Luigi's Mansion/Gameplay

The first time you load the disc in the GameCube, you'll need to choose a save file. There are three files, and they require three blocks of memory to save the game. From the Main Menu, you can select, copy or erase a save file, or choose your Options. To get started, choose an empty save file. The game begins with Luigi walking towards his new mansion. Once inside, you'll begin your adventure.

Once you have a file saved here, it will display how far you are into the game ('Up to Area X', where X is the current Area you are playing through), your score as of the end of the last Area, in Gs, the number of Boos caught, and, after you complete the game, the number of times you have done so.

There are a number of differences between the American, Japanese and PAL versions. The main differences are that the PAL version has been altered to increase the difficulty, and that Rank A completion can only be achieved in the Hidden Mansion.

On the Options menu, you can choose sound, rumble, control and language settings. The Brightness function allows you to adjust the settings on your TV to the optimum setting for this game. There is also a short preview movie of Pikmin. Once you have everything set as you want, it's time to begin!

Catching Ghosts
In order to progress through the game, you must catch several ghosts to clear the many rooms in the Mansion. Some ghosts are weak, others will put up a strong fight to try and evade capture. In order to capture a ghost, you must first stun it with your flashlight. To do so, turn it off by holding down, and facing towards the ghost. When it is within range, release to stun the ghost and reveal its heart, giving you a chance to catch it. As soon as it is stunned, press and hold to turn on your vacuum. To reduce the ghost's health, pull and  away from the direction in which the ghost is trying to fly. Sometimes, the ghost will manage to escape, and you'll have to wait for it to reappear to try again (though its health won't be restored). Once its health reaches zero, keep hold of until you finish sucking up the ghost. If you need to practise your technique, you can visit the Training Room from the Laboratory.

Areas
Luigi's Mansion is divided into a short 'tutorial' section, and four Areas, each one increasing on the previous in size and difficulty. An Area begins when Luigi first enters the Mansion from Professor E. Gadd's laboratory, and ends with the defeat of that Area's boss. For example, Area 1 begins when Luigi returns to the Mansion after completing the Tutorial, and ends after the boss battle.

Portrait Ghosts
As you progress through the game, you'll meet 23 ghosts who are much more powerful than the regular ghosts found throughout the Mansion. These ghosts are known as Portrait Ghosts, and are so called because they are the ghosts who escaped from Professor E. Gadd's Gallery. All but two of these ghosts have 100hp, much more than the regular ghosts. They drop valuable Pearls as Luigi sucks them up. Four of these Ghosts are Area Bosses, the most powerful Ghosts in that section of the game.

Pearls
From the time you start sucking a Portrait Ghost up, to the time you catch it, or it escapes, small silver balls called Pearls will fall from it. They will grow in size as the ghost loses health, the larger ones found towards the end being the most valuable. If you catch it on your first attempt, you will receive very large and valuable Pearls, and also, more than likely, a golden frame for that ghost's portrait (The number of pearls found determine the colour of frame the ghost's portrait is in in the Gallery).

Cash
Throughout the game you will come across various forms of money. Collecting them increases Luigi's total G (a currency).

Cash can be found by sucking up objects and ghosts. See Luigi's Mansion/Secrets for the bonus ghosts to look out for and a special way to get cash.

The total amount of cash collected affects a minor part of the ending (used for bragging rights).

Elements
There are three Elements hidden throughout the Mansion, representing the elements of Fire, Water, and Ice, and they allow you to find Elemental Ghosts. These ghosts fill your vacuum with the element of that ghost, and allow you to blow it out at things like ghosts and candles. Elemental Ghosts are usually found at an object associated with that Element. For example, a Fire Element Ghost can often be found in a fire. Each Element has different effects on the object you blow it at. For example, the Fire Element can light candles, while the Water Element will put them out. A meter will appear at the bottom of the screen whenever your vacuum contains an Element. The Elements may also be required to defeat some ghosts.