When retro video games come to mind, Mario is pretty high on the list. Luigi is usually second in people’s minds, but he is the more relatable one. Did you realize that Mario is Nintendo’s mascot and Luigi is not? Luigi doesn’t have a big burden on his shoulders to represent Nintendo.
This article will focus on the Luigi’s Mansion games and why Luigi is relatable. It was about time that Luigi was in the spotlight more! The first installment was called Luigi’s Mansion 1, originally for Game Cube; the second game was called Dark Moon, originally for Nintendo 3DS; and the third installation was called Luigi’s Mansion 3 for Nintendo Switch. So, how is Luigi more relatable?
The Relatable and Reliable Mario Brother: Why Being a Mascot is Difficult
First of all, when thinking about mascots and personalities, Mr. Beast came to mind. A famous YouTuber, Mr. Beast, has been criticized for not showing much personality. But what if he does this on purpose? After all, personality is relative, and what one person likes, another person doesn’t. But not showing a personality doesn’t make a person relatable.
So, backtrack to Mario. What kind of personality does he have? What do we know about him? How is he relatable? What we see is a courageous little plumber as he traverses eight worlds to rescue Princess Peach from the evil Bowser. But what else do we know about him? In reality, not much else. As a Mascot, Nintendo refrains from personalities on Mario because personalities either drive people closer or further away.
For instance, when it came to the Super Mario Bros movie, Mario’s personality seemed like a stretch to people who watched. One of the things that helped make the Sonic movies more successful was a predetermined personality from the video games. In Mario’s case, you have a mascot.
Being a mascot is difficult because he cannot support one product over another. For example, what if we said Mario liked Pepsi instead of Coke? What, then, would Coke people think? Being a mascot may mean more people-pleasing than we originally thought.
The Relatable Mario Brother: Entering Luigi’s Mansion
Luigi’s Mansion came out on Game Cube in 2001. When you start the game, Luigi is holding a map of a mansion in the background. When you first look at the mansion, it appears as if the two lit windows are eyes above the door that looks like a mouth. Luigi enters the mansion and continually calls out for Mario with a flashlight. Luigi is visibly nervous about what is to come. It’s totally relatable. I would be scared of an unknown creepy house, too.
Suddenly, there’s a key hovering above a door with light encircling it. The key falls to the ground, and Luigi picks it up. It looks like an old skeleton key. Tentatively, Luigi gently puts the key into the door and turns the knob.
Upon entering the room, Luigi is greeted by a ghost who tries to attack him, but suddenly, another character appears, Professor E. Gadd, and saves him from calamity. Long story short, throughout the game, Luigi is seeking to rescue his brother from the clutches of King Boo. Who wouldn’t want to save their own brother?
Luigi’s Mansion 2 and Luigi’s Mansion 3 return us back to the mansion (or, in the case of the third game, to a hotel) with trepidation. Set in Evershade Valley, Luigi has to escape the mansion each time while fighting the supernatural and working through puzzles.
In each of these scenarios, Luigi is the hero rescuing family and friends from the evil clutches of the Big Bad Boss. Who doesn’t want to be a hero and save the day? Especially when you’re constantly in the shadow of another brother. You may feel that you have something to prove.
How to be Relatable 101
According to Psychology Today, personality is observed by observing a person’s thoughts and behaviors. The choices we make on a day-to-day basis come from what influences us in our environment. For example, I am bubbly and outgoing around those I know, but I am also introverted and can be very shy around strangers.
One reason I act this way is probably because I was bullied in elementary school. I was taught to be more careful around others while I got to know them. I know what things I can and can’t say around people.
So, what personality traits can we observe in Luigi? First, he is nervous, a very powerful human emotion many of us have over unknown circumstances or when a loved one is suddenly missing. We wonder what happened to them and how we can fix the problem. Another way Luigi is relatable is that he does not back down from his fear. He may be afraid, but he actually shows courage by moving forward despite the ghosts and evil King Boo. Luigi doesn’t give up.
Luigi loves his brother and wants to save Mario. In previous games, we see that Mario is almost always confident and energetic in battling the bosses as he goes through each level methodically and carefree. Luigi shows great fear throughout the story but preserves to save his brother.
Many of us go through fears and difficulties as we wonder if we can overcome the difficulties presented to us. Working through that fear makes us stronger and more sure of ourselves. Luigi shows us that perseverance ultimately wins out.
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