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[NOW YOU'RE PLAYING WITH POWER]
=>AMIGA =>ATARI
=>COMMODORE =>NINTENDO
=>PLAYSTATION =>SEGA
=>SNK =>TURBO =>XBOX |
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SUPER MARIO GALAXY
BY: NINTENDO
RELEASED: 2007 |
::RATING::
Graphics: 5
Sound: 5
Control: 5
Depth: 5
Overall: 5 |
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Super Mario 64 was a landmark game in 1996, just about single handedly carrying the new system along with Wave Race 64, until the next year. My college roommate at the time sold his Playstation to get a copy and he promptly skipped classes for a week to beat it. I still went to class, but played along and to this day, it’s one of my favorite Mario games.
When the sequel, Super Mario Sunshine, came out on Gamecube, my reaction was mixed. The tropical setting lost its novelty around mid-game, and I missed the varied environments of the previous title. The water jetpack—while fun in and of itself—seemed and odd fit for Mario, and the post-game play of getting the remaining stars (shines, whatever they were called) was hard to keep track of. All in all, Sunshine was still a fun game, but not a classic.
So when Nintendo announced Super Mario Galaxy, what kind of game would it be—a new classic, or an interesting “also ran”? And with compelling, realistic action/adventure games coming out for the 360 and PS3 on a regular basis, would Mario still matter?
Now that I have played it twice—once when it came out in 2007, and again in 2010—I can safely say it’s great. Galaxy takes the framework of Super Mario 64, navigating an obstacle course to collect a star, and runs with it in an outer space setting, while maintaining an incredible amount of variety, spectacle and wonder.
The game makes good, but light use of the Wiimote, and while Mario has some new abilities—the basics of running, jumping and attacking feel natural. The cosmic themed story is fun, adding a fresh take on the save “your special one” trope, while not getting in the way of gameplay. And it doesn’t hurt that Galaxy is a great looking game with a full orchestral soundtrack.
Building off of what made Mario’s 3D debut so memorable, while simultaneously feeling innovative and new, this isn’t just a great Wii game—this is a great game, period.
-Ben Langberg
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2011 ben langberg, all rights reserved.