Nintendo Theories/Game Theory: Luigi, the RICHEST Man in the Mushroom Kingdom? (Super Mario Bros)
Game Theory: Luigi, the RICHEST Man in the Mushroom Kingdom? (Super Mario Bros)

Game Theory: Luigi, the RICHEST Man in the Mushroom Kingdom? (Super Mario Bros)

The Game Theorists16 minJan 6, 2017
A room full of suits of armor, a giant haunted crib, and a graveyard that you'll be dying to get into
5 chapters
  • Introduction and Episode Setup(0'004'03)
    Luigi's Mansion is analyzed to determine how much wealth Luigi accumulates, with money playing a huge role in determining the size of his new mansion at the end of the game.
    The episode sets out to price the mansion and contents, research the post-2008 housing market, architectural trends, pixel sizes, run speeds, and currency exchanges.
    Luigi wins a mansion in a raffle he never entered, but it's a trap set by King Boo to imprison souls in paintings. Luigi must rescue Mario using a vacuum cleaner.
    There is quantifiable value to all the items in the game, from the house itself to the golden jewels contained inside, making it possible to calculate Luigi's final wealth.
  • Calculating Mansion Size Using Luigi's Height(4'036'39)
    Mario is established as 155 cm or 5'1" tall based on previous Game Theory calculations, with Luigi being 175 cm or 5'8" tall.
    • Luigi's height is used to calculate his stride length and movement speed • Timing how long Luigi takes to run across rooms determines room dimensions • A pixel-to-foot ratio is applied to the in-game mini map to measure all rooms and floors
    The mansion contains 3 floors and 36 total rooms, coming in at just under 30,000 square feet or 2,787 square meters.
    • Equivalent to Mark Wahlberg's mansion • About half the size of the White House • Comparable to half a football field in square footage • Similar to Donald Trump's 30,000 square foot New York penthouse apartment
  • Mansion Market Value and Architecture Analysis(6'3911'17)
    30,000 square foot mansions in the United States range between 2 million and 20 million dollars on average.
    • Mansard roof with windows peeking through indicates European Victorian influence • Simple box-shaped layout with symmetrical design • Bold central staircase and numerous chandeliers • Elaborate ballrooms and art rooms point to Victorian Second Empire style from mid-1800s France
    Victorian Second Empire style became popular during Emperor Napoleon III's reign in France when the French empire was rebuilding itself, also known as Baroque Revival Architecture.
    Victorian mansions cost approximately 30 dollars per square foot, making Luigi's mansion worth $896,312.03 for the shell alone, though they generally require huge modernization investments including rewiring, re-pouring foundations, and improving insulation.
  • Furnishings, Contents, and Stigmatized Property Discount(11'1714'00)
    • Chandeliers, art, and undead baby cribs add value • Graveyard with human remains costs over 70,000 dollars to legally relocate • Antique furniture, china, three leopard skin rugs, giant harp, and 9 full suits of armor • Total furnishings value approximately 400,000 dollars
    Combined mansion shell value of 896,312 dollars plus furnishings of 400,000 dollars equals approximately 1,315,433 dollars.
    Stigmatized properties with traumatic histories can be reduced in value by as high as 25 percent. A mother, father, and infant child met an unfortunate end in the mansion's halls, with rooms still decorated for the family.
    After applying the 25 percent stigmatized property discount, Luigi's mansion is worth approximately 986,575 dollars, just shy of 1 million dollars.
  • Hidden Treasure Valuation and Conclusion(14'0016'11)
    While the mansion itself is worth nearly 1 million dollars, the real wealth comes from piles of gems, coins, dollar bills, and gold bars hidden inside.
    • Using the cheapest value of a gold delivery bar at 350 troy ounces or just over 10 kilograms • Game currency G is determined by converting gold bar values to dollars • Ghosts dumped over 500 million dollars worth of treasure inside the mansion
    Luigi's total wealth is approximately 500 million dollars, making him part of the 0.0001 percent globally, with only 2,600 people in the world having 500 million dollars or more.
    While Luigi is often overshadowed by Mario, he becomes incredibly wealthy through his mansion acquisition and treasure discovery, earning significantly more than most celebrities and public figures.