Another point of comparison you could've made is degradation of the original's aesthetic and art style. Unlike the sequels, the first game actually feels "creepy" - the mansion is rendered pretty realistically for a Mario-universe game, and the ghosts/bosses all have a certain uncanny essence to them. Such as the King Boo fight, where he summons some corpse of Bowser to fight you in (as indicated by the fortune telling ghost). The plot of saving Mario in a ghost-ridden creepy mansion is well done. The sequels do not capture that aesthetic experience from the first game. The redesigned "cuter" ghosts are overly animated, the environments are too blocky and stylized, the bosses aren't visually intimidating, etc. The sequels feel like they were animated by Illumination or something. I agree 2 and 3 are still decent games, but the weirdness of the first one will probably never be recreated.
I completely agree and this is my main issue with sequels. I was hoping he would talk about this in the video. A lot of people seem to forget nowadays with how goofy and cartoony the sequels are that the first game actually had a creepy atmosphere.
I was looking for this exact comment before I made it. I completely agree. Luigi’s Mansion 1 completely scared me as a kid but the cartoony aesthetic of the newer games takes away the suspense and uncanny feeling that the first game had. The vibe overall of the first game has just never been replicated and it makes me sad
“the sequels did not capture that aesthetic experience from the first game” “the sequels” What are you waffling about? Luigi’s Mansion 3 totally captures that aesthetic experience.
I 100% agree with this take! I first experienced Luigi's Mansion when I was 8, and I remember actually feeling creeped out and anxious because of the atmosphere and music! (Especially Bogmire!) I wonder if the less creepy, brighter, and cutesy direction of the sequels is because of feedback that the first game was actually too good at creeping kids out!
i think the biggest detriment to the newer games' atmosphere is the lighting. LM1's unlit rooms are PITCH dark, to the point where luigi's flashlight is nearly you're only visual feedback. While in LM2-3 the flashlight feels there only as a formally because you can make out the entire room without the lights on
I feel like the darkness in the original game was done deliberately just to show what the GameCube was capable of in terms of graphical prowess. Seriously, the game was capable of: 1. Casting shadows in real time using the flashlight. 2. Simulate clothing in real time in most rooms. 3. Handle insane physics with coins bouncing and interacting with all surfaces, paper money being light enough to fall down slowly and twirl. The hose of the Poltergust 3000 having unique jiggle bones. The 3DS version's engine is weaker when it comes to physics as the coins have less bounce compared to the GC version. All of this stuff done with only 24 megabytes of RAM is pretty damn impressive. Aside from the lighting, the lack of music is another thing that makes Luigi's Mansion 2 and 3 not have the same spooky factor as the first game. The sheer silence that accompanies you throughout the game as you slowly light up the mansion feels really unsettling.
I actually disagree that Luigi's Mansion would benefit from having a ranking system tied to time to complete - one of my most disliked features of the second game was that I was ranked partly on how fast I did something, because I love exploring these environments and being rushed through them really sucks. I do understand some people's need for timed rewards in the games they play, so an optional timed mode would still be cool for the first game, though I myself probably wouldn't use it as I found taking it slow and having fun is my favourite way to play LM games. I also understand that some of the games' bosses and gameplay does rely on timed segments such as collecting the floating coins with the inflating flowers in the second game, but having these spread out and small in nature makes them more enjoyable than constantly having to rush around just to get a good rank. But this is definitely a case of everyone to their own!
The First Luigi’s Mansion not getting a Switch HD Port but a 3DS Port is a missed opportunity. Really wish Nintendo would port the first Luigi’s Mansion Game to the Switch soon
Yeah as much as I like the 3DS version, it would’ve played more better on the Switch. A bit weird it came out a year after the release of the Switch. I honestly don’t know why the 3DS versions of Luigi’s Mansion, OoT, and Majora’s Mask haven’t been ported to the Switch.
That was because Nintendo wasn't certain the Switch would be successful back then. Now why the took so long to port the 2nd game without doing the same for the first is what I don't get.
The main reason is because the original creator of Luigi Mansion worked on the 3DS and asked an adaptation on it for years in a hope to return the lost 3D effect it was supposed to get on the GameCube, but it was too expensive. So I guess Grezzo heard of it and decided to fill the dream, ad it turned out great. I don't care it doesn't have a Switch port, it's perfectly playable on 3DS, and was pretty fun! Try it if you can.
@@miserablepileofsecrets Personally I would like to save Screenshots and video clips without having to resort to emulation or capture cards. It doesn’t have to be anything groundbreaking, just a port of the 3DS version.
I think the problem with the sequels is they’re indistinguishable from any other Mario universe title. The first Luigi’s mansion felt like we were in a dark and scary version of the mushroom kingdom the ghosts and environments all felt like they almost didn’t belong in this universe. While the sequels go more into the cartoony nature matching the rest of the mushroom kingdom’s atmosphere, they’re still spooky environments but it’s Mario spooky and not Luigi’s mansion spooky. I don’t know how else to describe other than the first Luigi’s mansion atmosphere and enemies could only appear in a Luigi’s mansion while the sequels feel like they’d fit just as well in a 3D Mario platformer as they do in the Luigi’s mansion games.
i love the art in the first game it's more realistic colors and objects but it just so happens to be in mario's world it's kind of bizzare and i wish i had more of it
I agree. I also think it helps the first game, as it seems very unique in the atmosphere of being dark, mysterious, sometimes silly, but very sincere. Every room 1-ups the last; building anticipation as to what ghost, puzzle, or scare waits for you on the other side. Its nonlinear approach and boo system allows for seeing previous rooms again to help gain familiarity with the mansion as a whole. The blackout also spicing things up by making every safe place in the mansion dangerous again; making every room seem new again, if only for just a little while. The basic ghosts in the first game also make it that much more engaging, as they genuinely appear dangerous and only want to hurt Luigi. Contrast that to the goofballs of the sequals that feel like just bothersome pests, taking or hiding items that further the game. I played dark moon all the way and I don't want to play it again to be honest. The original Luigi's Mansions vibe just cannot be beat.
You should try out this fan mod of Luigi’s Mansion called Halloween Haunt! It feels like authentic DLC to the original game! Though money is unfortunately pointless, there are enough secrets in the game that actually effect the way you play. Most notably are the three different endings!
What I hated about the second is the lack of portrait ghosts and personality. I gave up on that game when the ice boss’s gimmick made it unplayable as it felt it relied more on luck than anything that lead up to that point, it comes out of nowhere and makes no sense. 3 was a step in the right direction. Sure some things are better and I like Art Deco aesthetic they used for the mansion but it still has this exaggerated style started with Dark Moon. The thing for me about LM1 and why I still consider it timeless is it sets the aesthetic. You can explore the mansion and feel the eeriness of a Victorian+Second Empire style mansion. Luigi is scared and you probably are, too. That is not the case with the other two. You just…have this goofy silly approach to the spookiness that detracts from that. LM1 is also the game that got me into things like ghosts. I like the idea of the ghosts having this previous life that they died from, they aren’t just a ghost to catch, they’re still people. It gives you a sense of curiosity to learn more about the ghosts, even if the game gives you a minuscule amount. Melody, Madame Clairvoya, and Shivers, for example, will always be more memorable than any ghosts in the sequels. It felt to me for Dark Moon and 3, that they dialed back on eeriness, the spooky factor, and the overall dark themes to make it more “kid-friendly” because someone thought it was too spooky. And I think the cherry on top for LM1 is the ending scene where Mario is released from the painting. As a kid it was the very time I actually cried playing a Mario game. It was such a greatly executed heartwarming scene. It’s also another thing Dark Moon and 3 lack: emotion. LM1 exhibits and makes you feel certain emotions or feelings playing it: fear, unease, curiosity, excitement, sadness, happiness, etc. LM1 knows when to be goofy and when not to be. It’s cartoony, but it can get pretty serious and dark, at least for a Mario game. Dark Moon and 3? It seems as though all they took from LM1 is “Mario game where Luigi goes ghost hunting with a vacuum cleaner in a spooky mansion”. They took LM1 at face value.
one thing I'd say is that most people don't think 4-5 hours is a replayable experience, with the release of rougelikes and rougelites, I think the ideal replayable experience has been progressively getting shorter and so unless you're a kid without access to dozens of games and thus had to make with what you had, most people in recent times only experienced LM1 once or twice just my two cents as to how most people only play LM1 once or twice though
I don't know if my original comment got deleted or flagged (or I never hit the comment button after typing), but as much as I can see fun & value in LM2 & 3 both as video games & Luigi's Mansion games, I completely understand & can get behind how different 2 & 3 were from the first forces them to not offer the same familiar or consistent feeling even if it wanted to try. They do offer their own charm & flare to each title, but it's definitely not the same type of charm or type of depth comparing them side by side & digging in the weeds of it, not the same depth & charm to it's overall structure & puzzles nor properly building upon what the original set in place. The structure in particular makes it evident, bolstered by comparing the puzzles across all 3 games. It reminds me of the Paper Mario situation if I'm being honest, but it's its own situation w/ LM. I think you're spitting & should keep pushing these analytical video essays. You have a great cadence & tone to explaining what's on your mind on top of making thorough & reasonable points period, even from those who may disagree with you. It is plenty of food for thought at the very least for Luigi's Mansion enjoyers & the first game is a very unique & special experience you don't really get anywhere else in the series or from other games. Fantastic video.
Asides the immersion and atmosphere LM3 is stellar. LM1 and LM3 are both equally as good in my mind and it supprises me how people think LM3 is some radical departure.
I found the section on the original Luigi's Mansion very interesting, especially the part where you discuss what genre it belongs to. I made a video myself a couple of years ago comparing Luigi's Mansion and Resident Evil, but you're the only other person I've ever heard bringing up what these games share in common. I was shocked to discover how similar they felt despite some massive differences, even _after_ coming up with the idea to compare them! And it seems very much to me that this "survival horror" feel was totally absent from its sequel, which often felt too contrived and game-y to really immerse me as I played. I also hated the cartoonish appearance of the new ghost enemies. Frankly, I'm just not a fan of Next Level games and their entire approach to design. Dark Moon was one of the most disappointing games I've ever played, even though it was all right, because the style was so different from what I had come to expect from something called Luigi's Mansion. I didn't even play Luigi's Mansion 3 because it was obviously a stylistic sequel to Dark Moon. Nintendo EAD had a really unique design sensibility, and with the internal team reshuffling in 2015 and Nintendo's current tendency to farm out lower-tier titles to subsidiaries, I don't think that classic EAD approach is going to be seen in any Nintendo game for a long while, if it ever comes back again. I look forward to seeing you eclipse my subscriber count in the next week or so :)
I think that Dead Rising 1 and 2 are more of spiritual successors to Luigi's Mansion rather than LM2 and 3. The portrait ghosts and psychopaths are very alike as bosses you encounter when exploring the game map. In LM you are rewarded by money, and in DR you are rewarded by xp and survivors who you need to escort to safety, and at the end of the game you are ranked on how you did, with the ending being different based on your score. Both Dead Rising and Luigi's Mansion has camera mechanics, with DR rewarding the player with xp for taking photos. In Dead Rising the game is more based around a timer and is thus far less linear. People thought that LM was meant to also be timed due to beta footage but this apparently wasn't the case and was just for that specific demo.
While I see some of your points as valid I think at the same time you speak with some bias you want everything to just be like the first game while not looking at them on their own. You provided the example of the pyramid/desert level to say how it proves what you were talking about but the entire pyramid section of the game itself does the same things you liked from the other floors u mentioned. It even uses the sand as a mechanic how you said you wished the game did. I understand where you come from I used to feel the same way with the sequels in terms of how i felt disappointed in how and I did not like LM3 the first time I played it because again it just leave me disappointed it wasn’t like the first game which is my favorite one But I’ve recently started over LM3 and finished it and had a much more satisfying and enjoyable experience playing it without the expectation of it being like the first game. This video discusses luigi’s mansion as if its sequels are failures since they did not continue what the first game did. However I am pretty sure that was never the intention the first game got titled Dark Moon in america for a reason. After such a long time without anything i think it was meant to be a reboot more than anything it had an entire development team as well so yeah. Idk those are my thoughts on the video but still great job on it and all definitely enjoyable and I see where you come from as well I am happy to have found your channel:)
@@tinic7776 Luigi's Mansion probably wasn't meant to continue, but their made anyway because Next Level Games have to do something. Since Next Level Games is known for action games and not horror games, LM 2 and 3 feels very different.
Luigi's Mansion was a treasure. The gameplay mechanic of using a flashlight to find invisible ghosts that you can suck up with a vacuum cleaner was a groundbreaking delight! It's hard to follow up this kind of classic in a marketing world that always wants bigger and better and values action over elegance.
I've felt like this since 3 came out and realized that the direction I would prefer for LM to go will probably never happen. However, like you said, I still enjoy 2 and 3 (a lot!); but it doesn't hold a candle to the love I have for the original. It's personality, aesthetic, atmosphere, charm, and the pull it has on me to dive back in for another romp through the mansion every Autumn for as long as I can remember!
The sudden change of tone from Luigi's Mansion 2 and onward is because of factors that are observable but not fully comprehended. Odd but still great art design choices on their own.
The first Luigi’s Mansion and SA2B were my childhood. My brain didn’t understand game design or things that might be intuitive to me now. Discovering things in Luigi’s Mansion was magical. Using the GBA on a mouse hole was from being a dumb kid: I just spun my camera in circles, tapping A button for no reason until a portal appearing stopped me in my tracks, blowing my mind. It still wasn’t intuitive to me that I searched the mouse hole. I was clicking everything else trying to duplicate it. Those “5” hours gave me a lifetime of nostalgia.
It's funny how many parallels there are between the Dark Souls series and how it changed from game to game with how Luigi's Mansion changed with each sequel.
@@supleh5937 Next Level Games is known for action games, so they were a great choice for Punch Out. Luigi's Mansion is not an action game, so NLGs working on it is more questionable???
Depending on how legally possible it is, I hope to one day make a game inspired SPECIFICALLY by the first game. So everything you said will likely be taken into consideration, by then. (Then again, if I plan to make it Clay-Mation inspired... might be a long time from now xd)
Ah, yes. A simple task such as blowing up the moon. I love the original so much as it was one of the first games I played on the GameCube, and while I did love the 2nd and 3rd as well, it was less so. They both felt completely different from the original. They were fun, but they didn’t feel like a true sequel to Luigi’s mansion. Love your videos keep it up! :)
Basically my views on the series. Each game basically defined an era where 1 was where they were willing to throw anything at the wall and see what sticks, 2 was when they genericized the series to fall more in line with New soup, and 3 is where they are now where they trying new ideas, but making sure game is extremely casualized, so that anyone could pick up and play.
I've only watched the intro so far, but I want to say that the original Luigi's Mansion is my Number 1 top favorite game of all time, so it's really disappointing seeing that Next Level doesn't really seem to get why it was so good. 2 and 3 are fine games, but they don't even begin to compare to 1.
I grew up with Luigi's Mansion 1 when I was a kid it was so fun replaying it. I always replayed it trying to get the best run and get the highest ranks on the ghost.
I’m sorry man, this is a well put together video and all, but most points you make in accusation of the sequels is just total nitpicking and “it’s not the first game.” Especially LMDK.
tbh I'm fine with the shift in gameplay especially with dark moon cause it was developed for a handheld system so I'm sure the devs were trying to figure out of to give bite sized exploration but what I do not like is the shift from the detailed, dark, dusty atmosphere and aesthetics to a more general "party city" brand of Halloween spooky for lack of a better term. Like the footage of the disco fight in 3 is so jarring that is NOT a spooky game that is a good vibe they got going on there😅 And it makes me sad cause I genuinely love the animations and I agree that 3 is one of the best looking switch games but I WISH it looked darker and dustier like the original was. I really miss those glorious dust particle effects
I think the mission system for Dark moon is overall fine for 2 reasons. The first one is that in a new mission they can change stuff about the mansion each time, making the game overall longer and perhaps a bit more interesting. And the second is after every mission its kinda like a save point, you can take a break every so often and it makes you feel like you accomplished something big that was important in getting to the boss of that mansion. Thats just my thoughts tho, Overall I think the tone, designs, layout of the mansion and immense replay ability of the first game is better than Dark Moon. However I still have quite a bit of nostalgia with Dark Moon which is why I like it better than the first one, but more objective side of things, yeah the first game will always be the best one.
What do you mean you watched your dad beat the game when you were a kid? One of your first memories?? Just how old are you?? Man, you're making me feel old..
It's probably telling that I didn't even remember LM3 having an ending rank. And yeah, being able to reload from the end and collect all the things for the best rank is really stupid. In LM1 you had to be playing on the harder mode and know the locations of most of the secrets in order to get the best rank. It's a true test of skill and game knowledge.
to be fair the other games other than the first are good in their own way I mean the first game luigi barely had any animation almost making him feel robotic making you feel like you're controlling luigi rather than actually being him and luigi's mansion 2 and 3 they characterize luigi so much more he feels like actually luigi rather than a puppet I'm not saying they made luigi who he is rather that they added onto it luigi's mansion 2 can be creepy at times and it's ghosts may be faceless but they're fun in 3 they added the personalized ghosts back and above all has interesting puzzles and an interesting story to boot another thing is luigi's mansion 2 made egadd so much more interesting and 3 had a lot more exploration the first luigi's mansion is a good game but it kinda blinds people from looking at the full on series instead of comparing it to the first you gotta look at it fully not just luigi's mansion 1 tinted glasses
I couldn’t find this video for a week because you changed the title. Should’ve kept it as the rise and fall of Luigi’s Mansion. But thanks for CZcams to recommending this to me again…
I guess I'm the only one who prefers where the series has gone. I much prefer the puzzle-oriented approach to Luigi's Mansion 2 and 3 and LM1 is actually my least favorite. It's a good game but I don't see what everyone else sees, I'm afraid. Maybe if I grew up with it I would feel different.
We will never get another game like the Og luigi´s mansion, Nintendo and the consumer doesn't feel its worthed anymore to send Miyamoto on a Luigi game when he could do another Zelda or Mario game
imo the game not having a timer is a blessing. while i also think the first is the best and unmatched, i think you want the sequels (and to an extent the first one even) to be something they are not. i think the game you are describing would not be enjoyable to me.
Ehh, Dark Moon's my favorite Luigi's Mansion game and 3's pretty good too, but I can understand your disappointment with those games. They are very different from the 1st game. Imagine a Luigi's Mansion game with the replayability, exploration and creepy atmosphere of 1, the puzzles and multiple unique level themes of Dark Moon, and the graphics of 3. Recipe for the best Luigi's Mansion game right there imo
i am not sure if your opinions are to be taken completely for granted or if there's some grains of salt in there. should it all be genuine then i am sorry to hear that you dislike Luigi's mansion 2 and 3 from a standpoint of how much you loved luigi's mansion 1 and the direction these 2 sequels went in. it never bothered me personally. i love all 3 games for what they are and offer and play each with different reasons and motivations. so i, personally, couldn't be happier about the Luigi's mansion trilogy. i suppose that i would be lying if i said that all 3 games are equally replayable for me. luigi's mansion 1 truly is the most replayable and i wouldn't have it any other way. luigi's mansion 2 i love for its fast paced action. also appreciate that you can skip almost everything if you are like me and enioy GamePlay flow (like in LM1) LM3 aged the worst for me - also for an aspect you talked about. there's no postgame/reset after 3. even if LM2 doesn't force a reset, you can go back to previous missions and try to 100% everything still. thanks for taking about this. good video
3 is really good I like it a lot ( mainly because it was the first game of the series that I played because I only got the switch and the Wii U so I got 3 first and then 2 which I’m still playing because I got it like 3 days ago)
Another thing that I don’t like about this video is that you criticize floor 13 for 3 I know it’s really linear but it is my 2nd favorite floor (just behind floor 8) because the art style ambiance design aesthetic and the overall feel of the floor makes up for the linearity
I really don’t like the combat of the third game, it really trivializes dodging attacks and gives too much power to the player, being able to hurt even ghosts not currently being sucked stopping them completely in their tracks
Nice video, you echo my thoughts closely, though I think you are too harsh on 2/Dark Moon. While 3 is theoretically an upgrade in most every way while keeping its core design intact (its certainly far more similar to 2 than it is to 1), I end up simply having less fun with it than with 2. The combat was made less satisfying/nuanced with the addition of the slam, and though its been since release that I played it, I recall the encounters being more frustrating and annoying as well, with little variety, to the point that with these 2 factors combined, I wasnt having fun with it by the end of the game, which leads into another point that you mentioned: its too long. Luigi’s Mansion’s gameplay isnt engaging enough to carry it so far, which I surprise even myself saying because im such a fan of the original; but its just that, the original is so short, sweet, simple, and tightly designed that I can never find myself getting bored with its gameplay, and its score-chasing, replayable nature serves to aid in that, something both sequels lack as you discuss. 2’s mission structure wasnt necessary, and im glad 3 did away with it, but it ultimately didnt change the core design and progression much, and feels more like Luigis Mansion 2: 2 than the first game, both of which ended up that way in an attempt to stretch out and ‘modernize’ a game with gameplay that isnt meant to be so; where I end up feeling like im doing a mansions chores and letting the game play itself until the credits roll instead of enjoying engaging with the mechanics and getting more skilled along the way. Id love to be proven wrong with an excellent 4th entry, though.
For me I have the opposite view I still don't like 2 that much But love 3 And honestly 1 is kinda boring That parts where it opens up is fun really much so But the combat is the part I love the most And 1 just doesn't have that Plus the huge areas of 3 with the pirate boot the museum and so much more they are so awesome And the progression of 1 is just really not for me
I'm sorry, but what you said about dark moon (I didnt see the one about Luigi's Mansion 3) it is just total nitpicking. At least that is what it comes off as
Im sorry i cannot agree LM3 is 1 of the best mario games just in general as someone who played the 1st for the 1st time recently unbiasly and yes while its unique its not incredible and the series evolution PROVES that bcs all the things 3 introduces like the massive sets the fluid animations and the overall mechanics and all the big bad portrait ghosts having all unique mechanics were vast improvements to me than the 1st. 2 is my personal favourites but i know its not the best 1 so im saying this as unbias. The design of 1 in general is good and i wish the darkness came back thats the 1 thing i think it does the best. But i think the style of 3 specifically is a big improvement bcs its still unique and it doesnt feel out of place whereas i think 1 does.
😔👌Yeah, everything u explained here that’s exactly how I feel, I ONLY like the first and original Luigi’s Mansion, I only tried the second game once but coming towards the end of the game there was a part that I just couldn’t handle completing and I just called it quits and gave it back to GameStop, I will only like the first game for the same reasons that was talked about here, puzzle solving, independent exploring, going through a dark mansion where you Just don’t know what’s gonna happen and of course my sister agrees with me finding as much of the money, if not all of it as you can in this game feels VERY satisfying so like you I’m not gonna hold my breath for a sequel to Luigi‘s mansion that’s even remotely close as the first game, The 2 sequels sucks big floppy donkey dicks and the truth is Nintendo did it to themselves
Another point of comparison you could've made is degradation of the original's aesthetic and art style. Unlike the sequels, the first game actually feels "creepy" - the mansion is rendered pretty realistically for a Mario-universe game, and the ghosts/bosses all have a certain uncanny essence to them. Such as the King Boo fight, where he summons some corpse of Bowser to fight you in (as indicated by the fortune telling ghost). The plot of saving Mario in a ghost-ridden creepy mansion is well done. The sequels do not capture that aesthetic experience from the first game. The redesigned "cuter" ghosts are overly animated, the environments are too blocky and stylized, the bosses aren't visually intimidating, etc. The sequels feel like they were animated by Illumination or something. I agree 2 and 3 are still decent games, but the weirdness of the first one will probably never be recreated.
I completely agree and this is my main issue with sequels. I was hoping he would talk about this in the video. A lot of people seem to forget nowadays with how goofy and cartoony the sequels are that the first game actually had a creepy atmosphere.
I was looking for this exact comment before I made it. I completely agree. Luigi’s Mansion 1 completely scared me as a kid but the cartoony aesthetic of the newer games takes away the suspense and uncanny feeling that the first game had. The vibe overall of the first game has just never been replicated and it makes me sad
“the sequels did not capture that aesthetic experience from the first game”
“the sequels”
What are you waffling about? Luigi’s Mansion 3 totally captures that aesthetic experience.
@@Matt-eh2dynot really Luigi's mansion 3 is more cartoony and clean while Luigi's mansion one is more dirty and realistic
I 100% agree with this take! I first experienced Luigi's Mansion when I was 8, and I remember actually feeling creeped out and anxious because of the atmosphere and music! (Especially Bogmire!) I wonder if the less creepy, brighter, and cutesy direction of the sequels is because of feedback that the first game was actually too good at creeping kids out!
i think the biggest detriment to the newer games' atmosphere is the lighting. LM1's unlit rooms are PITCH dark, to the point where luigi's flashlight is nearly you're only visual feedback. While in LM2-3 the flashlight feels there only as a formally because you can make out the entire room without the lights on
Yeah, and let's not forget how pivotal turning your light off is to catching ghosts.
I feel like the darkness in the original game was done deliberately just to show what the GameCube was capable of in terms of graphical prowess. Seriously, the game was capable of:
1. Casting shadows in real time using the flashlight.
2. Simulate clothing in real time in most rooms.
3. Handle insane physics with coins bouncing and interacting with all surfaces, paper money being light enough to fall down slowly and twirl. The hose of the Poltergust 3000 having unique jiggle bones. The 3DS version's engine is weaker when it comes to physics as the coins have less bounce compared to the GC version.
All of this stuff done with only 24 megabytes of RAM is pretty damn impressive.
Aside from the lighting, the lack of music is another thing that makes Luigi's Mansion 2 and 3 not have the same spooky factor as the first game. The sheer silence that accompanies you throughout the game as you slowly light up the mansion feels really unsettling.
I actually disagree that Luigi's Mansion would benefit from having a ranking system tied to time to complete - one of my most disliked features of the second game was that I was ranked partly on how fast I did something, because I love exploring these environments and being rushed through them really sucks. I do understand some people's need for timed rewards in the games they play, so an optional timed mode would still be cool for the first game, though I myself probably wouldn't use it as I found taking it slow and having fun is my favourite way to play LM games. I also understand that some of the games' bosses and gameplay does rely on timed segments such as collecting the floating coins with the inflating flowers in the second game, but having these spread out and small in nature makes them more enjoyable than constantly having to rush around just to get a good rank. But this is definitely a case of everyone to their own!
The First Luigi’s Mansion not getting a Switch HD Port but a 3DS Port is a missed opportunity. Really wish Nintendo would port the first Luigi’s Mansion Game to the Switch soon
Yeah as much as I like the 3DS version, it would’ve played more better on the Switch. A bit weird it came out a year after the release of the Switch. I honestly don’t know why the 3DS versions of Luigi’s Mansion, OoT, and Majora’s Mask haven’t been ported to the Switch.
That was because Nintendo wasn't certain the Switch would be successful back then. Now why the took so long to port the 2nd game without doing the same for the first is what I don't get.
The main reason is because the original creator of Luigi Mansion worked on the 3DS and asked an adaptation on it for years in a hope to return the lost 3D effect it was supposed to get on the GameCube, but it was too expensive. So I guess Grezzo heard of it and decided to fill the dream, ad it turned out great. I don't care it doesn't have a Switch port, it's perfectly playable on 3DS, and was pretty fun! Try it if you can.
@@miserablepileofsecrets Personally I would like to save Screenshots and video clips without having to resort to emulation or capture cards. It doesn’t have to be anything groundbreaking, just a port of the 3DS version.
I think the problem with the sequels is they’re indistinguishable from any other Mario universe title.
The first Luigi’s mansion felt like we were in a dark and scary version of the mushroom kingdom the ghosts and environments all felt like they almost didn’t belong in this universe.
While the sequels go more into the cartoony nature matching the rest of the mushroom kingdom’s atmosphere, they’re still spooky environments but it’s Mario spooky and not Luigi’s mansion spooky.
I don’t know how else to describe other than the first Luigi’s mansion atmosphere and enemies could only appear in a Luigi’s mansion while the sequels feel like they’d fit just as well in a 3D Mario platformer as they do in the Luigi’s mansion games.
The people yearn for a true Metroidvania Luigi's Mansion game
preachh
It's what I was hoping for a sequel for years
i love the art in the first game
it's more realistic colors and objects but it just so happens to be in mario's world
it's kind of bizzare and i wish i had more of it
Luigi himself deserves better. He's always in Mario's shadow or in mansions, give his own 3D platformer already Nintendo
And tails too
I agree. I also think it helps the first game, as it seems very unique in the atmosphere of being dark, mysterious, sometimes silly, but very sincere. Every room 1-ups the last; building anticipation as to what ghost, puzzle, or scare waits for you on the other side. Its nonlinear approach and boo system allows for seeing previous rooms again to help gain familiarity with the mansion as a whole. The blackout also spicing things up by making every safe place in the mansion dangerous again; making every room seem new again, if only for just a little while. The basic ghosts in the first game also make it that much more engaging, as they genuinely appear dangerous and only want to hurt Luigi. Contrast that to the goofballs of the sequals that feel like just bothersome pests, taking or hiding items that further the game. I played dark moon all the way and I don't want to play it again to be honest. The original Luigi's Mansions vibe just cannot be beat.
Big factor for the changes are probably because the original Luigi's mansion was made in house while the sequels where made by next level games
The series should have kept running with the aesthetic choice of having Luigi look like an Aardman character. They lost that with the sequels.
Aardman characters always looked bad.
And even then, NLG based Luigi’s behaviors off Mr. Bean.
You should try out this fan mod of Luigi’s Mansion called Halloween Haunt! It feels like authentic DLC to the original game! Though money is unfortunately pointless, there are enough secrets in the game that actually effect the way you play. Most notably are the three different endings!
agreed the mod is incredible, as far as mods go
Wario land 4 was made in the same year and has the same ending system, both of these games are short sweat and replayable I love them
What I hated about the second is the lack of portrait ghosts and personality. I gave up on that game when the ice boss’s gimmick made it unplayable as it felt it relied more on luck than anything that lead up to that point, it comes out of nowhere and makes no sense.
3 was a step in the right direction. Sure some things are better and I like Art Deco aesthetic they used for the mansion but it still has this exaggerated style started with Dark Moon.
The thing for me about LM1 and why I still consider it timeless is it sets the aesthetic. You can explore the mansion and feel the eeriness of a Victorian+Second Empire style mansion. Luigi is scared and you probably are, too. That is not the case with the other two. You just…have this goofy silly approach to the spookiness that detracts from that.
LM1 is also the game that got me into things like ghosts. I like the idea of the ghosts having this previous life that they died from, they aren’t just a ghost to catch, they’re still people. It gives you a sense of curiosity to learn more about the ghosts, even if the game gives you a minuscule amount. Melody, Madame Clairvoya, and Shivers, for example, will always be more memorable than any ghosts in the sequels.
It felt to me for Dark Moon and 3, that they dialed back on eeriness, the spooky factor, and the overall dark themes to make it more “kid-friendly” because someone thought it was too spooky.
And I think the cherry on top for LM1 is the ending scene where Mario is released from the painting. As a kid it was the very time I actually cried playing a Mario game. It was such a greatly executed heartwarming scene. It’s also another thing Dark Moon and 3 lack: emotion. LM1 exhibits and makes you feel certain emotions or feelings playing it: fear, unease, curiosity, excitement, sadness, happiness, etc. LM1 knows when to be goofy and when not to be. It’s cartoony, but it can get pretty serious and dark, at least for a Mario game. Dark Moon and 3? It seems as though all they took from LM1 is “Mario game where Luigi goes ghost hunting with a vacuum cleaner in a spooky mansion”. They took LM1 at face value.
one thing I'd say is that most people don't think 4-5 hours is a replayable experience, with the release of rougelikes and rougelites, I think the ideal replayable experience has been progressively getting shorter and so unless you're a kid without access to dozens of games and thus had to make with what you had, most people in recent times only experienced LM1 once or twice
just my two cents as to how most people only play LM1 once or twice though
"How about stairs?"
That boss is one of the funniest concepts put into this whole series, wym
I don't know if my original comment got deleted or flagged (or I never hit the comment button after typing), but as much as I can see fun & value in LM2 & 3 both as video games & Luigi's Mansion games, I completely understand & can get behind how different 2 & 3 were from the first forces them to not offer the same familiar or consistent feeling even if it wanted to try. They do offer their own charm & flare to each title, but it's definitely not the same type of charm or type of depth comparing them side by side & digging in the weeds of it, not the same depth & charm to it's overall structure & puzzles nor properly building upon what the original set in place. The structure in particular makes it evident, bolstered by comparing the puzzles across all 3 games. It reminds me of the Paper Mario situation if I'm being honest, but it's its own situation w/ LM.
I think you're spitting & should keep pushing these analytical video essays. You have a great cadence & tone to explaining what's on your mind on top of making thorough & reasonable points period, even from those who may disagree with you. It is plenty of food for thought at the very least for Luigi's Mansion enjoyers & the first game is a very unique & special experience you don't really get anywhere else in the series or from other games. Fantastic video.
you articulated what ive been feeling about the series and helped me realize luigis mansion one started my cod zombies addiction, 10/10 keep cooking.
Asides the immersion and atmosphere LM3 is stellar. LM1 and LM3 are both equally as good in my mind and it supprises me how people think LM3 is some radical departure.
I found the section on the original Luigi's Mansion very interesting, especially the part where you discuss what genre it belongs to. I made a video myself a couple of years ago comparing Luigi's Mansion and Resident Evil, but you're the only other person I've ever heard bringing up what these games share in common. I was shocked to discover how similar they felt despite some massive differences, even _after_ coming up with the idea to compare them! And it seems very much to me that this "survival horror" feel was totally absent from its sequel, which often felt too contrived and game-y to really immerse me as I played. I also hated the cartoonish appearance of the new ghost enemies.
Frankly, I'm just not a fan of Next Level games and their entire approach to design. Dark Moon was one of the most disappointing games I've ever played, even though it was all right, because the style was so different from what I had come to expect from something called Luigi's Mansion. I didn't even play Luigi's Mansion 3 because it was obviously a stylistic sequel to Dark Moon. Nintendo EAD had a really unique design sensibility, and with the internal team reshuffling in 2015 and Nintendo's current tendency to farm out lower-tier titles to subsidiaries, I don't think that classic EAD approach is going to be seen in any Nintendo game for a long while, if it ever comes back again.
I look forward to seeing you eclipse my subscriber count in the next week or so :)
Also, the mansion music slows down the less health you have
I think that Dead Rising 1 and 2 are more of spiritual successors to Luigi's Mansion rather than LM2 and 3. The portrait ghosts and psychopaths are very alike as bosses you encounter when exploring the game map. In LM you are rewarded by money, and in DR you are rewarded by xp and survivors who you need to escort to safety, and at the end of the game you are ranked on how you did, with the ending being different based on your score. Both Dead Rising and Luigi's Mansion has camera mechanics, with DR rewarding the player with xp for taking photos. In Dead Rising the game is more based around a timer and is thus far less linear. People thought that LM was meant to also be timed due to beta footage but this apparently wasn't the case and was just for that specific demo.
While I see some of your points as valid I think at the same time you speak with some bias you want everything to just be like the first game while not looking at them on their own. You provided the example of the pyramid/desert level to say how it proves what you were talking about but the entire pyramid section of the game itself does the same things you liked from the other floors u mentioned. It even uses the sand as a mechanic how you said you wished the game did.
I understand where you come from I used to feel the same way with the sequels in terms of how i felt disappointed in how and I did not like LM3 the first time I played it because again it just leave me disappointed it wasn’t like the first game which is my favorite one But I’ve recently started over LM3 and finished it and had a much more satisfying and enjoyable experience playing it without the expectation of it being like the first game. This video discusses luigi’s mansion as if its sequels are failures since they did not continue what the first game did. However I am pretty sure that was never the intention the first game got titled Dark Moon in america for a reason. After such a long time without anything i think it was meant to be a reboot more than anything it had an entire development team as well so yeah. Idk those are my thoughts on the video but still great job on it and all definitely enjoyable and I see where you come from as well I am happy to have found your channel:)
2 and 3 were made by Next level Games, not Nintendo in House. That may explain it????
@@orangeslash1667 yeah that’s what I said
@@tinic7776 Luigi's Mansion probably wasn't meant to continue, but their made anyway because Next Level Games have to do something. Since Next Level Games is known for action games and not horror games, LM 2 and 3 feels very different.
Luigi's Mansion was a treasure. The gameplay mechanic of using a flashlight to find invisible ghosts that you can suck up with a vacuum cleaner was a groundbreaking delight! It's hard to follow up this kind of classic in a marketing world that always wants bigger and better and values action over elegance.
Action over elegance
Thank you, that is such a great phrase, have a great day wordsmith
@@diegovargasdiego - thank you!
wait, the poltergust gets stronger with each replay?
Compare the title screens at 1:48, 14:54, and 24:58. The first one has a borderline horror vibe that you don't get from the others.
Yep. Aesthetic is key.
Eh...no it spooky but not truly horror really.
I've felt like this since 3 came out and realized that the direction I would prefer for LM to go will probably never happen. However, like you said, I still enjoy 2 and 3 (a lot!); but it doesn't hold a candle to the love I have for the original. It's personality, aesthetic, atmosphere, charm, and the pull it has on me to dive back in for another romp through the mansion every Autumn for as long as I can remember!
Having the second phase split into three to be Hecatia's Mars, Earth, and Moon is insane.
We straight up have Touhou bullet patterns in Kirby now.
The sudden change of tone from Luigi's Mansion 2 and onward is because of factors that are observable but not fully comprehended.
Odd but still great art design choices on their own.
The first Luigi’s Mansion and SA2B were my childhood. My brain didn’t understand game design or things that might be intuitive to me now. Discovering things in Luigi’s Mansion was magical. Using the GBA on a mouse hole was from being a dumb kid: I just spun my camera in circles, tapping A button for no reason until a portal appearing stopped me in my tracks, blowing my mind. It still wasn’t intuitive to me that I searched the mouse hole. I was clicking everything else trying to duplicate it. Those “5” hours gave me a lifetime of nostalgia.
If the first luigi's mansion is Tim Burton's batman, then 2 & 3 is Joel Schumacher's batman
The LM games are good after the first, but the first one is such a different experience. Its so good.
It's funny how many parallels there are between the Dark Souls series and how it changed from game to game with how Luigi's Mansion changed with each sequel.
2 and 3 were made by Next level Games, not Nintendo in House. That may explain it????
Puchout nes was made by Nintendo, Punchout wii was made by next level games. Your point?
@@supleh5937 Next Level Games is known for action games, so they were a great choice for Punch Out.
Luigi's Mansion is not an action game, so NLGs working on it is more questionable???
Depending on how legally possible it is, I hope to one day make a game inspired SPECIFICALLY by the first game. So everything you said will likely be taken into consideration, by then.
(Then again, if I plan to make it Clay-Mation inspired... might be a long time from now xd)
No, YOU deserve more. This is a amazing video! But it only got 150 views. You deserve better.
Fr
@@LandonEmma 2 and 3 were made by Next level Games, not Nintendo in House. That may explain it????
@@orangeslash1667maybe
Ah, yes. A simple task such as blowing up the moon. I love the original so much as it was one of the first games I played on the GameCube, and while I did love the 2nd and 3rd as well, it was less so. They both felt completely different from the original. They were fun, but they didn’t feel like a true sequel to Luigi’s mansion. Love your videos keep it up! :)
Basically my views on the series. Each game basically defined an era where 1 was where they were willing to throw anything at the wall and see what sticks, 2 was when they genericized the series to fall more in line with New soup, and 3 is where they are now where they trying new ideas, but making sure game is extremely casualized, so that anyone could pick up and play.
I've only watched the intro so far, but I want to say that the original Luigi's Mansion is my Number 1 top favorite game of all time, so it's really disappointing seeing that Next Level doesn't really seem to get why it was so good. 2 and 3 are fine games, but they don't even begin to compare to 1.
I still love Luigis mansion dark moon. I just hope they being back the sucking mechanics and the darkness
The first entry certainly has an atmosphere that’s missing in its follow ups. But there still very polished games.
Great video. Glad this popped up in my recommendations. Very well written, argued and made.
I grew up with Luigi's Mansion 1 when I was a kid it was so fun replaying it. I always replayed it trying to get the best run and get the highest ranks on the ghost.
I’m sorry man, this is a well put together video and all, but most points you make in accusation of the sequels is just total nitpicking and “it’s not the first game.” Especially LMDK.
It doesn’t help your point that the first game was hardly any less linear than the sequels.
tbh I'm fine with the shift in gameplay especially with dark moon cause it was developed for a handheld system so I'm sure the devs were trying to figure out of to give bite sized exploration but what I do not like is the shift from the detailed, dark, dusty atmosphere and aesthetics to a more general "party city" brand of Halloween spooky for lack of a better term. Like the footage of the disco fight in 3 is so jarring that is NOT a spooky game that is a good vibe they got going on there😅
And it makes me sad cause I genuinely love the animations and I agree that 3 is one of the best looking switch games but I WISH it looked darker and dustier like the original was. I really miss those glorious dust particle effects
I think the mission system for Dark moon is overall fine for 2 reasons. The first one is that in a new mission they can change stuff about the mansion each time, making the game overall longer and perhaps a bit more interesting. And the second is after every mission its kinda like a save point, you can take a break every so often and it makes you feel like you accomplished something big that was important in getting to the boss of that mansion. Thats just my thoughts tho, Overall I think the tone, designs, layout of the mansion and immense replay ability of the first game is better than Dark Moon. However I still have quite a bit of nostalgia with Dark Moon which is why I like it better than the first one, but more objective side of things, yeah the first game will always be the best one.
Am I the only one who likes the stairs boss?
I like it too, it's fun and kinda creative.
At least we have rom hacks. Been seeing some amazing new LM hacks lately.
What do you mean you watched your dad beat the game when you were a kid? One of your first memories?? Just how old are you?? Man, you're making me feel old..
It's probably telling that I didn't even remember LM3 having an ending rank. And yeah, being able to reload from the end and collect all the things for the best rank is really stupid. In LM1 you had to be playing on the harder mode and know the locations of most of the secrets in order to get the best rank. It's a true test of skill and game knowledge.
to be fair the other games other than the first are good in their own way I mean the first game luigi barely had any animation almost making him feel robotic making you feel like you're controlling luigi rather than actually being him and luigi's mansion 2 and 3 they characterize luigi so much more he feels like actually luigi rather than a puppet I'm not saying they made luigi who he is rather that they added onto it luigi's mansion 2 can be creepy at times and it's ghosts may be faceless but they're fun in 3 they added the personalized ghosts back and above all has interesting puzzles and an interesting story to boot another thing is luigi's mansion 2 made egadd so much more interesting and 3 had a lot more exploration the first luigi's mansion is a good game but it kinda blinds people from looking at the full on series instead of comparing it to the first you gotta look at it fully not just luigi's mansion 1 tinted glasses
Weird how the second Game got an HD Remake on the Switch and yet I only played the third Game in the Trilogy.
I couldn’t find this video for a week because you changed the title. Should’ve kept it as the rise and fall of Luigi’s Mansion. But thanks for CZcams to recommending this to me again…
I guess I'm the only one who prefers where the series has gone. I much prefer the puzzle-oriented approach to Luigi's Mansion 2 and 3 and LM1 is actually my least favorite. It's a good game but I don't see what everyone else sees, I'm afraid. Maybe if I grew up with it I would feel different.
We will never get another game like the Og luigi´s mansion, Nintendo and the consumer doesn't feel its worthed anymore to send Miyamoto on a Luigi game when he could do another Zelda or Mario game
Miyamoto doesn't do these either, he's just doing Pikmin now I guess
imo the game not having a timer is a blessing.
while i also think the first is the best and unmatched, i think you want the sequels (and to an extent the first one even) to be something they are not.
i think the game you are describing would not be enjoyable to me.
Ehh, Dark Moon's my favorite Luigi's Mansion game and 3's pretty good too, but I can understand your disappointment with those games. They are very different from the 1st game.
Imagine a Luigi's Mansion game with the replayability, exploration and creepy atmosphere of 1, the puzzles and multiple unique level themes of Dark Moon, and the graphics of 3. Recipe for the best Luigi's Mansion game right there imo
the closest thing to a good Luigi's Mansion sequel you will get is ROM hacks
Luigi deserves better
i am not sure if your opinions are to be taken completely for granted or if there's some grains of salt in there.
should it all be genuine then i am sorry to hear that you dislike Luigi's mansion 2 and 3 from a standpoint of how much you loved luigi's mansion 1 and the direction these 2 sequels went in.
it never bothered me personally. i love all 3 games for what they are and offer and play each with different reasons and motivations. so i, personally, couldn't be happier about the Luigi's mansion trilogy.
i suppose that i would be lying if i said that all 3 games are equally replayable for me. luigi's mansion 1 truly is the most replayable and i wouldn't have it any other way.
luigi's mansion 2 i love for its fast paced action. also appreciate that you can skip almost everything if you are like me and enioy GamePlay flow (like in LM1)
LM3 aged the worst for me - also for an aspect you talked about. there's no postgame/reset after 3. even if LM2 doesn't force a reset, you can go back to previous missions and try to 100% everything still.
thanks for taking about this. good video
Mfw Loogi Spoophouse mentioned
3 is really good I like it a lot ( mainly because it was the first game of the series that I played because I only got the switch and the Wii U so I got 3 first and then 2 which I’m still playing because I got it like 3 days ago)
Another thing that I don’t like about this video is that you criticize floor 13 for 3 I know it’s really linear but it is my 2nd favorite floor (just behind floor 8) because the art style ambiance design aesthetic and the overall feel of the floor makes up for the linearity
My favourite one might be the second one i fact not might it is easily the best to me
I really don’t like the combat of the third game, it really trivializes dodging attacks and gives too much power to the player, being able to hurt even ghosts not currently being sucked stopping them completely in their tracks
Nice video, you echo my thoughts closely, though I think you are too harsh on 2/Dark Moon. While 3 is theoretically an upgrade in most every way while keeping its core design intact (its certainly far more similar to 2 than it is to 1), I end up simply having less fun with it than with 2.
The combat was made less satisfying/nuanced with the addition of the slam, and though its been since release that I played it, I recall the encounters being more frustrating and annoying as well, with little variety, to the point that with these 2 factors combined, I wasnt having fun with it by the end of the game, which leads into another point that you mentioned: its too long. Luigi’s Mansion’s gameplay isnt engaging enough to carry it so far, which I surprise even myself saying because im such a fan of the original; but its just that, the original is so short, sweet, simple, and tightly designed that I can never find myself getting bored with its gameplay, and its score-chasing, replayable nature serves to aid in that, something both sequels lack as you discuss.
2’s mission structure wasnt necessary, and im glad 3 did away with it, but it ultimately didnt change the core design and progression much, and feels more like Luigis Mansion 2: 2 than the first game, both of which ended up that way in an attempt to stretch out and ‘modernize’ a game with gameplay that isnt meant to be so; where I end up feeling like im doing a mansions chores and letting the game play itself until the credits roll instead of enjoying engaging with the mechanics and getting more skilled along the way. Id love to be proven wrong with an excellent 4th entry, though.
For me I have the opposite view
I still don't like 2 that much
But love 3
And honestly 1 is kinda boring
That parts where it opens up is fun really much so
But the combat is the part I love the most
And 1 just doesn't have that
Plus the huge areas of 3 with the pirate boot the museum and so much more they are so awesome
And the progression of 1 is just really not for me
I'm sorry, but what you said about dark moon (I didnt see the one about Luigi's Mansion 3) it is just total nitpicking. At least that is what it comes off as
how is it nitpicking if his problems with the game are its core systems and design philosophy?
@@BellaBean927 Because they're so minor.
Im sorry i cannot agree LM3 is 1 of the best mario games just in general as someone who played the 1st for the 1st time recently unbiasly and yes while its unique its not incredible and the series evolution PROVES that bcs all the things 3 introduces like the massive sets the fluid animations and the overall mechanics and all the big bad portrait ghosts having all unique mechanics were vast improvements to me than the 1st. 2 is my personal favourites but i know its not the best 1 so im saying this as unbias. The design of 1 in general is good and i wish the darkness came back thats the 1 thing i think it does the best. But i think the style of 3 specifically is a big improvement bcs its still unique and it doesnt feel out of place whereas i think 1 does.
😔👌Yeah, everything u explained here that’s exactly how I feel, I ONLY like the first and original Luigi’s Mansion, I only tried the second game once but coming towards the end of the game there was a part that I just couldn’t handle completing and I just called it quits and gave it back to GameStop, I will only like the first game for the same reasons that was talked about here, puzzle solving, independent exploring, going through a dark mansion where you Just don’t know what’s gonna happen and of course my sister agrees with me finding as much of the money, if not all of it as you can in this game feels VERY satisfying so like you I’m not gonna hold my breath for a sequel to Luigi‘s mansion that’s even remotely close as the first game, The 2 sequels sucks big floppy donkey dicks and the truth is Nintendo did it to themselves
Just another overrated gamecube game. That bearly sold.
It’s a kids game bro