Luigi's Haunted Happenings Return, And The "Mario Kart" Rolls On!
As we left the Nintendo presser there were booths set up outside for audience members to try out some of their upcoming 3DS titles. Before the doors officially opened at E3 I was able to get my hands on two of those titles: Luigi’s Mansion 2 and Mario Kart 3DS.
The sequel to the Gamecube flagship title, Luigi’s Mansion 2 has you taking on various mansions instead of the just-one like in the previous installment. Professor E. Gadd still acts as your advisor, as you take Nintendo’s famous brother around the mansions to exterminate the creatures that haunt it, ranging from the average ghosts to even things of the physical undead.
In the demo I tried I was able to tackle four ghosts that were haunting the vicinity. Like in the first one you use your flashlight to stun the ghosts before you use the vacuum to suck them up. Unlike in the first game there is an option to zap the ghosts in order to suck them up quicker, a peripheral that will most definitely help out when you encounter the boss battles.
The graphics in Luigi’s Mansion 2 were on-par with its Gamecube sibling, and the 3D aspect of the game was put into good use, with ghosts and various objects popping right out at you. Controlling the game was as simple as I can remember, and I had no issue in regards to aiming and moving around. No word yet if Mario will be seen in this game, or if King Boo will be the main antagonist of the game. Whatever the case may be Luigi’s Mansion 2 is looking to be one hell of a sequel.
Mario Kart 3DS, on the other hand, is bringing a whole new twist to the exciting franchise. While the core gameplay is the same there are new and fun aspects that will make your wheels spin. During some of the levels you will be able to fly using the hang-glider peripheral and swim underwater as your vehicle transforms itself into a mini-sub. Also back is the ability to customize your vehicles in any way you’d like, ranging from body-type and engine to how your wheels look.
Mario Kart looks almost as good on the 3DS as it does on the Wii, and its 3D elements are stunning. When you are flying in the air in the game it is almost as if you can just touch the vehicle and the hang-glider. While I’m used to playing the Wii version of Mario Kart it only took a couple seconds to figure out which button does what. I have yet to master the supercharged start, but with a few practice runs I think I will be able to do it.
Both Luigi’s Mansion 2 and Mario Kart 3DS are due later this year, and from the looks of what I’ve played thus far we are in for two wild and fun treats.
