The Nintendo Switch is getting on in its later years; it has been a solid seven years of some of gaming’s most remarkable games and has consistently been rolled out with a mix of new and old titles, upgrades to remasters and ports.
While we know that the next generation of Nintendo’s console could be announced at any minute, the company are still releasing solid titles on the Switch, with a massive original IP every month. Dipping into the 3DS classics catalogue, Luigi’s Mansion 2 gets the HD port to the Switch system with a jaw-dropping graphical overhaul, an improved controls system thanks to the Joy-Cons and Pro Controller, and a faithful port that keeps the story in place to bring back all the memories for fans of the original game.
Who You Gonna’ Call?
Release 11 years ago, the 3DS sequel to the original GameCube game starring Mario’s taller green brother Luigi as he sets off on an adventure after being Luigi is recruited by Professor E Gadd, asking for his assistance with catching ghosts who have turned bad. This has happened because King Boo shatters a Dark Moon, sending it shattering into six pieces. This turns all the ghosts in Evershade Valley into highly aggressive characters that must be eliminated, and the shards collected to restore the peace and turn the not-so-friendly ghosts friendly again.
The story is incredibly goofy and offers a lot of laughs, which this franchise is known for. Moving from the dual screen of a 3DS console to a single screen on the Switch is done intuitively here, with a graphical overhaul that puts it on the same level as Luigi’s Mansion 3, a recent Switch release.
This remaster has been completed by the team at Tantalus, who recently did The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword back in 2021. While no longer able to use the stereoscopic 3D on the console, this has been replaced with a complete graphical overhaul that enhances the textures and lighting providing more depth to this already spectacular-looking game. Dark and foreboding mansions are spectacularly lit with a shadow effect, the detail that shows up on suits of armour, vehicles, and the ghosts themselves paints a beautiful sheen that fits in with the dark and foreboding mansions. Luigi looks smoother and more refined, and his clothes are more detailed to match.
Gameplay-wise, it is a copy-and-paste job from the original version. The game doesn’t have any new ghosts, mansions or bosses to explore. So it does its best to please fans of the original game and will be a great throwback for new fans (like myself!) who love the third game that came out earlier on in the Switch’s life cycle. However, leaving out Gooigi was a missed opportunity. You are equipped with a flashlight and the Poltergust 5000 to suck up ghosts, coins and cash. You can also use the vacuum to roll up rugs to access hidden items and areas, so you really need to point it at anything and everything when you are seemingly stuck.
New Ways to Play
I tried to play with a mix of joy-cons and using the pro controller. While the Switch was docked, the pro controller yielded the best results. Being able to successfully manoeuvre the flashlight, Poltergeist 5000, using the thumb-stick controls, all while controlling Luigi’s arms made it enjoyable to control. It did take a bit to get the rhythm of using your flashlight to stun enemies before switching over quickly to vacuum them up.
There is a time limit on how long they are stunned and you definitely need to make sure the ghosts are incapacitated before attempting to capture them. While the ghosts are very goofy, the actual gameplay and puzzles can be quite challenging. The first boss battle in particular is challenging with a lot of puzzle elements. The game is spread across five distinct environments, which can be easily revisited to pick up any of the missed collectibles after you have finished the main story.
Final Thoughts
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD was already an incredible entry in the Mansion franchise, and this is simply the best way to play. It can be difficult for side characters to branch out and be successful without being part of the main franchise they are from. Fortunately, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD cements the lanky sidekick as the hero of his own story. For me as a newcomer to this game but a fan of the first and third, this remastered version was the best entry point, providing great controls, an entertaining story and beautiful graphics.
If you are a fan of the 3DS version and are looking for something more, you won’t find that here. The blend of puzzle-solving, finding collectables and ghost-bustering all combine to deliver an incredibly entertaining and endearing game. Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is a perfectly executed port that runs as well as anything that has ever run on the Switch thus far.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Beautiful graphics, Intuitive gameplay that translates well on the Switch, Great incorporation of the Nintendo DS.
Lowlights: No new gameplay or behind-the-scenes content
Developer: Tantalus Media
Publisher: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Available: Now
Review conducted on Nintendo Switch with a pre-release code provided by the publisher.