose: 40
Complete: 54
New/Sealed: 315
GAME INFORMATION
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Cover Art
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RETRO NEWS
Here’s a quick roundup of the latest retro gaming news we’ve dug up.
Final Fantasy VII’s Missing Archives Surprise Developers
The remake’s director revealed that almost no original design documents remain from the 1997 classic, forcing the team to rebuild its world from memory.
Read more at Time ExtensionNESBook Crowdfunding Celebrates Nintendo’s 8-Bit Era
A new Kickstarter project dives deep into the history of the NES, packed with art, stories, and hardware nostalgia for longtime fans.
Read more at Retro NewsRetroid Pocket 6 Page Pulled After Fans Blast Design
Following a flood of online complaints about its look, Retroid quickly removed the handheld’s preview page and promised a new approach.
Read more at Time Extension
PREVIOUS POLL RESULTS
What's your favorite video game horror franchise?
Resident Evil - 73.33%
Silent Hill - 13.33%
Fatal Frame - 0%
Dead Space - 6.67%
Outlast - 0%
Alan Wake - 0%
Other - 6.67%
Reader comments from the poll:
(Resident Evil) “Very biased vote here as admittedly I’ve never played any of the other mentioned franchises.” - Shen
(Resident Evil) “Resident evil up to number 4. Dead space would have been my 1st pick if not for the dog scene in resident evil 1 scarring me for life in my childhood.” - Daniel
(Other) “The House of the Dead (Arcade Shooter)” - Ben
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GAME OVER
Why You Should Play This
Luigi's Mansion remains a charming, atmospheric experience that holds up remarkably well. It is a perfect game to play on Halloween. The lighting and physics still impress, the gameplay loop stays engaging, and the mansion exploration scratches that Metroidvania itch without overstaying its welcome.
Yes, it is short. Yes, some portrait ghost battles feel similar. But the game's laser focus on a single interconnected location creates a cohesive adventure that many feel the sequels lost when they expanded to multiple mansions and mission-based structures.
Whether you remember Luigi's nervous whistling from 2001 or missed this GameCube gem entirely, now is the perfect time to step into that haunted mansion and see why this quirky launch title became a beloved classic. For Nintendo Switch Online users, it came out this week for the service! So grab your vacuum, some tater tots and go get those ghosts!
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