Super Mario Galaxy

[stephenp1983]

I am about an hour into this game and it really is amazing.  I haven't turned my wii on in 2 months, I've been on my 360 almost every day, so this game really is a breath of fresh air.

I never really got into sunshine, because to me it didnt compare to mario 64.  So far this game is just as good as 64 and Im not that far into it.  The level design is amazing, as I thought I would hate not being on a flat surface.

What is everyone else opinions

[lordtodd75]

I have had the game since noon yesterday and I still havent got to play it   

[SavannahLion]

I never really got into sunshine, because to me it didnt compare to mario 64.  So far this game is just as good as 64 and Im not that far into it. 

Argh!! Please don't say that. I thought Mario64 wasn't the best of the Mario's. The game itself was OK, but that atrocious camera moving at the most inopportune times screwed up more than a few key jumps.  Fine control of the camera is neigh impossible. Sunshine wasn't the best Mario game, but the camera was better with fewer failings.

My GF just called me 10 seconds ago and told me she bought it. So I'll see how it plays tonight.

Didn't PA mention something about online multiplayer?

[ChadTower]

Just curious... how old are you?  At the time, popping in Mario 64 for the first time was like the Nazis opening up the Ark of the Covenant.  It was that much better than everything else in the ever of ever.

[SithMaster]

Just curious... how old are you?  At the time, popping in Mario 64 for the first time was like the Nazis opening up the Ark of the Covenant.  It was that much better than everything else in the ever of ever.

What?

64 was pretty good and i never really got into sunshine.

[AtomSmasher]

Just curious... how old are you?  At the time, popping in Mario 64 for the first time was like the Nazis opening up the Ark of the Covenant.  It was that much better than everything else in the ever of ever.

Agreed.  The first time playing Mario 64 was similar to the first time playing Super Mario Bros., at the time it came out, there was nothing even close to it.  Mario Sunshine did improve the camera, but after the first few levels it just got old and tiring, and the water backpack was not a good addition.

I have 12 stars already in Mario Galaxy and so far its a really great game.  It was really disorienting at first, but I got used to it pretty quick.  So far the level design has been amazing, I just hope they keep the quality up throughout the game (and according to the reviews, they do).  The mini games have been a lot of fun too.

[ChadTower]

Sunshine had all of the quality but that backpack thing was annoying.  Just not a top flight concept.

When we first played Mario 64 the awesome hit me so hard I might have a scar on the back of my head.  It was that much of a leap forward in every way.

[AtomSmasher]

I didn't think this warranted a new thread, so I'll just say it here.  I just received two free rubber wiimote jackets from Nintendo in the mail today, and I have to say it's pretty awesome that they're giving them out free.  I know they're just doing it to reduce liability from people throwing their wiimotes and breaking their tv's, but its still very cool.

[somunny]

Bought a copy at TRU just to get the $25 gift card.  Already turned the game over on ebay. 

Between COD4, Mass Effect, Half Life, GH3 and Rock Band, my time is all allocated for gamed for the forseeable future.

[ahofle]

How are the controls?  I hope this really takes advantage of the Wii controls like Wii Sports did (and most other games don't).

[SavannahLion]

Just curious... how old are you?  At the time, popping in Mario 64 for the first time was like the Nazis opening up the Ark of the Covenant.  It was that much better than everything else in the ever of ever.

Chad, in a way that's kind of insulting to me. I'm old enough to actually remember playing Pong variations, Atari Football and Tempest in the arcade. If you really must know my age, look at my profile.

Mario 64 itself, as a game, is good. The game itself is in line with what most Mario fans expected at the time, including myself. However, certain components of that game are less than stellar. The main being the atrocious camera control. You have your "dynamic" camera control and you have your "fixed" control. The camera works so-so in either mode. The camera works fine in some areas. Then there are times when you need to spin the camera around or force it into a fixed position because of whatever and you simply can't do it. hence, the lack of fine control over the camera. It's pretty obvious why Lakitu was included there.

I'm sure many people consider the game pretty fantastic and mind blowing and pretty much established a standard. Even so, it still needed further tweaking and playtesting on that camera. If a game like Super Mario Galaxy was released with the same annoying eleven year old camera control code, then the developers need to be fired, hauled out and their nuts removed.

And no, I'm not talking out of ---my bottom--- here. I've played through the game repeatedly like any fan. I've earned all my stars and looked over that fountain sign for months. I also consider Mario64 a necessary N64 title to anybodies N64 collection. Just because I like a game doesn't mean I have to like everything about the game.

Despite the gameplay in Sunshine, it's pretty clear the camera code in the game is more mature. It does a better job of moving into position relative to what is happening on screen with only a few annoying problems (I'd like to shoot the map designer that chose the camera position in the Pachinko-thing level).

[AtomSmasher]

Despite the gameplay in Sunshine, it's pretty clear the camera code in the game is more mature. It does a better job of moving into position relative to what is happening on screen with only a few annoying problems (I'd like to shoot the map designer that chose the camera position in the Pachinko-thing level).

So you feel Mario Sunshine is a better game then Mario 64 only because it had better camera control, even though you agree (or at least you hint that you agree) that its gameplay is inferior?  Your an odd one.  I'll take great gameplay with an average camera over average gameplay with a great camera any day.  Luckily Mario Galaxy seems to have both great gameplay and a great camera.

[shmokes]

Chad's right.  Mario 64 was about the closest thing I've ever had to a religious experience.  Mario 64 changed everything.  And in spite of coming first, it did pretty much everything pretty much as perfect as it could possibly have been done.

[stephenp1983]

Well guys I won't be playing for a few days, the wife just went into the hospital last night and we are having our baby girl this morning at 8:30

Btw I am 24, nes was my first system, but 64 the system and mario were probably one of my favorite systems/games.  I never had a ps1, so I jumped from an snes to a n64 and I remember how amazaing the 3d was.  THe first game I played on it was Star Wars Shadows of the Empire and then Mario 64

[ChadTower]

Well guys I won't be playing for a few days, the wife just went into the hospital last night and we are having our baby girl this morning at 8:30

 

[ClubNinja]

Mario 64 is certainly excellent, but Super Mario World is obviously the best Mario game ever ever ever times infinity.  Ever.

[shardian]

Mario 64 is certainly excellent, but Super Mario World is obviously the best Mario game ever ever ever times infinity.  Ever.

My wife would agree with you there. I can kick her ass in almost all games in existence, but she absolutely pwns SMW.

[ChadTower]

I can kick her ass in almost all games in existence, but she absolutely pwns SMW.

IIRC, that means sharidan is married to Tammy Sytch.  Nice job!

[shardian]

I can kick her ass in almost all games in existence, but she absolutely pwns SMW.

IIRC, that means sharidan is married to Tammy Sytch.  Nice job!

Wow, that was pretty lame.

[HaRuMaN]

I didn't think this warranted a new thread, so I'll just say it here.  I just received two free rubber wiimote jackets from Nintendo in the mail today, and I have to say it's pretty awesome that they're giving them out free.  I know they're just doing it to reduce liability from people throwing their wiimotes and breaking their tv's, but its still very cool.

Yeah I got those in the mail...  I have to find a way to mod them so that I can still use my Nyko charge stand...   

[ChadTower]

Wow, that was pretty lame.

It was aimed pretty squarely at ClubNinja... anyone else I assume would have to at least follow the link I threw in, and even then might not get it.

[ClubNinja]

Wow, that was pretty lame.

It was aimed pretty squarely at ClubNinja... anyone else I assume would have to at least follow the link I threw in, and even then might not get it.

Yeah.  I had already snorted before even noticing there was a link.  I'd take her 10 years ago, but have you seen her recently?  All yours, shardian.

[ClubNinja]

Actually, she's apparently looking better and healthier now.  I approve.

[shardian]

Wow, she did change a bit didn't she. I remember her best as "Sunny". I assume that the Candido thing hit her pretty hard. Understandable.

[ChadTower]

Not unless Candido is another word for cocaine.

[shardian]

He kinda died on her due to a botched surgery. She tried to get him to go to the doctor, but he wouldn't go until it was too late. You think that might weigh on her mind? I understand she was in to drugs, but cocaine usually leads to weight loss.

[ChadTower]

He died because of a heart that was working on duct tape and drinking straw wrappers after 15 years of... da dum dum... cocaine and steroids.

His leg broke because he was so full of osteoporosis... a side effect of... steroid abuse. 

Trust me, that chick may or may not be clean now, but she was once a walking cocaine billboard, as was her husband.

[slycrel]

I'm another oddity in that I never quite loved mario 64, I think super mario world was the peak.  But it's a bit different gameplay, so it's kind of apples and oranges.  I never could quite get the "feel" down to my liking of super mario world.  IIRC I was hardcore in to PC games at the time though, so that may have been a factor.

That said I'm quite interested in checking out super mario galaxy.  Looks like a lot of fun.

[SithMaster]

dont forget to buy it from toyrus for a 25 dollar gift card and if the cashier doesnt ask if you want batteries you get a 5 dollar one too.

[SavannahLion]

.... if the cashier doesnt ask if you want batteries you get a 5 dollar one too.

What? They're supposed to ask if you want batteries now?   

[hypernova]

So how many impressions have we heard so far regarding "Galaxy?"  I think I saw one in the beginning, then it just tanked into tangents.

[RTSDaddy2]

Well Hyper, I'll try and help bring it back to topic....and yes, Shmokes, once again I jumped the gun too many times on my opnion of early Wii games.  I now understand superior verses just average...my apologies.

Words are just failing me after nearly 45 minutes of non-stop play. Let's start here: my new favorite game to play on the Wii is Super Mario Galaxy. PERIOD, End of discussion - and I've got a feeling it will be for quite some time to come.

Let me try and start with the vibrant, beautiful coloring.  My knowledge of video displays is highly limited, but my god, "videos" online of this game do NOT do it justice.  I have an HD ready TV and got one of those HD cables last year to run from the Wii to the TV.  The coloring is just unreal.  Visual effects on this are just off the chart.

The camera movement is (well, at least to me) is so pinpoint that until I got used to it, I kept bending myself in half, trying to follow Mario's movement as he walked sideways and un and down the first planets.  It gets better after a little while, but I'm still just in shock of being able to walk all the way around the little worlds...exploring every sqaure inch if I choose to.  The use of the Wiimote and Nunchuck together, for whatever reason, make perfect logical sense to me....I cannot imagine trying to play this with a joypad controller.

Somewhere in an online review one thing criticized was the voice acting - that there's not enough of it.  I will have to concur with that....looks like they could have done more than they did....HOWEVER, if doing so would have comprimised ANY of this game as it currently exists, I'm glad they left it out.  This is Mario, after all.    I also wish it saved star bits when you go back to the observatory, but again it's such a moot point.  Gives me a reason to "re-explore" the previous planet.

The soundtrack is every bit as stunning as the visuals.  I found myself at one point just letting Mario stand still while I listened intently to the bright, vibrant score (I'm a musician, so scores really impress me). Just unreal.  Don't believe me...turn the volume down and play it with no sound and find out just how much this soundtrack enhances the game play.

If it's not a 10, it's damn sure a 9 to 9.9. My wife is not a hardcore gamer, but I can't wait for her to try this one out.  She loves games that are just plain fun, and this one slap out is the most fun you'll have with your Wii this year. Replay value seems to be really, really high for me too in that by the time I get to the next galaxy I may have forgotten half of what I've already seen.   For all it's glory, not even Metroid Prime: Corruption can touch this one. Forget whatever nonsense I may have spewed about other games, this is THE one and was worth all the wait (and god knows we waited long enough).  This one has my vote for Wii game of the year.  WHAT A GEM.

[AtomSmasher]

So far it is fast becoming my all time favorite Mario game.  Its definately better then Mario Sunshine and Mario 64, but I think I may like it better than Super Mario Bros. 3 and even Super Mario World.  But then I only have about 40 stars, so it's still too early to say for sure (there are 121 stars total).

[Guaranos]

I for one didn't like Mario 64 at all.  The only time I played a Nintendo 64 was when it was first in the stores and they had the demo kiosk setup.  I walked up, tried Mario 64 for about 5 minutes, and walked away.  I don't know if it's the game that I hated, the controller, or both.

I've never played Mario Sunshine either.  Nobody I know bought a GameCube.

That said, I have a Wii, and this game looks intriguing.  Would it appeal to old-school (non-3d) Mario fans like myself?

[AtomSmasher]

I for one didn't like Mario 64 at all.  The only time I played a Nintendo 64 was when it was first in the stores and they had the demo kiosk setup.  I walked up, tried Mario 64 for about 5 minutes, and walked away.  I don't know if it's the game that I hated, the controller, or both.

I've never played Mario Sunshine either.  Nobody I know bought a GameCube.

That said, I have a Wii, and this game looks intriguing.  Would it appeal to old-school (non-3d) Mario fans like myself?

If you didn't like Mario 64 at all, then you probably won't care much for Mario Galaxy either, since the control scheme is very similar to Mario 64.  Although, you should definately rent it and try it for more then 5 minutes just to make sure.  For you, I would highly recommend Super Paper Mario since it has a lot more in common with the 2-d mario games.

[ahofle]

If it's not a 10, it's damn sure a 9 to 9.9.

Gamespot seems to agree with you.
http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/supermario128/index.html
Man I can't wait until Xmas. 

[bishmasterb]

I've been playing Galaxy for a few hours now and it is an incredible game. One of the few games I start playing where I'm sure I'll be finishing the entire game.

As others have stated, Mario 64 was a religious experience for me as well, a truly revolutionary game playing experience. Galaxy is a great game indeed, but the experience for me isn't quite equal to Mario 64. Much of that of course has to do with the fact that Galaxy is mostly an evolutionary step from Mario64 and has had 12 years to build on the gameplay of that title, but some of is fundamentally attributable to the brilliance of Mario 64, regardless of when it was released.

[shmokes]

No . . . Chad's right.  Your position is like someone saying they hate air or water.  Disliking Mario 64 isn't just an opinion . . . it's a character flaw.   

[RTSDaddy2]

I'm going to jump back in with one quick thing that I didn't notice last night...POTENTIAL MINOR SPOILER....
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Those of you already to the Green Egg Galaxy may have seen this, but I didn't notice it until this morning.  On "sandy" worlds such as the peanut shaped one that is central to getting the first star in the Green Egg galaxy...if you look, you can see Mario's tracks where he's walked around in the soft dirt. 

That kind of attention to details just makes me drool. Ok...LONG way to go - 2 stars down, what is it -118 to go? 

[ChadTower]

No . . . Chad's right.  Your position is like someone saying they hate air or water.  Disliking Mario 64 isn't just an opinion . . . it's a character flaw.   

Character flaw... pssh... IMO it may be evidence of a developmental disorder.  Especially with only 5 minutes' play time.  The game is so deep, varied, and innovative that 5 minutes' play time isn't even enough to see if you like the color of Mario's hat.