History Advertising / TheYearOfLuigi

* OldSaveBonus: ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'' lets you play an altered version of the original ''VideoGame/MarioBros'' (entitled ''Luigi Bros.''). This is [[UnlockableContent unlocked immediately]] if you have ''New Super Luigi U'' save data on your system, but requires beating the game if you don't.

* ''[[VideoGame/MarioBros Luigi Bros.]]'' (within\ ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'')[[note]]A Luigi-centric version of ''Mario Bros.'' The original game was also released on the Wii U's UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole earlier in the year.[[/note]]

-->-- ''Palutena's Guidance'' conversation in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''

For decades, while his older brother has acted as one of the most iconic and well-known characters in the history of video games, the ''other'' [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros super plumber brother]] has never been more than the "King of Second Bananas." Not to say Luigi's ever been outright ignored, but {{divergent character evolution}} didn't do The Man in Green any favors. By the 2010s, he'd become the eternal kid brother forever stuck in his brother's shadow and, in {{SpinOff}}s, the target of endless mockery and ridicule from [=NPCs=]. Heck, in the ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' series, Bowser can't even remember Luigi's ''existence'' most of the time. So maybe he deserves a moment to feel like he's number one...

-->'''Pit''': Look! It's Luigi!\\

* ''[[VideoGame/MarioBros Luigi Bros.]]'' (within in ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'')[[note]]A Luigi-centric version of ''Mario Bros.'' The original game was also released on the Wii U's UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole earlier in the year.[[/note]]

* ''[[VideoGame/MarioBros Luigi Bros.]]'' (within in ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'')[[note]]A Luigi-centric version of ''Mario Bros.'' [[/note]]

''The Year of Luigi'' was a year-long Creator/{{Nintendo}} advertising campaign revolving around the aforementioned character, celebrating [[MilestoneCelebration the 30th anniversary of his first appearance]] in ''VideoGame/MarioBros''. The celebration began on March 19, 2013, and officially concluded on March 18, 2014, though products related to the . During this celebration, four major Luigi-centric games were released, alongside various other pieces of content and merchandise.

For decades, while his older brother has acted as one of the most iconic and well-known characters in the history of video games, the ''other'' [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros super plumber brother]] has never been more than the "King of Second Bananas". While Luigi's never been outright ignored, {{divergent character evolution}} didn't do the Man in Green any favors. By the 2010s, he'd become the eternal kid brother forever stuck in his brother's shadow and, in SpinOff titles, the target of mockery and ridicule from [=NPCs=]. Heck, in the ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' series, Bowser can't even remember Luigi's ''existence'' most of the time. Maybe it's time for Luigi to be number one...

''The Year of Luigi'' was a year-long Creator/{{Nintendo}} advertising campaign revolving around the character, celebrating [[MilestoneCelebration the 30th anniversary of his first appearance]] in ''VideoGame/MarioBros''. The celebration began on March 19, 2013, and officially concluded on March 18, 2014, though products related to the . During this celebration, four major Luigi-centric games were released, alongside various other pieces of content and merchandise.

-->-- ''Palutena's Guidance'' conversation in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate''

!! ''The Year of Luigi'' included of:

* AbandonedMascot: Subverted in that the regular mascot -- Mario -- was abandoned temporarily. Social media used Luigi for a time rather than Mario.

* TheCameo: Every game Creator/{{Nintendo}} released in 2013 had a Luigi sprite hidden somewhere in the game.
* OldSaveBonus: ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'' lets you play an altered version of the original ''VideoGame/MarioBros'' (entitled ''Luigi Bros.'') if you have ''VideoGame/NewSuperLuigiU'' data in celebration of the Year of Luigi. Without the previous save, you have to beat the game first in order to play ''Luigi Bros.''

For decades, while his older brother has acted as one of the most iconic and well-known characters in the history of video games, the ''other'' [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros super plumber brother]] has never been more than the "King of Second Bananas". While Luigi's never been outright ignored, {{divergent character evolution}} didn't do the Man in Green any favors. By the 2010s, he'd become the eternal kid brother forever stuck in his brother's shadow and, in SpinOff titles, the target of mockery and ridicule from [=NPCs=]. Heck, in the ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' series, Bowser can't even remember Luigi's ''existence'' most of the time. So it was about time he got a little reminder of how cool he truly is...

Having seen their ''other'' [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros super plumber brother]] go neglected for a good while, Creator/{{Nintendo}} decided to combat this by declaring 2013 the Year of Luigi, it being [[MilestoneCelebration the 30th anniversary of his first appearance]] in ''VideoGame/MarioBros''. The celebration carried on for exactly 365 days -- a full year, in other words -- meaning the celebration began on March 19, 2013, and concluded on March 18, 2014.

During this celebration, three new Luigi-centric games were released, and in Japan a special [[UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS 3DS XL]] was released with [[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiDreamTeam one of them]] coming pre-installed. This also coincides with two special Year of Luigi Miiverse communities opening for 2013.

!! Games Released in this Celebration
* ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiDreamTeam''

* ''Dr. Luigi'' (a Luigi-version of ''VideoGame/DrMario'')

'''Viridi''': [[LampshadeHanging I don't remember that]].

* ChristmasRushed: Inverted. At least one game's release, ''VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon'', was delayed in order to be released for this campaign rather than the holidays.
* MilestoneCelebration: This campaign celebrates the 30th year of Luigi's appearance in ''VideoGame/MarioBros''.

* StuckInTheirShadow: Luigi has been "stuck in the shadow" of Mario since Luigi's debut, but one of the points of this campaign was to [[DefiedTrope defy]] this.

* ChristmasRushed: At least one game's release, ''VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon'', was delayed in order to be released for this campaign rather than the holidays.