Five reasons I hate myself for waiting 17 years to play through Luigi's Mansion for the first time

The Nintendo GameCube came out at a time when I basically ignored video games.

Although I remember playing a bit of Super Mario 64 with my college roommates, that was pretty much the extent of my involvement and interest in the hobby for a good number of years.

In fact, I don't remember coming back into the fold, so to speak, until sometime in 2004--after Nintendo dropped the price of the console to $99 and released a "Player's Choice" version of Animal Crossing.

Did I follow up those acquisitions by purchasing Luigi's Mansion, too? Nope. Sadly, I can't tell you why I failed to do that, though I suspect the "word on the street" that the game was criminally short had something to do with it.

Oh, well, all is forgiven since I eventually picked up a copy, right? Plus, as the headline of this post hopefully makes clear, I also own the recently released 3DS port (remake?) of the game.

Speaking of Luigi's Mansion for the 3DS, I played through it last week. Yes, all the way through it--right to the end credits. Here are my favorite aspects of that 10-plus-hour journey, which double as reasons why I hate myself for waiting so long to fully experience this game.

Sucking up ghosts with the Poltergust 3000 is surprisingly fun--I know what some of you are thinking here: how could sucking up ghosts not be fun? The thing is, I played a tiny bit of the GameCube version of Luigi's Mansion before I started through this 3DS port-make (sorry, I don't know what to call it), and that aspect of the game left me feeling conflicted. On the one hand, I found it refreshingly unique. On the other, it was more annoying--or maybe I should say less thrilling--than I assumed it would be. Well, you can toss all of that out the window. It didn't take long for the 3DS iteration to wipe those earlier experiences from my memory. For the most part, bagging baddies here is both amusing and gratifying. There are exceptions, of course--the final battle being a prime example--but thankfully they fail to spoil the fun.

Luigi's humming makes my heart melt--And not only that, but it makes traipsing through the halls and rooms of his freebie mansion more grin-inducing than it has any right to be given the game's ghoulish focus. On a related note, I'm pretty sure I followed every single stint with Luigi's Mansion by humming its theme song myself. If that's not a testament to how cute and catchy both the tune and the character's rendition of it are, I don't know what is. (By the way, a similar aspect of Luigi's Mansion that makes my heart melt and mouth break into a grin is that it dedicates a button to calling for Mario.)

The room designs are dazzling--Gaining access to a new room in Luigi's Mansion (you unlock them as you progress through the game) is an honest-to-goodness treat. Each one sports a different theme--from bathroom to ballroom to billiards room and beyond--and each one is lavishly decorated. Picking a favorite must be like picking a favorite child if you're a parent. It's impossible! They're such a delight that contemplating which ones are the best is a complete waste of time. Instead, I'd suggest you do what I did: accept that all of them are top-notch and then brace yourself to be bowled over whenever you get to venture inside one for the first time.

The game's portrait ghosts and battles are pretty awesome, too--If this component of Luigi's Mansion doesn't return for the just-announced Switch sequel (I've heard that 2013's Dark Moon eschews it), I'm going to have a hissy fit. It's right up there with the titular manor's lovingly appointed rooms in making this such an endearing and entrancing game. Why? For starters, the "portrait ghosts" in question are quite a bunch. There's the scarf-knitting granny, the lily-loving bodybuilder, and the bed-wetting girl--plus 19 others. Also, they all attack you in different ways, and they all have different weak points, too. In other words, Luigi's Mansion keeps you on your toes--and gives your eyes a pretty good workout as well.

Experiencing all of the above in full 3D is so mind-blowing I couldn't play it any other way--Before you roll your eyes at me, consider this: my 3DS' depth slider rarely leaves the "off" position. I made an exception when I booted up Luigi's Mansion for the first time, though, because I knew that was the game's raison d'être. I ended up liking it so much I spent my entire 11-hour-ish playthrough with the 3D effect turned on. What can I say? It made the mansion's numerous living spaces look even more marvelous than they did otherwise.

Have any of you played either the original version of Luigi's Mansion or the 3DS rerelease discussed here? If so, what did you think of it?

See also: 'five reasons I hate myself for waiting 29 years to finish Capcom's Sweet Home' and 'five reasons I (mostly) hate myself for waiting 26 years to play Super Mario Land 2 for the first time'

You say 'ecpica,' I say 'adorable'

I need a little adorableness in my life today, so rather than present all of you with yet another rambling post about an unheralded GameBoy or PC Engine game I've decided to present you with the following:



Each of these photos were taken by Singapore-based Flickr user ecpica, by the way, with the one above being titled "Siesta Time."



This one, on the other hand, is called "Lazy Afternoon."



And then there's "The Strange Bees in My Garden," above.

For even more adorableness, check out ecpica's Flickr photostream at your earliest convenience.

King Boo's balls and Birdo's bits

What would King Boo, Birdo and all sorts of other Nintendo characters--yes, including Mario, Luigi, Link, Peach and Zelda--look like in the buff?

Brooklyn-based artist Aedan Roberts answers that question in a most amusing way via his recent "Nüdtendo" portrait series--two pieces of which can be seen below.

Here, for instance, is King Boo--and, er, his "bits":

Unsurprisingly--given the above, at least--Birdo's bits also are on display in Roberts' humorous portrait of the much-loved Super Mario Bros. 2 baddie.

To see the rest of Roberts' Nüdtendo series--my current favorites are Wario, Tingle, Peach and Link--check out his site, aedanroberts.com.

If you're interested in either of the pieces shown above, by the way, the King Boo one can be bought here (for $275), while the Birdo one can be bought here for the same price. (A few others also are for sale via Roberts' etsy shop.)

(Via boyculture.com)

'Dreamy Mushroom Munchers'

Sorry for the art inundation as of late. I guess I've just been in an artsy kind of mood. (Another possibility: the headlong sprint into winter--here in Seattle, at least--has temporarily sapped me of the energy that's usually reserved for writing blog posts.)

Anyway, the focus of this particular art-centric post is the following illustration, created by a deviantartist who calls himself "Luce in the Sky."



The piece's title is "Dreamy Mushroom Munchers," appropriately enough, and it was produced in honor of Luigi's 30th anniversary.

To see more of Luce in the Sky's stuff, check out his deviantart gallery or his brand new (and as such still sparsely populated) tumblr.

Ready Player Two

The following game-inspired illustration was produced by artist Glen Brogan of the Albino Raven blog for his just-closed Gallery1988 show.

The focus of this stylish piece isn't a tanooki-suited Mario, by the way; it's a fox-suited Luigi--or whatever the hell it is Mario's main bro turns into when he grabs a Super Leaf power-ip in Super Mario 3D Land.

Why did Brogan devote an entire canvas to the most famous "player two" in all of gaming? Here's what he had to say in a recent blog post:

"As a kid I often found myself playing video games as player two, usually either because the other kid was older or because I was (and am) pretty shy and non-assertive. Because of that I still to this day have a fondness for Luigi, the ultimate second player character."

For those who may be interested: Brogan's selling 8-by-10-inch digital prints of this piece via Gallery1988's website for $35 each. (Mounted versions of the print can be picked up here for $55.)

Here's a pink-and-red equal sign I can get behind

I don't know about you, but my Facebook wall has been awash in pink-and-red equal signs like the one below since early yesterday.

For those of you who haven't experienced the same, here's the gist: in an effort to show that they support marriage equality (aka same-sex marriage), swarms of people have been changing their Facebook profile photos to that of a pink-and-red equal sign that apes the Human Rights Campaign's omnipresent--in my 'hood, at least--blue-and-yellow logo.

Although I haven't joined that crowd for a number of reasons (I'm not a fan of HRC, for starters), I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to do so after coming across this altered version:

By the way, as far as I can tell, a chap named Derek Eclavea is responsible for this awesome creation (while one of my Facebook friends, Eric Starker, is responsible for turning me onto it).

Should you want to read a bit more about these pink-and-red equal signs, may I suggest checking out the following blog posts: 'Don't Let That Red Equal Sign Become a Hollow Gesture' and 'HRC’s Branding Attempts'

Poor Luigi

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride--or maybe in this case I should say, "Always the sidekick, never the star"?

Regardless, given the backseat nature of Luigi's life, it's easy enough to imagine that he may not be the most cheerful and positive chap. Is it possible, though, that his brother's annoying omnipresence has pushed him to contemplate suicide? I, for one, hope not, but New Zealand-based artist SUIKA seems to think otherwise.



Granted, SUIKA also believes Mario to be teetering on the edge (see this similar piece from earlier this year), so maybe I should take his thoughts on the matter with the proverbial grain of salt.

By the way, the Luigi painting above is 400 mm by 550 mm in size and was made (with acrylics) using a 17-mm-by-17-mm and 5-mm-by-5-mm hand-drawn grid.

To see more of SUIKA's works, check out his blog and his deviantart gallery at your convenience.

Acquisition #134: Luigi's Mansion (GameCube)

Would you believe me if I told you that, until a few days ago, I'd never before played Luigi's Mansion?

Honestly, I can't tell you why I avoided this GameCube launch title all this time. I have a feeling it had to do with its rumored lack of length. (I've heard the game can be completed in just a handful of hours.) Another possibility: I was turned off by the fact that it wasn't a proper, Mario-centric platformer.

Whatever the reason, Luigi's Mansion failed to find its way into my shiny silver GameCube until now.

As for what prompted me to change my mind about this title and add the copy seen in the photo on the right to my collection: I'm going to blame it on all of the videos of the fabulous-looking 3DS follow-up, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, that popped up after E3 2012 (many of which have been watched over and over again by yours truly).

Actually, I shouldn't say "blame," as I'm really enjoying Luigi's Mansion so far. It took me a few minutes to come to terms with its controls, but since then I've had a blast. I especially like how Luigi's vacuum affects pretty much anything in its path: Hanging clothes, chairs, tables, vases--you name it, this little sucker reels them in (or at least attempts to) like so many fish.

I also really like this game's atmosphere. It's spooky, but silly, too. And the soundtrack? Subtle, but also oh so sweet. I especially get a kick out of how Luigi hums along with the main theme.

Have any of you played through Luigi's Mansion? If so, what are your thoughts on it? And are you looking forward to the sequel, or was one spooky Super Mario Bros. spinoff enough for you?

See also: Previous 'Acquisition #123' posts

If Mario were a girl and Peach were a boy ...

... I hope they would look at least something like the adorable characters seen in the following illustrations (get a better look at them here), produced by Canadian artist Beth T (aka rollingrabbit):

Beth says on her tumblog that the female Luigi is her favorite. (She also likes "how Waluigi just looks the usual design, but in drag.") As for me, I think I like her male Peach best.

(Via bowonbirdo.tumblr.com)

More steamy shots of the Super Studly Mario Bros.

Do you remember this post about the upcoming issue of MUTO Manifesto magazine that will feature on its cover two rather attractive men dressed in form-fitting Mario Bros. drag? Of course you do. (If you don't, re-acquaint yourself with it by clicking on the link embedded in the previous sentence.)

Well, that issue, the online magazine's second, is now available (here) for your reading and viewing pleasure. The photo above is just one of 16 included in the cover story, titled "Kiss & Tell," by the way. (Full disclosure: Most of the others probably wouldn't be considered safe for work.)

(Via videogamesmademegay.tumblr.com)

I think I'm more excited about Luigi's Mansion 2 than Super Mario 3DS

The headline above isn't meant to be a cut on Super Mario 3DS, by the way; I think the mustachioed plumber's next three-dimensional platformer looks absolutely wonderful. There's just something about Luigi's Mansion 2 that makes me go weak in the knees. (I'm not completely sure, but think it may have something to do with Luigi's bouncy little trot, seen on a number of occasions in the trailer below.)



Sigh. I guess this means I'll have to pick up a 3DS sooner rather than later. I mean, I was planning to get one at some point, but I honestly thought it wouldn't happen until late next year--hopefully after a price drop and a DSlite-like revision. Now I'm thinking it may have to happen whenever Luigi's Mansion 2 is released.

Super Studly Mario Bros. 2

Admittedly, the illustration below isn't even half as hot as the photo splashed across the cover of the soon-to-be-released issue of MUTO Manifesto magazine that was highlighted in my previous "Super Studly Mario Bros." post.

Still, there's a certain, strange appeal to Angela Zavala's cheeky, Super Mario Bros.-inspired drawing, isn't there? (To see more of Zavala's creations, check out her deviantART gallery.)

Super Studly Mario Bros.

I can't say I've ever found myself drooling over an image of Mario or of his "main bro," Luigi, but I'm certainly open to doing just that should the right illustration or even photo present itself.

At least, that's what I would have told you before I came across what I believe is the cover of a soon-to-be-released issue of MUTO Manifesto magazine.

As far as I can tell, the issue above has not yet hit (virtual) newsstands--which means I'll be visiting MUTO Manifesto's website at least once a day until it does.

(Via Gayme Bar's Facebook page)

Mexican Mario Bros.

How would Mario and Luigi differ in appearance if they hailed from Mexico rather than Italy?

Spanish artist Pakoto attempts to answer that question in his most recent illustration:



Although I consider all five of Pakoto's characterizations to be rather amazing (if a smidge creepy), his Hispanic Yoshi takes the cake.

See this image in its original context here, and see other examples of Pakoto's work here.

See also: 'Zeke and his water gun'

'Bros in Arms'

Looking for a semi-realistic, Scribblenauts-esque take on Mario and his best bro, Luigi? Here you go:

This wonderful drawing--I especially like the ground, for some reason--was produced by UK-based multimedia artist Alec Tree (aka captainalec).

See more of his stuff--such as the awesome "Nintenghost"--in his deviantart.com gallery.

'Super Utamaro Bros.'

If I were a real artist (and, no, I'm not saying that facetiously), this is the kind of thing I'd attempt to create:

For those of you wondering what in the hell you're looking at, well, it's a piece produced by blogger, designer and illustrator Jude Buffum. (I mentioned him earlier today in this post.)

In the description that accompanies this image on the artist's Flickr page, Buffum says he "chose to focus on the erotic fantasies of abalone divers that are quite popular within the art form known as 'shunga.'"

He also mentions that the piece is an homage to Utamaro's "Underwater Assault."

See more of Buffum's stuff here.

Mario: 'Are you Mr. Gay?' Luigi: 'Yes I am. Are you?'

NeoGAFfer "lijik" shared the following in-the-works sketch in the popular gaming forum's main Super Mario Galaxy 2 thread this morning.

OK, so the way Luigi is leering at Mario in the last panel is a bit creepy. Still, I like the artist's style. (I'm especially enamored with Mario's hands and feet, for some strange reason.)

Manly Mario

Well, whattaya know? It's Mario the bear and his cubbish--or maybe I should say otterish--bro, Luigi!

Actual title: "Enter the Mushroom Kingdom"

This piece was created by Australian artist Jeffrey "CHAMBA" Cruz (aka lastscionz), who shares on his deviantart page that it was "drawn on A4 size paper using 4H and HB lead [and] coloured in PSCS3 using an Intuos2."

I have no idea what that means, but I'm happy it allowed him to produce such awesomely imaginative imagery.

See also: 'Mario as you've never seen him before'

(Via unrealitymag.com)