Since the beginning in 1985, we've always had the Mario 'Brothers'. And even though Luigi has existed from the start, he's always played second fiddle to his brother Mario. In the initial games, both Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros., Luigi was just a pallet swapped 2nd player. Only being played if you weren't the first to grab the controller.
It wasn't until Super Mario Bros. 2 that Luigi had an identity of his own. As this game was a re-sprited version of Doki Doki Panic, which the characters weren't pallet swapped from each other, this allowed for some personalization. Even implementing the famous flutter kick that's still in existence to this day. I believe this also was a semi-defining characteristic used in the cartoons from the late 80's as well. This physically set Luigi as the taller of the two brothers. And the cartoons gave him the persona of being more cowardly. Already, Luigi is breaking away from his brother.
But in the next number of games, we were back to the Pallet swapped brother for the player 2 controller. Luigi didn't even make an appearance in Super Mario 64. Even in Mario Kart 64, where they did define Luigi as the thinner taller brother, he was still practically a pallet swap. And in a lot of the mainstream games, this has persisted. Luigi, having no identity of his own, and many times, not even showing up. He had a number of cameo and/or playable scenarios in most of the party/kart/sports games, but still not much of an identity. About the only games he was getting any personal development (and not much I might add) was from the Smash Bros. games.
When Luigi really started to get some character and personality is in the Haunted Mansion games. Luigi's Mansion was a launch title for the Gamecube (strangely Luigi got a launch title, and Mario didn't on this console). In this game, Luigi is pitted against ghosts and has to suck them up Ghostbusters style in a specially modified vacuum cleaner. This game, from what I've read, was almost a test to see if the green brother could hold up in his own game. And he succeeded, extremely well I might add. It allowed for personality development, making Luigi out to be a bit of a scardy cat. Having him be slightly clumsy, periodically tripping as he walks through a door, or accidentally dropping things periodically. This gave Luigi something that Mario still doesn't have, a personality you can relate to. Mario is left a blank slate, so you can write on to him whatever personality you want him to have. But after 30 years with no personal development, Mario is starting to get dry.
Nintendo has continued Luigi's development with the Mario & Luigi games. Even though Mario is still technically the main character of these games, Luigi steals the show being the only brother showing any emotion at all. Yes, sometimes they over do it, but it's still miles more character than Mario has ever shown.
Even in his latest solo outing, Luigi's Mansion - Dark Moon, he's dripping with personality. Throughout the entire game, Luigi is very reluctant the entire time he's there. Constantly telling the Professor he doesn't want to go. Sometimes even breaking the 4th wall by making gestures towards the camera, humming along to the background music, etc.
My point is, Luigi has grown as a character. Where he started out a plane slate player 2, they've grown Luigi to be a likable character. For some reason, Nintendo seems reluctant to do that with any of their other characters. Mario has only grown by picking up new moves and/or gadgets, but is generally the same character. Link, well the only game he showed even a modicum of emotion was in the Wind Waker series (which is why that game is so loved and revered). DK is just a dumb gorilla with a creepy blank stare looking for bananas. Samus, well they tried to grow her as a character, but in the end just made her scream and squeal at things she's killed about ten thousand times. That's not to say that Nintendo has no character development, but most definitely not in their main IP's. Luigi shows it can be done, and should be done. Just some thoughts.
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