“Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD” updates the visuals and some control issues from its previous iterations on the Nintendo 3DS. (NIntendo)
Everything old is new again in gaming. The industry has caught on to the idea that modernizing classics for contemporary tastes makes money. With these new versions of classics, developers update the visuals and tweak the gameplay. Levels are reworked, and this is often done in the service of improving the narrative.
Capcom has mastered the art of revamping old titles (see the “Resident Evil” series), but that doesn’t mean it’s the only company that’s succeeded. Nintendo does the same thing, albeit with a lighter touch. The venerable video game company slaps new coats of paint on its remakes, updating the visuals, but Nintendo lets the gameplay and level designs do the talking. It’s a testament to the keen sense of fun in its games.
The publisher did this with “The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening” and the recent “Mario vs. Donkey Kong.” Now, Nintendo is giving “Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon” the same treatment and labeling it “Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD,” a nod to its Japanese titles. The project originally launched on the Nintendo 3DS and was a great game that had flaws related to the hardware limitations.
With the arrival of the enhanced version on Nintendo Switch, the game benefits from a more powerful system and improved control scheme. Both factors reinforce some of the original’s weaknesses. While “Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon” took advantage of the handheld console’s 3D tricks, it had more ambition than the small screen could handle. It’s a game that feels more at home on a larger screen with a Nintendo Switch Pro controller in hand.
PREPARING TO CAPTURE GHOSTS
The sequel once again finds Mario’s younger brother teaming up with the eccentric Professor E. Gadd. A mysterious entity has shattered the Dark Moon into several pieces, and the once-friendly ghosts in Evershade Valley have gone berserk. E. Gadd tasks Luigi with solving the crisis. In the first mission, he’s tasked with acquiring his signature weapon—the Poltergust 5000. It’s essentially a powerful vacuum cleaner that sucks up ghosts. It’s reminiscent of how the Ghostbusters capture creepy critters with proton packs.
From there, Luigi acquires two other useful tools: the Strobulb and the Dark Light Device. The Strobulb stuns ghosts so the Poltergust can suck them up. It also activates some of E. Gadd’s locked doors and other devices. Meanwhile, the Dark Light Device reveals objects hidden by Boos. If players get stuck, it’s usually because they need to cast a Dark Light on a hidden area.
FIVE LOCATIONS, MANY GHOSTS
The Poltergust 5000 is how players primarily interact with the five locations in “Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD.” It captures ghosts, but it can also suck up curtains or unroll carpets to uncover secrets. Players can also reverse the function and explode objects that Luigi picks up at targets.
While these tools have simple interactions, developer Next Level Games layers them together to create complex puzzles and delightful battles throughout the campaign’s 34 missions. “Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD” is more than just ghost hunting from room to room, but the team mixes in puzzles and secrets that test how players read a level and find solutions to obstacles.
In the first three mansions, the level design is basic, and the developers make it easy for players to take action. They’ll pull levers to find secret switches or find ways to set fire to cobwebs blocking the path. The campaign gets more difficult as players face bombs that activate when hit by Strobulb or encounter more subtle scenarios that require experimentation and problem-solving.
Next Level Games adds little flourishes to break up levels. Sometimes Luigi will slide to another part of the level, or he’ll run into a situation that requires him to use the blower mode on the Poltergust to form a makeshift balloon so he can travel to another part of a concert hall. These little wrinkles are clever, but they don’t always work.
The balance beam scenarios that force players to carefully navigate a narrow path are the most frustrating part of the game. Part of the reason is that “Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD” uses motion controls by default. Tilting the controller up or down allows Luigi to aim the Poltergust up or down. It’s a decent way to solve the game’s awkward aiming issues. Unfortunately, when the motion controls are used anywhere else, like crossing a chasm, it’s a horrible experience. Thankfully, this can be turned off, and the balance beam obstacles are easier, but still annoying.The other problem with “Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD” is that the difficulty jumps between the fourth and fifth worlds. Ghosts become harder to defeat, so players will need to work on their skills or replay old levels to collect treasures that allow E. Gadd to upgrade Luigi’s gear.
These persistent flaws don’t ruin the experience. In fact, the Switch’s hardware makes “Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD” easier to play than the original version. It’s a remake that opens up the game to a new generation of players who may not have a Nintendo 3DS but still want to play a clever classic.
‘Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD’
Three stars
Assessment: Everyone 10 years or older
Platform: Nintendo Switch
