Luigi made his first appearance as Luigi in Nintendo’s 1983 arcade game Mario Bros.
The game introduced Luigi as Mario’s taller, green-clad brother and placed both characters in an arcade platforming setting beneath New York City. Players clear pipes of enemies such as Shellcreepers, Sidesteppers, and Fighter Flies.
Luigi had not appeared in the original Donkey Kong, where Mario was known as Jumpman. Mario Bros. gave him a distinct identity and made cooperative play between the brothers a central feature.
Later games gave Luigi additional traits, including a higher jump or different handling, depending on the title. He became an important Nintendo character in his own right, appearing in games such as Luigi’s Mansion and serving as a playable character throughout the wider Mario series.