Luigi (ルイージ Ruīji, Luigi) is Mario's slightly younger, taller fraternal twin brother and the deuteragonist of the Mario franchise. Throughout his life, he has lived in Mario's shadow, developing both cowardly and heroic tendencies. Despite this, Luigi has helped and fought alongside his brother on many occasions. Mario Bros. marks his first appearance in the Mario franchise and his debut in general. Originally an exact copy, then palette swap of Mario, Luigi was created to facilitate a second-player option. Since the two-player mode was dropped from most main Super Mario games beginning with Super Mario Land, Luigi has gained his own identity and personality, becoming a co-starring character of the Mario franchise. This is especially noticeable in installments for the Luigi's Mansion and the Mario & Luigi series of games. Luigi's notable traits include his green cap, his smooth mustache, his cowardly personality, his Italian accent, his heavy use of power-ups, and a superior jumping ability to Mario.
Concept and creation[]
Luigi was created when Shigeru Miyamoto set out to create Mario Bros. after being told that Mario resembled a plumber, a notion he wanted to officially establish. After observing the two-player competitive and cooperative gameplay of the arcade game Joust, Miyamoto wished to incorporate a similar style of gameplay into his own game. Miyamoto's answer to Joust's stork-riding player 2 was Luigi, a younger twin brother to Mario, with whom he could compete or cooperate. Like Mario, Luigi received his name from Nintendo of America. Coincidentally, his name was also noted to be similar to the Japanese word 「類似」 (ruiji), meaning "similar", possibly a reference to how Luigi was originally a simple palette swap of Mario. With the 2-player mode in mind, Nintendo and publishing companies such as Atari gave Luigi immediate publicity, making him the star and center of attention in many advertisements for the game.
Since his debut in 1983, Luigi has been constantly developing. Gameplay differences between him and Mario were first seen in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, which have been carried over into future games and have become standard for the character. After spending years as a palette swap of his brother, Luigi has consistently been given his own graphics since Super Mario Kart in 1992 to match his official appearance as Mario's taller, younger brother; though the American release of Super Mario Bros. 2 portrayed him in this way six years earlier. As he developed, Luigi gained more of a personality; it was as early as the DiC cartoons that Luigi was shown to be the more cautious of the two brothers, though it was not until Luigi's Mansion that this was truly and officially established.
In 2013, Luigi was the focus of the Year of Luigi, where in Nintendo released a number of themed games and merchandise and held events to honor the thirtieth anniversary of Luigi's first appearance in Mario Bros.
Personality[]
Luigi is a very loyal, kind, and sensitive character. He is also optimistic, cheerful, quiet and kindhearted like his brother, but unlike Mario is most insecure, shy, fearful and can be goofy and naive at times. Luigi aspires to be like his brother Mario and become the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom.
He tends to chicken out of situations that are beyond his capabilities. In the Mario and Luigi series, Luigi backed away from boss battles, but Mario reassured Luigi to fight with him. In Luigi's Mansion series, Luigi feared ghosts but adjusted his liking for ghosts and has a pet, Polterpup. Although Luigi is a plumber like Mario, other facets of his personality vary from game to game; Luigi always seems neurotic and timid, but is good-natured and can keep his temper better than his brother.
Powers and abilities[]
Powers[]
- Superhuman Strength: Luigi can lift and press objects that are several times his weight, but not as much as Mario can. The exact upper limits of his strength are great. In Super Mario 64 DS, Luigi can lift King Bob-omb. Luigi showed an even more impressive feat of strength during the fight with Bowser. Luigi could lift him by the tail, spin him around and then throw him, but not as effectively as Mario and Wario. Luigi spins Bowser around faster and farther with more spins. Luigi's incredible strength also extends to his legs, allowing him to perform his signature move, the Jump Jump. Luigi is extremely good at jumping and is capable of leaping two stories high. He is the best jumper in the Mushroom Kingdom, even better than Mario.
- Superhuman Durability: Luigi has a significant level of durability. He can withstand great impacts, such as falling from a height of several stories or being struck by an opponent with superhuman strength, impaled, and explosions-- Luigi can also endure extreme environments, such as volcanoes and tundras. Also, he can withstand fire, electricity, and ice.
- Superhuman Stamina: Luigi can maintain continuous physical activity for an indefinite time.
- Superhuman Speed: Luigi is capable of running up walls in Super Mario World, running across the surface of the water in Super Mario 64 DS, and outpacing sound in Super Paper Mario. Games display Luigi running faster than Mario.
- Pyrokinesis: Luigi can create and manipulate fire. This ability changes throughout the games he has appeared. In the platform games, such as Super Mario Bros., Luigi needs a Fire Flower to gain pyrokinesis. But in the RPGs and Super Smash Bros. series, Luigi already has this power. Luigi is quite skilled at using fire like Mario is.
- Electrokinetic: Luigi has the power to mold lightning in his hand into a sphere, creating a powerful attack, called the Thunderhand, that can shock and damage enemies quite severely. Luigi only uses this move-in Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga.
- Negative Energy: As shown in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Luigi's Final Smash (Negative Zone) is creating a field of Negative Energy while dancing to exotic music. Some of the effects of this Final Smash include putting opponents to sleep, dealing damage, and causing foes to move in slow motion. This move is fueled by the sadness he felt for constantly being in Mario's shadow.
- Super Form: Luigi can use a Super Mushroom to transform into Super Luigi.
Abilities[]
- Master Combatant: Luigi has his own fighting style. However, he never uses it in his games, except in the Super Smash Bros. series.
- Indomitable Will: Luigi is shown to have a powerful force of will, completely free of evil or temptation. He gets scared a lot, but with the help of his friends, he can gain the courage to take on and defeat any foe.
- Leadership: He has some leadership skills, acting as a second in command, and is very focused when there is a goal to achieve.
- Expert Vehicular Driver: As shown in the Mario Kart series, Luigi is skilled in driving vehicles, such as karts and motorbikes.
Biography[]
Early life[]
The stork carried Mario and Luigi in the skies. However, Kamek ordered the Toadies to take Mario and Luigi. The Toadies successfully kidnapped Luigi and the stork, but Mario. Mario fell onto Yoshi; Yoshi's friends helped Mario rescue Luigi and the stork. Mario and Yoshi arrived at Baby Bowser's castle, Mario and Yoshi defeated Baby Bowser, then rescued Luigi and the stork. The stork continued his journey to deliver Mario and Luigi to the house porch.
Plumbers[]
Mario and Luigi meet each other again, the first documented time since their childhood. They work as plumbers inside the sewers of New York.
Mushroom World[]
Mario and Luigi heard about Bowser summoning dark magic into the Mushroom World. Bowser transformed Toads into inanimate objects. Princess Peach can undo the spell, but Bowser kidnapped her. Luigi defeated Bowser and rescued Peach, who assigned him a new quest.
Subcon[]
Luigi, Mario, Peach, and Toad had a picnic near the cave. Mario shared his dream to his friends, and they claimed to have the same dream. The group were keen to look through the cave and found a stairway leading to the door. When Luigi opened the door, he saw Subcon and fell into the world of their dreams. Luigi journeyed Subcon to encounter Wart. Luigi used vegetables to defeat Wart. Upon his defeat, Luigi rescued the Subcon. Mario, Luigi, Toad and Peach celebrated with the Subcon.
Mushroom World's second invasion[]
Peach was aware that Bowser sent his Koopalings, who transformed kings into different creatures and stole their Magic Wand. Peach informed Mario and Luigi about the incident, and the Mario Bros. ventured to defeat the Koopalings. Mario and Luigi successfully returned the wands to their respective owners; Bowser informed the Mario Bros. that he kidnapped Peach. Mario and Luigi ran to Bowser's castle and approached Bowser. Mario and Luigi defeated Bowser and ran to Peach, who joked to Luigi that the real princess is in another castle.
Yoshi's Island[]
Mario, Luigi, and Peach agreed to have a vacation on Yoshi's Island. Mario and Luigi relaxed on the beach. They realized Princess Toadstool disappeared. Mario and Luigi search for her until they approached an enormous egg, a Yoshi Egg. Yoshi thanked Mario and Luigi for rescuing them. He told Mario and Luigi that "monstrous turtles" sealed them in eggs. Luigi realized Bowser and the Koopalings returned. Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi arrived in Valley of Bowser. Mario and Luigi fought against Bowser and rescued Peach. Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, and the eggs travelled back to Yoshi's Island. The Yoshis hatched from the eggs.
Luigi's Mansion[]
Although Luigi did not enter the contest, he won a mansion. He arrived in Boo Woods and enters the mansion. A ghost attacked Luigi, but Professor Elvin Gadd saved Luigi by vacuuming the ghost with the Poltergust 3000. Professor E. Gadd escorted Luigi to his laboratory. E. Gadd told Luigi that King Boo trapped Mario into a painting. E. Gadd gave Luigi the Poltergust 3000 and the Game Boy Horror for Luigi to communicate with E. Gadd.
As Luigi explored the mansion, he realized that King Boo built the mansion to shelter the freed portrait ghosts and made a false contest to lure him and Mario to King Boo's trap. After capturing all the ghosts, Luigi entered the secret altar in the basement to find King Boo who trapped Mario in the painting. King Boo proceeded to fight Luigi inside the painting. Luigi removed the Bowser suit's head to capture King Boo. Luigi successfully exited the painting. E. Gadd talked to Luigi through Game Boy Horror; E. Gadd instructed Luigi to grab the painting of Mario and return to his laboratory. After Luigi did so, he returned to the laboratory. E. Gadd used the Ghost Portrificationizer to transform the remaining ghosts into portraits, but used the machine in reverse to free Mario.
E. Gadd was proud of Luigi for collecting the treasure to build Luigi a new house.
Vibe Island[]
Bowser kidnapped Mario, Luigi, and the Toads while Princess Peach, Toadsworth and Toad were strolling. Army Hammer Bro help him captive in the cage. Upon Peach, Toadsworth, and Toad's arrival, they found out that Bowser kidnapped them, witnessing Toads with different emotions. Peach was determined to rescue the brothers and Toads. Toadsworth gave Peach an unordinary umbrella named Perry. Perry assisted Peach in Vibe Island. After rescuing Toads, Peach and Perry went to Giddy Sky to find Kamek trapping Luigi in a bubble. After rescuing Luigi, the duo went the Bowser's villa and confronted Army Hammer Bro and Bowser. Defeating both of them, Perry freed Mario. Peach, Perry, Toads, Mario, and Luigi left the island and returned to the Mushroom Kingdom.
Galaxy Reactor[]
Luigi participated in the Starbit Festival while Mario was running to Peach's castle. However, Bowser and his troop crashed the festival. The Koopa troop separate Mario from Peach and everyone else into different galaxies. Mario found the Toad Brigade in Honeyhive Galaxy, who told Mario that they lost Luigi. After collecting the second Grand Star, Mario went to the kitchen and arrived at Ghostly Galaxy. Toads told Mario that they found Luigi trapped in a haunted mansion. Mario explored the mansion and went through the gates to rescue Luigi. Luigi gave Mario the Power Star and they return to the Comet Observatory.
Luigi stayed at the Comet Observatory while Mario approached Bowser's Galaxy Reactor. Upon Bowser's defeat, the black hole deconstructed the galaxies and Rosalina rescued Mario from the cataclysm. Awakening at the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario saw his acquaintances along with Luigi celebrating at the Mushroom Kingdom with other galaxies reconstructed.
Sprixie Kingdom[]
Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Blue Toad were enjoying the fireworks at the evening of Mushroom Kingdom. They found a slanted Clear Pipe. After Mario and Luigi fixed the pipe, a green Sprixie Princess panicked and told them that she escaped Bowser, but he kidnapped the other Sprixie Princesses. Bowser came out of the pipe and trapped the green Sprixie Princess in the jar and went to the plains area. Peach checked Bowser inside the pipe but fell into the pipe. Mario and company caught up to her and fell into the plains area where they found the green Sprixie Princess trapped inside a jar.
After Mario and company rescued the green Sprixie Princess, they continued to save more Sprixie Princesses in other areas. Rescuing the last Sprixie Princess, Bowser kidnapped all the Sprixie Princesses in a large jar and ran to the amusement area.
The foursome rescued the Sprixie Princesses again from Bowser as Meowser. Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad returned to the Mushroom Kingdom.
Trivia[]
- Despite debuting as a playable character in Mario Bros. It is believed that Luigi made his cameo debut in the arcade version of Donkey Kong Junior because the intro of the game featured two Marios.
- Luigi was planned for Super Mario 64, but was scrapped altogether due to complications of camera angles and viewings angles in 2-player mode. However, he appeared in Super Mario 64 DS along with the previously unplayable Yoshi and Wario.
- In the classic games, Luigi used to have white overalls and a green shirt, while in Super Mario Bros. 2 and in the DIC cartoons, it was changed to green overalls and a blue shirt, but it was later changed to blue overalls and a green shirt.
- Luigi along with Mario, has brown hair but a black mustache.
- Luigi is generally portrayed as a coward. In Italian, the name "Luigi" actually means "Famous Warrior" or "Renowned Fighter".
- In Super Princess Peach, after Princess Peach saved Luigi, though she apparently didn't remember his name, the dialogue called Luigi a "strange green man."
- In Chile, the Super Smash Bros community has called Luigi: "NT | Pipe" in honor of a legendary player, one of the best in the country.
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