Super Mario Galaxy Review
When Super Mario 64 was released way back in 1996, fans of the 2D Mario games were stunned at how Nintendo took their most beloved mascot and took him into the third dimension. Seeing Mario in 3D for the first time was a great moment for fans of the series, and showed how much more elaborate the levels could be. Super Mario Sunshine, while still being an amazing game, is considered by some not to be a true successor to Super Mario 64, and since then, those people have been waiting for the true successor. Several years later, Nintendo and critics have hailed Super Mario Galaxy to be just that.
Mario games have been known to all have the same story, and Super Mario Galaxy is no exception to the rule. And, like other games, there's a small twist in order to take you to other places. Princess Peach invites Mario to the Star Festival in the Mushroom Kingdom. While on his way, Bowser and his airships are back to wreak havoc upon the Star Festival. One of Bowser's flying saucers rip the castle from the ground, and take it into outer space. Mario tries to get into the castle and save her, but he gets blasted away before he can do anything. He lands on a small planet, where he meets Princess Rosalina. Rosalina has a space ship which she can use to travel to the Centre of the Universe where Bowser and Peach are, but a minimum of 60 Power Stars are required for it to work, and these Power Stars were scattered across the universe by Bowser. So, Rosalina grants Mario the ability to travel through planets by using Sling Stars, and he's off to get 60 Power Stars and save Princess Peach!
Ooh, shiny!
Mario games are known to continually innovate in the genre it helped to define with the original Super Mario Bros, and Galaxy doesn't seem to be a slacker in this department. The game's biggest focus is the gravity effects on the planets. As Mario is running, your view of the planets takes several different twists, and can even turn upside down. It could be said that the camera is as focused on the planets themselves as it is on our favourite porky plumber. If you get high enough in the air when near another planet, the gravitational pull from that planet will pull you down towards it. Despite what you may think, this takes a very short time to get used to and eventually, seeing Mario twist and turn will seem like second nature to you while playing the game.
Rosalina's observatory acts as a hub world to get to all of the different galaxies in the area. In the observatory are several different areas. These areas consist of several different galaxies each. There is no set path for you to follow. If you have enough stars, you can go to any galaxy you want in any order you want, which gives you a lot more freedom then you're given in other games. There are some galaxies which contain Grand Stars, known as the Grand Star Galaxies. Each Grand Star will add more light to the observatory, and will give you access to another area. The observatory is absolutely huge, and very well designed. There's also a library which you can visit, where Rosalina's back story is seen. As the game progresses, you see more and more of Rosalina's back story. Luckily for some people, it isn't forced, but it's still an interesting bonus to the game.
ALL YOUR POWER STARS ARE BELONG TO ME!
Rosalina's observatory is often orbited by special comets. These will add certain types of levels to galaxies which they are orbiting. Some let you race Cosmic Mario (a sillouhette of Mario), while others require you to go through a level without being hit once! They undeniably add more challenge to people who want to collect all 120 Power Stars.
Galaxy features all the abilities that you have come to expect from 3D Mario games. Mario's incredibly high jumps are back, he can do a backwards flip and the long jump also makes an appearance. The most important ability in the game is the spin attack. This is pulled off very easily; all you have to do is shake the remote. The spin attack has many uses. You can attack or stun most normal enemies with it, before delivering the final blow; which is done by running up to the stunned enemy, or stomping on it. You can also shoot back most projectiles that are launched at you by enemies, smash open crates to reveal items and Star Bits, and achieve a slightly higher jump than you would get normally. But, it's main purpose is to move from planet to planet. You'll have to use sling stars to do this. You simply walk towards it, and, when it pulls you towards it, you shake the Wii remote, and it shoots Mario off to another planet at a great speed.
Moments like these leave you in awe looking at the graphics of Super Mario Galaxy. Whether you're looking at the water effects and reflections, the lighting effects, or looking at a distant planet that you have yet to explore, the graphics are absolutely astounding. While it doesn't have an ultra realistic look, Mario doesn't feel like the type of game that needs one. It's a game which is supposed to have cartoony graphics. Despite this fact, there's still a lot of rich detail in the game. HD or not, what is shown in Super Mario Galaxy can stand up to a lot of games on the Xbox 360. That's not an easy feat by any means, especially considering the limited graphical technology Nintendo EAD had to work with. This just goes to show that, when handled properly, Wii graphics can look phenomenal.
Do you want an ultra realistic Mario game now?
The power-ups are back, and back with a vengance! The classic Fire Mario is here, as well as new, and undeniably much more interesting power ups. The Bee Mario will turn Mario into a bee, and you can fly for a limited amount of time and climb on honeycombs when you have it. The Boo Mario (by far my favourite power-up) turns Mario into a boo, and you can float, and go through walls with the flick of the Wii Remote. They make the more themed levels even more fun to play, and have some very interesting uses. Some of the power-ups, like Flying Mario, are not used nearly as much as I would have hoped, though.
The Wii's motion controls have a lot of different uses. There's the pull star paths; where you point at a blue star and press A to pull Mario towards it, and you do that until you're at your destination, ride atop a stingray by tilting the Wii remote in different directions, and ride atop a giant ball with a Power Star in it by holding the Wii remote like a joystick, and tilting it forward to move faster.
Star Bits are an important part of the game, and can even be exchanged for power-ups from Lumas. You collect them by simply pointing at them with the Wii remote, and for every fifty you collect, you gain a power star. They can also be used to stun enemies, by pointing at the enemy and pressing the B button.
Star bits are oh-so sparkly!
Rosalina lives on the observatory with little star-like creatures called Lumas. These are very useful along Mario's adventure. Their purpose is to transform into something at the end of their lives; some will grow into planets, others into comets, and some even transform into galaxies for you. Their services aren't normally free. In fact, you'll have to feed them some of your Star Bits as an insentive.
Nintendo always seem to shine with their level designs. Super Mario Galaxy is up there as one of the prime examples of Nintendo's fantastic and original level designs. I originally thought that there wouldn't be that much variation in the level design, and that Mario would only explore a series of small planetoids. Nintendo seem to have put my fears to rest, as there are many different types of levels in the game. There are the classic fire and lava levels, ice and water levels, as well as new types of planetoid levels. The variety of levels in the game make them all an absolute joy to play, but also fun to explore once your looking for the remaining stars.
With Super Mario Galaxy, Nintendo have found the perfect balance of old and new in almost every aspect. While there are new levels, and concepts which have previously been unexplored; there are still some levels which retain the classic 2D side-scrolling elements and gameplay. The gameplay of Galaxy will never become repetitive, no matter how obsessively you play it, because of the variation featured in the game.
The side-scrolling levels mix things up a bit.
Then, we have an incredibly well-praised part of the game; the music. The music is now mostly orchestrated; which, on paper, wouldn't seem to work. In the game, however, this couldn't be further from the truth. Because the game is set mostly in space, most of the songs have a theme of exploration and adventure; so the music generally has that very theme. For the more obviously themed levels (like ice and fire levels), there are also some very good tunes for them with exactly the theme that the level design conveys. Simply put; the music fits the levels perfectly. There are also remixes of tunes from the older Mario games, which is a very nice bonus.
While everything I have said so far has been positive, that's not to say the game is perfect; it does have flaws. While the camera angle does do a good job of trying to keep everything in, it sometimes does a better job of getting a good view at a nearby tree than Mario. Also, the different effects of the gravitational pulls, while very cool to watch, can be a little bit confusing.
Galaxy now has a co-operative multiplayer mode called 'Co-star mode'. Instead of controlling two characters like you normally do in co-op games, one of the players takes charge of Mario, and another can help that player by grabbing a second Wii remote. The second player can keep some enemies or moving obstacles still by pressing A while putting the pointer over it, which will help Mario to get past them. As well as this, they can shoot some of Mario's star bits. Obviously, having the second Wii remote is definitely the 'short end of the straw'. That's not to say that the co-op is terrible, but I think the second player could have been given a bit more to do.
All of these elements combine perfectly to make an absolutely astounding platformer; a rare breed indeed. The difficulty level is adequate. Some levels are very easy, and some levels are very hard, some even 'Mega Man' hard. While some would say platformers are dead, it certainly seems to be the genre where Nintendo shatter expectations and innovate more than any other genre. This is the best game on the Wii, arguably the best game this generation, and one of the best games of all time.
Overall: 9.7
+ Fantastic gameplay
+ The best graphics on the Wii
+ Great power-ups
- The camera angles can be wonky on occassions
- Flying Mario isn't used very often
- The co-op could have been better
Mario games have been known to all have the same story, and Super Mario Galaxy is no exception to the rule. And, like other games, there's a small twist in order to take you to other places. Princess Peach invites Mario to the Star Festival in the Mushroom Kingdom. While on his way, Bowser and his airships are back to wreak havoc upon the Star Festival. One of Bowser's flying saucers rip the castle from the ground, and take it into outer space. Mario tries to get into the castle and save her, but he gets blasted away before he can do anything. He lands on a small planet, where he meets Princess Rosalina. Rosalina has a space ship which she can use to travel to the Centre of the Universe where Bowser and Peach are, but a minimum of 60 Power Stars are required for it to work, and these Power Stars were scattered across the universe by Bowser. So, Rosalina grants Mario the ability to travel through planets by using Sling Stars, and he's off to get 60 Power Stars and save Princess Peach!
Ooh, shiny!
Mario games are known to continually innovate in the genre it helped to define with the original Super Mario Bros, and Galaxy doesn't seem to be a slacker in this department. The game's biggest focus is the gravity effects on the planets. As Mario is running, your view of the planets takes several different twists, and can even turn upside down. It could be said that the camera is as focused on the planets themselves as it is on our favourite porky plumber. If you get high enough in the air when near another planet, the gravitational pull from that planet will pull you down towards it. Despite what you may think, this takes a very short time to get used to and eventually, seeing Mario twist and turn will seem like second nature to you while playing the game.
Rosalina's observatory acts as a hub world to get to all of the different galaxies in the area. In the observatory are several different areas. These areas consist of several different galaxies each. There is no set path for you to follow. If you have enough stars, you can go to any galaxy you want in any order you want, which gives you a lot more freedom then you're given in other games. There are some galaxies which contain Grand Stars, known as the Grand Star Galaxies. Each Grand Star will add more light to the observatory, and will give you access to another area. The observatory is absolutely huge, and very well designed. There's also a library which you can visit, where Rosalina's back story is seen. As the game progresses, you see more and more of Rosalina's back story. Luckily for some people, it isn't forced, but it's still an interesting bonus to the game.
ALL YOUR POWER STARS ARE BELONG TO ME!
Rosalina's observatory is often orbited by special comets. These will add certain types of levels to galaxies which they are orbiting. Some let you race Cosmic Mario (a sillouhette of Mario), while others require you to go through a level without being hit once! They undeniably add more challenge to people who want to collect all 120 Power Stars.
Galaxy features all the abilities that you have come to expect from 3D Mario games. Mario's incredibly high jumps are back, he can do a backwards flip and the long jump also makes an appearance. The most important ability in the game is the spin attack. This is pulled off very easily; all you have to do is shake the remote. The spin attack has many uses. You can attack or stun most normal enemies with it, before delivering the final blow; which is done by running up to the stunned enemy, or stomping on it. You can also shoot back most projectiles that are launched at you by enemies, smash open crates to reveal items and Star Bits, and achieve a slightly higher jump than you would get normally. But, it's main purpose is to move from planet to planet. You'll have to use sling stars to do this. You simply walk towards it, and, when it pulls you towards it, you shake the Wii remote, and it shoots Mario off to another planet at a great speed.
Moments like these leave you in awe looking at the graphics of Super Mario Galaxy. Whether you're looking at the water effects and reflections, the lighting effects, or looking at a distant planet that you have yet to explore, the graphics are absolutely astounding. While it doesn't have an ultra realistic look, Mario doesn't feel like the type of game that needs one. It's a game which is supposed to have cartoony graphics. Despite this fact, there's still a lot of rich detail in the game. HD or not, what is shown in Super Mario Galaxy can stand up to a lot of games on the Xbox 360. That's not an easy feat by any means, especially considering the limited graphical technology Nintendo EAD had to work with. This just goes to show that, when handled properly, Wii graphics can look phenomenal.
Do you want an ultra realistic Mario game now?
The power-ups are back, and back with a vengance! The classic Fire Mario is here, as well as new, and undeniably much more interesting power ups. The Bee Mario will turn Mario into a bee, and you can fly for a limited amount of time and climb on honeycombs when you have it. The Boo Mario (by far my favourite power-up) turns Mario into a boo, and you can float, and go through walls with the flick of the Wii Remote. They make the more themed levels even more fun to play, and have some very interesting uses. Some of the power-ups, like Flying Mario, are not used nearly as much as I would have hoped, though.
The Wii's motion controls have a lot of different uses. There's the pull star paths; where you point at a blue star and press A to pull Mario towards it, and you do that until you're at your destination, ride atop a stingray by tilting the Wii remote in different directions, and ride atop a giant ball with a Power Star in it by holding the Wii remote like a joystick, and tilting it forward to move faster.
Star Bits are an important part of the game, and can even be exchanged for power-ups from Lumas. You collect them by simply pointing at them with the Wii remote, and for every fifty you collect, you gain a power star. They can also be used to stun enemies, by pointing at the enemy and pressing the B button.
Star bits are oh-so sparkly!
Rosalina lives on the observatory with little star-like creatures called Lumas. These are very useful along Mario's adventure. Their purpose is to transform into something at the end of their lives; some will grow into planets, others into comets, and some even transform into galaxies for you. Their services aren't normally free. In fact, you'll have to feed them some of your Star Bits as an insentive.
Nintendo always seem to shine with their level designs. Super Mario Galaxy is up there as one of the prime examples of Nintendo's fantastic and original level designs. I originally thought that there wouldn't be that much variation in the level design, and that Mario would only explore a series of small planetoids. Nintendo seem to have put my fears to rest, as there are many different types of levels in the game. There are the classic fire and lava levels, ice and water levels, as well as new types of planetoid levels. The variety of levels in the game make them all an absolute joy to play, but also fun to explore once your looking for the remaining stars.
With Super Mario Galaxy, Nintendo have found the perfect balance of old and new in almost every aspect. While there are new levels, and concepts which have previously been unexplored; there are still some levels which retain the classic 2D side-scrolling elements and gameplay. The gameplay of Galaxy will never become repetitive, no matter how obsessively you play it, because of the variation featured in the game.
The side-scrolling levels mix things up a bit.
Then, we have an incredibly well-praised part of the game; the music. The music is now mostly orchestrated; which, on paper, wouldn't seem to work. In the game, however, this couldn't be further from the truth. Because the game is set mostly in space, most of the songs have a theme of exploration and adventure; so the music generally has that very theme. For the more obviously themed levels (like ice and fire levels), there are also some very good tunes for them with exactly the theme that the level design conveys. Simply put; the music fits the levels perfectly. There are also remixes of tunes from the older Mario games, which is a very nice bonus.
While everything I have said so far has been positive, that's not to say the game is perfect; it does have flaws. While the camera angle does do a good job of trying to keep everything in, it sometimes does a better job of getting a good view at a nearby tree than Mario. Also, the different effects of the gravitational pulls, while very cool to watch, can be a little bit confusing.
Galaxy now has a co-operative multiplayer mode called 'Co-star mode'. Instead of controlling two characters like you normally do in co-op games, one of the players takes charge of Mario, and another can help that player by grabbing a second Wii remote. The second player can keep some enemies or moving obstacles still by pressing A while putting the pointer over it, which will help Mario to get past them. As well as this, they can shoot some of Mario's star bits. Obviously, having the second Wii remote is definitely the 'short end of the straw'. That's not to say that the co-op is terrible, but I think the second player could have been given a bit more to do.
All of these elements combine perfectly to make an absolutely astounding platformer; a rare breed indeed. The difficulty level is adequate. Some levels are very easy, and some levels are very hard, some even 'Mega Man' hard. While some would say platformers are dead, it certainly seems to be the genre where Nintendo shatter expectations and innovate more than any other genre. This is the best game on the Wii, arguably the best game this generation, and one of the best games of all time.
Overall: 9.7
+ Fantastic gameplay
+ The best graphics on the Wii
+ Great power-ups
- The camera angles can be wonky on occassions
- Flying Mario isn't used very often
- The co-op could have been better
