Review: Luigi’s Mansion 3

Luigi has always been one of the favorite characters for many players. In my case, every time I see Luigi, I remember a great American friend. The character is the opposite of his confident brother, Super Mario, but he carries a unique charm and charisma that led to a successful trilogy where the spotlight is all on him. The year 2013 may have been called the “Year of Luigi,” but it is in Luigi’s Mansion 3, now available for Nintendo Switch, that the character gets the chance to show everything he is capable of. With that in mind, I decided to write this review to determine whether the game is worth it or not. Check it out!

The friendly plumber receives an invitation from Hellen Gravely, the owner of The Last Resort, a gigantic luxury hotel, to spend a free vacation with first-class service for him and his guests: his brother Mario, Princess Peach, three Toads, and the adorable Polterpup. The perfect opportunity to enjoy some well-deserved time off.

In my experience, I played most of the time with the Nintendo Switch connected to the Dock (mainly to be able to stream using the Elgato capture card). However, during the first few minutes, I had trouble aiming with the directional controls, especially when using Luigi’s plunger. That being said, it’s important to note that this is just a matter of getting used to it.

However, some of the control options in Luigi’s Mansion 3 feel uncomfortable. That said, if you prefer, you also have the option to enable the same action button commands using a combination of triggers and shoulder buttons, which makes gameplay much easier for some, as it frees up the right thumb for aiming movement.

Most of the time, I had experience with the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. Therefore, the controls felt more comfortable. Even though the entire game takes place within the same luxury resort, there is a new universe on each floor. As you collect elevator buttons that unlock new areas, Luigi explores completely different worlds. Additionally, another thing I noticed is that the mechanics repeat quite often, but each new floor brings a fresh experience.

After the first few minutes of playing Luigi’s Mansion 3, you will come across a crazy inventor who takes advantage of Luigi’s help to expand his personal ghost collection—he’s also quite funny. Professor E. Gadd serves as a guide for the player, and just like in the previous two games, he has developed a device that acts as both a map and a communication system between the two: a virtual reality device.

The name of the device is Virtual Boo, which is actually a parody of the Virtual Boy (thank you, my friend #Marltonthegreat, for informing me about this Nintendo reference). Additionally, the professor can be contacted during gameplay to provide hints and guide the player. I found this quite useful, especially during moments when I felt lost while hunting ghosts throughout the mansion.

As for the soundtrack, I can confidently say that it contributes positively to full immersion in Luigi’s Mansion 3, combined with funny and, above all, unexpected sound effects. For example, there are plenty of gooey sounds when Gooigi walks, and even the ability to call out for Mario as many times as you want with the trembling “Ma-Ma-Ma-Maaario?”