Super
Mario Galaxy is the culmination of years of tweaking the platform precision mechanics
of the Mario franchise and an attempt to address the criticisms of the previous
core series installment Super Mario Galaxy. All of the features in this game
have been whittled down to the core in an attempt to go back to the series
roots when it first hit the 3rd back in Super Mario 64. The game
forgoes any complex narrative that could take away from its pure gameplay
structure and makes sure that the gameplay is the strongest thing about Mario
Galaxy.
The
most important thing in any Mario game is being able to control the main
character with a level of confidence that feels second nature in order to
steadily introduce new concepts and obstacles to traverse. The game manages to
replicate a feeling of satisfaction by just having the character run and jump
around, probably the best thing about this and the perhaps the Mario franchise
in general is how versatile the character is. The game’s biggest feature,
intergalactic platforming, is handled exceptionally well thanks to the controls
as well as the dynamic camera. Running around on a spherical object and jumping
from one space to another feels incredibly intuitive. After a while it becomes
second nature and you begin to forget how much thinking you actually do in this
game in regards gravitational pull and Mario’s new sense of momentum which are new
concepts in a Mario game. The camera also helps by orienting itself relative to
Mario in a way that doesn’t confuse or nauseate the player. It would’ve been
nice if the game had gone deeper exploiting intergalactic planet to planet platforming.
Instead there are some levels that are more traditionally laid out like one
huge plot of land with pitfalls that lead to black holes.
The
game also does a really good job at packing a lot of gameplay and conserving
actual content. The game stays true to the classic 3D Mario formula with its
hubworld and mission based stages. The missions are designed in a way in that,
even if you are revisiting the same level 7 times it never drags or feels
repetitive thanks rearranged level elements and missions that force you to
think about the same level in a different way. The game also never forces you
to play the levels fully, instead allowing a steady progression in difficulty
with the introduction of new levels after a certain threshold has been met and
slowly gravitating towards a more open level selection as you progress through
the game. The only real drag on this game is the boss battles with Bowser.
While other stages and bosses try to be creative, the fights with Bowser just
come off as repetitive. Whether it’s trying to keep up a tradition that harkens
back to the original Super Mario Bros, or maybe just not being able to make
creative fights with Bowser, these fights are the glum in an otherwise bright
game.
The
extras in this game are another enjoyable part of the experience such as Prankster
Comets which add a level of challenge for the more veteran Mario players as
well as the inclusion of Luigi as a playable character after beating the game
adding a subtle increase in difficulty. Luigi’s difference in momentum and
friction makes the controls feel fundamentally different in a way that changes
how you play the game. The only real downer is the multiplayer which admittedly
feels a little tacked, as what could’ve been a fun co-op experience with a
friend with each controlling one of the Mario Brothers, only amounts to the
second player moving a cursor around the screen helping the first player get items
and stun enemies. However Super Mario Galaxy still does a lot of things right
which makes this one of the most enjoyable experiences in a long time.
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