The Haunted Towers location in Luigi’s Mansion 2 is a twisting, vertical mansion. However, it too has 13 gems located in it across the various chapters you go through. Here is how you find each and every ??one of them.

Tower Lobby

First available in: B-1
The first gem is a bit sneaky. When you’re going up the stairs in the Tower Lobby, you might catch a glimpse of it. It’s underneath the stairway. You can get to ?it by going behind the lower set of stairs and then walking toward the foreground.

Laboratory

First available in: B-1
You can see the laboratory gem on the ground floor in one of the glass tubes. In order to get to it, you need to inflate one of the bubble plan?ts, then gradually descend until you land inside of the tube.

Garden

First available in: B-2
In the garden, you’ll see a number of budding plants. You’ll need to grow them by grabbing one of the buckets with your vacuum, then filling it with water using the eavestrough. Take the water and splash it on one of the buds, and they will grow into a pink flow??er. Flash them with your light to get them to open. One of them will spit out a gem.

Botany Lab

First available in: B-2
There’s a puzzle in the Botany Lab where you connect a pipe using the dark-light, but don’t do it?? right away. First, fill a bucket using the water coming from the disconnected pipe.?? Then, take the bucket to the back-right corner of the lab and splash the water onto the budding plant. It will grow. Flash it with your light, and it will open, spitting out a gem.

Seedling Lab

First available in: B-2
There’s a potato cannon in the ??Seedling Lab. If you use it, you’ll see a mouse running back and forth with a gem trailing behind it. Shoot the mouse (you may need to remove some pots first), and it will drop the gem.

West Garden

First available in: B-3
In the back-left area of the Tower lobby, there are two pipes with a gap between them. Use the dark-light to reveal a hidden pipe. Then, go down to the bottom of the stairs and look for a wall with a doormat in front of it. Use your dark-light to reveal a hidden door. There’s a plant guarding a ha?llway, but the water pipe you repaired will pour onto a spikey plant, which you can use to? eliminate the enemy. Follow the hall into the West Garden, where you’ll find a chest with the gem.

Hollow Tree

First available in: B-3
The gem is a bit of a process. At the roots of the tree, you can find some web balls. Light one on fire, then go to the left-front side of the room and burn through spider webs. In that small cave, you’ll find a bucket. Take it back, fill it, then go to a similar cave on the right-front side. In there, you’ll find a pink flower. Throw the water on it, and it will bloom. Flash it with your light,? and it will spit out the gem. 

Old Cemetery

First available in: B-3
This one isn’t much of a mystery. Near a crow statue, you’ll find the? gem on a vine. Just suck it down.

Skybridge

First available in: B-4
In the chapter, there are hostile flowers hanging over the Skybridge. If you goad?? them into trying to attack you but move out of the way, they’ll ball up. Suck ?them up and pull them until they pop. The last flower will have your gem.

Rumpus Room

First available in: B-4
Here’s a fun one. You’ll know the Rumpus Room by the creepy doll in the center of it, which constantly watches Luigi. If you c??ircle the doll (I went counter-clockwise, but the other way may work), the he??ad will slowly loosen until it falls off entirely. In its place will be a gem.

Solarium

First available in: B-4
The Solarium has a nice-looking br?eakfast nook on the ground floor. Shine you?r dark-light on it, and a chest will be revealed. In it is the gem.

Conservatory

First available in: B-4
If you use one of the bubble plants to get up to the right platform in the Conservatory, you can shine your dark-light on the seeming??ly blank wall to reveal a door. Opening this will suck Luigi into the bonus dimension. Quickly plot a route, then run around to collect all the coins. Once all of them have been picked up, you’ll be rewarded with a gem.

West Bathroom

First available in: B-4
If you’re like me, you pull on every piece of hanging cloth, but you might miss this one. I?n the bathroom, a roll of toilet paper has a sheet hanging, pull on that, and the gem will pop out. Strange place to keep a ??semi-precious stone.

The post Luigi’s Mansion 2 all 13 Haunted Towers gem locations appeared first on Destructoid.

Standing at over 200 games, multiple movies, and more merch than you can shake a Koopa at �the Mario franchise has become a staple in the worldwide society, even including non-gamers. Even though most Mario titles like Super Mario Bros. Wonder star the plump plumber, there are actually quite a few Mario games in the series where Mario isn't the protagonist?.

Mario Games Where Mario isn't the main character

#10 - Mario is Missing! (MS-DOS)

A Nintendo game on the computer? Why, yes, it sure is! There just can't be a list of Mario games not starring Mario, without including Mario is Missing! While there are certainly better games to pick from, there's only one where Luigi is forced to learn real-world history? while battling King Koopa's forces. I?s it a good game? Certainly not. Is it worth playing? Maybe? If nothing else, play it for the novelty of being the first Mario game to be released on PC. Just remember, Caveat Emptor and all that jazz.

#9 - Super Mario Maker 2 (Switch)

Don't click away! Yes, Mario is shown wearing that cute construction hat, and yes, he is selectable during the action mode. However, the true stars of Super Mario Maker 2 are the course creators. Mario didn't create musical levels where the player can walk two steps, put the controller down, and enjoy a symphony of obscene noises as they careen across a perfectly engineered?? stage. It was those awesome individuals out there who always dreamed of creating their own digital torture devices that Nintendo was more than happy to give them.

#8 - Yoshi's Cookie (NES)

Yoshi's Cookie is a puzzle game that features Mario but is largely focused on Yoshi. Especially in the NES version, Mario is toiling away in the kitchen, but the recipient of ?said cookies is presumably Yoshi. So who really is the protagonist here? Outside of this inferred plot, the game is a matching puzzler where players line up cookie?s to create rows and clear them. It's a good amount of fun, especially in versus, and if there weren't so many great titles to pick from, would have jumped a good bit higher than number eight.

#7 - Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Wii U)

Super Mario 3D World was fun on its own but the inclusion of the Captain Toad levels took it to a whole other level. It was only a matter of time until Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker took the titular explorer on his own adventure. Treasure Tracker is a fun ride ??through heavy puzzle games with no Mario in sight. If only Nintendo would discount it more than a measly ten percent, mo?re players would get to experience the sheer joy of solving those cute cube dioramas.

#6 - Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (GB)

Even though his name is literally in the title, Super Mario Land 3 doesn't star Mario. Instead of the red plumber, Nintendo presents the yellow slum-er in a surprisingly fun departure from the series. Wario's signature greed, which continues all the way through WarioWare: Move It!, is fully present here. Wario's key motivation isn't to save a princess, but instead to earn enough moolah to get a castle that's bigger than Mari??o's. So he sets out and robs literally everyone to get it. There aren't many games out there, let alone Mario games, that encourage players to be greedy enough to purchase their own planet by the end, but Wario Land makes it happen.

#5 - Super Princess Peach (DS)

That's right. Someone remembers this game exists. Super Princess Peach was the first (technically second if Princess Toadstool's Castle Run counts), starring the Mushroom Kingdom's first lady. Unlike other main series Mario Games, Peach returns to her castle after a light stroll to find a note from Bowser explaining that he's captured Mario and Luigi. This sets Peach off and she goes on a Kill Bill-style revenge mission to save the brothers and thwart the lizard king's nefarious plans. Okay. Maybe less Kill Bill and more Carebears, but still a really awesome game! Princess Peach's adventure made this list due to its more laid-back gameplay, shift in narrative focus, and the fact that it took almost two decades years for her to get a follow-up game in Princess Peach: Showtime! She deserves so much more.

#4 - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (SNES)

Super Mario World was a tall order to follow. It blew everyone's minds back in the '90s, leaving fans to wonder where the sequel would take the brotherly duo. In 1995, Nintendo released Super Mario World 2 starring Yoshi instead, and it was so much better for it. Set in a timeline where Mario and Luigi are wee babes only capable of crying so loudly that Kamek is forced to kidnap them to shut them up, a group of Yoshis take on the starring role and do a masterful job of babysitting while platforming. Yoshi's Island remains a refreshing departure for the series with its more laid-back approach, targeting-based gameplay, and visual style. The release of Yoshi's Crafted World and other great Yoshi titles continues this tradition with fans still?? loving every minute of them. Especially since there's no longer a crying baby to lasso.

#3 - Luigi's Mansion (GCN)

For years, Luigi stood quietly in the shadow of his older brother, even enduring the hell of an educational game just to bring him back so the franchise could continue. Such was his fate until Nintendo finally gave him his own game alongside a poltergeist-infested mansion to boot. Surprisingly, this still counts as part of the Mario Game Franchise, and yet another title that doesn't star Mario Mario. While Luigi's Mansion 3 has a Pixar-esque charm, it fails to hit the high notes of the GameCube original. With unique mechanics and enemy design, Luigi's Mansion is a great g??ame to play for those wanting a change??.

#2 - Mario Kart (Franchise)

3,2,1, it's Mario Kart! While there are plenty of platformers not starring Mario, ignoring the spin-off games with the mustachioed one's moniker is a mistake. From 1992's Super Mario Kart, all the way to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, an ensemble cast has taken to the road with Mario often being left out. While not every game in the series has stats, when they do, Mario often is middle of the road. He typically has a more balanced acceleration, top speed, and handling, making him a "safe" choice for beginners. Veteran players will typically opt for characters like Bowser or Toad to have a more customized fit to their playstyles. In most play sessions, that leaves the selection of the ??suspendered hero of our story in dead last. Racing puns.

#1 - Mario Party (Franchise)

Hurt feelings, destroyed friendships, and the acrid smell of ripped flesh from sweaty bruised palms are not often associated with Mario games. Since its release in 1999, Mario Party has become a staple of the series that fans just can't get enough of. While Mario is certainly in the name, and it can be assumed that every party is somehow his party, selfish, each game features an ensemble cast. With more interesting characters to pick from, Mario is often on the bench as his compatriots skip along the gameboard without him. It takes the number one spot, not due to innovation in each entry, see Mario Party Superstars, but from pure fun factor. Every g??ame in the series is just downright entertaining even without the sanguine-hatted plumber lead?ing the way.

The post Top 10 Mario games where Mario isn’t the protagonist appeared first on Destructoid.

Coming in 2024

Previously released in 2013 exclusively on 3DS, Nintendo announced today during their June 21 Direct that Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is coming to Switch. "It's launching next year, it's a port of the 3DS game, and it's visually enhanced" is pretty much all we got! It was a hurried announcement directly after the reveal that Princess Peach was getting her o???wn game, and both are due out in 2024.

Here's all Nintendo had to say about?? it after the stream:

"A visually enhanced version of Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, originally released on Nintendo 3DS, is currently in development for Nintendo Switch. Can Luigi summon the courage to save Evershade Valley? Explore haunted mansions full of spooky specters and bone-chilling challenges next year. More information will be available in the f??uture."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7t5jnpkCkI

Classic "more info in the future!" For reference, the announcement starts at 42:30, and Nintendo declined to provide a separate trailer for Dark Moon Switch.

Although the 3DS had a pretty firm install base in 2013, getting this series out to a new audience is a great thing. Luigi's Mansion is kind of an unsung franchise for Nintendo, and it does well enough to continue on: I'll take anything I can get! That includes a new iteration of the Luigi's Mansion arca??de game, which I pretty much have memori?zed at this point.

The post Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon is coming to Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

Check out these Halloween pumpkins with a nerdy twist

I'm not much of a pumpkin-carver myself, but one of the my favorite Halloween activities is seeing everyone post their cool jack-o'-lanterns online. It's all of the fun of a time-honored tradition with none of the work or mess,? so that's a win-win in my book. While there are some pretty impressive carvings out there, obviously the best ones are the gaming-themed gourds, and there are plenty of them out there. This year, I scoured Reddit in search of the best pumpkins so you don't have to, and I have to say that I'm pretty pleased with the selection this year.

Cult of the Lamb

Starting off strong with one of my favorite games of the year, this pumpkin features the titular character of Cult of the Lamb, the ado?rably twisted roguelike/management si?m. This carving is complete with bleeding eyes and his little hat, but the best part is that the back of the pumpkin is carved with the symbols of all four heretic prophets. Major points for the attention to detail!

/??/www.redd??it.com/r/gaming/comments/yfezqe/worship_lamb/

Pac-Man

Pac-Man is one of the most well-loved games of all time, so it's only natural it would pop up on this list more than once?. This jack-o'-lantern in particular features one of the game's four ghosts, and has the bottom of the pumpkin carved out to make the little guy look like he's floating. I have n??o idea how they managed to suspend the light inside, but it looks awesome.

//www.reddit.com/r/gaming/??comments/y997bq/pac?man_ghost_made_for_a_work_pumpkin_contest/

Resident Evil Village

It wouldn't be Halloween with a Resident Evil-themed pumpkin, and th?is one features the giantess that broke the internet: Lady Dimitrescu. I'm honestly surprised at how well her likeness transferred onto a seasonal fruit, but sure enough, it's unmistakably her. Couldn't miss her with that cleavage and that hat.

//www.reddit.com/r??/gaming/comments/yfrezr/lady_dimitrescu_pumpki?n_i_carved_this_year/

Fallout

This next one isn't so much a pumpkin carving as it is a pumpkin painting, but it's definitely in the spirit of things, so I'm including it. A Fallout fan painted his pumpkin so that it depic??ted the Vault Boy in his classic thumbs up pose, and he even has the matching t-shirt to boot. A painted design looks like a great alternative for someone who doesn't want to spend half the night mopping up pumpkin guts, so I might have to follow suit next year.

//www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/y6j?8wx/vault_boy_?pumpkin_i_painted/

Portal

Okay, this Portal pumpkin has to be my favorite of the year. Not only is it from one of my favorite game series of all time, but this turret pumpkin carving has to be one of the most creative jack-o'-lantern designs I've ever seen. The creator actually 3D printed all of the plastic pieces featured (and provided the plans for anyone who wants to replicate it), and actually posted a video of the build. This is a triumph, huge success.

//www.redd?it.com/r/gaming/comments/yfzhl8/i_made_my_pumpkin_into_a_portal_turret_for/

The Legend of Zelda

//www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comm?ents/y5xoxe/i_carved_link_into_a_pumpkin/

It's great to see another classic game series represented, and this pumpkin was carved with all of the elegance the series deserves. It may be a bit simple compared to some of the other jack-o'-lanterns on this list, but it's got to be one of the cleanest. The simple, cartoony depiction of Breath of the Wild Link is so well carved, I can't imagine how muc??h time it took to refine.

Half-Life, Pac-Man, and Chess

What's better than a jack-o'-lantern? Four jack-o'-lanterns! An entire family carved their pumpkins together to depict their favorite games, featuring the Half-Life logo, a depiction of Pac-Man chasing a ghost, and what was going to be a chess board, the poster clarified in the comments, but ended up being? a cool-looking geometric design. There's also a little mini pumpkin in the mix, and while I don't think the owl is a nod to any game in particular, it is absolutely adorable.

//www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/yf9s3h/chec?k_out_my_familys_pumpkins_mine_is_the/

Minecraft and Among Us

Pretty much all of the Halloween pumpkin carvings on this list look like they could have been done by a professional, but these pumpkins actually were -- the Minecraft and Among Us pumpkins are part of an event called Carved at the D?escanso Gardens in La Cañada Fli??ntridge, California. The meticulously detailed jack-o'-lanterns are some of the best I've ever seen, and I understand why people would pay money to see gardens full of pumpkins like these.

//www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comm??ents/yb8ny8/gaming_pumpkins_carved_descanso_gardens/

Luigi's Mansion

Luigi's Mansion is a perfect game to represent on a Halloween pumpkin, because what could be more Halloween-y than a big spooky house full of ghosts. Not only does the front have a classically-terrified Luigi mid-scream, but also features a boo carved into the back, which illuminates the ?wall behind with its spooky silhouette. Great idea, even better execution!

//www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/yfmzvn/my_jack_olantern_t?his_year/

Well, that's our list of the best gaming Halloween pumpkins of the year. Are there any we missed? Do you carve your own gaming jack-o'-lanterns? What's your favorite game you'd want to see carved into the side of a?? gourd? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Here are the best g?amin??g-themed pumpkin carvings this Halloween appeared first on Destructoid.

Chance would be a fine thing

The President and Co-Founder of Next Level Games �the studio behind the latter Luigi's Mansion titles �has announced their retirement from the industry. Douglas Tronsgard's news comes just one year after th??e studio was officially p??urchased by its long-time publishing partner, Nintendo.

"After over 20 years in the Video Game Industry, I am happy to announce my retirement," said Trongard in a short message on LinkedIn. "I wanted to say ‘thank you�to everyone who helped me on my journey to ??get here. A special thank you to Nintendo for believing in me and Next Level Games. It’s truly been my honor to be a part of NLG’s incredible history."

"I look forward to a new chapter in my life that should involve lo??ts of travelling with my wife. Take care everyone and enjoy the journey!"

Having worked at the Canadian studio since its inception in the summer of 2002, Trongard has overseen an array of great Nintendo titles including soccer series Super Mario Strikers, the Nintendo Wii edition of Punch-Out!!, Nintendo 3DS release Metroid Prime: Federation Force, and both Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Switch release Luigi's Mansion 3. Nintendo purchased Next Level Games in Janua?ry 20??21.

It seems that the success of the company has led its CEO to a position where they can already move on from the industry and enjoy the fruits of their labors. It is with no small amount of furious envy that I wish Tronsgard well on his endeavors traveling the world and not going to work. Meanwhile, back at Next Level Games, work continues on the company's next release Mario Strikers: Battle League.

The post Next Level Games founder retires following Nintendo acquisit??ion appeared first on Destructoid.

If there is no Mario-in-a-painting piece then what's the point

The partnership between LEGO and Nintendo seems to be a bountiful one as the two companies continue to put out sets aimed at all ages of collectors. For single, sad, lonely adults like myself, there are the collector's sets that include the LEGO NES and the recently launched LEGO Super Mario 64 Question Mark Block. For those younger and still in tune ??with their ??imaginations, there's the Super Mario line which is set to expand yet again with some LEGO Luigi's Mansion sets.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuGsLRNS5VI

Here's the thing. Though I have a closet that is slowly filling up with unopened LEGO sets because I buy more than I have space for (can't wait for the Home Alone mansion to go on sale), I really haven't had any interest in diving into the LEGO Super Mario line. But this year has proven quite difficult to keep with that way of thinking. Not only do we have these Luigi's Mansion-inspired sets on the way, but that airship set they revealed earlier ??this yea??r is pretty damn dope and I wouldn't mind seeing that sitting on one of my shelves.

What's great about this addition is it opens the door for some fun possibilities with the LEGO Super Mario line. This could all just be the first step into new sets that really dive into the character's history. Today it's Luigi's Mansion, tomorrow it could be ?some Isle Delfino sets or the Comet Observ?atory.

The post LEGO Super Mario to expand with Luigi’s Mansion inspired sets appeared first on Destructoid.