This game is the most amazing Mario game ever made, bar none. I have played them all since the 80's, and this is breathtaking versus the others (which I love). Mario Sunshine and Luigi's Mansion were major disappointments after the glory of Super Mario 64--Super Mario Galaxy is SM64's true sequel.
The graphics are crisp and clear. They are also bright, colorful, and imaginative. They provide a fun and cartoony feel for new, young players, and just a fun environment for any gamer.
The levels range from easy to beat-your-head-into-the-wall hard. Please note that any reviews that say this is too easy are NOT PLAYING THE GAME ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
You are required to get 60 out of 121 (that's right, one hundred and twenty ONE...time's TWO, which I'll explain later) to fight the "final" battle with Bowser for the first time. After that, different coments appear around the planets, requiring Mario to race his evil galactic twin, collection 100 purple coins in levels with or without a timer, repeat a level under a strenuous time constraint, or with super-fast-moving enemies, or with fatal consequences for even one hit. Facing "Boulderguiest" with out being allowed to take ANY damage is enough to make the most season gammer cry. And just look for an instructional video on YouTube about trying to collect all 100 purple coins in the Toy Time Galaxy and see the anguish that level has caused Mario pros.
Luckily, if a child is just getting started with Mario, he can feel satisfied if he beats Bowser at the 60 star mark. However, old pros will want to beat the game. The WHOLE game. To do this takes weeks and a lof ot skill...
As Mario, after beating Bowser at the 60 star mark, you have to get all the remaining stars. This means beating the remaining levels, as well as finding all of the hidden stars and getting all the "comet" stars.
During this process, Mario will also gain the ability to fly. There are also "Hungry Lumas" in the base from which you access all the galaxies, which, when fed "Star Bits" (which, while coins are still present, star bits function as coins have in past Mario games), turn into brand new Galaxies.
Luigi will also show up, and he will help Mario find stars. The problem is, he will always get lost doing so, and Mario will have to save him. This will result in finding three hidden stars. Finding these three will unlock a secret galaxy with three levels. Too many secrets to mention! After you have your 120 stars, you must fight Bowser yet again. Then...
SPOILER ALRERT!
After collecting all 120 stars with Mario, the biggest secret of the game is revealed. LUIGI BECOMES PLAYABLE! You have to start the ENTIRE GAME OVER as Luigi. You must repeat everything, but this time as Luigi, who is lighter and has less traction than Mario (meaning he slides and does not stop when the player stops). His evil cosmic twin races are also much harder and the twin is very smart and fast and uses many short cuts. It's also fun to see Luigi save another Luigi (as you must collect ALL the same stars as you did as Mario, thus meaning you must find Luigi whenever he gets lost...this results is some very funny dialogue between the two Luigis).
After you have collected all 120s with Luigi, you must fight Bowser yet again (as you had to with Mario). When you have collected all 120 stars with Mario and beaten Bowser, and collected all 120 stars with Luigi and beaten Bowser, THE GRAND FINALE GALAXY IS REVEALED!
The final Galaxy must be beaten with Mario and Luigi. Thus, you will have collected a total of 242 stars during this game. By no means easy.
This game will keep you entertained for probably MONTHS. I have all 242 stars, and I still play it.
From a technical standpoint, it is also genius. A newcomer can "beat" the game and get the easy stars and feel satisfied. However, this is NO guidance to find the hidden stars, and the purple coin comet and the "dardevil" comet (the one that allows no damage to be taken during a level) are two that can induce controller throwing.
Each level is imaginative. You can chase bunnies, fly as a bee or ghost or in a black Mario costume, you can float using flowers, get the classic fire flower, ice skate, balance on top of a ball, swim while holding a shell to act as a motorized propeller... Each boss is different: some are scary and made of rocks, Bowser Jr. shows up in the Super Mario Bros. 3 ship, robots hid stars, lava monsters shoot at you--they're all amazing. You play in the desert, snow, floating toys, underwater, in a beehive, in a cube-shaped garden, on a mountain, on ice, in a volcano--everything you can imagine.
This game gives nods to past Mario games. Mario has many sutis, and classic goombas abound. The style is very much in line with the "jump into the painting, find the various stars in said painting" gameplay of Super Mario 64. However, there is much more freedom to explore and find things your own way--or you can opt to follow along with subtl prompts from the game. YouTube is a GREAT way to see how this game plays.
Yet, all of the game is incredibly innovative. No gravity, star bits replacing coins as well as having the ability to be shot at enemies (OR lights, which turn lights into coins, which are used to replenish health). It's all unbelievable! You play by holding the nunchuck with your left hand and the WiiMote in your right. You can shake the WiiMote to make Mario or Luigi spin to break open blocks and other things, as well as hit enemies. The WiiMote is also a cursor, pointing at the screen at all times. This cursor is used to collect star bits (and one one level, brush away snow). Star bits are used to feed hungry lumas within a level to create a "sling star" to get you to a new planet, or to become new planets themselves. Hungry lumas are also found in the Observatory (the "base" of the gameplay). Star bits can also be used to buy extra lives or extra health before certain boss fights from the "Luma Shop" (a cute floating Luma with mushrooms for balloons he holds). Gaining 50 star bits nets a 1-UP (note though that when you turn the game off, the next time you play, you will always start with 4 lives). Star bits can also be shot to destroy mines or stun enemies.
Two players can also play simulatiously. At the beginning of the game where the save file you wish to use is selected, you can add a second player (each time you begin, you may select one or two players, the save file does not force you to use the same setting each time). This will allow another person to control a second cursor on the screen. Their cursor does exactly what player 1's cursor does. This is helpful, as the second player can take out incoming mines or approaching enemies. He can also help player one jump higher. The second player can also freeze enemis in place by pointing at them and holding down the "a" button. For a tip, the second player can also freeze disappearing or floating platforms. This is especially helpful for the dreaded Toy Time purple coin level.
This game is PERFECT for newcomers, young children (note that there are cartoony ghosts known as "boos" and creepy music in some levels--and keep them calm if an boss giving chase bothers them, which it shouldn't, they'll get used to it--I know, I started at two :) ), and professiona, seasoned gamers all alike. Parents can bare the brunt of the gameplay and allow the child to help visa vie the second cursor, or vice versa, parents can be the secon cursor and hold back enemies from the child. Young children will enjoy the friendly and cute characters, as well as the storybook aspect of the game to keep them engaged. There is a ton of stuff for them to explore and just have fun with, with no time limit. Pros will be brought to their knees by some of the challenges that they will encounter trying to get all 242 stars. Mario fans will weep with joy at their hero's triumphant return to glory, with fresh and innovative ideas being introduced with amazing and revolutionary gameplay (just like SM64 did, only even better!) to master, new and mindblowing environments, and nasty enemies. All the while, while revolutionizing Mario, the game succeeds at retaining the familiar story, basic gameplay rules (jump on the head, get a suit to transform, etc.), and wonderful feeling that is "Mario".
Super Mario Galaxy and GoldenEye 64 (talk to a videogame insider or search the net to see it's legendary status if you are unfamiliar) are the two greatest video games ever made. Super Mario Galaxy is the only game to get the status of that amazing glory.
Buy this game for a five year old with a new Wii. Buy it if you have a new Wii. Buy it if you have had a Wii for a while. Buy it if you are a Mario fan. Buy it if you are not (you will become one!). Buy it if you've never played a game before. Buyt t if you're a master at them all. Buy a Wii so that you can play this game! You will not regret it.Get more detail about
Super Mario Galaxy.
