Review: Super Mario Galaxy

Genre: Platformer
Platform: Wii
Developer: Nintendo EAD Tokyo
Publisher: Nintendo
Release: November 12, 2007

For a fictional character, Mario is pretty amazing. He still stole the show in Donkey Kong, his big debut game despite not having his name in the title. In Super Mario Bros., he not only revolutionized gaming and the platform genre, he saved the North American video game market when many thought gaming in America was simply a thing of the past. When the next wave of 3D gaming was making the rounds in the 1990s, Mario stepped forward and reminded us yet again why he's so awesome in Super Mario 64. Super Mario Galaxy may not bring new innovations to the table like previous Mario platformers have, but it's still a very well crafted piece of work and one of the finest titles that the plumber has ever appeared in.

Black holes function as bottomless pits and the reach these things have is surprisingly far.

It's the night of the star festival and all the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom are gathering at Princess Peach's castle. Mario, lucky dog that he is, gets a special invite from Peach. As he's making his way to the castle grounds, the place gets attacked by an armada of Bowser's airships. Taking a cue from Paper Mario, Bowser kidnaps Peach along with her castle. Before Mario can reach the Princess, he's flicked away like an ant and left behind. Shortly after, he meets up with Roslina, the guardian of the universe and she entrusts him with the task of recovering their lost Power Stars because doing so will not only save Peach, but also the galaxy.

It may be a 3D game, but there are still some 2D sections as well. This area in particular can be pretty nasty.

Super Mario Galaxy manges to be not only a unique Mario game, but it stands out from all of the other 3D offerings in the current generation of gaming, with the exception being the sequel. Mario explores the usual ice, fire, haunted house, grassy and water environments that we've seen in every other run and jump game, but most of the action takes place in space. Many of the planets that you explore have their own force of gravity and can be circled in a matter of seconds. Stomping Goombas on a house-sized planet may seem a bit complex, but it's as simple as jumping on enemies in any other Mario game and undeniably just as fun.

See that 8-bit Mario in the background? I'll bet you're thinking "Whoa, an 8-bit Mario! Cool!" You're going to hate that thing, or to be more precise, you're going to hate the Luigi side of it.

Whether you're leaping from one planet to another by foot or transversing to a far off galaxy via Launch Star, everything you do in Super Mario Galaxy feels very natural thanks to the easy controls. A slight wag of the Wii Remote makes Mario spin, which can be used to defeat most enemies and keep Mario in the air for a few more seconds. A few missions also have you using more involved motion controls such as Ray Surfing, which has you pointing the Wii Remote at your TV screen in order to properly steer Mario and keep him on track. Some of the motion control events may take some getting used to, but a little practice and you'll be good to go.

Some of the best visuals splendors from Super Mario Galaxy come from just gazing out into space.

Thankfully Mario still retains all of his incredible acrobatic jumps that became standard for him in Super Mario 64. So you can Double and Triple Jump your heart out. Even the Long Jump returns after being absent in Super Mario Sunshine. The Long Jump may very well be your most used jump because there are so many uses for it. Where the Wall Jump and Triple Jump help you ascend to higher platforms, the Long Jump is useful for evading enemies attacks and taking short cuts. Even better the Long Jump can be steered slightly.

Gusty Garden, one of the most memorable Green Hill style zones of any video game thanks to the excellent design and superb music.

In a manner similar to previous 3D Mario titles, your overall goal in a mission is to collect a Power Star. The requirement to obtaining your prize can range from scaling a mountain, racing against a clone, or collecting 100 purple coins before time runs out. Seems like pretty routine stuff and most of the Power Stars are easy to get. Those that seek out to get all 120 Power Stars, however, had better be prepared. Super Mario Galaxy has often been criticized for being too easy but most of the game's later challenges are enough to make even the calmest of gamers want to shatter their Wii Remote against a wall. It gets to a point where you realize the developers knew certain sections would be brutally hard so they placed one-up Mushrooms for the player to keep grabbing so they can try again. Luigi's Purple Coins, one the the toughest missions in the game has you collecting coins on an 8-bit Luigi from Super Mario Bros. and it is the bane of many player's existence. There are videos on YouTube that make it look easy. It's not. Some missions have you go back to get a Power Star you already grabbed but under much stricter conditions like a time limit, or making you a one-hit-wonder. Fighting Bouldergeist, an enemy that has so many methods of attacking you while being only allowed one hit before you kick the bucket is the definition of frustration.

Miyamato really loves those Chomps, doesn't he?

It wouldn't be a Mario game without power-ups and Super Mario Galaxy features a host of newcomers. New power-ups include the Bee Mushroom, which gives Mario a bee-like appearance and the ability to fly for short periods of time and climb honeycomb walls. The Boo Mushroom also lets Mario fly as well as become intangible to move through solid objects. Picking up the Ice Mushroom allows Mario to turn water as well as lave into ice and creates a path for him to skate on. The Rainbow Mushroom has effects similar to a Starman, except Mario's speed increases as he runs. Mario can jump the highest he's ever jumped with the Spring Mushroom but because of the way it functions, it's not very fun to use. Red Stars give Mario the most free flight he's ever had and it's a real shame that this power hardly ever gets used in the game. The only old power-up to return is the Fire Flower.

Coins can of course be used to refill Mario's health but more important than coins are Star Bits, little stars littered throughout each course. Star Bits are often out of Mario's reach and the best way to collect them is to point at them with the Wii Remote. That's right, Mario doesn't even have to touch Star Bits to collect them. As long as they can be seen on the screen, all you have to do is point at them and they come zipping over to our hero. In a genre that has become saturated with collecting things, I find being able to grab something with a point of the Wii Remote very welcome. Star Bits are often used to feed hungry Lumas, which can open up new galaxies for you to explore. Star Bits can also be used offensively to break canon balls or stun enemies. Just point at your target and fire away.

Mario is so awesome he can breathe in space! OK so he has some help from Luma. 

No matter whether you're swimming in the ocean or evading Boos in a Ghost House, Super Mario Galaxy looks stunning, even today. Flying away on a Launch Star usually shows off just how pretty the game looks. Two of the most memorable scenes of visual power appear in Melty Molten Galaxy. In the first, Mario blasts out of a volcano seconds before it erupts. Mario stretches his arms as he flies away with the volcano bursting with lava and smoke behind him. After this, Mario flies over the planet as shooting balls of lave jump back and forth. It's just an incredible sight to behold and never ceases to amaze you no matter how many times you see it.

This picture doesn't even begin to describe how awesome this moment in the game truly is.

Super Mario Galaxy features a fully orchestral soundtrack with familiar arrangements of Koji Kondo's classic compositions from Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3 and even one from Super Mario 64. The orchestrated version of the Airship music along with the theme of Battle Rock Galaxy, one of the many new songs, makes it feel like Mario is involved in a real war with Bowser and his mooks. The new material is sure to rank up there with the best of Mario music. The upbeat Super Mario Brothers theme gets another update in a child-like tone in Toy Time Galaxy and it's every bit as catchy as the original piece. Space Junk Galaxy has a very soothing melody that's perfect for looking out into the vastness of space. Gusty Garden is video game music bliss, nay, one of the most heart-gripping pieces of music ever written. Koji Kondo composed a few of the game's tunes, but the bulk of Super Mario Galaxy's music was done by Mahito Yokota and he's done remarkable job, on par with Kondo's best works.

Pushing the envelope with games is important but more important than anything in gaming is having fun. The planet based gameplay in Super Mario Galaxy is new to the Super Mario series for sure, but when you get down to it, Mario's galaxy hoping adventure is all about having a good time. In many ways, Mario embodies the essence of fun and that remains true for Super Mario Galaxy. Yes, it can be punishingly hard at times, but Super Mario Galaxy is still enjoyable and may very well be up there with the greatest games of all-time. Before you leave this world, make sure you play this game.