An accessible, rewarding experience that encapsulates the true meaning of its renowned source---the idea of fun.
Stardust is falling on the Mushroom Kingdom, prompting Princess Peach to throw a party with a celebratory cake so huge it could feed thirty countries for ten years. Of course, Mario gets an invitation and hurries straight over to the castle---where he runs into a little creature known as Luma, who has fallen from the sky and appears to be lost. However, Bowser's up to his dirty tricks again, and the egregious Koopa King invades the Mushroom Kingdom---towering ten times his normal size---abducts the Princess and challenges his Italian arch-nemesis to come after him. It's up to the greatest hero of the Mushroom Kingdom to once again put Bowser in his place, save the Princess, and help his new friend Luma return home. With the help of a curiously-shaped spaceship and a new friend named Lubba, both Mario and the player have the resources they need to explore the game's Eight worlds, defeat the individual platforming galaxies found therein and locate enough Stars to pave their way towards Bowser and bring justice to the fiend once and for all.
One of the things that I enjoyed most about Super Mario Galaxy 2 was its unorthodox, anti-gravitational platforming style. Upside down, right-side up, right-side left, left-side right---this sort of stuff you don't ordinarily see in most other games---if at all. Yet, the traditional, free-flowing gameplay that defines the Mario series is clearly evident, and it is a welcoming sight for both longtime fans and newcomers. If you remember the original game, everything here will be a familiar experience, but clever new level designs and other unique features keep things fresh. One of the most noteworthy additions to Super Mario Galaxy 2 is Yoshi---the dinosaur first introduced in Super Mario World for the Super NES. It's certainly nothing new as far as that game and Super Mario Sunshine are concerned, but for Super Mario Galaxy 2, it adds an entirely new dimension to an already tried-and-true Wii Mario experience. In addition to familiar powers carried over from the first adventure, Mario also has access to some new suits----including a Cloud suit, a Rock Suit and a Spring Suit. These new abilities are a lot of fun to use and can help Mario out of very sticky situations if used wisely---though they might take some time to get accustomed to.
Most Mario games benefit through traditional controls, but Galaxy 2 takes this a step further by taking advantage of the Remote functionality. The Nunchuck is the typical movement protocol---the analog will make the player feel at home. The Wii Remote can be pointed at the screen and used to scoop up star fragments (currency). However, it becomes a problem sometimes when you have to shake the Remote to perform certain maneuvers like a spin punch, but this is not nearly enough to get in the way of gameplay. At any rate, the Wii Remote control scheme handles quite well and offers a great degree of accessibility to gamers of any age. Yet, be warned; Super Mario Galaxy 2, as fun as it is, can get quite difficult---especially when you consider the bizarre nature of the platforming levels. You might lose a few lives along the way when you're trying to either complete a level, seek out hidden stars, fight enormous bosses, or take part in various challenges. On the flip side, should you happen to fail a stage a specific number of times, the Cosmic Guide will appear and lead you to the Star that you seek---at a rather unfortunate expense. Still, it's nice to have that around because casual gamers stand to benefit the most out of it. And the good news here is that the player can always go back to that stage in question and finish it properly once they've culminated their playing skills and familiarized themselves with the lay of the land.
The Wii was never really recognized as a graphical powerhouse, but with games like Super Mario Galaxy 2 emphasizing substance over style, it doesn't really matter. That didn't stop it from making full use of the Wii's visual technology, however; the game seems to push the capabilities of the hardware with lush, colorful environments (most of them beset in the backdrop of a seemingly infinite sea of stars) and vibrant character models that look great with or without component cables. Mario himself has never looked better---but then again, when has he ever looked bad? In fact, he looks even better here than he did on the GameCube. The music is almost fully orchestrated---appropriate given the magnitude of Super Mario Galaxy's theme of outer space---with some memorable themes.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 will enthrall both younger and older gamers, and is a stark reminder of the importance behind a core principle that nearly every video game in existence must abide by; the fun factor. For over twenty five years, Nintendo's flagship franchise has lived up to its promise of providing enriching, rewarding and fun gameplay for everybody involved, and to say Super Mario Galaxy 2 is no exception would be affirming the obvious. And obviously, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is an incredibly fun game that begs to be played and enjoyed by anyone, everyone and everybody. It proves that even after all these years, the Koopa kicking Italian stallion still has what it takes to compete with bigger names and overcome even bigger challenges. The Mamma Mia is as loud as ever, and if you like what you hear, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is just the ticket.