Super Mario Galaxy Options

[Scan_Man]

I'm up to 15 stars, and I thought I'd write to give my first impressions.



First off, last month I was playing a little bit of Mario 64 in preparation for Galaxy. When I played through the first area, with 2 generations of gaming later eyes, I was amazed at the genius of the game and level design. I realized no one had done anything like this and they nailed it. How Mario's abilities allow him to navigate a 3D world to complete certain objects. And some objectives were only possible to complete because the game was in a 3D world. For instance, on one stage you have to use a cannon to launch yourself on to a platform to obtain a Star. The way you get on the platform is to aim at a wall, which will stop your flight, to land on the platform. Otherwise you would just fly right over. Thinking about this blow my mind. It may sound simple to today's standards. In fact, it was quite intricate, using a mix of physics and enviroment to complete a task. The game also gave you stages with an open environment. You were free to roam around, giving a Mario game a sense of adventure. Super Mario Sunshine did pretty much more of the same, with a Super Soaker on Mario's back. I enjoyed playing through that game. I also enjoyed many of the stages, like the haunted hotel. However, just like Mario 64 caused the gaming industry to clone its style to pieces, Mario Sunshine was pretty much the same This point is important when comparing Mario Galaxy to 3D Action/Platformers to date, and more importantly Mario 64.


I know you been hearing all over "Galaxy is the true successor to Mario 64." Let me tell, in truth, it is more of the same. . .



More of the same of the orginal Super Mario Brothers, Super Mario Brothers 3, and Super Mario World. Galaxy, in my opinion, is the true successor to those games. Here's why. . .


Mario 64 was a game with open ended environments. You explore them and you use your jump abilities to reach higher ground to further explore the level (with the exception of boss stages, which were pure Platform). You had freedom to roam, to find the star you needed. On the other hand, Galaxy is old school jump over this, jump here, race to the end of the stage, complete. It is linear like the old Mario games. These days most people are like "oh no linear!" However what makes it different, you platform up side down and have other crazy scenarios because of the nature of planet/gravity aspect. It is not the first well designed 3D Action/Platform to do this.


There is a game called Pyschonauts that did the same thing, and the stages are even linear too. There is like no one that has played that game. Funny when I saw the Zero Punctuation review, I was like he was dead on. Make it your mission to play this game.


Not to take anything away from Galaxy. Psychonauts' pace is a lot slower, since there is a interesting story, with good voice acting, and entertaining dialogue. Then there are some RPG elements in the game. So, yeah, the game is quite different overall. Anyway, my point is Galaxy is better than Psychonauts, and I think Nintendo was going for a more retro Mario game.

The pacing is quick, and the levels are just the right length. Should take the average person 5-15 minutes to complete the early stages. The game is Action/Platform heavy with old school stomping on Gomba fun. The difficulty is just right. And I think I am having a little more trouble since my platform skills are rusty. There are plenty of extra life mushrooms around, and I see why. I blew through 26 lives, mostly on a bonus stage, the last 3 were on the boss stage I'm at, the 3rd one. Very cool stage, and who you face is a total surprise, and I dunno the boss is a pain the ass. The previous bosses are a walk in the park though. So there is a nice balance. Everything is not a walk in a park, just like the original all the way to World.

Even though its a race to the end of the stage for the most part to complete the objective, there is still that Mario 64ness of getting a star, going back to level to get another star, level is slightly changed. Certainly not a bad thing, since it keeps things interesting, seeing new parts of a stage.

Now here is the kicker. Star progression is a little different, and "harder". In Mario 64, and Sunshine, you got a star/shine on a stage. You go back in and you have a new objective, usually with the level changed. You could even disregard the mission you were on if and collect another star/shine you may see. In Galaxy, you will see 3 stars to get on the main stages. I saw this and got confused because there is either a ton of stages, or I'm missing something here. So I went to gamefaqs to investigate. Turns out the other stars are hidden, and others a comet randomly appears at a stage. The prankster comet missions I have tried one. Basically, they are challenge type missions. The one I tried I had to complete a previous mission, where I had to get to the end of the stage, beat the boss, in 4 minutes. They changed parts of the original stage too. . . I failed. Interesting aspect I think.

The whole getting all 121 stars seems like a real challenge with the hidden star aspect, especially if you do not use a guide.

Plenty of power ups in the game too. Good to have the Fire Flower back, and Starman.


Last the music is kick ass. I gotta get me the OST. Original music, plus tunes from previous installments. The music though really adds to the stages. Its like you launch your self to the level, Mario lands and its like BOOM "Welcome to the Galaxy" appears in the screen, and it cues to some epic orchestrated piece of music that is in a style never heard in a Mario game. Hell any Nintendo game period, even Zelda. Anyway the music gets you pumped.


Alright going to play some more. If anything worth noting comes up, I will write some more.

[Crushinator]

I just gotta add that this game is pretty much perfect. I would say its even worth the price of admission for a Wii just to play it.