Beautiful soundtrack with with my all time favorite aesthetic for a Mario game. Is it the best Mario? Probably not. But everything combines together in such a magical way that no other Mario game does for me.
This might be one of the best games of all time. And I’m saying that as someone who didn’t grow up playing it. I played Galaxy 2 first, but this still blew me away.
My memory of SMG is a little foggy, I will need to replay it one of these days I just remember the soundtracks and the overall theme of the story for this being phenomenal
galaxy 2 better💔
Love this game with my dear heart, the music are still on repeat to this day
comfort game, grew up loving it and still do to this day, means a lot to me
Man this game was lit
Perfect game. Atmosphere, music, nostalgia, super fun.
Hearing this ost will always make me smile.
This game has huge nostalgic value for me so before replaying it I was sure it's gonna be 5 stars for me.
Now that I've replayed it to 100% I've realized that I never finished this game as a kid and stopped somewhere around the bedroom dome although I've played it for an ungodly amount of time.
Either I was lazy or very bad at this game.
Interesting to see was, that the first levels I still actively remembered felt almost perfect to me.
I sincerely had so much fun with them, but as I progressed through the game and the levels became more and more unfamiliar I started to see all the flaws this game has.
The nostalgia wore off and I was able to experience this game unbiased.
One of the most frustrating parts was the camera combined with the unprecise controls especially the second after swapping gravity, but also the level design felt somewhat lazy towards the end.
Some worlds even felt like a fan-made game instead of AAA Mario designs.
What still surprises me is how good this game looks for an 2007 Wii title.
This game looks absolutely peak and overshadows even some newer Switch titles.
You also have to give them credit for their creativity and execution of a very complex idea for that time. Who would have thought putting Mario into space would make such an instant classic.
The normal ending after saving Peach goes pretty hard as well. Didnt expect a depiction of an everything-devouring black hole that leads to a new big bang creating a new universe in a Mario game.
Without nostalgia, this is a solid 4-star game but you gotta give it some credit for influencing my childhood that much so it gets 0,5 stars nostalgia bonus.
This game has huge nostalgic value for me so before replaying it I was sure it's gonna be 5 stars for me.
Now that I've replayed it to 100% I've realized that I never finished this game as a kid and stopped somewhere around the bedroom dome although I've played it for an ungodly amount of time.
Either I was lazy or very bad at this game.
Interesting to see was, that the first levels I still actively remembered felt almost perfect to me.
I sincerely had so much fun with them, but as I progressed through the game and the levels became more and more unfamiliar I started to see all the flaws this game has.
The nostalgia wore off and I was able to experience this game unbiased.
One of the most frustrating parts was the camera combined with the unprecise controls especially the second after swapping gravity, but also the level design felt somewhat lazy towards the end.
Some worlds even felt like a fan-made game instead of AAA Mario designs.
What still surprises me is how good this game looks for an 2007 Wii title.
This game looks absolutely peak and overshadows even some newer Switch titles.
You also have to give them credit for their creativity and execution of a very complex idea for that time. Who would have thought putting Mario into space would make such an instant classic.
The normal ending after saving Peach goes pretty hard as well. Didnt expect a depiction of an everything-devouring black hole that leads to a new big bang creating a new universe in a Mario game.
Without nostalgia, this is a solid 4-star game but you gotta give it some credit for influencing my childhood that much so it gets 0,5 stars nostalgia bonus.
Super Mario Galaxy is the game that made me love video games.
It wasn’t the first game I played, or even the first Mario game (that honor goes to Mario Kart Wii), but it was the first to make me see games as an art form. It’s been over 15 years since I first sat down to play it at the tender age of 4 years old, but that first play session is burned into my brain. The transition from a quiet, somber storybook into a joyous festival instantly invokes a sense of childlike wonder and turns the remotely interested into the completely invested. Then, Bowser’s attack on the Star Festival and Mario’s defeat lets veteran Mario players know this adventure will be something special, while also making the basic elements of Mario clear to new players.
Speaking of basic elements, Gateway Galaxy is a fantastic tutorial. The Star Bunny segment seamlessly introduces the game’s gravity mechanic, as well as the concepts of bushes, pipes, and craters. Rosalina’s introduction introduces a sense of mystery and quiet contemplation, and the next few planets establish the game’s phenomenal sense of epic adventure and even more gameplay elements: spinning, crystals, Launch Stars, Star Bits, enemies, Black Holes, Star Chips, Flip Switches, and electricity. And all this culminates in the rescue of the Grand Star, giving 4-year-old willn46 his first chance to save the universe and make it back home to the beautiful Comet Observatory.
But even beyond its importance to me, Mario Galaxy is simply an incredible 3D platformer. Right from the outset, Mario controls like a dream. Every input is immediately taken into account, with jumps, ground pounds, and everything in between being perfectly tuned to just feel good to use. But I’d be remiss not to mention the crown jewel of Mario’s moveset: the Spin Move. Not only is it a fantastic use of the Wii’s motion controls that feels both significant and unobtrusive (unless you have a disability that renders the controls unusable for you, in which case I am incredibly sorry), it’s also an incredibly versatile tool that’s easy to use, but has nearly limitless potential. First and foremost, the momentum-halting midair jump lets players easily recover from mistakes and adjust their positioning on the fly, giving newer players a safety net that eases them in to platforming in a 3D space. Additionally, the extra jump is great for getting places that seem just out of reach, horizontally or vertically, enabling the game to set up interesting platforming challenges and fun opportunities to skip past sections if the player is good enough. But the Spin Move isn’t just for platforming; it’s also the player’s primary means of interaction with the game. It’s used to defeat enemies, break objects, collect shells, swim faster, and so much more, and every interaction is completely intuitive (Ceave Gaming has a great video on this exact topic).
I’ve seen some people criticize the Galaxy games for not having as much movement tech as other 3D Mario games. While, yes, the movement here is much simpler than 64, Sunshine or Odyssey, I actually think it works to the game’s benefit. Not only is it much easier to learn, requiring the player to understand a few basic moves rather than a plethora of complex maneuvers, but the more limited moveset lets the game be carried entirely by its level design.
And said level design is top-notch. Like 64 and Sunshine before it, Galaxy spreads its 120 stars across multiple worlds for the plumber to tackle. But it trades their handful of levels holding a few collectibles for a supercluster of memorable locales, each one bearing a unique mechanical, visual and auditory identity. Fully committing to Sunshine’s separation of individual objectives lets the designers get the most out of a single Galaxy by introducing multiple ideas while still maintaining the level’s core themes, and splitting up the action across multiple planets allows for great variety within missions as well as between them. Plus, the introduction of mid-level checkpoints allows for longer levels that don’t feel like they drag on and gives the designers more time to play with a level’s gimmicks. The more linear level design even means the game’s limited camera rarely feels limiting. And the generous amount of Power Stars gives players plenty of freedom in choosing which levels to tackle.
This would all mean nothing if the levels themselves were boring, but luckily they couldn’t be further from that. Galaxy takes basic level tropes like Ice, Beach, and Desert levels and pushes them to their absolute limits: combining ice and fire mechanics in a lava-skating course, hiding the path to a deadly obstacle course behind an underwater cave, and navigating sand streams and tornadoes across an ocean of quicksand. And that’s not even mentioning the more original levels, like HoneyHive Galaxy, BattleRock Galaxy, or Toy Time Galaxy. Besides a few stinkers like the ball-rolling levels and some of the race levels, the level mechanics on display are consistently excellent in a way I think is only matched by this game's own sequel. Interesting obstacles like altered gravity, throwing Bob-Ombs, and launching from Sling Pods are expertly paced and explored to the fullest. Cool enemies like spinning tops, bugs that need to be ground-pounded, and giant eels combined with interesting spins on classic enemies like Goombas and Boos work wonders both from a mechanical and aesthetic standpoint. Plus the bosses are great tests of skill, utilizing a level’s mechanics in their battles on top of being tests of basic skill. Power ups are pretty fun too (besides the spring), with their own unique attributes, interactions with level gimmicks, and hazards to deal with.
And do I even need to mention the visuals and music? The artstyle is vibrant, yet the locales are consistently stunning, with great attention to detail both in the actual levels and in background elements. The character designs are excellent, both with how returning characters look and how the new characters perfectly fit in with Mario while still standing out. Plus, there are tons of cool little details and secret areas that, while they may be a little pointless, give the levels tons of personality. But even more impressive is the game’s music. The confident, orchestral themes give the game an almost cinematic feel, and yet each one perfectly fits within the level and the Mario series. There are so many standout pieces in this regard, like Good Egg Galaxy, BattleRock Galaxy, and Buoy Base Galaxy. However, the game also knows when to be more subdued and reflective, with pieces like Space Junk Galaxy and Gateway Galaxy.
And on that note…besides sparking my love of video games, there’s another reason this game means so much to me.
Back in late 2016, I made some mistakes. The details are personal, but long story short, I was a stupid 12-year-old who took his friends for granted and ended up losing them all. And for the entire month of November, going to school was absolute Hell for me because of it. In every class, I would argue with people, get teased, or get laughed at, and since a lot of it was my fault, I didn’t want to ask any teachers or my parents for help. Luckily, Thanksgiving Break rolled around eventually, and I was home safe. But at this point I realized something horrible: I had no one to turn to. All my friends left me because of my egotism, and my parents wouldn’t understand enough to help me. For that entire week, I was more or less left to think about my actions, angry at myself and at the people who hurt me. I didn’t know if I could go on, and before long, my mind went to some…dark places.
Then, on Sunday, the day before I had to go back to school, I thought I would boot up Mario Galaxy so I could at least have a little fun. I played around a little, going through some of my favorite levels, not really accomplishing much. But I enjoyed it. The game didn’t judge me. It didn’t try to hurt me. It didn’t care what I did. It was just there for me, and it was there to make me happy.
And…suddenly, I wasn’t alone anymore.
Not only did that moment save my life, not only did it bring me out of the hole I dug for myself, but it made me realize the true power of a good video game. Some people might say video games are silly little things, that they’re hunks of digital junk to give to a kid so they’ll shut up for a bit. But I think they’re more than that. Like any form of art, they can lift a person up, give them a new perspective on life, and help them move forward even when nobody else will. That moment is why I wanted to become a game designer. Because I wanted to help someone feel like someone cared for them, the same way Super Mario Galaxy helped me. Sometimes, when you’re feeling hopeless, that’s the only message you need to hear:
“Thank you so much for playing my game.”
It wasn’t the first game I played, or even the first Mario game (that honor goes to Mario Kart Wii), but it was the first to make me see games as an art form. It’s been over 15 years since I first sat down to play it at the tender age of 4 years old, but that first play session is burned into my brain. The transition from a quiet, somber storybook into a joyous festival instantly invokes a sense of childlike wonder and turns the remotely interested into the completely invested. Then, Bowser’s attack on the Star Festival and Mario’s defeat lets veteran Mario players know this adventure will be something special, while also making the basic elements of Mario clear to new players.
Speaking of basic elements, Gateway Galaxy is a fantastic tutorial. The Star Bunny segment seamlessly introduces the game’s gravity mechanic, as well as the concepts of bushes, pipes, and craters. Rosalina’s introduction introduces a sense of mystery and quiet contemplation, and the next few planets establish the game’s phenomenal sense of epic adventure and even more gameplay elements: spinning, crystals, Launch Stars, Star Bits, enemies, Black Holes, Star Chips, Flip Switches, and electricity. And all this culminates in the rescue of the Grand Star, giving 4-year-old willn46 his first chance to save the universe and make it back home to the beautiful Comet Observatory.
But even beyond its importance to me, Mario Galaxy is simply an incredible 3D platformer. Right from the outset, Mario controls like a dream. Every input is immediately taken into account, with jumps, ground pounds, and everything in between being perfectly tuned to just feel good to use. But I’d be remiss not to mention the crown jewel of Mario’s moveset: the Spin Move. Not only is it a fantastic use of the Wii’s motion controls that feels both significant and unobtrusive (unless you have a disability that renders the controls unusable for you, in which case I am incredibly sorry), it’s also an incredibly versatile tool that’s easy to use, but has nearly limitless potential. First and foremost, the momentum-halting midair jump lets players easily recover from mistakes and adjust their positioning on the fly, giving newer players a safety net that eases them in to platforming in a 3D space. Additionally, the extra jump is great for getting places that seem just out of reach, horizontally or vertically, enabling the game to set up interesting platforming challenges and fun opportunities to skip past sections if the player is good enough. But the Spin Move isn’t just for platforming; it’s also the player’s primary means of interaction with the game. It’s used to defeat enemies, break objects, collect shells, swim faster, and so much more, and every interaction is completely intuitive (Ceave Gaming has a great video on this exact topic).
I’ve seen some people criticize the Galaxy games for not having as much movement tech as other 3D Mario games. While, yes, the movement here is much simpler than 64, Sunshine or Odyssey, I actually think it works to the game’s benefit. Not only is it much easier to learn, requiring the player to understand a few basic moves rather than a plethora of complex maneuvers, but the more limited moveset lets the game be carried entirely by its level design.
And said level design is top-notch. Like 64 and Sunshine before it, Galaxy spreads its 120 stars across multiple worlds for the plumber to tackle. But it trades their handful of levels holding a few collectibles for a supercluster of memorable locales, each one bearing a unique mechanical, visual and auditory identity. Fully committing to Sunshine’s separation of individual objectives lets the designers get the most out of a single Galaxy by introducing multiple ideas while still maintaining the level’s core themes, and splitting up the action across multiple planets allows for great variety within missions as well as between them. Plus, the introduction of mid-level checkpoints allows for longer levels that don’t feel like they drag on and gives the designers more time to play with a level’s gimmicks. The more linear level design even means the game’s limited camera rarely feels limiting. And the generous amount of Power Stars gives players plenty of freedom in choosing which levels to tackle.
This would all mean nothing if the levels themselves were boring, but luckily they couldn’t be further from that. Galaxy takes basic level tropes like Ice, Beach, and Desert levels and pushes them to their absolute limits: combining ice and fire mechanics in a lava-skating course, hiding the path to a deadly obstacle course behind an underwater cave, and navigating sand streams and tornadoes across an ocean of quicksand. And that’s not even mentioning the more original levels, like HoneyHive Galaxy, BattleRock Galaxy, or Toy Time Galaxy. Besides a few stinkers like the ball-rolling levels and some of the race levels, the level mechanics on display are consistently excellent in a way I think is only matched by this game's own sequel. Interesting obstacles like altered gravity, throwing Bob-Ombs, and launching from Sling Pods are expertly paced and explored to the fullest. Cool enemies like spinning tops, bugs that need to be ground-pounded, and giant eels combined with interesting spins on classic enemies like Goombas and Boos work wonders both from a mechanical and aesthetic standpoint. Plus the bosses are great tests of skill, utilizing a level’s mechanics in their battles on top of being tests of basic skill. Power ups are pretty fun too (besides the spring), with their own unique attributes, interactions with level gimmicks, and hazards to deal with.
And do I even need to mention the visuals and music? The artstyle is vibrant, yet the locales are consistently stunning, with great attention to detail both in the actual levels and in background elements. The character designs are excellent, both with how returning characters look and how the new characters perfectly fit in with Mario while still standing out. Plus, there are tons of cool little details and secret areas that, while they may be a little pointless, give the levels tons of personality. But even more impressive is the game’s music. The confident, orchestral themes give the game an almost cinematic feel, and yet each one perfectly fits within the level and the Mario series. There are so many standout pieces in this regard, like Good Egg Galaxy, BattleRock Galaxy, and Buoy Base Galaxy. However, the game also knows when to be more subdued and reflective, with pieces like Space Junk Galaxy and Gateway Galaxy.
And on that note…besides sparking my love of video games, there’s another reason this game means so much to me.
Back in late 2016, I made some mistakes. The details are personal, but long story short, I was a stupid 12-year-old who took his friends for granted and ended up losing them all. And for the entire month of November, going to school was absolute Hell for me because of it. In every class, I would argue with people, get teased, or get laughed at, and since a lot of it was my fault, I didn’t want to ask any teachers or my parents for help. Luckily, Thanksgiving Break rolled around eventually, and I was home safe. But at this point I realized something horrible: I had no one to turn to. All my friends left me because of my egotism, and my parents wouldn’t understand enough to help me. For that entire week, I was more or less left to think about my actions, angry at myself and at the people who hurt me. I didn’t know if I could go on, and before long, my mind went to some…dark places.
Then, on Sunday, the day before I had to go back to school, I thought I would boot up Mario Galaxy so I could at least have a little fun. I played around a little, going through some of my favorite levels, not really accomplishing much. But I enjoyed it. The game didn’t judge me. It didn’t try to hurt me. It didn’t care what I did. It was just there for me, and it was there to make me happy.
And…suddenly, I wasn’t alone anymore.
Not only did that moment save my life, not only did it bring me out of the hole I dug for myself, but it made me realize the true power of a good video game. Some people might say video games are silly little things, that they’re hunks of digital junk to give to a kid so they’ll shut up for a bit. But I think they’re more than that. Like any form of art, they can lift a person up, give them a new perspective on life, and help them move forward even when nobody else will. That moment is why I wanted to become a game designer. Because I wanted to help someone feel like someone cared for them, the same way Super Mario Galaxy helped me. Sometimes, when you’re feeling hopeless, that’s the only message you need to hear:
“Thank you so much for playing my game.”
Senhor me perdoe mas eu pequei. Facilmente o melhor jogo 4 estrelas já feito, uma dor enorme no coração dar essa nota, mas assim, no momento que eu nunca quis fazer as galaxias extras...percebi algo de errado na minha experiencia
It had been far too long since I played Super Mario Galaxy, and I fear the in-between time hurt my original perception of this game.
Sometimes a game is so good, you play it once and never go back to it because there’s really no need. It’s the greatest game ever, everybody knows it, everybody says it. That’s how I remembered Galaxy, the untouchable holy grail of games. The best 3D Mario, a near-impossible task, and yet… my return proved me otherwise.
I will say that out of any and every Wii game, you’ve probably got the best looking and sounding one on your hands. An incredible visual appeal backed by booming strings, glaring synths, somber piano, it has it all. This colorful, expansive world Nintendo built in this game is beautiful. Damn near brings a tear to my eye thinking about how perfectly crafted it is.
However… I feel like anyone giving this game a mass amount of credit for its soundtrack and level design has not played Ape Escape 3, because I legitimately think there are ripped off ideas all over. The way the toy levels play out, the music in them, the doors and their opening animations, the style of beach levels, I can’t help but wonder if Nintendo also knows that Ape Escape 3 is arguably the best 3D platformer of all-time. They saw the space levels and said, “Yep, let’s make a whole game with that idea.” At least they used a phenomenal game to take inspiration from.
I also despise this fixed camera at times. Playing as a shadow for 1/4th of the entire game is not appealing to me, just let me move the camera on my own without any help. Sometimes I got knocked off of platforms because of weird enemy placement and poor camera work. Plus these enemies have some straight up bullshit animations that kick you all over the place on tight platforms and send you into a black hole. Not really sure what was going on with that throughout the game, because I don’t recall any other 3D Mario game being like that. Or the slow feeling movements of all of the water levels, and the confusing controls of pressing A or spinning to gain speed. Even Mario 64 felt smoother with its water controls.
What I do love is the fact you can leave a level or straight up just an entire galaxy to get a star elsewhere, because some of these levels are some real work to get through. During some of the second half of the game my enjoyment plummeted and I felt like I was just tasked with chore after chore of beating a bunch of levels I was no longer having fun in. Luckily it wasn’t the whole B side, but it was enough to make me sit back and evaluate if I’m just playing too much, or I actually don’t like what’s going on.
When I think of Mario Galaxy, I don’t think of largely problematic game design, but on my replay of it, certain areas of this game definitely could’ve been made better. Still, Mario Galaxy remains one of the best Wii platformers to this day. While I can’t say I love it as much as I used to, I’d go back to it without hesitation. It’s definitely flawed, and not the masterpiece everyone claims it to be, but even the worst 3D Mario game is in a league of its own. 8/10.
Sometimes a game is so good, you play it once and never go back to it because there’s really no need. It’s the greatest game ever, everybody knows it, everybody says it. That’s how I remembered Galaxy, the untouchable holy grail of games. The best 3D Mario, a near-impossible task, and yet… my return proved me otherwise.
I will say that out of any and every Wii game, you’ve probably got the best looking and sounding one on your hands. An incredible visual appeal backed by booming strings, glaring synths, somber piano, it has it all. This colorful, expansive world Nintendo built in this game is beautiful. Damn near brings a tear to my eye thinking about how perfectly crafted it is.
However… I feel like anyone giving this game a mass amount of credit for its soundtrack and level design has not played Ape Escape 3, because I legitimately think there are ripped off ideas all over. The way the toy levels play out, the music in them, the doors and their opening animations, the style of beach levels, I can’t help but wonder if Nintendo also knows that Ape Escape 3 is arguably the best 3D platformer of all-time. They saw the space levels and said, “Yep, let’s make a whole game with that idea.” At least they used a phenomenal game to take inspiration from.
I also despise this fixed camera at times. Playing as a shadow for 1/4th of the entire game is not appealing to me, just let me move the camera on my own without any help. Sometimes I got knocked off of platforms because of weird enemy placement and poor camera work. Plus these enemies have some straight up bullshit animations that kick you all over the place on tight platforms and send you into a black hole. Not really sure what was going on with that throughout the game, because I don’t recall any other 3D Mario game being like that. Or the slow feeling movements of all of the water levels, and the confusing controls of pressing A or spinning to gain speed. Even Mario 64 felt smoother with its water controls.
What I do love is the fact you can leave a level or straight up just an entire galaxy to get a star elsewhere, because some of these levels are some real work to get through. During some of the second half of the game my enjoyment plummeted and I felt like I was just tasked with chore after chore of beating a bunch of levels I was no longer having fun in. Luckily it wasn’t the whole B side, but it was enough to make me sit back and evaluate if I’m just playing too much, or I actually don’t like what’s going on.
When I think of Mario Galaxy, I don’t think of largely problematic game design, but on my replay of it, certain areas of this game definitely could’ve been made better. Still, Mario Galaxy remains one of the best Wii platformers to this day. While I can’t say I love it as much as I used to, I’d go back to it without hesitation. It’s definitely flawed, and not the masterpiece everyone claims it to be, but even the worst 3D Mario game is in a league of its own. 8/10.
Fuck those purple coin levels.
i'd give this game more if it'd let me, having access to this both on the wii and the switch is more then i could ever ask for. now only if they gave us the second.
one of the wii’s masterpieces….
el 2 mejor
This game has a kind of magic to it that very few games have ever replicated.
Worth it to 100% my favorite childhood game. There was just something about Mario being in the final frontier that has and always will make me feel like a kid again from now to forever...especially the solemn backstory on Rosalina too
GOAT!!!
неплохо и прикольно, этакий платформер с планетными уровнями, который постоянно ищет что бы тебе подкинуть, при этом из-за грамотного геймдизайна сразу давая тебе возможность понять что надо делать, но половина уровней больше бесит, чем развлекает. Особенно то, что из всех уровней, где марио превращается, единственный весёлый это с костюмом пчелы. И эт всё ещё и эмулятором усложнялось. А ещё камера, она просто отвратительная
Playing this as a kid was magic. This is why the wii was made. This game is so much concentrated fun it might as well be lethal to someone under 13.
My personal favorite Mario, he do be jumping
É realmente um dos jogos feitos, acho q a criatividade de cada galáxia marca dms, e acho q esse jogo foi uma grande inspiração pra it takes two, mt bom
Best OST in the history of vidya
It's Mario in space.
Que jogo fenomenal.
I remember having a lot of fun in this game and it has a lot of different ideas. Need to play again to have a definitive opinion.
What's holding this game back believe it or not is Mario's movement, which is crazy because it's something Nintendo nails in every other 3D Mario game. I find the whole going upside down and camera bullshit to be annoying too, but it's not possible for a 3D Mario game to be bad. Still a fantastic game
opening scene and hub in these game are full of soul and are so well done.
levels are so well design all tough there isn't much cool power ups like in other mario games.
constantly shaking wii remote can be a bit annoying but it doesn't really effect gamepaly.
for 2007 game graphics are unbelievably good.
this game have so much charm and love put into it that it make it feel so good.
and my favorite thing about this game may actually be atmosfere itself.
levels are so well design all tough there isn't much cool power ups like in other mario games.
constantly shaking wii remote can be a bit annoying but it doesn't really effect gamepaly.
for 2007 game graphics are unbelievably good.
this game have so much charm and love put into it that it make it feel so good.
and my favorite thing about this game may actually be atmosfere itself.
It's the best Mario game (haven't played paper mario/mario & luigi). One of the best gameplays of all time and has a lil bit more of story there.