Was Luigi's Mansion originally meant to be darker?

Dr. Furball · 01-19-2008, 05:54 PM

As we all know, Luigi's Mansion is a game featuring a haunted house and lots of ghosts. However, instead of being scary, the game has a cartoony, humorous feel to it. But, do you ever get the feeling that the game was meant to have a darker feel to it? Take this early video, for example. The scene at the end really creeps me out, poor Weege looks like he's been literally scared to death.

Not to mention that some things in the final game are a bit creepy as well, such as King Boo possessing Bowser's corpse (I still don't think it's a suit), and Luigi's shadow hanging from a noose in the telephone room.

So, what do you think?

Demonic Lemonade · 01-19-2008, 06:01 PM

^ I dont remember that noose part.

Watch this. poor Luigi. I wish I could get the beta version. I wanna play it.

And the end of that movie IS creepy. Gave me chills.

And, why would King Boo kill Bowser for his body?

Chunky Kong12345 · 01-19-2008, 06:25 PM

That's not Bowser at the end.

Dr. Furball · 01-19-2008, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mama Luigi is better than you

^ I dont remember that noose part.

I didn't know about it either until someone on TMK's forums posted a screenshot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mama Luigi is better than you

And, why would King Boo kill Bowser for his body?

I don't think King Boo killed him. Madame Clairvoya says that Bowser was "soundly defeated" by Mario.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chunky Kong12345

That's not Bowser at the end.

You're probably right, but the Koopa king appears in King Boo's portrait with him. But it probably doesn't mean anything.

HCl- HydroCuccoLadic Acid · 01-19-2008, 11:05 PM

I'm a wimp, so the game scared me as it was.

...

Especially the blackout. And those twins. And everything else. ><

KittenTheSmitten · 01-19-2008, 11:51 PM

@.o Okay, the ending made me go "ah" and push back my chair. Why is Luigi drowning in his own inner demon?

I definitely liked what we got (for someone who's only seen speedruns of the game, haha *ducks from incoming bullets*), but this looked interesting too. I kinda like the health system from the beta version.

Metal Man · 01-20-2008, 05:06 AM

Having thoroughly beaten the game, I'm pretty sure they toyed with the darkness level.

That said, this version we have is probably just right. Too dark and it'd have alienated key fans. Too light and people ignore it as 'Silly.'

Plus, some parts of Super Mario Galaxy are scary too.

Demonic Lemonade · 01-20-2008, 09:47 PM

The Beta version also had a different entrance into the dining room.

X-3 · 01-20-2008, 10:01 PM

The ending of that video made me burst out in laughter. It wasn't so scary.

I'm pretty sure that King Boo just uses a Bowser suit: Bowser's corpse wouldn't make ANY sense.

DarkZero · 01-20-2008, 11:19 PM

^Well, why not? Ghosts are people without bodies, and bodies are people without souls. It fits perfectly.

Unless you meant canonically, because Luigi's Mansion took place before SMS.

X-3 · 01-24-2008, 08:48 PM

Yeah, that's what I meant. Canonically. I mean, it wouldn't make sense for Bowser to suddenly die and be used by King Boo, and then come back perfectly fine the next game. :\

Though...it would explain why Bowser Jr. had a paintbrush made by Gadd, or why King Boo was in the Casino...I'm going to assume that it was just a suit, though.

DarkZero · 01-24-2008, 08:52 PM

There are also other references that explain that SMS was made after Luigi's Mansion. Such as someone mentioning Luigi and the Polergust.

STOP LOOKING AT ME · 01-24-2008, 09:10 PM

The beginning is funny.

Also, it may have been planned to make this a horror game, instead of a somewhat action game.

They also had a Meter that made your vaccum overload if it sucks in too much or something.

I guess afterwards, they looked at it, and thought that Mario can't do horror, so they lightened it up, removed the Game Over thingy, and made the Poltergeist run on limitless power.

These choices may have saved the game, or made it worse.....

we'll never know.

HCl- HydroCuccoLadic Acid · 01-24-2008, 10:04 PM

The blackout would have made me lose bodily fluids if it had been in the Beta version.

I just know it.

Dr. Furball · 01-24-2008, 11:20 PM

I don't think that the darker theme would've worked, anyway. The exaggerated, cartoony art style of the series would've seemed out of place. Although the close-up shot of light hitting Luigi's face at the beginning was kinda cool.

STOP LOOKING AT ME · 01-24-2008, 11:24 PM

Cartoony art style couldn't stop Conker from being very violent.

Maybe Luigi's Mansion would've been THE Horror Game along with Eternal Darkness.

Like I said, We'll never know.

01-19-2008, 05:54 PM	#1
Dr. Furball Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Mad Science Academy, 12th Floor Gender: Posts: 622 Thanks: 64 Thanked 44 Times in 32 Posts Points: 182.11 Bank: 900.37 Total Points: 1,082.48 Donate	Was Luigi's Mansion originally meant to be darker? As we all know, Luigi's Mansion is a game featuring a haunted house and lots of ghosts. However, instead of being scary, the game has a cartoony, humorous feel to it. But, do you ever get the feeling that the game was meant to have a darker feel to it? Take this early video, for example. The scene at the end really creeps me out, poor Weege looks like he's been literally scared to death. Not to mention that some things in the final game are a bit creepy as well, such as King Boo possessing Bowser's corpse (I still don't think it's a suit), and Luigi's shadow hanging from a noose in the telephone room. So, what do you think?

01-19-2008, 06:01 PM	#2
Demonic Lemonade The Super Mario Galaxy Final Bowser Fight music is the mest VGM music EVAR Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ten thousand light years away Gender: Posts: 5,942 Thanks: 227 Thanked 312 Times in 248 Posts Blog Entries: 4 Points: 742.58 Bank: 15,316.24 Total Points: 16,058.82 Donate	^ I dont remember that noose part. Watch this. poor Luigi. I wish I could get the beta version. I wanna play it. And the end of that movie IS creepy. Gave me chills. And, why would King Boo kill Bowser for his body? Last edited by The Member Formerly Known As Luigiman; 01-19-2008 at 06:47 PM.

01-19-2008, 06:25 PM	#3
Chunky Kong12345 HIKARI NI NARA!!! Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: ogmftwbqq Gender: Posts: 17,429 Thanks: 79 Thanked 364 Times in 264 Posts Points: 475.42 Bank: 278,943.04 Total Points: 279,418.46 Donate	That's not Bowser at the end.

01-19-2008, 11:05 PM	#5
HCl- HydroCuccoLadic Acid Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: in a bag of potato chips. Potato chips of LOVE. Gender: Posts: 4,671 Thanks: 1,274 Thanked 415 Times in 346 Posts Points: 4,762.91 Bank: 152,588.40 Total Points: 157,351.31 Donate	I'm a wimp, so the game scared me as it was. ... Especially the blackout. And those twins. And everything else. ><

01-19-2008, 11:51 PM	#6
KittenTheSmitten Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada Gender: Posts: 142 Thanks: 41 Thanked 23 Times in 13 Posts Points: 2,026.70 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 2,026.70 Donate	@.o Okay, the ending made me go "ah" and push back my chair. Why is Luigi drowning in his own inner demon? I definitely liked what we got (for someone who's only seen speedruns of the game, haha ducks from incoming bullets), but this looked interesting too. I kinda like the health system from the beta version.

01-20-2008, 05:06 AM	#7
Metal Man Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Gender: Posts: 7,034 Thanks: 77 Thanked 265 Times in 175 Posts Points: 8,514.29 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 8,514.29 Donate	Having thoroughly beaten the game, I'm pretty sure they toyed with the darkness level. That said, this version we have is probably just right. Too dark and it'd have alienated key fans. Too light and people ignore it as 'Silly.' Plus, some parts of Super Mario Galaxy are scary too.

01-20-2008, 09:47 PM	#8
Demonic Lemonade The Super Mario Galaxy Final Bowser Fight music is the mest VGM music EVAR Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ten thousand light years away Gender: Posts: 5,942 Thanks: 227 Thanked 312 Times in 248 Posts Blog Entries: 4 Points: 742.58 Bank: 15,316.24 Total Points: 16,058.82 Donate	The Beta version also had a different entrance into the dining room.

01-20-2008, 10:01 PM	#9
X-3 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Inside the dark soul of mankind. Gender: Posts: 9,988 Thanks: 359 Thanked 435 Times in 316 Posts Blog Entries: 5 Points: 17,446.70 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 17,446.70 Donate	The ending of that video made me burst out in laughter. It wasn't so scary. I'm pretty sure that King Boo just uses a Bowser suit: Bowser's corpse wouldn't make ANY sense.

01-20-2008, 11:19 PM	#10
DarkZero Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Ever notice how Tazy's PDN (STOP LOOKING AT ME) abbreviates to "SLAM"? Gender: Posts: 3,761 Thanks: 322 Thanked 229 Times in 166 Posts Blog Entries: 4 Points: 13,908.64 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 13,908.64 Donate	^Well, why not? Ghosts are people without bodies, and bodies are people without souls. It fits perfectly. Unless you meant canonically, because Luigi's Mansion took place before SMS.

01-24-2008, 08:48 PM	#11
X-3 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Inside the dark soul of mankind. Gender: Posts: 9,988 Thanks: 359 Thanked 435 Times in 316 Posts Blog Entries: 5 Points: 17,446.70 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 17,446.70 Donate	Yeah, that's what I meant. Canonically. I mean, it wouldn't make sense for Bowser to suddenly die and be used by King Boo, and then come back perfectly fine the next game. :\ Though...it would explain why Bowser Jr. had a paintbrush made by Gadd, or why King Boo was in the Casino...I'm going to assume that it was just a suit, though.

01-24-2008, 08:52 PM	#12
DarkZero Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Ever notice how Tazy's PDN (STOP LOOKING AT ME) abbreviates to "SLAM"? Gender: Posts: 3,761 Thanks: 322 Thanked 229 Times in 166 Posts Blog Entries: 4 Points: 13,908.64 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 13,908.64 Donate	There are also other references that explain that SMS was made after Luigi's Mansion. Such as someone mentioning Luigi and the Polergust.

01-24-2008, 09:10 PM	#13
STOP LOOKING AT ME Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: YOU SAID THAT YOU KNEW ME AND I BELIEVED YOU DID Gender: Posts: 9,247 Thanks: 267 Thanked 585 Times in 430 Posts Blog Entries: 7 Points: 6,599.14 Bank: 74,653.97 Total Points: 81,253.10 Donate	The beginning is funny. Also, it may have been planned to make this a horror game, instead of a somewhat action game. They also had a Meter that made your vaccum overload if it sucks in too much or something. I guess afterwards, they looked at it, and thought that Mario can't do horror, so they lightened it up, removed the Game Over thingy, and made the Poltergeist run on limitless power. These choices may have saved the game, or made it worse..... we'll never know.

01-24-2008, 10:04 PM	#14
HCl- HydroCuccoLadic Acid Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: in a bag of potato chips. Potato chips of LOVE. Gender: Posts: 4,671 Thanks: 1,274 Thanked 415 Times in 346 Posts Points: 4,762.91 Bank: 152,588.40 Total Points: 157,351.31 Donate	The blackout would have made me lose bodily fluids if it had been in the Beta version. I just know it.

01-24-2008, 11:20 PM	#15
Dr. Furball Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Mad Science Academy, 12th Floor Gender: Posts: 622 Thanks: 64 Thanked 44 Times in 32 Posts Points: 182.11 Bank: 900.37 Total Points: 1,082.48 Donate	I don't think that the darker theme would've worked, anyway. The exaggerated, cartoony art style of the series would've seemed out of place. Although the close-up shot of light hitting Luigi's face at the beginning was kinda cool.

01-24-2008, 11:24 PM	#16
STOP LOOKING AT ME Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: YOU SAID THAT YOU KNEW ME AND I BELIEVED YOU DID Gender: Posts: 9,247 Thanks: 267 Thanked 585 Times in 430 Posts Blog Entries: 7 Points: 6,599.14 Bank: 74,653.97 Total Points: 81,253.10 Donate	Cartoony art style couldn't stop Conker from being very violent. Maybe Luigi's Mansion would've been THE Horror Game along with Eternal Darkness. Like I said, We'll never know.