Complete History of Luigi | MojoPlays
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VOICE OVER: Dave Thibault
WRITTEN BY: Johnny Reynolds
He may be the second player, but Mario just wouldn't be Mario without his younger brother. Welcome to MojoPlays and today we're exploring the History of Luigi.
He may be the second player, but Mario just wouldn’t be Mario without his younger brother. Welcome to MojoPlays and today we’re exploring the History of Luigi.
Nintendo had already begun turning Mario into a superstar a few years before Luigi would debut. Starring in the 1981 arcade classic “Donkey Kong,” the icon formerly known as Jumpman helped Nintendo prove they could craft incredibly fun gameplay experiences. But when it came time for their next big hit, “Donkey Kong” creator Shigeru Miyamoto took inspiration from the two-player arcade hit “Joust” and put a Mario spin on it.
Released in 1983, “Mario Bros.” introduced the world to Luigi. As Nintendo needed a second character, and due to the graphical limitations of the time, Luigi was simply a palette swap of Mario. His name, at least, holds an interesting fact. Miyamoto derived it from the Japanese word ‘ruiji,’ which means ‘similar.’ But Luigi wouldn’t begin to develop into his own character until much later.
America’s home video game market was on unstable ground after the disastrous crash of 1983 from oversaturation. That same year, Nintendo had released their first console in Japan called the Famicom. But they understandably didn’t release it in the U.S. until two years later when they felt it could do well. Known to American players as the Nintendo Entertainment System, it launched with one of the most important titles in video game history: “Super Mario Bros.” And as we all know, it was a monumental success. The NES, like the Famicom, housed many two-player games, and “Super Mario Bros.” was one of them. A second player could control Luigi, though he was again made a simple palette swap of Mario.
It wasn’t until the sequel that Luigi would be shown a bit differently. But how differently depends on which sequel you’re playing. “Super Mario Bros. 2” was released in Japan in 1986. While he still looked incredibly similar to Mario, Luigi could now jump higher but couldn’t come to a stop as quickly. However, Nintendo deemed this game too difficult for American players. Instead, they reskinned a Japan-only release called “Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic” in 1988. While not originally a Mario game, it was the first time Luigi was shown to both control and look differently from Mario. He was taller, leaner, and controlled entirely uniquely.
Luigi would revert back to being a palette swap for the seminal “Super Mario Bros. 3,” as well as Mario’s first 16-bit outing, 1990’s “Super Mario World.” But his new look would be featured in other media. The box art for the Japan-only “Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally” and “The Super Mario Bros. Super Show” both showed Luigi as being taller and thinner than Mario. But the in-game look wouldn’t make the permanent transition until 1992’s “Super Mario Kart” on the Super Nintendo.
1993 saw Luigi star in his first solo game. Unfortunately, the game wasn’t made by Nintendo. “The Software Toolworks” developed and published “Mario Is Missing!,” a dull educational game whose main gameplay hook revolved around answering trivia about various national landmarks. They even kept him as a Mario palette swap. But this wasn’t the only train wreck Luigi starred in that year. The live action “Super Mario Bros.” movie was also released and is now notorious for being one of the worst video game movies ever made. As bad as the movie is, it did influence one aspect of the Mushroom Kingdom. It was the first time Princess Daisy was shown to be Luigi’s love interest, which would be teased throughout the franchise for years afterwards.
For a long time, Luigi wouldn’t appear in a main entry for the Mario franchise. He was absent from both 1996’s “Super Mario 64” and 2002’s “Super Mario Sunshine.” But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t seen. He made numerous appearances in various spin-offs such as “Super Smash Bros.,” “Mario Kart 64,” “Mario Party,” and “Mario Tennis,” just to name a few. But 2001 was arguably the most important year in regards to developing him as a real character. It was then that he starred in the GameCube launch title, “Luigi’s Mansion.”
Luigi was long due his own franchise, one that he could make his own. “Luigi’s Mansion” followed him as he searched for his older brother inside a haunted mansion. It was completely different from any game Luigi had appeared in before, as the gameplay consisted of sucking up ghosts with a modified vacuum cleaner. This was also when Luigi began to develop his timid, somewhat scaredy-cat persona, which would be a staple of the character in following appearances.
Luigi also played prominent roles on Nintendo’s series of handheld systems. On the Game Boy Advance, he co-starred in the 2003 RPG “Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga,” which saw him in a more centric role than any of Mario’s other adventures. It was so well-received that it spawned multiple sequels on the DS family. Similarly, he appeared in the 2006 nostalgia-inducing “New Super Mario Bros.,” which also spawned a series of sequels. As far as Mario’s console adventures, Luigi was unlockable in both “Super Mario Galaxy” entries and “Super Mario 3D Land.” That’s not even going into the slew of sports spin-offs and Mario parties that were released in between.
In March of 2013, Nintendo announced the Year of Luigi. For the next 12 months, they would release loads of content and titles to celebrate Mario’s younger brother. It began with “Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon” on the 3DS, which was praised for its visuals and implementation of new mechanics. And many fans were ecstatic for a sequel to the 12-year-old game. Nintendo also released “New Super Luigi U” and “Dr. Luigi” on the Wii U and “Mario & Luigi: Dream Team” on the 3DS. It was a truly stellar year for Luigi, as he also appeared in Mario’s latest, “Super Mario 3D World,” as a selectable option rather than in the Player 2 sidekick spot.
Though he may have initially only been implemented as a palette swap for Mario, Luigi has become an instantly recognizable figure in gaming. And a bonafide hero in his own right, having helped Mario save the Mushroom Kingdom more often than not. He still appears in every one of his brother’s spin-offs, even churning out a popular meme. But it’s obvious the Mushroom Kingdom wouldn’t be the same without him. He’ll star in the highly anticipated Switch title “Luigi’s Mansion 3” this Halloween and we can’t wait for his star to shine brighter.
Nintendo had already begun turning Mario into a superstar a few years before Luigi would debut. Starring in the 1981 arcade classic “Donkey Kong,” the icon formerly known as Jumpman helped Nintendo prove they could craft incredibly fun gameplay experiences. But when it came time for their next big hit, “Donkey Kong” creator Shigeru Miyamoto took inspiration from the two-player arcade hit “Joust” and put a Mario spin on it.
Released in 1983, “Mario Bros.” introduced the world to Luigi. As Nintendo needed a second character, and due to the graphical limitations of the time, Luigi was simply a palette swap of Mario. His name, at least, holds an interesting fact. Miyamoto derived it from the Japanese word ‘ruiji,’ which means ‘similar.’ But Luigi wouldn’t begin to develop into his own character until much later.
America’s home video game market was on unstable ground after the disastrous crash of 1983 from oversaturation. That same year, Nintendo had released their first console in Japan called the Famicom. But they understandably didn’t release it in the U.S. until two years later when they felt it could do well. Known to American players as the Nintendo Entertainment System, it launched with one of the most important titles in video game history: “Super Mario Bros.” And as we all know, it was a monumental success. The NES, like the Famicom, housed many two-player games, and “Super Mario Bros.” was one of them. A second player could control Luigi, though he was again made a simple palette swap of Mario.
It wasn’t until the sequel that Luigi would be shown a bit differently. But how differently depends on which sequel you’re playing. “Super Mario Bros. 2” was released in Japan in 1986. While he still looked incredibly similar to Mario, Luigi could now jump higher but couldn’t come to a stop as quickly. However, Nintendo deemed this game too difficult for American players. Instead, they reskinned a Japan-only release called “Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic” in 1988. While not originally a Mario game, it was the first time Luigi was shown to both control and look differently from Mario. He was taller, leaner, and controlled entirely uniquely.
Luigi would revert back to being a palette swap for the seminal “Super Mario Bros. 3,” as well as Mario’s first 16-bit outing, 1990’s “Super Mario World.” But his new look would be featured in other media. The box art for the Japan-only “Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally” and “The Super Mario Bros. Super Show” both showed Luigi as being taller and thinner than Mario. But the in-game look wouldn’t make the permanent transition until 1992’s “Super Mario Kart” on the Super Nintendo.
1993 saw Luigi star in his first solo game. Unfortunately, the game wasn’t made by Nintendo. “The Software Toolworks” developed and published “Mario Is Missing!,” a dull educational game whose main gameplay hook revolved around answering trivia about various national landmarks. They even kept him as a Mario palette swap. But this wasn’t the only train wreck Luigi starred in that year. The live action “Super Mario Bros.” movie was also released and is now notorious for being one of the worst video game movies ever made. As bad as the movie is, it did influence one aspect of the Mushroom Kingdom. It was the first time Princess Daisy was shown to be Luigi’s love interest, which would be teased throughout the franchise for years afterwards.
For a long time, Luigi wouldn’t appear in a main entry for the Mario franchise. He was absent from both 1996’s “Super Mario 64” and 2002’s “Super Mario Sunshine.” But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t seen. He made numerous appearances in various spin-offs such as “Super Smash Bros.,” “Mario Kart 64,” “Mario Party,” and “Mario Tennis,” just to name a few. But 2001 was arguably the most important year in regards to developing him as a real character. It was then that he starred in the GameCube launch title, “Luigi’s Mansion.”
Luigi was long due his own franchise, one that he could make his own. “Luigi’s Mansion” followed him as he searched for his older brother inside a haunted mansion. It was completely different from any game Luigi had appeared in before, as the gameplay consisted of sucking up ghosts with a modified vacuum cleaner. This was also when Luigi began to develop his timid, somewhat scaredy-cat persona, which would be a staple of the character in following appearances.
Luigi also played prominent roles on Nintendo’s series of handheld systems. On the Game Boy Advance, he co-starred in the 2003 RPG “Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga,” which saw him in a more centric role than any of Mario’s other adventures. It was so well-received that it spawned multiple sequels on the DS family. Similarly, he appeared in the 2006 nostalgia-inducing “New Super Mario Bros.,” which also spawned a series of sequels. As far as Mario’s console adventures, Luigi was unlockable in both “Super Mario Galaxy” entries and “Super Mario 3D Land.” That’s not even going into the slew of sports spin-offs and Mario parties that were released in between.
In March of 2013, Nintendo announced the Year of Luigi. For the next 12 months, they would release loads of content and titles to celebrate Mario’s younger brother. It began with “Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon” on the 3DS, which was praised for its visuals and implementation of new mechanics. And many fans were ecstatic for a sequel to the 12-year-old game. Nintendo also released “New Super Luigi U” and “Dr. Luigi” on the Wii U and “Mario & Luigi: Dream Team” on the 3DS. It was a truly stellar year for Luigi, as he also appeared in Mario’s latest, “Super Mario 3D World,” as a selectable option rather than in the Player 2 sidekick spot.
Though he may have initially only been implemented as a palette swap for Mario, Luigi has become an instantly recognizable figure in gaming. And a bonafide hero in his own right, having helped Mario save the Mushroom Kingdom more often than not. He still appears in every one of his brother’s spin-offs, even churning out a popular meme. But it’s obvious the Mushroom Kingdom wouldn’t be the same without him. He’ll star in the highly anticipated Switch title “Luigi’s Mansion 3” this Halloween and we can’t wait for his star to shine brighter.
