en·nui – änˈwÄ“
noun
1. a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.

En·nuigi – änˈwēˈjÄ“
noun
1. Mario’s brother who has been forever dissatisfied due to lack of occupation or excitement.

From time to time, the internet gives us something deserving of the best kind of appreciative slow clap. Today, the thing we give that high honor to is Ennuigi; a flash game by Josh Millard. Brought to our attention by a recent post on Polygon, this side-scrolling game staring Luigi is equal parts hilarious and heart-wrenching.

The often forgotten plumber is rarely the star of his own adventures and nowhere is it more apparent than the world of the first Super Mario Bros. for NES. Rarely can anyone say they actively played as Luigi unless you lived in a household with siblings and multiple game controllers. In that first game he went largely ignored, and that’s where Ennuigi steps in to let us know what the L-Man is up to while Mario is out and about saving the Mushroom Kingdom. It’s apparent that Luigi went to some dark places when we left him alone, and now gives a perfect explanation to that “Death Stare” of his.

The game‘s controls are simple; use left and right keys to walk, up to ruminate on all manner of things, and down to smoke. As you walk, the scenery changes slightly which can lead to some deep thoughts about pipes, blocks, and the world Luigi finds himself stuck in. He gazes up into the sky pondering his existence and the life he now leads thanks in part to him simply being a supportive brother to Mario.

Playing it for quite a while, I didn’t see anything in the way of repeated phrases so there are probably lots more to be found. Take a look in the gallery for some of our favorites, and make sure to mention the ones that hit your heartstrings in the comments below!

Images: Josh Millard