Super Mario Galaxy

Super Mario Galaxy raises the bar in terms of what can be achieved on the Wii. Galaxy is the kind of game that you're going to want to take your time with because there is just so much to do in the game. This is the first game in a long time that I've actually gone back and replayed levels just for fun. It's everything you loved about Mario 64 and nothing you hated about "Super Mario Sunshine."

Where Galaxy matches "Mario 64" is not quite in its quality of execution - alongside the brilliance of some stars are others which fall a bit flat, and there isn't the overall sense of implacable perfection that that game had - but in its confidence and originality.

Super Mario Galaxy is without doubt the finest game Nintendo have produced this decade - endorsements don’t come much stronger than that.

If you enjoy playing the best, then you absolutely need to play Super Mario Galaxy. It's our favorite Wii game this year, and a strong contender for the best game of the year.

It’s got megatons of style, inventiveness, playability and replayability…and all the while, it still manages to feel like sunshine, candy and the glory days of 3D console videogaming yore.

There’s such a great deal of diversity throughout Super Mario Galaxy’s level design that it’s hard not to get excited when a new area opens, knowing that there’s a whole new set of puzzles and obstacles designed around the theme of the level...It’s because of these moments that Super Mario Galaxy generates a consistent level of excitement throughout the entire experience that few games can replicate.

A giant leap for the platforming genre. Freed from the shackles of traditional 3-D platforming, the game is much more than just "Mario 64" set in space. I never thought I’d describe a Mario game as “epic," but that’s exactly what it is.

Super Mario Galaxy is a reminder that games don't have to be ultra-violent, make clever social statements or ride the marketing machine to succeed. They simply have to be fun, and you'd be hard pressed to find one as genuinely enjoyable as Mario's latest.

Super Mario Galaxy is an out of this world experience that is spectacularly amazing in every imaginable aspect. It creates a constant sense of wonder that manages to permanently transplant a grin on my face while playing. Even when I died I was smiling. No game has ever done that to me before and it's truly a testament to how perfectly fine-tuned it is.

Mario Galaxy is one of those charming, perfect achievements that remind you why Nintendo saved our pastime in 1985 and has reinvigorated it in 2007 with the Wii and the best game made yet for the system. Hell, this is better than "Super Mario 64," not as revolutionary, but a better game. Do yourself a favor, play it and smile.

The game comes together so well and with so much polish and fun, that Wii owners should not let Super Mario Galaxy slip them by.

As redefining an experience as "Super Mario 64" was, and we can all remember how that game made us feel, Super Mario Galaxy is the most profound game since "Super Mario Bros." defined action gaming on the NES. There’s something almost transcendental about SMG.

What I've been experiencing since first putting this game in my Wii is the culmination of several lifetimes of game design mastery by its creators. [Dec 2007, p.40]

The multi-surfaced design is a refreshing take on an otherwise stale gaming genre. The simple, responsive controls and steady learning curve ensure that any gamer, be they the child who gets this for his or her birthday or the weathered gaming vet, can sit down and give this game a spin.

A decade on from "Mario 64" and Miyamoto delivers another landmark title, one that almost grips the term 'instant classic' with both hands tightly right from the off. Innovative level design, original gameplay, the best graphics and soundtrack on Wii to date, and the return to form of the first true superstar of videogames (sorry "Pac-Man") means that Galaxy will no doubt be looked back upon in years to come with the same level of veneration as "Mario 64" is today.

The game is so consistently fresh, it's desperately hard to stop playing.

Since the end of the N64 era, as Nintendo has explored new pastures and methodically tended old ones, it’s been easy to forget the times when every major release from the company felt like this. It’s a bravura piece of design that pulls off stunts no one else has even thought of. [Christmast 2007, p.76]

Mario has not grown older, but younger with time: more slender, more supple, more graceful. It is as if the boundaries of the genre have become transparent, allowing a unique light to shine forth. Super Mario Galaxy will influence gaming perceptions, sure to replenish any lost passion. It will frequently hug your inner child, evoke tears of joy and tug at the heart. It is everything we have always desired, more than we could possibly have dreamed.

Super Mario Galaxy is a Wii masterpiece and the gameplay is out of this world. Don't be a Koopa; try out what may be the best Wii game yet.

Mario Galaxy is a recipe you'll love and it's good for you too, in the sense that it'd be good for you to play a proper title for a change, one that should stay fresh and in your collection forever.

It’s probably closer to perfection than most of the games that we’ve played this year. You just can’t miss an experience that’s pure fun and can put a smile on your face from start to finish. Buy it, borrow it... just play it. [Dec 2007]

A game that reaches for the stars and can touch the stars, with flawless execution at every level, could only be considered something: perfect. This is the stuff videogames are made!

It offers addictively fun gameplay, beautiful visuals and music, and delivers some truly memorable moments that will shock and surprise you. If you own a Wii, this is your Holy Grail and without a doubt should be for centerpiece of your software library.

This game sets the standard for family interaction. Allowing a second player to control the star pointer as a means of easing them into the gameplay, or just to allow another person to share in the experience, works brilliantly.

Near flawless package. Gameplay, visuals, sound, presentation and overall value and fun are off the charts.

The genius of Super Mario Galaxy is that its basic game design solves every problem that’s ever existed with a platform or adventure game.

It makes you think, it makes you smile and it compels you to play just one more level. Flat out, the most addictive platform game ever created, if not one of the most addictive games ever created.

There is no higher point in Mario platforming than this, and given the height of galactic situations, only something far off the spectrum like Super Mario Micro or Super Mario Universe ad nauseam could possibly topple it in terms of scale and evolution in game design.

Super Mario Galaxy is the best game on the Wii, period.

Super Mario Galaxy will go down as one of the greatest games of all time. It brings innovation to the table, while keeping true to the roots of what makes a platforming experience fun.

Super Mario: Galaxy is certainly the Wii’s strongest title yet and few would disagree that it’s also one of the best games Nintendo have ever produced. If you are lucky enough to own a Wii then this is one title you shouldn’t miss out on. It really is that special.

It’s the game that shows just how powerful and capable the machine is of producing incredible games. It’s the game that at long last tops "Super Mario 64" as the finest platformer of them all. But, most importantly, it’s the game in which we can finally make Mario look like a bee.

Galaxy warps you back to when you were a child, charming you with its simple, imaginative gameplay, amazing level design and tremendous amount of variety—all the while sticking to the core Mario formula that we all know and love.

Mario Galaxy is one of the games you will talking about in 20 years, saying yes I played that one on my Wii.

Once that nostalgic music rings out and Mario leaps into the air, all your complaints instantly vanish. This is, in my opinion, the best Mario game since the NES classic, Super Mario Bros. It innovates in a genre that we had thought we had seen everything from, and in doing so delivers some of the most entertaining gameplay to date.

It's a perfect blend of the established and unexpected, and a finely crafted piece of software that will infect your subconscious and make you dread dropping the controller. The accessibility, ingenuity, variety, quality, and quantity are impeccable. The only real uncertainty is how much you'll allow it to take over your life.

Clear your schedules gamers, this is it – the kind of masterpiece, showpiece, and trophy game that we wait years to obtain.

If there's only one Wii game that you buy this year, make sure that it is Super Mario Galaxy.

A true evolution of the platforming genre and one of the best videogames to come out in a long time.

Where series like "Zelda" are starting to stagnate, Mario continues to innovate and impress. [Jan 2008, p.84]

Galaxy really is as good as you have been hearing; if you are a Nintendo fan, this is simply essential.

Super Mario Galaxy is arguably the best game on Wii to date and is a must-have for almost everyone.

Simply put, if you've long been dreaming of a game that actually makes the most of the Wii's powerful graphics processor then your dreams have come true. Super Mario Galaxy will not only rock your socks, it will blow your actual feet clean off, leaving you with a set of comedy stumps that you can use to pretend you're a marauding pirate. [December 2007, p.72]

One of the greatest platformers I have ever played, Wii's best game, and an absolute must-own experience. And to me, this odd trek through space really does feel like the true sequel to "Mario 64."

Super Mario Galaxy is one of those rare games that makes children of us all, that'll have you straight on the phone to your gaming comrades, throwing out terms such as 'best game in years' or - gasp! - 'Mario 64 beater.' [Christmas 2007, p.32]

A Mario classic - it's rare to find a game so consistently brilliant. A wondrous journey. [Christmas 2007, p.44]

Rapturous. There is simply no better word to describe this game. It’s a joy to play from start to finish; jam-packed full of both inventive new ideas and nods to Mario past, with a difficulty curve that climbs slowly and steadily.

However, despite these shortcomings, it's nearly impossible not to celebrate the exceptional design that backbones Galaxy. This encompasses everything from the controls to the level design to the music – not to mention everything unconventional or traditional in between.

The graphics in Super Mario Galaxy are simply outstanding. The level design is loaded with fluffy and colorful shapes, sharp and bright colors, and lots of detail.

This may not be Mario’s first appearance on the Wii, but it is definitely his best so far. Super Mario Galaxy may be Mario’s best adventure since he was last jumping on the Super Nintendo over a decade ago.

Galaxy opts for a slow strong confident delivery rather than the showy tricks of its impostors. This may mean it takes a little while before you are really convinced. But, spend a little time and we are sure that you will be coming back again and again, just to be reminded of what it takes to make a great platform game in every sense of the word: running, jumping and exploration.

This is the first game on the Wii that I can recommend without hesitation to gamers of any stock, from any background -- a truly must-own title...And though there's little in the way of "innovation" of the genre, it's the refinement of the genre that solidifies Galaxy as the most essential platforming experience yet created.

Super Mario Galaxy is full of imagination and character. It looks and sounds great and the controls are both versatile and accurate. The only negative is the low difficulty during the first half of the game. Even with that it’s still the best platformer since Mario 64. [Dec 2007]

Quotation forthcoming. [Issue#16]

Super Mario Galaxy is not only the best game on the Wii, but it's one of the best games ever made. Few titles have quite the level of pure creativity mixed with "wow" moments like Galaxy does.

Galaxy proves that Mario matters just as much today as he did 25 years ago, and that makes him one of a kind in this medium. But don't play Galaxy simply because Mario is the timeless godfather of gaming. No, play Galaxy because it's fantastic.

Galaxy's real success is in its ability to surprise, which it does consistently from start to finish. Just when you think Nintendo's out of ideas you're blasted off to another world that's even crazier and more creative than the last.

The stellar presentation and fantastic level designs combine to make Super Mario Galaxy the Wii's game to beat and one of Mario's greatest adventures yet.

Easily the best game on the Wii, and arguably the best Mario adventure to date.

Super Mario Galaxy is by far one of the best games on the Nintendo Wii to date.

With its simple, yet addicting gameplay and amazing visuals, Super Mario Galaxy is by far the best game available for the Wii, along with the best Mario title released in years.

It's the best Mario's been in years and perhaps his very best game ever. The combination of great level design, fantastic graphics, easy-to-learn controls, glorious soundtrack and just the overall wonderful presentation make Super Mario Galaxy a real winner.

The diverse gameplay elements and sheer platforming joy will keep you mesmerized. [Holiday 2007, p.78]

After quarter of a century he's still fat, still round, and still bouncing on the ground. And still the greatest.

This may not be Mario’s first Wii game, but it is definitely his best.

Underwhelming multiplayer is easily overlooked; however, issues with the camera are harder to forgive. Maintaining simple control over the view or providing a faultless automatic camera is a must for platform games and Super Mario Galaxy falls flat in this regard. Everything else works wonderfully.

The only word to describe fighting Bowser with an orchestral score in the background is "badass."

Nintendo has crafted a platform game that, while not as technologically pioneering as its grandfather, is, level for level, more fun to play than "Mario 64." [Dec 2007, p.128]

The at-times awkward Wii-mote controls and a tacked-on co-op mode keep the game from reaching perfection, but gravity-bending levels still manage to keep the game fresh from start to finish, while familiar characters and soundtrack hit all the right nostalgic notes.

In the hands of anyone who's been longing for a true sequel to Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy could well be the game of the year, but for me the latter half struggles to match the creativity and moments of magic experienced during the opening.

Excellent graphics, gameplay and variety are definitely SMG's strengths, though it's certainly not perfect. The game may feel a little too easy for most gamers, as you only need to collect 60 stars to complete it and many of the boss battles are very simple. Also, the auto-camera, which functions great most of the time, does have a few hiccups at certain points.