By Nemesis 21/11/07
When it comes to Mario, I have never considered myself a huge fan. I wasn’t even going to buy this game but on launch day, I couldn’t resist the temptation. I never played the original Mario 64, only the DS port, and I got most of the way through Sunshine before getting bored and infuriated, so I didn’t have extremely high hopes. 
I’m pleased to say, his game has blown away all of my expectations. It purely is amazing.
Ok, so I should probably review the game in a bit more detail, right? Graphically, it is the best thing on the Wii, no contest. A month ago I purchased Metroid Prime 3 and was amazed by those visuals, but in comparison Galaxy makes that look rather average. I don’t think anyone had ANY expectations at al story wise, It’s a Mario game, so Peach needs rescuing and we do as nature intended and save her. That’s it. Although there is an attempt to flesh out the backstory, it isn’t really a huge part of the game, and doesn’t need to be. Some games push too much plot at you and not enough gameplay, but Mario gets it just right.
In terms of controls you will be flying Mario around the galaxy with ease quite quickly. All the normal moves are there such as the crouch jump, triple jump and butt-stomp, and they are all executed in the traditional Mario style. Motion sensor controls are only used to make Mario spin, which is an essential in-game technique, for various mini game levels and to point at the screen to collect star bits. The pointer mechanic also allows a second player to collect star bits for Mario, as well as making him jump by pointing at him and pressing A. When both players jump at the same time, Mario gets a boost, which can be handy for shortcuts. This multiplayer does seem a bit tacked on, but it can be fun in some places. However, others just leave Player 2 doing nothing.
One thing that annoyed me with Sunshine was the ridiculous learning curve for the non-FLUDD levels. Some of them were SO hard and then the next level was relatively easy. Galaxy, however, manages to keep a balance in this respect. Don’t get me wrong, some levels will keep you occupied for ages where as you will finish others in one try but it never feels as if a level is impossible or purely based on luck. The game also has a system where by you must complete it (or a section of it) again, under certain conditions such as having quicker enemies or only one health point. Some of these levels can be frustrating, but really rewarding when you do finish them.
Of course, there has to be some negative points. Some of the water levels are really irritating, which seems to be a tradition since the 2-d Mario games. This is mainly due to the controls on these sections which really detract from the gameplay, leaving me feeling that some great gaming moments were ruined by the fact I was so annoyed that it had taken me so long to get in to an underwater pipe. The lack of variety in some of the major boss battles also annoys me a little, especially since Mario games are known for some great boss battles.
As a whole, Super Mario Galaxy is a masterpiece. There are some great moments in the game, with the power ups quite possibly the best since the third Super Mario World. I won’t spoil much more for you, but Boo and Bee Mario are just the tip of the ice berg. Those two are my favourites, but expect to see some old faces too. As with most games in the series, Galaxy has great replay value and a few secrets that, although you have probably heard about over the online grapevine, I won’t risk spoiling here. I am sure this will keep me going for a long while yet, and certainly makes up for the disappointment I felt with Super Mario Sunshine. Although this is going to seem like a really clichéd score, I am giving Super Mario Galaxy 98%.
