Review
Played on: Switch
Released: 2020
Originally released: 2007 (Wii)
I missed a lot of Nintendo titles during the Wii and Wii U years and, admittedly, Super Mario Galaxy is on that list. I’ve tried it, briefly, at friends' houses, but never sat down on my own to complete it. Speed forward to 2020 and in a time limited release window, no idea why, Nintendo makes a Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection on the Switch. Titled as a nod to the classic Super Mario All-Stars, on the SNES, featuring Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and the first Super Mario Galaxy.
Waiting for a separate, digital, release of each on the Nintendo e-Store seemed to be in vain, they never released them individually. As such, when the physical version reached a reasonable price last year, I jumped in and bought it. Since I’ve played Super Mario 64 many times before, and Super Mario Sunshine is a curiosity I wish to jump into at a later stage, I went straight for Super Mario Galaxy.
I won’t go in the lacklustre upgrades that went into 64 and Sunshine. However, Galaxy receives a healthy resolution boost from 480p to a dynamic 1080p. It also runs more stable at 60fps compared to the Wii version. The result is a colourful and sharp looking game on modern TVs and responsive controls, which is key for platformer games. Otherwise, we're talking the exact same content as the Wii release in terms of 3D models, textures, visual effects etc.
Instantly, I love that Galaxy is its continuation of the Super Mario 64 controls, continued further into Super Mario Odyssey. While Sunshine is a deviation from this, Galaxy has all the familiar Mario movements, including long jump and butt stomp as the most iconic. It makes getting into Galaxy's rather crazy level designs, easier for SM64 and Odyssey players alike.
You see, Galaxy is a classic 3D Mario, with a twist: the levels are, in line with the space theme, small planets. They all vary in size and shapes but can be explored all around their surfaces. It eases the player in with traditional round planets but further into the game their designs go crazy and elaborate. Controlling Mario upside down is a little confusing at first. It admittedly took me a good 30 minutes to avoid constantly being disoriented.
However, once Galaxy’s gameplay clicks with you, it gets excellent. Every level and planet offer some kind of cool feature around this space theme and sport some incredible variation in environmental designs. Both visually and in the way they are constructed for gameplay challenges. Mario can utilise various abilities to explore areas too, charmingly being a flying bee or a bouncy metal spring, allowing Mario to reach areas not accessible otherwise.
Galaxy is set on a somewhat confusingly structured spaceship planet, serving as a hub world. From here you can access various solar systems, each one being contained within small observatory buildings throughout the spaceship. Within each solar system are a set number of levels, holding several stars to collect with various goals to obtain them, within each level. Keeping the Mario tradition of utilising a level over and over for several stars.
Originally released: 2007 (Wii)
I missed a lot of Nintendo titles during the Wii and Wii U years and, admittedly, Super Mario Galaxy is on that list. I’ve tried it, briefly, at friends' houses, but never sat down on my own to complete it. Speed forward to 2020 and in a time limited release window, no idea why, Nintendo makes a Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection on the Switch. Titled as a nod to the classic Super Mario All-Stars, on the SNES, featuring Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and the first Super Mario Galaxy.
Waiting for a separate, digital, release of each on the Nintendo e-Store seemed to be in vain, they never released them individually. As such, when the physical version reached a reasonable price last year, I jumped in and bought it. Since I’ve played Super Mario 64 many times before, and Super Mario Sunshine is a curiosity I wish to jump into at a later stage, I went straight for Super Mario Galaxy.
I won’t go in the lacklustre upgrades that went into 64 and Sunshine. However, Galaxy receives a healthy resolution boost from 480p to a dynamic 1080p. It also runs more stable at 60fps compared to the Wii version. The result is a colourful and sharp looking game on modern TVs and responsive controls, which is key for platformer games. Otherwise, we're talking the exact same content as the Wii release in terms of 3D models, textures, visual effects etc.
Instantly, I love that Galaxy is its continuation of the Super Mario 64 controls, continued further into Super Mario Odyssey. While Sunshine is a deviation from this, Galaxy has all the familiar Mario movements, including long jump and butt stomp as the most iconic. It makes getting into Galaxy's rather crazy level designs, easier for SM64 and Odyssey players alike.
You see, Galaxy is a classic 3D Mario, with a twist: the levels are, in line with the space theme, small planets. They all vary in size and shapes but can be explored all around their surfaces. It eases the player in with traditional round planets but further into the game their designs go crazy and elaborate. Controlling Mario upside down is a little confusing at first. It admittedly took me a good 30 minutes to avoid constantly being disoriented.
However, once Galaxy’s gameplay clicks with you, it gets excellent. Every level and planet offer some kind of cool feature around this space theme and sport some incredible variation in environmental designs. Both visually and in the way they are constructed for gameplay challenges. Mario can utilise various abilities to explore areas too, charmingly being a flying bee or a bouncy metal spring, allowing Mario to reach areas not accessible otherwise.
Galaxy is set on a somewhat confusingly structured spaceship planet, serving as a hub world. From here you can access various solar systems, each one being contained within small observatory buildings throughout the spaceship. Within each solar system are a set number of levels, holding several stars to collect with various goals to obtain them, within each level. Keeping the Mario tradition of utilising a level over and over for several stars.
Completing levels and receiving stars further unlocks new solar systems and so forth. There’s also a healthy amount of bonus levels to discover. Even hidden ones, requiring a comet being at certain level to unlock a special star.
In other words, especially for replay value, Galaxy is a big package. I personally went mainly to the set number of stars for completion and reaching the end credits but ended up with a lot of extra stars at the end of my playthrough, simply because there are so many tempting and fun levels to complete. Completing a full set of stars will require time and solid Mario skills.
In other words, especially for replay value, Galaxy is a big package. I personally went mainly to the set number of stars for completion and reaching the end credits but ended up with a lot of extra stars at the end of my playthrough, simply because there are so many tempting and fun levels to complete. Completing a full set of stars will require time and solid Mario skills.
Thankfully, there are only modest waggle and pointer controls in Galaxy, a sign of the times from its Wii heritage. A quick waggle of the controller makes Mario spin attack, however, this move can alternatively be engaged with a button press. The pointer is merely to collect extra mini stars, which in turn serve no other purpose than giving you extra lives.
While the main plot is typical Mario fluff, it’s charmingly presented. Galaxy looks closer to the current Mario design than Super Mario 64 was. The characters are wonderfully animated and have a pleasing CGI aesthetic to them.
Story aside though, the star of show here is the incredible clever level design and gameplay. This is, after all, the main reason while Mario games are so ahead of the competition. There's just so many neat ways it utilises Mario's movement in combination with the physics of the planets, influencing the levels into extremely creatives designs. It's incredibly satisfying controlling Mario and precisely guiding him through the increasingly challenging levels. The environment designs are so varied and charming too.
While I knew the game had received amazing reviews back in the day, I was pleasantly surprised at how downright entertaining it still was. Mario games always seem to deliver this wonderfully charming and fun gameplay feeling, Galaxy is no exception.
Now please Nintendo, release Galaxy 2 for the Switch too.
