When I was looking for a new Switch game to get me through lockdown (after I gave up on Breath of the Wild that is), I felt hopeless. Very few games were catching my interest, and even fewer were holding it - until I found Luigi’s Mansion 3. I was unfamiliar with the other entries in the spin-off franchise, so when I saw trailers and gameplay I figured it was going to be too childish and easy for me to enjoy it. Boy, was I wrong.
The game follows Mario, Luigi, Peach and some Toads as they visit a luxurious and very fancy hotel by a mysterious invitation. The hotel however, is not all that it seems, as it turns out you have all walked into a trap expertly laid by King Boo and his concierge ghosts.
In fact, this game is hilarious.
First off, the gameplay is not only fun, but really engaging too. I haven’t played the multiplayer yet, so I can’t comment on that aspect of the game, but the way you can switch between Luigi and Gooigi keeps the puzzles and levels super entertaining. Gooigi can walk through certain walls and access areas that Luigi can’t, so you have to think of ways to get to the next area that you may not have considered. Plus, once you figure out the route through the level, you feel great!
Another thing I loved about this game was the bosses. Each floor of the haunted hotel Luigi traverses through to reach his friends has a boss at the end of it. Sounds straightforward, right? Each boss has completely different attack patterns, new mechanics, things to dodge and ways to beat them that aren’t just using the Poltergust G-00 (get it? G-00? Goo? Gooigi? No?). It keeps you guessing, while not being too difficult or frustrating. It is made for all ages after all!
In fact, this game is hilarious. It’s supposed to be spooky: curtains blow, cupboard doors open and Luigi jumps and yells. But it’s just funny. Walking around as this scaredy cat whilst trying to find his friends and jumping at every little fright, all while having to essentially hoover up ghosts around the hotel makes for prime comedic content. This game brought me so much happiness and joy over the dreariness of lockdown that it genuinely gave Animal Crossing: New Horizons a run for its money.
This game is amazing, and I seriously think everyone should give it a go. It's so different from other Mario games, and other Nintendo Switch games for that matter. The easy-but-not-too-easy gameplay, the comedy and the ability to play as Nintendo's least favorite plumber makes this game a complete hit, and one of my new favourites.
[Featured image: Flickr]
