Ever since the Wii was released we've all been waiting for it. Now we get it. But was the wait worth it? Does the game live up to the high expectations of worldwide Mario fans? We think so. Super Mario Galaxy is the must-have title for the Wii. Enthralling casual and core gamers alike, Super Mario Galaxy is sure to keep your eyes glued to the television till the end. Boasting sleek controls, gorgeous graphics, orchestrated music, and an unforgettable cast of characters, Mario is better than ever.

Super Mario Galaxy starts off with Peach sending Mario a letter, telling him to come to her castle. As Mario arrives Princess Peach's castle is lifted into the air by none other than Bowser. Mario attempts to save her but is flung into space. Waking up on a strange planet, Mario is greeted by little, star-like creatures called Lumas. The Lumas' matriarch, Rosalina, then enlists Mario in a quest to recover the power stars that Bowser stole from them. With these power stars, the spaceship the Lumas live on will again be able to travel through space and bring Mario to Princess Peach.
And so it begins.

Mario's new adventure boasts plenty of neat power-ups and items. For example, when Mario dons his bee suit he can fly around for a short period of time, but if you touch water you'll lose your powers! Old power-ups, such as the fire flower, are still present in the game, but the new ones make it all the more interesting.
Coins are still in the game, yes, but another coin-like item has been added in Super Mario Galaxy. They are called star bits. Star bits are everywhere. They are placed throughout the galaxies in obvious and not so obvious places, they even fall from the sky! When you acquire some star bits in a galaxy you are able to shoot them at enemies by pressing the B button. You can also feed them to hungry Lumas, which will usually turn into a new galaxy or planet.

Some of the characters in Super Mario Galaxy have pretty interesting personalities. There are a group of toads that you encounter from time to time who received a star ship from the Lumas. Every once in awhile you'll run into them and they'll have a power star for you. Luigi is in the game, too! There are three Luigi missions, in all of them Luigi ends up getting stuck somewhere after he finds a power star. He'll even get mad at you if you forget about him for a prolonged period of time!

One thing that that sort of threw me off was the lack of plot development. None of the Mario games have exactly had deep stories but I think it might be a good thing to see. The only thing that helps to develop the plot is the story book that Rosalina reads to you. After you acquire a certain amount of stars you will unlock a new chapter in the story book. I myself haven't read all of the chapters but I have read enough to get a better understanding of some of the story background.

The controls are fantastic! The nunchuck is used to crouch, move, and to center the camera. The Wii remote is used to jump, shoot star bits, collect star bits, execute the spin move, and to point at various things throughout the galaxies. It is surprisingly easy to navigate the planets with the unique gravity factors. The camera does an excellent job of controlling itself, I've almost never had to switch it around because I couldn't properly see or move.

The graphics are gorgeous. All of the planets are extremely well done and pleasing to the eye. I don't think I have one quarrel with the look of this game. The character models are excellent, the item models are excellent, the scenery is gorgeous and imaginative (what else would you expect from Mario in space?) and the lighting really sets the mood. Power stars have lovely lighting effects. Even from a distance you can see the distinct shine. The diversity of the galaxies and their scenery is amazing. You are constantly hopping venues, which keeps things fresh and interesting.

The music is the best. Each and every galaxy has its own wonderfully orchestrated piece. On some pieces it feels like you should instead be in some sort of huge, epic battle against a huge, epic boss. While other tunes are peaceful and relaxing. Galaxy's music is some of my favorite. I'm pretty confident that I'll be coming back to this game for a long time not just because it is an awesome game, but because of the great, memorable music.

This game has some pretty good lasting value. Even after you beat it, which you must first acquire 60 stars to do, there are still numerous stars to collect and things to accomplish. Currently, I'm working to collect all 120 stars. Hardly ever do I get bored or tired of the game whilst searching for stars. There isn't a real incentive to play, however, after you acquire all the stars.

Super Mario Galaxy clearly strives to stand out from the usual platformer genre, and it does. While you can only be so original after all these years, Super Mario Galaxy still seems to be able to confidently display an original platforming idea that is original, playable, and fun.

And don't forget the two player mode! It's quite simple, but fun. The second player takes control of star bit controls, they can also hold enemies and stun them. The two player mode isn't extremely useful, and if playing with particular people, it can be frustrating. Despite all of that, it provides a new way to play the game: not alone.

Overall, Super Mario Galaxy is by far the best Wii game to date. If you have a Wii and start it up from time to time just to make sure it works, buy this game. I've put around 15 hours into Galaxy thus far and haven't been disappointed yet. This could very well be the best game of the