Let’s dive into the quirky world of Luigi en Circusland, a rather obscure platform-action title from the DOS era. If you’re into retro gaming oddities or Spanish PC game history, this one is worth a look (for better or worse).
What is Luigi en Circusland?
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Luigi en Circusland is a DOS game released in 1994 (Spain) by Topo Soft — both as developer and publisher. My Abandonware+2LaunchBox Games Database+2
It is the sequel to the earlier DOS game Luigi & Spaghetti (1992) by the same company. MobyGames+2LaunchBox Games Database+2
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Genre: 2D side-view platform/action game. The game involves guiding Luigi through “circus” themed levels, fighting off clowns and other circus-style enemies. LaunchBox Games Database+1
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According to sources, this is an “unofficial” outing for Luigi — i.e., not affiliated with Nintendo’s official Luigi from the Mario franchise. LaunchBox Games Database
Gameplay and Features
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The central premise: You control Luigi as he ventures into circus-land, going through various themed areas (under the big top, perhaps carnival rides, clown acts) and battling enemies — especially “evil clowns and other funny enemies”. Internet Archive+1
Compared to its predecessor Luigi & Spaghetti, the gameplay is reportedly very similar, albeit with less novelty. For example, the earlier game had “Spaghetti” (a worm companion) assisting Luigi; in Circusland that companion is not present. LaunchBox Games Database+1
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One review mentions that while Luigi & Spaghetti was smooth, charming and had variety, Luigi en Circusland suffered from “less inspired” levels, more pixelation in graphics, and repetitive gameplay. My Abandonware+1
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The presentation: The box art (see above) shows a large menacing clown-like mouth opening, and Luigi jumping inside — giving a bit of the weird/quirky tone.
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Technical details: DOS game; side-view scrolling; standard for mid-90s Spanish PC platformers. My Abandonware+1
Publisher & Developer: Topo Soft
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Topo Soft was a Spanish game company active primarily in the 1980s and early 1990s. They developed and published games under their own banner. (Here they are both developer and publisher for Luigi en Circusland.)
According to one database entry: this game was “the last Topo’s attempt to maintain itself on the market before completely disappearing from the gaming scene.” LaunchBox Games Database
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Meaning: Luigi en Circusland isn’t just a niche title but also part of the twilight of Topo Soft’s operations — so in that sense it holds a small historical “end of an era” significance for Spanish PC game development.
Interesting Bits & Retro Context
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Language / market: The game was released in Spain. As with many Spanish PC titles of that era, distribution was limited, and documentation/coverage outside Spain is sparse. My Abandonware
Abandonware status: It is now listed on abandonware sites, which reflects its age and fairly obscure status. My Abandonware+1
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Community note: On the r/dosgaming forum someone notes that Luigi en Circusland can be tricky to get running and may include copy-protection issues (“…always gives me an error when I beat the first level, stating that the game must be reinstalled using the original CDs.”) reddit.com
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Legacy: Because the game is a sort of “unofficial Luigi” outing, it occupies a curious niche. It’s not part of the official Luigi (or Mario) canon, but uses the name and platforming hero image.
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For fans of retro PC gaming, especially Spanish-language titles, it’s a piece of gaming archaeology: what lesser-known developers were doing in the early 1990s as the PC platform was evolving rapidly.
Should You Play It?
If you’re asking whether Luigi en Circusland is a must-play classic, the answer is probably “only if you’re into retro, obscure, or niche games”. Some pros and cons:
Pros:
A fun blast of vintage platforming with quirky circus aesthetic.
A window into Spanish PC game history and the lesser-told stories outside major console/US markets.Nostalgia value, especially if you like chasing down oddities.
Cons:
According to reviews, graphics and level design are less strong than its predecessor. My Abandonware+1
Possibly less polish, more repetition—so might feel dated or rough by modern standards.
Running it may require DOS-emulation tweaks (e.g., DOSBox) and dealing with potential copy-protection quirks.
Final Thoughts
In a time when platformers were everywhere, Luigi en Circusland stands out for its oddball premise (Luigi, the circus theme, clowns) and its role as a late-entry from a Spanish developer trying to hang on in a rapidly changing PC game market. It may not be the most celebrated game of its era, but for collectors, emulator fans, or people curious about regional game development, it offers a slice of history and weird charm.
