List of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon pre-release and unused content
This is a list of pre-release and unused content for the game Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon.
Early Builds
E3 2011 Trailer
- The game was initially called "Luigi's Mansion 2" in all regions when first unveiled at E3 2011. In E3 2012, the game was renamed for North American and South Korean version as "Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon", with other regions keeping the old name but using a slightly updated logo.
- There was a heart gauge on the top corner of the top screen indicating Luigi's health. In the final version, it is on the bottom screen, but occasionally pops up at the bottom of the top screen when Luigi receives damage.
- Luigi had an utility belt as shown in the demo; which he carried his DS and items in.
- Luigi didn't cower in fear when pixelated. Instead he would hold his arms out and stand still.
- When Luigi was in the Garage, he had the Strobulb when the ghosts appeared. In the final version, Luigi only had the Poltergust 5000. A ghost also honked the horn of the car to scare Luigi in this version.
- The knights in the Guard Hall had shinier armor.
- In this version, the Poltergeist turned the stairs into a slide in the Foyer of Gloomy Manor, summons a bunch of ghosts and heads to the Library. In the final version, it is a Hider.
- In this version, the door that leads to the Lobby originally leads to the Library.
- In this version, Poltergeists did not have their brains shown in their heads.
- The courtyard in Gloomy Manor had a small conservatory with a chest containing some coins, and a statue with a sheet on it.
- The theme in Gloomy Manor was slightly slower than the final version.
- Greenies with Kitchen utensils were in the Dining Room.
- Ghosts looked different when they were stunned.
- When Luigi tried to suck up a sheet, the A button symbol appeared immediately.
- There was a early or cut desert room where a mummy appeared from the ground.
- Luigi used voice clips from the first Luigi's Mansion.
- Professor E. Gadd's lab was different compared to the final. The floor doesn't have the Vault door and the images that represent the Mansion, Vault, and the Scarescraper were different as well.
- When Luigi tried to suck up a ghost, the Power Meter did not appear. Instead, an image of the A Button pops out when Luigi can perform a Power Surge.
- When looking through the hole from the Secret Pocket, the player could see the Dining Room.
- The Dining room is where the Studio is located, having a door on the left, with no door on the left or bottom of the room. Additionally, there is no shaft, due to the fact that the Dining Room was on the first floor.
- There was an unused scene where Luigi gets scared by a Slammer holding a gear.
- The part where Luigi sits on the toilet in Gloomy Manor was going to be a cutscene.
- There were many doors that were going to be blocked by wood. However, later gameplay footage shows that the player would later be able to go inside the rooms in later missions.
- Greenies would open any objects that would get in their way and laugh.
- The mechanism in the Foyer of the Gloomy Manor was originally in front of the fountain instead of left of the fountain. Strangely, later in the same trailer, the mechanism is gone.
Second Build
- Polterpups did not leave an imprint on the walls.
- The scene in which the Polterpup eats the Haunted Towers key was not raining. In the final, it's raining. The camera angle in the scene was also different. Polterpup's animations are different too.
- After Polterpup eats the key, the scene where Luigi looking shocked didn't show.
- Old Clockworks was originally the second mansion but replaced by Haunted Towers in the final.
- The E. Gadd statue in Gloomy Manor was originally out front with a tarp over it but was moved to the backyard in the final.
- The two Gold Greenies playing hockey in the Ice Lake were a less golden color than what was seen in the final game.
- In the scene in which Luigi opens the door to Gloomy Manor, Luigi already had the Poltergust 5000. Also, when using the key, it quickly went inside instead of disappearing.
- No matter how high the Power Meter is, when Luigi sucks up a ghost using a Power Surge, the reward will always be 3 coins.
- In the scene where Luigi opens the elevator in Gloomy Manor there were spider webs around. This probably means that the mission Sticky Situation didn't exist yet.
- In the 3DS trailer of Luigi´s Mansion: Dark Moon, a hill with a small house on it can be seen. In the final version of the game, a silouette of a castle can also be seen.
E3 2012 Trailer
- The Toad that was with Luigi in the Secret Mine was Toad himself, in the final the Blue Toad is with Luigi instead while Toad was moved to the Haunted Towers.
- The snowman in front of the Secret Mine had a yellow scarf instead of a blue one.
- There was an extra room in Secret Mine which contained an ice wall that was covered by a fake image. This could've been an early design of the Coward's Chasm in the final game or a different area entirely.
- The Family Room didn't have a giant tree, but a cake with a Sneaker.
- The mission results screen has a simpler Pixelator Screen design.
- Gloomy Manor was originally named Ghostly Manor.
Unused Data
There are also some unused music files in this game. One of the known ones is a Haunted Towers esque cover of the nursery rhyme "Ring Around the Rosie", which may have been intended for the Rumpus Room at one point.
Miscellaneous
When Luigi's Mansion 2 was first revealed at E3 2011, a teaser artwork was revealed, showing King Boo and Luigi. In early 2013 (about two months from the official release date), an updated version of the artwork was released, showing a significantly rougher texture on both King Boo and Luigi. The texture used on this artwork was also used on all of the other artwork releases from that date and later.
In the later artwork, the depth of Luigi's artwork is accentuated by blurring out areas which should appear further away, such as Luigi's gloves. In the earlier artwork, all points on Luigi's body were equally sharp.
Apart from shading changes on the crown, the shadows on King Boo were adjusted in the later artwork, and the texture made rougher.
Gallery
Early Boxarts
Early
- Luigis Mansion dark moon boxart.png
Final
Early Screenshots
E3
Luigi sucking up Greenies.
Luigi sucking up a tablecloth in the Dining Room.
Luigi looking around a Gloomy Manor's Entrance.
Luigi in the tomb, a room in Old Clockworks.
Two Slammers in the Foyer.
The beta version of the Bunker.
Knights trying to hit Luigi in the Guard Hall.
Greenies being stunned.
A Poltergeist throwing a book.
Luigi in Gloomy Manor's Library.
A Poltergeist being sucked up.
Luigi finds a few coins in the Common Hall.
The possessed spider queen scaring Luigi in the Cellar.
Luigi using the Dark Light Device in the Courtyard.
Other
- Luigi onbed.PNG
Luigi sitting on a bed in an early Bedroom. There is a early health heart on the top corner of the screen.
Luigi with Toad in the early Secret Mine. The final release, the Toad is blue.
Luigi observing the outskirts of the early version of Gloomy Manor.
A frightened Luigi attempts to open the first locked door of the Gloomy Manor using a key. Luigi doesn't pose like this in the final version.
An early Secret Mine area, similar to Coward's Chasm.
Early Coatroom after Luigi discovers the toilet in the room leads to a bathroom.
In Doggone Key, this scene is lacking a key and this angle and pose doesn't happen in the final game.
Luigi in the Gardener's Lab.
Luigi sucking up a tablecloth in the Dining Room.
Luigi with Spirit Balls in the East Hall
Luigi observing the Entrance of Gloomy Manor.
Luigi and an angered Slammer in the Cargo Room. The Pixelator in the background doesn't appear there in the final, which E. Gadd refers to this version as his early prototype.
Luigi and two Gold Greenies playing hockey in the Ice Lake.
