MarioWiki:Redirects
Redirects are used to forward the user from one page on the wiki to another page.
Mainspace redirects
We use redirects to connect logical search phrases to helpful places. They don't cost us anything, so they're highly encouraged. There are a few exceptions, but unless one redirects to a place to where someone wouldn't want to go, there's no downside to having them. In such a case where a phrase could have multiple meanings, a disambiguation page is used.
For example, let's take a look at the search phrase "luigis mansion 2". Without a proper redirect, users are taken to this results page. MediaWiki's built-in search is not great, and redirects allow us to make up for that by applying a human touch to point users in the right direction. If there's even a small chance that a redirect will help someone, it's not useless.
Unnecessary redirects
Deleting mainspace redirects provides no real benefit, so they should only be tagged for deletion in the rare cases where (1) they are completely nonsensical or (2) they are too general. There is no need to delete alternate-name, conjectural, or spelling-mistake redirects unless they are specifically too silly or too general. When content pages are moved, redirects play an important role so that links from search engines and external websites continue to work.
Examples
(1) We don't need the redirect Game with luigi and ghosts 2 because it's too silly.
(2) We don't want the redirect First mario game because we're not positive what page the user is looking for (you might say Donkey Kong (game), but maybe they're actually trying to find Super Mario Bros.), so the search page is the best place for them to be.
Linking to redirects
When adding new links, always try to link to the actual page name and use a piped link to modify the name if necessary. We have a preference for non-redirects to prevent edit wars going back and forth between redirects and non-redirects: Once a link is a non-redirect, then it is done.
After a page is moved, redirect links within templates should be updated right away. Redirect links within articles can be initially left alone and gradually updated over time; keeping links working after a page move is a vital function of redirects and a perfectly acceptable use of them. Redirect links do not need to be updated to mark a page move proposal as implemented, and it is not at all necessary to update links on user pages, talk pages, proposal archives, etc.
Discouraged redirects
Template, Category, and File redirects are discouraged. New redirects of these types should never be created outside of a page move, and if one of these types of pages is moved, then it is necessary to update all links to the new name and delete the redirect page. Forgoing template redirects keeps our "templates used on this page" lists tidier.
