Buy Super Mario Galaxy 2

Mario is one of the oldest and most storied franchises in gaming history. The iconic Italian plumber has been able to stay relevant over the decades by consistently reinventing himself - from 8-bit 2D to Earthly 3D, to the outer reaches of space. 2007's Super Mario Galaxy was the latest to reinvent the franchise, with its mind-bending gravity mechanics, unique planetoids, and otherworldly wonderment. Apparently Miyamoto's team had so many ideas as a result of the new direction Galaxy took, that they decided to make a direct sequel - something Mario hasn't seen for quite some time. The end product is Super Mario Galaxy 2, a game that takes the foundations laid out in Galaxy and experiments with them in every way imaginable. 

Calling Galaxy 2 a direct sequel applies in every way except story. The traditional Mario adventure starts off where it always has - Mario goes to see Princess Peach, but before he can get there the villainous Bowser steps in and kidnaps her. Mario is yet again tasked with searching the universe for his beloved Peach. This scenario has played itself out so many times that it's comical at this point, especially considering Mario and Bowser are the best of friends in numerous Mario spin-offs, and for some unexplained reason Bowser always requires Peach in order to carry out his evil plan. 

That being said, Mario's narrative has never been its strength, merely serving as an excuse to do some incredible platforming. Thankfully, Nintendo seems well aware of the plot's purpose, designing the game so that it doesn't become an unnecessary distraction. Unfortunately, players will still end up chatting with far too many pointless characters, who are blabbering on about nothing. Hopefully, in the future they cut even more of the fat away.
What Mario has always excelled at is platforming. The series has been the staple of the genre since its inception and continues to be with Galaxy 2. In particular, the game stands out from previous Mario titles because of the sheer number of unique, inventive ideas that have been compiled into one amazing package. Galaxy 2 is constantly throwing new and interesting riffs at the player, but it never feels overwhelming thanks to some genius level design. Whether it's seamlessly changing between perspectives (sometimes quickly from 3D to 2D to top down), experimenting with intuitive gravity dynamics or using numerous new abilities, the game will always keep players guessing as to what comes next.

The real magic in Galaxy 2 is that the developers manage to teach the player just enough, through practice and subtle cues, so the barrage of new skills doesn't get confusing. There are so many great mechanics in this game that many levels are self contained experiences, by which I mean some are only ever used once. Galaxy 2's ability to quickly teach a skill over the course of a level, have the player easily come to terms with it, and then transfer that experience into a clever boss battle or climax is absolutely brilliant. While many mechanics return in other stages, some are quickly seen and then vanish as fast as they came. There is enough material here to spawn several full games, a testament to the developer's unmatched creativity.

For the most part, Mario controls like he always has. All the standard moves are accounted for, with some nice additions. In particular, the pointer on the Wii remote has been expanded for the better. As in the original Galaxy, the pointer is used to collect little star bits around the screen, but this time Yoshi also uses it to great effect. Yoshi's frighteningly flexible tongue can be controlled with the pointer to grab enemies and turn them into items, flip switches, pull levers and shoot projectiles. It's a great implementation that provides some interesting situations never seen in a Mario game.
On the other hand, while the controls are very solid, the game does feel like it's slightly missing out, as the classic controller isn't supported. The Wii remote functions more than adequately to get players through the levels, but when precise actions are required (there are many, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a very challenging game) the thought of a traditional controller inevitably crosses the mind. A few circumstances such as rolling, swimming and flying also highlight some weaknesses in the control scheme, however, these are vastly outweighed by the delightful moments that make up the majority of the game.

Both Mario Galaxy titles are shinning examples of gorgeous Wii games that stand out on the strength of their art. The minimalist art style used sells the world beautifully, and the variety will constantly stimulate your senses. Make sure you're playing on a standard definition TV as a modern widescreen will cause the edges to look rigid and make the resolution lines all too apparent. Otherwise, Galaxy 2 is a fantastic looking game. The sound design is equally impressive. There is a diverse set of tracks ranging from remixed Mario classics to new jazz arrangements. Overall, Mario continues to provide top notch presentation.

Galaxy 2 also surpasses its predecessor in terms of lasting appeal. Whether playing solo or co-op, Galaxy 2's 242 stars and numerous, valuable collectables will keep you busy for a long time. Co-op in the original Galaxy largely felt like an afterthought as the second player simply collected star bits. This time around the second player has far more options that actually have a significant impact. Along with collecting star bits, the pointer can be used to grab coins thus restoring Mario's health, and to shoot star bits that damage enemies. Levels are much more manageable with a friend to assist with some of the tasks. The game also does a great job of rewarding exploration which can't be commended enough.

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Super Mario Galaxy 2 Review

With zombie hordes and space marines duking it out for videogame supremacy, Nintendo's iconic plumber comes along with casual ease and delivers a reminder that having fun makes for a great game. Yes, there's a nostalgia factor at work in Super Mario Galaxy 2. At its core, the game retains the basic premise of guiding Mario in his quest to rescue the princess by running and jumping through imaginative worlds, collecting coins, stomping on enemies, and defeating bosses. But like its predecessor on the Wii, it does all of those things in a thoroughly modern way, both in its use of 3D space and ability to create unexpected experiences.

 

Throughout the game I was surprised by how many times I smiled as the simple result of doing something cool. Often, that feeling came from the core fundamentals of how the designers played with gravity and shapes in the levels; a definite high point in the sequel. Like Galaxy before it, the levels play tricks with the player's traditional sense of up and down. The game will flip things and let Mario run around, burrow through, and float over worlds ranging from spheres to flat planes.

As potentially disorienting as that sounds, one of the game's strengths is how natural it is to play. While other games struggle with the Wii's control system, the Wiimote and Nunchuk feel comfortable here. Whatever the orientation, Mario responded as I expected to the directional stick. Motion control isn't used as a gimmick and in the sections where it comes in to play the designers take full advantage of it in ways that make sense. For instance, the first time Mario hopped up on top of a giant ball to roll around a level I grimaced, expecting several minutes of frustration. Instead, holding the Wiimote straight up as if it were Mario, I glided around the level. A simple interaction like this (and the amount of fun it produces) is the hallmark of a Miyamoto game.

Showbiz dictates that we should 'always leave them wanting more'. Super Mario Galaxy 2 plays with a pacing that makes it both fun in the moment, but was also there in the back of my mind between play sessions. The designers debut creative mechanics in nearly every level; mechanics strong enough to build entire experiences around. Mario's new suits like the cloud suit, which lets him create his own platforms, invite experimentation. And Yoshi's return energizes several levels, particularly those where he eats fruits bestowing powers, like the gas fruit that lets him fly.

With so much going on there were sure to be missteps, but for a game that throws new ideas out at every turn they are few and far between. The few frustrations come from the odd sections every so often that stand out from the others in difficulty. And as with prior Mario games there are levels which require a degree of trial and error to learn the way though. I found that given a few tries I could advance, but the game also includes a built-in help system to get past roadblocks. It strikes a comfortable balance that makes Super Mario Galaxy 2 both a delight for someone who just wants to pick it up and play and the completionist who's gotten every star in every Mario game.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 Review

Format: Wii
Release: June 11
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: In-house
Screenshot gallery

You’re going to take it for granted. And why not? Mario’s titles always step lightly: they never undergo the rigorous pre-nup investigations most games sit through, and they’re not sliced open and hyped up in studio visits, online documentaries and art team Q&As. With Mario, the work is hidden: he’s pieced together in glorious secrecy, and nobody gets to see him until he’s whole.

Besides, Nintendo makes it look so easy. An early level of Super Mario Galaxy 2 leads you from a 360-degree playground, around a corner, and into the depths of a 2D maze, via a transition so effortless that you won’t even notice it’s happened. Coins guide the way and perfect distractions litter the path until, finally, a huge door opens in the wall behind you, beckoning you back to the world of three dimensions. Beyond it, there’s a new route to follow, but now it hovers high above you, and it’s upside-down.

These shifts in tempo, perspective and dynamics are things on which other games tend to choke. Here, they’re thrown in for 20 minutes of one-shot fun. It’s often a criticism to say that something is built from gimmicks, but the problem only actually arises the moment those gimmicks run out. In Galaxy 2’s case, they never do. This is a game that refuses to bore you, that can take you to the 60-star mark before asking you to do the same thing twice. It reuses assets, but almost never recycles ideas; you’ll never see another title so thrifty, or so gratuitous.

Galaxy 2 is that rarest of things in Mario’s universe: a traditional sequel. After years of running left to right, this is what happens when the plumber stops moving for a moment, before swooping in for another pass. It’s no mere expansion: with the first blinding thrill of invention out of the way, it’s an opportunity to see exactly what Nintendo has achieved. It’s the platformer as playground, puzzle and toybox, as well as assault course, and the result will make you think about history just as its predecessor made you reconsider physics.

At times, it can be difficult to tell which Nintendo game is getting the sequel here. The plumber still leaps from planetoid to comet, moving from glass-shelled pill to carpeted travelator as he did two years ago, but these playgrounds ripple with echoes from Mario’s early days, too. Throughout, Nintendo handles its busy traditions with poise, finding the best way to incorporate three decades of enemies, mechanics and audio cues, and always leaving room for a perfect twist. Most astonishingly, contemporary Mario still feels like his 8bit counterpart. A firm little chunk of fat, he’s as approachable as ever, even as his moveset hits the levels of nuance more commonly found in fighting games.

Super Mario World is perhaps the strongest secondary influence, and not just because the developers are more willing to explore 2D spaces this time. The map’s back, helping to make design built on near-constant distraction seem both graceful and directed, and Yoshi also makes a welcome return. And, after Sunshine, it’s the right Yoshi – the one that makes you feel super-powered but precarious all at once. Equipped with a pointer-based gobble attack that sends you tongue-swinging from one hook to the next, the dinosaur surreptitiously blends traversal with something that approaches a lightgun game – just one trick out of many in this restless, replayable universe.

Yoshi’s transformative nature shines through in the other power-ups, almost all of which are built around mixing platforming with a different genre. Even in the early stages, the Drill turns levels into spatial puzzles while the Cloud Suit, allowing you to conjure a limited range of platforms, puts the focus on path-finding just as its rocky counterpart recalls the stunts and skittle-runs of both Wii Sports and Metroid. All mesh perfectly with their environments as the game swings you from the dusty outfields of the Spin-Dig Galaxy, through the dynamic candy-coloured terrors of somewhere like planet Puzzle Plank, where buzz-saws slice the floor to pieces around you, and out into the transdimensional strangeness of Haunted Halls, a skeletal ghost house that sets new standards for balancing intricacy and elegance.

All these worlds are yours, but some may take a while to claim. From the fourth map onwards, Galaxy 2 ups the challenge, rarely dropping you on to a platform that isn’t sinking or melting, or pitching you towards an incline that isn’t heavy with massive rolling cogs. It’s hard, but for the best reasons, earning the right to frustrate through the sheer quality of its ideas. The increased difficulty is merely a by-product of the new knots in which the designers want to tie your brain.

That desire to experiment is this astonishing game’s most dangerous achievement. As the adventures soars onwards, its various spaces become increasingly warped, and the final levels switch the emphasis from perfecting the 3D platformer to deconstructing it. Mario is rubbing up against the limits of the form as much as the edge of the universe here, and you’ll see worlds where ledges hang sparse in the air, and where ghosts plucked from the entire sweep of videogame history emerge in half-familiar clumpings of cubes or a nimble arrangement of switches.

Marvel at the pieces, but appreciate the whole. This isn’t a game that redefines the genre: this is one that rolls it up and locks it away. We’ve come so far, from stepping on mushrooms to drop-kicking meteors into the heart of the sun; Galaxy 2 offers a new understanding of where we’ve been, a new sense of wonder at where we’ll go next.

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