Super Mario Galaxy Wii - News, Reviews, Videos & Screens

Every so often, there comes along something that takes your breath away. Be it a sight from the Eiffel Tower, a surprise that you cannot explain, or even a bike wheel in the gut (don't ask), it won't be forgotten in a hurry. That is how I would describe Super Mario Galaxy.

Expectations were high. Super Mario Bros. defined what a platforming game is, and the third game in that series perfected that definition. Super Mario 64 brought the platforming genre kicking and screaming into 3 dimensions, and set the benchmark for all to follow. Super Mario Sunshine, although not as groundbreaking as its predecessors, nonetheless expanded the vision set by 64, and became one of the best games of the 6th generation of consoles.

Were those expectations matched, or even surpassed? Could Mario reinvent the modern platforming game again? I can answer both of those questions with a beaming yes.

The story is typical Mario fare; princess gets kidnapped by giant turtle thing, and he has to give chase, probably for the reward of cake.
Two big differences here though, one, giant spaceships, and two, outer space.

Given that Wii owners have seemingly drawn the short straw when it comes to adequately good graphics in their games, it is wholly refreshing to see this game truly push that little white box, and show us what it can do. Each planet is a hive of imagination, with crystal-clear direction and progression.

The switch from MIDI to Orchestral tracks is something Nintendo should do in all of their future games, the subsequent quality of Galaxy's soundtrack is immense, with themes old and new benefiting the levels and challenges. You 'll find yourself humming Gusty Garden's notes before long.

Mario games have always adapted well to any controller component that is required of them, be it D-pad, analogue stick, or shoulder buttons. Thankfully, the Wii remote useage is no different.
Avoiding an over-emphasis on the motion capabilities of the Remote and Nunchuk setup, Nintendo instead opted to give only a shake of the stick as a move, and to mix both old concepts (Analogue stick and buttons), with new (pointer). This has given a seamless form of control that goes unnoticeable in your hands.

and that's something you will be very thankful for, as those tricky jumps and death-defying leaps of faith return to say hello. Thankfully, the camera is often in the best position to tackle those hazards; you will have comparatively less control over it than Mario 64 or Sunshine, but it is an excellent system regardless.

It is hard to find fault with this game, as all of its areas seem fine-tuned to perfection. Once you're done getting all 242 stars, you're done, although the length of time this takes certainly gives you your moneys worth.

One of, if not THE best games for the Wii, or any other console, and a must-own. Buy it!