The first Mario platformer to prioritize presentation over gameplay. Compared to 64 and Sunshine, both movement options and level exploration take a big hit, and when you consider the hardware that the game exists on, it's not hard to see why. I most likely don't need to mention that I'm against casualization, but I probably wouldn't be if every game did it as well as Super Mario Galaxy. The unquestionably phenomenal soundtrack, the visuals that still look great 13 years on, the delightfully extreme ranges in tone from galaxy to galaxy, the grand scale that feels worthy of the outer space setting, and Nintendo's trademark imagination at its very best lead to some of the most fantastical worlds ever seen in a video game, even if the platforming itself isn't fantastic.

This game is kinda bad. Moving around as either character feels like a chore. About half of the missions are boring, too easy, or just tedious. The hub is inspired but traversing it is a nightmare and there's not really a reason for this game to have a hub when they don't hide any levels or secrets in it. But when this game hits, it hits. The music is really good for the most part, the level aesthetics are generally enjoyable, and the missions that are good are really good. It's weird because despite giving it a 3/5, Galaxy isn't even the most middling Mario game; it's just that the good parts are fantastic and the bad parts make me wanna throw my Wii out of a moving car.

Mario games are weird and fascinating and incredible for many different reasons, and each one of them is particularly brilliant in one creative field or another. For example: the recent Super Mario Odyssey is a perfect exploration of all the things Mario can be and all the ways he can move. Through this frame of reference, one can say — and in fact, I am saying it — that Super Mario Galaxy is the absolute best Mario game at exploring all the places Mario can navigate.

From short and linear two-dimensional stages to free-flowing flying courses, from chill flat gardens to cylindrical puzzle boxes, from an interconnected semi-realistic architectural space to an ethereal cube with some coins in it, from water that behaves normally from water that just floats in the middle of somewhere, everything is fair game in Super Mario Galaxy. Everything. You want to put lava in direct contact with ice? Sure. You want to invert gravity for absolutely no particular reason in just this specific spot? Just do it.

Mario Galaxy is Nintendo at the absolute top of its level design game. Because not only are these sets and settings inventive, but they all work in favor of bringing about great gameplay. In Mario Odyssey, Nintendo made a ton of great moves for Mario and then made a few stages in which he could do its thing; in Galaxy, Nintendo gave Mario a fairly basic set of moves but made a million of completely different and absolutely incredible spaces in which he could shine.

And, level design being one of my favorite disciplines in game design, of course I'm all over this. It's my favorite Mario ever.

Game 8 of Mario Marathon

One of the greatest cardinal sins I ever did in gaming was play Super Mario Galaxy 2 before Galaxy 1 the first time I played a Nintendo Wii. It was just a situation of circumstance of not having a Wii until much later and playing the second one at an acquaintances house. So a lot of the impact this series had on me is left to the sequel.

Still this is a pretty great game on its own even in replays. It definately feels a lot more mellow than the second game. It doesn't really amp up the challenge until you start doing Purple Coin stuff, and I still don't find those or the Luigi replay that engaging. The base game still has a lot of great moments and the issues with controls and camera are at a minmal. The HUB world just feels very unnecessary. It's really barren compared to Isle Delfino or even Peach's Castle in 64. I think doing away with SMG2 was ultimately a good thing even if it meant the game lost it's little bit of narriative oomph. Never been something I came to Mario games for anyway.