For once in a long time, I feel compelled to play a video game for hours on end. Maybe because this week I choose to rent a game that I don’t usually play. I rented the first Super Mario Galaxy (a Wii game, holy shit!) because I felt that I need a break from the regular action and RPG games that I usually get on the PS3 or 360. Man, I was right. I am addicted to Galaxy now. It’s been a while since I’ve played a Mario game – or a platformer, and as it turns out, playing one is just what I need for my gaming “wall.” I just want to play Galaxy for hours on end now, until I beat it. Here’s some thoughts about the game…IN BULLET FORM!

• The controls take a little bit to get used to. Once you get the hang of everything, it’s really enjoyable.
• The camera can sometimes be a piece of shit. Not seeing where you’re going is never a good thing, and many times repositioning the camera doesn’t really help the problem, either.
• The presentation is a little too kiddy for me. I’m not sure why they went all G-rated Disney style cut scenes because I don’t think the gameplay is something my little sister can grasp.
• When it comes down to the gameplay, it reminds me of when I was five, sitting in front of my old TV with my old N64 playing Super Mario 64. In my opinion, anything that brings out a nostalgic feeling is good.
• Like in Super Mario 64, I still suck at race events.
• There needs to be more of a checkpoint system in place. At one point I went to eat dinner, so I saved and quit. When I got back I had to start from the beginning of a galaxy, which is kind of annoying.

All negatives aside, I’m having a blast playing Super Mario Galaxy, and I know that my sister is having a blast watching me. I took a break to write this blog, and my sister’s like “aww, don’t stop!”

…THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID OHHHHHHHHHHHHH WHAT NOW, SON!?!?!?

For once in a long time, I feel compelled to play a video game for hours on end. Maybe because this week I choose to rent a game that I don’t usually play. I rented the first Super Mario Galaxy (a Wii game, holy shit!) because I felt that I need a break from the regular action and RPG games that I usually get on the PS3 or 360. Man, I was right. I am addicted to Galaxy now. It’s been a while since I’ve played a Mario game – or a platformer, and as it turns out, playing one is just what I need for my gaming “wall.” I just want to play Galaxy for hours on end now, until I beat it. Here’s some thoughts about the game…IN BULLET FORM!

• The controls take a little bit to get used to. Once you get the hang of everything, it’s really enjoyable.
• The camera can sometimes be a piece of shit. Not seeing where you’re going is never a good thing, and many times repositioning the camera doesn’t really help the problem, either.
• The presentation is a little too kiddy for me. I’m not sure why they went all G-rated Disney style cut scenes because I don’t think the gameplay is something my little sister can grasp.
• When it comes down to the gameplay, it reminds me of when I was five, sitting in front of my old TV with my old N64 playing Super Mario 64. In my opinion, anything that brings out a nostalgic feeling is good.
• Like in Super Mario 64, I still suck at race events.
• There needs to be more of a checkpoint system in place. At one point I went to eat dinner, so I saved and quit. When I got back I had to start from the beginning of a galaxy, which is kind of annoying.

All negatives aside, I’m having a blast playing Super Mario Galaxy, and I know that my sister is having a blast watching me. I took a break to write this blog, and my sister’s like “aww, don’t stop!”

…THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID OHHHHHHHHHHHHH WHAT NOW, SON!?!?!?

Making a "that's what she said" joke just seems wrong when it is something your sister said. :p
 
Super Mario Galaxy would be the first game I will play when I eventually get a Wii. Glad to know that older people can still enjoy it. :)

I read this on your blog thingy. I must have seen it on your status and clicked. I made it to 87 stars on the first Super Mario Galaxy. I found it kind of hard after that and quit.

People who are actually adults actively pursue things that allow them to relive their childhood. So if anything, Galaxy gears most to people who've grown up. As opposed to some manboy violence fantasy.

Once I got the amount of stars needed to finish, I never saw the reason to keep going. Maybe it's because when I was a kid I got all 120 on Mario 64 and felt cheated for putting all that work in for nothing.

Don't worry, as you get older, stuff like G-rated things get more enjoyable and preferable to the loud, violent, and immature ways of other stuff.
 
@HandsomeDead said:

" Once I got the amount of stars needed to finish, I never saw the reason to keep going. Maybe it's because when I was a kid I got all 120 on Mario 64 and felt cheated for putting all that work in for nothing. "

"@HandsomeDead said:

" Once I got the amount of stars needed to finish, I never saw the reason to keep going. Maybe it's because when I was a kid I got all 120 on Mario 64 and felt cheated for putting all that work in for nothing. "

You finished the game. What did you expect? Money? What makes it different from any other game? "

" @Willy105 said:

"@HandsomeDead said:

" Once I got the amount of stars needed to finish, I never saw the reason to keep going. Maybe it's because when I was a kid I got all 120 on Mario 64 and felt cheated for putting all that work in for nothing. "

You finished the game. What did you expect? Money? What makes it different from any other game? "

Because there's usually either something good or nothing at all. With the Mario games, putting Yoshi in there or being able to play as Luigi, it feels kind of insulting. "

" @HandsomeDead said:

" @Willy105 said:

"@HandsomeDead said:

" Once I got the amount of stars needed to finish, I never saw the reason to keep going. Maybe it's because when I was a kid I got all 120 on Mario 64 and felt cheated for putting all that work in for nothing. "

You finished the game. What did you expect? Money? What makes it different from any other game? "

Because there's usually either something good or nothing at all. With the Mario games, putting Yoshi in there or being able to play as Luigi, it feels kind of insulting. "

 To a lot of people, a cameo of a character from an old game, seeing him for the first time in 3D, giving you a thank you letter from the staff, is a pretty big deal.  And Luigi was also a big deal, the first time you get to play him in a 3D Mario game, and coming off the heels of the great controversy involving fake pranks saying Luigi is in Mario 64.  What would you have put in there? "

" @Willy105 said:

" @HandsomeDead said:

" @Willy105 said:

"@HandsomeDead said:

" Once I got the amount of stars needed to finish, I never saw the reason to keep going. Maybe it's because when I was a kid I got all 120 on Mario 64 and felt cheated for putting all that work in for nothing. "

You finished the game. What did you expect? Money? What makes it different from any other game? "

Because there's usually either something good or nothing at all. With the Mario games, putting Yoshi in there or being able to play as Luigi, it feels kind of insulting. "

 To a lot of people, a cameo of a character from an old game, seeing him for the first time in 3D, giving you a thank you letter from the staff, is a pretty big deal.  And Luigi was also a big deal, the first time you get to play him in a 3D Mario game, and coming off the heels of the great controversy involving fake pranks saying Luigi is in Mario 64.  What would you have put in there? "

That's the thing.  Had I got Yoshi after beating Bowser or Luigi earlier on, it would have been cool but it felt dragged out and too much in line with typical grindy Japanese game design. When I finished Mario 64 and they gave you the 100 lives and quadruple jump, I don't understand what they expected you to do with that. Kind of the same with Luigi as a the bonus character, they could have done something fun with that but instead, he just turns up and you play everything again with him. "