Super Mario Galaxy - Wii Preview - The Armchair Empire


	Platform Wii Genre Platformer Publisher Nintendo Developer Nintendo ETA November 12, 2007
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Super Mario Galaxy

* Updated July 25, 2007 *

Though it failed to be showcased to any extent at Nintendo's E3 press conference, Super Mario Galaxy was the one of the Wii games I looked forward to the most to actually play again.

I played through two levels. One of them featured exploration of smaller planetoids and coping with changing gravity and "grabbing" anchor points to drift across expanses of space. Even with the radically different setting from the platforming Mario games that preceded it, it felt right -- it's takes all of four seconds to learn the controls.

The second level featured a level along the lines of what gamers are used to in a Mario title -- cliffs to jump, goombas to stomp, etc. -- but it also introduced the Bee Suit. When found the Bee Suit is Mario's cutest attire since the Teddy Bear suit (Super Mario Bros. 3). It also grants the ability to hover and climb specific surfaces (which also includes climbing all over a big queen bee collecting star pieces -- it's vaguely erotic). the suit's one vulnerability is water -- touch water and it disappears.

I didn't see it in the two levels I played, but Super Mario Galaxy will also include a Ghost Suit. What other suits may be available remains to be seen.

Another addition to the game is limited control for a second player. With a second Wiimote, a partner can "hold" enemies in place so that Mario can score easy hits. The other option is to zap coins while the first player can concentrate on actually

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playing the game. It's limited functionality to be sure, but it'll be great when when I'm playing it with my kids (which was probably Nintendo's original aim for this anyway).

Super Mario Galaxy will ship in the last quarter of 2007. And as crowded as the 4th Quarter usually is, this is one game Wii owners won't be complete without.

- Omni

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Wouldn't it be something if Nintendo's upcoming Wii console launched with a Zelda game and an all-new Mario game? Nintendo has already confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will ship alongside Wii (and the GameCube version of the same game), which is good news for Zelda fans and will no doubt spur Wii sales, and if a Mario game shipped at the same time? Or even a couple weeks behind it?

* Screenshots by camera; better screens when we get then

As a fan of most of the Mario games -- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door still being the pinnacle of the storied franchise -- I'd like to see this, however there's no official release date for Japan, North America or Europe (though it seems EB Games has guessed at December 1, 2006).

For me, Super Mario Galaxy was one of the best surprises of the most recent E3. Though the "spherical" environments were reminiscent of elements of Ratchet & Clank (found on the PS2) the action is pure Mario and after having a chance to take Super Mario Galaxy for a spin (almost literally) my only hope is that it ships soon after the Wii does.

Like just about every other Super Mario game, you play as Mario, other-worldly plumber and prize-winning moustache grower, leaping, skidding, and slamming onto enemies, which doesn't actually differ much other Super Mario games. Neither does the control scheme even if the Wii controller seems to be radically different -- you still control Mario's direction with the analog stick (in your left hand) and a variety of jumps, including butt slams, with the buttons on the remote (in your right hand). The demo at E3 showed minimal use of the controller features but it is utilized.

To catapult Mario from one sphere to another he enters "starports" (my term) to launch himself through space. Activating the starport is accomplished by whirling the remote in a tight circle to get the starport spinning. Off Mario flies! The only other use of the remote was to "grab" coins. Using the unobtrusive on-screen cursor allow easy aiming for the coins as they zoom by. It wasn't a robust use of the technology but with only a quick demo to get an impression I wouldn't say those will be the only uses of the unique Wii controllers.

Though much of gaming is concentrating on making graphics ultra-realistic -- "Look at the back hair on that barbarian!" -- Nintendo has stuck with the typical Mario style and detail. The Wii is more powerful than the GameCube and there is a noticeable different between Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Sunshine, but the same themes and styles are in full force, with Bullet Bills flying around, Goombas waddling after Mario, green pipes (leading who knows where), among others. The game engine looked relatively polished and the demo ran without a hitch or any kind of slow-down. Basically, it's good news all-round.

More telling though is that I wanted to keep playing after the demo was over. It will certainly be a must have title when it ships.

- Omni

(May 29, 2006)