Super Mario Galaxy 2

5 Comments

1. Maek says:

   June 14, 2010 at 3:44 pm

   My daughter was 5-years old when we first played the original Super Mario Galaxy. She would constantly corner me every day so that we could play it over and over, and after we beat it, over and over again. In fact, I have beaten the original game a total of 10 times with my daughter as my trusty side-kick at the player 2 spot, grabbing stars, freezing bad guys, or shooting the occasional bad guy or gold dot to get me a much needed coin.

   So imagine our delight when we heard on Amazon.com last June that Super Mario Galaxy 2 was available for pre-order…without a confirmed date, of course, but ready for pre-order nonetheless.

   Does Super Mario Galaxy 2 hold up? Does it still manage to capture the heart of a 7-year old girl and her father? The answer is a resounding YES.

   Super Mario Galaxy 2 completely operates in its own right by being a stand-alone story. The only nod to the previous Galaxy comes in the form of Rosalina who will appear if you have significant difficulty with a level so that she can actually show you how to pass a level (at the cost of getting a bronze, NOT gold star). Back to the story (or the little of it that there is, a la most Mario games), Princess Peach has been kidnapped by a GIGANTIC Bowser (surprise!). Naturally, Mario is going to rescue her with the help of star power from master luma (star-like creatures with the capability to transform).

   Who is there to help Mario this time? Well, this time Luigi is a playable character later on, as opposed to the original Galaxy which forced you to take the torturous path of collecting all 120 stars before unlocking him. Yoshi is on board as well, your trusty steed who can eat red-hot peppers to move quickly and cross water no less, or become a blimp full of hot air, or glow to reveal hidden paths.

   The biggest change for us as a father-daughter team is that Player 2 has more to do now. Player 2 is actually an orange luma who follows Mario around. Now, Player 2 (in addition to freezing enemies and grabbing stars) can actually spin as well to knock enemies to the ground or grab coins from remote places by flying over to them quickly and then bringing them back to Mario. Also, making Player 2 an actual, tangible entity in the game (as opposed to a mysterious P2 star that has no discernible presence) makes it even more fun for my daughter who gets caught up in the action because the game itself is usually too hard for her as Player 1. She will actually say things like, “Daddy, you get the one on the right, I’ll get the one on the left.” It’s extremely hard to pry her away from it when it’s time for a story and bed.

   Has the gameplay changed much? Well, no, the same mechanics are there. It’s interesting that the game starts off as a 2D sidescrolling event that leads into somewhat a 3D perspective until it’s a full-blown 3D adventure. It’s a subtle, baby-step transition and, as an IGN reviewer put it, it pays off in getting those unfamiliar with the original to get into the action.

   Despite having the same mechanics of jumping and spinning, Mario has some new powerups. Cloud Mario can create little tufts of clouds to hop up. Rock Mario has our hero turning into a solidified boulder to roll around (and even “bowl” to hilarious effect). Drill Mario allows our hero to drill through to inaccessible areas. And, of course, there’s Yoshi who is able to eat his enemies and use a couple of funny power-ups of his own as previously mentioned. Bee Mario, Fire Mario, Spring Mario, etc., make their return.

   Super Mario Galaxy 2 is smooth, polished and shows the time-dedicated love and attention that was bestowed upon it during its 3-year absence. It takes the best parts of the original and makes them better while taking away what didn’t work the first time. They have wisely included more for player 2 to do while acknowledging that Mario is still, front and center, the star of the show. The music is even more fully orchestrated than before. The attention to detail is phenomenal and showcases Nintendo’s desire to never compromise by releasing a product too quickly without undergoing the rigorous quality control that this game clearly had.

   Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a delight for children and even a delight for me as a 37-year old father. This is my “daughter and me” time, when we share a fun family night (Mommy likes to watch ;D), night-after-night and it is my modern-day Monopoly. Cheers to Nintendo for taking a winning formula, keeping it more than alive, and breathing fresh ideas into this franchise.

   So what are you waiting for? Purchase the game…this is one of the flagship titles, and deservedly so.

   Rating: 5 / 5
2. Surgery100 says:

   June 14, 2010 at 4:40 pm

   Mario Galaxy 2 builds on the success of Galaxy 1; the premise, controls and basic concept are the same. Mario has to navigate through different worlds, each incorporating some gravity defying, mind bending challenges. Every planet is completely new, there are no repeats in the tasks to complete, and with over 240 stars to collect that is no small feat.
   
   This game has several additions, most notably rock Mario, cloud Mario and Yoshi, and returns some of the original game’s best (bee Mario and boo Mario). One difference from the original is that while in the original there was a narrative that ran through the game, that aspect is completely gone in this installment. Of course, there is a basic story which by now you know by heart, Princess Peach is kidnapped and needs to be rescued. After this is presented the game immerses you in its 3 dimensional nature.

   Gameplay:
   
   This game is more challenging than the first. It gets you into serious platforming from early on, and while that is a welcome change in the early stages, some of the latter stages can be quite frustrating forcing you to spend quite a bit of time trying to get the one star needed to advance. There is a “play for me” option that you can use in some of these more frustrating challenges. The only difference is that you get a less lustrous bronze star as opposed to a gold one (letting everyone know that you couldn’t complete that challenge on your own”.
   
   Another change is that there is more 2-dimensional gameplay, which is very well done and serves as a good change of pace from the almost schizophrenic, mind-bending 3 dimensional stages. Finally, with respect to gameplay, there is a more linear or straightforward map as opposed to the very open story-line that you could follow in the first game.
   
   The two-player mode is more complete than in the first game, allowing the partner to attack enemies with a spin move.

   Graphics and sound:
   
   The graphics are fantastic, some of the best graphics available on the Wii. The orchestration is also very well done, adding to the action but not overbearing.

   Summary:
   
   All in all, an excellent game that takes all the good things about Mario Galaxy 1 and improves on them. With over 240 stars to collect and no repeat in the action, one of the biggest bargains in games.
   
   Rating: 5 / 5
3. Michael Kerner says:

   June 14, 2010 at 5:25 pm

   There is no doubt about it that Super Mario Galaxy remains as one of the most defiant games for the Nintendo Wii. Since it came out in 2007, it has re-shaped the way Nintendo has delivered its favorite pint-sized plumber. The game really delivered in a whole new dimensiion by showcasing Mario in Zero-G with more excitement and challenges than you could definitely imagine. Now with all that hype Super Mario Galaxy 2 has finally came out and fans all over want even more of their Mario mayhem in spades, but the question is that does the sequel lose any of the formula that made Super Mario Galaxy so superb. The answer is absolutely no, it just simply adds more challenge and more mayhem to it.

   Super Mario Galaxy 2 is definitely one of the must-own games of 2010 that really is worth the money that is spent on. The game takes on new challenges as Mario is again sent into space trying to rescue Peach from the clutches of Bowser, accept this time the challenges are more extreme as Mario faces new worlds from a intergalatic Giant World, to tougher foes than before like Peewee Pirhana and king-sized Bullet Bills, all the way to a even more challenging Giant-sized Bowser that is even larger and fiercer than before. But Mario isn’t alone in this game to face them. He has Yoshi as well in this game, and the use of Yoshi here is well worth the effort as you control him and Mario in levels that are beautiful and bolder than before.

   There are also new power-ups here too from the cloud suit, where as you jump you can make clouds become simple platforms to help you on your quest which can help you earn those extra stars, and the Rock suit that can make you Invincible as you can easily smash your way through foes and rocks to uncover hidden star bits. that’ll help you earn lives as well as defeat harsher enemies. Yoshi as well has some tasty power-ups like the blimp fruit which makes hime float on air and help you get to certain platforms you couldn’t do alone, the bulb fruit which helps you see certain levels that might dissapear when you’re in the spooky levels of the ghouls and Boos and levels that might be spooky in the night, and the dash pepper which makes Yoshi move like a speed demon through to help you try to race your way around the extra Zero-G madness.

   The graphics are absolutely amazing through the game, and picks up nicely where the original Super Mario Galaxy has left off. The control also is strong here, with the aid of Yoshi as well, as it is easy to manuver with him as he can easily swallow Bullet Bills and Pirhana plants that’ll help you on your quest, and spit them out at other goombas and lakitus that won’t take no for an answer. The music though does bring back at times classic melodies from past Super Mario Brothers titles like the first Super Mario Galaxy did, but remains as epic to appease the hard core Mario fan. Nevertheless, the fun here is absolutely well-worth the effort from each and every level with new challenges and mayhem that is sure to keep your Wii plugged in for days on end.

   All in all, if you’re a owner of the Nintendo Wii and you’ve loved the original Super Mario Galaxy, than I absolutely recommend Super Mario Galaxy 2 as a great addition to your Wii library. It really does the job where any Mario game really should, and is a real treat for the gamer in all of us. I really love this game from the moment I’ve seen it and laid eyes on the madness, and trust me you’ll not even be dissapointed with it either. It is well-worth the wait and Super Mario Galaxy 2 delivers from start to finish on the fun.

   Graphics: A

   Sound: A 1/2-

   Control: A

   Fun & Enjoyment: A

   Overall: A

   Rating: 5 / 5
4. meganick says:

   June 14, 2010 at 5:46 pm

   I didn’t think Nintendo would be able to top the first Super Mario Galaxy with this sequel, but I do believe they did (though, only slightly). There’s so much creativity and inventiveness in Super Mario Galaxy 2, that it’s hard not to fall in love with it. If you’ve played the first Galaxy, you’ll be right at home with this one. Nintendo took everything great about the first one and made it better (except the story, but in a game like this, who cares?) The graphics, even though they’re not HD, look wonderful, representing the best looking Wii game to date. The art design is top notch. It’s all very colorful and fun to look at. The orchestrated music is also a joy to hear making it some of the best music Nintendo has produced for any of its games.

   But what makes Galaxy 2 really shine is the level design and the sheer amount of variety. Galaxy 2 always throws new and clever challenges your way. The game has a whopping 242 stars to collect. The first 120 are standard yellow stars that you’ll collect throughout the course of the regular game (though you’ll only need about 70 to take on the last Bowser and finish the game). The remaining stars are green stars that are deceptively hidden in all the galaxies you’ve already completed to get all the yellow stars. The green stars add more of a sense of exploration to the game, and you’ll probably be busy for days or even weeks trying to find them all (I still have more to collect also). Also, scattered throughout the game, you’ll find numerous homages to other Mario games, particularly Mario 3, Mario World and Mario 64.

   If you’re an adult, and you’re worried that Galaxy 2 seems too kiddie for you to enjoy, don’t worry, this game is great for all ages. Super Mario Galaxy 2 has received much critical praise from gaming web sites and magazines, and it’s currently the highest rated game on the Wii. I’m happy to say that the game deserves all its accolades and deserves to be added to your gaming library.
   Rating: 5 / 5
5. Joseph says:

   June 14, 2010 at 6:49 pm

   This game is truly spectacular. It uses very simple core gameplay mechanics (jump, spin, point, and groundpound) but it uses them in so many ways (including powerups, yoshi, and excellent level design) to create new gameplay mechanics to every level making them fresh and interesting. This game is one of the best on the wii if not the best. I love this game and it is my favorite 3-D platformer game of all time
   Rating: 5 / 5