Super Mario Galaxy for Nintendo Wii

I'll be honest. I don't like platform games. I don't have the patience to continually redo a level because my timing is off or the controls are wonky. Plus I never had a Nintendo while growing up. So I've stayed away from most Mario games in the past. I tried Super Mario Sunshine when we bought a Gamecube but I stopped playing it because I became to frustrated when I kept dying for stupid reasons.

The reason I mention this is because this is the first Mario game I've played (apart from Donkey Kong and Super Mario Bros.) that I've actually enjoyed playing. I enjoy this game so much that I'll actually play it for hours.

Unlike a traditional platformer, most of the time you aren't jumping from platform to platform. It's more like a quest on amazing worlds. Actually, it's probably closer to Super Mario Sunshine than a traditional platformer. There are still levels where you have to jump on platforms and avoid obstacles but these issues don't really show up until the final world in a galaxy.

Onto the game itself. Like nearly every other Mario game ever made, Bowser has stolen Princess Peach and it's up to Mario to rescue her. Mario ends up traveling to an "observatory" where he meets a lady, Rosalina. She tells him he has to find power stars in the various galaxies; these stars will power up the observatory allowing Rosalina to take it to the center of the universe, where Princess Peach is being held.

So begins Mario's quest to the different planets to find the stars. The planets are of widely varying designs, from beaches and oceans to asteroids and deserts. The gravity is normally at the center of each planet so you can walk all the way around a planet without falling off. However, other areas have changing gravity allowing you to jump from floor to ceiling.

While looking for these stars you collect Star Bits which can be used to feed Lumas (small, star-shaped creatures that live with Rosalina), stun certain opponents, and also give you extra lives. Of course, you also find coins along the way, though I haven't figured out exactly what you do with them; they don't give you extra lives or anything. It appears the coins are strictly for high score bragging rights (there may be something special later in the game though).

To "beat" the game you only have to find 60 or so stars. To actually complete the game you have to collect 120 stars. The stars are generally easy to get so beating the game shouldn't be too difficult. To get all the stars though requires a lot more time. Stars are "hidden" throughout the galaxies; sometimes you have to feed a Luma to make a new area appear while most of the other stars have to be found when a comet enters the galaxy.

The comet changes the game play rules when it's in a galaxy. A certain world will be affected by it. The affects range from giving you a time limit to complete a mission to giving you only one health bar to complete the mission with, plus several others. Each time you complete one of these missions you get a new star.

Gaining extra lives is pretty easy. A Mailtoad gives you letters he's received from Princess Peach; each letter contains 5 Life-Ups. There are also Life-Up mushrooms hidden throughout the various worlds and there are some easy ones in the main observatory itself. So don't worry about losing lives; it should be pretty difficult to totally die before you finish the game.

Graphically, the game is gorgeous. No one will say the Wii has realistic graphics but graphics will never beat out gameplay. Galaxy has rich colors, entertaining characters, and great gameplay. Audio is just as good. There are no slowdowns or pop-ups during gameplay and there are no serious loading delays. Saving games is also quick.

The Wiimote is used very ingeniously throughout the game. Normally you use the 'mote itself to capture Star Bits using a pointer icon or to shoot the Bits at opponents. The nunchuck is used to actually move Mario around. A second player can join in, using his 'mote to collect the Bits for you and generally help you out. Shaking the 'mote causes Mario to do a spinning attack, though he can still do a butt-bounce using the nunchuck. When underwater, the 'mote allows you to still spin attack but it also lets you move faster. I'm sure there are other uses for it but I haven't gotten very far yet.

Difficulty-wise, the game isn't frustrating like my previous Mario experiences. The levels are reasonably easy (probably too easy for most Mario lovers) but I found them to be just right. They aren't too easy that it's a cake walk but they aren't frustrating enough for me to quit playing. From what I've heard, getting the other 60 stars after "beating" the game is where the true difficulty comes in.

Overall, this game is worth buying. "Old school" Mario players may find it too easy to beat the game but casual players should find it's a good match. Having never played Mario 64 I can't compare it to that game, though Galaxy is supposed to be a "true" sequel to that game. If you can find a Wii, this is a reason to buy one.