I got my first taste of Luigi’s Mansion at E3, and I instantly fell in love with its strange gameplay. When I think back, the game didn’t have all that much in May, but its overall look instantly grabbed Nintendophiles at the event—none more so than myself. Since then, rooms have been rearranged, ghosts and their surroundings have been altered, and a whole lot more has been added. Luigi’s Mansion is one of those games that tends to baffle people at first. Yes, it takes place exclusively within the mansion grounds and consists entirely of ghost busting, but there really is more to it. The concept of a giant (OK, medium) world in which to explore and unlock rooms is almost akin to Metroid, though the upcoming destination is much more obvious than in Yokoi’s creation. That is about as far as I can go when comparing the design to other Nintendo games. It really is different.

For me, the slightly quirky nature of the gameplay and overall ambience made the game well worth my time and money. Luigi freaks out, Professor E. Gadd has funny-yet-stale comments, Toad is…well...Toad, and ghosts do all sorts of crazy things. The game also has a few Mario references (some being more obvious than others) that will bring a smile to veteran players. One safe example is the return of the poisonous mushroom, which is just as evil as ever. If Luigi comes in contact with the purple menace he will not only take damage but also shrink down in size. After running around for a few seconds, Luigi will grow back to his former self, complete with the “Super Mushroom” noise! I also suggest looking at the Game Boy Horror after collecting a precious stone…you’ll be pleasantly surprised! From beginning to end the game keeps its zany appeal. Though I wont give any details away, the end reminded me of the final scene of a “Super Mario Bros. Super Show” episode! Uniqueness is definitely not an issue for Luigi.

When it comes down to playing the game, it is just fun; sucking up ghosts is somehow addicting. The portrait ghosts, though never terribly difficult, add variety to the mix. Luigi is very responsive, both in controls and reactions to enemies. For gamers who haven’t had any experience with dual analog sticks (like me) this is the perfect way to train the hands while having a blast. Once well aquatinted with the controls, Luigi and his vacuum respond without any lag time or abnormalities—well, at least not until a ghost starts to give Luigi trouble. Most people complain about the length of the game, but it doesn’t really matter if it is enjoyable. If Luigi’s Mansion were longer, it would have risked becoming monotonous, as it is hard for designers to maintain a fresh feel when they run out of ideas. Instead, the game comes with a short life span that is packed with adventure. Players who didn’t mind Kirby 64’s length shouldn’t have a problem with Luigi’s escapade either. The bosses found in Luigi’s Mansion are some of the best I’ve seen in the past few years, and like others before me have said, the final boss is spectacular. In fact, the game is almost worth it for the big fight itself! The game really shows GameCube’s visual finesse during these battles, using all sorts of eye candy and aural treats. Thanks to both Luigi and the enemy’s vocals and attacks, the sound is intense and impressive. Of course the rest of the game is no slouch in these departments. Its dramatic lighting and dust effects are breathtaking, but the vacuum’s interaction with fabric impressed me the most. Fooling around with cloth provided a fun distraction as well as a hidden Easter Egg or two. On the musical side, The main theme is just about the only theme, but Luigi’s attitude and the various rooms provide slight twists and alterations to the very catchy tune. Any fun-loving gamer will be humming along in his or her best Luigi voice. Speaking of which, vocal audio is used sparingly, and this was probably the safest thing to do. It’s better to read text than to get sick of Luigi’s voice, after all. With excellent pacing and a simple interface, Luigi’s Mansion has a great design.

The younger plumber’s adventure (HAH!) is well done, but it does have a few setbacks. The game is only 15 or so hours long (taking your time, of course), and though this isn’t a problem in itself, there is very little to do once the game is conquered. Searching for missed jewels and ghosts does add a little to the mix, and the “Hidden Mansion” mode keeps a second run from being too easy by making the ghosts more difficult, but completing these tasks will not earn you much of anything else. Nintendo has implemented an A-F ranking system at the end to encourage future attempts, but it honestly isn’t enough. Don’t get me wrong: you’ll want to visit the mansion all over again in a year or two, but unlike Mario 64, you cannot revisit favorite areas without starting over. In fact, saving after completing the game will force you to play the game through again, though that should only take around seven hours. More minor complaints revolve around the Game Boy Horror. Though most textures look fine from the standard 3^rd person view, a close inspection with the trusty Game Boy Horror reveals slightly blurry textures that could almost definitely have been improved on. A slight frame-rate dip is also found when using the GBH, but never anything too horrible. Being able to move in GBH mode would also have been nice. But these flaws are minor to begin with, and since the GBH is used minimally anyway, these issues are pretty much moot. Other graphical problems that almost no one will care about include clipping with Luigi’s hat and head in one or two select situations and something similar involving shadows in a few rooms. If you want to see something really messed up, walk into the toilet paper. But in the grand scheme, only the replay factor dramatically reduces the experience. For the vast majority of the time, the game provides exquisite visuals that do the system justice.

Luigi’s Mansion is no slouch, and anyone who shrugs it off as another “Mario is Missing” is either in for a big surprise or ready to miss out on a great time. Shigeru Miyamoto invested minimal time in this project, and the game is a great testament to the EAD team’s talent as a whole.