This is the first Mario game on the GameCube, and it really showed off a lot about the GameCube itself. This is a "Ghostbusters"-type of game, more than a traditional Mario game. Plus, Luigi's the hero in this one. I'd also like to thank the tourist known as Lord Seth for giving me a link to a Luigi's Mansion walkthrough. If not for that, I'd still be back at the beginning.
About Luigi's Mansion itself... Luigi
wins a contest, he goes to meet Mario at the mansion he won in the
contest, then he finds out that Mario
is captured, and with help from a loser professor named Professor Elvin
Gadd, he gets a vacuum and a Game Boy Horror to help him in the mansion.
I'm sure most of you have heard this already, but just in case you haven't,
now you know.
This is not only reviewed on a 0-4 star scale, but I've also played more of this game now than I did the first time I reviewed this game. Now my opinion is a lot different.
Graphics: ****
The breakthrough Mario game! Finally, good graphics in a Mario game! From Luigi's fingers and knuckles to the sheets being torn off the tables, everything is excellent! You must overlook the minor "flashlight flaw"- it has the shape of an octagon, but who notices? Luigi's never looked better. This is the strongpoint of this game, usually being the weakpoint of a Mario game (think Paper Mario).
On another note... Contrary to what
most other people believe, I really don't think Mario games have a
tradition of having good graphics,
just good gameplay, good music, good controls, etc. This may seem like
a
good thing for the Mario series, but
think twice. I'll explain later why awesome graphics are not exactly a
slice of paradise for the Mario series.
Sound: *
The sound effects are great, but I usually
judge this category on music. Outside, you'll hear a nice piano
version of the main song, but once
you light up a room, you'll hear no music, and the main music does get
repetitive. The Toad song is all right, but not enough to pull this one
over two stars.
Difficulty:
Final Boss: ****
Everywhere Else: *
Originally I said this game was hard all over. What was I talking about? In all honesty, this game is practically a cinch until you get to King Boo. Sure, you may struggle in one or two places, but it's not like you'll get stuck in one room and never be able to advance in the game (a la Super Mario Sunshine). Even if you're a slacker at video games like me and play for about half an hour per day, you can get to King Boo in less than a week, partially due to the easiness.
Of course, that's until you meet King Boo.
First of all, King Boo dresses up as
Bowser. He will shoot spiked balls at you, which you must pick up and
shoot into his mouth when he bends
down and shoots fire at you. Unfortunately for you, the fire will
usually hurt you, and your chance at
attacking King Boo is gone. Even if you do get it into his mouth, there's
still more trouble. Now King Boo comes out of his costume, but due to a
faraway camera, you'll have a hard time aiming your vacuum at him. All
of these combine to make this final battle a nightmare. So much of one,
in fact, that I quit and vowed never to play the game again. Some may think
that's the only reason I don't like this game anymore. There's more than
that.
Characters: no stars
This game was the beginning of something new in Mario games: something the producers said in the strategy guide of this game, which was that they tried to get away from the old way of Mario games and classic Mario characters. So, it was decided that they would make all kinds of forgettable ghosts for this game. I don't like all these unknown characters we'll never see again. Wouldn't it have been better if there was a Goomba ghost, a Troopa ghost, etc?
The Boos, King Boo, Mario, Luigi, and a pseudo-Bowser don't make up for these unimaginative and forgettable characters. And that professor? Please. He's one of my top three least-favorite Nintendo characters, right up there with Young Link and Pianta.
Controls: 1/2
Basically, Nintendo wanted to show off the new controller, so they made every button useful besides the Control Pad. I love the controller (although the PS2's Dual Shock 2 is better), but I do get annoyed by the way the C-Stick is backwards up and down, and backwards left and right if Luigi is facing the screen. A is talk/knock on wall/open something, hold down B to turn off your flashlight (turn back on by releasing B), C-Stick is the direction Luigi faces, Control Stick moves, L shoots out elements, R uses the vacuum, X is the Game Boy Horror search, Y is the Game Boy Horror floor map, and Z is the Game Boy Horror item list.
So, what's wrong with them? Using the
vacuum is a pain. You only have a split-second from the time the
ghost's heart appears by flashing your
light on it to the time you must start vacuuming away (using R and the
opposite direction the ghost is facing), which makes me scream louder than
I do during a Packers game because Luigi will miss ten straight times yet
get nailed by the ghost until he's about to pass out. It nearly kills Luigi
to have to avoid five ghosts and start to vacuum one at a time. Plus, if
it is a ghost that needs to be injured by an element, things just get worse.
If the C-Stick was moved so you are facing up, you have to use four or
five buttons at once (C-Stick to get right direction, B Button to turn
off and on flashlight [so you can get closer], R to vacuum, L to shoot
out element, and the Control Stick to go the other way). Plus, if you use
the Control Stick too soon, you'll turn around before vacuuming and the
ghosts will close in on you! I've never really tried Sidestep Control Setup,
but it won't make matters better for me. The only good thing about the
controls is that these problems usually won't hurt you that much, but sometimes
they will, and that's when they're a real problem.
Gameplay: *
The gameplay in this game gets way too repetitive after a while. Although you're facing all kinds of different bosses, your strategy against them is the same. You have to use the same annoying controls and the same battle plan to beat each one. Sure, it's not bad gameplay, but it's boring and annoying.
Story/Concept: 1/2
All right, so I don't like the "Ghostbusters"-type of concept, and I thought a real Mario-type of game was in order for the first Mario GameCube game. As for the story, think about it this way: it's a type of story that if made into a Lemmy's Land story, it would be a Scribble, not a Fun Fiction. The plot is very short and simple, and the characters are as static as ever.
As for the whole "Ghostbusters" thing, think of some other movies being made into Mario games:
A.I.: Mario must save a whole bunch
of robotic Toads in the most depressing and pointless game ever.
Shrek: Mario is an ogre by night, and
so is Peach, but they look like ogres in the first place, so what's the
difference?
Monsters, Inc.: A whole bunch of messed-up-looking-minions
mixed up in the Monster Mixer (from the Mario choose-your-own-adventure-book
Number 3) are all scared of Mario, and they must finally become friends
with him.
Hannibal: Mario is a bloody killer...
scratch that.
And so on. These are horrible ideas!
Replayability: no stars
There's no reason to play this game once you've finished it, except for a small improvement in your vacuum. Not only that, but this game is extremely short. Even I can get to the final boss within a week, and that really proves this game to be too short.
Fun Factor: *1/2
This game can be fun to play for a while. However, after that while, you'll lose all the fun to it because it gets really boring quickly.
OVERALL: *
What was I thinking when I first reviewed this game? This game is extremely short, it gets really repetitive, the controls are maddening, and the gameplay is frustrating at times. The concept and story don't help any. The final boss is the last straw. It is near-impossible to beat King Boo. Fortunately, Luigi's Mansion only had one of those near-impossible things, not tons of them. That saves this game from going all the way to no stars. If anything, I suggest you rent this game, because if you play it enough you can get to the final boss within a day.
As for the "scary" factor, the most frightening thing this game has is a little glimpse into the future of Mario games. This game focuses too much on graphics and crazy controls and too little on music, gameplay, and replayability, as well as making the game fun for an extended period of time. Super Mario Sunshine, the first game starring Mario for the GameCube, has many of these same problems, except for maybe replayability. Unfortunately, if the Mario series continues in the path first laid down by this game, it will be in bad shape, if it isn't in bad enough shape already.
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