Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon

 3DS
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 666 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 546 out of 666
  2. Mixed: 87 out of 666
  3. Negative: 33 out of 666
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  1. PuckMan
    Aug 15, 2013
    7
    The first thing you learn in Luigi's Mansion 2 is 'don't die'. Because dying means being sent back to the beginning of the mission and losing all your progress. You could be 20-30 minutes in then you die and have to do it all again. For me this led to a lack of motivation to complete the game and is the reason it took me quite along time to finish.

    Having said that the game is very good    The first thing you learn in Luigi's Mansion 2 is 'don't die'. Because dying means being sent back to the beginning of the mission and losing all your progress. You could be 20-30 minutes in then you die and have to do it all again. For me this led to a lack of motivation to complete the game and is the reason it took me quite along time to finish.

    Having said that the game is very good and has a lot of charm. Luigi's mannerisms in this game are hilarious. The way he cowers and creeps about nervously or just the way he says 'hello?' is so amusing. The games mechanics are solid though combating ghosts is never as much fun as the exploring and puzzle solving aspects.

    I spent around 19 hours with Luigi's Mansion 2 but never felt compelled to search for all the hidden items and bonus levels so it is quite along game which I enjoyed despite some niggles.    … Expand
  2. birdman3
    Jul 20, 2013
    7
    Luigi's Mansion has a great atmosphere and fun gameplay, but it gets repetitive after the first few hours. There are good attempts at trying to mix up the enemies that you face, but generally they're not really all that different. The puzzles can be complex and rewarding, but sometimes are too abstract or obscure for you to know what to do. I found myself looking up guides online afterLuigi's Mansion has a great atmosphere and fun gameplay, but it gets repetitive after the first few hours. There are good attempts at trying to mix up the enemies that you face, but generally they're not really all that different. The puzzles can be complex and rewarding, but sometimes are too abstract or obscure for you to know what to do. I found myself looking up guides online after being stuck for half an hour in the same room, only to find out that I had missed some detail that had me saying "How was I supposed to know that?". If you're mildly interested in the game, I recommend picking it up so that you can scratch that itch, but if you're not already convinced you'll love it, you're not missing much by passing it up.… Expand
  3. VidsRule
    Mar 28, 2013
    7
    This is handhald, we need to be able to save often so we can jump in and out of the game. Without that it becomes unplayable, often. I can't pick it up for a quick 10-15 minutes like I need to with handhelds. This kills me. Absolutely kills me. This game is a easy 9 and a possible 10, but with a flaw that often makes it impossible to actually play, it falls such a huge margin, and I'mThis is handhald, we need to be able to save often so we can jump in and out of the game. Without that it becomes unplayable, often. I can't pick it up for a quick 10-15 minutes like I need to with handhelds. This kills me. Absolutely kills me. This game is a easy 9 and a possible 10, but with a flaw that often makes it impossible to actually play, it falls such a huge margin, and I'm forces to play nsmb2, and I'm so bored of that game. Nintendo, never, ever do this again with a handheld. This has the classic nintendo feel, and is completely unique (finally Nintendo, smarten up and make more of this). When I have the time to sit and play as long as I want, it's the most fun I've had on a handheld.… Expand
  4. greninjaX
    Jul 20, 2020
    7
    i really wanted to like this game more than I did, but the mission structure really brings the whole experience down. it's still good, but not as good as the original or luigi's mansion 3
  5. wesker2012
    Apr 1, 2013
    7
    Cute, charming game with lots of personality. Single player and multiplayer are both fun. Individual missions were annoying tho...wish they let you just explore the mansion as a whole. Also the professor interrupting constantly was super annoying too. Game is pretty challenging for a Nintendo game. Overall, a solid game.
  6. duncanaus
    Apr 11, 2013
    7
    Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is mostly very enjoyable, with fun gameplay and a lot of secrets to collect and unlock. My only problem with the game is the mission-based structure, which can be annoying and lead to repetition. If you happen to die in on a mission, any progress you've made and any secrets you've discovered are wiped out. You can lose up to 40 minutes of collecting andLuigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is mostly very enjoyable, with fun gameplay and a lot of secrets to collect and unlock. My only problem with the game is the mission-based structure, which can be annoying and lead to repetition. If you happen to die in on a mission, any progress you've made and any secrets you've discovered are wiped out. You can lose up to 40 minutes of collecting and exploration if this happens. This is the one very annoying part of an otherwise pretty great game.… Expand
  7. Legend2099
    Oct 21, 2013
    7
    Dark Moon is a fun game with unique puzzles and action gameplay. I wish Nintendo permitted more exploration with the mansions and didn't limit the gamer to individual missions. I play my 3ds in short spurts so I struggled to find time to complete a mission or a find a save point. The straight forward "combat" also holds this game back from being great.

    Dark Moon is still a good game,    Dark Moon is a fun game with unique puzzles and action gameplay. I wish Nintendo permitted more exploration with the mansions and didn't limit the gamer to individual missions. I play my 3ds in short spurts so I struggled to find time to complete a mission or a find a save point. The straight forward "combat" also holds this game back from being great.

    Dark Moon is still a good game, but contains a few areas of needed improvements.    … Expand
  8. Skoobasteev
    Apr 6, 2013
    7
    This was a great game, but i missed some of the things that i loved from the first game. The mission based gameplay makes the game a lot easier to follow, i didn't get lost anywhere near as many times and in the original, but took a lot of the exploratory feel out of the game. You're still exploring, but you almost always have a direct destination in sight. Also the portrait ghosts wereThis was a great game, but i missed some of the things that i loved from the first game. The mission based gameplay makes the game a lot easier to follow, i didn't get lost anywhere near as many times and in the original, but took a lot of the exploratory feel out of the game. You're still exploring, but you almost always have a direct destination in sight. Also the portrait ghosts were gone, and a lot of the ghosts they replaced them with, despite having great amounts of character, were rather bland. But they fixed many issues with the first game too, its significantly longer, has good puzzles and any control issues i ever had with the first game are solved (mostly due to the "Strobulb"). My favorite part was the development of luigi's character in this one, after the original game i was hoping we would see his personality more. I love that little green mustachioed man, and i do love this game, but it does have its flaws.… Expand
  9. alwaysright
    Apr 24, 2013
    7
    It was fun, and the online multiplayer was excellent, but the story was much to straightforward, and required too little thinking, but the boo hunting was challenging. Also, there weren't enough boss type ghost
  10. MW1AA2Gs
    Aug 26, 2013
    7
    It is a pretty good game but it is brought down by its awful pacing and sometimes annoying puzzles which sometimes make it feel more like a point and click adventure.
  11. LateToTheGame
    Jan 5, 2014
    7
    The graphics are great, the basic gameplay is a solid idea (largely collecting/exploration with battle/capture interspersed), but there are a few failings that really stop this game from being as enjoyable as it could have been. I will preface this review by admitting that I have never played the first Luigi's Mansion. This really was not a problem in terms of following the story orThe graphics are great, the basic gameplay is a solid idea (largely collecting/exploration with battle/capture interspersed), but there are a few failings that really stop this game from being as enjoyable as it could have been. I will preface this review by admitting that I have never played the first Luigi's Mansion. This really was not a problem in terms of following the story or figuring out the gameplay, but perhaps lacking the nostalgia made me able to be a bit more critical of the game as a whole.

    The lack of save points (automatic or manual) is likely to be frustrating for both younger and adult players, it leads to times you must replay the same mission a couple of times, which can be tedious, Additionally between missions Luigi is often summoned to and from the manor he is exploring to visit his mentor, when the player is returned to the manor it is back in the front hall, leaving you to navigate the same path back to where you had just been on your last mission,

    The controls are not as fluid as they could be, Luigi's mobility can be really limiting when fighting certain enemies.

    I did not enjoy this game as much as I expected to. It has charm and value, but I would not label it a "Must Have" game for the 3DS console.    … Expand
  12. wegie125
    Dec 17, 2017
    5
    The original luigi's mansion was one and still is one of my favorite games of all time, the game manages to master controls, graphics, and atmosphere so well. I don't know if any other game will replicate the scared feelings I had for this when I was a little kid. The original game was actually scary and each ghost had a specific look and creepy backstory. This game however, did the exactThe original luigi's mansion was one and still is one of my favorite games of all time, the game manages to master controls, graphics, and atmosphere so well. I don't know if any other game will replicate the scared feelings I had for this when I was a little kid. The original game was actually scary and each ghost had a specific look and creepy backstory. This game however, did the exact opposite. They made the ghosts' look like charlie brown sheet ghost and didn't allow for any small details that makes them stand out. The ghost just seem like blobs and the levels just feel boring and uninspired. The controls aren't bad and the multiplayer is fun but the singleplayer is nothing short of dull.… Expand
  13. GERCharon
    Feb 2, 2014
    6
    I totally liked this game's graphics and 3D-effect. The game got many funny parts, which made me smile a lot.
    Gameplay is quite funny, too: You have to explore a bunch of mansions and to capture some boss ghost in each of one. Each mansion is splitted into some missions, which each take you closer to the boss ghost. This is something I don't like, because you cannot save the game while    I totally liked this game's graphics and 3D-effect. The game got many funny parts, which made me smile a lot.
    Gameplay is quite funny, too: You have to explore a bunch of mansions and to capture some boss ghost in each of one. Each mansion is splitted into some missions, which each take you closer to the boss ghost. This is something I don't like, because you cannot save the game while you are playing a mission, and at each mission's end, you'll see a mission complete screen, how much points you got etc. This ruins some of the game's normally great atmosphere.
    When I started playing it, I learned that you can upgrade your vacuum cleaner buy collecting coins. I really liked this idea, but was disappointed after a few hours, when I saw that I have already unlocked all possible upgrades. Additionally, you are not able to choose the order in which those upgrades unlock.
    So after I completed every mission, I put this game aside and not think of ever play it again. It has an extremely low replay value. I have to admit, that I didn't try the Multiplayer, though.

    I will give this game a 6, because it was quite fun, beautiful and so on, but it just isn't worth the 45€ I spent for it, because I know I will never play it again.    … Expand
  14. BichoXD
    May 20, 2018
    7
    el juego es muy bueno aunque por momentos se me hace muy dificil algunos niveles por lo cuan me veo forsadpo a buscar guias
    pero en cuanto a contenido es maravilloso
  15. Sressiv
    Mar 5, 2018
    7
    Certainly not as good as I expected. The missions are sometimes a bit repetitive, and the controls are a bit... frustrating at times. Also I noticed my circle-pad is more stiff after having played this game. The music is okay, and some missions are pretty fun, so... I think it is despite the flaws a decent game. Graphically it looks very good, too. Of course the goofyness of this game isCertainly not as good as I expected. The missions are sometimes a bit repetitive, and the controls are a bit... frustrating at times. Also I noticed my circle-pad is more stiff after having played this game. The music is okay, and some missions are pretty fun, so... I think it is despite the flaws a decent game. Graphically it looks very good, too. Of course the goofyness of this game is something to be enjoyed as well.… Expand
  16. JdubbzReviews
    Oct 6, 2017
    7
    In all honesty this game is not as good as the original, That doesn't necessarily make it bad. This game has nice graphics and a good multiplayer mode in the "ScareScraper" but it still falls short. The bosses are dumb and confusing and while the game is longer than the original it doesn't make it better. The saying the originals are always better apply's here very well. If you want toIn all honesty this game is not as good as the original, That doesn't necessarily make it bad. This game has nice graphics and a good multiplayer mode in the "ScareScraper" but it still falls short. The bosses are dumb and confusing and while the game is longer than the original it doesn't make it better. The saying the originals are always better apply's here very well. If you want to have some Luigi's Mansion fun with your friends then pick up this game, that's all its good for.… Expand
  17. joehi1
    Dec 13, 2017
    7
    Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is a fun sequel to a fantastic game, that transferred well into a handheld game. While the transfer to handheld is smooth Dark Moon feels much less immersive than its predecessor, adding to the stale mansions and sadly Dark Moon doesn't live up to the standards set by the original. Luigi's Mansion took place in one single mansion, however; the mansion hadLuigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is a fun sequel to a fantastic game, that transferred well into a handheld game. While the transfer to handheld is smooth Dark Moon feels much less immersive than its predecessor, adding to the stale mansions and sadly Dark Moon doesn't live up to the standards set by the original. Luigi's Mansion took place in one single mansion, however; the mansion had character. The location was really well done each room felt like it had something new to offer, and it felt much more open then the areas in Dark Moon. The missions make Dark Moon somewhat of a bore because it creates a linear feeling that Luigi's Mansion gracefully avoided. The exploration in Luigi's mansion felt much more atmospheric and the ghosts designs were much better. Boss ghosts had a bit of unique character and some type of specific way to take them down. The ghost in Dark Moon just feels like they lack the same amount of character as the original games ghosts. One thing Dark Moon definitely does improve on is its difficulty. While Dark Moon is not an overly difficult game it adds a slight amount more difficulty then its predecessor which was too easy for most players. Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon is by know means a bad sequel, it's still a quite fun game but compared to the original the game just feels like it substituted difficulty for a less atmospheric and immersive game.

    Cons
    Game doesn't feel as immersive as the original
    Ghost lack same amount of character as the original
    Exploration of the three mansions feels too linear, and exploration feels less open.    … Expand
  18. XV_
    Jun 22, 2019
    7
    For the worse or the best, I didn't play the original LM so I don't have that background, that being said, I struggled a lot with this game, not because it's hard but because it can be so annoying in several ways, first of all, I think it reuses a lot of its mechanics way too often, like you have to get to point A to point B see that you need or have been stolen an item which is now inFor the worse or the best, I didn't play the original LM so I don't have that background, that being said, I struggled a lot with this game, not because it's hard but because it can be so annoying in several ways, first of all, I think it reuses a lot of its mechanics way too often, like you have to get to point A to point B see that you need or have been stolen an item which is now in point A, finish the level, then start a new level and repeat, sure you have several "mansions" but as this repeats a lot, by the third mansion you are kind of annoyed. It also doesn't' help that every mansion has this mission to track down a dog that stole something important, so you have to re-do the level from start to finish again.

    Another thing that bothered me a lot were the puzzles, some of them are really clever but a lot of them are very clumsy made, also I don't know if some of them have bugs or else but I was often trapped in them because sometimes they didn't register the correct solution so I ended doing wrong things. As for the boss fights, the first one was nice but after that, every single one of them has a really irritating element to it, like using a target mechanic that is broken or luck dependant and (surprise) being repetitive, the major offenders of those things were the snow boss and the last boss, god damn.

    As for the good things, the game looks beautiful and the atmosphere is great, and as I said before, there are really clever puzzles and some fun things too, but in the end, the negative aspects felt way too heavy and manage to outshine the good ones a lot. I think its episode nature (being a portable game) hurts it a lot, if it was you wandering around the mansions Resident Evil style I think the experience wouldn't be or feel so scripted and repetitive.    … Expand
  19. tom974
    May 5, 2020
    7
    Nice second opus, the gameplay is wider than the first opus, the global ambiance is still fun and we have a nice level design. Though, the choice to make a progression via a succession of level rather than a metroidvania scheme is an error for me. Nice game overall though.
  20. Apind
    Nov 5, 2019
    7
    The year of Luigi gets it's long awaited finale with the second Luigi's mansion game. it's good, not great but good. The story (although you are saving just Mario again) is quite good, the game would have been a lot shorter had they not divided the levels into sections, but the separate mansions are all unique and interesting. The bosses are so underwhelming though, I didn't like a singleThe year of Luigi gets it's long awaited finale with the second Luigi's mansion game. it's good, not great but good. The story (although you are saving just Mario again) is quite good, the game would have been a lot shorter had they not divided the levels into sections, but the separate mansions are all unique and interesting. The bosses are so underwhelming though, I didn't like a single boss until Secret mine, the second to last level in the game. The gem collecting is a fun little side quest but not enough to make me truly like this game. It's worth playing at a low price, but isn't amazing.… Expand
  21. Liam247
    Apr 30, 2020
    7
    Whilst still a really fun time, Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon lacks the atmosphere and feels like a step back from the original
  22. Simoss13
    May 23, 2022
    7
    I have played LM3 a couple of years ago then moved into LM2. I feel this entry was weaker of the two games.
    On a positive note, I am impressed with the graphics delivered on the 3DS. The animations is great and the detail is great. I like how every room has a little bonus to find in a variety of ways. I also really enjoyed there is a variety of mansions each as diverse as the other.
    Boss    I have played LM3 a couple of years ago then moved into LM2. I feel this entry was weaker of the two games.
    On a positive note, I am impressed with the graphics delivered on the 3DS. The animations is great and the detail is great. I like how every room has a little bonus to find in a variety of ways. I also really enjoyed there is a variety of mansions each as diverse as the other.
    Boss battles are varied and interesting
    The main objection that makes it the weakest LM game is the gameplay structure. Prof. E Gadd seems to call you too often which is quite annoying. The mission structure takes away the immersion as you can constantly pulled out when you explore. Sure the mission structure helps in the plot but sadly the constant interruption from E Gadd as well as being taken out of the stage/mansion can be annoying as you want to continue.
    I found the music is good but there is a very limited number of tracks repeatedly played.
    I enjoyed the mechanics, the controls are tight and the game never overstayed it's welcome taking about 15 hours to finish. I recommend for a different take on the formula of LM1 and 3 even though it is not the strongest entry.    … Expand
  23. FiRE101
    May 11, 2022
    6
    Mediocre design if compared to its peers in the franchise in my opinion. Still a solid game overall though.
  24. Master_puppet
    Oct 27, 2022
    5
    I like it, I like it a lot but... Who did decide to delete the exploration to make levels? A deception
  25. Beatsaberzzz
    Feb 13, 2023
    7
    Replaying this almost 10 years later just reminds me how iconic Luigi truly is in the Mario universe. The animations are stellar, the controls work so well and its such a good follow up to the original gamecube game. My only gripe with this game is how Nintendo changed the original Ghost models and made their own unique design with them in this game. This is annoying to me because theReplaying this almost 10 years later just reminds me how iconic Luigi truly is in the Mario universe. The animations are stellar, the controls work so well and its such a good follow up to the original gamecube game. My only gripe with this game is how Nintendo changed the original Ghost models and made their own unique design with them in this game. This is annoying to me because the original Luigis Mansion ghosts looked like dead Mario characters which is part of what made it special. Other than that, its so good and would recommend.… Expand
  26. M1sfiT
    Sep 3, 2023
    7
    Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!!!!!!!!!

Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Best 3DS Game of 2013
6
#6 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2013
7
#7 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 74 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 67 out of 74
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 74
  3. Negative: 0 out of 74
  1. ZTGD
    May 31, 2013
    90
    Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon is a stellar sequel to a forgettable classic. Nintendo has refined the formula and made it interesting to fans and even those that didn’t find the appeal behind the original. For those looking for the next great 3DS game, don’t sleep on Luigi’s latest.
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  2. Slant Magazine
    May 27, 2013
    80
    If Next Level Games had opted to make Dark Moon more of an open-world experience, granting the player free will to poke around its gloomily graceful environments without continual check-in interruptions, it could have been equated to a minor masterpiece. But the game is still something of a small wonder.
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  3. Universo Nintendo
    May 22, 2013
    90
    Beautiful, fun, ingenious and unique.
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