A Perusal of the Lesser Mario Brother

Two of the most recognizable characters in video game history are, of course, the Super Mario Bros. There’s gaming icon Mario, star f countless games and recognizable the world over. Luigi, Mario’s younger but taller brother, is arguably just as famous. The pairing of these two legends goes back to 1983, when modern console gaming was only an afterthought; the video game crash from earlier in the decade rendered home consoles all but obsolete. The two would pair up again in 1985’s Super Mario Bros., revitalizing the video game industry. The two have been considered saviors of the industry and are revered by many worldwide.

My favorite video game character would definitely have to be Mario. His games have brought me loads of enjoyment. But honestly, I believe that the better character of the two is Luigi. Yes, you read that right.

Let’s face facts here – Mario’s a likeable character and all, but he’s boring. He’s courageous, jovial – all around he’s a wonderful person, but he seems to be lacking any sort of humanity. In most games his courage is unwavering. He seems almost like a robot.

But where Mario lacks any depth, Luigi takes the cake in terms of being an interesting character. Unlike his older brother, he’s an absolute fraidy-cat. Luigi’s Mansion is where his personality really started to shine. He was trapped in a huge mansion in search of his brother, and it was all he could do not to cry out in terror every waking moment of his stay. Luigi’s nervous humming throughout the game really drew me to the character – his quirk was his most endearing quality. After LM, Luigi retained his cowardly tendencies, though sometimes it made him seem like a wuss. If you need proof, pop in any installment of the Super Smash Bros. series and check out his moveset.

Case in point.

From LM, the development of Luigi’s personality skyrocketed. He developed his trademark goofy walk, which can be seen in prevalent titles like New Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Galaxy. His voice, deeper than Mario’s, is now ingrained into his being, now no longer replaced with high-pitched voiceovers like in Super Smash Bros. Melee and the Japanese version of Mario Kart 64. And, most notably, his irrational fear of EVERYTHING makes him a delight to watch in tense situations (Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga comes to mind).

Sometimes, however, things are taken a bit too far, and it’s difficult to take Luigi seriously as a character. He’s constantly trampled under the feet of others, inconceivably wimpy when it comes to saving the day, and, as such, remains perennially trapped in his brother’s shadow. I’m not saying you should make Luigi into Mario. I’m just saying, maybe Luigi wouldn’t be such an underdog if his creators didn’t go overboard with the “wimpiness” thing. He’s a Mario Brother for God’s sake, not Scooby-Doo.