Luigi's Mansion is a 2001 action-adventure game created and released by Nintendo. It was one of the first games available for the GameCube and the first Mario game made for that console. The game was released in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, in Europe on May 3, 2002, and in Australia on May 17, 2002. This game is the third in which Luigi is the main character instead of Mario, following Mario Is Missing! and Luigi's Hammer Toss. In the game, players guide Luigi as he explores a haunted mansion to save Mario and fights ghosts by using a vacuum cleaner provided by Professor E. Gadd.
Luigi's Mansion received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised the gameplay, setting, and music. However, some reviewers noted that the game was short. It sold more than 3.3 million copies and is the fifth most popular GameCube game ever. It was among the first games to be re-released as a Player's Choice title on the system. At first, fans had mixed feelings about the game, but over time, it gained a large group of fans who really liked it. The game was followed by two sequels: Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (2013) for the Nintendo 3DS and Luigi's Mansion 3 (2019) for the Nintendo Switch. A remake of Luigi's Mansion for the 3DS, developed by Nintendo and Grezzo, was released in 2018. The game was also re-released for the Nintendo Switch 2 through the Nintendo Classics service in 2025.
Gameplay
Luigi's Mansion takes place across four "areas," which are groups of rooms you can explore between battles with bosses. Players can also visit a training room and a gallery in Professor E. Gadd's laboratory at the start of the game or between areas. In each area, Luigi explores the mansion's rooms to find ghosts, collects keys to unlock doors, and faces a boss ghost at the end of each area. To help him, Luigi uses a flashlight and two tools from Professor E. Gadd: the Poltergust 3000, a powerful vacuum cleaner, and the Game Boy Horror, a handheld device modeled after the Game Boy Color.
To catch ghosts, Luigi first uses his flashlight to stun a ghost, making its heart visible. He then uses the Poltergust 3000 to suck up the ghost, reducing its health points to zero. The more health points a ghost has, the longer it takes to capture, increasing the chance it might escape and harm Luigi. If Luigi's health drops to zero from ghost attacks or accidents, the game ends. During the game, Luigi finds three elemental medals that allow the Poltergust 3000 to summon and vacuum ghosts from fire, water, and ice sources, and to use those elements to solve puzzles or capture specific ghosts. Players must also capture "portrait ghosts" in some rooms, which become available only after certain conditions are met. Rooms are usually dark at first, and Luigi hums nervously to the music, but they brighten once all ghosts in the room are captured, and Luigi whistles the melody happily.
The Game Boy Horror has a map function that shows which rooms have been visited, which doors are open, and which are locked. When Luigi finds a key, the Game Boy Horror automatically shows which door it unlocks. The device also lets players examine objects, read profiles of captured portrait ghosts, and track treasures Luigi finds. Treasures, such as coins, bills, gold bars, pearls, or gems, are often hidden in objects or chests that appear after clearing rooms. Luigi can collect treasures by walking into them or vacuuming them. If a ghost harms Luigi, he drops coins that must be collected before they disappear. After encountering a group of Boos (ghosts that hide), the Game Boy Horror uses a beeping sound and a flashing yellow light to locate them. The light turns red when Luigi is near a Boo. Boos can only be found in cleared rooms and are harder to catch because they create decoys and traps that can trick the Game Boy Horror. If a Boo escapes, it moves to another room.
After completing an area, Professor E. Gadd restores all portrait ghosts to their paintings, which players can view in his laboratory's gallery. A result screen then shows the portrait ghosts Luigi captured and the total treasure collected for that stage. After defeating the final boss, players receive a rank (A to H) based on the amount of treasure found. Completing the game once unlocks a second mode called the "Hidden Mansion," which includes a stronger Poltergust 3000, tougher ghosts, and more challenges. In the European and Australian versions of this mode, the mansion appears as a mirrored reflection, bosses are harder, and ghosts are trickier to catch. Many of these changes were later added to the Nintendo 3DS remake of the game, though the stronger Poltergust 3000 and mirrored mansion were not included in all versions.
Plot
Luigi is told he has won a mansion in a contest he did not enter. He shares this with Mario, and they plan to meet there that evening. Luigi follows a map to the mansion, which is located in a dark forest. The mansion appears more scary than the photo provided. Mario is not present, so Luigi enters the mansion alone. He meets a ghost that attacks him, but a small and old scientist saves him. The scientist tries to stop the ghost with a vacuum cleaner but fails. They escape as more ghosts appear. The scientist introduces himself as Professor Elvin Gadd, or E. Gadd. He explains the mansion is supernatural and appeared only a few days ago. E. Gadd says he saw Mario heading toward the mansion but has not seen him since. When E. Gadd learns Mario is Luigi’s brother, he gives Luigi ghost-hunting tools: a vacuum cleaner called the Poltergust 3000 and a device called the Game Boy Horror. Luigi returns to the mansion to find Mario.
As Luigi explores, he learns the mansion was created by King Boo to hide ghosts that E. Gadd had previously trapped in paintings using a machine called the "Ghost Portrificationizer." King Boo sent the false contest notice to trick the Mario Bros. into a trap as revenge for past battles. Luigi moves through dark floors, halls, and locked rooms, capturing the escaped ghosts. He finds Mario trapped in a painting inside a secret altar in the mansion’s basement. Luigi discovers a key to unlock the altar and confronts King Boo. King Boo, angry that Luigi captured his ghosts, pulls Luigi into the painting. Inside, King Boo uses illusionary powers to create a copy of Bowser to fight Luigi. Luigi defeats the copy, forcing King Boo out of the painting and capturing him.
After returning to the real world, Luigi finds Mario unconscious but still trapped in the painting. He carries Mario out of the mansion. E. Gadd explains the mansion was an illusion and no longer exists. Using the Ghost Portrificationizer’s reverse function, Luigi frees Mario from the painting. In the end, E. Gadd builds a new, non-haunted house for Luigi on the mansion’s former site. The size of the house depends on the treasure collected during the game.
Development
The game was first shown at Nintendo Space World 2000 as a demo to display the GameCube's graphics. The footage included scenes later used in trailers and commercials, such as Luigi screaming in fear, running from a ghost in the Foyer, ghosts playing cards in the Parlor, ghosts circling Luigi, and a gloomy Luigi standing outside the mansion with lightning. These scenes were created by three graphic companies to honor the GameCube. After its creation, Nintendo decided to turn the demo into a complete video game. A year later, Luigi's Mansion was shown at the Electronic Entertainment Expo along with the GameCube. Hideki Konno, Shigeru Miyamoto, and Takashi Tezuka led the game's development. A newer version, closer to the final game, was shown at Nintendo Space World 2001.
The original plan for Luigi's Mansion involved a game set in a large mansion or apartment complex. Early tests used Mario characters in dollhouses and other buildings. As the lighting was designed, darkness and shadows became important, and an older American-style haunted house was chosen as the setting. When the project became a GameCube game, Luigi was chosen as the main character to make the game unique. Ideas like ghosts and the ghost-sucking vacuum cleaner were added later. Older ideas, such as a role-playing game system and a cave under the mansion, were removed because of the new features. Konno explained that while basic vacuum cleaner gameplay could have worked on the Nintendo 64, the GameCube's power allowed for better lighting, shadows, and animations, which became key parts of the game.
Luigi's Mansion music was composed by Shinobu Tanaka and Kazumi Totaka. It includes "Totaka's Song," a track found in most of Totaka's games. To hear it, wait on the controller configuration screen in the Training Room for about three and a half minutes. The main theme was arranged by Shogo Sakai for Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The game used voice actors Charles Martinet (Mario and Luigi), Jen Taylor (Toad), and Totaka (E. Gadd), though Totaka's role was not credited.
All GameCube systems could display stereoscopic 3D, and Luigi's Mansion was planned to use this feature. However, 3D TVs were not common at the time, and the cost of compatible displays made the feature impractical. It was not included in the final game. Stereoscopic 3D effects were later added in the 2018 remake for Nintendo 3DS.
Reception
Luigi's Mansion was the most successful GameCube game launched commercially and the top-selling game in November 2001. It sold 257,000 copies in the United States during its first week of sale. Nintendo reported that the game played a major role in the GameCube's initial sales success and sold more copies in its opening week than Super Mario 64 had sold. Although it sold about 348,000 copies in Japan, it became the fifth best-selling GameCube game in the United States, with total sales of approximately 2.19 million copies there. Worldwide, the game sold 3.33 million copies by 2020. It was also one of the first Player's Choice titles on the GameCube, along with Super Smash Bros. Melee and Pikmin.
Critics praised Luigi's Mansion for its graphics, design, and gameplay. GameSpot said the game "features some refreshing ideas" and "flashes of brilliance." Nintendo Power called it "very enjoyable" with "clever puzzles and innovative gameplay." GameSpy noted "great visuals, imaginative game design, and classic Nintendo magic." GamePro described it as "a masterful example of game design." GameRevolution highlighted "beautiful graphics" and "enjoyable game mechanics." Game Informer praised the gameplay as "brilliant" and compared it to the work of Nintendo's creator, Shigeru Miyamoto. IGN and GameSpy both praised the audio, with IGN calling Luigi's voice acting "cute, humorous, and satisfying" and GameSpy saying the soundtrack was "subtle, amusing, and suitable." Famitsu, a Japanese gaming magazine, gave the game a gold rating and noted that its control system, though challenging at first, worked well.
Some critics pointed out that the game's short length was a drawback. GameSpot said it "fails to match the classic status of Mario's adventures" and that its short playtime made it difficult to recommend. However, the review also noted that the short length helped prevent the gameplay and audio from becoming repetitive. GameSpy criticized the game's length, stating it could be completed in about six hours. Allgame said the game "fails to deliver a cohesive gameplay experience over the long-term." IGN's Fran Mirabella III called the gameplay "predictable and formulaic." G4's TV show X-Play criticized the game in a special on Mario games, calling it a disappointment for players expecting a new Mario game on the GameCube. Luigi's Mansion won the 2002 BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Award for audio. It ranked 99th in Official Nintendo Magazine's list of the 100 greatest Nintendo games of all time.
Legacy
Luigi's Mansion features two characters: Professor Elvin Gadd, also known as E. Gadd, and King Boo. E. Gadd has appeared in other Mario games, such as Mario Party 6 and Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. He is mentioned in Super Mario Sunshine as the creator of Mario's F.L.U.D.D. device and Bowser Jr.'s paintbrush. E. Gadd also appears as a playable character costume in Super Mario Maker. King Boo has also appeared in other games, either as a boss (such as in Super Mario 64 DS and Super Mario Sunshine) or as a playable character (such as in Mario Kart: Double Dash and Mario Super Sluggers).
The mansion from the game has appeared in other Mario games, often as Luigi's home stage. It appears in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart 8 (Deluxe), Mario Power Tennis, Mario Super Sluggers, Mario Hoops 3-on-3, Mario Sports Mix, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The Wii U game Nintendo Land includes Luigi's Ghost Mansion, a multiplayer minigame based on Luigi's Mansion. In this minigame, four players control Miis dressed as Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi and must drain the energy of a ghost. The GamePad player controls the ghost and must make the other players faint before time runs out.
A direct sequel for the Nintendo 3DS, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, was released in March 2013, about twelve years after the original game, to celebrate the Year of Luigi. In 2015, Nintendo released Luigi's Mansion Arcade, an arcade game based on Dark Moon developed by Capcom and published by Sega. The game uses the same story as Dark Moon but features first-person, on-rails gameplay and a special vacuum-based controller. It is mostly found in Japanese arcades, though some versions are available at select Dave & Buster's locations in the United States. A third game, Luigi's Mansion 3, was released for the Nintendo Switch on October 31, 2019.
A remake of Luigi's Mansion for the Nintendo 3DS, co-developed by Nintendo and Grezzo, was announced on March 8, 2018, and released on October 12, 2018.
Before the remake was officially announced, Shigeru Miyamoto created a working prototype of the game for a 3DS development kit to test the system's hardware and 3D features, which led to the development of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon. The remake includes amiibo support and uses gyroscopic controls, the Circle Pad Pro, the C-Stick on New Nintendo 3DS models, and stereoscopic 3D. New features added include local cooperative play where a second player controls a character named "Gooigi," a new control option using the Strobulb flashlight from Dark Moon, an achievement list, and a boss rush mode where up to two players can complete boss fights quickly. All versions of the remake include elements from the PAL version's Hidden Mansion, making the second quest more difficult in North American and Japanese versions. If a player scores high enough in the Hidden Mansion, they earn a Rank S, which is higher than Rank A, and see a more luxurious version of Luigi's mansion after the credits. As of 2018, the remake sold 90,410 copies in Japan, making it the third best-selling Nintendo 3DS release of 2018, behind WarioWare Gold and Detective Pikachu.
Reviewers generally praised the remake, noting the improved visuals and the game's ability to remain enjoyable 17 years after its original release. They also appreciated the use of stereoscopic 3D and the two-screen design, as well as new features like the boss rush mode and the PAL Hidden Mansion.