History VideoGame / LuigisMansionSeries

This time, the game isn't a platformer, and while Mario has been in many game genres, that one is a third-person adventure game, à la ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil'', you may call it a [[SpookyKidsMedia kid-friendly "horror" game]]. Luigi cannot jump on enemy, and it would rather be useless since he is facing ghosts, instead he is given a ghost-vacuumer named Poltergust ([[VideoGame/LuigisMansion 3000]], [[VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon 5000]] or [[VideoGame/LuigisMansion3 G-00]] depending on the game) given by the newly met Professor E. Gadd, a ghost researcher, to defeat Boos and others spectres.

** ''Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon'', remaster on Switch (2024)

''Luigi's Mansion'' is a SpinOff of ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' known for having Luigi, the brother of the eponymous plumber as the star of the games. Mario is in fact the [[DistressedDude one you have to rescue this time]], not from Bowser but from a hoard of ghosts, lead by [[BigBad King Boo]]! Yes, the King of Boos, those shy dorky ghosts from the Mario universe, but their leader is far more sinister than usual and holds a deep hatred for the Mario Bros.

Next Level Games eventually reprised the series with a third installment simply titled ''Luigi's Mansion 3'' released for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch in 2019.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first game is noticably different from the sequels, mostly due to being developed by a different studio:

* SpookyKidsMedia: The first game was quite able to frighten many young players. The series eventually lightened up.

* ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion1'' (2001)

* ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'' (2001)
** ''Luigi's Mansion'', [[{{Remake}} remake on 3DS]] (2018)

Next Level Games eventually reprised the series with a third installment simply titled ''Luigi's Mansion 3'' released for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch in 2019. ''Dark Moon'' setting the template for this one.

* BedSheetGhost: Nearly all enemies ghosts in the first game and some in the second. Every others ghosts appearing in the series have FogFeet instead.

* CharacterDevelopment: Being the series that finally gives Luigi his spotlight, this is to be expected. Luigi is here portrayed as a shy, easily-scared but neverless brave hero.

** ''Dark Moon'' introduced new ghosts, not only their design were cuter and simpler but their behavior were much goofier, as they would often be seen playing with each others and making childish jokes; they weren't as evil as in the first game as they are only [[BrainwashedAndCrazy under the influence of a curse]] and are seen friendly in the beginning and the end of the game. The game setting is much more lookalike with the world of Super Mario and the cutscene and even the gameplay, are filled with {{Slapstick}} humor.
** ''Luigi's Mansion 3'' keeps the wacky feel of the previous game, altough the ghosts have new appareances, giving them a more evil look. While the boss ghosts are designed and named in a way implying them to be, like the portrait ghosts before them, the spirits of formal people, they are more aware and actively impede Luigi rather than being haunting memories eerily oblivious to everything around them. Also unlike the portrait ghosts, the game provides no information on their former lives.
* DistressedDude: Here, instead of being the one who rescues Princess Peach, Mario is the one who must be rescued.

** The scan of the Game Boy Horror allowed to read Luigi's inner thoughts. It has no equivalent in later games and Luigi becomes a HeroicMime.

* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer: Nearly everything that needs to be done in this series boils down to using the Poltergust, wether it be vacuuming ghosts, opening the curtains, grabbing money, throwing balls, grabbing a rope...you name on.

* ''Luigi's Mansion'', [[{{Remake}} remake on 3DS]] (2018)

[[redirect:VideoGame/LuigisMansion]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lmseries_2.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''I am not afraid of you, fool!'']]
->''"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear."''
-->-- '''UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt'''

(''For the first game in the series, see [[VideoGame/LuigisMansion here]])''

''Luigi's Mansion'' is a SpinOff of ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' known for having Luigi, the brother of the eponymous plumber as the star of the games. Mario is in fact the [[DistressedDude one you have to rescue this time]], not from Bowser but from a hoard of ghosts, lead by [[BigBad King Boo]]! Yes, the King of Boos, those shy dorky ghosts from the Mario universe, but their leader is far more sinister than usual and holds a deep hatred for the Mario Bros.

This time, the game isn't a platformer, and while Mario has been in many game genres, that one is a third-person adventure game, à la ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil'', you may call it a [[SpookyKidsMedia kid-friendly "horror" game]]. Luigi cannot jump on enemy, and it would rather be useless since he is facing ghosts, instead he is given a ghost-vacuumer named Poltergust ([[VideoGame/LuigisMansion 3000]], [[VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon 5000]] or [[VideoGame/LuigisMansion3 G-00]] depending on the game) given by the newly met Professor E. Gadd, a ghost researcher, to defeat Boos and others spectres.

It all started with the first game, released in 2001 as a launch title for the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]]. A choice that at the time received mixed receptions. While the game was good for showcasing the capacities of the console, the fact that it wasn't a real Mario game and didn't capture the same atmosphere was criticized, alongside the short length of the game. But fans eventually warmed up for the game after the release of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine''. The game even got a [[VideoGameRemake remake]] on the 3DS in 2018.

It officially began a series only 12 years later in 2013, with the release of ''Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon'' on the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS. This time being developed by Next Level Games instead of Nintendo EAD. This entry is a large departure from the original game, removing many gameplay mechanics and adding news one, such as the Dark Light, allowing Luigi to de-possess haunted objects and pulling things and people trapped in painting.

Next Level Games eventually reprised the series with a third installment simply titled ''Luigi's Mansion 3'' released for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch in 2019. ''Dark Moon'' setting the template for this one.

The series consist of:

* ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'' (2001)
* ''VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon'' (2013)
* ''Luigi's Mansion'', [[{{Remake}} remake on 3DS]] (2018)
* ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion3'' (2019)

----

!!The ''Luigi's Mansion'' series provide examples of the following tropes:

* AbsentMindedProfessor: E. Gadd, if his swirly glasses are any indication.
* AllThatGlitters: In all games, you obtain the gem on King Boo's crown after defeating him, but it's always the least valuable treasure. It is worth 5000G (as much as a single coin) in the first game, has no value at all in ''[[VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon Dark Moon]]'', and [[spoiler:outright vanishes after grabbing it]] in ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion3''.
* AndIMustScream: King Boo's main plan involve trapping Mario and Luigi in a painting where they are fully conscious but unable to do anything.
* ArtifactTitle: In ''Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon'', Luigi is busting ghosts in several different places, and only two of them are mansions, neither of which are his. ''Luigi's Mansion 3'' features no mansions whatsoever, instead taking place solely in a haunted hotel.
* BedSheetGhost: Nearly all enemies ghosts in the first game and some in the second. Every others ghosts appearing in the series have FogFeet instead.
* BigBad: This time, it is not Bowser, who is completely absent, but King Boo.
* BigBoosHaunt: The setting of each game is this. The first game features the eponymous mansion, the second the multiple places of Evershade Valley, and the third game, a hotel called The Last Resort.
* BlindedByTheLight: To be able to vacuum the ghosts, Luigi has to flash them using his special flashlight, the Strobulb ([[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness absent in the original game]]), stunning the ghosts and making them visible.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: In ''Dark Moon'', the ghosts are actually nice and docile until the eponymous Dark Moon is destroyed, making them hostile. Though since the Dark Moon seems to be fabricated, it may actually be the [[InvertedTrope opposite]].[[spoiler:In ''Luigi's Mansion 3'', the ghosts are under the influence of gem on King Boo's crown]].
* CharacterDevelopment: Being the series that finally gives Luigi his spotlight, this is to be expected. Luigi is here portrayed as a shy, easily-scared but neverless brave hero.
* ClassicalAntiHero: Compared to Mario, who is portrayed as an IdealHero, Luigi is more flawed, being shy and cowardly. He is nonetheless on the side of good and learn to overcome his fear of ghosts to save his brother.
* ConsoleCameo: Each game has one, used for such things as displaying maps and being the receiver for when E. Gadd contacts Luigi:
** The Game Boy Horror from the first game, a parody of the [[UsefulNotes/GameBoy Game Boy Color]]
** The Dual Scream from the first game, parodying the Nintendo Dual Screen, also known as UsefulNotes/NintendoDS.
** The Virtual Boo, or VB for short in the third game. Obvious parody of the UsefulNotes/VirtualBoy.
* CoolCrown: King Boo's most distinguishable features is his crown topped with a gem. [[spoiler: [[HatOfPower It actually grants him most of his powers]]]].
* CowardlyLion: Luigi is really scared of ghosts, but that doesn't stop him from facing them when he need to save his brother.
* CuteLittleFangs: Many ghosts have fangs, Boos in particular are adorable-looking phantoms.
* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to the usual [[SugarBowl happy and colorful]] world of Mario, ''Luigi's Mansion'' allows itself to be more grim and dark, bordering on SurvivalHorror.
* ADayInTheLimelight: This is the first time that Luigi got the main role in a game. Before that, he was just existing to be the second playable character and a partner for Mario, with little characterization. This is the series that defined him as the LovableCoward that he is.
* DenserAndWackier: While the original game had a somewhat sinister and menacing atmosphere, the sequels haven't maintained it:
** ''Luigi's Mansion'' was known for his gloomy charm. The enemies, while being simple [[BedsheetGhost Bedsheet Ghosts]] were still menacing, by their maniacal laughter and way they would suddenly spawn in the dark, often jumpscaring the player. While there were comedic moments, they were usually subtle rather than outright goofy. The mansion was entirely dark and inhabited by portrait ghosts who were the hauting memories of former people, behaving very eerily, almost unaware of their surrounding. The game also included many dark moments and was in fact dark from the beginning to the end, set entirely during the night.
** ''Dark Moon'' introduced new ghosts, not only their design were cuter and simpler but their behavior were much goofier, as they would often be seen playing with each others and making childish jokes; they weren't as evil as in the first game as they are only [[BrainwashedAndCrazy under the influence of a curse]] and are seen friendly in the beginning and the end of the game. The game setting is much more lookalike with the world of Super Mario and the cutscene and even the gameplay, are filled with {{Slapstick}} humor.
** ''Luigi's Mansion 3'' keeps the wacky feel of the previous game, altough the ghosts have new appareances, giving them a more evil look. While the boss ghosts are designed and named in a way implying them to be, like the portrait ghosts before them, the spirits of formal people, they are more aware and actively impede Luigi rather than being haunting memories eerily oblivious to everything around them. Also unlike the portrait ghosts, the game provides no information on their former lives.
* DistressedDude: Here, instead of being the one who rescues Princess Peach, Mario is the one who must be rescued.
* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: In the first game, the Boos were portrayed without their additional middle two fangs. King Boo himself was the same size as a regular boo, had no [[CreepyShadowedUndereyes undereyes shadows]] and his tongue was blue instead of purple.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first game is noticably different from the sequels, mostly due to being developed by a different studio:
** The atmosphere is [[DarkerAndEdgier much more sinister]], and the ghosts aren't as LaughablyEvil as they would later become.
** The Strobulb is absent, Luigi has to simply point his flashlight in direction of the ghosts to make them vulnerable. It was re-addded in the 3DS remake.
** Money is completely useless outside of being used as ScoringPoints.
** The scan of the Game Boy Horror allowed to read Luigi's inner thoughts. It has no equivalent in later games and Luigi becomes a HeroicMime.
* GhostsAbhorAVacuum: Luigi's weapon is the Poltergust, a modified vacuum invented by Professor E. Gadd for [[JustifiedTrope the express purpose of catching ghosts]].
* TheGhostKing: King Boo, he is even the page image.
* GlowingEyesOfDoom: All ghosts have these, though they are particularly glowing in the case of King Boo.
* TheGoomba: Gold Ghosts in the first game, Greenies in the second and Goobs in the third.
* HatOfPower: [[spoiler:King Boo's crown, or more specifically the gem on the crown, is where he gets all his powers from]].
* HauntedHouse: The settings of the series, obviously.
* HauntedHouseHistorian: Professor E. Gadd is this in the first two games, in fact his job is being a ghost researcher.
* HeartsAreHealth: Luigi's has to collect hearts to refill his health. In the first game, the ghosts' health is also portrayed by a heart.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: Luigi uses a Poltergust to suck up ghosts: it's essentially a vacuum cleaner with an attached flashlight, which in later games comes with a black light attachment.
* InescapableAmbush: Done all the time in the games, with areas that immediately have ghosts show up, then lock Luigi in until all of them are caught. In the case of ''VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon'' and ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion3'', it's not a door being blocked, but a magical gate popping out of the floor and barricading anything from an opening to a set of stairs until all nearby ghosts are caught. In these games, this is also marked by the lights immediately going off whenever an ambush occurs.
* LivingDrawing:
** King Boo's method of imprisonment consists of turning people into paintings. They are still alive while it happens.
** [[MookMaker Vincent Van Gore]] has the ability to paints ghosts who can come to "life".
* MetalSlime: Each games features a rare variations of the regular mook that drop tons of money when caught. The Speedy Spirit in the first game, the Gold Greenie in the second and the Gold Goob in the third.
* MissionControl: Professor E. Gadd in all games, who communicates to Luigi to give advice and mission goals through the Game Boy Horror, Dual Scream, Virtual Boo, or whatever communication device that particular entry uses.
* MoneyForNothing: Each haunted areas explored by Luigi are filled with money, from coins to bills to gold bar to jewells. Getting a lot of money is easy but it acts as ScoringPoints rather than currency. The sequel adds shops, but then again it is still minor.
* MonochromeApparition: [[AvertedTrope Averted]] for the most part. Ghosts are portrayed as all kind of colors, expect the Boos who are white, altough not fully monochrome, their tongue are still colored.
* NiceDayDeadlyNight: The core gameplay of each games is sets during a gloomy night. When the sun is present, it's usually sign of no worries.
* NonHumanUndead: Many including Spooky and Polterpup who are dogs, Miss Petunia, Polterkitty and Captain Fishook.
* OurGhostsAreDifferent: While the ghosts usually looks like your stereotypical cartoon spooks, they are separated into three categories:
** The regular enemies ghosts, they change each games and it's never made clear what make them so different from the others. They don't look human and may never have been. In fact, the first game suggest that they are [[LivingDrawing paintings who became "alive"]].
** The Portrait Ghosts are clearly former humans (or animals for some) they are more stronger, intelligent and a lot of them aren't even hostile, paying no attention to Luigi.
** The Boos are described as different from the others ghosts, they gains their power from their numbers. It's not clear if they are undead or not. This was suggested in [[VideoGame/PaperMario64 Paper Mario]] but due to the common conitnuity errors in the Mario universe, this may not hold true.
* OutOfFocus: While King Boo himself is the main villain of each games, the Boos as minions have become less and less relevant. In the first game, they were properly introduced and necessary to capture to finish the game, one was even a boss. In the second, they are no longer required to reach the ending, and in the third, all you get for catching them all is a CosmeticAward.
* PortalPicture: King Boo's favorite method for capturing Luigi's friends is trapping them inside pictures. However you don't actually enter through one of them [[spoiler:until the final boss of the first game]].
* ProphetEyes: All the ghosts have no pupils in their eyes, in the first game though, their eyes are yellow instead of white. In ''Dark Moon'', the ghosts get their pupils back under the influence of the Dark Moon.
* PunnyName:
** Professor Elvin Gadd, whose name is this and FunWithAcronyms. Being a pun on "egad".
** All the Boos' names are pun which consists of names and words with "boo" shoehorned in it, such as "Booldog", "Bootine" or "Bootique".
* ScoringPoints: The money accumulated through a Luigi's Mansion playthrough is used at the end to build a new building, the rank of the player is based on how much money they have.
* SealedEvilInACan: The primary method to defeat the enemies is to in prison them into the Poltergust via vacuuming. They are eventually put into painting or capsules.
* SelfParody: The parodies of Creator/{{Nintendo}} consoles such as the Game Boy Color, the DS and the Virtual Boy. For the VB, they even make fun of its sales failure.
--> ''To help you out, I'll give you one of my greatest inventions yet! I call it...the Virtual Boo! VB for short! It's a state-of-the-art virtual-reality device fitted with a fancy red screen! Really cutting-edge stuff! And red is all the rage, you know? Just wait until I finish the marketing materials on this! It'll fly off the shelves! Heh heh heh!''
* SillySpook: Most of the ghosts encountered are rather goofy and playful. Some aren't even hostile at all.
* SpookyKidsMedia: The first game was quite able to frighten many young players. The series eventually lightened up.
* WeaponsThatSuck: The Poltergust in all its variation.
* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer: Nearly everything that needs to be done in this series boils down to using the Poltergust, wether it be vacuuming ghosts, opening the curtains, grabbing money, throwing balls, grabbing a rope...you name on.
* WhoYouGonnaCall: Luigi has to fight ghosts if he wants to save his brother, but only the second game, where E. Gadd's ghost collection escaped, has Luigi going on an actual ghost hunting mission.
----

->'''[[UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.]]'''

''Luigi's Mansion'' is a SpinOff of [[VideoGame/SuperMarioBros Mario]] known for having Luigi, the brother of the eponymous plumber as the star of the games. Mario is in fact the [[DistressedDude one you have to rescue this time]], not from Bowser but from a hoard of ghosts, lead by [[BigBad King Boo]]! Yes, the King of Boos, those shy dorky ghosts from the Mario universe, but their leader is far more sinister than usual and holds a deep hatred for the Mario Bros.

''Luigi's Mansion'' is a SpinOff of [[VideoGame/SuperMarioBros Mario]] known for having Luigi, the brother of the eponymous plumber as the star of the games. Mario is in fact the [[DistressedDude one you have to rescue this time]], not from Bowser but from a hoard of ghosts, lead by [[BigBad King Boo]]! Yes, the King of Boos, those shy dorky ghosts from the Mario universe, but their leader is far more sinister than usual and hold a deep hatred for the Mario Bros.

* GhostsAbhorAVacuum: Luigi's WeaponOfChoice is the Poltergust, a modified vacuum invented by Professor E. Gadd for [[JustifiedTrope the express purpose of catching ghosts]].

** ''Luigi's Mansion 3'' keeps the wacky feel of the previous game, altough the ghosts have new appareances, giving them a more evil look.

''Luigi's Mansion'' is a SpinOff of [[VideoGame/SuperMarioBros Mario]] known for having Luigi, the brother of the eponymous plumber as the star of the games. Mario is in fact the [[DistressedDude one you have to rescue this time]], not from Bowser but from a hoard of ghosts, lead by [[BigBad King Boo]]! Yes, the King of Boos, those shy dorky ghosts from the Mario universe, but their leader is far more sinister than usual and hold a deep hatred for the Mario brothers

->'''[[UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear]].'''

* DecoyAntagonist: While King Boo himself is the main villain of each games, the Boos as minions have become less and less relevant. In the first game, they were properly introduced and necessary to capture to finish the game, one was even a boss. In the second, they are no longer required to reach the ending, and in the third, all you get for catching them all is a CosmeticAward.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first game is noticably different from the sequels, mostly due to being developped by a different studio:

* SealedEvilInACan: The primary method to defeat the enemies is to emprison them into the Poltergust via vacuuming. They are eventually put into painting or capsules.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first game is noticably differents from the sequels, mostly due to being developped by a different studio:

* ConsoleCameo: Each game has one, used for such things as dislaying maps and being the receiver for when E. Gadd contacts Luigi:

It offically began a series only 12 years later in 2013, with the release of ''Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon'' on the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS. This time being developed by Next Level Games instead of Nintendo EAD. This entry is a large departure from the original game, removing many gameplay mechanics and adding news one, such as the Dark Light, allowing Luigi to de-possess haunted objects and pulling things and people trapped in painting.

It offically began a series only 12 years later in 2013, with the release of ''Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon'' on the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS. This time being developped by Next Level Games instead of Nintendo EAD. This entry is a large departure from the original game, removing many gameplay mechanics and adding news one, such as the Dark Light, allowing Luigi to de-possess haunted objects and pulling things and people trapped in painting.