Ever the runner-up, it's hard not to feel bad for Luigi. His brother consistently claims all of the fame, and he very seldom has a chance to star in anything that isn't a Ghostbusters-inspired spin-off of the original Mario Bros. series. In fact, as per GameRant, Nintendo's 2013 attempt to give the forgotten brother his time in the spotlight—dubbed the "Year of Luigi"—resulted in a loss of over $450 million.
Timid, shy, and awkward, it's easy to poke fun at Luigi, and, while the internet often sympathizes with the plumber's plights, it also makes him into a meme at every opportunity.
Why Do I Hear Boss Music?
Games starring Mario and Luigi aren't typically renowned for their difficult boss fights, but avid gamers will regardless relate to this nigh-on universal experience. There's almost nothing in gaming akin to the agony of overcoming a tough end-game boss encounter only to have the rug pulled out from beneath as it is resurrected for a second, even tougher fight.
This is a common trope in many JRPGs, and it's also prevalent in From Software's Elden Ring, a game that may in the future vie with outings like Super Mario Odyssey for the title of the best release of the ninth console generation.
Oh, Luigi Came, Too
When Bowser is wreaking havoc on the Mushroom Kingdom, there's only one man who can save the day, and it certainly isn't Luigi. A famous coward, poor Luigi trembles in the face of danger while his heroic brother leaps into action.
Of course, that's not always the case; in the Mario and Luigi RPG series, Mario's younger brother tags along for many of the adventures... apparently to the chagrin of most of the kingdom's inhabitants. Perhaps Toad didn't intend to sound quite as sarcastic as he does in this instance, but it must have seemed a biting remark to an unsung brother trying to pull his weight.
No Mercy
Mario Kart 8 was a triumphant return to Nintendo's beloved karting series—so much so that Kart is still receiving DLC eight years after it was first released. Replete with just about every Mario character out there, it allowed players more choice than ever—something Luigi, apparently, couldn't tolerate.
Often passed up in favor of his more popular brother, Luigi had apparently had it by the time Mario Kart 8 rolled around, glaring at his competitors with cold, steely eyes that held neither kindheartedness nor mercy. Woe to those who cross Luigi in Mario Kart 8.
The House Always Wins
It must be said that there's nothing funny about gambling addiction, and it's obviously something the Mario brothers wouldn't encourage. However, while Luigi's slightly sinister reputation gained traction in 2014 with the release of Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U, it arguably began with the release of New Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo DS in 2006.
Few of these minigames resembled something that would be played in an actual casino, and they were so easy that any losses could easily be recouped, but there's something off about the dealer that makes him seem untrustworthy.
Green Mario
For decades, debate among Nintendo fans has raged concerning the names of the video game publisher's titular duo. Their last names are never revealed, and many believe that Mario's full name is actually Mario Mario, meaning that Luigi would be Luigi Mario. Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has denied this, but his confirmation hasn't totally satisfied some fans.
Yet, Luigi would probably be fine with his odd name were his family members able to remember it. Apparently just the less-remarkable half of the Mario Bros. duo, this Safely Endangered comic drawn by cartoonist Chris McCoy hints that Mario's fame has so thoroughly eclipsed Luigi's that his mother can't even remember her son's name.
Put On A Brave Face
Perhaps Luigi doesn't care to join his brother on most of his adventures because he doesn't want to deal with the emotional toll of going outside. Everyone masks their true emotions when in public among strangers, but Luigi can seemingly only manage that facade for so long.
One would think, then, that a secluded mansion would be an excellent place for him, but he's not even happy there. Hopefully crying while huddled in a corner isn't Luigi's only hobby, but, unfortunately, the younger Mario brother doesn't seem to have much else going on most of the time.
Karting Catastrophe
Mario Kart may be one of the best party games of all time, but it's not particularly fair. Everyone's experienced a race in which everything goes wrong, and things get to the point that players give up and start driving backward or off of cliffs.
This may, to some, seem like a case of poor sportsmanship, but the chaos of Mario Kart can cause rash behavior in even the noblest of competitors. Luigi, a paragon of second-place finishes and bad luck, knows this feeling all too well as demonstrated by this MrLovenstein comic.
No Pickles
Timid and pensive, Luigi is the absolute opposite of his get-getter brother. It's kept him from capturing the same sort of stardom Mario enjoys, but he did manage to find his own princess in Daisy.
As pointed out by this comic created by artist and vtuber Cremanata, Daisy is much more outgoing, and, were the two a real-life couple, she would probably encourage him to get out of his comfort zone and do things that he wouldn't normally do. In this case, it would be asking for a new burger without pickles... even though she ultimately has to take the initiative in his place.
Luigi's Mansion
The GameCube didn't end up being a major success for Nintendo; underselling Sony's PlayStation 2 by quite a bit, many of the titles marooned on the system ended up earning cult acclaim rather than widespread fandom. That was very true of 2001's Luigi's Mansion before it was rebooted on the 3DS and Switch years later.
A major departure from typical Mario Bros. fair, Luigi channeled his inner ghostbuster to clear a haunted mansion of ghouls in order to rescue his brother. Although out of the ordinary, it featured a memorable soundtrack and some extraordinary sound design, much of which gamers can recollect more than two decades after the game was released.
King Boo
Professor E. Gadd had the ghost infestation under control for a time, but they managed to break out of the paintings he stored them in with the help of King Boo, who later used E. Gadd's same ploy to hold Mario captive. Luigi has never been much of an art connoisseur, but it's easy to see why he wouldn't like this particular painting.
This meme borrows a joke from the beloved comedy series It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. In the episode, the gang squabble over a painting supposedly done by an infamous World War 2 leader, and Frank is none too pleased by its look.