Super Mario Galaxy 2

For all the meaningful changes and additions that have been made, this is still more Super Mario Galaxy--which is to say that it looks and sounds about as good as a game for the Wii ever has, with consistently inventive level design, and exceptionally responsive gameplay.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is simply an outstanding game. It never rests on its laurels for a second, constantly presenting new objectives and mechanics to push you to never before seen places. Even the two-player mode offers new abilities and delights, making it even more fun to play with a friend by your side.

Every once in a while a video game comes along that's just so spectacular that it ends up defining the very system it's released on and raises the bar by which all other games in the series and genre will be judged. It's safe to say that game has now arrived on the Wii console.

A whiff of expansion packishness aside, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is another breath of fresh air in an oppressively and perhaps misguidedly 'mature' gaming climate, a chubby, blue-eyed God among chest-bumping, photorealism-brown, cover-seeking insects. Whether you own a Wii or not, there are, quite frankly, no excuses.

They poured in the same creativity and imagination that made me fall in love with games like Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Mario World. To me it feels like they finally felt the freedom and comfort in 3D platforming to get back to that Nintendo magic that we all remember. The end result is a galaxy of surprise after surprise, all coming together in a game that tops even my past favorites, making this the best Mario game Nintendo has released.

It's confounding how this simple world can evoke feelings of curiosity, wonder, and dread all at once.

A simple extension of the Galaxy concept, Super Mario Galaxy 2 can't possibly have the same impact. But it does have the same spirit, throwing new ideas at you with gleeful and impulsive abandon, leaving you breathless, scrambling happily to keep up.

For a game that runs so wild with imagination, it's remarkable to witness everything executed with such elegance... Nintendo has drawn a giant, gleeful gallery of magnificent pictures and painted within the lines, all intoxicating detail and colour. It's a toy box full of childlike wonder, but with a grown-up sensibility, where the pieces all fit.

The constant challenge provided (especially towards the end) joined with the ever-changing genres and challenges make Super Mario Galaxy 2 an exceptional game.

No matter which side of the gaming coin you come from, this whole new universe of planets is the most inventive, exuberant and, yes, fun set of challenges and diversions yet seen in the platform game genre. It miraculously outclasses a game that many believed could not be bettered, and once again leaves us wondering just how close Nintendo's bar has come to reaching its theoretical peak.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is quite possibly the best overall game of this generation. It succeeds in topping it's predecessor in every way.

Despite all its similarities, it offers so much more in terms of content and creativity. The sheer variety and unique twists on ideas make for some of the greatest platforming you'll ever see. You can go through whole stretches of this game and find something new and completely different in each passing level.

It's a blast to play from beginning to end, with plenty to do long after the game is completed. There is so little to complain about, and the few flaws barely detract from the experience.

Super Mario Galaxy was considered one of the best platform games ever and we couldn't expect the same for its sequel. However, what Super Mario Galaxy 2 has achieved is amazing: every level contains a different and really original quest. You will play a totally new game inspired by the first game, but without copying it at all. In addition to this, Nintendo has also fixed most of the minor failures of its predecessor, including the low difficulty level.

There's just a ton of content that has been packed into SMG2, and almost every single minute of it feels fun, fresh, and true to its roots. Another check in the "win" column for Nintendo.

Longtime Mario fans will gobble this up and love every nanosecond, while casual folks may find themselves letting the game play for them more often than not.

Let's say it like it is: Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the best 3D platformer of all time and the best game of the current generation.

In the end, Super Mario Galaxy 2 has done an excellent job of bringing back what players loved about the first Galaxy game, while steadily building upon the experience.

Some people will insist that it's not worth playing, saying that it's more of the same, but you have the opportunity to play the pinnacle of what Nintendo has learned in the course of many decades, and I don't know what reasons someone would have to ignore it.

Improves on the first game and charms every bone of our game-loving bodies. With platforming and visual design of astronomical proportions, this is the best game for Wii so far.

Galaxy 2 is a genre defining piece of software and one that is, as the title suggests: out of this world.

With so many new ideas, a control scheme that never lets you down, a huge amount to see and do, charming presentation and that certain Nintendo magic, the Wii finally has a game that's better than Mario Galaxy.

Nintendo beat their previous best yet again with a masterclass in imagination, game design and sheer fun.

Too many times the word masterpiece has been used in an improper way, losing its real meaning. So, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is not a masterpiece. Is something words just can't describe, standing tall above all those canons which normally define a videogame. Its incredible level design, its addictive fun, shining graphics and a wonderful score make it an extremely well crafted jewel, one that's destined to shine forever in the history of videogames.

Simply the ultimate refinement of Nintendo's already masterful control of the genre; it's lovingly crafted, sumptuously presented and an absolute, unmitigated joy to play.

Simply put, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a better game than the original. Each galaxy looks unique and offers an unforgettable experience with a plethora of secrets waiting to be found. New gameplay elements are rapidly introduced and will keep you interested throughout the entire game. The game is challenging but never frustrating. Mario and his friends once again take you on a journey through space and provide so much entertainment, you'll immediately start playing again after you finish it.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 isn't just a phenomenal videogame. It's a true paradigm of game design and originality, something that will be looked at for years and years.

This is a rare occasion when the hype can actually be justified; Super Mario Galaxy 2 is, quite simply, a masterpiece.

This is one sequel which bucks the trend by taking an already good concept and building on it, raising the bar in the process. Simply put, it's better than the original because there's a lot more to do, and everything meets or exceeds expectations.

Nintendo has pulled out all the stops to cook up far more than a mere 'Super Mario Galaxy with bells on,' instead serving up a steaming dish of delicious gaming goodness with a sequel that is leaps and bounds above not only every other similar adventure, but nearly all of Nintendo's own previous platform/3D adventure creations.

Gaming magic in its purest form, presented with vibrant colors and an infectious mood that will leave you with a grin as big as Mario's.

I'm absolutely in love with SMG2. It's a near-perfect mix of superb controls, unequaled level design and pure creative genius. Simply, it'll never fail to put you in a good mood. You can't ask for more from a game than that.

It's quite amazing to see how Nintendo manage to craft individual levels in Super Mario Galaxy 2 that comprise more innovation, variation and ingenuity than other developers build their entire games upon. This is a superior game to it's predecessor and the finest game in the genre available today.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 strikes hard. Really hard. Even those who completed the first one will rejoice when they discover every level. The feeling of a 1.5 version quickly fades when placed in front of such ingenuity, and coating mastery. A lesson to be remembered. For those who didn't try the original, the shock will be even harder, as SMG2 easily ranks as one of the best platform games ever made. It's accessible, with a well-thought in-game help system if they happen to stumble on a particular level, and simply put every single awe-inducing gameplay mechanic could spawn an entire game of its own. To sum it up, underneath an apparent lack of freshness, it's quite the contrary that's hidden. An orgy of fun to be enjoyed unfettered!

This isn't a game that redefines the genre: this is one that rolls it up and locks it away.

Takes everything its predecessor did and maintains that urgent sense of wonder and discovery, creating a world that copies its past self, yet keeps the freshness that made it so exciting when the first game debuted two years ago.

Consider me "wowed." Again. Yes, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is more of what made the original so amazingly good: brilliant gravity platfoming. Incredibly tight and responsive controls. Fantastic musical score. But it's not a "me too" experience -- a significant majority of this sequel is brand new.

Expanding on the original's brilliance, this ingenious platformer only gets better by embracing the Wii's limited capabilities and adds so many ideas, big and small, that we can't help but love it. Even if you (mistakenly) believe it's too similar to the first game, what's wrong with more of an incredibly great thing?

Super Mario Galaxy 2 doesn't tinker with the established formula very much, but we didn't really want it to. It's huge, brilliant, and gorgeous. It's why you started playing videogames in the first place.

Even the harshest critics will struggle to find fault in its symphony of imagination, execution, and polish, while fans will cherish its brilliance for years to come as one of the very best games in history. Quite simply put, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the reason I still play videogames.

Super Mario Galaxy was a triumph, but the sequel manages to take things to a new level of excellence by adding new material as well as fixing elements that, in hindsight, did not appear to be broken.

This isn't just the best Mario game on the Wii, it's arguably the best Mario game on any platform. A ton of fan service, served up with multiple slices of newly minted Mario gameplay take Galaxy 2 beyond a level that I think anyone could have expected.

This the best Mario game Nintendo has released. Pure addiction.

One of the best qualities of SMG2 is the speedy gameplay and the multitude of levels spread out into several different worlds within an ever-expansive universe. Even when you think you're done, you'll realize there are plenty of unlockable galaxies you'll get to explore with time.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 entertains, challenges and satisfies but, overall, achieves to put a smile in the player's mouth from the beginning, in a travel through fantasy worlds.

Familiar, but different. Overwhelming and yet entirely graspable. Twenty-five years in the oven and fresh as could be. Come 11 June, only one thing will be left to be said: should we have given it 99%? [June 2010, p.46]

The gameplay is just as great as its predecessor was, but the amount of new content and features make it the far superior game.

Nintendo has, incredibly, made a gaming giant even grander. One of the all-time greats. [July 2010, p.84]

If you have any interest in platform games at all, or were a platform gamer when you were young and gravitated away from them over time, I implore you to play Super Mario Galaxy 2.

Given the quantity and quality of ideas in the first Super Mario Galaxy, the general feeling was that the sequel would have brought more or less the same things, maybe developing certain concepts and adding some new stages. We were instead surprised by the numerous new features, both in terms of gameplay and in terms of variety, with many completely new galaxies and powers.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a tremendous game and definitely the best one on the Wii.

In closing, if you have a Wii, you should have Super Mario Galaxy 2. It's one of the best games on the system, and is likely the best game in the series.

If you loved Galaxy you'll adore this. Yet another dazzling high-water mark in Mario's career. [June 2010, p.75]

Playing through the game you can't help but be aware of the minds behind this marvel. This is not just ingenious, but also well balanced, always fair and never inconsistent. You know where you are with Super Mario Galaxy 2 because you are spending time with some old friends. Not really the characters themselves - familiar and cute as they are - but the creative talents behind it all.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is definitely the best platform game ever created in videogaming history. More than its predecessors the latest installment in Mario series has a perfect formula with news ideas and an excellent gameplay. Extraordinary.

With so many degrees of gameplay, and so much fun packed into a single game, it's hard to not recommend this game to anyone who has ever picked up a controller.

A hugely impressive achievement. It takes everything we loved about the original game and improves upon it.

There is more creativity in some single stages in this game than in entire other games. It's a bit familiar, but all the fat has been cut away to expose a pure gaming core. There's something for just about everyone and games that we can truly recommend to almost everyone are rare.

Nothing can replace the initial awe of literally running around a planet, or long jumping into orbit that we experienced in the first game, but Galaxy far and away succeeds in refining a near perfect experience.

This game is really out of this world although it's not a revolution compared to the first Super Mario Galaxy. It's the perfect mixture of finest graphics and audio, smart controls, creative level-design and of course the famous Mario-gameplay.

While Super Mario Galaxy 2 could easily have been a cheap cash-in with a few lackluster additional levels, it manages to be something more. It expands on the gameplay of Super Mario Galaxy and adds enough new twists and turns to feel like a full-fledged sequel.

Super Mario Galaxy 2, just like the first, is one of those magical games that nobody is going to want to miss.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a big step up from an already great predecessor. It may not be perfect but it comes ever so close to it.

Mario Galaxy 2 is a game that would sell the Wii if most gamers didn't already have one. It will amaze you, it will surprise you, and most of all it will be a game that you will cherish for years to come.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 won't be as fondly remembered as its predecessor--no sequel to such a groundbreaking game ever is--but there's nothing wrong with getting more of a great thing. [July 2010, p.80]

Another masterpiece by the genius. Thank you, Shigeru!

As close to a perfect game as any you will play this year, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is an exuberant masterpiece of game design. Challenging yet accessible, imaginative yet aglow with nostalgia, this is a game for everyone which posits Nintendo as a master at the height of its power.

'More' and 'better' are the key words that perfectly describe Super Mario Galaxy 2. This superb second act doesn't only offer the rock-solid gravity concept we come to know and love, but excels the first game in every way. It is fanservice at its best.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a fantastically refined title, a worthy sequel to its predecessor and a must own Wii game. Gripes about difficulty only exist in the context of the title's own simplistic tutorial system - platformers should be challenging, and so SMG2 does right by gamers on this front.

Still, stellar gameplay trumps all, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 has that in spades.

Although there are not that many innovations - challenging levels, ingenious level design and a high degree of variety make Super Mario Galaxy the best Jump 'n' Run on the market.

It is the truest sequel Nintendo has produced in over a decade.

There is enough here to keep you busy for ages, and the game is remarkably imaginative and fun. It was just never going to be as earth shattering as Mario 64 or the first Super Mario Galaxy.

Overall, I can only recommend the game to all Wii gamers. It's a perfect game with nice graphics and sound effects, a cute atmosphere and perfect controls.

From now on this game is my personal center of the Wii-universe. What are you waiting for? Buy it!

More imaginative, more challenging, more fun... more of the (brilliant) same.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 throws something new at you nearly every single level - and with over 240 stars to collect, that's no small feat. [Issue#206, p.94]

Despite the lack of innovation and weak boss fights, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is easily a must-have for the Wii.

It may look, sound, and play like the previous game, but it offers up pure, unadulterated fun like so few games can ever hope to achieve.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is largely more of the same, and that helps make it a phenomenal experience. Nintendo didn't reinvent the formula. Instead, it took what fans loved about the prequel and then jazzed everything up with never before seen galaxies, planets and a more streamlined user interface.

Galaxy 2 is a constant deluge of fresh ideas that are successful -- not because of its place in a franchise -- but because it is wholly willing to reinvent itself on the fly.

This amounts to way more than the Super Mario Galaxy 1.5 you expected.

The arrival of a new Mario title is as unpredictable as the sun rising tomorrow. It's equally probable that the game will be absolutely, unflinchingly perfect, and guess what? It bloody is. Almost.

Beautiful fast-paced platformer is colorful, packed with fresh ideas, various environments and pure fun from the beginning till the last jump. [July 2010]

Quotation forthcoming.