Video Game Review: Super Mario Galaxy 2

logan fowler keeps ’em coming with a review of super mario galaxy 2.

For the past few months, ever since I got my XBOX 360, my Wii has collected nothing but dust. It’s been sitting there, practically as a decoration for my house, becoming idle as I bask in the glow of games with higher resolution graphics, more adult content, and “not-shaking-the-control” elements needed to play it.

But when I finally got my copy of Super Mario Galaxy 2 this past Sunday, I put my XBOX 360 aside, and plan to do so for a while

Coming from a person who believes in the power of nostalgia, I was looking forward to this game immensely. I grew up playing Mario games, and revisit them at points throughout my adult life. Don’t get me wrong-I’m not a hardcore gamer. I play for the enjoyment of it, and if there are better things to do, I’m not sitting home on a Friday night playing games.

Anyway, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the first sequel to be on the same console as its predecessor since the days of the Nintendo Entertainment System (Super Mario Bros 1, 2, and 3 were all released on the NES) and it had its work cut out for it; the original Super Mario Galaxy received numerous awards from various critics and magazines. Casual and regular gamers loved it, and it was pretty much the main reason to own a Wii when it came out.

Almost three years later, Super Mario Galaxy 2 raised the gaming bar. While not exactly vastly different from the first SMG in style, SMG 2 has a ton of fresh new content to lure gamers in, adding more challenges, more worlds, new music, and a well-known dinosaur named Yoshi.

Let’s start with the music point to review first. The original SMG had an amazing, awesome orchestrated soundtrack, remixing classic Mario tunes while adding new ones, and the sequel is no slouch in that department. It’s sad to say that most other Nintendo made games don’t do this, because the soundtracks to both Galaxy games are wonderful. In fact, I don’t own many gaming soundtracks, but along with the music from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, I only own one other cd based on music from a game, and that’s the official Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack. The sequel’s soundtrack, if ever released, will be purchased.

Besides the music, the only other sounds you hear in game are the assorted noises from Mario, Bowser, Yoshi, and Princess Peach, and other old and new Galaxy characters. The game is heavy on text with no story to tell; basically, Peach was kidnapped, Mario pursues her kidnapper, he has to get stars to get to said kidnapper (Bowser) and rescue her. You know the drill. The adventure is all that matters.

Most of the suits in the game are carried over from SMG and one has appeared in earlier Mario games. There are also three new ones to mention. From SMG, you have Ice Mario, Bee Mario, Boo Mario, and Spring Mario. The only one from the older games is Fireball Mario, and the three new ones are Cloud, Rock and Drill Mario. As Cloud Mario you make clouds to get up to higher points, Rock Mario lets you roll around rock style and break pillars and crystals, and Drill Mario let’s you drill through soft patches in the ground to take out enemies and find hidden items. All the items are used well, except the same lameness of the coolest suits (Fireball and Ice Mario) carry over from SMG; they are timed suits, and you can’t use them throughout the level. However, they are still very cool-when I first got a Fireball Mario power up, I blurted out an “Awwww yeeeeaaaah!”

It is worth mentioning that all the controls from SMG are still the same, including Mario’s spin move, which you do by shaking the Wii remote. The controls are always tight and never have been a problem in Mario games, and it would be a shame to start now. The camera is a bit finicky at times, but I’ve encountered way worse. As cameras go, SMG 2 still is very good.

With Yoshi, things change a bit, but riding on that green dino is still tons of fun. Yoshi eats items by focusing your Wii remote on food or enemies (using a cursor) and hitting the B button to chow down. The dino also can blow up like a balloon in some stages, and also get you to harder to reach areas with his flutter jump. All in all, it was a smart call adding Yoshi, something that was severely lacking from SMG.

The graphics, while not as impressive as XBOX 360 and Playstation 3 games, are nothing to scoff at; SMG 2 have the best looking graphics on the Wii, showcasing vibrant colors, textures, and animation. It really is a beautiful looking game, and showcases what the Wii can do, graphically speaking.

I’ve read many reviews of SMG 2 and a lot are repeating that the game is challenging. Well, for a person who is only on the second world, I can understand that; I’ve died multiple times playing on one level alone. However, challenge isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It raises the replay value of a game, and really makes you glad you spent 50 dollars on something that will last you a while to play. Nintendo franchises (Zelda, Mario, and Metroid) all have had reasonable challenge to their games, and Mario is no exception.

With all that said, I can tell you that along with Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the reason that a Wii system should be owned. If you love the Mario games but don’t have a Wii, you are really are missing out. These are two of the greatest games I’ve ever played and I’m thankful that with Super Mario Galaxy 2, I have plenty more hours to go. It’s an incredible game, and if you have the system to play it, it’s a no brainer. Grab your Wii remote and get comfortable; Super Mario Galaxy 2 is more out of this world than its predecessor.