A Hoffy Review:
Super Mario Galaxy
Developer: Nintendo (EAD Tokyo)
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: USA: November 12, 2007, AUST: November 27, 2007
Genre: Platformer, Action/Adventure
Rating: E (ESRB), G (OFLC)
Platform: Nintendo Wii
Players: 2Games in the Super Mario franchise are seldom released. When I say that, I don't mean titles like
Mario Party 2051 or
Mario & Sonic at the Ice Cream Social, I'm talking about the Mario games that really matter - the ones that uphold the tradition of perfecting and renewing the platform genre in some new and unique way. These are games like the classic hit
Super Mario Bros. 3, or the not-yet-classic
New Super Mario Bros. Even
Yoshi's Island fits into this category. These are the games that deliver the wonderful piece of mushroom magic to each and every Nintendo console and handheld released; these are the games that dare to try what you may never have even thought possible, the games that bring Shigeru Miyamoto's twenty-something-year-old creation into our homes, onto our screens and into our hearts. It's a shame
The Legend of Zelda franchise has received more attention by Nintendo in recent years, because Mario games deserve every bit of recognition from producers and consumers for their level of challenges, immense creativity and outright charm. But now, Super Mario Galaxy has arrived to not only continue the tradition of gaming perfection, but to send it up the wall, upside down, into the air and surfing away on the back of a manta ray. Read on, brave Mushroom Kingdomers.
"It will blow your mind more than once, and it will make you smile again and again."Gameplay: 10.0If
Super Mario 64 were
Super Mario Bros., and
Super Mario Sunshine were
Super Mario Bros. 2, then, respectively, Super Mario Galaxy would have to
Super Mario Bros. 3. Or in other words, outrageous would be the most appropriate word to define Super Mario Galaxy, understatement or no. All you have to do is take an effortless glance at the box art and you know that this Mario game is - excuse the severely overused pun - out of this world. But in case you haven't caught on yet, Super Mario Galaxy is pretty much
Super Mario 64 in space. It's just that simple. Gamers will still have to use every ounce of platforming skill they have, including wall jumping and stomping Goombas, but this time around players will be performing these age-old tasks beyond the atmosphere. And this is where Super Mario Galaxy's gameplay mechanics shine - with the force of gravity.
Mario goes looking for the city of Rapture.From the word go, an otherworldly gravitational force will affect players as Mario begins his quest on a small spherical planet. There's no enemies at this point, and no way you could possibly lose a precious life. All you have to do is walk around on a ball. If you happen to fall into a crater, you'll descend straight through the planet and end up on the other side. If you do a long jump, you'll go flying while still being pulled down by gravity. If you find a Launch Star, all you have to do is shake the Wii remote and Mario will blast off into the unknown, eventually landing on another planetoid. And so the process continues. The effects of gravity is simply what makes Super Mario Galaxy fun. There are countless crazy planets you'll stumble upon, and each will hold you down while you traverse it. Furthermore, these gravitational effects never get old throughout the quest, as Super Mario Galaxy is always throwing crazily imaginative space conundrums at you, and all you have to do is take them as they come and just keep on platforming, while smiling in awe. It's certainly a new twist on the genre, and something that you can only expect from the creative minds at Nintendo. Perhaps the greatest aspect of the "gravity on platforming" mechanic is that it will blow your mind more than once, and it will make you smile again and again. Super Mario Galaxy is a console platform game, and possibly the greatest (and only) one the industry has seen in years.
"Just when I was ready to settle down and head for the final boss, another set of galaxies were thrown at me."This Mario game also controls fairly well, and it's a good thing too. Players will be able to use the Wii remote and nunchuk peripheral to perform the standard jump, the triple jump, the long jump, the back-flip, as well as ground pounds, wall jumps and side flips. New to Mario Galaxy (and a move you'll end up using quite a lot) is the spin. As Mario has been stripped of his punches and kicks, this is essentially Mario's only melee attack. You can use it to knock enemies off balance, activate miscellaneous objects, launch between celestial objects (using a launch star) and pretty much anything else. It's just a simple action, and it's utilized easily by effortlessly shaking the Wii remote or nunchuk. Overall this game controls like a dream - the motion controls are very responsive, Mario's movements are executed well (it's a lot easier to walk in a straight line in any direction) and like all Mario games, there are several hidden mechanics like surfing on the back of a manta ray on an intergalactic waterway, balancing on top of a glass ball while carefully rolling to your destination, and even an elegant ice skating segment. Perhaps the only flaw is when Mario is walking over a particularly thin object and he runs in an undesired direction. But this happens so rarely that it's easy to shrug off... especially considering the camera never fails to present the ideal viewpoint. Though, it doesn't make any sense that you can control the camera view in some places and not in others.
... Nope, nothing even remotely disturbing here.Don't think the game is restricted to small, spherical worlds either. What the Mario fanatics will find with Super Mario Galaxy is the beloved larger scale worlds - like those from
Super Mario 64 and
Sunshine - but with gravity effects left, right and center. Not all of the worlds are space-related either; gamers will still find the standard water, fire, snow and desert worlds, but don't be surprised if it's not how you imagined it would be. That is what's great about Super Mario Galaxy, it seamlessly and effectively spins a new twist on a classic formula. The level design in this game is some of the best in the series. Every area is a refreshing, new and sometimes disturbing experience, and you'll be able to soar through these galaxies at their best as you walk on the walls, the ceiling, the base and what have you. Whether you're buzzing around on flower petals in Honeyhive Galaxy or jumping around on ice cream and cake in Toy Time Galaxy, there's never a dull moment in Galaxy. Admittedly some of the worlds are smaller than those of
Sunshine, and there was one later galaxy that bore a striking resemblance to one of the earlier ones - but when you consider how many more levels there are... you'll definitely be astounded. I for one was very surprised at the number of worlds, and the variety of atmosphere between each of them. Just when I was ready to settle down and head for the final boss, another set of galaxies were thrown at me. Each world has so many features that come to life and add a distinct flavour to the location. You'll stumble upon tall towers, lighthouses, ghost ships and other bizarre foundations, scorching volcanic pools, Captain Olimar's ship and even a war-struck asteroid complete with a myriad of Bullet Bills. This is one of those games that doesn't
want you to stop playing, and chances are you won't want to turn off your Wii either. Oh, and let's not forget about some of the cleverly designed puzzles waiting to be solved, all of which fit perfectly in their respective worlds. Who can complain?
"The fact of the matter is, Super Mario Galaxy doesn't look like a sixth-generation title, and it doesn't look particularly ugly either."Super Mario Galaxy is still a Mario game, and that will always hold true. When the game begins, players will be thrown into a realm in which they can collect 120 stars across 42 different galaxies. Fifteen of these galaxies are the central worlds, or in other words, they have a specific theme like snow, desert or ghosts, and they have six or seven stars each. But then you also have the other 27 galaxies, which have one or two. Each star has a specific mission assigned to collecting it, which usually involves completing mind-boggling platforming, smashing fierce bosses or collecting hidden goodies. If you're aiming to finish the game as quickly as possible - which means you only have to collect 60 stars - you'll probably get to the credits screen in something like ten hours. But, completing Super Mario Galaxy in such a way is boring, short, and ridiculously easy. If you're a real man, you'll go for the big 120 stars - which will likely add another ten to twenty hours to your playtime. Not only that, but you'll find collecting all of the stars is bloody hard. You'll have to face harder bosses, trek narrower platforms and overall complete ridiculously difficult tasks. Ah yes, getting those 120 stars is quite a feat... but very worth it in the end. And then there's the power-ups.
Super Mario 64 was the last game in the series to use the transformation caps, and even then, there were only three different kinds and you had time limit restrictions. Super Mario Galaxy has a total of seven different power-ups, including the long-absent Fire Flower and Invincibility Star. New to the series is the Ice Flower, the Bee Mushroom (providing infinite fun), the Boo Mushroom, and the Spring Mushroom. Some of these power-ups are kind of difficult to control, but are a lot of fun nonetheless. In short, if you play Mario Galaxy expecting the greatest platformer since something you saw on the Super Nintendo, you will not be disappointed.
"I know, we'll have the Bullet Bill cannon set up next to the glassy barrier. Mario will never progress that way!" Nice thinking Bowser, you friggin' idiot.Graphics: 10.0What a graphical achievement! Nintendo EAD Tokyo have unlocked the Wii's secret a little too early, having figured how to create the most graphically and technically impressive piece of software available for the Wii. Smooth, fluid animation, real-time lighting effects, refraction, reflection, transparencies are the go with this game, and it looks excellent. Super Mario Galaxy leaves the realms of "what a pretty Wii game" and "it looks almost as good as a late Xbox game" in the dust, as it enters the realm of "hang on, this game looks pretty damn good." The fact of the matter is, Super Mario Galaxy doesn't look like a sixth-generation title, and it doesn't look particularly ugly either - something the Wii definitely needs. There's never a framerate issue, as the game keeps running at 60 frames per second, bringing out the colours amazingly. Characters are brought to life with their cute animation, and the exceptional texture work and artistic design gives each world that sense of individuality. Run this game in 480p on a 16:9 widescreen TV with component cables and you will fall in love with the Italian plumber. It's a milestone on the Wii, and a technical effort all the same. Developers should bloody well take note.
"Long-time Mushroom Kingdomers will also be delighted to know that plenty of old tunes have returned."Sound: 10.0As if the graphics weren't amazing enough, Nintendo EAD Tokyo have ran the whole nine yards to complement their outstanding visual achievement. Super Mario Galaxy is the first game Nintendo have developed to use an orchestra extensively - within the background music and in cinematic scenes. And what an incredible soundtrack Nintendo have composed. As soon as you step foot into Good Egg Galaxy, you'll recognise the tune and you'll be humming it for the rest of the day. Not only is this soundtrack catchy, but it implements itself so well within the intergalactic themes of the game. It's a large-scale orchestra playing for large-scale worlds, and it fits together seamlessly. The Battlerock Galaxy and Buoy Base Galaxy just sound epic. Long-time Mushroom Kingdomers will also be delighted to know that plenty of old tunes have returned from
Super Mario Bros.,
Super Mario Bros. 3,
Super Mario Land,
Super Mario World and
Super Mario 64. Airship theme? Check. Bowser's 64 theme? Check. Athletic theme? Check. Underwater, Underground and the well-renowned Mario Bros. theme? You better believe they're in there. This, complete with classic sound effects and you've got yourself the greatest Mario soundtrack in history.
Not shown: Shine Get!Story: 7.0One hundred years ago, a large comet passed over the Mushroom Kingdom. The comet dropped small star bits as it passed over. The Toads of the kingdom, astounded by this beautiful sight, collected the star bits and held a festival to commemorate the passing of the comet. This year, the festival is to be held once again as the comet lights up the sky and drops Star Bits across the land. As Mario walks into Toad Town, he notices an airship armada approaching Castle Toadstool, Princess Peach's Castle. The airships cause havoc upon the town, while a school of UFOs rip the castle from it's foundation and take it into orbit. Leading the armada is none other than Bowser, who, surprisingly, wants to take away Princess Peach for unknown purposes. Mario attempts to enter the castle as it leaves the atmosphere, but is blasted away by the spell of a Magikoopa. What does Bowser need Peach for this time? What fate awaits Mario?
"It's not the lame, utterly stupid piece of work you had to deal with when you played Sunshine."So, the basic gist of the plot is: Bowser has kidnapped Peach, Mario has to rescue her. Pretty much the same as always, right? Well, not exactly. Super Mario Galaxy has increased the sense of drama in the cutscenes, and this is definitely evident throughout the course of the game. It's not the lame, utterly stupid piece of work you had to deal with when you played
Sunshine, it's something on a much larger scale. The storyline doesn't necessary evolve until towards the end of the game, but when it does, it doesn't do a half-bad job of it. There's also plenty of interesting characters you'll meet across the course of the game, including the members of the Toad Brigade, Guppy the Shark, and a Boo who wears pilot goggles whom I've forgotten the name of, among other weird and wonderful characters. Players who work hard at obtaining those power stars will also find a side-story in the Library, which tells of the history of one of the game's main characters, Princess Rosalina. While this back-story is mostly irrelevant to the main storyline, it's actually quite a sad and moving tale, and worth checking out if you're ever bored. For those who don't really give a toss, the game won't force this story upon you, so you'll never have to see it if you don't want to. Overall, the storyline isn't as great as something from a
Paper Mario game, but it does go places other Mario games have not dared to.
After World 8-4, Bowser finally got rid of that stupid axe.Overall: 9.8
Orchestrated music, impressive visuals, great controls, lots of content, gravity effects are lots of fun, Bee Mario, Spring Mario.
Controls mess-up rarely, story is still a little dull, Spring Mario.Super Mario Galaxy is one of those games you can't miss. The platform genre on consoles has been otherwise dead for the last ten or so years, having had no attention in favour of first-person shooters, RPGs and such. Most assumed the genre could never be revived, but Super Mario Galaxy kicks those assumptions into the depths a black hole. I've said it once and I'll say it again, Super Mario Galaxy has the ability to make you smile. There's just so many cool, little tricks to discover in this universe of gameplay, complemented by melodic audio, astounding visuals and brilliant control. The story is otherwise unimpressive for the most part, but so what? Why should the lacklustre story bring down the score of an incredible game? It definitely shouldn't, and it definitely doesn't. For many, Super Mario Galaxy will be the first AAA game on Wii, for others it will be a part of a wide collection. But no matter which way you look at it, Super Mario Galaxy is the perfect reason to own a Wii, it is one of the best Mario games ever made, and one of the best games of 2007. Oh, and what about Super Luigi Galaxy? Well, you'll have to play the game to find out about that one.
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