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EXCEDED MY HIGH EXPECTATIONS

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: December 04, 2007
Author: Amazon User

First I would like to thank Nintendo for giving this game so much time and effort. I was so excited that when I got the game It seemed like a national holiday to me. This game has definitly lived up to its hype.

Graphics: The graphic are everything you expect from a mario game. They are similar to Super Mario 64 but they have more textures that jump out at you. Each planit is unique in its own way. Nintendo really payed attention to this unlike in Super Mario Sunshine.

Gameplay: The 2 player mode is pretty neat. I dont play it that much but its great if you have friends willing to play. My only complaint is that it lacks an online play mode it should have by now. There are much more power ups in this game than in any previous Mario title. Some power ups are only found In one level and others are spread throughout the game. This is great classic Mario gameplay.

Controls: You wouldn't believe how perfect the Wii Remote feels. I was a little afraid that Nintendo would get carried away with the motion sencing but this is not the case. More than half the time you play you forget its not a regular controller your using. Sometimes the camera angles can get wacky but I can forgive that. You would be surprised with the controls.

overall: This is a great game. There are a total of 40 planits 120 stars and infinite fun. Each planit is unique and makes the game very enjoyable. I suggest that you BUY IT NOW!!!!

Pretty Solid

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: December 15, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game is pretty fun. Not the best game I've ever played, but definitely worth the money. There are a lot of levels, so there's plenty to play and they're pretty different, so its not the same stuff the entire time.

Ultimate Mario Experience

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: November 29, 2007
Author: Amazon User

As the title suggests, this game finally puts the Italian plumber in space! The game is the successor to previous Mario installations such as Super Mario Sunshine and Mario 64 (although many have claimed this to be the true sequel to "Mario 64" and even the producer Shigeru Miyamoto agreed to that statement).

The story is simple and cliche, Princess Peach invites Mario to her castle and when he arrives, his arch nemesis Bowser (King of the Koopas) attacks the Mushroom Kingdom (only this time he takes the entire castle out of space) and it's up to Mario to save the Princess and her castle. As many people know, you do not play any Mario games for it's story, since it gets an 'F' for storyline (the Legend of Zelda and Metroid series has an more elaborate storyline for those interested in plot development).

Game mechanics (this is the most important factor for any Mario game). Previous installment Mario Sunshine was plagued by this factor, the controls were not easy to learn as there were many functions that you needed to learn and to do to progress throughout the game. This is where Galaxy shines, all of Mario's movement are easily accessible from the beginning and are easy to pull off (also, no gimmicks such as "Fludd" to tinker with, all you have now is Star Bits which are easy to understand). All of Mario's movements are fluid and fun to pull off. 'A' to jump, 'B' to fire star bits, and no "wagging" the wii remote, yes you will need to shake the remote (to pull off Mario's spin move and to move to another galaxy) but there are no other movements involving the remote (other than to picking up/firing Star Bits) as the nunchuck is used for moving Mario. The camera is fixed, you do not need to change the view as the game will do it automatically (I did not encounter any problems with this feature, although some people might have wanted this feature to be included as it was in previous installments)

Gameplay (the other factor for Mario games), your goal in this game is to collect stars (similar to Mario 64) and there is a total of 120 stars (though if you count the fact that you can replay the game the total is around 241 stars though you won't need that many stars to beat the game, only for those who want to complete the game). Each galaxy is a stage on it's own (this is similar to Mario 3) where you can decide to go to any stage (if you had the required amount of stars to unlock the galaxy). Each galaxy is unique on it's own, and that's the fun part of Mario Galaxy. You will have to use the skills Mario possess to conquer these Galaxies, either it be defeating a boss, collecting star pieces or defeating enemies to get to the next part. This time around, there is no collecting 100 coins or 8 red coins to get a star (no more tedious tasks) and though boss battles are easy, it does not mean the game is without challenge, as many latter stars will require you to use Mario's skill to perfection to obtain the stars. In addition, the game can be played with 2 player co-op, where 1 player will control the actions of Mario while the other player can use the star bits to stun enemies as well as stun mario.

The game runs in 16:9 (Widescreen) and 480p. The graphics are colorful and bright and far easily the best graphics seen thus far on the Wii (only a few games can match this quality and those are all Nintendo made games as well). The game runs in 60fps (frames per second) and there are hardly any dips in the frame rate throughout the game. The soundtrack is very Mario "esque" and are orchestrated (a first for a Nintendo made game) and this includes scores from previous Mario games (my favorite happens to be the homage to Mario 3).

Scores: 1-10 Scale

Graphics: 10
Sound: 10
Controls: 9
Fun Factor: 10

Overall: 10 (This is not a average)

Conclusion: You will not be disappointed with the newest Mario game. The game is extremely fun and is just long enough to statisfy any gamer (the game's average length is 10-15 hours, though that will increase if you are planning to complete the game) This is the Wii game you must own for the 2007 Holiday Season!

Not for n00bs

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: December 07, 2007
Author: Amazon User

My girlfriend is a novice (aka n00b) player who is mostly drawn to straightforward games. New Super Mario Bros for the DS, for example, plus Resident Evil 4 (but only with the 2nd Special Costume unlocked and all special weapons which allows her to blast through the game much more easily than with nothing special equipped.) Nintendo's been pretty direct about who their games will appeal to: their ads for Metroid Prime 3 show a young male blasting baddies, which reads as "This one's for the hardcore, longtime gamer. Newcomers look elsewhere." In an ad for Mario Galaxy, however, we see a young girl playing alongside her mom. In anticipating this game I naturally talked it up to my girlfriend (nothing's better than a game we can both get in to). However, I quickly realized as I started playing that while I found the game amazing and the boggling camera angles interesting, my girlfriend was made virtually ill just watching. She frequently got frustrated and has abandoned this title, while I have played it to completion. IN SHORT: seriously take into account who you are buying this for. It's not accessible to everybody.

Fun for all ages

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: January 07, 2008
Author: Amazon User

My 10-year old daughter loves this game. So does her 7 year old sister, but she has a harder time following the story and instructions because they are written instead of audio. The game does a great job of "teaching" you Mario's new abilities as the game advances.

Amazing fun for an adult as well as kids

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: March 02, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This is my first Mario game (not inculding the 75 cents I spent in a few Donkey Kong sessions in the early 1980s), and I'm really blown away. I like puzzles and first-person shooters, and had fun playing some Commander Keen platformers on the PC (remember EGA 4-color graphics?), but I'd never played Mario. Now I'm hooked, and as soon as I beat this game I'll eagerly await the next Mario game.

One of the great things about Mario Galaxy is that you can "win" the game but you can still have the fun (and frustration) of beating ever-tougher boards for more challenge to still further the game and "unlock" the ability to play through the entire universe of 120 stars as Luigi.

All you have to do is beat the "boss" level in each dome (you may need to earn enough stars to access the boss levels first), and beat Bowser, to "win" the game and see the end credits. You can do this with about 60 stars.

But there are 120 stars in the game, including hidden stars, prankster comet stars, and purple comet stars. Some of these are ridiculously hard (at least in my eyes), while at the same time winnable. The game is not really linear at all, since at any time, you can go in any dome you've unlocked, and try to "beat" some stars you haven't gotten yet. Since some stars are a lot harder to get than others (some are simply fun, others are like a puzzle, others require split-second timing, and still others require a cool head and steady hand), you can skip some of the stars (galaxies) and still "win" the game.

After winning the game, you're presented with a new challenge: beat ALL 120 stars in the game, including the hardest boards you might have skipped earlier, and you'll "unlock" Luigi, and you can then go through the entire 120-star game, playing as Luigi, which presents a slightly different feel to the game.

As of this writing, I'm 117 stars in, and only have a few very, very, very hard challenges to beat before I can play as Luigi. It is a lot of fun, and at times frustrating, but very rewarding after earning a hard-fought star. There are boards on Super Mario Galaxy where I've gotten killed dozens of times (or more) before beating it and earning the star.

It is interesting in this era of role-playing fantasy games, combat simulators, hard-core racing games, first-person shooters, and fighting games (with ever more blood and depravity), that one can have a huge amount of fun in an innocent cartoon universe inhabited by a plucky plumber named Mario.

What a blast.

It's out of this 'galaxy'

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: April 24, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Super Mario Galaxy is a game that is so well crafted and exceptional that I wouldn't be surprised if it's a solid decade before the game is out done. Much like the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Nintendo has created a game that I think will be hailed for a long time to come as one of the best video games of all time. Probably sounds like a lot of hype for a platformer (often considered a "dead" genre in today's gaming age) of a series nearing its third decade, but as an avid gamer, I really can't think of any other game more enjoyable than Galaxy.

The key word there is enjoyable, because that is the single biggest success of the game, the sheer amount of fun provided in traversing the amazing and often breathtaking galaxies that Nintendo has created here. No, the game isn't going to provide the hours of playtime of an RPG or a good multiplayer racing/fighting/shooting, etc type of game, nor is it going to be talked about for its mind blowing graphics (which are still pretty spectacular I might add). And the story element is the same as it's always been in a Mario game; there really isn't one. But if you're playing a Mario game for those reasons, you're playing the wrong game anyways. Galaxy is a true platformer, and anyone who's played a game in perhaps the most famous video game series of all time should know what makes them work so flawlessly. I can't speak for everyone, but I know as a gamer that the number one reason I got into games, and will likely always be into them, is to have fun, and no game has ever fit that ticket like a Mario platformer.

So then what sets Galaxy apart from all of its predecessors? In a nutshell, it's that it is nothing short of a gaming masterpiece. You have thirty something perfectly crafted galaxies that make up the game (each unique and memorable in their own way), environmental diversity (all the classic Mario levels like lava, ice, desert, ghost house, etc are here, as well as some new ones (giant toys anyone?). There's spectacular soundtrack and sound effects, the music can easily rival some of the best video game soundtracks ever. This is the first game for Wii that, to me, looks like a true seventh gen game and not something that could have been done on the GameCube. No, the Wii isn't the 360 or PS3 in terms of graphical capabilities, but that said I doubt Galaxy could look much better on either system; the game has a very solid frame rate, and is technically and artistically gorgeous. You also have all the little things like the suits, which fans of Super Mario Bros 3 will be happy to know are back in a big way. I was pleased with the Wii motion controls, which while not groundbreaking, really do add a nice component to the classic Mario gameplay. Then there are the "galaxies" of Galaxy themselves, which contain many innovations. For example gliding along a "gusty garden" themed galaxy via a flower, scaling a giant honeycomb, or navigating acrylic "space capsule" mazes are just a few examples of things I did in Galaxy, (I've) never done in a game, and are just an absolute joy to actually play. Really my only minor gripe that warrants mentioning is that the difficulty is a little on the easy side, especially for experienced gamers.

I could go on forever about what makes me adore this game, but for the sake of the length of this review, I'll wrap it up. Super Mario Galaxy is not as revolutionary as games like the original Super Mario Bros or Super Mario 64, but then again will we ever again see games as innovative for their time such as those? It's also on the easy side for experienced gamers, though getting all 120 stars should provide some challenge to the hardcore crowd. None of those reasons though divert the game from being the best Mario, and one of the best games I've ever played. After the fun, but mostly redundant and gimmicky disappointment of Super Mario Sunshine, it's great to see Nintendo's plumber back at the top of the video game heap.

Graphics-5/5
Sound-5/5
Gameplay-5/5
Fun Factor-5/5
Lasting Appeal-4/5
Overall-5/5

Super Mario Fun

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: June 15, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I remember when the Super Mario 64 came out many years ago. I thought that it was the pinnacle of Mario and that it could not get any better. I was wrong. I have not gotten any Mario games since Super Mario 64 because I had heard that none of them measured up. Super Mario Galaxy measures up and goes far beyond anything I could have imagined.

The story line is similar to Super Mario 64 with Mario finding stars in order to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser only this time Mario must travel across the universe to find her. The game is incredibly original and has what seems like an endless amount of super fun levels to play. I have been playing the game for 2 - 3 hours per day for the past couple weeks and am not even 3/4 through. I definitely recommend getting the Prima Game Guide. It just made the game a lot for fun for me because without it would have taken so much longer. With it I can actually play the game.

The game also takes full advantage of the Wii remote. You can spin, steer in some races, and collect some goodies all with the Wii remote.

This game is great and there is basically no learning curve.

A must play!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: July 18, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I almost feel obliged to write this review. That's how good Super Mario Galaxy is. The game uses the same mechanics as the two previous 3D Mario platformers (Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine). You have a hub world from which you go to different levels. Upon completion of a level, you receive a star. In Galaxy, you need 60 stars to play the final level and beat the final boss, but that's only half the game. There are really a total of 120 stars, and considering how great this game is, chances are you'll want to get all 120.

So what makes Galaxy so special? How about everything? Mario controls like a charm. His moves haven't changed much(if at all) from Mario 64, but why mess with near perfection? The Wii motion controls are also put to very good use, most notably to grab "starbits" from a distance. The level design in this game is phenomenal. Bending the rules of gravity often plays a big role in Galaxy, and it works very well. The graphics are often stunning, and are not hampered by the Wii's limited graphical capabilities. The music is fantastic, and fits the wondrous space theme of the game.

In short, Super Mario Galaxy is one of the best games of this console generation.

Not for me

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 11 / 28
Date: January 15, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I bought this game based on the glowing reviews, both at amazon and elsewhere.
I have to admit that I'm disappointed. I found the game to be childish. There was excessive dialogue that i couldn't skip past. Spent way too much time reading from fairy-like creatures.
Graphics are good, actually great by Wii standards, and i don't doubt this is the best mario bros for wii. Found gameplay to be very easy, but granted, i've only played an hour, so i've only conquered the easiest levels.
Overall, this game was not ust not for me. I much prefer a game like guitar hero, but that's just this 30 year old male's opinion. I'm sure younger folk would adore this game. I don't doubt other non-kids like this game too. Just not for me.
Personally, i doubt i'll log another hour into the game.

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