Mario is at it again in another exciting adventure.
THE GOOD
-Amazing musical score
-Fun multiplayer mode
-Excellent level design
-Nice variety of cool suits
-Superb graphics
-Comet modes and secret levels add a nice challenge
THE BAD
-Story is lame
-Frustrating camera angles in some spots
OVERVIEW
Super Mario Galaxy is an awesome 3D platformer for the Nintendo Wii. Mario is at it again in his quest to save the Princess from Bowser but this time he has to travel to different galaxies. At the beginning of the game you play as Mario on his way to the Mushroom Kingdom for a comet festival which happens every 100 years. Just when you think that things are calm and peaceful Bowser shows up with his fleet of airships (just like Mario 3) and captures the Princess and takes her to a far away galaxy.
A confused Mario finds help from a star princess named Rosalina and her Luma (or star) friends. Rosalina tells Mario that they can help find the princess by using their observatory but there is one problem, they need stars to give the engines power. Mario uses the observatory to pin point other galaxies with stars and the Luma's launch him there. Again, just like some of the other Mario games, there are a total of 120 Stars to find. As you move along in the game you find out more about Rosalina and the Lumas. The characters are cool in Mario Galaxy. I mean who doesn't like Mario! Unfortunately, the story is not this game's strong suit.
GAMEPLAY
The fun gameplay and optional 2 player mode is where this game really excels. I've found that a hardcore and casual gamer combination make the best team in Mario Galaxy because stronger player can control Mario while the other stays stress free but also very useful.
The controls are easy to use and work really well. Player one uses the remote and nunchuk in order to move Mario around on screen. There is plenty of button mashing, remote pointing and there are some motion controlled actions. You can perform many of the same types of jumps from the other 3D Mario games like the ground pound, long jump and wall jump but one of the differences is that you use a swinging motion to attack enemies with a spin move. The optional second player controls a pointer on the screen that can be used to stun enemies and aid Mario in some extra jumping techniques.
Along with collecting coins, which refuels your health, there are "Star Bits" that you can collect by either running into them or using the pointer to collect them on screen; which makes things a lot easier and fun to do. Collecting enough Star Bits yields an extra life and you can also point at the screen and shoot Star Bits at the enemy. Later in the game you'll come across some special levels that have you controlling Mario on top of a ball, for example. These special levels require you to use the Wii Remote like a joystick. Holding it upright to start and pushing it forward and backward to move. These special levels offer a nice break in the action and fun mini-game to play.
Aside from the controls, Super Mario Galaxy has plenty of memorable levels that will put you to the test on land, under water soaring through the air, and even playing around with gravity. In one galaxy you might find yourself navigating around and active volcano and in another, a deep sea dive. Nintendo also had a lot of fun with gravity; jumping from small planet to another is interesting to watch and fun to maneuver around.
Another really cool feature about Super Mario Galaxy is that it brings back some of the greatness from Super Mario Bros. 3 in the power-up suits like the Ice Flower, Spring suit and Bee costume. All the suits are really fun to use and very helpful in getting extra stars. One of my favorite moments came when I had the chance to ice skate using the ice flower.
Aside from obtaining the normal stars there are a few optional stars to find. These special stars can only be obtained from Mario Galaxy's unique Comet mode. When a comet comes into orbit of a random galaxy it alters the game mode and objective. One of the game modes, for example, is the Daredevil comet. To get the special star in this mode you have to complete a certain objective with only one health. Modes like Daredevil gives the game a welcomed challenge; especially for those hardcore gamers out there.
There is one frustrating thing to note about the game play, however. I've noticed that the camera angles can get kind of funky and can cause frustration with navigating Mario in some spots. In these instances, depth perception was hindered. Luckily, this doesn't happen too often.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
The graphics for Super Mario Galaxy are some of the best that the Wii has to offer right now. Each level is crisp and clear which enhances the game. The level design is absolutely amazing and fun to play and replay.
The musical score is truly spectacular and fits the theme for each level. Not only is the new music good but the nostalgic and re-vamped soundtrack from the previous games in the series is really fun to listen to. The sound effects also work really well and fans of the series will notice a few similarities from the previous Mario games.
CONCLUSION
Super Mario Galaxy is the type of game that's easy to play over and over again. Whether you're playing with by yourself or with a buddy, there is plenty of Mario excitement to keep you occupied. The level design, controls and soundtrack come together to create another great Mario platformer. Mario once again shows his greatness and you can bet that we'll be seeing more of this lovable plumber for years to come.