Luigi's Mansion 2 HD: Why This 3DS Port Is Still Tearing Fans Apart

You remember the 3DS, right? That little clam-shell handheld that had us all squinting at glasses-free 3D until we got a headache? Well, Nintendo decided to dust off one of its biggest hits from that era, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, and bring it to the Switch under a fresh name: Luigi's Mansion 2 HD.

Released on June 27, 2024, this game is a weird beast. It’s not a ground-up remake like the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door overhaul. It’s more of a high-end "glow up." But here’s the thing—ten years later, the same stuff that annoyed people back in 2013 is still there.

The Mission Problem (and Why It Matters)

If you played Luigi's Mansion 3, you’re used to one giant, seamless hotel. You explore, you find a key, you move up. Easy. Luigi's Mansion 2 HD doesn't do that. It sticks to a rigid mission structure. Basically, you get dropped into a mansion, find a specific item or ghost, and then—bam—Professor E. Gadd yanks you back to the bunker.

It’s jarring. Honestly, it kind of kills the "spooky exploration" vibe when the game stops every 20 minutes to give you a letter grade. For a handheld game on the 3DS, this made sense. You could play a level on the bus and close the lid. On a home console? It feels a bit like the game won't let you breathe.

What Actually Changed?

Don't let the "HD" in the title fool you into thinking it's just a resolution bump. While the 1080p output (docked) is the headline, the real magic is in the small stuff.

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• The Mustache: I’m serious. Luigi’s character model is way more detailed. His hat has a fabric texture now. His mustache actually looks like hair instead of a brown block.
• Dual Stick Controls: This is the big one. On the 3DS, you were fighting the hardware to aim your vacuum. Now, you can use the right stick to swivel Luigi’s aim while moving. It makes catching ghosts feel less like a chore and more like an actual game.
• The Lighting: The original was limited by what the 3DS could handle. The Switch version adds much better bloom and shadows. When you flash your Strobulb in a dark room, the way the light bounces off the dusty furniture looks legitimately great.

The E. Gadd Infuriation

We need to talk about the Professor. He is, without a doubt, the most talkative man in the Mushroom Kingdom. He calls you on the "Dual Scream" (a cheeky 3DS reference) constantly.

• "Luigi, I see you found a door!"
• "Luigi, the ghosts are in the next room!"
• "Luigi, don't forget to breathe!"

Okay, I made that last one up, but it feels that way. In 2024, most of us were hoping for an "Easy on the calls, Prof" toggle. No such luck. You're going to be reading a lot of text boxes.

Why Some Fans Actually Prefer This Over 3

There is a segment of the fan base that swears by this game over the more popular Luigi's Mansion 3. Why? Variety. While the third game is set in one hotel, Luigi's Mansion 2 HD takes you through five completely different environments.

1. Gloomy Manor: The classic "haunted house" vibes.
2. Haunted Towers: A botanical nightmare filled with overgrown vines.
3. Old Clockworks: A desert-themed factory full of gears and sand.
4. Secret Mine: An icy lodge that honestly feels like a different genre.
5. Treacherous Mansion: The grand finale.

Each place has its own mechanics. In the Clockworks, you’re manipulating time-pieces; in the Haunted Towers, you’re dealing with water puzzles. It keeps the gameplay from getting stale, even if the mission structure keeps interrupting you.

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ScareScraper: The Multiplayer Hero

One thing Nintendo didn't mess with is the ScareScraper mode. It’s still one of the best cooperative experiences they’ve ever made. You and three other Luigis (in different colors, of course) climb a procedurally generated tower.

You have to work together to find the exit, capture every ghost, or find the "Polterpup" within a time limit. It’s chaotic. It’s fast. And since the Switch version uses Nintendo Switch Online, it’s much easier to find a match now than it was on the dying 3DS servers. Just keep in mind that unlike the third game, there’s no local "one-console" co-op for the main story. It’s a solo journey unless you head to the tower.

The 30 FPS Debate

If you’re a technical nut, you might be disappointed to hear the game is locked at 30 frames per second. The original 3DS game actually had an uncapped frame rate that sometimes hit 60 if there wasn't much on screen.

For the Switch version, they prioritized visual stability. It stays at a rock-solid 30, which looks fine for a slow-paced puzzle game, but after playing the buttery-smooth Metroid Prime Remastered, it’s a bit of a letdown for some.

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Actionable Next Steps for Players:

If you're jumping into Luigi's Mansion 2 HD for the first time, don't rush the missions. The game rewards you for being a completionist. Every mansion has hidden "Gems" and a Boo hiding in every level. Finding all the Boos in a specific mansion unlocks a "Secret Mission," which is usually a frantic ghost-hunting challenge.

Also, don't ignore the upgrades! The gold you suck up with your vacuum actually serves a purpose here. It upgrades your Poltergust’s power and your Strobulb’s charge time. If you find yourself struggling with the bigger ghosts, go back and "vacuum" the wallpaper in earlier levels to farm some cash.

Finally, if the mission structure feels too repetitive, try playing it in handheld mode. This game was designed for "short bursts" of play, and honestly, it still feels most at home when you’re playing a single mission before bed rather than marathoning the whole thing in a weekend.