# Luigi
**Luigi** is a fictional character in Nintendo's Mario franchise, created by designer [Shigeru Miyamoto](https://www.edgepedia.org/shigeru-miyamoto) as Mario's younger brother and originally appearing in 1983 as a green palette swap of Mario serving as the second player character.[1](https://media.newsreview.com/article/luigi-profile-origins-and-role-in-the-mario-universe) Over four decades he has developed from a recolored sprite into a distinct personality, a co-star of role-playing games, and the protagonist of his own ghost-hunting series, [Luigi's Mansion](https://www.edgepedia.org/luigis-mansion).[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/03/feature_a_short_history_of_luigi)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Created by | Shigeru Miyamoto at Nintendo[1](https://media.newsreview.com/article/luigi-profile-origins-and-role-in-the-mario-universe) |
| Defining traits | Taller than Mario, higher jump, slower running speed, poorer traction (established in *Super Mario Bros. 2*)[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/03/feature_a_short_history_of_luigi) |
| Personality | Fearful and clumsy, a characterization Nintendo says provides gameplay opportunities[3](https://kotaku.com/the-difference-between-luigi-and-mario-according-to-pe-5990341) |
| Solo debut | *Mario Is Missing!* (1993), followed by *Luigi's Mansion*, GameCube launch title, 2001[4](https://www.eldiario.es/cultura/videojuegos/gusta-luigi-mario_1_11501051.html) • [15](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/538974-first-videogame-starring-luigi-as-the-main-character) |
| Signature series | Luigi's Mansion: three main games, all playable on Nintendo Switch 2 as of October 30, 2025[5](https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/luigis-mansion-takes-up-residence-on-nintendo-classics-oct-30/) |
| Voice | Charles Martinet from *Mario Kart 64* to *Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope*; Kevin Afghani from 2023[6](https://www.mariowiki.com/Luigi) |
## Origins and creation
Miyamoto created Luigi as a brother for Mario when building a new game around the two characters.[7](https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED452122.pdf) Miyamoto has said the series' original game required two characters who were relatively alike, and that Nintendo chose Luigi for the sidekick because the popular [Italian name](https://www.edgepedia.org/italian-name) rhymes with Japan's word for "similar".[8](https://www.theguardian.com/games/2026/apr/18/super-mario-nintendo-luigi-inspiration)
In the arcade game and in *Super Mario Bros.* (1985) he was little more than the second player character, with the same build and abilities as Mario, a green recolor of Mario's sprite.[1](https://media.newsreview.com/article/luigi-profile-origins-and-role-in-the-mario-universe) • [2](https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/03/feature_a_short_history_of_luigi)
## From palette swap to distinct character
*Super Mario Bros. 2* (1988) gave Luigi his first real identity. The game's four distinct characters showed the younger brother as taller than Mario, able to jump higher, but limited by a slower running speed and poorer traction. Those differences became an intrinsic part of the character and returned in later appearances such as the *Super Mario Galaxy* games and *Super Mario 3D Land*, where his extra jump height and eventual running speed can be an advantage in tougher levels once his slippery handling is managed.[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/03/feature_a_short_history_of_luigi)
**Co-starring roles.** The handheld role-playing series *Mario & Luigi*, developed by AlphaDream, paired the brothers directly and expanded Luigi's somewhat cowardly and clumsy persona, offset against Mario's determined heroism.[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/03/feature_a_short_history_of_luigi) AlphaDream went bankrupt in 2019, and the series resumed with *Mario & Luigi: Brothership*, developed by Acquire and released on [Nintendo Switch](https://www.edgepedia.org/nintendo-switch) on November 7, 2024.[9](https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2024/11/04/on-a-teste-mario-luigi-l-epopee-fraternelle-la-bonne-prise-au-vent-des-deux-plombiers_6375524_4408996.html)
## Luigi's Mansion
Luigi's first canon adventure as a protagonist was *Luigi's Mansion*, a GameCube launch title in 2001, in which he moves through eerie environments absorbing ghosts armed only with a vacuum cleaner.[4](https://www.eldiario.es/cultura/videojuegos/gusta-luigi-mario_1_11501051.html) The game became one of the console's major launches and established the character's fame independent of his brother.[4](https://www.eldiario.es/cultura/videojuegos/gusta-luigi-mario_1_11501051.html)
The series continued with *Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon* on [Nintendo 3DS](https://www.edgepedia.org/nintendo-3ds) in 2013, which received a Metacritic rating of 85 across 45 critic reviews and was developed by Next Level Games.[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/03/feature_a_short_history_of_luigi) *Luigi's Mansion 2 HD* followed on Switch on June 27, 2024,[10](https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2024/240507_4e.pdf) and *[Luigi's Mansion 3](https://www.edgepedia.org/luigis-mansion-3)* is also on Switch.[5](https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/luigis-mansion-takes-up-residence-on-nintendo-classics-oct-30/) With the original *Luigi's Mansion* joining the Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics library on Switch 2 on October 30, 2025, all three games in the series became playable on that system through a [Nintendo Switch Online](https://www.edgepedia.org/nintendo-switch-online) + Expansion Pack membership.[5](https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/luigis-mansion-takes-up-residence-on-nintendo-classics-oct-30/)
## Voice and portrayal
[Charles Martinet](https://www.edgepedia.org/charles-martinet), who voiced Mario from *Super Mario 64* (1996) onward, also voiced Luigi from *Mario Kart 64* to *Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope* (2022); Kevin Afghani took over the roles starting with 2023's *Super Mario Bros. Wonder*.[6](https://www.mariowiki.com/Luigi) • [11](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/super-mario/former-mario-actor-charles-martinet-is-more-luigi-in-real-life-but-still-thinks-the-iconic-nintendo-mascot-is-the-most-wonderful-human-being-ever/) Martinet has said he is personally "more Luigi", describing himself as the hesitant one next to a courageous brother.[11](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/super-mario/former-mario-actor-charles-martinet-is-more-luigi-in-real-life-but-still-thinks-the-iconic-nintendo-mascot-is-the-most-wonderful-human-being-ever/) On film, [John Leguizamo](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-leguizamo) played Luigi in the 1993 *Super Mario Bros.* movie, and [Charlie Day](https://www.edgepedia.org/charlie-day) voiced him in the 2023 animated film.[12](https://cinergie.unibo.it/article/download/15824/15276/62094)
## Cultural reception
Luigi has existed largely within Mario's shadow since 1983, but has gradually carved out agency for himself.[13](https://www.theringer.com/2021/02/24/video-games/luigi-mario-bros-character-study-inferiority-complex) Nintendo designated 2013 the Year of Luigi, a promotional campaign marking his solo revival.[2](https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/03/feature_a_short_history_of_luigi) The "Luigi death stare" meme, in which Luigi stares down opponents in *Mario Kart 8*, surfaced after the game shipped in 2014; Nintendo acknowledged it during its E3 2014 Digital Event and identified the gaze with the character in Japanese advertisements.[14](https://time.com/3023495/the-luigi-death-stare-is-now-nintendo-canon-apparently/) Yoshihito Ikebata, supervisor of *Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon*, has said that Luigi's fearful, clumsy nature provides a lot of opportunity for gameplay.[3](https://kotaku.com/the-difference-between-luigi-and-mario-according-to-pe-5990341)
## References
1. [Luigi: Profile, Origins, and Role in the Mario Universe](https://media.newsreview.com/article/luigi-profile-origins-and-role-in-the-mario-universe)
2. [A Short History of Luigi, Nintendo Life](https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/03/feature_a_short_history_of_luigi)
3. [The Difference Between Luigi and Mario, According to People Who Would Know, Kotaku](https://kotaku.com/the-difference-between-luigi-and-mario-according-to-pe-5990341)
4. [¿Por qué nos gusta más Luigi que Mario?, elDiario.es](https://www.eldiario.es/cultura/videojuegos/gusta-luigi-mario_1_11501051.html)
5. [Luigi's Mansion takes up residence on Nintendo Classics Oct. 30, Nintendo Official Site](https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/luigis-mansion-takes-up-residence-on-nintendo-classics-oct-30/)
6. [Luigi, Super Mario Wiki](https://www.mariowiki.com/Luigi)
7. [Shigeru Miyamoto (ERIC document)](https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED452122.pdf)
8. [Father of man who inspired Super Mario was also named Luigi, researcher finds, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/games/2026/apr/18/super-mario-nintendo-luigi-inspiration)
9. [On a testé… « Mario & Luigi : l'épopée fraternelle », Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2024/11/04/on-a-teste-mario-luigi-l-epopee-fraternelle-la-bonne-prise-au-vent-des-deux-plombiers_6375524_4408996.html)
10. [Announced First-Party Titles (April – June 2024), Nintendo IR](https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2024/240507_4e.pdf)
11. [Former Mario actor Charles Martinet is "more Luigi" in real life, GamesRadar+](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/super-mario/former-mario-actor-charles-martinet-is-more-luigi-in-real-life-but-still-thinks-the-iconic-nintendo-mascot-is-the-most-wonderful-human-being-ever/)
12. [Olive Face, Italian Voice: Constructing Super Mario as an Italian-American (1981–1996), Cinergie](https://cinergie.unibo.it/article/download/15824/15276/62094)
13. [Character Study: Luigi, the Other Mario Brother, The Ringer](https://www.theringer.com/2021/02/24/video-games/luigi-mario-bros-character-study-inferiority-complex)
14. [The Luigi 'Death Stare' Is Now Nintendo Canon, Apparently, TIME](https://time.com/3023495/the-luigi-death-stare-is-now-nintendo-canon-apparently/)
15. [First videogame starring Luigi as the main character](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/538974-first-videogame-starring-luigi-as-the-main-character)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Video games and digital play › Games and gameplay › Franchises and series › Nintendo-owned franchises › Super Mario franchise*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license