Released in the US on November 12th, 2007, Super Mario Galaxy elevated not only the Mario series, but the potential of all platformers to soaring new heights. As the much anticipated 3D Mario title for the Nintendo Wii, many a player's imagination was ignited as Mario took to the stars quite literally, jumping through many a creative level of spherical rotating designs. While the game may not be quite as built for sandbox exploration style gameplay as with its previous 3D predecessors, the linear structure of these carefully crafted levels ensured phenomenal pacing and a myriad of clever ideas that never failed to delight and induce a sense of awe and wonder. I'll never forget the first time I leaped off a planetoid, only to continue flying to the other side underneath. Or the thrills of fighting Bowser on a spherical planet of lava, making full use of the 360-degree rotation to orchestrate wild encounters of fireballs and chases for victory.
Speaking of orchestration, Super Mario Galaxy also marked a glorious hallmark for the series as it incorporated many tracks using a full symphony orchestra. This extra effort goes a tremendous way into shaping the feel of the game into that of an epic and inspiring interstellar adventure. From soaring through a galaxy of beautifully sculpted gardens to hopping between gargantuan planets of molten lava, the accompanying scores make each and every moment that much more grand and memorable.
As overflowing with creative and unique ideas that Super Mario Galaxy was, it appears there was enough in fact overflowing that the developers saw fit to release a sequel less than 3 years later. Released in the US on May 23rd, 2010, Super Mario Galaxy 2 offers just as much brilliant fun as the original with a personality all its own. Some notable highlights in this superb sequel include the excellent and smartly used inclusion of Yoshi and just the overall brighter, more colorful art direction such implements. With that said, the original still holds merits with its iconic boss fights and a surprisingly endearing story tucked away in Rosalina's storybook (the art of which struck a chord reminding me of one of my favorite childhood books, My Father's Dragon).
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| Art from Rosalina's storybook found in Super Mario Galaxy. |
Whatever may be your preferred Super Mario Galaxy game, there is no denying the masterful design that makes both games so exceptional and both deserving of your time. Be it gliding through the skies as Mario dressed as silly bumble bee to diving through an abyss of soaring comets and meteors, there is no end of delight and wondrous thrills to be found in these galactic journeys. So grab onto a star, give it a little shake, and shoot off into some of the greatest adventures into your life. Don't be taken aback if you find yourself exclaiming "Yahoo!" along with your Italian hero as you soar among the stars.
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