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Super Mario Galaxy 2 game review

3-2-1, blastoff! It’s time to explore one really wacky universe in Super Mario Galaxy 2 with your old pal Mario.

SUPER MARIO GALAXY 2
Nintendo for Wii

Graphics: 8.5
Gameplay: 9.0
Sound: 8.5
Replay Value: 8.0
Overall Score: 8.7
Official Web Site
Pros: Yoshi is playable; drill through planets; 2-player multiplayer
Cons: Not that much different from the last game; no online multiplayer

Is this sequel new and cool enough for you to take another interplanetary ride with the plumber who’s always dedicated to saving Princess Peach?

I want to make it clear that Nintendo hasn’t redesigned the wheel here. It’s very similar to the last game. However, if you’re one of the millions who loved Super Mario Galaxy and yearned for more when you were done, you’ll be happy to take another wild trip through space.

WHAT A TUTORIAL LEVEL

As Mario, you’re invited to Princess Peach’s palace to have cake and watch the beautiful falling stars as they rain from the heavens. But mayhem ensues. On your way to the castle, you see that a giant Bowser, so big he takes up the whole TV screen, has kidnapped the pretty princess. He’s fanged, ugly and angry, and he mocks you. Are you going to take that lying down? No way!

On your quest, you explore the outer reaches of the galaxy, planet by planet, each with its own unique environment. There are surprises all along the way, even in the first half hour of play. First, you’ll find Baby Luma under your hat. Not only is he cute, he’ll be the source of all kinds of helpful things as you travel the cosmos on your journey.

The first big thrill happens when you meet a group of friendly Lumas, headed by a tear-drop shaped, purple space mechanic named Lubba. Lubba and his pals don’t care for Bowser and when you promise to help them, their planet turns into a spaceship that looks like Mario’s head—with grass for his hair and mustache!

Essentially, this is your tutorial level. But it’s a lot of fun. Make sure you explore and find the entrance into your ship’s engine room. Check back often for new mysterious rooms that open up.

SAVOR AND SEARCH

Everything is carefully made and presented here, so take some time to look around and explore. Don’t rush through the game. As you spin into enemies to stop their attack, collect the falling star bits, coins and the occasional star. Find the Grand Star, and you’ll travel to a brave new world.

Along the way, search for Comet Medals, the majority of which are very well hidden. When you have enough of these, you can summon Prankster Comets, which make changes to the universe and offer you new (and sometimes really tough) challenges.

Playing Super Mario Galaxy 2 is like having a super-imaginative amusement park fun house right in your own home. You swing, triple jump, leap onto moving platforms, swim underwater, avoid buzzsaws, speed like Sonic through chutes, defy gravity and play upside down. And that’s just the beginning.

NEW STUFF

You can become a cloud and make your own puffy platforms to get to places you otherwise couldn’t. You can become a boulder, rolling into hard objects that a spin won’t break into. Of course, you can grab a Boo Mushroom to become Boo Mario, a ghost that can pass through walls. All of these powerups don’t last very long. Keep that in mind, or you’ll fall and maybe lose a life.

Mario can soar and glide on a colorful bird with a huge wingspan called a Fluzzard. You can use a handy drill on your adventure, too. Just shake the remote to bore right down through the planet. And you can use the drill on monsters.

If there’s a black hole nearby, you might be in for some heart-stopping action. Watch out for the many Void Marios that emerge. They look like Mario, but they’re black and fast and not very nice at all. Get away because they multiply quickly. The one thing I don’t like is the Star Ball, which has you jump up and balance on a huge see-through globe. It’s sometimes too hard to maneuver.

TEAMING UP

There’s nothing more fun than playing the game with Yoshi. Hop on and ride as you command him to eat food and enemies with his super long tongue. You can also use that tongue like a handy grappling hook to swing from place to place. Plus, Yoshi can transform into a floating blimp. And when you chomp down a Bulb Berry, Yoshi shines a light that reveals special paths you couldn’t see by yourself. He’s indispensable to winning the game.

Overall, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a very fine game, one that you can play with a friend in multiplayer mode (sadly, there is no online multiplayer capability). Even though you sometimes wish there were more new things to do, it’s a pleasure-filled experience that slowly ramps up from easy to very challenging. And, hey, there’s nothing like the heroic feeling of saving Princess Peach from that mean ol’ Bowser.

83 Comments on Super Mario Galaxy 2 game review

  1. diddly doo // June 23, 2010 at 4:41 pm // Reply

    this game is awesome! i only have the first Super Mario Galaxy with 120 STARS! it is super fun

  2. somebody... // June 22, 2010 at 6:13 pm // Reply

    After I got this game, yoshi became my official favorite mario character

  3. I got this for a birthday gift. It’s the best 3-D Mario game so far! Just the Bowser fights are too EASY. I lost no health AT ALL on my first try (World 2). BUT HOW DO YOU ACTIVATE THE PRANKSTER COMETS!!?!?? I’ve heard that you need to beat Tall Trunk in World 3’s 2nd mission, the slide, and talk to the Whittle that appears on Starship Mario. But I can’t find info online!

  4. technolord // June 17, 2010 at 12:39 pm // Reply

    Hello, where do you get the comet medal for the first world on galaxy 2? PLZ ZANSWER!

  5. technolord // June 17, 2010 at 11:36 am // Reply

    I own this game, and its awesome. Repeat. AWESOME!

  6. I think all of the Mario games are just plain awesome!

    P.S. On Super Mario Galaxy 1 once you know how to beat bowser it is 100% easy!!!

  7. 3edcvfr4dslquiwre // June 15, 2010 at 7:11 am // Reply

    Own 1 + 2!!!!!! ON WORLD S!!!!!!!!! HAVE 136 STARS!!!!!!!

  8. This is the the most epicly awesome game ever in the universe and the best mario so far. You see I just got a 360 and I thought I would never play the wii again or even look at it but an Xbox game along with three wii games were stolen from me and the first Mario Galaxy being one of those and I thought I didn’t care about the Wii games but my Dad got Mario Galaxy 2 to replace the first mario galaxy and now I try to play it as much as i Can even though I am more of an Xbox person.:)

  9. JOEBOB1021 // June 14, 2010 at 9:18 am // Reply

    On Super Mario Galaxy 1 how do you get past the trash thing on Dreadnoght Galaxy. I already know about the bombs on the gold circle. Anyone know any tips and tricks.

  10. i love the game but… i don’t have a wii.

  11. I have the Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Super Mario Galaxy. I’ve gotten both of them!

  12. super mario bro // June 13, 2010 at 2:58 pm // Reply

    I have a wii and super mario galaxy 1 but a second one! its out of this world!

  13. I love Mario Games

  14. sillytaco1545 // June 13, 2010 at 11:55 am // Reply

    I love this game! I play it most of the day and i try to find all the comet medals! I hope other people find this game as fun as i do!

  15. I got this game yesterday… ive had my wii 2 years and this is the funnest time ive ever had on it. this version better then number 1. i like the new power ups, though i am disapointed by fireball mario not being able to keep it up long, but hey, overall a epic game 😀

  16. i vote b.

  17. weedwacker // June 11, 2010 at 5:36 pm // Reply

    136 stars

  18. yoshirider // June 11, 2010 at 9:22 am // Reply

    Ithink it is AWESOME!!!!!!! Unfortchnatly i do not have a wii. 🙁

  19. 3edcvfr4dslquiwre // June 10, 2010 at 6:52 pm // Reply

    Own it!!!!!
    HAVE 86 STARS!!!!!!!!!
    ON WORLD S!!!!!!!!

  20. Hey, peoples! Did ya all know that you can play Luigi in Super Mario Galaxy 2? I’m going to have a miniature poll right here. Vote for the poll!
    WHAT GAME IS BETTER?
    A: Super Mario Galaxy
    B: Super Mario Galaxy 2
    REMEMBER: YOU HAVE UNTIL SATURDAY TO VOTE, SO DO IT NOW!

  21. IT IS AWESOME

  22. great mother of pearl // June 8, 2010 at 1:53 pm // Reply

    it looks awesome i so want it now

  23. It Is AWESOME That’sWHAT I HEARD

  24. Riddler 2010 // June 6, 2010 at 2:39 pm // Reply

    I LOVE mario games on the Wii & Nitendo DS, but unfortunatly I have neither. 🙁

  25. already have 90 stars and beat bowser all 3 times

  26. I AM SOOOO GETTING IT!!!!

  27. jakattack // June 3, 2010 at 3:43 pm // Reply

    I love mario games!!!:)

  28. jakattack // June 3, 2010 at 3:42 pm // Reply

    I want it badly 🙂

  29. why would yoshi help mario i thought they were enemies

  30. Got it, and I’m playing it. The cosmic clones are so annoying, but when you get to a certain point they disappear into starbits!

  31. It’s awesome!

  32. no i think iam gonna keep it yoshi for now on

  33. stick stick // June 2, 2010 at 7:04 pm // Reply

    this game is awsome but the new super mario bros is about 1000x better than super mario galaxy two but i want both by the way my name used to be yoshi

  34. ladysman 1 // June 2, 2010 at 5:43 pm // Reply

    i have the first,but want the second

  35. joe parks. // June 2, 2010 at 4:40 pm // Reply

    i love super mario.

  36. really?

  37. i shall say this again it is way awesome

  38. It is awesome … if u get a chance to write back please do so(it’s like New Super Mario Bros. 64)

    • HEY SNAKE21 IAM REPLYING TO YOUR COMMENT AND I AGREE IT IS WAY WAY AWESOME AND I WHANT BADLY

    • in super mario galaxy 2 world 6 throwback galexy it’s the same as super mario 64 ds whomp’s fortres even the music’s the same! wow who new that it would take somthing from my second faorite game and put it in my frist! it’s like a dream!

  39. PEPPER YOSHI // June 1, 2010 at 5:56 pm // Reply

    I can’t believe that yoshi helps Mario!

  40. I got it on Thursday

  41. mario man // May 30, 2010 at 5:44 pm // Reply

    i cant wait!i have the first one SUPER MARIO GALEXY1 oh,i just cant wait!

  42. i have seen videos of super mario galaxy 2 and from what i can tell it is way awesome

    • Super mario galaxy 2 is way cooler than the first one also I played it and got all the to world 6

  43. that is cool

  44. Panda Man // May 28, 2010 at 9:31 am // Reply

    I want dis SO BADLY!!! (I AM Comic Lover, but I changed my nickname!)

  45. LEADER OF FIVE101 // May 28, 2010 at 7:15 am // Reply

    AWESOME! 🙂

  46. houstonmustang // May 27, 2010 at 9:47 pm // Reply

    dude!!!!!! this looks cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  47. I’M STILL WAITING FOR IT TO COME IN THE MAIL! I’VE SEEN ALL THE EPIC TRAILERS FOR IT! MAN IT’S TAKING A TOOOOO LONG TIME…

  48. This is coming from a sonic fan, but I WANT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  49. I want this game for my birthday which is on August 23.

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