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Super Mario Galaxy Review

In space, everyone can hear you go "Wahoooooooooooo!"

We used to be full of such wide-eyed wonderment, such hope of discovery. Back before mankind reached for the stars, we would stare wistfully into the black.

“What’s up there?” we would say. “It could be anything! Imagine!”

And we imagined wondrous things and celebrated in the creation of art, and music, and literature. And we probably did a little dance.

Then we built space rockets and breached the sky. And in space we found much dust and many, many rocks. And some men with thick glasses and lab coats went “Hmmmm…” quite a lot. And we were all like “What?” and the men in lab coats said “Fascinating…” and so we were like “WHAT?” and they explained why it was so fascinating, but really it wasn’t fascinating at all.

Now, if we had found crazy space penguins who surf on space manta rays, conversed with space-faring intelligent mushrooms, and gone upside-down ice-skating on a donut-shaped mini-moon, maybe we’d still be excited about the possibilities.

The setup of Super Mario Galaxy is pretty simple. It's Super Mario. In Space.

The real joy of Super Mario Galaxy is that it engages that sense of wonder which we’ve lacked for so long. As you sit down to start a session, you find yourself thinking “What will I find next? What absolute craziness can I discover?” and you find yourself salivating at the prospect because for the first time ever you have absolutely no idea.

Normally your imagination has its limits imposed by basic rulesets – even if that limit is merely that you know you’re expecting something in three dimensions with something approaching normal gravitational behaviour, and a clear idea of up and down. Sure, in games you can often be wondering what you’ll see next - but you’ve always got a rough outline. It can’t be anything. But in Super Mario Galaxy it really can, and usually is.

The setup of Super Mario Galaxy is pretty simple. It's Super Mario. In Space. After Princess Peach is kidnapped by a now space-faring Bowser, Mario finds himself in a deep space observatory inhabited by star-folk known as Lumas. One of these creatures imbues Mario with the ability to fly through space unharmed, and he sets off on a mission to rescue captive power stars hidden throughout the universe, take out Bowser and rescue the princess once again.

In doing so Mario is flung from galaxy to galaxy on an adventure where the fun just doesn't stop. It's unrelenting. It's like being repeatedly smacked in the face with a lump of refined joy.

The often innovative game design itself is perfect at best and inspired at worst - free roaming yet so tightly paced that while the game goes at your speed it's never lacking in impetus or direction. Each "galaxy" in the game is a cluster of planetoids or other floating items in space, linked together in a thematic sense (such as the "FreezeFlame Galaxy" - a mixture of hot and cold elements) - and housing one or more elusive power stars. Each planetoid can be tiny or huge and may contain enemies to defeat, collectibles to grab, or tasks to perform in order to progress.

Objects in space

Travel can be by leaping from the gravity pull of one floating platform to the next, by using the wiimote to grab onto distant pull-stars, using sticky sling pods to spak Mario (it's the only "word" that works, trust me) across space to the next platform, using giant flowers to float in wind currents or turning him into an awesome white-gloved helicopter-plumber hybrid - and that's just for starters. Launch stars and sling stars are especially fun, watching Mario approach new destinations from the air (often slingshotting around other planets on route) as he gracefully glides past a series of stunning backdrops.

New abilities are welcome - Mario can now turn into a Bee, a Boo (ghost) and a mustachioed spring (!), while other power ups unlock Ice Mario and the old favourite Fire Mario. All are superbly integrated into the gameplay, as are the zelda-style Boss encounters which pop up with reasonable frequency.

Despite the massive amount of moves and new abilities to get to grips with, Super Mario Galaxy controls impeccably - the myriad wiimote-wiggling actions needed to play do not harm the experience in the slightest - if anything they enhance it. This is Nintendo showing the world that their "gimmick" is no such thing and does allow for games with significantly more depth than that displayed in Wii Sports. As a showcase for the motion-sensing abilities of the Wii Super Mario Galaxy is nigh-on perfect.

Once again Nintendo's decision to keep the Wii somewhat underpowered compared to its more expensive rivals is proven to be a smart move - graphics these days are about design not detail, and Super Mario Galaxy's vision, design and general look are nothing short of phenomenal. It's possible nothing on the more powerful Xbox 360 or PS3 has looked this mind-blowingly captivating in 2007. The soundtrack, meanwhile, is one of the best and most diverse we've ever heard, packed with new stuff as well as reworked versions of familiar childhood themes.

Now, I must take a moment to reprimand those of you who think you’re too mature for a game like this. Is jacking lowriders and whacking street-punks really any more grown up? Super Mario Galaxy is completely suitable for the kids, it’s true (so fret not, parents) – but to assume there’s nothing there for the older gamer is folly.

Super Mario Galaxy is the game of the decade. At least.

Reason being - this isn’t childish. It’s mad. Playing Super Mario Galaxy is a journey into the collective imagination of the world’s most terrifyingly insane creative team. It’s Alice in Wonderland meets The Mighty Boosh, in space, while Aldous Huxley does the Macarena wearing a ghillie suit. And it's not terrifying because there’s any darkness to the tone, there’s not even a hint – this is terrifying because of the sheer scope of the lunacy on display. How can anyone be this mental?

The bright primary colours and perky soundtrack do not signify an intended child-only audience in this any more than they do in, say, Yellow Submarine. Super Mario Galaxy is trippin’, as they say - a genuine masterpiece of surrealism and absurdism.

Eating barriers for breakfast

Super Mario Galaxy is the product of everything Nintendo has learned during its thirty years as the visionary leader of the videogame form. It never puts a foot wrong, and there is nothing that can easily be criticised about it - even if you're looking for it. It breaks so many barriers we're not sure where Nintendo can possibly take Mario, or any series, next. It seems the only limit to what Nintendo can achieve is defined by the screen through which you view your gaming and the only way to top this would be to smash that barrier, and actually pull your physical self into a bizarre universe of adventure and discovery.

So. Come back in a couple of years to get clarification on this point, but...yep, I'm going to say it - Super Mario Galaxy is the game of the decade. At least. Maybe it's time to return our collective gaze to the heavens.

Oh, and thank you, Nintendo.