When the GameCube launched in 2001, it arrived with a technically impressive crop of launch titles. Wave Race: Blue Storm was a super solid racer with some stunning water effects, while Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader was the closest I’ve ever come (and have since) to feeling as though I was actually playing through setpieces from the legendary movies.
As far as big-hitters from the Mario series itself went, though (bearing in mind that the inimitable Super Mario 64 launched with the company’s last home console), Nintendo opted for a curve ball in the shape of Luigi’s Mansion. It’s become a beloved classic series in its own right, and the GameCube original is about to hit the Nintendo Classics series in a predictable-yet-welcome Spooktober launch.
As reported by Eurogamer, Nintendo shared on its YouTube account that the title will be available to play on Switch 2 from October 30. As ever, you’ll need to be subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack on the new system to access its crop of GameCube games (which are unavailable on the original Switch), and this one’s more than worth a revisit.
A Lightly Spooky Horror Classic
Luigi’s Mansion is far from a horror game in the typical sense, but it has mischievously creepy vibes that amplify the ‘malevolent Boos pursuing Mario when his back in turned’ concept from the broader series. This was the game, really, that cemented Luigi’s cowardly, comedy sidekick persona, as well as introducing deeper cut characters into the series like the tiny and lovable Professor E. Gadd.
It was an experimental and unique title, but one that did an excellent job of retaining familiar elements of the series while doing something new with them. Elemental power-ups like Mario’s fireballs instead become the Fire Elemental Medal, which, in tandem with a fire element ghost, allow Luigi to expel fire from his iconic Poltergust. There are also water and ice counterparts, which make for some fun little puzzles and vary the ghost-catching action up nicely.
From this first game, in which Luigi must rescue Mario from the mansion he supposedly ‘won,’ a whole series arose. Most recently, 2019’s Luigi’s Mansion 3 sees our bumbling hero liberating a haunted hotel, with the intriguing mechanic of Gooigi added to the mix. One of Nintendo’s best looking games ever, too.
From the concept to the combat, there isn’t anything else quite like the series in Nintendo’s repertoire. I suddenly feel incredibly old realizing that the first title is now almost 25 years old, but if you got into the series with the later games and haven’t yet played the first, you’ll have a great opportunity to do so from October 30. Perfect for not-too-scary spooks.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
