You go, Luigi

If it's a Nintendo mascot game that hasn't bombed, odds are it's evergreen. It's the expected state of things. It's why so man??y first-party games are not discounted for years, and a true testament to the character factory approach that is Nintendo. Where there's mascots, there's merch and other opportunities. But it also, naturally, impacts Switch 2021 game sales.

In addition to providing a new "top 10" ?list of b?est-selling games on Switch to date, Nintendo also, in a separate document, outlined a few extra details for games too new to be on the list; or are close enough that are still selling well. The dates range from ?April through September 2021.

Here's what Nintendo had to say about the Switch 2021 game sales br?eakdown:

"As a res?ult, we have continuously released new Nintendo titles for Nintendo Switch since the launch of the platform, resulting in a software lineup that is unprecedented in both quantity and quality. As you can see with the continued growth in sell-through of evergreen titles into this fiscal year, people who are purchasing a Nintendo Switch for the first time are buying not only new titles, but also previously released titles."

That's par for the course for Nintendo. People see a ??nostalgic character they like, they might buy ??it. And really, a lot of the games on this list are in the top 10 overall best-seller pantheon.

But it's important to note a few outliers. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe was on the top 10 previously, but was knocked out by games like Ring Fit Adventure: it's still selling, and nearly hit one million units? from April through September 2021.

Luigi's Mansion 3 is also on the list, selling 700,000 units in that same timeframe. That's good! A lot of people doubted this series, but it came back in a big way on the Switch and wormed its way into people's hearts. It's easy to see why Nintendo acquired Next Level Games.

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Canadian studio throws all its chips in with Nintendo

Nintendo has announce??d that it has purchased Next L??evel Games, acquiring 100% of its outstanding shares in order to transition the Canadian outfit into a full first-party studio.

"NLG’s shares are currently held entirely by its owner-directors and employees," reads an official document concerning the purchase. "A number of owner-directors recently determined that the time is right for them to sell their shares, and ?NLG therefore began exploring potential sale transactions. Completion of the Acquisition will serve to secure the availability of NLG development resources for Nintendo, including development expertise, as well as facilitate an anticipated improvement in development speed and quality by enabling closer communication and exchange of staff with the Nintendo development team."

The purchase is a no-brainer, given that Next Level has been responsible for a slew of popular Nintendo titles including Wii Punch-Out!!, the Super Mario Strikers titles, Metroid Prime: Federation Force for 3DS, and most recently Luigi's Mansion 3 for Nintendo Switch.

According to the purchase details, the acquisition is expected ?to close on March 1, 2021.

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Now I want this ringtone

Every so often I get the itch to jump back into Luigi's Mansion 3. Sure the multiplayer could be better: but the story is such a breezy thing to replay that it's easy to get sucked in. This video from Coryeavesap makes it very easy to explain why.

Noting that they "got Luigi's Mansion 3 for Christmas last year," they held onto the game for all of 2020 to save it for this spooky October month (neat idea!); and have been "vibing super hard" on Egad's ringtone. I know the feeling! It's one of my favorite little musica?l bits of the past year.

Coryeavesap decided to take it to the next level though, putting a drum beat to the ringtone. The result is a very impressive solo that you can listen to below. Since Egad's theme changes with each iterati?on, I wouldn't mind a new take on it similar to this in the fou?rth game.

I mean, we are getting a fourth Luigi's Mansion ??at some point, right? It would be cruel not to! Plus, given the insane (and ever-rising) install base of the Switch, it would behoove Nintendo to pump out a few sequels to some s?uccessful games before the next system.

Got Luigi’s Mansion 3 for Christmas last year, but decided to wait for spooky season to play it. No regrets. I’ve been vibing super hard to Egad’s ringtone every time he calls me. Inspired me to add some drums to it. Hope somebody on here digs it! from r/NintendoSwitch

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Paper Mario debuts at Number 2

Sony's Ghost of Tsushima has debuted in the top spot of the UK Charts. The bleak samurai saga sold as much as four times the physical copies as Nintendo's cutesy Switch adventure Paper Mario: The Origami King, which settled in at number two.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, it was still a solid physical launch for yer boy Mario, with The Origami King beating launch sales of 2016's Wii U release Paper Mario: Color Splash and 2012 3DS title Paper Mario: Sticker Star. Last week's number one, Codemasters' F1 2020, is still enjoying comfort??able sales and curren??tly sits at number three.

The remainder of the Top Ten is filled out with the usual suspects, as Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II sits at number five, Take-Two's Grand Theft Auto V is at number seven, while Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy refuses to give up the fight, a??nd is cu?rrently parked at number nine.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: July 18, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Ghost of Tsushima - Sony Interactive Entertainment
2. Paper Mario: The Origami King - Nintendo
3. F1 2020 - Codemasters
4. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
5. The Last of Us Part II - Sony Interactive Entertainment
6. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
7. Grand Theft Auto V - Take-Two
8. Minecraft - Nintendo
9. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy - Activision
10. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Abby Road

In a surprising turn of events, Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II has been knocked off of the top of the UK Charts by F1 2020. As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, the latest entry in Codemasters' annual Formula 1 racing series saw its biggest launch since 2017, with physical sales up over 20% of previous series entry F1 2019.

While not perhaps the most globally successful of sporting franchises, the F1 series is particularly popular in the UK, enough so to knock the mega-selling Last of Us sequel of its perch, for now at any rate. Naughty Dog's grim third-person adventure now sits at number three, just behind Nintendo's cutesy life-sim Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Elsewhere in the charts, Harvest Moon remake Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town debuted at a disappointing number 21. The niche farming title caters to a small-but-devoted fan following, and will likely see the majority of its sales through the Nintendo eShop. The UK has also reignited its love for Crash Bandicoot, as Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy hits the To?p Ten once again, bo??uncing from number 18 to number 10.

This week sees the launch of Sony's samurai epic Ghost of Tsushima, which seems almost guaranteed to take the top spot come Monday. For now, however, the da?y belongs to Codemasters.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: July 11, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. F1 2020 - Codemasters
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
3. The Last of Us Part II - Sony Interactive Entertainment
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
5. Minecraft - Nintendo
6. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
7. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
8. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
9. Marvel's Iron Man VR - Sony Interactive Entertainment
10. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy - Activision

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Raising a toast to our beloved community

Helllo friends, and welcome to the weekend. I hope that the past seven days have been good to you and yours, and most importantly that you are staying safe and well. We are undoubte??dly in a year for the history books. Please take care of yourself, those around you, and lend support if you are able to those who are handling this intense year particularly poorly. Whatever we have, we have each other.

I've not played a whole lot this week other than Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath, the DLC expansion to NetherRealm's head-splitting MK 11. Regarding the story epilogue... Well... I could write a book on my thoughts. The bullet-point version is that while I don't care for certain plot beats, characterizations, tone, and another reliance on that conclusion, Aftermath's story does have fantastic animation, wicked fight choreography, and amazing vocal performances from both Mara Junot as my eternal empress Sindel, and from Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, who is absolutely in his element as Shang Tsung. Of the new characters, I'm currently digging Sheeva the most, though all? three fighters are looking strong right off the bat. It has begun... again.

That's what yer boy has been up to. But we aren't here to talk abo??ut me, we're here to talk about you... yes, you. So drop us a quick note below and tell us what has been kee??ping you entertained this past week or incoming weekend. Whether its new games, old games, replays, backloggery, or even just making your own games, come and share the joy with us. We love hearing about it.

Have a safe and pleasant wee?kend, from all of us at Destructoid.

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Street Shark

Deep Silver's Maneater sank its jaws into the UK Charts this week, with the deep-sea shark sim landing at number six. It wasn't nearly enough to dethrone Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons, now nestled at n?umber one for a comfortable third week running.

The only other physical release this week was Saints Row: The Third - Remastered, which still managed to back the number seven spot despite being a relatively basic remaster of a near decade-old title. Elsewhere in the charts, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has pushed into number two, while Electronic Arts' Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order continues?? with its dogged refusal to drop out of the Top Ten, continuing to enjoy healthy sales on a week-to??-week basis.

As more releases are pushed backwards and the high street lockdown continues, the charts remain fairly stagnant in regards to movement. Next week sees the Switch release of 2K Games classics such as BioShock Collection and Borderlands Legendary Collection, as well as Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition, ??so a great sales week for N??intendo is almost guaranteed.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: May 23, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
2. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
4. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
5. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
6. Maneater - Deep Silver
7. Saints Row: The Third Remastered - Deep Silver
8. Minecraft - Nintendo
9. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
10. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Isabellissimo

Another relatively staid week in terms of physical releases has seen Animal Crossing: New Horizons retain its number one spot in the UK Charts. Isabelle and friends held off Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto V and Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare d??esp?ite a slump in overall sales for Nintendo's social sim.

While last week saw a few new titles in the form of Coffee Stain's Huntdown and Platinum Games' The Wonderful 101: Remastered, neither game received a physical release, thus the Top Ten stayed relatively static. Long-termers Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Luigi's Mansion 3, and FIFA 20 are all present and correct.

Activision's Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy made yet another return to the Top Ten, as did Ubisoft's Just Dance 2020, which squeezed its way back in at number 10. Speaking of Ubisoft, end-of-days shooter The Division 2 saw a huge sales surge last week, returning to the Top 40 at number 20, and Sony's God of War also made a bit of comeback, re-??????????????????????????entering at ??number 31.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: May 16, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
2. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
4. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
5. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
6. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
7. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
8. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy - Activision
9. Red Dead Redemption 2 - Take 2
10. Just Dance 2020 - Ubisoft

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Bustin' makes him feel good

Nintendo has released the second part of its downloadable content for spooky sequel Luigi's Mansion 3. Much like the initial expansion, the new content adds n??ew co??stumes, themed ghosts, and mini-games to the Switch adventure.

Multiplayer DLC Pack Part 2 includes three new outfits: "The Amazing Luigi" offers the slick style of a stage magician, while "Cap'n Weegee" turns our boy into a seafaring pirate. Finally, "Paleontoluigist "- which is ?a long walk for a pun - kits Luigi out as a safari-style treasure hunter. These costumes can be worn while exploring ScareScraper mode, and come complete with themed ghosts.

Meanwhile, over in ScreamPark, there are three new multiplayer games to enjoy with your buddies. The ice hockey-style Puckstravaganza, aquatic obstacle course Floaty Frenzy, and sand-balancing challenge Desperate Measures. All of the above content, along with Multiplayer DLC Pack Part 1, are available together in the Multiplayer Pack pass?, available to purchase from the eShop ?for $10. As a bonus, you'll also receive a special Polterpup flashlight.

Luigi's Mansion 3 is available now on Nintendo Switch.

ðŸ´â€â˜ ï¸ Ahoy there Cap'n Weegee! Three more ScareScraper costumes and three new ScreamPark games await in #LuigisMansion3's second DLC pack, out now!

Buy the Multiplayer Pack: //t.co/TD3sEoV2Me pic.twitter.com/S9tRflA7Li

— Nintendo of Europe (@NintendoEurope) April 30, 2020

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Oh Mummy

Luigi's Mansion 3 ha??s been updated to Version 1.30, bringing new features and bug fixes to the spooky Switch advent??ure. In addition, Nintendo has released Multiplayer DLC Pack Part 1, which adds new games and costumes to both ScreamPark and ScareScraper.

Multiplayer DLC Pack? Part 1 adds three fun outfits to Luigi's wardrobe, including a Mummy getup, medieval armour, and... erm... a '70s disco suit complete with quiff. Each costume also comes with its own matching ghost and ScareFloor aesthetic, which is a nice touch.

ScarePark receives three new games: River Bank, which sees players gather coins whilst floating in a waterfall; Tricky G??host Hunt, where players battle to defeat ghosts on an electrified floor; and finally DodgeBrawl, which is pretty self-explanatory. You can check out the multiplayer content in the trailer below.

The Version 1.30 update now lets players take on ScreamPark games alone as a de-facto "practice mode." A "20 Floor" mode has also been added to ScareScraper, while ghosts will now make an appearance in certain missions such as "Defeat the Crows!" and "Collect the Gold!" A new album allows players to listen back to the Luigi's Mansion 3 soundtrack.

Finally, a selection of bug fixes have been made across the board, eradicating issues across Story and ScareScraper modes. For the full patch notes, check out the official Nintendo website right here.

Luigi's Mansion 3 is available now on Nintendo Switch. Both the Multiplayer DLC Pack Part 1 and Part 2 can be purchased together for around $10, with Part 2 expected to re?lease in July.

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FIFA 20 back on top of the premier league

Having spent several weeks hovering around the penalty box, this week's UK Charts sees Electronic Arts' football sim FIFA 20 back at the number? one spot, a position regularly retains on an annual ba?sis.

Making its debut in the Top Ten this week is Zombie Army 4: Dead War, developed and published by Britain's own Rebellion. The co-op shooter sits comfortably at number eight, not quite bothering Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, EA's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order or, of course, Take 2's Grand Theft Auto V, all of which remain nestled in t??he upper echelon.

Nintendo's Ring Fit Adventure - which made a re-entry last week at number seven - has climbed a further two places to settle at number five. The Switch release has seen a sales surge thanks to recent restock after many high street retailers sold out of the popular fitness app over the Holidays. 2K Games' NBA 2K20 has also returned to the Top Ten.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: February 8, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
3. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
4. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo
5. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
6. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
7. Minecraft - Nintendo
8. Zombie Army 4: Dead War - Rebellion
9. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
10. NBA 2K20 - 2K Games

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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It sounds like this is it

It looks like we aren't getting any solo DLC for Luigi's Mansion 3. I'm kind of bummed, but what are you going to do? Next Level Games seem to have their priorities straight, and recently spoke to Kotaku about how the decision came to be to focus entirely on multiplayer.

As creative director Bryce Holliday pints out, despite the fact that "most people" want a campaign focus when i?nitially buying the game, Next Level, as a studio, loves making multiplayer games, ca??lling them the "experiences we wanted to share." Holliday also feels like adding solo content "might break up the flow of the game" as the story has a clear structure to it and a conclusive finale.

??Immediately after reading this I thought "well what about a second location?" Holliday read my mind, noting difficulties with development, specifically time constraints. He says that despite some pressure from Nintendo to develop a solo DLC, the notion "faded quickly," especially after they pitched their multiplayer co??ncepts.

Expect those costumes and minigames to appear soon enough: the two packs will arrive in April and July. I'll giv?e them a whirl, but I hope they're far more expansive than the ones? included in the base game.

Luigi’s Mansion 3 De??velopers Explain Why Their DLC Is Multiplayer [Kotaku]

The post Luigi’s Mansion 3 developers put the kibosh on single player DLC, justifies its multiplayer focus appeared first on Destructoid.

But Call of Duty: Modern Warfare recaptures the top spot

In a continually shuffling UK Chart, Activision's military shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has returned to the number one spot once again, followed by Electronic Arts' persistent sellers FIFA 20 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot has slipped from number ??one to number nine, signifying a peak for?? Bandai Namco's anime adventure.

Elsewhere in the Top Ten, Nintendo maintains a steady flow of all of its major Switch releases, unencumbered by recent stock shortages of both consoles and games across the United Kingdom. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Luigi's Mansion 3 and Minecraft maintain their previous Top Ten status, but are also joined by re-entries Ring Fit Adventure and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: February 1, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
2. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
4. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
5. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
6. Minecraft - Nintendo
7. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo
8. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
9. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot - Bandai Namco
10. The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild - Nintendo

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Goku and friends still Top of the Pops... Just

This week's Ukie/GSD UK Chart listings sees Bandai Namco's anime RPG Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot just hold on to the number one spot, beating out Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare by around 400 units.

This week's figures - as reported by GamesIndustry.biz - see the expected titles continue to shuffle around in what has been a very quiet January.  EA's FIFA 20 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order are still jockeying for position around Nintendo's Luigi's Mansion 3 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Take 2's crime sim Grand Theft Auto V maintains a respectable place in the Top Five, while Ubisoft's Just Dance 2020 continues to sell, long after th??e Ch??ristmas decorations have been shoved back into the attic.

The only real motion of note this week pertains to CD Projekt RED's The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which ?has seen gradual week-on-week success in the wake of the hugely successful Netflix series. Geralt of Rivia's third epic adventure currently sits at number 12 in the chart?s, nearly five years after its initial release. Toss a coin indeed.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: January 25, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot - Bandai Namco Entertainment
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
3. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
4. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
5. Just Dance 2020 - Ubisoft
6. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
7. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
8. Minecraft - Nintendo
9. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
10. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Nintendo

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Surprise sales burst for 3DS titles

Bandai Namco's brand new Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot has had a very positive launch week, which sees the anime RPG rocket straight into the number-one spot of the UK charts, pushing Electronic Arts' FIFA 20 into third place, right behind Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

It was also a curiously successful week for Nintendo 3DS titles, as WarioWare Gold re-entered the charts at number six, as did Metroid Prime: Federation Force. No less than three Yo-Kai Watch titles made a play for the premier leagues, with the original Yo-Kai Watch landing at number nine and Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls appearing at numbers 12 and 13 respectively. The re-released Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore fell just outside the Top Ten at number 11.

Elsewhere in the charts Nintendo still dominates physical game sales, with all major Switch releases holding a place in the Top 40. Mainstays Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate were joined by re-entries Astral Chain and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: January 18, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot - Bandai Namco Entertainment
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
3. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
4. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
5. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
6. Wario Ware Gold - Nintendo
7. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
8. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
9. Yo-Kai Watch - Nintendo
10. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Nintendo

U.K. video game charts [UKie]

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Mishima Zaibatsu back in action

This week's UK Charts continues to see most games simply jockeying for position, as we wait for the first major releases of 2020 to come in and shake things up a little. In the meantime, Electronic Arts' FIFA 20 has returned to the number one spot, pushing Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare into second place and EA's own Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order into third.

The only big shakeup sees three older titles make huge leaps up their respective ladders. A Bandai Namco in-store promotion has seen fighting sequel Tekken 7 and racer Project Cars 2 both leave the high '30s and rocket into numbers four and five respectively. Also making a comeback is Nintendo's Super Mario Odyssey, which climbs from number 22 to number seven.

Elsewhere, Nintendo dominates the physical sales charts, with Super Mario Maker 2, Zelda's Breath of the Wild and Link's Awakening, Pokemon Sword and Shield, Super Mario Party, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Luigi's Mansion 3, and Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training all holding Top 40 positions.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: January 11, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
3. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
4. Tekken 7 - Bandai Namco Entertainment
5. Project Cars 2 - Bandai Namco Entertainment
6. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
7. Super Mario Odyssey - Nintendo
8. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
9. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
10. Borderlands 3 - 2K Games

U.K. video game charts [UKie]

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Dr. Kawashima back in session

The first UK Charts of the new year falls into typical post-holiday fashion, as in very little movement and likely to stay that way for some weeks. Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare retains the number one spot, followed by Electronic Arts' Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and FIFA 20.

The rest of the Top 10 continues to shuffle titles such as 2K Games' Borderlands 3, Take-Two's Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2, and Nintendo's Luigi's Mansion 3 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Speaking of Nintendo, the return of Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training f??????????????????????????or Switch is the only new release this week,?? parking itself at number 14.

As noted by GamesIndustry.biz, this is the first UK Ch??art supplied by GSD, who is taking over compiling the rankings from UKie. In the future, GSD will also be tabulating digital as well as physical sales, but only from publishers willing to volunteer the numbers, with some of the heavy-hitters still holding out.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: January 4, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
2. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
3. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
4. Borderlands 3 - 2K Games
5. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
6. Just Dance 2020 - Ubisoft
7. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
8. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
9. Red Dead Redemption 2 - Take 2
10. Mario & Sonic at The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Sega

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

The post Brain Training is the only new entry in this week’s UK Charts appeared first on Destructoid.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare ends the year on top

The final UK video game chart listings for 2019 have been released, and there has been little movement over the last seven days. Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare remains in the number one spot, closely followed by Electronic Arts' FIFA 19 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

Nintendo has three major titles in the Top Ten in the form of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Luigi's Mansion, and Pokemon Sword. Take 2's Grand Theft Auto V has returned at number six - and, as a side-note, is also the most down??loaded game of ?December in Europe. 2K Games' Borderlands 3, Activision's Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled and Ubisoft's Just Dance 2020 round out the Top Ten.

The real story of 2019 has been the continued decline of physical sales, with almost all major sequels seeing huge number drops on their previous entries. As repo?rted by the number-crunche??rs over at GamesIndustry.biz, physical sales as a whole have droppe??d almost 20% on last year, and it seems that these numbers are likely to fall further in 2020.

The UK Cha??rts themselves are also undergoing a change. As of next week, European body GSD hopes to compile a new chart that includes both physical and digital sales numbers. The unfortunate issue here is that digital sales must be volunteered directly by the publishers, with companies such as Nintendo and Bethesda holding out. Until everybody is on board, a fully-accurate representation of sales figures might not ever be truly possible.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: December 28, 2019
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
2. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
3. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts   
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
5. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
6. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
7. Borderlands 3 - 2K Games
8. Just Dance 2020 - Ubisoft
9. Pokémon Sword - Nintendo
10. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled - Activision

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Who you gonna call?

This Christmas season is, in some places, traditionally a time for ghost stories, but if you have one too many of the spooky-ookies floating around your manor, then perhaps you need one of these nifty Poltergusts, as designe??d by the talented team at Volpin Props.

As used by your boy Luigi in the Luigi's Mansion titles, the Poltergust G-00 is a powerful suction device that allows for the swift - if chaotic - removal of ghosts, spiders, and other creepy creatures from every nook and cranny. Unfortunately, the Volpin Props model doesn't appear to have genuine ghost bustin' capabilities, but still, you have to love ??the meticulous attention to detail and slick design of this sm??art replica.

Luigi's Mansion 3 is available now on Nintendo Switch.

V????????????????????????????olpin Props creates replica of the Poltergust G-00 [MyNintendoNews]

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Guess who's back? Back again...

The final edition of the UK Charts for 2019 has been released, revealing that this year's Christmas number one is Activision's blockbuster shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, fending off strong opposition from Electronic Arts' FIFA 20 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

Nintendo has had a very successful Holiday period in the UK, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Luigi's Mansion 3, and Pokemon Sword all holding high Top Ten positions, while numerous other Switch releases hover in and around the Top 20. Party favourite Just Dance 2020 also sits in the Top Ten, ironically having a seemingly bigger impact for Ubisoft this year than its awful AAA megabucks shooter Ghost Recon: Breakpoint.

The REAL story, however, is the return of perennial UK Charts poster boy Crash Bandicoot, who has not one, but two titles smashing their way into the Top Ten in platforming compendium N.Sane Trilogy and kart racing remake Nitro-Fueled. Nice to see the mad marsupial back on the grid, it wouldn't be a true British yuletide season without Crash Bandicoot, a Bond movie on the T.V., and the impending threat of a economical??ly disa??strous new year.

Merry Christmas.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: December 21, 2019
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
2. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
3. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
5. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
6. Pokémon Sword - Nintendo
7. Just Dance 2020 - Ubisoft
8. Mario & Sonic at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 - Sega
9. Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy - Activision
10. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled - Activision

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Coming in 2020

Have you enjoyed your time with Luigi's Mansion 3? The winner of this year's Best Family Game at The Game Awards -- and one of the nominees for Destructoid's Best Switch Game of 2019 -- has been a huge success since it first launched on Halloween. I love it. Our community loves it. Chrissy Teigen loves it. It's just a love-fest all around?? for Luigi's latest, and easily greatest, ghost-hunting adventure.

That love looks like it'll continue to flow in 2020. As previously announced, Luigi's Mansion 3 will be getting paid DLC for its ScareScraper and ScreamPark modes. Nintendo was mum on exactly ??what this additional content would be, but today it pulled back the curtain on the the first p?art of its multiplayer pack.

The ghost hunt continues into 2020! Get access to 6 new ScareScraper costumes with matching floors and ghosts, and 6 new ScreamPark minigames with the #LuigisMansion3 Multiplayer Pack DLC.

Pre-order now to get a special Polterpup flashlight: //t.co/zz8gk6dHFp pic.twitter.com/x2x9qAueR0

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) December 18, 2019

I am living and breathing for Disco Luigi.

Arriving by April 30, 2020, part one will include three new costumes for L?uigi in the ScareScraper mode along with three new floor themes to match. ScreamPark will also be getting three new games, but we'll have to wait until later to find out exactly what they are. Part two of the multiplayer pack is expected to launch by July 31, 2020 and will bring with it three more costumes, floors themes, and mini-games.

For ?anyone who does drop a Hamilton on the DLC set, they'll receive access to the Flashlight Type-P in the single-player campaign that replaces Luigi's normal flashlight with one that shines Polterpup's face.

Luigi's Mansion 3 Multiplayer Pack [Nintendo]

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The biggest Nintendo launch of 2019 to date

Luigi's Mansion 3 may not have succeeded in knocking Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare off of the top of the UK Charts, but the spooky-ooky title has still be?en a huge success, with the Switch release proving to be Nintendo's biggest launch title of 2019 so ??far.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, physical sales of Luigi's new adventure were 140% higher than its 3DS predecessor, with the new sequel also outperforming both The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and Super Mario Maker 2 (though it should be noted Luigi's Mansion 3 did get an extra day of sales, having launched on a Thursday to coincide with Halloween.?) As is usually the case, the launch of a new Switch title brought a small sal??es boost to most other major Switch releases.

Elsewhere in the charts, Obsidian's The Outer Worlds still sits comfortably in the Top Ten, as does Ubisoft's fan-mauled Ghost Recon: Breakpoint. Disney Classic Games: Aladdin & The Lion King made a quiet debut at number 12, while 2K Games' maligned WWE 2K20 began its d??escent, dropping from number 3 to number 14.

Modern Warfare is likely to remain the game to beat for some time. The upcoming Pokemon Sword and Shield has the oppor?tunity and ability to do so, though it will be hampered in its efforts to reach number 1 by having its sales sp??lit into two separate releases.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: November 2, 2019
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
2. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
3. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
5. The Outer Worlds - Private Division
6. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint - Ubisoft
7. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo
8. Plants Vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville - Electronic Arts
9. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
10. MediEvil - Sony Interactive Entertainment

U.K. video game charts [UKie]

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This ain't no Holiday Inn

In 2014, Next Level Games announced it would be working with Nintendo exclusively on its future projects. For fans of its games, the move made sense. Next Level Games has a rich history of creating outstanding products with Nintendo at its side, but on its own or working with other publishers, it's actually put out some pretty awful titles. Nintendo and Next Level Games is a partnership that works, and there is no better example of the boundless creativity of their collaboration than Luigi’s Mansion 3.

Luigi's Mansion 3 (Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Next Level Games
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: October 31, 2019
MSRP: $59.99

After having to trek through dirty, dingy, and dangerous mansions in his previous two outings, Luigi has earned himself a vacation. Traveling with Mario, Peach, a couple of Toads, and his beloved Polterpup, Luigi heads to the country for some rest and relaxa?tion at The Last Resort, a massive hotel that glistens with gold and is completely free of cobwebs. Unfortunately for Luigi and the rest of his crew, this won’t be a restful vacation as it’s quickly revealed that Hellen Gravely, the proprietor of this establishment, is working with art-aficionado King Boo to once again trap his enemies in paintings. After discovering the new Poltergust G-00 and freeing a captured Professor E. Gadd, Luigi sets out to find his friends and catch any ghosts that float in his way.

Only this time, he doesn’t have to do it alone. Not long into the story, E. Gadd upgrades the G-00, giving Luigi access to Gooigi. This gives players the option of turning this single-player adventure into a couch co-op experience. You have the choice of limiting your control options by splitting the Joy-Con for co-op or the second player can join with their own controller. While the addition of Gooigi to the Luigi's Mansion mythos makes co-op an obvious inclusion, it's clear throughout the campaign this is designed to primarily be a single-player quest. Co-op is a welcomed addition, sure, but not what I consider to be the ideal way to experience Luigi's Mansion 3.

Both Luigi and Gooigi have access to the same tools of the Poltergust, including the suck and blow features, the Strobulb, the dark light, the suction shot, the burst, and the slam attack. The latter three tools are new for Luigi’s Mansion 3 and are essential to defeating the different types of ghosts you’ll encounter. Some protect themselves with shields, others wear their sunglasses at night. Knowing which tool is required for the right situation will keep you from losing too much health as you find your way through this wretched resort. They’re also necessary for solving the many inventive puzzles the developers have cooked up. Most puzzles give players unlimited chances to solve them, but a choice few result in instant death if yo??u’re unable to find the solution in time.

The layout of The Last Resort is Next Level Games’ attempt at combining the singular location of the original Luigi’s Mansion with the variety of the mini-mansions found in Dark Moon on the 3DS. While many of the floors are typical of what you’d see in a posh and luxurious hotel -- a gym, a shopping center, a nightclub, etc. -- a few defy logic and physics in their design and inclusion. Not only does this hotel house its own miniature desert, but in that desert is an entire pyramid complete with hidden tombs. Coup?le that with a pirate’s grotto, museum, movie studio, and castle, and this hotel starts to feel like one of those motels with the themed rooms, only with a much bigger design budget.

What’s nice is these massive themed areas aren’t all grouped together. The structure of this hotel keeps it varied with these extraordinary stages sandwiched between the more standard floors. Most of these locales are 100% on point in design and exe??cution, though some I feel are better ideas on paper than in practice. The aforementioned pirate’s grotto doesn’t offer much in the way of exploration,? resulting in one of the shorter floors in the game’s 15-hour campaign.

However, just because it’s over in a flash doesn’t mean it’s easy to?? forget. In fact, the shorter stages make up for their lack of length with brilliant puzzles and some wonderfully designed boss battles. In particular, the fights at the end of the pirate's grotto and movie studio floors are without a doubt the mo??st entertaining boss bouts I've encountered all year. The same rings true for most of the boss fights here as they either excel in their design and theatrics or in how well they test the player’s competency with the tools at Luigi’s disposal. There are a few misses, such as the ghost you fight at the end of the desert stage, but for the most part, these fights are above and beyond anything the series has seen before.

Above and beyond is actually a great way to describe most of Luigi’s Mansion 3. Nearly everything the franchise has done in the past, it does better. A giant hotel isn’t as intimate as the mansion in the GameCube original, but the amount of detail found in these haunted halls is unrivaled. From its most basic areas to its most extravagant, there isn’t a spot in this place that isn’t exceptionally decorated with bespoke lighting that gives credence to Luigi’s unease about this whole situation. Interactivity has always been a key component of the Luigi’s Mansion experience and it’s no differ??ent here. Nearly every piece of décor you encounter holds a second purpose. Some will grant you money, others are to be used in the puzzles and secrets scattered around the hotel.

The best details, however, are found in the character animations. While E. Gadd can be a bit unsettling to look at in HD, Next Level Games is putting the power of the Switch to good use with how it injects humor into the movements and facial expressions of Luigi, the Toads, Polterpup, Hellen Gravely, and every other spirit bound to this hotel. If you found the Possessors of Dark Moon lacking personality?, the staff and guests of The Last Resort have it in spades.

Beyond that immaculate animation, credit must be given to long-time voice actor Charles Martinet. While Luigi still doesn’t talk ??in complete sentences or utter anything more complicated than a three-syllable word, Martinet’s delivery of every scream, shout, sigh, sniffle, and shriek showcases a talent that has not only confidently settled into this role but is also having an absolute gas with the variety of vocal expressions this series allows him.

Martinet’s voice work only becomes more charming when there are four Luigis sharing the stage in the ScareScraper. Returning from Dark Moon, ScareScraper is an online multiplayer mode where up to four Luigis work together to clear randomized floors of a five- or ten-floor tow?er. Each floor has its own objective like catching all the ghosts or saving all the Toads and a time limit it must be completed in. In addition to those tasks, each floor houses a bevy of secrets that can reward players with money, more time on ??the clock, or special tools they can use on that floor.

If there is any aspect of Luigi's Mansion 3 that pales in comparison to prior entries, it's the lack of options in the ScareScraper. You can play locally or online in co-op or solo, but without a difficulty selector, true solo play is bas?ically a non-starter. The mode?? does not adjust its challenge to how many players are attempting to complete it, so without a team of Luigis to pick up the slack, it will be difficult for people to clear a single floor by themselves, let alone an entire tower.

While ScareScraper options are more limi?ted here than in its original incarnation, the fun factor remains near identical. Teaming up with four people online to hunt ghosts is an exhilarating experience. Without voice chat, I had to use button prompts to alert my fellow Luigis if something was wrong or I needed them to come join me. The system worked well enough if my teammates were actually paying attention. Even when we failed, and during this review period we failed in all but one instance to reach the top of the tower, I was ready to go again because of how much I was enjoying myself.

Not only is the ScareScraper the best online multiplayer experience I’ve had all year, it was also a near-flawless one as the framerate barely budged during the time I was able to test it out with three other players. The only time I distinctly remember a drop of any kind was when the four of us were in a room filled with mini ghosts and two of us had our Gooigis out. But even in that moment, the slowdown lasted only a few seconds before everything was back to being smooth as butter, which is a great relief given Nintendo’s uneven history with onlin??e gameplay.

The big new addition to the Luigi’s Mansion series is the multiplayer ScreamPark mode, but the less said a??bout it, the better. Unlike the ScareScraper, this mode supports up to eight players -- four Luigis and four Gooigis. While this could make for an interesting party game experience, n?one of the included minigames are deserving of anything more than a slight glance. Coin Float is something that should only be played to prepare you for one of the more irritating boss battles in the main campaign. Cannon Barrage needs a minimum of four players to be even remotely fun. And Ghost Hunt is pretty much just a simplified version of the ScareScraper. More minigames are on the way with upcoming paid DLC, but unless bots are added, I don't see myself visiting the ScreamPark again.

The Luigi’s Mansion franchise has come a long way since the original was criticized over its lack of content. With an absorbing single-player campaign and a Scarescraper that still packs a punch, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is the most content-rich entry in the series, and one of the best times I've had with my Switch in 20??19.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Gooigi-spin

Continuing its use of Tetris 99 to advertise the newest first-party games coming to the Switch, Nintendo has announced a Luigi's Mansion 3 Tetris Maximu?s Cup for this weekend. The event will run from Friday, October 25 through Monday, October 28.

Like previous Tetris 99 cups before it, the eighth Maximus Cup will be ?a competition to see who can obtain the most points in the allotted time. Players obtain points based on where they finish in the bat??tle royale, ranging from 1 to 100 each match.

As was the case with prior cups, any players who score a cumulative total of 100 points get to keep the Luigi's Mansion 3 theme for future use. Nintendo of Japan dropped a preview of the theme in action and it's pretty great. After the boisterous Fire Emblem: Three Houses one in the sixth Max?imus Cup, I'm glad to see Nintendo continuing the trend of more ?subdued themes that don't take away from the game.

Tetris 99 is available now for the Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service. Luigi's Mansion 3 will release on October 31.

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If you wanna go faster

Have we seen the entirety of Luigi's Mansion 3 via gameplay videos now? Well, probably not, but Nintendo certainly hasn't been shy when it comes to showing off extended segments of action taken from the Switch spook 'em up.

This latest video, titled "ScreamPark," focuses on three multiplayer modes headed to the game, which will see Luigi and his jello-loving pal Gooigi take time out from exploring the dank corridors o?f the haunted hotel to engage in a little friendly competition. Each mode supports up to four players and offers added attraction to complement the game's story mode.

"Ghost Hunt" is a race against time where each player must capture as many ghoulies as possible in a creepy cemetery. Special ghosts offer big bonuses, so keep an eye out for those. "Cannon Barrage" sees players team up to take down a series of targets, using slick teamwork to gather cannonballs, load, aim and fire the cannon, watch out for your opponents trying to wreck your flow though! Finally, "Coin Floating," perhaps the weirdest fit, sees Luigi and friends paddle around a swimming pool, gathering coins and avoiding floating mines... Was that one just a left over from Super Mario Party or something?

Luigi's Mansion 3 launches October 31 on Nintendo Switch.

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The first five floors of The Last Resort

Despite its faults, I will always look back on my time with the original Luigi's Mansion fondly. After being forced to play as Luigi for years as my older brother would always get to be first player, it was nice to see Nintendo put him in a game of his own; one full of personality and ghostly characters that felt as though they had a long, family history. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon got rid of a lot of that person??ality, replacing it with more -- specifically, more mansions, more variety, and more rep??lay value.

In my discussions with Luigi's Mansion fans, I've found many have a strong preference for either game, some favoring the characterization of the first while others go for the wonderful Scarescrape mode of the sequel. It'll be interesting to see what these groups think of Luigi's Mansion 3 when the?y get their hands on it at the end of the month. Because it's shaping up to be the best of both worlds and so much more.

Things go south for Luigi and company pretty quickly at the beginning of Luigi's Mansion 3. After checking into The Last Resort -- a posh and isolated hotel he's staying at with Mario, Peach, and a couple of Toads -- Luigi quickly discovers this resort is all a ruse. The ghosts he valiantly caught in Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon are on the loose, with big baddie King Boo looking to make the entire Mario clan the latest entries in his art collection. After narrowly escaping down a laundry chute, Luig??i finds a hidden Poltergust G-00 and sets off to do what he does best: wrecking the shit out of a building like it's demolition day on a home improvement show.

The first five floors of The Last Resort don't feature any of the themed decor later floors do, but this hotel is one exquisitely designed building. The ope??ning sequence when everything is bright and sunny is extraordinary and perfectly sets up how dark and t??wisted it becomes once night rolls around. The elegant lobby transforms into a vexing vestibule, the rooms turn into crime scenes, and the haughty hallways become haunted by ghosts and the series most creepy-looking spiders to date.

To deal with the creepy crawlers, alive or otherwise, Luigi has a set of new tools he can use to defeat them. The Polterguist G-00 retains the abilities from Dark Moon, including suck and blow features, the Strobulb, and the dark light. New to the G-00 are the suction shot that is used mostly in puzzle solving, the burst which allows Luigi to jump, and the slam attack he can use to pulverize ghosts like he's the Hulk at the end of Avengers. Also new is Gooigi, returning from the 3DS remake of Luigi's Mansion. 

In two-player mode, the second player can take control of Gooigi as the players work together to advance through the game. Now, I am going through the campaign solo right now -- I will be giving co-op a shot for the final review -- and I'm interested to see how some of the situations are handled. Because while Gooigi so far has mostly been used for light puzzle-solving and accessing areas Luigi can't squeeze through, there is also one battle against a hilarious Paul Blart-esque mall co??p in the hotel's shopping section that could only be done as Gooigi. How this works with two players, I don't know.

That boss battle is far the best I've encountered and it's another example of how the developers are injecting genuinely good comedy throughout. This is a funny game and that humor rests on the shoulders of the character animators who are clearly putting the power of the Switch to good use. One of the most compelling aspects of the Luigi's Mansion series is how the developers have utilized the available technology to give Luigi a personality through his actions, voice, and facial expressions. In 3, Next Level Games is taking Luigi far beyond what we've seen him do before, infusing his reactions with movements that would f??i??t right in with a Buster Keaton comedy.

Progress through the Hotel hasn't been as simple as you might expect it to be. Various ghosts, mostly the boss characters, have tak??en the floor buttons to the elevator and hidden them on their used-to-be persons. Those buttons are not recovered in any sort of order and you jump around from floor to floor as you explore. Areas not accessible earlier in the game become urgent destinations once you unlock certain tools in your Poltergust G-00. There is always a re?ason to return at least once to a floor you've already conquered.

Like with the previous two games, Luigi's Mansion 3 isn't just about catching ghosts. It's also about getting filthy rich. Every room in the building is loaded with coins, cash, and gold bars with special critters scattered throughout that reward you heavily if you manage to suck them up into your Poltergust. Looting the crap out of each room might seem like it would get tiresome, but it's actually a great way to discover hidden puzzles. The Last Resort is full of secrets and I'm routinely rewarded for experimenting with my vacuum thingamajig in each room I enter. These puzzles, along with hidden gem??s and hidden boos, provide a great reason to explore ever??y nook and cranny of this hotel.

There are still so many floors for me to see and ghosts to catch, as well as the Scarescraper and Screampark multiplayer modes. Expect to find out about all that and more when the full review of Luigi's Mansion 3 hits later this month.

_{[This preview is based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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There's something strange in the neighbourhood

Nintendo Japan has released a lengthy trailer taking a look at the upcoming spook-fest Luigi's Mansion 3, which is headin??g to Swit??ch in time for the creepiest night of them all, Halloween.

The near-six minute video features a little bit of background plot as to the events of Luigi's latest ghostbustin' adventure, followed by gameplay highlighting some of the haunted hotel's locations, puzzles and, of course, ghoulish denizens. Fortunately, Luigi isn't alone on this journey, as he will be helped out by his delicious looking je??lly friend, Gooigi, who can be controlled by a second player for co-op action

You can check out the new footage below, although fans eager to get in on the action might want to stay spoiler-fr?ee. There's not too much longer to go until release day, after all.

Luigi's Mansion 3 launches on Nintendo Switch October 31.

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Two to eight-player madness

Before we know it, it'll be Halloween, and that means Luigi's Mansion 3. During today's Nintendo Direct, we got a glimpse at some of the game's hotel floor levels like Tomb Suites, The Dance Hall, and The Spectral Catch, along with a fresh look at the multiplayer ScreamPark mode. It is chaotic.

Players on Team Luigi and? Team Gooigi will go head-to-head with support for up to eight playe??rs using a single Switch. It's a race to catch ghosts, collect coins while riding floaties in a pool, and smash targets.

It won't be much more than a dis??traction in my? house, but I'm down.

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Remember when he DIED during that Direct?

Saving one of the coolest videos for the end of the Gamescom week, Nintendo has released a near 30-minute gameplay overview for its spooky sequel, Luigi's Mansion 3, co?ming ??to Switch on October 31; Halloween, suitably enough.

In the video,? we get to see the greener Mario Brother make his way through a new locale filled with ghosts, ghoulies and other weird creatures. Armed with his trusty Poltergust, Luigi has a range of moves and abilities that can be used to adapt the environment around him to help him on his way. Here in the botanical gardens, Luigi encounters a flower-watering custodian, and us?es the light from his torch to cause plants to bloom into cascades of coins.

Not alone on his supernatural quest, Luigi is joined later in the video by his jelly-like doppelganger Gooigi, as Luigi's Mansion 3 shows off some of its co-op multiplayer gameplay. The video is presided over by hosts, which blocks the sound and immersion somewhat, but it's a safe bet to suggest that Luigi's Mansion 3 is looking good, and sure to recreate the fun of?? the GameC?ube and 3DS classics.

Luigi's Mansion 3 launches on Nintendo Switch October 31.

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No, not Tax Day

Most of Nintendo's release calendar was set in stone at E3 this year, with its biggest titles of the show getting comfortable release dates throughout 2019 and into March of next year. The one exception was Luigi's Mansion 3, the Next Level Games-developed threequel to Nintendo's wonderful Mario haunted house spin-off. We knew it was coming in 2019, it didn't get pushed into 2020 like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but we didn't know exact??ly when it would be playable on our Switch consoles.

Now we do. Nintendo confirmed this morning Luigi's Mansion 3 will launch on October 31, 2019.

When Luigi’s friends go missing on vacation, it’s up to our reluctant hero to save them from the ghosts in the Last Resort hotel! Join forces with Gooigi, slam ghosts, & prepare for a spooky treat when #LuigisMansion3 arrives to #NintendoSwitch on 10/31!//t.co/3fg4O2t6PB pic.twitter.com/iNM9BKNKg5

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 17, 2019

There really isn't any other day it would be right to release this game. Jordan Devore previewed it at E3, calling it a "gooey good time." I was able to test the demo at the show this year as well and as someone who did finish Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon -- the shade is real, Devore -- I believe this might be the best Luigi's Mansion yet.

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