When Nintendo released the Wii in 2006, just about everyone was a skeptic. Fast forward to now, and the Wii is the under-powered, formerly underdog champion in one of gaming history’s most competitive console wars — skeptics be damned. And the reason for Nintendo’s success? Largely attributed to its marketing finesse, good sense of its own demographic and cheap hardware.
“Super Mario Galaxy 2”
Nintendo Wii
Nintendo
But none of those reasons matter to a serious gamer. A serious gamer is all about the games, first and foremost. And if the last 30 years have proven anything, it’s that Nintendo is the greatest developer of video games, ever.
Consider “Super Mario Galaxy 2” another classic entry into Nintendo’s canon. “Galaxy 2” stands strong as a definitive game not only for the Wii, but for the entire Mario franchise. It is a stunning, ambitious and, most importantly, extremely fun game.
In large part, the mechanics of “Galaxy 2” are identical to the first “Galaxy” game. The gameplay consists of hopping from world to world, facing challenges built on various planets and satellites. Players travel through space in search of shiny collectibles called Power Stars, running, jumping and bopping their way along. Throughout, they are fearlessly thrust into 3-D gravity mayhem, retro 2-D throwbacks and platforming perfection.
The sequel’s additions to the “Galaxy” formula are varied and fresh. New to the game is the inclusion of Yoshi, who has somehow managed to become cuter and cuter since his debut 20 years ago. Controlling Yoshi is a blast, largely because he retains that double-edged Yoshi thrill of the old Mario games — a sense of power coupled with great risk. New power-ups for Mario, including rock and cloud suits and a nifty drill, are all inspired, exciting flourishes.
Overall, “Galaxy 2” is more streamlined, varied and engaging than its predecessor. Subtle edits to the gameplay yield great results. This time out, the worlds have fewer challenges each, meaning there are more of them. Each manages to be a little bit more varied than in the last game, too, from grassy clusters of asteroids to monstrous labrynthine battleships. In “Super Mario Bros. 3” style, there’s a world map, along with a simplified base hub, making navigation a breeze. The story and preliminary stages waste no time throwing players into the thrill-ride of exploring Mario’s universe.
And what a universe it is. “Super Mario Galaxy 2” features what might be the greatest level design in Nintendo’s established history. Every single stage is a masterclass in art and game design — a consistent gameplay rollercoaster with consistently mind-blowing results. Just when you think you’ve experienced all the tricks of “Galaxy 2,” it throws out a handful of new ones. The graphics are gorgeously rendered: From the farthest star to Mario’s mustache, “Galaxy 2” makes the most of the Wii’s hardware. The orchestrated score is wonderful, treating old and new tunes alike with a heartfelt reverence. There is so much to love about this game, and it is clear that a lot of love went into making it.
The only downside to “Galaxy 2” is its similarity to its predecessor. But while retaining much of that game’s form, “Galaxy 2” manages to improve on it in crucial ways. It’s hard even to imagine where Nintendo can go from here — single stages in “Galaxy 2” have more creativity than most developers’ entire games. If you own a Wii, you should be playing and loving this title. Heck, if you have ever loved video games, you need to be exploring this galaxy.