Finding every single one of the Luigi's Mansion 2 Boo locations is honestly one of the most frustratingly addictive things Nintendo has ever put us through. You’re vacuuming a rug, minding your own business, and suddenly that tell-tale "boing" sounds. A Spirit Ball escapes. You’ve gotta hunt it down with the Dark-Light Device or you’re never getting that 100% completion mark. It’s not just about bragging rights, though. Grabbing every Boo in a specific mansion unlocks those brutal Secret Missions. If you want to see everything Dark Moon (or the Switch's HD remake) has to offer, you can't skip these guys.
Most players miss them because Boos in this game aren't just floating in plain sight. They are jerks. They hide in invisible pots, fake drawers, and even inside suits of armor that shouldn't be able to hold a ghost. You have to think like a developer who wants to hide a needle in a haystack of haunted furniture.
Why You Keep Missing the Gloomy Manor Boos
The first mansion, Gloomy Manor, feels like a tutorial, but some of the Luigi's Mansion 2 Boo locations here are surprisingly mean. Take the first one, Baboo. He’s in the Garage during the "Poltergust 5000" mission. Most people just grab the vacuum and bolt. Don't do that. You have to shine the Dark-Light on the wheel of the car. It’s such a specific spot that if you aren't sweep-mining every inch of the room, you’ll walk right past him.
Later on, in the "Visual Aids" mission, there's a Boo named Boo-da. He’s hiding in the Studio. You’d think he’s in the camera or something obvious. Nope. He’s in a canvas that’s literally missing from the easel. You have to "paint" the canvas back into existence with your light. This is the core loop of the hunt: look for things that should be there but aren't. If a room looks symmetrical but one side is missing a vase, that’s your target.
I’ve seen people spend forty minutes in the Library looking for a Boo that isn't even in a book. It’s in the globe. In the "Sticky Situation" mission, you’ll find Boofant. You have to make the globe reappear in the Library, then vacuum it up and shoot it at something. It’s a multi-step process that feels more like a Zelda puzzle than a ghost hunt.
Haunted Towers: The Vertical Nightmare
Haunted Towers is where the difficulty spikes. The layout is vertical, messy, and full of plants that want to eat Luigi's face. Finding Luigi's Mansion 2 Boo locations here requires a lot of backtracking. In the "Pool Party" mission, there’s a Boo named Booptista. He’s in the Hydro Generator room. You have to look at the tool rack on the wall. It’s missing a shovel. Once you reveal the shovel, the Boo pops out.
The worst one in this mansion? Probably the one in the Botany Lab. You have to reveal a missing bucket, fill it with water, and water a plant to get a gold bone—wait, no, that's for the dog. The Boo is actually hidden in the ceiling's missing fans. If you aren't looking up, you’re done for.
Most gamers forget that the Dark-Light has a battery. In Haunted Towers, the rooms are bigger, so you'll find yourself running out of juice right as the Spirit Balls start flying. It’s annoying. You have to pulse the light instead of holding it down. It saves time. It saves your sanity.
Secret Missions and the Real Reward
So, why bother? Why spend hours squinting at pixels?
Every mansion has a set number of Boos. If you catch them all, a "Secret Mission" opens up. These are usually "Graduated Exercises" where you have to clear the entire mansion of ghosts in a specific time limit. They are intense. They are also the best way to farm gold if you’re trying to upgrade the Poltergust to its maximum level.
- Catch all Boos in Gloomy Manor -> Unlock Mission E-1.
- Catch all Boos in Haunted Towers -> Unlock Mission B-6.
- Catch all Boos in Old Clockworks -> Unlock Mission C-6.
It follows that pattern. But keep in mind, a Boo only appears in a specific mission. You can't just load up any level and expect them to be there. If you’re playing Mission A-3, you’re looking for a specific Boo assigned to that slot. If you miss him, you have to restart the whole mission. It's punishing.
The Old Clockworks: A Timing Disaster
The Old Clockworks mansion is a mechanical nightmare. The Luigi's Mansion 2 Boo locations here are tied to the environment's moving parts. In "Overwatch," you’ll find a Boo called Booregard in the Clock Tower Gate. You have to reveal a missing lantern on the wall. Simple, right? Except the room is full of ticking hazards and shifting floors.
There's another one in the Drafty Hall. You have to reveal a missing table. If you're playing the Switch version, the vibration in the controller actually helps a bit. You can "feel" where things are hidden sometimes. It’s a subtle touch that the original 3DS version didn't have to the same extent.
A Quick Checklist for the Clockworks
- Check for missing gears.
- Look for shadows that don't have an object attached to them.
- If there’s a pedestal with nothing on it, use the Dark-Light.
- Don't trust any chest that doesn't have a sparkle.
Secret Mine and Treacherous Mansion
By the time you get to the Secret Mine, the developers basically stop playing fair. The Boos start hiding in the background layers. You’ll be in the Airway or the Terminal, and you’ll have to interact with something in the far distance to trigger a Boo spawn in the foreground. It’s tricky.
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In the Treacherous Mansion, the final area, the Boos have massive amounts of health. Catching them isn't just a "tap A" affair. They dodge. They hide behind furniture. They make you work for it. There are 15 Boos in this final stretch. If you’ve found all the previous ones, these will feel like a final exam.
One specific Boo in the Treacherous Mansion is hidden in the Nautical Exhibit. You have to look at the missing ship in the bottle. It’s a classic trope, but it works. Another is in the Medusa Exhibit, hidden behind a statue that you have to make reappear.
The Mechanics of the Catch
When you finally find a Boo, don't just vacuum. You have to wait for them to get dizzy. Once they're stunned, grab their tongue. Pull back as hard as you can. It’s like a game of tug-of-war. If you let go too early, they disappear and hide in a different object in the same room. Then you have to find them all over again.
Pro Tips for Boo Hunting
- Listen for the giggle: Boos make a very distinct sound when you're close to their hiding spot.
- Watch the Spirit Balls: If you see blue orbs floating around, a Boo is nearby or an object is missing.
- The Map is your friend: If a room on the map looks like it has an extra alcove but the physical room doesn't, there’s an illusion at play.
The Dark Moon (or the Dark-Light) isn't just a tool for finding Boos. It’s a tool for finding money. But honestly, by the end of the game, you’ll have more gold than you know what to do with. The Boos are the real prize. They have punny names. They have personalities. They make the world feel lived-in.
Actionable Steps for Completionists
If you want to wrap up your hunt for all Luigi's Mansion 2 Boo locations, start by replaying the early missions. You likely missed the ones in Gloomy Manor because you didn't have the Dark-Light upgraded yet.
First, go to the Bunker and check your "Vault." It will show you exactly which missions still have a missing Boo. It’s a greyed-out icon.
Next, focus on one mansion at a time. Don't jump between the Mine and the Towers. Each mansion has a specific "logic" to how things are hidden. Once you get into the rhythm of the Clockworks, stay there until every gear and Boo is accounted for.
Lastly, don't forget that catching a Boo saves immediately. You don't necessarily have to finish the mission to "keep" the Boo in your collection, though it’s usually safer to finish the level to ensure your rank and gold are recorded.
Go back to the very first mission in Gloomy Manor. Check the Garage again. Check the Mudroom. The satisfaction of seeing that gold Boo statue in your vault is worth the headache of vacuuming every suspicious corner of Evershade Valley.