Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon

"Luigi's Mansion 2" redirects here. For the game's Nintendo Switch remaster, see Luigi's Mansion 2 HD.

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
North American box art For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer	Next Level Games Nintendo SPD Group No.3
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Nintendo 3DS
Release date	Original release March 20, 2013 March 24, 2013[?] March 28, 2013 March 28, 2013 July 18, 2013[?] July 26, 2013[?] July 26, 2013[?] Nintendo Selects March 17, 2016[?] March 17, 2016 (Japanese version)[?] March 17, 2016 (Japanese version)[?] August 26, 2016[?] May 11, 2017[?] October 13, 2017[?] July 19, 2018
Language(s)	English (United Kingdom) English (United States) French (France) French (Canada) German Spanish (Spain) Spanish (Latin America) Italian Dutch Portuguese (Portugal) Russian Japanese Simplified Chinese Traditional Chinese Korean
Genre	Action-adventure
Rating(s)	ESRB: - Everyone PEGI: - Seven years and older CERO: - All ages ACB: - General USK: - Six years and older ClassInd: - General audience RARS: - Six years and older GRAC: - All ages GSRR: - Six years and older FPB: - Parental guidance
Mode(s)	Single-player, local multiplayer, online multiplayer
Format	Nintendo 3DS: Game Card Digital download
Input	Nintendo 3DS: Gamepad
Serial code(s)	CTR-AGGJ-JPN

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, known as Luigi's Mansion 2 in European languages, is a Nintendo 3DS game released in 2013. The second installment in the Luigi's Mansion series, the title is a sequel to Luigi's Mansion. This is the third game to feature Luigi as the main character with Mario playing a supporting role, the first two being Mario is Missing! and Luigi's Mansion.

The game's plot revolves around Luigi defeating King Boo once again while collecting shards of the Dark Moon to restore peace to the ghosts of Evershade Valley. Unlike its predecessor, much of the gameplay revolves around completing missions in different haunted locations, as opposed to the entirety of the game's exploration taking place in a single mansion. However, capturing ghosts and collecting treasure remain major mechanics in the game.

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon made use of Nintendo Network for online functionality until it was terminated on April 8, 2024.

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon was the first game to be released as part of "The Year of Luigi," honoring 30 years since Luigi's debut.

An arcade version of the game was released in 2015. A third original Luigi's Mansion game, Luigi's Mansion 3, was released worldwide on October 31, 2019 for the Nintendo Switch. In 2024, an HD remaster was released on the Nintendo Switch.

Story

E. Gadd fleeing from the aggressive Greenies

Professor E. Gadd has been researching ghosts in Evershade Valley, with some assistance from his friendly Greenies. When King Boo appears and shatters the Dark Moon, breaking it into six pieces and scattering them to each mansion of the valley, the once friendly ghosts become aggressive, forcing E. Gadd to retreat into his Bunker.

Luigi being teleported by the Pixelator

Luigi, who is sleeping at home with his television on, wakes up when it suddenly displays static. When he touches the screen, E. Gadd suddenly appears and scares Luigi. He informs Luigi about the situation and asks for his assistance. E. Gadd uses his Pixelator to teleport Luigi through the screen, much to Luigi's objection, into E. Gadd's Bunker in Evershade Valley to search for the scattered pieces of the Dark Moon and solve this problem. Luigi must explore the Gloomy Manor not far from the Bunker, the Haunted Towers found in a forest, the Old Clockworks found within a nearby desert, the Secret Mine found in the snowy mountains, and finally the Treacherous Mansion found above a ravine with the ocean around it.

After Luigi gets four Dark Moon pieces and rescues two Toads in the Treacherous Mansion, the two Toads give E. Gadd a security image as the other Toads did when he rescued them. Once E. Gadd fixes it for a clearer view, it is revealed that Mario is once again kidnapped and trapped in a painting. It also revealed that it was King Boo who captured Mario. Because of this, Luigi heads to rescue him in the Train Exhibit in the Treacherous Mansion. It turns out the image was forged to lead Luigi into a trap, and he is ambushed by Big Boo. Afterwards, Luigi and E. Gadd ponder where King Boo and the actual painting are. Suddenly, the Parascope picks up strange readings at the Treacherous Mansion's terrace. Once Luigi reaches the Terrace, King Boo appears and opens up the paranormal portal and releases all of the undead. He then escapes inside with Mario's painting. E. Gadd tells Luigi to capture all the ghosts before their very dimension collapses. Luigi succeeds at this and promptly enters the paranormal portal, where he reaches the final area of his journey, King Boo's Illusion.

Luigi battles King Boo.

After Luigi obtains the last Dark Moon piece from the Tough Possessor within the illusion, E. Gadd attempts to pixelate him back to the Bunker, but King Boo interferes, sending him back to King Boo's Illusion. There, Luigi sees Mario's painting, but King Boo appears and reveals that he broke the Dark Moon in order to put all the ghosts under his control. King Boo also explains that he believes he is the rightful ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, and wishes to conquer it with his new army. He plans to put Luigi and his friends in paintings as well and proceeds to battle him.

Luigi sleeps with his new Polterpup at home.

Luigi succeeds in capturing King Boo, claims the jewel from his crown, and returns to his dimension with Mario's painting. Luigi then meets up with E. Gadd at the Treacherous Mansion's Terrace. Mario is freed by Luigi's Dark-Light Device, and the Toad Assistants appear with the Dark Moon pieces. Luigi and the Toads then rebuild the Dark Moon, and the ghosts in Evershade Valley return to being friendly again. E. Gadd releases them from the Vault, and they start playing with Mario and company. Even the Polterpup who constantly disrupted Luigi throughout the mansions has become amiable, and he walks up to Luigi and whimpers. Luigi says, "Come here, doggie," resulting in the pup befriending Luigi. E. Gadd smiles as Mario gives Luigi a pat on the back, proud of his brother for overcoming his fears. Then, a Greenie comes in and takes a photo of Luigi and his allies. Luigi returns home and hangs the picture on his wall. He then goes to sleep on his couch, and his newly adopted Polterpup comes and naps with him.

It is revealed afterwards, during the credits, that E. Gadd went back to his research on the ghosts of Evershade Valley with Luigi joining him for some time before returning home with the Polterpup. It is shown that Luigi spends a large amount of time with the ghosts now that the Dark Moon is back.

Gameplay

Luigi sucking up two Greenies

In this game, the Dark Moon has shattered and Luigi needs to find the Dark Moon pieces. There are five mansions in the main game (with a separate sixth mansion being exclusive to multiplayer mode), which house multiple missions in them and share a puzzle-oriented theme. This game also introduces the Poltergust 5000, an upgrade to the 3000 model. Shining light via flashlight is no longer sufficient to stun the ghosts in the game; players now need to activate the Strobulb to stun ghosts. Luigi is also now able to jump while capturing a ghost to dodge incoming projectiles. The flashlight has another feature called the Dark-Light Device, which shines a rainbow colored light to find things such as the path of Boos or invisible objects. Luigi is also given the Dual Scream, which is an original Nintendo DS. It acts the same way as the Game Boy Horror and displays a map on the 3DS's bottom screen. Cash and gems help with the mission score, as well as with upgrades to the Poltergust 5000. There is also an "extra life" system. The Gold Bones found in certain objects serve as extra lives; this causes the Polterpup to take the bone and revive Luigi just by licking his face when Luigi loses all of his HP. Luigi can still yell using the D-pad, as well as hum with the music if standing still for a while. The various Toads that are trapped in paintings each have a different fear which requires more problem solving. There is a Boo in each mission that when captured works towards additional missions.

ScareScraper

Main article: ScareScraper

Unlike its predecessor, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon includes a multiplayer mode called the ScareScraper (known as Thrill Tower in European and Australian versions), a series of floors where up to four players can play. The ScareScraper can be set to have 5, 10, 25, or infinite rooms. There are also three difficulty settings: normal, hard, and expert (none of which are available on Endless mode due to the progressive difficulty system). The game mode is compatible with both local, download and online multiplayer.

E. Gadd medals

Upon completing Dark Moon Quest, the game's story mode, the player earns an E. Gadd medal on their file above the playtime. If the player earns a 3-star rank on every mission (which requires capturing every Boo to unlock the bonus missions), they are rewarded with another one. Finally, the last E. Gadd medal can be earned by completing the entire Vault: this includes collecting every gem, Boo, Poltergust upgrade, and capturing every normal and boss ghost from Evershade Valley and ScareScraper at least once. Earning all three medals makes the player's file gold and sparkly.

Characters

Luigi.

Playable character

• Luigi

Supporting characters

• Professor E. Gadd
• Toad Assistants
• Mario
• Polterpup

Antagonist

• King Boo

Locations

An overhead view of Evershade Valley.

Unlike the first game, where there was only one mansion, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon features different themed mansions that Luigi can explore, thanks to E. Gadd's Pixelator teleport system. The game has six mansions in total (one mansion is exclusive to Multiplayer), each with a theme in a similar fashion to the mainstream Super Mario games, as well as a various number of missions within each mansion.

Mansions

Mansion	Mission	Description
Gloomy Manor I, Professor E. Gadd, had been observing the ghosts living in this Gloomy Manor, when suddenly the Dark Moon broke into pieces, and the ghosts got all hostile-like!	A-1: Poltergust 5000	If we're to restore the Dark Moon, we'll need to get you properly equipped. I've got just the device for the job, but I left it in the Gloomy Manor! Mind fetching it for me, sonny?
	A-2: Gear Up	Now that you're properly equipped, let's find those Dark Moon pieces! Paranormal readings are stronger in the north rooms of the Gloomy Manor, so we should start out search there.
	A-3: Quiet Please!	According to the Parascope, the ghostly activity in the north section of the Gloomy Manor is increasing! Now that you've recovered the gears, we should be able to investigate.
	A-4: Visual Tricks	Criminy! Someone's been casting illusions in the Gloomy Manor! We'll need my Dark-Light Device to see through this hooey. I'm pretty sure I left it in the Lab.
	A-5: Sticky Situation	Clean up those darn spiderwebs! They're blocking our progress AND they ruin the furniture AND they're just plain gross!
	Boss: Confront the Source	This paranormal reading is off the charts! I don't know what's down in that Cellar, but it's not happy. Why don't you...uh...investigate?
	Bonus: Gradual Infiltration	We have an...interesting situation. The Parascope is picking up mild paranormal signals in the manor. I'm sending you in to investigate.
Haunted Towers These remarkable towers are built around a colossal tree. The original owners had a liking for gardening and exotic plants, which are growing out of control!	B-1: A Job for a Plumber	The towers' machinery isn't active. I'm guessing the ghosts broke it already. We need to get the Hydro Generator running before we can search for the next Dark Moon piece.
	B-2: The Pinwheel Gate	With the water flow restored in the Haunted Towers, we can resume our search for the Dark Moon piece. And now I have a better idea of where it might be!
	B-3: Graveyard Shift	It's time to repair that pinwheel lock! Once that's done, you should be able to get inside the Hollow Tree and look for the passageway to the top.
	B-4: Pool Party	The Toad you rescued in the Crypt managed to bring back a snap shot from my tridimensional security camera! Let's take a look at it.
	B-5: Doggone Key	A very frisky spectral pooch took the special key that we need! Track the dog down and get that key!
	Boss: Tree Topping	We've finally got our mitts on that elusive special key! Now we've just got to get to the treetop and grab the Dark Moon piece.
	Bonus: Hostile Intrusion	We have a small problem. The Parascope found significant paranormal signs in the towers. Nothing you can't manage!
Old Clockworks This factory once produced the world's finest clocks and time-measurement devices. Your watch probably comes from here, and you don't even know it!	C-1: A Timely Entrance	Good news, Luigi. I've located the next Dark Moon piece. It's at the top of the Clock Tower. All you've gotta do is mosey on up there and grab it! What could go wrong?
	C-2: Underground Expedition	The special compass revealed another path to the underground! Let's hope those ghosts didn't hide the clock hands too well.
	C-3: Roundhouse Brawl	That ancient ghost ran off with the clock hands we're looking for. Thankfully, his strong paranormal signal made him easy to find!
	C-4: Play Catch	Well, we've recovered the minute hand, but the hour hand is still missing. I've detected some signals in the Clockworks Court, so let's start our search there.
	C-5: Piece at Last	There's one last clock part we need to find before we can fix the Clock Tower Gate, and I think I know where it is!
	Boss: Showtime	We finally have everything we need to reach the top of the Clock Tower! But first, let's check the security image that the Toad brought with him.
	Bonus: Outlandish Interruption	We've got a complication. There are paranormal signals in the Old Clockworks again! It's ghost-hunting time, sonny!
Secret Mine Some determined geologists started a mining operation in these snowcapped mountains. But when ghosts started moving in, they got scared and abandoned it!	D-1: Cold Case	I can’t seem to get a hold of my Toad assistant at the Chalet. He’s probably napping in front of the fireplace again. It’s hard to find good help these days!
	D-2: Hit Rock Bottom	According to the Toad assistant, ghosts—Boos especially—have been very active in the mine. Perhaps the security photo will tell us what they’re up to.
	D-3: Across the Chasm	Success! The Parascope has located both the Dark Moon piece and the possessor that has it. But you’ll have to cross the chasm and reach the other side to find them!
	Boss: Chilly Ride	Bingo! I’ve found the possessor ghost hiding in the Workshop! And if we’ve learned anything, it’s that where there are possessors, there are Dark Moon pieces!
	Bonus: Severe Infestation	We have an infestation on our hands! The Parascope is detecting strong paranormal signals throughout the Secret Mine. It’s go time, Luigi!
Treacherous Mansion This massive mansion is filled with exotic exhibits by its late globe-trotting owner. Oh, and it also contains the strongest paranormal signals ever recorded!	E-1: Front-Door Key	The paranormal activity in this mansion is completely off the charts! Stay on your toes, and start looking for the Dark Moon piece.
	E-2: Double Trouble	I assigned a Toad assistant to take care of the valuable exhibits in the Treacherous Mansion. Let's find him. He might know a thing or two about the Dark Moon piece.
	E-3: A Train to Catch	The Toad curators brought a security-camera image back with them. Maybe it'll give us some clues about the next Dark Moon piece
	E-4: Ambush Maneuver	Luigi, King Boo is in the Train Exhibit! Let's strike now, while we have the element of surprise! Get in there, defeat King Boo, and rescue Mario!
	E-5: Paranormal Chaos	I'm getting strange paranormal readings on the Terrace. We'd better send you in to inspect the place.
	Boss: Stop the Knightmare	The portal on the Terrace is still open, but we've got to hurry. Button up those overalls, my boy! It's time to battle King Boo!
	Bonus: Terrifying Invasion	We have an EMERGENCY! The Parascope is detecting whopping paranormal signals in the mansion! Luigi...THE END IS NEAR!

Other

• ??? - A dimension where ghosts and spirits live.
• Bonus challenges - Areas where Luigi has to perform specific tasks in a short time limit, which rewards him with a gem or Gold Bars.
• King Boo's Illusion - An area that Luigi is sent to when King Boo intercepts the Pixelator. The final battle with King Boo takes place here.
• ScareScraper (Thrill Tower in PAL versions) - A multiplayer-exclusive mansion.
• Bunker - E. Gadd's lab outside of Gloomy Manor.
• Vault

Items and treasures

• Coins
• Bills
• Treasure Chests
• Keys
• Gold Bars
• Hearts
• Dark Moon pieces
• Gold Bones
• Amethysts - Collection of gems from Gloomy Manor.
• Emeralds - Collection of gems from Haunted Towers.
• Rubies - Collection of gems from Old Clockworks.
• Sapphires - Collection of gems from Secret Mine.
• Diamonds - Collection of gems from Treacherous Mansion.

Enemies

A Greenie, a Slammer, and a Hider (top), and a Boo (bottom).

The Boos

Main article: List of Boos in Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon

• Gloomy Manor
  • Boogie Woogie (A-1)
  • BaBoon (A-2)
  • Boo Boo (A-3)
  • Boo (A-4)
  • Ooga Booga (A-5)
• Haunted Towers
  • Mamboo (B-1)
  • Boolean (B-2)
  • Booluga (B-3)
  • Boo B. Trap (B-4)
  • French Boodle (B-5)
• Old Clockworks
  • Combooter (C-1)
  • Bootine (C-2)
  • Boodonkulous (C-3)
  • Jamboolaya (C-4)
  • Boony Raboot (C-5)
• Secret Mine
  • Boofoon (D-1)
  • Booger (D-2)
  • Paraboola (D-3)
• Treacherous Mansion
  • Booldog (E-1)
  • Boopa Trooppa (E-2)
  • Booreaucrat (E-3)
  • Big Boo (E-4)
  • Maraboo (E-5)

Ghosts

Ghosts	HP	Description
Greenie	10	The most common and basic type of ghost in the game. Greenies attack by either punching Luigi, or by using objects they wield.
Strong Greenie	50	A more powerful variant of the Greenie, enhanced by special crystals in the Secret Mine. A Strong Greenie in paranormal chains also appears as one of three mini-bosses in the third mission of Secret Mine.
Gold Greenie	20	A golden variant of the Greenie. Usually, only one of these is hidden in each mission for each mansion, and try to escape instead of attacking once found. Catching one will drop a large sum of treasure and gold.
Mummy		A Greenie or Strong Greenie, disguised as mummy. Mummies will charge at Luigi, but bumping into a wall causes their wrapping to loosen up. In this state, Luigi can suck up the loose wrapping to reveal the Greenie.
Statue Armour Ghost		Statue Armour Ghosts are suits of armor possessed by Greenies. These will charge at Luigi and strike him with their weapon; if they miss, their weapon gets stuck in the ground.
Slammer	30	A burly, red ghost that creates shockwaves by clapping their hands together.
Strong Slammer	150	A more powerful variant of the Slammer, enhanced by special crystals in the Secret Mine. A Strong Slammer in paranormal chains also appears as one of three mini-bosses in the third mission of Secret Mine.
Hider	15	Blue, lanky ghosts that tend to hide in one spot, and flee to another once discovered.
Strong Hider	75	A more powerful variant of the Hider, enhanced by special crystals in the Secret Mine.
Gobber	100	A yellow, rotund, bulky ghost that moves slowly and throws puddles of goo across the floor
Strong Gobber	200	A more powerful variant of the Gobber, enhanced by special crystals in the Secret Mine. A Strong Gobber in paranormal chains also appears as one of three mini-bosses in the third mission of Secret Mine.
Sneaker	25	A pink ghost that sneaks up behind Luigi and scares him as he is busy catching other ghosts.
Strong Sneaker	100	A more powerful variant of the Sneaker, enhanced by special crystals in the Secret Mine.
Creeper		Purple, gooey ghosts that initially appear as puddles, trying to trap Luigi as he walks over them.
Polterpup		A white, canine ghost that occasionally hinders Luigi's progress in certain missions, though not out of malice. If Luigi loses all his health, Polterpup may revive him if he carries a Gold Bone.

Other

• Spirit Ball
• False door
• Spider
• Bat
• Crow
• Mouse
• Beetle
• Robomb
• Flytrap
• Fuzzball
• Orange flower
• Frog

Bosses

Sub-bosses

• Poltergeist (Gloomy Manor)
• The Three Sisters (Haunted Towers)
• Ancient Poltergeist (Old Clockworks)
• Strong Greenie (100 HP), Strong Slammer (250 HP), and a Strong Gobber (300 HP) with paranormal chains around themselves. (Secret Mine)
• Strong Poltergeist (Treacherous Mansion)
• Big Boo (Treacherous Mansion)

Main bosses

• Grouchy Possessor (Gloomy Manor)
• Harsh Possessor (Haunted Towers)
• Overset Possessor (Old Clockworks)
• Shrewd Possessor (Secret Mine)
• Tough Possessor (Treacherous Mansion)
• King Boo (King Boo's Illusion)
• The Brain (ScareScraper)

Nintendo eShop description

NA Version

Luigi's Mansion™: Dark Moon is the brand new Luigi's Mansion title on the Nintendo 3DS™ system. This time there are multiple mansions each with unique puzzles and ghosts. Using a vacuum-like machine called the "Poltergust 5000," Luigi™ must explore and hunt ghosts in these mansions to complete specific missions for the great ghost researcher Professor E. Gadd. But shining the flashlight is no longer enough. Luigi must activate the new strobe function at just the right moment to stun the ghosts first, then catch them using the Poltergust 5000. Each mansion is filled with different gimmicks and puzzle elements, and exploring them can be a spooky challenge.

EU Version

Luigi is back on a mission to remove a bunch of stubborn ghosts from some super-spooky mansions in Luigi's Mansion 2 for Nintendo 3DS. Armed with his trusty "Poltergust" ghost-grabbing vacuum cleaner, Mario's brother takes centre stage to capture those pesky phantoms. Sure, Luigi's the nervous type who'd rather be as far from these ghosts as he can get, but a reluctant hero can still save the day! This hair-raising title is the first sequel to the 2002 Nintendo GameCube launch title, Luigi's Mansion, and brings back all the thrills of the original with bags of new fun features too. The stereoscopic 3D visuals bring the murky mansions, ghastly ghosts and spooky surroundings to life, so you can experience all the haunting chills and supernatural fun the game has to offer.

Quotes

Main article: List of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon quotes

• "What're ya scared of, sonny? It's only just a few harmless ghosts. Well...a few hundred ghosts. And they’re not exactly harmless." - Professor E. Gadd
• "Thanks Mar- Luigi! Is that you?" - Toad
• "Why, if it isn't my old pal Luigi! Or is it Baby Luigi? I can't tell the difference." - King Boo

Notable mistakes and errors

• During some cutscenes or mission result screens, the lighting and special effects will vanish at random. For example, when Luigi is confronting King Boo, it is possible that the cutscene won't add the crystal glow effect when King Boo charges his crown. It is unknown what causes this and it seems to occur randomly. The glitch ends after the cutscene. During the mission results screen, certain parts, like the speaker, go missing at random. This is most noticeable in the Old Clockworks and Treacherous Mansion boss fights. The Old Clockworks is missing the "screen glow" effect, and Treacherous Mansions speaker will vanish.
• During the Poltergeist's introduction cutscene, the piano keys on the far left are falling through the piano. This mistake happens when the Gold Spiders and Mice are captured as they are part of the cutscene.
• During the cutscene after beating the Grouchy Possessor and after talking with E. Gadd, E. Gadd's theme sometimes plays over the cutscene as the single spider scares Luigi.
• In some copies of the English version of the game, after Luigi has restored the Dark Moon and returned the ghosts to normal, the Greenie that appears right at the screen within the Ghost Container in E. Gadd's Bunker is missing its mouth. This Greenie will still lack its mouth when it leaves the container after E. Gadd releases the ghosts. This mistake is not present in Japanese copies of the game.
• During the scene where the Slammer has a Greenie in its mouth, the vanes on the gate behind them will vanish.
• In Mission B-3, when Luigi sees the Greenie and Slammer removing the last pinwheel vane, the other vanes can be seen under the Greenie but are not there after the cutscene.
• In mission B-Boss, if the 3D is off, black patches will appear during the first cutscene.
• In Mission B-1, The Flashlight overlays the Poltergust 5000 during the cutscene for a few seconds.

King Boo's Illusion

• In the cutscene where King Boo is firing up his power-enhancing jewel, the jewel will sometimes not flash and boom, but the sounds will remain there.

Glitches

Main article: List of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon glitches

Luigi's left arm glitch

If Luigi calls with the at the same time he does something else, such as opening a door, he puts his arm down instead of using it normally. However, the animation is otherwise unaffected. For example, when Luigi wipes his hands at the end of a level, he only uses one hand, as the other is resting by his side. This glitch is easiest to see when Luigi gets a call from E. Gadd or picks up a gem. The glitch ends after the mission ends or Luigi is controllable again.

Toad through floor

In Old Clockworks' Mission C-5: Piece at Last, after saving Toad from his Painting, if the player heads to the Maintenance Hub, shoots the Toad across the chasm to the floor above (leading to the Service Elevator room) and makes their way to him, the Toad falls through the metal floor. There is no explanation for this glitch.

Pre-release and unused content

A screenshot showing the early HP gauge placement

Main article: List of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon pre-release and unused content

When the game was first revealed at E3 2011, it was tentatively called Luigi's Mansion 2 before the Dark Moon portion was added to the North American and Korean titles as seen in the following year's E3 event. In the E3 2011 reveal trailer, there is a scene in Gloomy Manor's garage of a Greenie scaring Luigi from within the car. This does not occur in the final game. In addition, it shows Luigi's health in the top-left corner of the top screen while in the final game, Luigi's current HP only shows on the top screen temporarily when he is damaged.

Staff

Main article: List of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon staff

Executive Producer

• Satoru Iwata

Voice

• Charles Martinet
• Kazumi Totaka
• Sam Kelly

Reception

Critical response

The game has received mostly positive reviews. IGN's Keza MacDonald gave the game a 9.3 out of 10, and GameXplain gave the game 4.5 out of 5 stars. However, Gamespot's Carolyn Petit gave the game a 6.5/10, saying that it has "no shortage of charm, but difficulty spikes and a lack of checkpoints weigh heavily on the experience". The game has received a Metacritic score of 86 out of 100, based on 74 reviews.

Reviews
Release	Reviewer, Publication	Score	Comment
Nintendo 3DS	Keza MacDonald, IGN	9.3/10	"Luigi’s Mansion 2 might be a sequel, but it’s one that shows Nintendo at its inventive best. It’s an essential game in the 3DS’ increasingly impressive line-up, and though I sometimes wished that it would leave me alone to explore more at my own pace, it’s otherwise difficult to fault a game this detailed, absorbing and masterfully made."
Nintendo 3DS	Oli Welsh, Eurogamer	9/10	"The cherry on top is the presentation, which is stunning by any standards, never mind for a handheld game. The exquisite animation, striking lighting and evocative set design always have their best side to a camera that never puts a foot wrong - and every angle is positioned to make the best of the 3D effect, which turns the meticulously detailed interiors into a living doll's house in your hands. It's gorgeous, as close to a playable cartoon as anything since Zelda: The Wind Waker. That's a big name to drop, but if Luigi's return doesn't quite put him in that class, it puts him in the running among Nintendo's finest. Here's hoping it doesn't go to his lovely, stupid, fallible head."
Nintendo 3DS	Chris Carter, Destructoid	9.5/10	"If Dark Moon was just a single-player experience, it would have been a fleeting, yet enjoyable adventure. But with the addition of an infectious multiplayer element that can't be replicated anywhere else, it makes Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon even better than its predecessor, and one of the clear-cut best games on the 3DS."
Aggregators
Compiler		Platform / Score
Metacritic		86
GameRankings		85.86%

Sales

As of March 31, 2014, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is the 7th best selling game for the Nintendo 3DS, having sold about 3.98 million copies worldwide.

Promotion

The figurine based on the game

In collaboration with production company Iam8bit, a functioning replica of the Poltergust 5000 was constructed, complete with a functioning light and wheels. It was later featured in a reveal video where a live-action Luigi equips and uses it.

For a limited time, players in Europe could purchase the retail version of the game with a glow-in-the-dark cover, and a Boo stress ball as a pre-order bonus. In North America, the game was bundled with a Cobalt Blue 3DS in the United States and a Cosmo Black 3DS in Canada. On the Club Nintendo website, a figurine featuring Luigi, Polterpup, and a Greenie was available to redeem. The Play Nintendo website features a skill quiz on Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon. On February 7, 2013, the official Nintendo 3DS Facebook account posted nine sets of Valentine's Day cards themed after the game.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon.

• 

  Luigi

• 

  King Boo

• 

  Professor E. Gadd

• 

  Toad

• 

  a Greenie, a Slammer, and a Hider

Media

For a complete list of media for this subject, see List of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon media.

Dual Scream - The ringtone of the Dual Scream.

File infoMedia:Luigi's Mansion 2 Ringtone.oga 0:15

Gloomy Manor - Gloomy Manor theme, as heard in the E3 2011 trailer.

File infoMedia:LM2 Theme.oga 0:30

Gradual Infiltration - The song that plays during Gradual Infiltration.

File infoMedia:Gradual Infiltration Music.oga 0:30

Haunted Towers - The song that plays in Haunted Towers.

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Hostile Intrusion - The song that plays during Hostile Intrusion.

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Old Clockworks - The song that plays in Old Clockworks.

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Outlandish Interruption - The song that plays during Outlandish Interruption.

File infoMedia:Outlandish Interruption Music.oga 0:30

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References to other games

Luigi's house, based on the appearance of the Rank D mansion

• Mario Bros.: In Luigi's house, there is a trophy over the fireplace which has a plunger and a wrench on it, referencing Luigi's career as a plumber.
• Super Mario Bros.: When Luigi sees Mario's painting in King Boo's Illusion, the Super Mario Bros. Ground theme is briefly played. Also, the Fright Knight's Ghost Container description states he was a knight looking for a princess, but she was always in another castle, referencing what the mushroom retainers say after being saved.
• Luigi's Mansion: The mansion poster featured in the this game can be seen briefly on the wall during the opening. Luigi's house bears a strong resemblance to the Rank D Mansion during the end of the game. In the first Mansion, Luigi opens the main door and says "...Hello?" in a scared voice. This is a tribute to the first game's opening sequence. The Toads trapped in paintings is very similar to Mario's situation from the game, but Mario himself is again trapped in a portrait. Boos also have names that play on the word "Boo" just like in the first game. Also in the later missions in the Treacherous Mansion, and after finishing the game, Luigi calls out "Mario" when using the + Control Pad instead of calling out "Hello" or "Yoohoo", another reference to Luigi's Mansion. E. Gadd references the Ghost Portrificationizer and King Boo's painting, and in Luigi's Mansion, when he first meets Luigi, he says he "knew [their] paths were destined to cross". When he meets him Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, he says "he knew [their] paths would cross again". King Boo also states that his imprisonment in a painting at the end of the first game was his primary motivation for his actions in Dark Moon. Additionally, several Boos in the Japanese version are named after Boos from the original Luigi's Mansion, implying that they are the same characters.
• Mario Kart DS: By the version of the Poltergust going from the Poltergust 3000 in the original Luigi's Mansion to the Poltergust 5000 in Dark Moon, the Poltergust 4000 kart from this game is acknowledged.
• Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time: The Safe Room is shaped like E. Gadd's head on the outside, much like his lab on Thwomp Volcano. The DS time radar's idea is re-used for the Dual Scream.
• Mario Strikers Charged: An arrangement of pause menu background music of Mario Strikers Charged is heard in the elevator in Gloomy Manor. Both games were developed by Next Level Games, and share the exact same three composers (Mike Peacock, Darren Radtke, and Chad York).
• Super Smash Bros. Brawl: The Scarescraper colors for Luigi are orange, light blue and pink, which resemble three of Luigi's alternate colors.
• Mario Kart Wii: Many of King Boo's voice clips were taken from this game.
• Donkey Kong Country Returns: The spears used by Strong Greenies in the Treacherous Mansion or ScareScraper have masks on them resembling Kalimba.

References in later games

Luigi holding the Poltergust 5000 during his Final Smash

• New Super Luigi U: Artwork for King Boo and Luigi can be seen near the Hidden Goal in Vanishing Ghost House as a metallic sign.
• Mario Kart 8: Parts of the Library Piano music can be heard in the Twisted Mansion course.
• StreetPass Mii Plaza: A puzzle swap panel appears based on this game.
• Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS: The Poltergust 5000 appears as Luigi's Final Smash, replacing the Negative Zone from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. There is a trophy of Polterpup in the game as well. Luigi's blue color scheme resembles the blue Luigi color in the ScareScraper mode in Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon.
• Super Smash Bros. for Wii U: The Gloomy Manor theme appears as a selectable music track on the Luigi's Mansion stage, as well as a Luigi's Mansion series cover version which includes several music tracks from the original installment and this game. The Poltergust 5000 Final Smash reappears in this version of the game. Luigi's blue color scheme resembles the blue Luigi color in the ScareScraper mode in Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon.
• Mario Party 10: The Luigi amiibo board appears based on this game, having a model of the Gloomy Manor and a sign with a Greenie on it on the board.
• Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge: The Mini Luigi levels are based on this game, and feature Gloomy Manor in the background (and on the world map).
• Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions: E. Gadd's theme is taken directly from Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon.
• Mario Strikers: Battle League: The Spooky Mansion field has decorations based on Gloomy Manor and the Dark Moon, and the former has its music arranged in the game.

Trivia

• This is one of the rare Nintendo games that was not released on Friday in Europe. The game was released on Thursday, March 28, 2013, because Friday, March 29, 2013 was Good Friday. In some European countries, the game was released on March 27, 2013.
• The first letters of each mansion, possessor, and bonus mission, in the order of the story, make out the word "ghost." If ScareScraper is also included, it spells "ghosts".
  • The trick is left intact in the German and Dutch translation. The first letters make out the words "geist" in German and "spook" in Dutch. In Dutch it only works with the first letters of the possessors and bonus missions, however. In the French translation, the first letter of each bonus mission in order read "Luigi".
• In a 2013 interview with Polygon, director Bryce Holliday stated that Luigi's portrayal in the game was influenced by the 1990 British comedy series Mr. Bean. According to Holliday, not only was the show used as reference material for Luigi's animations, but it also served as an influence on Luigi's characterization, describing both figures as a "hapless fool and reluctant hero. He's trying to live his life, but you know what the joke is before he does."

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	ルイージマンション２[?] Ruīji Manshon 2	Luigi Mansion 2
Chinese (simplified)	路易吉洋馆2[?] Lùyìjí Yángguǎn 2	Luigi Mansion 2
Chinese (traditional)	路易吉洋樓2[?] Lùyìjí Yánglóu 2	Luigi Mansion 2
Dutch	Luigi's Mansion 2[?]	-
French (NOA)	Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon[?]	-
French (NOE)	Luigi's Mansion 2[?]	-
German	Luigi's Mansion 2[?]	-
Italian	Luigi's Mansion 2[?]	-
Korean	루이지 맨션 다크 문[?] Ruiji Maensyeon Dakeu Mun	Luigi Mansion: Dark Moon
Portuguese	Luigi's Mansion 2[?]	-
Russian	Luigi's Mansion 2[?]	-
Spanish (NOA)	Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon[?]	-
Spanish (NOE)	Luigi's Mansion 2[?]	-

External links

Official sites

• Japanese website
• American English website
• British English website
• Oceanian website
• Korean website
• Chinese (Hong Kong) website

Manuals

• North American manual (EN)
• North American manual (FR)

Videos

• E3 2011 Trailer
• Luigi's Mansion 2 TGS Trailer
• Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon Gameplay
• Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon Overview Trailer
• Luigi's Mansion 2 Commercial (Japanese)
• Luigi's Mansion 2 Commercial (European)