Fearlessly surpassing its predecessor whilst presenting mastery of old and new Nintendo features
When Nintendo’s quintessential mascot Super Mario embarked on his first galactic conquest, the gaming world’s expectations sky-rocketed. Mario Galaxy quenched our high-standards, incorporating aspects from old games we loved with new aspects we were happy to tolerate. Indeed, we can attempt to compare ALL new 3D Mario games to Mario 64, a pioneer of the 3D world. However, in scrutinizing comparison, games generally receive bad reviews… Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a downright fantastic game: its array of objectives, charming graphics, lovable characters (old and new), catchy soundtrack, flowing controls; manipulation of Nintendo’s protégé Wii remote and the zealously of some of Super Mario‘s ancestor rudiments all make Super Mario Galaxy 2 an outstanding game; no matter what it is compared to, or its place in Nintendo’s prestigious time-line.
To begin, where did we leave off in the first Super Mario Galaxy? That is absolutely irrelevant. Rather cheaply, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is set in an alternate universe to the first game. This cheeky notion means that the game developers didn’t have to relate too directly to the lore of Mario Galaxy, rather take whatever aspects they liked the most. It also means that, if you haven’t played the prequel, you can hastily leap into the game without being snarled at by conservative sequel-haters and bitter nostalgia-guardians.
On the contrary, history LOVES to repeat itself. As usual, Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom has been kidnapped. It is up to the part-time plumber and athletic hero Mario to save her from the evil dominion of Bowser, who seems to have had a growth spurt. You will find yourself on a planetoid which has been made into a space-ship by a squadron of Luma – the sentient star-type creatures met in the previous game – ran by a larger, purple Luma called Lubba (If that’s a generic Luma name, there can’t be much variation. I’d be surprised if some of them were called “Keith” or “Alan”). You will treat this planetoid-ship-hybrid as your lobby area if you ever want to lounge about before and after embarking to complete levels.
You can hastily leap into the game without being snarled at by conservative sequel-haters
As with much of the Super Mario 3D universe, the primary task is for Mario to collect stars. Their uses in this game are as fuel so that the ship can advance and reach Bowser at the heart of the universe. Unlike our modern perception of Astronomy, each level is called a ‘Galaxy’ (although some are as big as my local playing fields). The larger prefix is called a ‘world’, similar to that of the original Mario games. This is all inside what seems to be a small universe – and Bowser wants it all! (and god knows why he wants Peach O.o… I’ll allow you to muse on that one!).
The Gameplay leaves little to be desired. You’ll enter the game in 2D, with a tutorial teaching you the controls. Consider walking, jumping, wall-kicking and using the Wii remote to capture Starbits your preliminary steps. Master this and you will soon be greeted by a vast 3D world letting you enjoy being in control of Mario’s skills and acrobatics. Different styles of jump let you reach certain areas in all sorts manner. Both dimensions are harnessed throughout the game. A captivating feature of the Mario Galaxy games is the manipulation of gravity. You will be what seems to be upside down on a planet when you are actually suffering no blood-rushes to the brain at all. It is apparent that Nintendo spent much time perfecting the camera and the way it follows the player whilst he soars each planetoid with incredible ease. Sometimes, those wacky creators actually want you to experience things upside down! It adds a lot of fun and challenge. It sadly also adds frustration: Nintendo’s endeavours are exemplary; there were less glitches in camera angles than I could ever expect; but these glitches are nonetheless existent, but not so much that it ruins the game entirely.
Cooperative play is an absolute delight, allowing a friend or a family member to control a second cursor who’s entire activity resolves around pointing the Wii remote at the screen. As with the previous game, your companion can collect & shoot Starbits and restrain enemies, but can even kill enemies and grab certain items; including coins and 1-ups (lives)! Teaming up with a second player is totally fun and beneficial… well… unless they waste your Starbits or repeatedly click one of the ‘taunt’ buttons to make vexatious noises from the Wii remote… But that’s just my little brother.
There is an awesome assortment of characters. One will encounter familiar enemies such as Piranhas, Goombas, Koopas, Boos – even Baby Bowser acquires some screen time – but a bunch of new baddies and bosses will keep you entertained. In your arsenal is the cute and lovable dinosaur Yoshi. Rendezvous with Yoshi on certain levels in order to complete them with a whole new style of game play. Luigi can also be met in game as a playable character further into the storyline.
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The galaxies themselves pour endless fun and adventure. The different suits encountered are powerups, allowing you to do different things. Older suits such as the fire suit and the bee suit are used again, but there are newer power-ups such as the cloud suit, allowing one to stand on clouds and even create clouds by shaking the Wii remote. There are many more of these, adding more angles and more fun to the game.
Usually, there is one singular path in completing a level, but the copious amount of quirks and features stop Super Mario Galaxy 2 from being boring. In some levels you need to swim or skate on ice or use snowballs to create a path across lava. In others, you are chased by an onslaught of Ghost-Mario’s that do everything you do about 2 seconds late. Don’t stand still, as touching them results in damage! Remember the slide race in Mario 64 or the swings in Mario Sunshine? All of this and more content to be found in the world of Super Mario Galaxy 2!
The composers credited for the scores of the game are Mahito Yokota – who composed for the first Mario Galaxy – A new kid on the block, Ryo Nagamatsu and of course the famous original Super Mario composer Koji Kondo. A variety of styles and brilliant orchestral pieces make the sound department an exceptional one. You’ll hear hardy saxophones on Yoshi’s stages, spooky synth on those haunted mansion stages and even some remixes of older themes from the Super Mario codex. Mario Galaxy 2 presents some recycling, such as the fanfares when you complete a level,
or when you’re about to pick one. The music is otherwise original, but sometimes too short! Hardy saxophones aren’t necessarily a good thing when they’re on an agitating loop! When tunes get past their ‘catchy’ stage, and reach their ‘annoying’ stage, it makes you want to complete that level ASAP, stopping a player from admiring the level, a con sadly prevalent in the game.
The ocular experience of Mario Galaxy is a vivid one
A subtle musical aspect seldom immediately noticeable in Super Mario Galaxy is triggered progression; the idea that pieces alter when certain things are done. It’s a difficult to explain paradox, but basically, the main piece plays on a loop. When the player triggers something, a new instrument is added, such as when you jump on Yoshi and conga drums play fittingly with the main piece. It’s less apparent but equally as genius when more instruments are added to your lobby’s theme tune as you collect more and more stars. This intelligent element can only be mechanised in games music, and Mario Galaxy has made it ever more credible.
The only voice acting is probably on the title screen when Mario gleefully shouts “SUPER MARIO GALAXY! WAHOO!”. The only other encounters are probably Princess Peach’s cries for help and the occasional grunt from characters like toad at the start of conversation. Dietetic sound is minimal, effective and non-intrusive.
The ocular experience of Mario Galaxy is a vivid one, and we get the idea that the game’s art and design was definitely tailored to get the best from the sometimes limited Nintendo Wii. Graphics are kept fanatical but alluring, without the strife for realism. You will seamlessly blast your way from planetoid to planetoid, usually triggering some sort of pretty explosion showing that you’ve completed that area. If you’re taking a rest from the hectic system of level completion, staying stationary to admire the stars, grass, flowers, characters and other features is just as visually rewarding.
I believe that Super Mario Galaxy 2 is utterly amazing and has set a whole new standard that shows Nintendo to be video game masters without the need for voice acting, realism, sandbox, gore or thrill. 10/10 does not mean the ‘perfect game’, but one of my personal highest opinion and how well features were mobilized. I was sensitive of this, so my judgement is hopefully fair on what Nintendo wanted and eventually produced. For what was intended, and for what was achieved, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a definite success and an item of exemplary quality. Fun is not gained just by saving Princess Peach and getting your hands on those bragging-rites: true entertainment is found entirely during your time playing the game. I recommend it to all gamers.
The Bad: Camera controls can be confusing.; Music can get annoying after a while.
Diamond Y Award