''Luigi'' is a

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

subseries of

platformer A platformer (also called a platform game, and sometimes a jump 'n' run game) is a subgenre of action game in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are characterized by levels wi ...

s and

puzzle video game Puzzle video games make up a broad genre of video games that emphasize puzzle solving. The types of puzzles can test problem-solving skills, including logic, pattern recognition, Sequence, sequence solving, Spatial ability, spatial recognition, ...

s that is a spin-off of the ''Mario'' franchise published and produced by

Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto. It develops, publishes, and releases both video games and video game consoles. The history of Nintendo began when craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi ...

. All games in the series revolve around the titular

Luigi Luigi (; ) is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Part of Nintendo's ''Mario'' franchise, he is a kind-hearted, cowardly Italian plumber, and the younger fraternal twin brother and sidekick of Mario. Like ...

, best known for being the younger brother of Nintendo's mascot character

Mario Mario (; ) is a Character (arts), character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Ja ...

. ''Luigi'' games have been released for various Nintendo

video game console A video game console is an electronic device that Input/output, outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can typically be played with a game controller. These may be home video game console, home consoles, which are generally ...

s and

handhelds A mobile device or handheld device is a computer small enough to hold and operate in hand. Mobile devices are typically battery-powered and possess a flat-panel display and one or more built-in input devices, such as a touchscreen or keypad. Mo ...

dating from the

Game & Watch is a series of handheld electronic games developed by Nintendo. Designed by Gunpei Yokoi, the first game, ''Ball'' was released in 1980 and the original production run of the devices continued until 1991. The name Game & Watch reflects thei ...

to the

Nintendo Switch The is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the Eighth generation of video game consoles, eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the ...

History

Luigi was introduced in the 1983

title '' Mario Bros.'', where he and Mario work in a

bottling plant The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as st ...

. He later appeared widely in the arcade game '' Mario Bros.'', released two weeks later. The first game to star Luigi and to use the ''Luigi'' branding was the 1990 game '' Luigi's Hammer Toss'', in which Luigi uses a shield to deflect hammers being thrown by

Hammer Bro The ''Mario'' franchise is a media franchise created by Nintendo. Nintendo is usually the developer and publisher of the franchise's games, but various games are developed by third-party companies such as Intelligent Systems and Nintendo Cub ...

s. More recently, he has appeared in the ''Luigi's Mansion'' series. Two of the original

Nintendo Entertainment System The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the ...

(NES) ''Mario'' games, with those being ''

Super Mario Bros. is a 1985 Platformer, platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It is the successor to the 1983 arcade game ''Mario Bros.'' and the first game in the ''Super Mario'' series. It was origi ...

'' and the NES port of ''Mario Bros.'', have been ported to the

Wii U The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4. The W ...

and altered to feature Luigi as the protagonist instead of Mario.

Mini-games

Nintendo Land is a party video game developed and published by Nintendo as a pack-in launch title for the Wii U home video game console in 2012. The game was first announced at E3 2012 during Nintendo's press conference. ''Nintendo Land'' features twelve mi ...

'' for Wii U features an attraction called "Luigi's Ghost Mansion", heavily inspired by ''Luigi's Mansion''. "Luigi's Ghost Mansion" involves up to four players dressed like Luigi, Mario,

Waluigi is a character in the Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise. He plays the role of Luigi's arch-rival and accompanies Wario in spin-off (media), spin-offs from the Super Mario (series), main ''Mario'' series, often for the sake of causing mis ...

and

Wario is a character in Nintendo's Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise that was designed as an Archenemy, archnemesis to Mario. Wario first appeared as the main antagonist and final Boss (video games), boss in the 1992 Game Boy game ''Super Mar ...

respectively, who assume the roles of "

ghost In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a ...

trackers" and explore a

haunted house A haunted house, spook house or ghost house in ghostlore is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were otherwise connected with the property ...

to hunt for the fifth player, who is the ghost. Included in ''

NES Remix 2 ''NES Remix'' is a compilation video game series developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. The first and eponymous game was simultaneously announced and released on December 18, 2013, on the Nintendo eShop following a Nintendo Direct pre ...

'' is ''Super Luigi Bros.'', a Luigi-themed and mirrored version of ''

'' It features Luigi's higher jumping ability, which had not been originally introduced until the 1986 Japanese sequel '' Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels''. An unlockable Luigi-themed version of ''Mario Bros.'' titled ''Luigi Bros.'' was also included with ''

Super Mario 3D World is a 2013 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. It is the sixth original 3D platform game in the ''Super Mario'' series and the sequel to '' Super Mario 3D Land'', a 2011 title for the Nintendo 3DS. The game was re- ...

'' and its Nintendo Switch re-release ''Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury''.

List of games

''Luigi's Mansion'' series

Others

References

{{Portalbar, Video games

Luigi video games Luigi (; ) is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Part of Nintendo's ''Mario'' franchise, he is a kind-hearted, cowardly Italian plumber, and the younger fraternal twin brother and sidekick of Mario. Like ...

Video game franchises