Mario takes his basic formula and multiplies it by the power of space. The product is pure fun from start to finish!
The gameplay of this game is really fun, and the environments are new and unique, with some sweet, trouser tightening platforming that hardcore gamers can really get into. Also, the changes in perspective provide a unique feel to the formula of Mario.
But, even with all of the things good in this game, it's definitaly not perfect. For example, changing in perspective, like running on the walls and ceiling using the gravity mechanic, is kind of awesome, it can be disorienting, and confusing when the tight platforming is done up-side down. Especially when the platforming done up-side down has insta-kill traps which requires you to hurry up or die.
Also, when the game starts throwing the one-hit kill runs through levels at you, I can almost picture the game laughing at me, calling me a daft c%*t. F@%k you, too, game. I'm playing to have fun, not to strain my nerves.
Actually, come to think about it, the whole comet thing seems to be crobared in the game. Joker comets occasionally fly by planets and change the rules of the level, and it counts as a different star to get. If you go for 100 %, first of all, good luck trying to find all of the joker comet stars, and 2nd, you are clearly mad as a hatter. How do I know? Well, when you do beat the game 100%, you unlock Luigi's story, which is the exact same story, just playing as Luigi. Then, when you beat Luigi's story 100%, then you unlock 2 more levels, which are just collect 100 purple coins during the star festival, and it's the same level for Mario and Luigi. THEN, you've beaten the game 100%, and totals 242 stars. Why yes, I'm AM as mad as a hatter!
Another problem I have is the bosses are pathetic. I guess Bowser is just doomed to inevitable failure, but couldn't he at least try to give a s#1t? Especially when he goes through the trouble of kidnapping Peach. I guess his strategy is not to defeat Mario or Luigi anymore, it's putting more s#1t in between Mario and Bowser so he can have more time with her. There's a bit of a difficulty problem in general, usually the gimmicks causing more difficulty than the actual level design, even though the gimmick IS the level design, so I guess it works out.
I also have a problem with the story, too. I'd normally recap, but why don't we sign along? Mario, Bowser, and Peach; and the staple of the Mario franchise is Bowser has a raging stiffy from the dumb bimbo Peach, who has no common sence to move away from her serial rapist's house, so Bowser kidnaps Peach to take care of his stiffy. Then, Mario goes to save Peach, also equally mindlessly, and kick Bowser's ass.
First of all, you'd think that Mario would get sick of rescueing Peach after 20 years of that crap. I believe that Peach has some sort of fetish for being rescued by Mario, and she quietly gets off every time, which would explain why she lets herself get kidnapped all the damned time. She proved she can defend herself in the Super Smash Bros. games, even to the point where she's not even scared of Bowser, anymore, as proven by her playing sports with Bowser. Also, you'd think Bowser would be equally tired of this pattern, and every time he gets a stiffy now, any sensable person would just hire a hooker. Considering he's the king of the koopa's, he's got to have some money, and also considering that he's put all of this money paying troops, creating planets, even buiding temples and all to kidnap Peach supposedly, because he has probably 30 castles at least, not including the one's blown up by Mario in Super Mario World.
Well, the Mario formula is classic, and it'd be difficult to come up with a new premise and villian with each game, so I'll let it slide. I mean, after all, it does come across as effective, even if it's overused, so with all of the ney-saying, it is still an effective set up for Mario, and I'm just nit picking with this.
I also should need to bring up something else that bothered me, and that's the fact that the power ups only last a little while. I understand the flying power up not lasting forever, but the fire flower? Really? That's a little odd, and the fire flower was fun to use, so why not let us use it until we get hit, or at least until the end of the stage?
But, other than that, this game is really fun, and you can have a lot of fun playing this unique take on Mario, even if it is flawed, and I have to put a big, fat recommendation on this one. It's simply a great game!