Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 Review

When talking about the all-time great games, ones with “Mario” in the title are almost always in those conversations. In particular, if not Super Mario 64, it is the Nintendo mascot’s 2007 Wii adventure Super Mario Galaxy that frequently dominates such discussions. Its impact at the time was undeniable, and returning to it through the unfortunately limited release of Super Mario 3D All-Stars reaffirmed the notion that the plumber’s cosmic escapade deserves its accolades still to this day. What it deserves more, though, is to be widely available to purchase and play on modern hardware by as many people as possible. Thankfully, Nintendo has delivered and gone one better by bringing back Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 for Nintendo Switch.   Super Mario Bros.’ 40th anniversary announcements felt a little disappointing on a personal level. The mind often runs wild at prospective enhanced game collections of Mario’s adventures of decades gone by, so for the closest reality to a mega all-in-one package being rereleases of his two Wii space platformers, it was slightly bittersweet news. The omission of Super Mario Galaxy 2 in Super Mario 3D All-Stars was so glaring that it’s wonderful to see the return of the somewhat overlooked sequel at last, but the wacky price point and lack of anything else of substance to tie in to such a grand birthday seems a bit odd. Surely there is more on the horizon.

Ports of Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 are what Nintendo has conjured for Switch, though; arguably two of the finest 3D platformers of all time available separately and as a slightly cheaper twin pack on the eShop and as a physical card. Fans won’t need much excuse to jump into either one of these sublime titles, although the expensive point of entry seems a little disingenuous for such old games that, outside of some resolution upgrades and control updates, could have included more.

3D Mario games don’t come around often, but when they do, they usually get it right, with perhaps only Super Mario Sunshine producing mixed results following the astonishing Super Mario 64. The guarantee with both Super Mario Galaxy titles is why video games are played and loved by millions worldwide: fun. It is one thing to be fun, though, and another to be creative, but that is exactly what these gravity-defying quests are.

For Mario’s first venture beyond the atmosphere, it is standard fare in terms of narrative, as Ms. Peach is kidnapped once again by who else other than the King of the Koopas. What transpires is a planet-hopping adventure as Mario gets pulled into outer space, meets the galaxy princess Rosalina, and sets to retrieving 120 Power Stars in good old 3D platforming fashion. It is enough to set up the inventive physics-based gameplay on offer, with Nintendo pulling out all the stops and letting the imagination flow.

Although there is a hub-like main area in the form of the Comet Observatory that isn’t as grand as Peach’s Castle from Super Mario 64 in which Mario can unlock more rooms and gain access to new levels, the structure is less open than that of others in the series, including the more recent Super Mario Odyssey. Instead of a dozen or so large worlds with a multitude of Stars to find, Super Mario Galaxy is more mission-based in its setup, with many small galaxies containing only a handful of Stars each that can be chosen from various maps.

It feels like a 3D take on Super Mario World in some ways, but the benefit to this design is how it allowed Nintendo to plonk all sorts of ideas into shorter levels that don’t eat up the player’s time. There are still stages with a central theme attached to them, such as Honeyhive Galaxy, which provides Mario with a cute bee outfit, granting him the ability to fly around for brief moments and climb on sticky honey-covered walls, but they never extend beyond their welcome for longer than necessary.

The added bonus is that if one area isn’t proving too enjoyable, there are usually plenty of other spots to zip to, including planets with quickfire, one-off minigames that reward with a single Star. The majority of these feature smart platform-based antics and are great examples of some of the neat ideas Nintendo had in mind that will test players’ skills. However, this can also be where the somewhat dated motion controls come into play.

It could be controlling Mario on a ball to roll him to a goal, or surfing on a manta ray over twisty-turny waterslides, but being forced into tilting the controller to perform actions that could more comfortably be done with an analogue stick only becomes an annoyance than anything to look forward to. It gets even more nightmarish when playing in handheld mode, where the screen must be tilted away from you to move down or forwards.

There is no avoiding the waggle mechanics, either, as it is almost a necessity to pick up star bits, little collectibles dotted all over levels that are required to unlock certain galaxies. They can be grabbed by running into them, but the inability to physically reach the majority that are floating in the middle of space means the cursor must be waved all over the screen while sometimes simultaneously controlling Mario during tricky segments. Laying down and chilling to play the game becomes impossible when the need to waggle the controller around is thrown into the mix.

In handheld mode, a quick swipe of the finger over the screen makes things easier, but still there is the frustration of having to let go of one side of the console and then readjusting to control Mario again – only to repeat the process ten seconds later. The worst part is that a ridiculous amount of star bits are necessary to unlock all the extra levels. One wonders whether an automated system could have been implemented – even if optionally – to more easily allow Mario to absorb star bits in his vicinity.

The effects of the console Super Mario Galaxy was created for are a minor blemish on what is a sublime game regardless. Returning all these years later, that first time Mario can freely run underneath the opposite side of a planetoid without any fear of falling off, gravity keeping his feet firmly to the ground as the camera depicts him upside-down, is still a mind-boggling and awesome moment. It can initially be slightly disorienting when quickly moving around smaller surfaces, especially when trying to accurately get the timing down for jumping on enemies and dodging hazards – it is certainly a break from the norm for traditional platforming gameplay – but getting accustomed to this doesn’t take too long, and it feels just as incredible now as it did almost two decades ago.

Gravity-defying acrobatics soon become natural, with all manner of cleverly designed levels requiring precise platforming and inventive use of Mario’s abilities. Moving platforms and gravity shifts demand careful concentration as viewpoints switch from a 360-degree camera to side-scrolling sections reminiscent of classic Super Mario Bros. titles. Clever power-ups like the Ice Flower allow for even more imaginative stages, as the plumber skates over fiery lakes with ease, requiring extra care to leap like a dancer to the next lava-soaked segment.

The Spring Mushroom bounces Mario around constantly, asking more attentiveness of players as they navigate elevated puzzle sections in the middle of space. Trickier tests lie in wait for the veteran, with speedrun challenges and more providing incentive to return to previous galaxies and attempt to collect every Star. If things prove too tough, there’s a nifty little Assist Mode option that can be switched on mid-stage, too, granting a few extra health points and returning Mario to the surface if he falls into a pit. Very handy for getting past areas giving a hard time, and particularly so for younger players.

Playing through an adventure like this, it is safe to assume that the designers had ideas pouring out of Nintendo’s offices. The only way to really confirm that suspicion, though, would be if a sequel came along that returned to the formula. Sure enough, Super Mario Galaxy 2 arrived three years later, and this Nintendo Switch edition marks the first time it has been rereleased since its Wii launch fifteen years ago.

Mario’s second trip to space is more of a stripped back retelling of the original game’s story, with Princess Peach again being snagged by Bowser, who has grown to immense proportions through the power of the Stars that must once more be collected. Rosalina and the narrative overall take a backseat, with Mario meeting a space-travelling Luma named Lubba that requires the plumber’s help in getting the Power Stars back. Cue Mario becoming the helmsman of a strange little ship shaped like his very own moustachioed head – big round nose and all – and working his way through levels reminiscent of the original galaxy quest.

The hub area has been replaced for a streamlined level-select style map, which allows for faster point of entry to get running and jumping, but there is a limit on the freedom here, meaning most levels need to be played in order instead of branching out and letting players pick and choose. At first glance, it might seem like not a lot has changed over the first title – and that is true to an extent. This is still Mario hopping across planets and collecting Stars, after all. A better way to look at this sequel, though, is as an extension of the original game.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 takes everything about Super Mario Galaxy, throws in a plethora of extra crafty ideas spread across a ton of stages, introduces new power-ups like the Rock Mushroom to smash down walls and the Cloud Flower to create fluffy platforms, and dials up the challenge. This is a game designed for those that wanted more Mario Galaxy and felt the original was a little too easy. In fact, so many are the ideas ploughed into this sequel that most stages have even less Stars than before. Just as has been seen in the likes of Super Mario 3D World, Nintendo is quite content to introduce new mechanics into levels, only to never use them again. It keeps gameplay consistently fresh, with excitement at what’s to come with every level entered.

Motion-based gameplay that could have easily been tied to control sticks still remains, but where the waggling works out well is with one of the best new additions to either Galaxy game: Mario’s green dinosaur buddy Yoshi. The first time he appears in a 3D game is right here, and his unique abilities have transitioned intelligently by using the motion cursor to not only target enemies, gobble them up, aim and spit them out at other objects, but also use his long tongue to lock on to floating flowers, allowing him to swing to great heights with ease.

Yoshi is put to extremely fun use elsewhere. Eating chili peppers in one stage causes him to dash like no tomorrow, where quick reactions are needed to steer him up steep walls and through tight bends, while the Blimp Fruit swells Yoshi up to balloon-sized proportions, with Mario clinging on for dear life as the floaty dino mass must be guided safely upwards. There is even a berry that turns Yoshi into a walking light bulb, able to reveal hidden paths and platforms before his electricity runs out. The only downside? There aren’t enough stages with Yoshi in them!

Although it was mentioned that narrative was parked up for this sequel, Nintendo did go out of the way to add a storybook to the Switch edition of Super Mario Galaxy 2. As progress is made, players can now read new chapters and learn about the origins of the purple Luma in charge of the starship. Soundtracks for both games are available to listen to from their respective title screens, which is, of course, lovely in itself since there are some beautiful orchestral tunes across the series, but outside of the bumped up visual presentation, there isn’t much else added in over the original Wii releases.

Seeing these astonishing games in 4K on Switch 2 is not to be sniffed at; both Galaxy adventures look gorgeous on the big screen, and just as good in the palms of the hands, running smoothly at all times. Could there have been a bit more crammed in, though, especially for a 40th anniversary celebration? It doesn’t seem to be the Nintendo thing, but concept and promotional art galleries would have been wonderful to see. What about including some of the gloriously in-depth Iwata Asks roundtable interviews that detail the development of these games by the developers? Perhaps it’s nitpicking at this stage. What’s here is a pair of some of the best the Super Mario series – and indeed the video game medium as a whole – has to offer, and that’s probably enough.