GAME REVIEW: Super Mario Galaxy for Nintendo Wii

By Lex Eskobar “The Game Bud”

Mario is back, and unlike many of the games he appears in across Nintendo’s multiple platforms, this one is actually a REAL Mario game. Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii is just what everyone had been asking for – a new Mario game, in the vein of the great Mario 64; a game that many believe to be Mario’s greatest adventure. Until now, it may have been.

Where Mario Sunshine failed, Mario Galaxy does not. I don’t know if some gimmicks just work better in a Mario game over others but I do know water backpacks are lame. You won’t find any of that here. Instead you will find good old-fashioned power ups. The kind found in most Mario games. That alone makes this game more fun than his last adventure on Game Cube.

The controls for Galaxy are great. It doesn’t feel like a game that was made to play on the Wii. The majority of the controls are exactly the same as the controls in Mario 64 but the new additions are Wii specific and work perfectly. It’s not a case of forcing Wii controls on a game, but rather Galaxy is an example of how a company can use Wii remote controls to enhance a game without making it seem forced or like a tech demo.

The music in this game is fantastic. With orchestral background music in every level it doesn’t ever seem to get old. There are plenty of old school Mario remixes in there and the main theme is revisited and remixed as well. I honestly can’t complain about the game soundtrack, which is, to say the least, a rarity.

The game play is fantastic and goes from very easy to very challenging seamlessly. There is always another quest to go on. If you find getting one star is too hard, you can always leave it for later and just move on. For the most part, there is no order to how you need to complete the levels, which adds to the accessibility of the game. With 120 stars to collect in total, you won’t be running out of Mario to play anytime soon.

Mario Galaxy is the most long-term fun I have had with my Wii in ages. Its colorful presentation along with fantastic sound effects and usual roster of goofy characters makes this one accessible to gamers of all ages. The controls are very easy to pick up and play and the new additions to the old Mario formula just make this game better. You couldn’t pick a better game to play when stoned.

5 pot leaves out of 5 for Super Mario Galaxy.