Super Mario Galaxy 2 Review

It’s been over 2 decades since Mario made his debut on the NES. The little overall-clad plumber has wowed us with every one of his games. Each title has been no less than masterful, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 is no exception.

The story is pretty classic Mario: Princess Peach is, once again, kidnapped by Bowser, the giant Koopa king bent on ruling the universe. Our favorite mustached hero launches an epic adventure to save his princess and return her to Mushroom kingdom (at least until she gets kidnapped again.) It’s an old formula, re-used since the old Donkey Kong arcade cabinets. But it’s beautifully simple and hasn’t gotten old in this title. Fans all around will enjoy the familiarity of the narrative.

The gameplay also contains some of those classic elements we know and love. You’ll still be jumping through different levels collecting stars and stepping on plenty of Goombas and Koopas. But of course, Nintendo throws in some new elements here and there to spice it up. You’ll find plenty of new and improved power-ups and mini games to keep you pining for more worlds to explore. And with 241 stars to collect, this game will keep you in its warm embrace for plenty of time.

Levels come in the form of galaxies, just like the first Super Mario Galaxy. The more you play, the more you notice that each galaxy is worlds apart from each other (no pun intended.) One world may have you rolling snowballs while the next will have you navigating lava fields and then swimming through the ocean. SMG 2 scoffs at the word “monotony” and will present you with all kinds of worlds to explore, each with their own look at feel.

These galaxies are accompanied by some of the best visuals we’ve seen on the Wii to date. Every detail is polished, refined and buffed to be 100% pleasing to the eye. What’s better is that all of these beautiful elements run completely smoothly even with multiple effects happening on-screen. In short, if you’re disappointed by these graphics you just might be blind.

The original score does not disappoint. As you fly through space you’ll hear not only some magnificent new themes and jingles but also be treated to updated forms of your favorite Mario tunes. From the star power melody to the familiar “ba-ding” of the coins, all of the classics are here. The new score may not be as memorable as the older songs but it still delivers in a big way. You can tell the composers put in a lot of love to this project.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 brings us yet another great and memorable Super Mario experience. It won’t let you down on any level. The visuals are complimented by a fantastic score, like peanut butter compliments jelly. Throw in the delicious gameplay bread, and you’ve got yourself one tasty game sandwich that no one should miss out on.

 

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