Super Mario Galaxy

Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

Before 2008, when Mario Kart and Brawl came out, the only Wii game worth getting was The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. 2007 was a slow year, but in November, it all changed with the release of Super Mario Galaxy, the newest 3D Mario platformer, hot off the heels of Super Mario Sunshine.

This newest 3D platformer stars Mario, as Bowser once again tries to take over Mushroom Kingdom. He literally uproots Princess Peach with her Castle, and Mario in hot pursuit. However, Kamek blows him back and he lands on a weird planet, where he meets bunnies. They then take him to meet a strange galaxy girl named Rosalina, a princess who lives in an observatory up in the sky, called the Comet Observatory. As you try to get 60 stars and save Peach, you'll unlock different HUBS.You have the terrace, fountain, kitchen, etc. and these are all part of the observatory. This is where you enter the Galaxies, and you can choose from 3 different missions, and you'll later unlock 3 side missions.

This is true videogaming. What I mean by that is that it doesn't have to make sense, it's just there to have fun. In Super Mario Galaxy, there's no real sense of danger. You can't die by falling off a level, only by enemies. Obviously without this, there'd be no challenge. Thankfully, Nintendo put in a few non-gravitorial levels, and black holes throughout some levels.

Mario has some new tricks up his sleeve, thanks to some great new controls. He can now use a new Spin Attack, where he spins around twirling his fists. You simply shake the Wiimote, and it feels really good. You control Mario with the Nunchuck, and use the Wiimote for new things. What's cool is that Super Mario Galaxy uses the Wiimote, but doesn't abuse its powers. You mainly use it to collect Starbits, sort of the currency in SMG. You use these to unlock secret levels, and feed Lumas (Rosalina's star buddies) throughout each galaxy.

Also new are some really cool outfits and powerups. These are some of the best in the series, and I hope to see them return. New is Bee Mario, exclusive to Honeyhive Galaxy. Mario turns into a Bee and can hover briefly to access new areas. Also new are Boo Mario, where Mario is literally a Boo and can float and travel through walls, but watch out for light! Another fun one is Spring Mario, and it takes some doing to master. Returning are Fire Mario and Ice Mario, and Mario ditches F.L.U.D.D. if you guys didn't know :D

There are a few interesting Wiimote heavy levels, where Mario is in a strange situation and you must use the Wiimote to help him maneouver. In one he is in a race and you must race on....Manta Rays? In the sky? With the Wiimote to control your balance, controlling him is a snap. My favorite is when Mario is atop a glass ball, and the star is trapped inside. He must move around the rube-goldberg esque level, and break it open. There's also a level where Mario is in a bubble, and you must blow it and keep it away from danger!

Music: The music in Super Mario Galaxy is, to say the least... Magnificent! With great composers like Koji Kondo and Mahito Yokota, they have created a wonderful soundtrack filled with brilliantly orchestrated music. Each track is crafted with care, and composed to fit the level, whether you're atop an intense volcano, or in mid-space, they've got you covered.

There are hundreds of galaxies to explore with 120 stars to collect. This is a huge game, and one of the Wii's finest. You owe it to yourself to check it out, you won't regret it.

Pros:
Amazing Mario Platforming
Good Control
Marvelous Music

Cons:
Same Ol' Story!

Overall - 9.7/10