Luigi’s Mansion 3 came out on Halloween, 2019. Perfect timing for this child-oriented spooky adventure. Although the scares and story are intended for children, the gameplay and atmosphere can very much be enjoyed by players of any age. Developed by Next Level Games, Luigi’s Mansion is relentlessly clever while hitting so many high notes with such a simple premise.
The game starts as Nintendo favorites Luigi, Mario, Peach and crew make their way to a luxurious hotel, after receiving a mysterious invitation. As their vacation turns to horror, it falls on Luigi to use his ghost vacuum and its many tools to rescue them all, by climbing the floors of the hotel. Each floor is a series of battles and puzzles that culminate in a boss fight that gives you the elevator button for the next floor.
This simple design is elegant and keeps the game going in a way that builds excitement as buttons become bigger and bigger trophies after fighting increasingly difficult stages. You will use all your tools often, and your wits will absolutely be put to the test at every turn. There are some smart puzzles, but none that are insurmountable. Boss fights will be the bigger test.
It is good there is a lot of cash in this game and not a lot to spend it on, because what you can buy: extra lives, are invaluable. You can always go back and load an old save if you don’t have extra lives, the game saves frequently. This can be the better option sometimes, but using an extra life keeps you exactly where you were playing so it can be nice to save those for when you really need them. For example, on a tough boss.
I beat the game in about fifteen hours, and I would expect the same from you unless you’re a younger player. Kids would love this game, it is a fantastic way to introduce them to different kinds of games such as horror, with friendly familiar and faces along the way. The game is normally full price at $60, but I found it for $50, which is why I am reviewing it for Halloween. That may seem expensive for how short the game is, but it is at least a high quality experience.
Every floor in Luigi’s Mansion 3 is unique. There is quite a lot of attention to detail as each floor’s theme comes to life. It is hard to pick favorites. Among them would be Fitness Center including the pool, Tomb Suites set pieces like the sand or the pyramid, or The Dance Hall. The Master Suite was tremendous fun and quite the challenge, a real satisfying climax to the game.
Combat in Luigi’s Mansion is unlike anything I have ever played, having never played one of the previous games. It mostly consists of figuring out how to disarm ghosts, then suck them up into your vacuum and start slamming them around. Slamming is an immensely joyous thing. Not only is it fun to smash them into furniture and other enemies, but it is such a unique way of bringing down their health once you’ve started sucking them up. There is a fixed third-person camera angle that lends a level of needed simplicity to the game. Luigi’s Mansion 3 adds a mechanic of creating a gelatinous clone of yourself named Gooigi, who can help you do things you either cannot do, or cannot do alone. These mechanics stay fresh and fun until the end of the game.
There are loads of collectibles in the game. Each floor has a number of gems that can be found with vigorous searching, and once you’ve beaten a floor’s boss there is a hidden enemy you can find. This may keep you playing if you like solving riddles or digging up things you missed on the game’s interesting and diverse levels.
Graphics and sound design are what you would expect from a game Nintendo is playing so close to the chest. The game looks great on the Switch, with lots of cool visual effects and stage design. The simple camera angle doesn’t mean the eye or mind aren’t engaged. Music and sound design are excellent. Loads of original songs that suit the atmosphere. Warm and engaging, yet a layer of spookiness throughout.
There is a certain undeniable charm to this game. Luigi’s constant fear and reluctance, yet he always presses onward. He is so lovable, for a character that never really had his own thing. He was always just green Mario. Now he has a claim of his own, a game series that is as adored as it is one of a kind. The ghost encounters never got stale for me, and every boss fight was a unique mountain to climb. There are various multiplayer modes, including a coop mode where one player plays as Gooigi, and I can imagine this being incredibly helpful at times.
If you can afford it, I highly recommend playing this game. If you’re still looking for fun games to play on Halloween, this might not be the spookiest, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have a great time. The mood is there, the gameplay rewarding and original. You will go from vacuuming the drapes off the wall to juggling hordes of enemies in no time, and the challenge will rise brilliantly with you. New enemies will be peppered in, and no stage will drag on tiresomely.
I loved Luigi’s Mansion 3. It’s unique charm and intelligent delivery make it a prime choice for your next Switch game. I enjoyed it on handheld mode, but docked is the best way to play this game. You will want to soak in all the details as much as possible. I’m not sure I will be playing this a second time, which is a little disappointing, but as I said before this is still a premium experience. So, look for it on sale wherever you buy games, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is sure to please.
Credit: Luigi’s Mansion 3. Screenshots by me.
HereticDerek 