Mario on the wii had two possibilities, either it would be a visually updated version of Mario 64 with a few motion controls thrown in or it would be a game that’s wholly original. What would never have been suspected is that it could be both at the same time. From the moment Mario first appears on the screen it’s easy to tell how much work has gone in to the visuals. It has no highly realistic graphics packed full of polygons, but what it does have is a very unique style to it that makes it one of the best looking games of 2007. It really shows that the Wii is not a one trick pony with motion controls; it has the power to do graphics well.
Graphics aren’t everything; a game can look great but if there is no substance then once the shock and awe from the visual style has subsided then there is nothing left to keep a person coming back for more. Thankfully this iteration of Mario can get by on more than its looks. Granted the first level seems to be nothing new, walk from point A to B and fight a couple of enemies. However I dislike even calling this part of the game a level, it’s more of a precursor, a tiny dot of game play designed to get the story off the ground. If you can suffer through this then it gets a whole lot more interesting.
The game takes place among the stars on tiny planets that hover in space and they come in all different shapes and sizes. The first time you arrive on one of these little planetoids it can be a little disorienting. As you run round the planet it can seem confusing the way the camera rolls under it and you are suddenly upside down and the wrong way round and the controls don’t seem to respond. However after a little while you soon adapt and it becomes perfectly natural to run round these little planets. It adds a new an interesting mechanic to a genre that seemed to be getting a little stale. They even play with the gravity to produce some interesting results. In some levels you need to compensate from the strength of gravity of planets and how it can change from one point to another. It sees you having to plan your route in some cases instead of just running in there without thinking.
All this makes Mario a top notch game; however the interest doesn’t end there. Anyone familiar with the Mario franchise will know that costumes play a big part. These costumes give Mario new powers and abilities and in super Mario galaxy they are better than ever. One sees him adorning a bee suit that gives him the ability to fly and stick to honey combed walls. Another is an ice suit that has many cool abilities that I’ll let you work out for yourself.
The levels of the game are also themed, which can fit in nicely to the various costumes that can be accessed. One level can be completely different to another in very extreme ways to the point at which venturing forth in to a new one always holds an air of mystery and subtle excitement. The goal of the game is to rescue the princess and this is achieved basically by collecting stars from the levels. Each level has three main stars to collect; these can change the level in very different ways and in some cases can make them feel new and fresh. Aside from this there are also numerous hidden stars in these levels to find. In total there are 120 stars to collect, a vast number that means the play time of this game can be quite substantial. This is doubled as you will want to play through it a second time. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but after you have collected 120 stars there will be a big incentive to play again that any Mario fan won’t be able to pass up.
Super Mario Galaxy has broken some new ground in the plat former genre whilst remaining true to what a plat former is. The game is fun and exciting and shows that the Wii is not just a fad that has to rely on gimmicky games. It does stay true to the Wii’s intended market though as it is a casual game you can pick up and play for half an hour or so and then put down. Yet it also supports lengthy gaming sessions for the more traditionalist gamers. It has a gentle learning curve and would be a good game to get even if you are not entirely in to this whole video games thing or if you needed something wholesome, yet cool and challenging, for your kids. It does this whilst still holding enough appeal to keep the attentions of any hardcore gamer.