While Ghostbusters: Frozen City flopped at the box office, there’s another ghost-hunting adventure waiting for us this year—albeit one we’re all too familiar with. Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is a high-definition remake of 2013’s 3DS game, Luigi’s Mansion 2, which arrives on Switch with far better graphics but little else to do with the merry ghost-hunting gameplay. As such, it’s the best way to experience Luigi’s second ghost-hunting adventure, but it’s no longer the best in the series, as that title was snatched away by 2019’s Luigi’s Mansion 3.
Here’s what our reviewers thought of the 3DS original:
Luigi’s Mansion 2 Review (Excerpts)
Luigi’s Mansion 2 may be a sequel, but it shows Nintendo at its most creative. It’s a must-play in an increasingly impressive lineup of games for the 3DS, and while there are times when I wish it could be explored at a leisurely pace, it’s otherwise a detailed, engrossing, and well-made game that’s hard to fault. — Keza MacDonald, March 22, 2013.
That’s true of Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, which is still a fun adventure that’s both eerie and hilarious, with the original’s dual-screen graphics beautifully transferred to a single screen and upgraded to near-Luigi’s Mansion 3 quality. The team at Tantalus (who worked on 2021’s The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD) have gone above and beyond to improve the resolution and apply more detailed textures, from the reflections on armor to the textures on Luigi’s jumpsuit.
Additionally, the significantly enhanced lighting gives the Switch version enough depth that I barely miss the original’s 3D effects. (Though, to be honest, I don’t even remember if I played it in 3D.)
This game isn’t likely to win a Best Visual Design award in 2024, but it’s a world away from the 2013 original. I remember Luigi’s Mansion 2’s charming characters and enjoyable spooky locales, but revisiting the 3DS original 11 years later was painfully jaggy. Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD’s graphics are a marked improvement, allowing the fun ghosts and well-designed corridors to fully shine on the screen.
However, these enemies and environments are not substantially different from a decade ago. There are no new ghosts or levels in Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, and no new bosses. The new moves from Luigi’s Mansion 3 haven’t been ported over, so you can’t fire plungers or summon the gummy-like Golem. This preserves the ghost-hunting and puzzle-solving experience of the original, which allows the clever level design of the original to play out to the best effect, but it also clearly lacks the richer and more diverse interactions of the third generation.
It does, however, use a dual-stick control system similar to Luigi’s Mansion 3. For unknown reasons, the original didn’t support the Circle Pad Pro (the clunky official right joystick peripheral that was commonly known as a “prosthetic arm”). This meant that in the 3DS version of Luigi’s Mansion 2, when Luigi aimed the flashlight or the vacuum cleaner, he was always facing in one direction.
In the remastered version, this problem no longer exists, and you can aim freely with the right joystick, which is definitely more flexible and intuitive. Although the game is still not difficult – the ghosts are more “soul” than “dark soul” – I am still happy that the control method has become more comfortable.
But I wish Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD could do more with online play. Unlike Luigi’s Mansion 3, which can be played with two players on one machine, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD requires each player to own a Switch, whether it is online or locally. The multi-level multiplayer mode “Tower of Terror” is still exciting and fun, but I would rather share its fun with my children without having to buy several Switches and several copies of the game. Unfortunately, this game does not have a local split-screen function.
That being said, I still had a great time hunting ghosts in the dozen or so hours I played Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD. Although I prefer the structure of a single building in the third generation, I also appreciate the five relatively independent unique areas in Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD. This level design makes it easier for players to find missed collectibles after completing the level.
Moreover, ten years have made me forget some of the standout moments, like facing a giant spider in the puzzle-heavy first boss fight, or tumbling down a long haunted staircase that feels like an all-ages version of John Wick 4’s climax.
Conclusion
With a massively improved graphics and more flexible dual-stick controls, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is the definitive version of Luigi’s second ghost-hunting adventure. If you’re new to the series, or you got into it with Luigi’s Mansion 3 and are looking to catch up, you’ll find plenty of ghost-hunting and puzzle-solving fun in Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD’s five haunted houses.
But if you’re a fan of the original 3DS game and were hoping for more dramatic gameplay changes or a ton of new content, you may be disappointed. Plus, after playing three generations, the limitations of this remaster may become more apparent. But in general, “Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD” is still an excellent work in this Nintendo ghost hunting series, even if it is not the best one on Switch.
Advantages
Greatly enhanced image quality compared to the original version
More flexible dual joystick operation
Disadvantages
No new elements are added to the gameplay and content compared to the original version
No advantage compared to the 3rd generation
Evaluation results
After greatly improving the image quality and adding more flexible dual joystick control, “Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD” is undoubtedly the “definitive version” of Luigi’s second ghost hunting adventure. If you are a new player in this series, or you are in the pit through “Luigi’s Mansion 3” and are planning to make up for the previous work, then in the five haunted houses of “Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD”, you will find a lot of fun in catching ghosts and solving puzzles.