The Super Mario Galaxy games are widely celebrated as some of the most brilliant achievements in 3D Mario platforming. While fans might debate which Galaxy title is superior or if Odyssey has since claimed the top spot, the mere fact that these games are consistently part of such conversations cements their status among Nintendo`s finest releases of the past two decades. What makes this even more peculiar is how consistently difficult it has been to access them. For a long time, the only way to play them on modern hardware, beyond a Wii or Wii U, was through the bizarrely time-limited Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection, which notably omitted Galaxy 2. Therefore, the remastered versions of Galaxy and Galaxy 2 for Nintendo Switch and the upcoming Switch 2 are a true delight, not only making these masterpieces readily available but also enhancing them with a series of thoughtful improvements.
For those who already own the Super Mario 3D All-Stars release, the new remastered version of Galaxy offers significant visual upgrades. The graphics are sharper, and UI elements have been subtly shifted towards the screen`s edges, providing more immersive gameplay. A new Assist Mode makes the experience slightly more approachable, granting more lives and the ability to bounce back onto solid ground if you fall from an edge – a common occurrence in Galaxy games due to their design around small planetoids. Furthermore, most menus have been revised to support button-based selection, eliminating the need to point a cursor at the screen to navigate stages or respond to dialogue prompts.
However, the cursor functionality remains for collecting Star Bits – the colorful, confection-like pieces that pop up throughout the Galaxy games, largely substituting for coins. You`ll still need to wave the cursor across the screen to gather them, or have a second player assist you, an aspect of the Galaxy games that has arguably aged the least gracefully. An option for auto-gathering, perhaps with a slight trade-off in collection precision, would have been a welcome addition to eliminate the need for constant cursor interaction.
Control schemes have been well-adapted. Joy-Cons function much like the original Wii Remote, while the Pro Controller allows you to recenter the cursor with the R button and then use motion controls to calibrate from there, even if it`s not directly facing the screen. In handheld mode, touch functionality manages cursor input. As expected, the Joy-Cons offer the most intuitive experience, but all options are sufficiently functional. Additionally, Mario`s signature spin maneuver, originally mapped to a quick wrist-flick, can now be activated with a button press, mirroring the implementation in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars release.
These subtle yet well-considered enhancements, typical of remasters rather than full remakes, collectively elevate the games` intrinsic brilliance. Both Galaxy and Galaxy 2 were exceptional titles, rapidly exploring a wealth of innovative concepts. The core gameplay loop – Mario traveling across relatively small planetoids, each with its own centralized gravity – transforms the platforming into a series of improvisational sketches. The level design is so dynamic that you`re rarely engaging in any single type of gameplay for more than a few minutes. One moment you might be puzzling out how to burrow straight through a planet to reach a platform on the other side, and the next you`re floating from star node to star node, wall-jumping past a tricky platforming section, or battling a cosmic dragon. These games possess a wild, rapid-fire inventiveness that has remained unparalleled in 3D Mario titles both before and since.
That said, this approach occasionally introduced perspective shifts that could feel awkward. Instead of the familiar side-view of classic 2D games, or the behind-the-back perspective of Mario 64, Sunshine, or Odyssey, the Galaxy games (especially the first) often position the camera above Mario or at a slight offset. This could sometimes lead to minor confusion regarding movement direction. While not a frequent occurrence, it definitely contributes to these games feeling distinct from others in the series. Galaxy 2 largely mitigated this by centering its design around larger planetoid structures. Although still unique, the second game incorporated more traditional stage designs and fewer tiny, pill-shaped planets.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 often feels like a refined and sharpened version of the original concept. While the first game heavily emphasized the introduction of Rosalina and her narrative, centered around the Comet Observatory, Galaxy 2 is far more gameplay-focused. It features a more straightforward map structure, and its hub ship is less sprawling. It appears Nintendo channeled all its resources into the level design itself, which makes Galaxy 2 superior in most respects, even if its story is somewhat less prominent than the first. It also boasts stronger power-ups – Cloud Mario, who can create a limited number of temporary platforms, is an all-time ingenious Mario concept, and it`s a shame we haven`t seen it utilized again. However, for better or worse, the cursor becomes even more integral in Galaxy 2, not just for collecting Star Bits but for core platforming functionalities like grabbing enemies and objects with Yoshi`s tongue. If your aim is to simply relax without cursor interaction, that won`t be an option for significant portions of Galaxy 2.
The Super Mario Galaxy games were universally lauded as some of the greatest Mario titles ever released. As a pair, they perfectly complement each other. Super Mario Galaxy stands as the rapid-fire, “new idea every minute” reinvention that introduced us to Mushroom Kingdom mainstays like Rosalina and the Lumas. Meanwhile, Galaxy 2 is the all-killer, no-filler refinement that stretches its concepts to their absolute limit. Together, they represent an indispensable chapter in Mario`s history and continue to hold up as some of the absolute best the series has to offer.