It’s hard to believe it’s already been a week since the Nintendo Direct, and what a week it’s been! The reveals that were made during that showcase filled many Nintendo fans with hope not only for this year but for what Nintendo will do once they finally drop the reveal of the Switch successor. However, we’re getting ahead of ourselves, as the Switch is about to get another game to its already impressive lineup. Sadly, unlike what was shown in much of the Direct, the next game is a port. Specifically, it’s Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, and as Metacritic is showing in its first slate of reviews, it’s a good port but not exactly a legendary one.
At present, the game has 45 reviews, with the aggregate score being 78. To be fair, that’s not a bad score. Far from it, that’s just a few points from what many would consider “great or above.” That score could go up or down depending on how many people truly review the game, so we’ll have to wait and see on that front.
So, what do they say about the game? The biggest compliment is that the game does get a worthy visual upgrade thanks to the Nintendo Switch’s graphics and that the game’s control scheme is better on the Switch than it was on the 3DS when it initially came out. So, if you haven’t played the game before, it’ll feel like a fresh experience, and it’ll look good to boot.
The biggest problem with Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is simply that it’s just a visual remaster. Unlike the OTHER big remaster/remake that came out just last month, there are very few improvements to the title. There are no new bosses or modes or ghosts to take on. Everything that was in the 3DS title is here in the Switch port, and nothing else extra. Many even noted in their reviews that the third game in the series, which is also out on Switch, is far better in terms of visuals, gameplay, and overall fun factor. So, if you haven’t played that one yet, you might want to skip this one and go straight to that one.
It’s honestly a bit sad to hear that this port is so barebones, as Nintendo proved that it had some big games that were fresh and fun coming out via that Direct. However, they clearly felt this barebones port was something that fans “needed,” and thus, it’s about to drop. So, if you want to get it, by all means.
