Super Mario Galaxy Meets the Hype

In my youth, I didn't have Nintendo's Wii system. Sure, I played Wii Sports along with several premier games while staying with family and friends back in that era, but I never had owning the console myself, causing me to overlook numerous outstanding titles within classic Nintendo game lines.

One of those games included Super Mario Galaxy, together with its follow-up, has been freshly updated and transferred to Switch consoles. The initial release got incorporated in 2020’s limited-edition collection Super Mario 3D All-Stars. I embraced the possibility to try what’s regarded as among the finest Mario adventures created. I became immediately engrossed, while affirming that it lives up to nearly two decades of excitement. Nevertheless, it’s also made me realize how glad I am motion and gyroscope controls have largely remained in the past.

The Cosmic Adventure Begins

Following traditional Mario quest, Super Mario Galaxy starts when Bowser capturing Mario's royal friend including her home. His armada of pirate-like space ships transport her into outer space, throwing Mario through space in the process. Mario encounters adorable stellar beings named Lumas and meets Rosalina atop her Comet Observatory. She assigns Mario with collecting stars to fuel the cosmic base to follow the villain, opening exploration opportunities to go exploring.

Galaxy's navigation system offers pleasure, needing just was playing through a couple levels to understand why it’s held in such high regard. It’ll feel familiar to anyone who’s played Mario's 3D adventures, and the mechanics remain accessible and intuitive in typical Nintendo fashion.

Innovative Physics Mechanics

As astronomy fan, the environment perfectly matches my interests, permitting Super Mario Galaxy to have fun with physics. Orbital stages allow Mario to circle repeatedly surrounding them recalling Dragon Ball following Bubbles from classic anime. When structures approach, players can transfer and get snatched by the gravity from adjacent structures. Other platforms appear as discs, and often feature collectibles below, easily overlooked spots.

Meeting Familiar Faces

The enjoyment from experiencing this game following long gap involves recognizing some of its characters. I was unaware Rosalina originated through this adventure, or that she acted as the caring guardian for Luma creatures. Prior to this experience, I only knew her as a frequent choice Mario Kart World roster option. Likewise for Penguins, with whom I liked swimming in initial coastal stage.

Movement-Based Hurdles

The only real drag during this adventure in 2025 concerns movement inputs, utilized during collecting, aiming, and shooting cosmic pieces, colorful objects scattered around levels. Playing on handheld mode required angling and turning the console for targeting, seeming somewhat awkward. Gyroscopic elements are prevalent in some platforming sections, requiring players to direct the star-shaped cursor at surfaces to drag Mario to them.

Levels that wholly require gyroscopic features are best played with independent remotes for better precision, like the manta ray surfing level in the beginning. I’ve never been a fan of motion controls, while they didn't improve notably effectively within this title. Fortunately, if you get enough stars from other levels, these movement-based stages might be entirely bypassed. I attempted the stage where Mario has to navigate a massive orb through a track filled with gaps, then immediately quit after one attempt.

Enduring Gaming Quality

Apart from the clunky Wii-era control schemes, there’s really nothing to criticize in Super Mario Galaxy, and galactic environments provide enjoyment to navigate. Although notable titles like Super Mario Odyssey have come after it, Super Mario Galaxy remains one of the best and innovative Mario titles available.