Super Mario Galaxy 2

As gamers Mario is in our DNA. His controls will forever be planted in our memory, and for many of us he was our introduction to video games. For over 25 years now he has been jumping on goombas and kicking koopa shells, and yet he still manages to entertain and amaze us with each new game. With Super Mario Galaxy 2, Nintendo perfects the platforming genre and further proves their unmatched talents in gameplay and level design.

            When the original Super Mario Galaxy was released in 2007 it was universally praised and received many awards. It was a groundbreaking game and it showed that platformers could still be done and done well in this day and age. Many believed that this sequel would just be a bunch of levels cut from the original game and that it wouldn’t have nearly the same impact. As it turns out, this is no mere expansion; it takes the groundwork aid down by the original and goes absolutely crazy with the idea. It makes the first game seem like an introduction to the idea, as if they were just getting you ready for the insane amount of content in Galaxy 2. The most amazing part about this game is that almost every star is unique. Each star introduces a new idea or challenge that is usually never seen again throughout the game. This makes every level seem fresh and new and gets you excited just to see what surprises Nintendo has in store for you next. The sheer variety in the game is stunning, and every thing it tries it does incredibly well.

            For a Wii game, this game looks incredible. It is the one Wii game that wouldn’t look out of place on the 360 or PS3. The soundtrack is beautiful and will keep you humming the tunes long after you turn of the game. The controls are still flawless, Mario’s controls are so precise that it is never the games fault you die, it is your own. And you will die a lot. Galaxy ramps up the difficulty towards the end of the game and provides a great deal of challenge in some levels. It is never frustrating though, what you have to do always seems possible, you just need to get better at the game to do it. The highlight of the game has to be the level design. Levels switch the rules of gravity multiple times in almost every level but they somehow managed to make that you are never confused. You always know what you can and cannot do. To keep changing the rules of the gameworld so often and in so many ways and not confuse the player is an amazing achievement. Not to mention that it also changes from 3D to 2D all the time as well as changing the gravity. In a lesser developers hands this could easily become an unplayable disaster, but Nintendo makes it look easy. Never once throughout the game was I confused or not sure what I should do. It was always clear what my objective was, having the skill to pull is off was the challenge.  

            Galaxy 2 somehow manages to top even its groundbreaking predecessor. Each level is a portal into Nintendo’s unlimited imagination, every level is unique and nothing repeats itself. 242 stars of incredible ideas, impeccable level design and gameplay that is unmatched in the genre. This is Nintendo’s masterpiece, the best game they have ever produced. Buy it.