Mario's Drill power is clever enough to support its own game.
Following the kidnapping of Princess Peach by the indefatigable Bowser (he wants her to bake him a cake, you see – perhaps she should just indulge him), Mario is quickly ushered upon the ‘Starship Mario’, which is a minor hub by which the plumber traverses the half-dozen worlds and galaxies therein in search of the elusive power stars which will allow him to plumb the universe in search of his ‘special one’. Traveling from galaxy to galaxy and selecting the desired level has been streamlined in Super Mario Galaxy 2, eschewing the layered menus and hub-exploration of the original in favour of a map screen in the vein of Super Mario Bros 3 or New Super Mario Bros Wii.
Nintendo’s decision to allow players to jump straight into their desired level is indicative of the developer’s approach to their game as a whole, which seems to be heavily focused on delivering new ideas, creative designs and unique challenges as often as possible and without padding. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is an embarrassment of riches, offering up one-off missions so bizarre and creative that they could support an entire game. New power-ups, such as the Cloud Suit, are gloriously entertaining and have been tuned to perfection, fitting right alongside returning favourites such as the Bee Suit and Fire Flower which are used only a couple of times throughout the lengthy adventure. As with the aforementioned New Super Mario Bros Wii, but to a greater extent, Nintendo seems to be treating its mascot with a sort of jazzy playfulness and willingness to experiment; some levels are tight, linear tests of reflexes and dexterity, evoking Mario’s two-dimensional heritage, while others are quite literal throwbacks to the explorative challenges introduced to the series by Super Mario 64. Between these two extremes is the ground in which Nintendo has seen fit to play, tasking Mario with balancing atop a rolling ball, careening down a perilous side, or dangling from the feet of a gliding bird as it swoops through the jungle.
Yoshi makes a welcome, adorable return.
The introduction of Mario’s longtime dinosaur companion, Yoshi, represents yet a further mechanical wrinkle to the canvas of Super Mario Galaxy 2; the way the little fellow gobbles up fruit and enemies with his tongue via artful pointing of the Wii remote is not only perfectly tuned, but also stands testament to Nintendo’s restraint when it comes to utilising the capabilities of its controller. Save some awkward flying sequences where motion controls do not feel as responsive as they should, every use of the Wii remote in Super Mario Galaxy 2 is considered and conservative; a prime example of this is the improved two-player mode in which a second players can assist Mario by halting enemies and collecting items simply by pointing at the screen. While the multitude of ideas on offer in Super Mario Galaxy 2 are vast in scope and variety, the care and caution with which Nintendo has designed the game’s levels and play mechanics remains extremely consistent. There are some levels which feel rough or unpolished (and the tangle with the final boss is an inexplicably insipid encounter), but they can be counted on one hand and are only noticeable in the context of an otherwise blissful experience.
Staggeringly, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is not only an enormously entertaining game to play, but also a substantial one, with lots to see and do long after the vanquishing of the final boss. Collecting all 120 power stars will take most players a considerable amount of time, and even upon reaching this milestone, Nintendo has seen fit to provide players with further incentives to replay the game and bring the total number of power stars available to a humbling 242. In direct comparison with the original Galaxy, the game is larger and boasts more unique content, and is clearly the sort of game which will remain in the drives of many Wii systems for weeks and months to come.
Not a screenshot from Gears of War 3. Obviously.
In what is perhaps Nintendo’s most elegant coup, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is also one of the few games which can properly be said to offer something for everyone. While the initial 50 or 60 power stars can and will be gathered without much difficulty by players of all ages and experiences, the game’s tail end ramps things up considerably, providing franchise veterans with challenges as stiff as anything they have previously encountered. The difficulty level on offer in Super Mario Galaxy 2 is that most idealised standard, being tough yet fair. With controls so perfect and level design so well-considered, the only impediment to success is your own dexterity and reflexes. Practice truly does make perfect in Super Mario Galaxy 2, and in the case of the unskilled or inexperienced who understandably desire to see everything the game has to offer, they need only utilize the ‘Cosmic Guide’ if an impasse is reached with any of the game’s trials. In the spirit of the concept first introduced in New Super Mario Bros Wii, dying a number of times in the same level will trigger an apparition of Rosalina from the original Galaxy, who offers players the opportunity to let the artificial intelligence assume control and obtain the power star on their behalf. Of course, the power star itself is then cast in an unattractive shade of bronze, urging players to retry the challenge at a later date to improve their standing and regain their honour in their own time.
Given that Super Mario Galaxy 2 is so enjoyable and lengthy, it is a pleasure to report that it continues in the vein of its predecessor by offering up an aesthetic experience unmatched on the Wii. The visuals do not mark a huge improvement over those sported by the original Galaxy, and in many cases appear largely identical, but they are never anything less than gorgeous, colourful and expressive, sporting effects and shaders more properly befitting a game made for technologically superior hardware. Super Mario Galaxy 2 looks so gorgeous that it highlights one of the chief tragedies of the Wii, namely, that nobody outside of Nintendo has tapped its power in the four years since its debut. The largely orchestral soundtrack is also one of the best of the year so far, mixing classic Mario tunes with sweeping new themes of utter majesty. Nintendo has seemingly devoted itself to ensuring that Super Mario Galaxy 2 boasts superlative presentation, which is not an effort it affords to all of its works in an era which has seen it focus on casual gaming experiences.
Chill, Bowser.
It will come as no surprise to many that Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the best game on the Wii and one of the best games of the year so far. It is rare that gamers are graced with a title of such elegance, creative flair and technical mastery, and even rarer that such a game should boast such a bright, happy surface and be suitable for the entire family. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the epitome of what Nintendo does best and has done best since its start in videogame development; its sole purpose is to raise a smile to the lips and challenge the brain and fingers in equal measure, and in that regard Super Mario Galaxy 2 succeeds manifold. Perhaps the only negative one could raise, and even then with a degree of reluctance, is that Super Mario Galaxy 2 is not much different from its predecessor. In fact, barring the wide range of minute refinements which this sequel makes across the board, the words of this review are equally applicable to the classic original, which means that Super Mario Galaxy 2 is unlikely to pack the same punch delivered by its predecessor in 2007. Any sad soul burned out on the Galaxy experience or looking for a gameplay revolution is unlikely to have his flame reignited by this second part, and for this reason alone, Super Mario Galaxy 2, despite being the superior game, falls just short of a perfect score. Such trifling matters are, of course, irrelevant in the face of such a wonderful game; if you own a Wii, you must play Super Mario Galaxy 2, and you must play it as soon as possible.
Mario 64 was smack bang right in the middle of my childhood and well within my time as a gamer (I started with the SNES, so while I'm younger than some, I'm certainly not so young that I missed out on it).
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