You’ve probably seen the meme. Luigi, usually the jittery, nervous wreck of the Mushroom Kingdom, suddenly stone-faced behind the wheel of a go-kart, staring down a rival with icy, murderous intent. It’s the "Luigi Death Stare." But beneath that comical exterior, there is a legitimate question fans and lore hunters have been asking for years: how many times did Luigi shoot? It’s a weirder question than it sounds because, for decades, Nintendo marketed him as the pacifist. He’s the guy who jumps. He’s the guy who vacuums up ghosts. He isn't exactly John Wick in green overalls.
Yet, if you look at the actual games, Luigi’s "body count" or "shot count" is surprisingly high. It just depends on what you define as "shooting." Are we talking about fireballs? Are we talking about the Poltergust? Or are we diving into the gritty, tactical world of Mario + Rabbids where he literally carries a sniper rifle? To get to the bottom of how many times did Luigi shoot, we have to look at the evolution of his arsenal from the NES days to the modern era.
The Fireball Era: Counting the Pixels
In the beginning, Luigi was just a palette swap. If Mario could do it, Luigi could do it. This means in the original Super Mario Bros. (1985), Luigi was "shooting" fireballs as often as the player pressed the B button. If you played through the entire game as Luigi in a two-player session, you likely fired hundreds, if not thousands, of fireballs.
Technically, these are projectiles. They aren't bullets, but they function as the primary ranged attack. In Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World, this trend continued. However, Nintendo started giving Luigi his own identity. In the Super Mario Advance series and later New Super Mario Bros. titles, Luigi’s fireballs often behaved differently—sometimes they had less friction or bounced higher.
If we are tallying strictly "canonical" story moments where Luigi is forced to shoot to save his life, the numbers stay relatively low in the platformers. But the moment you enter the RPG realm, things get complicated. In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Luigi uses fire as a tool and a weapon. He isn't just tossing it; he’s channeling it.
The Poltergust 3000: Is Vacuuming "Shooting"?
Wait. We have to talk about Luigi’s Mansion.
In 2001, Luigi finally got the spotlight. He wasn't shooting bullets; he was shooting air. Or, more accurately, he was sucking it in. But throughout the Luigi’s Mansion trilogy (including Dark Moon and Luigi's Mansion 3), the Poltergust has been upgraded to fire projectiles.
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In Luigi's Mansion 3, Luigi has the "Suction Shot." This is a plunger on a string. He aims, he fires, and it sticks to a surface. Does it count? Absolutely. He’s using a trigger mechanism to propel an object at a target. Over the course of a standard playthrough of Luigi’s Mansion 3, a player will likely fire the Suction Shot between 300 and 500 times to solve puzzles and strip shields from ghosts.
Then there’s the "Burst" move. It’s a pressurized blast of air that knocks enemies back. It’s basically a shotgun blast of oxygen. If you're cornered by a group of Mini Goobs, you're spamming that Burst move. Honestly, by the time Luigi clears the 15th floor of the Last Resort hotel, he has "shot" more projectiles than Mario has in his entire career.
The Mario + Rabbids Revelation: Luigi the Sharpshooter
If you really want to know how many times did Luigi shoot in a way that feels like a traditional shooter, you have to look at Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and Sparks of Hope. This is where the "cowardly" Luigi trope gets flipped on its head.
In these games, Luigi is a long-range specialist. He carries a weapon called a Sharpshooter—which is effectively a stylized sniper rifle. He also uses Sentries, which are autonomous drones he deploys to explode near enemies.
- Kingdom Battle Statistics: In a standard 20-hour campaign, Luigi is a staple for most teams because of his "Steely Gaze" ability. This allows him to shoot enemies out of turn.
- The Math: If Luigi takes an average of 1.5 shots per turn over 100+ battles, he’s pulling the trigger hundreds of times.
- The Precision: Unlike the chaotic fireballs of the 80s, these are calculated, tactical shots.
It’s a bit jarring to see a Nintendo-sanctioned Luigi lining up a headshot on a Rabbid, but it’s part of the official canon now. He’s a marksman. He’s proficient. He’s probably the most dangerous member of the team at a distance.
Smash Bros and the "Green Missile"
We can't ignore Super Smash Bros. In this arena, Luigi’s "shooting" is a mix of the mystical and the mechanical. He has his green fireballs, which move horizontally and don't obey gravity like Mario's. But he also has his own body.
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The "Green Missile" (his Side-B move) essentially turns Luigi into a human bullet. He charges up and shoots himself across the stage. While he isn't holding a gun, the physics and the intent are identical to a projectile. Since Super Smash Bros. on the N64, Luigi has been launched—or has launched himself—millions of times by players worldwide.
And then there's the vacuum again. In Smash Ultimate, his grab is a tethered shot from the Poltergust G-00. Every time a Luigi player tries to pull off a 0-to-death combo, they are "shooting" that plunger. It’s a constant, repetitive action that defines his high-level play.
Why This Matters: The Psychology of the "Second Brother"
Why are we even asking how many times did Luigi shoot? It’s because it represents his growth. Mario is the hero who confronts things head-on. Luigi is the hero who keeps his distance. Whether it’s fireballs, plungers, or a sniper rifle in a crossover game, Luigi’s "shooting" is a reflection of his personality: cautious, precise, and a little bit terrified.
There’s also the Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) to consider. While he spends a lot of time captured, we see the brothers eventually use the Super Star. In that invincible state, they aren't just jumping; they are a whirlwind of offensive force.
Breaking Down the Totals (Estimated)
If we had to put a number on it across all media? It’s impossible to be exact, but we can categorize the "trigger pulls" based on average playstyles:
- The Classic Era (NES/SNES): ~2,000+ fireballs per complete playthrough.
- The Ghost Hunting Era (GameCube/Switch): ~1,500+ suction shots and air bursts.
- The Tactical Era (Ubisoft Crossovers): ~500+ precision sniper shots per campaign.
- The Party/Sports Era: (Tennis serves, Strikers shots, etc.) ~1,000+ powered strikes.
Misconceptions About Luigi's "Violence"
Some people think Luigi is a pacifist because he shakes when he sees a Boo. That’s a mistake. Courage isn't the absence of fear; it's shooting a ghost in the face with a plunger despite being terrified.
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One big misconception is that Luigi never uses "real" guns. While Nintendo keeps things family-friendly, the Mario + Rabbids series is as close as we get to a tactical shooter. The weapons are "blasters," but the mechanics—cover, line of sight, critical hits—are pure XCOM. Luigi isn't just a plumber anymore; he’s a veteran of a planetary war.
Another myth is that Luigi is "weaker" at shooting than Mario. In almost every game where they have distinct stats, Luigi actually has better range or better accuracy. In Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, his "projectile" attacks in the Dream World are massive, screen-filling events.
How to Track Your Own "Luigi Shot Count"
If you're a completionist or a stats nerd, you can actually track this in some games.
- In Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope: Check the combat records in the menu. It will show you how many enemies Luigi has defeated and his most used abilities.
- In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: The Vault section keeps track of "Stats." You can see exactly how many times you've used special moves (B-button) with Luigi.
- In Luigi's Mansion 3: The "Log" in the E. Gadd menu tracks ghost captures, which is a decent proxy for how many times you’ve successfully engaged your "weapon."
Actionable Insights for Players
If you want to maximize Luigi's "shooting" potential in your next gaming session, here’s how you handle the Green Wonder:
- In Smash: Stop spamming fireballs. Use them as a "zoning" tool to force your opponent to jump, then intercept them with an aerial.
- In Mario + Rabbids: Keep Luigi on the high ground. His "Longshot" ability gets massive buffs from elevation. He should be the furthest person away from the fight.
- In Luigi's Mansion: Practice the "Slam" timing. Shooting the plunger is only half the battle; the rhythm of the slam is what actually clears the room.
Luigi might always be in Mario’s shadow when it comes to fame, but when it comes to the sheer variety of things he has "shot"—from spirits and fire to plungers and Rabbid-tech—he’s arguably the more versatile combatant. Next time you see that "Death Stare," just remember: he’s probably counting his shots. And he rarely misses.
Next Steps for Lore Hunters: To truly see Luigi's marksman skills in action, head into the Mario + Rabbids Donkey Kong Adventure DLC or check the specific frame-data for his fireball in Smash Ultimate to understand why his "projectile game" is technically superior to Mario’s. You can also dive into the Super Mario World instruction manual to see the original descriptions of his "fire power" compared to his brother's.