Good old Mario, everybody loves Mario and all of his adventures across the Mushroom Kingdom, dimensions, and even other planets. The quirky, lovable plumber has been an icon of gaming since his debut and has spawned dozens of games, crossed over with other franchises, and even comic books.
But what about Luigi? The younger brother has had his own cult following with many fans hoping he’d get more starring roles in future video games. He’s been a playable character for years and in quite a few games: here are the first ten! Note: we will not be counting any spin offs like the various sports games and Mario Party games.
10 Mario Bros. (Arcade) – 1983
That’s right, Luigi was playable in the very first time the Mario Bros. appeared in the arcade back in 1983. Luigi was only playable for the second player and was no more than a recolored version of Mario. This is how Luigi would be created for multiple games in the future.
Still, it was the beginning of a character who would continue to evolve alongside his brother and the original arcade game remains a fun classic that all gamers should try out at least once in their lives. Without it, there wouldn’t have been the next entry.
9 Super Mario Bros. (NES)
Luigi returned as a palette-swapped character sprite once again for the brothers’ first leap into the 2D platformer realm that exploded and revolutionized the gaming industry forever. Any platformer or sidescroller games that fans love and adore today are likely inspired by the original Super Mario Bros.
Luigi was only controlled by the second player who would have to wait until the first player died in order to play as the other plumber brother. Luigi played identically to Mario as well, much like in the Arcade game.
8 Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (NES/SNES)
The often forgotten sequel to the original Super Mario Bros. is a compilation of the most difficult levels that feel like a continuation of the previous game’s difficulty progression than a new game. Before Super Mario Maker made fans want to shatter a controller out of frustration, The Lost Levels brought that sensation
Luigi got an upgrade in this game that first debuted on the NES then got a remake on the SNES. Instead of a second player exclusive, he was a selectable character and before Super Mario Bros. 2, he was given a higher jump in The Lost Levels. The downside is that Luigi seems to slide easier.
7 Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES) – 1988
Luigi was able to be chosen the player among four options including Mario, Toad, and Princess Peach. In this game, Luigi was actually not a recolored Mario sprite but was given his own unique look: he was taller and skinnier than his older brother which is a trait that would return in later games.
Returning from The Lost Levels, Luigi has his higher jump again. This ability wouldn’t return until the Mario & Luigi RPG games and Super Mario 3D World. Doesn’t this technically make Mario the weaker brother?
6 Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
Often considered the best of the NES Mario games, Super Mario Bros. 3 made everything bigger and better with massive worlds, tons of new powerups, and new enemies to have fun with! However, Luigi’s role was reduced this time around: reverting back to the original Super Mario Bros. mechanic of making Luigi only for the second player.
Luigi’s high jump is nowhere to be found and he plays identically to Mario: a nerf for the green-clad brother. Luigi was also a palette swap sprite again which some might find disappointing. However, in the 16-bit remake on Super Mario All-Stars for the SNES, Luigi’s sprite is slightly taller.
5 Super Mario World (SNES)
A character selection was rejected again for this jump onto the SNES with Super Mario World, a game that once again managed to be even better than the previous game. Exclusively for the second player, Luigi is, yet again, a palette swap of Mario and plays identically to him
The sprite for Luigi does change if one manages to get a copy of Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World game cartridge or play the Super Mario World-style levels in Super Mario Maker 2. In these versions, Luigi is taller and slimmer.
4 Mario Is Missing! (SNES/NES)
For the first time ever, Luigi is the main character of a game as he goes on a quest to save Mario from the clutches of the evil Bowser and his koopalings! Sounds like a great setup, right? Unfortunately, Mario Is Missing! is an educational game about geography with no enemies that can harm you or any platforming.
Now educational games can be fun as shown with games like Math Blaster or The Secret Island Of Dr. Quandary but, unfortunately, Mario Is Missing is not like those games. It is a slow, boring, and tedious game that forces players to perform fetch quests in different locations all over Earth and answer quizzes. Poor Luigi, he deserved better than this.
3 Luigi’s Mansion (Nintendo GameCube)
Luigi’s first starring role was not a successful one, but that was remedied when he was given his own game in 2001, one that would be completely different than what had come prior in the franchise: a Resident Evil-esque game for kids. Luigi must trek through the many sections of a haunted mansion solving puzzles and defeating ghosts.
Only instead of pistols and shotguns, Luigi wields a vacuum-like backpack to fight the ghosts (where has that been done before?) and suck up tons of money. Luigi’s Mansion was a huge hit and turned Luigi into the nervous yet cute brother he’d be known for throughout the rest of the franchise.
2 Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (GameBoy Advance)
One would think that the idea of a turn-based RPG in the same vein as Final Fantasy starring Mario and Luigi would be a disaster but surprisingly, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is not only fun and addicting to play but it provides some of the best writing and comedy in the franchise which would continue throughout the Mario & Luigi series.
Luigi is at his absolute best here: he’s a scaredy-cat but he has a heart of gold, he’s charming, he’s funny, and the animations for his sprite are perfect. This is probably the best incarnation of Luigi one will ever play as.
1 Super Mario 64 DS (Nintendo DS)
Since Luigi was treated unfairly by being omitted entirely from Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, Nintendo made amends by making him one of four playable characters in the remake of the game for the Nintendo DS. Super Mario 64 DS was a surprise hit for many reasons.
This is not a shot for shot remake of the N64 as you start as Yoshi this time and have to unlock the rest and there were multiplayer functions. Luigi had the ability to turn invisible, walk through objects, ran the fastest, could briefly run on water, and, of course, featured the high jump.
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