It is officially Spooky Season, and the last few years me and my wife have been doing a brand new tradition; playing Luigi's Mansion 3!
Now I have a complicated history with the series, and today I wanted to take the time to go into that a little. It’s actually a game I wasn’t “allowed” to play growing up, so the fact it’s a Halloween tradition of mine is kinda weird. Anyway, this is my story.
Luigi’s Mansion and the Game Cube:
When the Nintendo Game Cube was first coming out, I was extremely excited! Mario 64 was one of my all time favorite games, and the idea of having a new 3D Mario game to play was exciting! Playing the game as a demo at Target only made me want the game more, but it was going to be a far off dream. I wasn’t going to get a GCN until who knows when, and I couldn’t possibly just ask my parents for me. I mean, I tried, but it just wasn’t in the cards.
I remember sitting at my uncle’s house that year, and him and my mom were discussing the Game Cube, and how I wanted one for Christmas. My uncle asked my mom what game I even wanted for it, and when she told him it was Luigi’s Mansion, he quickly shut that idea down. “You don’t want to buy that for him! That’s about demons and [insert curse word here].” He’s also the one who would go on to tell her that The Legend of Zelda was evil, and that Super Smash Bros was about warlocks… All of which she believed. So, ultimately, Luigi’s Mansion wasn’t something she was willing to buy me, and the GCN didn’t happen that year.
Eventually I would get a Game Cube for Christmas once Super Mario Sunshine, but that wasn’t until a couple years later. Luigi’s Mansion isn’t a game I ever got on the console either, nor did I really give it a chance when the 3DS version released when I was an adult. It wasn’t until Luigi’s Mansion 3 that things actually changed.
Christmas of 2019:
Christmas of 2019 was a unique year; I just didn’t realize it at the time. This was my last Christmas spent single, and it was the year before the whole lockdown ordeal happened. I remember not really being sure what I wanted, and when my family asked if there were any video games I was interested in, I really couldn’t think of much. Luigi’s Mansion 3 had just came out, and was one I hadn’t bought for myself, so I ultimately told them that. The funny thing is, it was my mom I told this to, and it was my mom who purchased it for me; along with a brand new Nintendo Switch Pro controller.
I remember playing it a little bit before our family arrived, but by this point it wasn’t really something I was that interested in playing. The game had a strong co-op component, and not having anyone to play with kinda killed that for me. I figured someday I could maybe invite friends over to play it, or take it to their house, but at that moment it was at the back of my list of “must plays.” 2019 had been a pretty strong year for gaming with things like Resident Evil 2, Kingdom Hearts III (yes, I like it), and Astral Chain, so I had plenty to come back to. 2020 had quite a few on their way also, including Final Fantasy VII Remake, and Animal Crossing; New Horizons, so Luigi’s Mansion 3 quickly got pushed to the back burner.
Then lockdown happened, and I wasn’t sure where my life would go. That is until September of 2020 when I met my future wife!
Returning to Luigi’s Mansion 3:
In October of 2021 me and my girlfriend were looking for something to do to kick off the Halloween season. She’s a HUGE fan of Halloween in general, and although she isn’t much of a video game player, I thought something like Luigi’s Mansion 3 would be perfect to try out. She grew up playing games like Mario Kart 64 at the babysitters, and I had recently got her into Animal Crossing. Luigi’s Mansion 3 would be quite a bit different from what she was used to, but I knew she would like the creepy atmosphere, and exploring the game’s haunted hotel. So, we started it up, I worked on getting to the point where multiplayer is unlocked, and she sat there ordering me a plush Luigi’s Mansion Luigi from Amazon.
Sadly, our initial playtime of Luigi’s Mansion 3 was cut short. We played it a bit that weekend, but about a week later we were kept apart due to Covid…
We had gone to the city Zoo together for their Halloween event, but for some reason I was feeling extra tired. I was struggling walking up and down the hills, and by the time I got home I was exhausted. That next week I went to work, began coughing non-stop, had a pounding headache, and by the middle of the week a high fever. That’s when I got diagnosed with Covid, and had to quarantine myself.
The funny thing is, I actually felt good by the time I had to be in isolation. I was still coughing, but I was no longer cold all the time, and was feeling like myself. Unfortunately my parents ended up catching it as well, and so did my girlfriend, so she came back to stay with us to attempt to protect her parents. Thankfully everyone ended up being okay in the end, although her dad ended up being hit the hardest… That next week though, we spent the entire time playing the new Animal Crossing update, and working on Luigi’s Mansion 3. Mario Party Superstars also came out in time for Halloween, so that was cool too. It was a pain being stuck inside, but at least we had stuff to keep ourselves busy.
Continuing Luigi’s Mansion:
Although we didn’t finish the game that week, Luigi’s Mansion 3 became something we would continue to return to off and on, and something we’ve returned to ever year since then. The game really is a great co-op experience, with plenty to explore, and challenges that get split between both Luigi, and his double “Gooigi.” Gooigi is perfect for someone newer to video games, as he cannot truly die, and the teamwork aspects of the game actually require you to work as a team. There are moments where Luigi must stay behind and perform his part, while Gooigi goes off to fight waves of enemies, and ultimately open the way forward. Overall, it’s so much fun playing the game co-op, but it is balanced for single player as well.
As for me and my wife, it’s a game we can simply bond over. It’s fun, it’s Halloween, it’s Luigi, and there’s plenty to explore and find within it. Many complained that it’s easy, but for us it is perfect. It’s enjoyable, and it has become a part of our yearly Halloween traditions.
Funny how a game I wasn’t allowed to play as a kid, ultimately was purchased for me by my parents, and is now one of my wife and I’s favorites. Life is strange.
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