Great game, could have been better.
Right away, Super Mario Galaxy feels just like Mario 64. You collect stars, unlock new worlds, and go on special missions to collect more stars, all the while travelling through space to rescue the princess and defeat Bowser. There are some new characters, like the lumas, and some interesting new worlds, but I couldn't help feeling like there should be more. The music is almost all remixed classic tracks, the bosses and enemies have mostly all been seen before. The basic gameplay is a mirror image of Mario 64. It feels more like a Mario 64 expansion than a brand new original title. Perhaps I'm being too hard on it, so let me explain what I thought made this game great.
The gravity and physics are the first thing that really set this game apart from other platform games. It's incredibly inventive and fun, but never tedious or frustrating. I never found myself wondering where to go next or had any trouble figuring out the puzzles. Super Mario Galaxy is by no means a difficult game. I suppose the target audience has to be wide enough to appeal to everyone, and it succeeds well at that. As a veteran gamer, I was rarely challenged, but this didn't really deter me from wanting to keep going.
I really enjoyed the new costumes that give mario special powers, such as the bee, and boo costume. There are plenty of galaxies to explore as well, each with a unique theme. From a ghost castle to a swampy galaxy, the scenery is constantly changing.
As far as controls go, vast improvements have been made over the 64 Mario adventure. Moves like the wall jump are much much easier to perform now. The camera angles also work well with the action most of the time, which was really a massive flaw in Mario 64 (you can't really blame them, Mario 64 was one of the first true 3d platformers). The game makes good use of the Wii's motion controls, but never becomes overly complex or confusing.
In the graphics department, Super Mario Galaxy breaks no new boundaries. The style and animations are fitting, but not breathtaking by any means. The Wii has never claimed to be a revolutionary graphics powerhouse though.
Overall, Nintendo has produced yet another guaranteed classic, which appeals to gamers as a truly enjoyable experience.