Luigi's Mansion 3
© 2019 Next Level Games
Our testers young and old loved this latest edition of Luigi's Mansion, with a good storyline, a co-op mode and new game mechanics. You can stun enemies with your flashlight and then suck them up with your ghost-capturing vacuum, pulling against them as they drag you about the room trying to get away. It's like fishing. Also worth noting is Gooigi -- a semi-solid version of Luigi who can slip through tight spaces. A second player can control Gooigi when in co-op mode, conveniently dropping in or out at any time. When in local multiplayer mode, you race to collect the most coins, ghosts or targets as you propel pool floats, creep through a ghost-filled graveyard and launch cannonballs against your competition. We noticed a few troublesome bugs in the online mode, including a teammate getting permanently stuck in a tub while fighting a ghost. Despite the technical issues, the lighthearted teamwork of a bunch of Luigis makes this game worth it. The bottom line is that this entry brings all the features of its predecessors into a more polished format that works great on the Nintendo Switch. As a horror-themed game, it always delivers its light scares with good humor, and as Luigi goes from terror to triumph from each successful ghost hunt, children will feel empowered by facing these fearsome foes. Published by Nintendo, developed by Next Level Games.
$60, Nintendo Switch
Teaches: logic, spatial relations, timing, puzzle-solving, co-operation,
CTR Rating: 90%